"Dear Arlo," Conversations with my brofur by future King Neptune - 05.17.2018

05.17.2018

Dear Arlo, 

I'm glad you enjoyed my last letter. No, I don't know if I will write children's books, because everything in my life isn't G rated. Some stuff I write is okay for kits. And when Lucy and I have kits, we can tell them some bedtime stories, stories about the fun things you and I used to do back in the day. But I have decided to post my letters on Mommy's Blog The Lucy Chronicals. As I said yesterday, Lucy is very well read, and she is interested in everything about cats, and then some. 







Well, brofur, I finally got home after 1 am East Coast Time, so 10 pm your time. It was a very long day. Ugh. I saw a pic of me Mommy took last night and I look tired. I had a few naps between getting off the plane and getting home. I was rested up a bit, but still feeling the jet lag. Now I know what they are always talking about. I had some food before we got home, and more at home. Hey, my new Mom is a great cook. Mommy Amy must have shared her recipes, because Mom's food tastes exactly the same. Isn't that great?

She showed me my new apartment. And we unpacked my bag and put my things away. She showed me some of my toys. I explored and climbed my ramps like a good boy, but I was pretty tired. I sharpened my nails on my very own scratching post. While Mom was taking care of things, I hung out with some of my roommates. Here's a pic of me, Garfield just told a hilarious story. 

I let Mom give me a bubble bath, fluff me dry in some huge, soft towels. Then she gave me a bedtime snack, and tucked me into a fluffy bed, giving me chin rubs and tummy rubs and told me how much she loves me. How could she love me and she just met me? She's a pretty nice Mommy, so I will love her too. 

This morning I showed her how much I love her by letting her ride me around on her shoulders in the house and yard. She said we were going to go see Dr. Libby the Veterinarian, because she likes to see all the handsome new kitties. We went on a car trip. I was not happy about being in a carrier again so soon. I was very feisty and tore my water bowl off the inside of the carrier. She's too smart and did not have any water in there while she was driving. While we were waiting to see the Vet, we waited in the pleasantly landscaped parking area. I had to snuggle up to Mommy and protect her when some hoomans were going in and out of the Vet Hospital with very big dogs. Mom is scared of big dogs. So I had fluff up my ruff and get big. I stood on the car so I was up higher than them. Grrrrrr.... 

Well we went in to a nice room, just the two of us and some girl vet techs came in and asked Mommy a bunch of questions about me. Mom took my new harness off and they weighed me. I weighed 3.2 lbs. I must have lost a little flying yesterday. I hear that happens to astronauts too. Then one girl held me still, and Arlo - don't tell anybody - the other one put a thermometer in my butt! OMG! The indigence of it all! I was so embarrassed. At least I didn't poop on it. Speaking of poop - hoomans are cra cra. The vet tech asked Mom to bring some of my poop in sometime. She said that I had a perfect tootsie roll poop over night. She had gift wrapped it in a purple leopard print gift bag and gave it to the nice lady at the front desk. See, they're crazy - don't eat tootsie rolls, and be careful if someone gives you a gift bag. 

So then Dr. Libby comes in. She is so nice. She said I was the most handsome boy cat she had ever seen. She petted me like a woman who loves cats. Then she touched my privates. She and Mommy were whispering, but I could hear her with my super sonic cat hearing. Mom asked if she was checking my pom poms. Dr. Libby said, she wouldn't call them pom poms. They are in the right place, but they're still small, or should she say under developed, but I guess that isn't better. "Hello Doctor! Your tech just put a foreign object in me! My boys just jumped back up inside my body, give them time to come out. I'll show you who's a little man." "Arlo, don't let them take your temperature." 

She also said my tummy sounded a little gassy. Mommy said she thought I had farted. I know you are laughing your big head off. Seriously?! Have you ladies never flown? I flew all the way across the US! The change in air pressure is gonna do that to you. C'mon! Besides, I'm a boy, it's what we do. 

Well my bro, it's only day 2 of 21 that I have to be in quarantine away from my girl Lucy. It's also day 2 of rain. Hope we don't have 19 more days of rain. I will be needing an ark. I think I will write Lucy some love notes and slide them under the door to her. You know she's an older woman. I'm gonna catch up in size to her quickly though. But she might be able to unlatch my door. What do you think? 

I love Lucy 

Have a good night. Paws up! 

You can follow Lucy & Neptune on Instagram and YouTube.

"Dear Arlo," Conversations with my brofur by future King Neptune 05.18.2018

05.18.2018

Dear Arlo, 

Well brofur, it's another rainy day in paradise. So I decided to take a few minutes to write to you again. And after I finish this, I'm gonna use this computer to shop online at Home Depot. I think I need to look at ark building supplies. Mommy said she bought all the materials to build our apartments, or indoor catio, at Home Depot. They love cool cats there. 

So late morning Mommy came in to wake me up. We sleep late, which is good since I'm still on Pacific Coast time. Mom says they are night owls, but I thought she was a hooman. Maybe she's a Shapeshifter? Anyhoo Mom woke me up and wiped my paws and said my behind was clean. Of course! I'm not a baby. She snuggled me and checked to see how much I ate before giving me brekkie. She cleaned my potty. She said I was a good boy. She said Mommy Amy said I didn't always cover my poop back at her house. Hmmm, I didn't know she knew that. I was leaving my poop out so that e'rybody else would stay outa my box, and besides, who would know whose poop that was. Right? Here I have my own box, so if I don't cover it, e'rybody will know I was the slob. I can't have that. I hear Lucy digs a hole all the way to Singapurr to bury her poop. She's a very dainty lady and doesn't want anyone to know she poops. You better grow up Arlo and cover your poop up. Mommy Amy knows. 

Good Morning Meowmy! 

After a delicious breakfast, Mommy snuggled me up like a burrito. Hmmm... I did not like that. I wanted to play, and I was a wiggle worm for her. She gave me a manipedi. She said she was not into scarification tattoos. Sorry... Then she cleaned my ears. Good grief! She was talking to Aunt Patti on the phone. She was very sad that a cat she bred, Charlie, had passed away suddenly and unnecessarily. I'm glad our Mommies take us to the doctor when we are well, so that the doctor knows what we are supposed to be like, so when they take us to the doctor when we are sick, they have a benchmark to measure our health against, so they can help make us well again. Pawrents should always take their sick kitties to the doctor. 

Anyway, Mommy was distracted by talking to Aunt Patti and I tried to make a break for it. She's a fast Mommy and caught me. She got off the phone, and then came the worst treatment today. She put some scratchy stick in my mouth. She said she was taking my DNA. My DNA? WTH?! Arlo, what did we do at my bachelor pawty Tuesday night? I still don't know if this test was for the Meowy Pawvitch Show or for the Pawlice. I didn't do it! If it's a familial match, I'm gonna blame it on Mayhem. Or you. I'll say it was you, and you got a hair cut. Yeah, that's it. 

Lucy praying, God Bless Texas

Here's a pic of Lucy praying and very heart broken this morning over the school shooting in Santa Fe Texas. Meowmy's lil bro Don lives in Alvin right by there. Our thoughts and prayers are with everypawdy down there today. 

So what else? Oh, I'm not sure about this romance thing. My heart feels heavy. The air is warm and balmy, intoxicatingly scented with honeysuckle and wisteria as only the South can be. Rain and my heart pitter patter simultaneously. But there are all these boy cats who come sit outside the cat room windows at night, and say, "Luceeeeeey, where are you.....?" Except I am in my room and I can't get to the window yet and say, "Get the freak outa here! I'm here. I will kick your butt! You better go! She's my girl." Mom says not to worry. Lucy doesn't go out with any of them. Mommy says she's gonna catch them and have somepawdy take them to live at somepawdy else's neighborhood. She says she doesn't want any pissing contests around the house. Hmmmm Pretty yucky way to fight if you ask me. So I'm working out, and eating good in case I have to defend my honor. Wish you were here to have my back. 

Here's a lil video of me trying out a new toy Mom got me. It is in the bottom of a tower she built, which is as high as the Empire State Building. I'd send you a pic of me at the top, but I think that is too much for your young soul bro, since you haven't let home and seen the big world yet. 

Talk soon. Have a great weekend. 

You can follow Lucy & Neptune on Instagram and YouTube.

"Dear Arlo," Conversations with my brofur by future King Neptune - The furrst letter 05.16.2018

05.16.2018

Dear Arlo, 

My plane trip across the US was amazing. You must try it sometime. I flew in furrst class. The flight attendants all thought I was so handsome and asked me out on dates. I said, "No thank you. I am engaged. And I'm gonna be married soon." They asked if I was Prince Hairy. I told them no, that I get that a lot, since I am a handsome Ginger White boy. I am Prince Neptune, soon to be 
King Neptune of Virginia Beach of @VABeachCats. They toasted me and my betrothed Lucy with Tunatinis. I had a fake ID, don't tell Mom. Anyway I told the flight attendants I have a brofur who is a short haired nice looking guy, not as cute as me, but he has a great purrsonality, and they said they would like to meet you. 

I haven't gotten to the actual Beach yet, maybe this weekend. My new Mom's furriend Linda picked me up at the airport and drove me in her limo to meet my new Mom. My new Mommy is so purrty. She has a short pony tail like a NST. She gave me hugs and kissed my tummy. She says she has loved me since the first time she saw me when I was just a teeny baby. I was born handsome. 

I haven't met my fiancee Lucy yet. Mommy says that Mommy Amy said I have to wait 21 days in quarantine, bcuz we have to make sure no one has any cooties. But we can talk to each other through the walls. I guess I'll just have to play with myself for awhile. hmmmm Hey, I figured how to break out of our nursery, so I am going to figure out how to sneak out of my room and sneak some early smooches with her. Mom says I have my very own room, with my very own food dispenser and water cooler, beds - plural, toys, toys, toys, my own potty and air cleaner, but we all share the shower and tub, please clean up your own hair - what?! She says downloaded my game, but GooglePlay wouldn't take her money and let me play it, but we have other new games. We will listen to audio books a lot. Lucy is very well read, so I don't want to look like a dolt around her. I have a house with lots of windows to sit in. I need to guard Mommy's strawberries from Mr. Squirrel, and protect my territory from all of the neighborhood boy cats swishing their tails at Lucy. Go away punk. I'll make your day! 

Well bro, I'll be sending you some new pics soon of me in my new bachelor pad. Miss you bro. Thanks for that Pawsome Bachelor Pawty yesterday. Tell Mama (Miracle) and Daddy (Finn) and Mommy Amy I got here just fine. Give them a hug and a kiss for me, and go smack Mayhem and start some trouble. Love your brofur - N2 (trouble - heh heh)   

You can follow Lucy & Neptune on Instagram and YouTube.

The Highlander Cat Ear Wax Candle Factory

Highlander and Highland Lynx cats and kittens ears require special attention to cleaning. Generally the younger and smaller that the cat is, the ear canals are smaller, smallest in kittens, and the ear wax builds up. Ear wax builds up more in those adorable curled ears than it does in regular or straight ears, and the build up turns brown. When the wax builds up, it can trap dirt and be a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi, and infections can ensue without proper cleaning and sanitary maintenance. 

I have found that the younger kittens 3 months to a year, may require once a week cleaning. A Veterinarian first showed me how to clean my Highlander Kitten's ears. She squirted a healthy dose of the ear cleaner directly into my kittens ear. She massaged the liquid into her ears with cotton balls for 60 seconds, and then cleaned the outer ear only with cotton balls and cotton swabs. My kitten already had a bacterial ear infection from the built up ear wax harboring cooties. I had to give her prescription antibiotic ear drops several times a day for 2 weeks and then we had another Vet appointment for rechecking. (Cha-ching!) I personally choose Not to Squirt Liquid into a Cat's ears though! 

So when you buy a kitten from me, he/she will come with clean ears, and I will be happy to share with you information on the product we use and how I clean kitty ears. If you come to pick your kitten up in person in Virginia Beach, I will also try to give you a bottle of SILVER GRADE Ear Wash for Dogs, Cat Ear Cleaner if you are flying back home, you will have to check with your airlines' rules on transportation with liquids.We are currently recommending SILVER GRADE Ear Wash for Dogs, Cat Ear Cleaner

We use SILVER GRADE Ear Wash for Dogs, Cat Ear Cleaner because of ingredients that it does not have - no steroids, no alcohol. It contains MicroSilver, MicroSilver Antibacterial Property: MicroSilver, by its charge influx, decreases bacterial adhesion and destabilizes the biofilm by its positively charged ionic action.  

After we got the ear infection cleared up, we had to clean my girl's ears several times a week, about every third day. It is certainly not her favorite activity. She is more sensitive to having one ear cleaned over the other. Even though we don't put a cotton swab in her ear canal, it is the ear with the smaller canal of the 2. She has always been more sensitive with that ear, even now. After she was about 6 months, we were able to cut back ear cleaning to once a week. And now we are going to try cutting back to every other week. It all depends on the individual cat as to how often his/her ears need cleaning. 

I recommend starting with cleaning your new kittens ears from the get go, only as often as needed. Make it as pleasant an experience as possible. Talk soothingly. You need to go through things in your mind first. Know what you are doing. It's really not hard. But if you are nervous about anything you do with your cat, cats are super sensitive and attune to their owner's behaviour. So relax. Be confident. You will be fine. (Same thing goes for if you have to "pill" your pet.)

Maybe offer a favorite treat before and after. Get everything ready first. You want to be in very good lighting, so you can see down into those curling ears folds. I wear reading glasses, so I have them on top of my head at the ready. Line up your cotton balls, cotton swabs, ear cleaner - shake it up before you start. I have a big towel and a small towel or cloth ready. Trash can for the used materials. 

My Girl is Miss Touch Me Not in general. So I wrap her up in a soft bath towel, so she is not going anywhere during her Spa Treatment. I am not being mean; I just don't want her to try to run off while I am holding a cotton swab on the outside of her ear, and have her bump it into her ear. I have also found that covering her eyes with another soft cloth, she is calmer. She just does not even want to see the cotton swabs, cotton balls, nor ear cleaner. It doesn't hurt her. She doesn't flinch. I think she just remembers having an ear infection, and that did hurt her ears. 

• Wrap up your kitty.
• I sit and hold mine,  wrapped in her towel, laid across my lap with everything in front of me. I turn her so she is laying on her side with one side of her head, one ear is up. 
• I also lay some of the cotton swabs on the towel she is wrapped in. 
• I cover her eyes.
• I part the fluff of the outer ear so I can see inside the folds and the entrance to the canal.
• I gently use a cotton swab to clean ear wax from the most exterior folds of the ears.  
• If I can see brown wax further in the ear than the cotton swab is advisable, I squirt the SILVER GRADE Ear Wash for Dogs, Cat Ear Cleaner onto a cotton ball and massage the cleaner into the ear for about 60 seconds or as long as the kitten/cat will permit holding the cotton ball over the ear and massaging the back of the ear at the base of the ear.
• I wipe the cotton ball around the interior side of the outer ear. 
• I then gently scoop up the ear wax from the folds of the outer ear. Sometimes you have to apply more solution if the wax needs softening. You don't want to hurt your kittens ears, inside or outside. No need for force. 
• After I have gotten all the visible wax with as many cotton swabs and cotton balls as needed, for us now that is one wet cotton ball and one or two cotton swabs, per ear, every other week. See - not so bad. 
• I dry her ear with another clean, dry cotton ball. 
• After I clean each ear, I rub and fluff it and her head hair with the towel and she likes that. 
• I pet her reassuringly and flip her over to do the other side ear. Repeat steps starting with part the fluff of the outer ear. 

She doesn't hate me afterward. It is just not her favorite thing. She will get up when we are through and groom her head, and then she will let me give her some treats. 

Why "The Highlander Cat Ear Wax Candle Factory?" Well, I had a kitten whose ears produced enough wax I joked that I could start an ear wax candle factory. I would use both ends of 20 or more cotton swabs to clean just the outside part of one ear twice a week. That was more than 40 swab ends of ear wax per ear! That's a lot! But that was unusual. After bi-weekly cleaning for a month, his ear wax production began to decrease. He was growing fast and his ear canals of course keeping up with the rest of his big self. The larger the canal, the more that air can get in and moisture is not trapped in wax and debris for build up and infection. (Side note - because of the small ears and small ear canals, you will want to keep moisture including water out of your kitten's ears. So take care in bathing.) 

If you see redness, or infected-looking yellow or green pus discharge, take your cat to your Veterinarian. A build up of Highlander ear wax will look brown and yucky, that is normal. Eventually your cat will have less and less ear wax. If your cat is rubbing her ears, you should have your Veterinarian check her ears. Rubbing can be a sign of infection or ear mites. Ear mites may look a bit like coffee grounds. You may see redness or pink in the outer ears and also bleeding. Ear mites are contagious from one cat to another. Your Veterinarian will swab samples from your cat's ears to check for mites, bacterial or fungal infections to find the best course of action for the restoration of your cat's health and prevention of future illness. This ear cleaning blog is specifically for cleaning of Highlander ear wax. Cleaning will not rid your cat of ear mites, or infection. Cleaning is just part of maintaining your cat's good health, comfort, happiness and well-being. 

Thanks for reading and being a cat lover. 💖

You can follow Lucy on Instagram at and YouTube . 

My best friend Muffy

This was in June the first day after school let out for the Summer after First Grade. My wonderful Mom surprised me with a trip to pick out a kitten from a lady's garage. I picked out the little orange kitty, and named him Muffin after my favorite kitten in a book I read daily since I was a toddler. All I ever wanted was a kitten, soft, furry, love. That's me in the Rx cat eye glasses. I had Muffy til I was 10+, then one day he didn't come home. I was sure he had been kidnapped and was off in  Hollywood as the 1st Morris the Cat, same time frame. 💖 you always Muffy. 

This is the only pic I have of him as a grown cat. Maybe even the last year that I had him. I know that other pics I have taken with the same camera were also from when I was 10, summer then fall. I really can't even remember what time of year he went missing, because I probably went outside and called for him every day for years, "Here Muffy! Here Muff, Muff, Muff! Here Muffy!" It was with glee that he used to come running to me, rub up against my legs, tail high in the air and waving back and forth. I know I always had the biggest smile on my face and my heart burst with joy!

😢Yes, I am crying out loud right now too. The little girl inside's heart is breaking all over again seeing him. Seeing him not just in this picture but from all the times I sat on steps near here with him by my side, the only being I felt understood me. I was never good at communicating. I was so alone. He even ran away from home with me - hahaha - just to the side yard and woods still on our property. I ate a banana I had carried in my tied up red bandanna on a stick and called it a successful day. You know who your friends are when they listen to your problems and run away with you, even for an hour. 

I wish that dot wasn't on his face. I wish I had been a better cat guardian. I can only do better now. Love you for ever Muff Muff. 

This story started as an email to a friend of mine. She used to like to pretend she was mean and didn't have friends. She has cats too. Her beloved Idgit of 19 years passed away 2 years ago a few days ago. She also adopted him when he was just a little orange guy who needed love and for someone to take care of him. He gave a lifetime of love to her and her family, human and furry. We got to be friends over cats. I have been telling her my first kitten was also a red, and I am about to get another. I needed to find these old pics and share them with her. And so I ended up writing a sweet little tale of my first love Muffy. I thought I would share it with others. 

And if anyone knows about that book with the kitten called Muffin, I would love to hear about it in the comments. I'm pretty sure it was of the brand - Little Golden Books and I can recall an illustration with a Mother with the kitten on the vacuum or carpet sweeper. We all know how our cats are so interested in watching if not helping us do our housework. Or maybe that was in Sally, Dick and Jane? 

Thanks for reading and being a cat lover. 💖

You can follow Lucy on Instagram at and YouTube . 

Cat Chat and Cat Hacks - How do you walk your cat on a leash?

Lucy leash walking at the Park, January 25, 2017

One of the questions most asked to me by other cat guardians is, "How do you walk your cat on a leash?" Cat owners ask me this on Instagram, Facebook and in person when they see Lucy and me together. They want to know how to get their cats to walk on a leash with them. 

I tell them that I put Lucy on a leash pretty much when I first got her. I put a little collar on her and the leash so that she would not get away if anything startled her. The first full day I had her, we had to go to the service station to replace a flat tire. I couldn't leave her home alone yet, though hours later I did to go to work, had to get the tire replaced so I could go to work. We were an inseparable pair from day one. The 2nd day I had her, I had to take her to the vet for her incoming new kitten well check up. So she was on the leash again. 

Lucy's first leash walking adventure on the Beach, Virginia Beach VA, 

September 2016

She trusted me from the get go. She knew that I would not let anything happen to her. I think she imprinted on me as her new Mama cat or as another bigger, friendly cat of some familial relationship, as she left her Mother and litter-mates and came to live with me at 12 weeks. She follows me around the house, anticipating my moves. Cats understand and easily remember predictive behaviour. 

So I figure most cats treat their humans in similar fashion. They expect us to love and protect them. They like our company and follow us around, except when they need their personal space. So I advise interested cat owners to put a collar, harness and leash on their furry little friends. Be confident, stroking that specific cat in that cat's favorite way, talking happily and confidently. Then stand up and let the cat lead you around the house awhile where she wants to go. If she is not going anywhere, then you walk around a little bit and do normal stuff that the cat would normally accompany you on. 

I usually start out car trips where she is going to ride in her booster seat instead of airplane carrier, with letting her walk around on the leash in the car a bit, getting familiar, making it her space, then putting her in her car seat, and sitting in the car a little while longer in the driveway, while she gets comfy in the car seat in her own time. I then start the car, let her get used to the noise and vibration. Even if you have a very quiet car to human ears, a cat's level of hearing is so much more delicate, they may need a moment of adjustment to the sounds. I then turn on the ventilation and let her get used to the sounds and changes in air flow. And lastly we turn on the radio. We listen to a lot of audio books, but I find that some not too dramatic classical music or jazz is soothing background music for my feline friends. Surely all of you have seen your kitties come look at the television when intriguing theme music is playing.

"C'mon Mom, Let's Go!"
Lucy trying out her new car seat, February 12, 2017

My point is, don't overload your cat's senses, picking her up out of the house, her comfort zone, throwing her in the car and turning on everything full blast, and racing off to the Vet. Your cat may not want to get into the car to go to the Vet or anywhere, just because you want to get there in a hurry. If you can make your cat's first time leash walking or car riding as less stressful and even enjoyable as possible, and have the patience to repeat calming steps until a pattern or habit is established, everyone will be happier. Kindness matters, and it helps to think like your cat. 

Back to leash walking, from my diversion of car seats. Cat psychology is like dealing with some humans; you have to let them think they are having their way, when really you have been giving them the alternative of two of your choices. You do the same thing with leash walking in general. Let your cat lead you around awhile as long as she is not sniffing things she should not, stepping where she should not. Steer her away from possible hazards and pick her up to protect her as necessary. Let her lead you around a bit, and then you walk in the direction you need her to go in. When you have a trusting relationship, your cat will go where you want to go for the most part, but she is still going to want to explore and so plan for that. If there is something that you know scares your cat - dogs, traffic, jets, loud music, too many people, then walk your cat somewhere that she will not encounter what scares her or be prepared to pick her up, make her feel protected and safe. 

Let your cat get acclimated to the feel of the leash and harness. I also put on a collar, because where we live, you must have her tags on you or the pet if off your property. Sometimes I carry the City Tags with me, but not put them on. If she were off leash, the tags would be on the collar, not just in my possession. I also put on the collar, so in case she slipped out of the harness, she would be identifiable as a pet by wearing a collar and easier to catch. Her coat camouflages in all environments, so we wear bright collars and harnesses. You have to weigh the options of break away collars versus buckle collars for your specific pet and conditions. The correct fit of a harness will be safer for your cat's health, no pressure on the neck, windpipe, spine, abdomen or organs. 

If your cat gets away whether on a leash or from your home, nothing is better than than having your cat micro-chipped and registered with up-to-date information. It doesn't cost much, for the return of your cat, priceless. I had Lucy micro-chipped at a Vet Clinic. There was a one time fee for micro-chipping with a (coupon) code to register her with PetLink, at no charge for a lifetime registration. Micro-chipping information can also be transferred if the pet changes owners, so if you do that, make sure the pet's information gets changed with change of ownership. Shop around your town for a Vet or Vet Clinic whose micro-chip offering also includes free or affordable lifetime registration. Some micro-chip registrations have annual fees. The different Vet Clinic we used to register Neptune with was with a different micro-chip registration company, that required an annual fee. I was able to register the other brand chip with PetLink for a reasonable, one time fee of $19.99. So I paid a little more for that micro-chipping, but worth it. 

Leash walking can be fun for both the owner and cat. Enjoy your adventures together and be sure to send us pics or videos. 

Click here to view a video of Neptune on his first leash walk. 

Sunday Afternoon in the Park with Lucy  the World Famous Highlander Kitten Cat. 

A walk in the Park with Lucy, the World Famous Highlander Kitten Cat.
At the end of this video, she is running. That is the regular camera speed. I am running with her and holding her leash as she runs and jumps up the tree. 

Cat Hacks - Tunnel of Tuna Cake, an Homage to Tunnel of Fudge Cake, created by Ella Rita Helfrich, and my lifelong friend JB, who always brought Tunnel of Fudge Cake and lots of love and smiles.

If you have never had the real Tunnel of Fudge Cake, sorry, you never will. One of the key ingredients is simply no longer made. If you have never heard of the Tunnel of Fudge Cake, I can't believe it. What are they teaching in school these days?! A friend of mine just asked me what it was. Tunnel of Fudge Cake was a rich, moist chocolate Bundt cake, and running in a circle through the middle was a secret Tunnel of Fudge, baked into the cake, not piped in afterward. 

The following information is from the obituary of the creator of the Tunnel of Fudge Cake, Ella Rita Helfrich. She came in second in the 1966 Pilsbury Bake Off for the recipe she created for the Tunnel of Fudge Cake using the new Nordic Ware Bundt pans. After the contest, Pilsbury was flooded with more than 200,000 requests for her recipe. The first place winner was forgotten. 

(From Wikipedia) The epic desire for the new Bundt pans to bake the exciting new Tunnel of Fudge cake boosted the sales of Nordic Ware's Bundt Pan. To date more than 60 million Bundt pans have been sold by Nordic Ware across North America. 

One woman's creativity took America by storm. She won money at the Pilsbury Bake Off, which may have been her goal to help her family. And she was able to implement her intellect and creativity. Unintentionally she became as iconic of the Sixties as the Space Program. Her ingenuity influenced purchasing, manufacturing and an American Life-Style Choice. So you, you creative individuals, you can do it. You've heard "fake it til you make it"? How about Bake it til You Make it?! You can do it. 

So, I was a kid in those exciting years of Space Travel, Viet Nam, Protests, Cultural Changes and yet our Moms and their friends were cooking three meals a day and putting dessert on the table nightly and at special events. My Mom might have made the Tunnel of Fudge Cake, she had a Bundt Pan. But I especially remember her bff, JB, bringing Tunnel of Fudge Cake to some occasions. I don't know what was the occasion, except the TOFC was present and accounted for. Hmmm actually, I guess my Mom did make TOFC. I can remember nibbling at it, never getting enough. Maybe it was JB's specialty, my Mom had so many great dishes and desserts, talking about them is like listing how many ways you can make Bubba Gump Shrimp. I go down memory lane with my taste buds. My Mom had me cooking, before I could read. I was at the kitchen counter, peeling and chopping, and stirring on the stove at 3. I still love to cook. I still like to joke with JB and her daughters, the BG's about TOFC. 

For this blog I asked JB why was it she liked to make the Tunnel of Fudge Cake so much. She answered, "The Tunnel of Fudge Cake lead straight to my heart, made with lots of love. I hope that your Tunnel of Tuna Cake will lead straight to Lucy's heart also." Awwwww... 

Mention of Tunnel of Fudge Cake also made an appearance on a Will and Grace episode. 

Since I have no one at home to cook for, I like to be creative for my kitten. It's her First Birthday. I would have a Kitten Party, but most of my cat friends' cats don't get out much. 

So, in honor of the Tunnel of Fudge Cake, I made her the Tunnel of Tuna Birthday Cake. How awesome is that! Here is the recipe, pics and instructions. As I say in most of my recipes, you can use any brand or style of food that you prefer for your cat's health. When it comes to the rare birthday cake that my kitten is getting, it may not be fancy raw food, but it's probably a lot better for her than when I have high fat, sugary frosting on my own birthday cakes. She will get a little bit of cake for several days, not enough to ruin her kidneys or morals for life. Just a little something special to celebrate my sweet, lil girl's First Birthday. She'd probably rather hunt down a bug or a mouse. But this is fun for both of us. 

Happy Birthday Lucy! Thank you to all of you for joining in online. 

How I made Lucy's Tunnel of Tuna Birthday Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons or 2 Ounces – Rachel Ray Nutrish Tuna Purrfection

• 4 Tablespoons or 2 Ounces – Rachel Ray Nutrish Paw Lickin’ Chicken & Liver Recipe

• 2 Tablespoons or 1 Ounces - Bubble Bee Very Low Sodium Solid White Albacore Tuna Packed in Water

• 3 drops - Vegetable Oil, whatever does not cause a health problem for your particular cat. 

Tools needed: 

• "Miniature Bundt Cake Pan" or mold, I used a Wilton Easy-Flex 4 Cavity Mini Fluted Tube Pan.

• Spatula, Small Rubber Spatula and/or Small Offset

• Fork, mallet, fingers or something to mash and blend food to a pate consistency. I used a wood bar muddler.

• A few small spoons, like tableware tea spoons

• Small Plate for the cake, to turn cake out onto and for presentation 

• Small bowls to smooth the cat food and Tuna Fish consistencies

Optional:

Birthday Candles

Canned Pumpkin Puree in a pastry bag for writing decoration, or other edible writing substance. 

You need a miniature Bundt Pan, or you can MacGyver one. I purchased the Wilton Easy-Flex 4 Cavity Mini Fluted Tube Pan from Walmart online for $8 and some change. I only needed single pan, but got tired of shopping. This will work just fine.  

You are also going to need a small flexible rubber spatula and I like to use a small offset spatula for decorating. 

When I want to write on a cake, I like to craft a makeshift pastry bag for writing from a sandwich sized, zip lock plastic bag, with a tiny hole cut in the corner to squeeze out the writing substance, a contrasting color blended cat food, or pumpkin puree. If you have pastry tips, you can also insert them into the pastry bag, if you want to get really decorative. For this particular cake today, I ended up not writing anything on it. I was running out of time before work to get too fancy, and I made a simple border using some of the extra Tuna Tunnel filling.  














You need small (mixing) bowls for each flavor/color or texture of cat food or canned tuna ingredient you are going to use. Choose flavors that your cat will like regardless. I go for contrasting color. It may or may not be of interest to our feline friends, but I like the visuals. It makes a difference in the textures you are using on how well the "cake" holds together. You want to use or transform your food into a Pâté textured cat food as it will hold the shape the best. You can take a food in sauce or liquid and drain and save the liquid for your kitten to eat another time, or blend in with the other meat to make a Pâté consistency. 

I have done that here with Rachel Ray's Nutrish Paw Lickin' Chicken and Liver Recipe, Tuna Purrfection, and Bumble Bee Very Low Sodium Solid White Albacore in Water. I like the Bumble Bee Tuna for rare, special treats as the only ingredient is Tuna in Water, no salt, nothing added. Too much seafood upsets Lucy's tummy, and the Vet recommended against serving all Tuna in general to the cats, because if they ever developed a health issue where appetite was decreased and the cat won't eat, canned people type Tuna fish and the water from the can are about the best enticement you will find for a cat that won't eat. So she doesn't get to eat fancy Tuna too often, ergo calling it a special treat. I think a Birthday is pretty special! 

With this particular Wilton mold, each cavity holds 4 ounces. If you have a mini Bundt type pan that you want to use for your cake, but don't know how many ounces it holds and you don't have a measuring cup or one marked in ounce, 2 Tablespoons equals 1 fluid ounce. I did use a measuring spoon to measure out how much cat food I was scooping out for this recipe and the miniature Bundt pan. (If you just want to eyeball it, guesstimate, go ahead. If I wasn't trying to write down a recipe for others to go by, I would not measure.

You can apply a thin layer of oil that is appropriate for your kitten's health conditions to the inner surface of the mold. Spray, use a pastry brush or apply the oil with your finger tips. I used my finger tips. 

You need 4 ounces of your cat food, blended to a Pâté consistency. 

Lucy loves to work on Projects, especially when she can supervise

I used one container of the Rachel Ray's Nutrish Paw Lickin' Chicken and Liver Recipe and the Tuna Purrfection each, straining off the creamy liquid. I used a small strainer and smushed the catfood through with the back of a plastic spoon, collecting the delectable juices in a small glass mixing bowl. I saved some of the liquid to mix with the Tuna for the Tunnel. 

 

     

I muddled and blended together the Chicken & Liver and the Tuna Cat Foods in a small glass mixing bowl. Next, fill the mold half way. 

Freeze it til firm.  I froze mine til firm, about 1 hour, probably a little less time. It doesn't need to be rock hard, just firm enough for supporting the Tuna Tunnel layer.

While you are waiting for first layer of your cake to set, cover and place the rest of the "cake batter" aka the blended cat food in the fridge. You can make another pastry bag from another zip lock sandwich bag or you can use a spoon or fingers to apply the Tunnel of Tuna Filling. You can blend your Tuna Filling. 

I used 1 ounces or 2 Tablespoons of Bumble Bee Very Low Sodium White
Albacore packed in Water. I pressed the water from the Tuna meat, and left in the opened can. I used my muddler to smush, smooth and blend the tuna to a Pate texture. I blended in some of the liquid strained from the canned cat food. 


(If you use a Pate style cat food, you won't have to do much blending, just smooth the cat food to a workable texture.) 

Now that you have your blended Tuna for the Tunnel of Tuna, retrieve your mold from the freezer. Your cat food should be firm to the touch by now. I made a small cylinder shape with the Tuna Tunnel Filling and laid it on top of the first layer of cat food in the center of one side of the "donut" shape of the tube pan. 



Just keep going around and around until you complete a circle of Tuna filling. You will pop the pan back in the freezer again until it is firm to the touch. I think I had mine in the freezer less than a half an hour. I was busy putting things away, cleaning up after myself and playing with the Birthday Girl. If you have some tuna filling left over, save that for a garnish/decoration for the cake. 

Is it ready yet Mom? Hurry Up! I'm not getting any younger!

 

When the Tuna filling layer is firm to the touch, take your mold out of the freezer and you will spread on top of that layer the rest of the cat food cake batter. And pop the mold back into the freezer for a final time, until the last layer of cat food is firm to the touch. 

My mold generally looks frosty and you can easily peel the sides of the mold away from your frozen cat food cake. 

Loosen the edges of the mold. Lay a small plate upside down, or the serving side against the exposed side of the cake still in the mold. Press one hand down on top of the back side of the plate and flip the whole mold over with your other hand. The cake will flip out on to the little presentation plate. You can use this method with most of your human desserts as well. 

Now you have successfully made your first Tunnel of Tuna Cake! 

You can garnish or decorate it with some of the extra Tuna Tunnel Filling. Or in any other way you see fit for you and your feline babies. Sometimes I write on Lucy's cake with pureed pumpkin, see how to do that in an earlier blog. 

Here are a couple of pics to see the Tunnel of Tuna running through the cake. It was probably too bright in the kitchen for there to be enough contrast in the pics. You can see the Tuna ring to the right hand side of the sliced out portion. If you want to cut your cake so that you can see the Tunnel or rings in a mostly whole cake or in slices on a plate, I suggest you hard freeze the cake and then cut it with a warmed, sharp, thin knife. The birthday girl was wanting some cake before I went to work that day, and was less interested in my perfect photos than in a snack and a nap. 

Your cat is probably going to be more interested in the yummy tastes of the cake, than whether or not it won the Meow Bake Off of 2017.

Lot's of love makes everything taste better, and life - oh so much sweeter. 

Happy One Year Birthday Lucy! Love you Always!
Lucy is smartly wary of fire. Good Girl!

You can follow Lucy on Instagram at and YouTube . 

Lucy was bred at the Love Branch Cattery in Toney, Alabama. You can also visit the LoveBranchCattery on Facebook.