Vante's Alaska in Photos

At least once a day we talk to my husband back in Las Vegas.  

 When he came to visit she was very happy - he has a great lap.

Vante enjoyed the fresh snow we tracked in on Thanksgiving night - we got 6 inches of snowfall.

She helped inspect the ornaments before we put them on the tree.  She removed a few too.

Vante was quite pleased with the whole tree decorating experience.

I'll post more details soon but I wanted to share these photos.

Vante--the world traveler!

After much inner conflict and going back-and-forth a few times I finally decided to bring Vante with me.  That's right - Vante has left the contiguous U.S.A. and she's now an Alaskan kitty! 

So let's see, Vante's traveling passport now has: Utah, Nevada, California, Minnesota (layover), and Alaska on it!  She was a gem on the plane rides but did meow a bit on the take-offs and landings.  Probably because she didn't know what to think of her ears popping, the noise and slant of the airplane.  She was quite the conversation starter; lots of folks wanted to see her and talk about her. 

So, we've been in Alaska for four nights and she's finally figured out that we're staying here and it'll just be the two of us.  (We're going home the week before Christmas.)  This morning we played a rousing game of 'Bat the Mouse' and she's spent some time looking out the window and feeling the cool air (29 degrees F) on her whiskers.

She's a good cuddler and is making my stay here so much better.  Plus I think she is enjoying being an only cat and all the attention.  So it's a win-win for both of us!

Clicker Training - By George I think she's got it!

Great news - I got Vante to follow me around the house as I was clicking and giving her treats.  I would walk 5-15 feet away, click, put down a treat and she ran over (EVERY TIME).  The thing that really give me hope is that on the last click, Tucker started to paw at his door, she turned her head towards him, then ran over to the treat.  Now that's progress.

Today, by necessity I ran across this little gem - I put them within eyesight of each other and click and give them both a treat.  I did this twice and am going to remain optimistic and continue this line of good things happening in each other's presence.

YEAH!

Ginger

I know this is Vante's blog but I wanted to share this important household event. My sister-in-law's dog, Ginger, crossed over the Rainbow Bridge Tuesday evening. She's in a much better place and is finally out of pain. Many thanks to our compassionate vet and the staff of Creature Comforts. She is greatly missed. 

Clicker training is going well enough. I'm doing it with all four cats, but as for Vante, I can't do too much training and give her too many treats because of her special diet. So I'm working with what I've got and hope that in a few days if she hears the clicker, that she'll turn her head. Right now she still ignores it.

But patience... I must be like a tortise.

Let the Clicker Training Begin!

I bought two training clickers from PetSmart this morning and we're going to do some association exercises this afternoon.  That means that I will get Vante to associate the click with something good - like treats or brushing (which might be a bigger motivator for her than food).

I'm following a handout from the Dumb Friends League, who gave me lots of advise and information about 1-2 months ago, but I was too (I'll be honest and say it) lazy to follow until now.  Here is the jist of what I'll be doing: I click, I give her a treat (or brush her). I click, I give her a treat. I do this 5 times, in different postures, areas and such to mix-it-up but let her know that the click means good things. Then to figure out if it worked, when she's looking away I click and if she looks at me, then it is working, if she ignores me, then I need to keep it up. I'll do this for at least a week to ensure it's 2nd nature for her before I move on to the next step, Shaping.

Don't worry, I'll keep the blog updated with her training - it should provide for an interesting couple of weeks-to-months.  In the meantime, here is a photo of her three new shelves - I took my inspiration from all the shelves Best Friends has.  She loves them!

Vante-1 Mouse-0

I woke up this morning to find a dead mouse in Vante's water.  She may be 15 years old but she's still a frisky little kitty. 

Boxing

This morning Vante decided to climb into this box, rearrange the newspapers and look a little menacing... like she was going to jump out and 'attack' my husband.  Alas, there was no attacking (I could have used a good laugh).  She enjoyed herself though.

Miss V is up to her usual tricks, napping, eating and telling the other cats that she's in charge.  For the most part they listen but little 2-year-old Tucker just has to be close to her and follow her.  Nobody has been hurt though, so don't worry about either of them.  They're both tough cookies.  There is lots of growling and if looks could kill... but there has not been a physical fight between the two of them.  (All talk.)

I adore Vante.  On a different note, sorry it's been so long since I posted.  I'm working for a month at Nellis and just had two finals and a clinical exam.  I finished my 4th and 5th class to be a Vet Tech and so far so good--straight As and I'm enjoying it.