Service Cats: Raena and the Wheelchair Pt. 1

Meowllo and welcome to another Service Cat Monday. It’s a brand new year and mommy has brand new tasks to train Raena to purrfurm. As with all our educational service cat posts, the following will be in human English. Ifin you’ve missed any posts in this series, you can click on the linkys at the bottom of this post. And ifin you have any questions, or something specific you’d like us to cover, purrlease leave it in the comments or send us an email. Our training posts are not meant to be a step by step training guide as training is all about repetition. We do hope you find them entertaining, informative and helpful. There are many tasks that mommy hasn’t figgered out how to capture in fotos or videos, but we do try to post those we can. Remember, it’s just mommy and the two of us, and the duties we purrform are in respawnse to a problem mommy’s having so the camera is usually the last thing any of us are thinking about. So, let’s get to it.

 Dezi lays in wheelchair

As you know, mommy had plans to train Raena to drive the wheelchair when she got big enough to reach the joystick while sitting in mommy’s lap; but the batteries died on us and we had to wait to get them replaced. We have new batteries now, so Raena’s training commenced. Mommy was a little under the weather last week, but she wanted to at least get Raena comfortable with the chair. Now let me tell ya’, Raena’s pretty smart and catches on fairly quickly. We have several battery operated toys which she quickly learned to turn off and on by herself. And before the batteries in the wheelchair went out, she was turning the chair on and off and honking the horn without any training. Based on that you’d think Raena would be ready for the next step, right? Well, this is where that repetition comes in. Since the batteries died and the chair didn’t respond to her pushing the buttons, she lost interest. So she’s starting from the beginning again.

 Dezi atop the Liberty cat tree overseeing her world

So mommy picked a day and after breakfast picked up Raena and took her to the wheelchair to sit down. Raena loves sitting in mommy’s lap, so there was absolutely no struggle. Mommy had already put a small bag of treats and a grooming brush in the pocket on the arm of the wheelchair. Me took up a viewing spot on the top of the Liberty cat tree. Me was safely out of the way, but could still see everything as it unfolded. Mommy got out the grooming brush and started brushing Raena and telling her how smart she was, and how proud of her mommy was. Then she moved into the cooing and love talk. Raena purred liked her life depended on it. Let me tell ya’, that girl has a motor box that can rumble the bed.

 Raena sleeps in mommy's lap

See? Raena’s favorite spot.

After what seemed like forever a few minutes mommy started repositioning Raena to one leg so she would be closer to the joystick. Once Raena released the tension in her body and continued her rumbling purr, mommy continued the praise and loving coos. Me could tell Raena was eating that up. Us Ragdolls really do love our peeps; and we’re no exception. We love our mommy like no other. Mommy then positioned Raenas front paws on the arm of the wheelchair. Mommy held her securely with one hand and continued brushing her fur with the other. Raena responded by rubbing her face and chin on the arm of the chair and the control panel. Mommy quietly and matter of factly told Raena to push the button. Raena continued to rub the control panel.

 Raena lays in the wheelchair

You can sort of see the control panel in this foto. The button

furthest from the joystick is the power button. The red button

is the horn. The 2 buttons closest to the joystick are the speed controls.

You can see how easy it is to push all those buttons and to get confused

and push the wrong button.

 

Mommy put the grooming brush away and slowly but firmly took Raena’s paw and placed it on the power button. Raena pulled her paw back and continued rubbing the joystick. Again, mommy took Raena’s paw and placed it on the power button and calmy told her to push the button. Raena stood up and by doing so pushed down on the power button. The chair beeped and Raena pulled her paw back, sat back down and looked up at mommy. Mommy smiled at her and gave her lots of praise for turning the chair on. Of course this was an accident and nothing Raena did on purpose, but it’s where training starts. Mommy repositioned Raena again, and placed her paw on the power button again. She then calmly told Raena to push the button again. Again, Raena pulled her paw back and looked up at mommy. Mommy placed Raena’s paw back on the power button and while telling her to push down, mommy gently pushed Raena’s paw down till the chair beeped again.

 Raena lays in wheelchair while pointing out the joystick

You can see the arm with the control panel and joystick.

 

 

Mommy had loosened her hold on Raena’s body and she wriggled loose and climbed up on the arm of the wheelchair. She pushed down on the power button and the horn. The chair beeped over and over again. Raena’s rumbling purr got louder and louder as mommy praised her for being so smart. Mommy gently pulled Raena off the arm and back onto her lap, leaving her front paws on the arm. Once again mommy placed Raena’s paw on the power button and gently pushed it down turning the chair off. With one last beep, the lesson was over. Raena was lavished with praise and love and me decided it was time to get in on a little of that meself. Mommy rewarded us both with lots of hugs and a few treats.

 Raena lays in the wheelchair

Another shot where you can clearly see the arm with the control panel.

And can see why mommy would need to hold us or offer some

support while we’re driving.

 

 

This whole training session lasted about 20 minutes, and would/will be repeated at least once a day every day till Raena is comfortable enough to turn the chair on by herself again. As we’ve said many times, training is all about repetition. We cats are very smart, and we want to learn. But if you’re not ready to commit to daily training sessions, we will never learn. And all training sessions should be fairly short. If kitty gets bored or frustrated, they won’t learn and could possibly try to avoid future sessions. It’s better to have a lot of small sessions as opposed to one really long one. Mommy believes in positive reinforcement and praise as the reward instead of food or treats.

 Dezi lays in wheelchair

Well, we’re gonna wrap it up fur today. As you read, it takes both mommy’s hands to train, so we don’t have any fotos of the actual session. This is what mommy’s trying to figger out. Since she’s the only one who can take fotos, how can she do it, without any free hands? MOL  ‘Member, ifin you have any questions, let us know. And ifin you’ve missed any of the Service Cat series, click on the links below.

 Raena sleeps in mommy's lap

The purrfect ending to any training session.

 

 

Do you (your cat/dog/pet) have any battery operated toys?

If so, can you (your cat/dog/pet) turn them on and off yourself?

 

 

Till the next time………………………………………Be Blest!!!  

 

 

Luv and Hugs and Kitty Kisses

 

 

Deztinee and RaenaBelle

 

Service Cats 

What to look for     Training Foundations     Train Kitty to Massage

Smelling Disease     Do You Need One     Who Bears the Cost 

Housing Laws and Exceptions     Accommodations and Common Sense

When the Handler Dies     Proper Training Methods Pt. 1 & Pt. 2

Easiest Task to Train     Getting Kitty Ready for an Outing

Discipline: Stop Countersurfing Kitty     Internal Disputes 

Calling Emergency Help     Just What Is Kitty Capable Of

Shad: Original Service Cat     Harness or Vest Leash or Stroller

Dezi, the Wheelchair and the Chest     Round and Round We Go

Tumble and Fall Response     Raena Calls For Help    

The Rest of the Story 

Blest Sunday: Having Fun and Saying Thanks

(Dezi’s crouched down behind the chair, her tail twitching and flicking from side to side and eyes wide, waiting for Raena to saunter past)

 

          (Raena looks about from the dining room for Dezi. She chortles her frustration.)

 Raena standing up at the back of the chair

Where’s sissy mommy?

 

 

 

     Girls. It’s time for Blest Sunday. Are ya’ll gonna write a post today or play tag? 

          (Raena comes charging toward the chair and mommy chirping the whole way

Dezi lays in mommys lap for some loving

(With one last ripple of the skin and tail flick, Dezi jumps out at Raena. Both girls briefly hiss and then run to mommy) Of course we’re gonna write a Blest sunday posty, mommy. We wouldn’t miss it. 

 

          I’s wanna write the posty, sissy.

 

You wrote the last posty Raena. It’s mes turn. ‘Member, it’s mes name on the blog.

Furst up today we wanted to say a meowsy big Fank you to those who have sent money fur mommys teeth purroblems. Most donations have come through the fundraiser, but we did get a couple directly to our paypal at lexi.dezi@yahoo.com. Fank you awnty Petal, awnty Carol, awnty Cindy, awnty Julie, and those Anonymous awnties and uncles that donated. We currently have $570.00 towards what we need. Even ifin mommy had the work done in stages, we still don’t have enuff to cover the cost of the removal of those teeth that are causing all the pain and infection. That cost is $1320.00. But cuz that would leave mommy with only 2 teeth on the bottom, that appointment also included partials so she would be able to eat, speak right and so on, fur a total cost of $3598.00. You can read the posty where mommy talked ‘bout what’s needed here. Some of you have asked ‘bout antibiotics and such. Cuz mommy didn’t make a follow up appointment to have the work done, the dentist didn’t give mommy anything, that’s a common purractice here. Mommys regular doctor told her to see a dentist, again, common purractice here. So we’re doin’ what we can and takin’ it one day at a time. We feel very blest to have each other and all of you.

Dezi and Raena look outside from their perches near the door.

We are so fankful fur all your purrs, purrayers, luv and support. We feel so blest to have so many amazin’ furiends.

 

          Hey sissy, don’t furget ‘bout mines new harness. Fanky fank you awnty Vonda fur sendin’ the green papers to get me a new harness. Cuz mommy was a little under the weather last week, she hasn’t had a chance yet to measure me and get it ordered, but she says it’s on the agenda this week. And, we met a really nice purrson who came by to apply fur the job to help mommy ‘round the house.

 

Yes, Raena, we did, but we’re not gonna say anythin’ more till the word comes back and this purrson actually starts workin’ fur us. No, we’re not superstitious, but we’ve been here too many times and it’s not worked out, so we’re just bein’ cautious.

 

          (Raena suddenly jumps up and zooms through the house and jumps up on Dezi) Cautious. Hmmpht

 

 Dezi and Raena eat

(Dezi hisses and raises her paw as if she was going to whack Raena) Yes, Raena, cautious. You’re too young to understand some things, so just take it from me and keep quiet. And quit jumpin’ on me. That’s not very nice ya’ know. We better rap it up and finish brekky.

 

 Raena sleeping on mommys lap

          The sun’s shinin’ and it’s kinda warm outside. Reckon’ mommy will take us fur a stroll? 

 

Raena, the wind’s blowin’ so hard out there we’d get blown off the sidewalk. In other words, purrobably not. Fankfully we have a home to stay in so we don’t have to get blown all over. And we’re blest to have a mommy who luvs us, and all our amazin’ furiends. Purrlease ‘member to take a minute today and everyday to give thanks fur the many blessings in your life. We don’t really do selfies so much, but we’re joinin’ the Kitties Blue fur Sunday Selfies. Now, me has a lesson to teach to Raena ‘bout jumpin’ on unsuspectin’ kitty girls.

 

Till the next time………………………………………Be Blest!!!

 

Dezi: Vibrant Blue 

Raena: Navy Blue

 

Luv and Hugs and Kitty Kisses

 

Deztinee and RaenaBelle  

Who’s Playing in the Garden Now

Hey, are ya’ll out there? It’s me, RaenaBelle. Did ya’ furget us? We kinda fell off the planet fur a few days and didn’t tell anypawdy, didn’t we?. And look’it, I’s getting to write all the postys this week.

 Dezi and Raena chat while laying on the chair

          Getting to Raena? Hmmmmpht  You jumped on me and ran to mommy furst.

 

Yeah, well, I’s still writing today’s posty. Right?

 

 
We’ll see. Depends on what you wanna say.

 

 Raena sits at mommys feet and bathes

I’s thought we needed to ‘pawlogize fur disappearing like that. A couple awnties sent emails checkin’ in on us, and we really did purreciate that. Things just got to be a little too much fur mommy and she just kinda shut down. Ya’ know havin’ (on top of the regular pains and purroblems) an infected mouth and all that pain constantly can sometimes make ya’ not be able to think. And thinkin’ she could lose the benefits she has that make it so she can hire somepawdy to help her, was really stressful. We had several peeps come by and fill out applications to help mommy, and we’ve got our paws crossed that one of them works out.

 

Dezi lays in the wheelchair while Raena meows t her from the top of the stroller.

          Raena, ya’ need to ‘splain that the DHS nurse told mommy to keep trying to hire somepawdy till they made a final determination.

 

 Raena lays at mommys feet and bathes

You just did sissy. Anyways, the DHS nurse called mommy yesfurday and told her she could keep her benefits fur now. and urged her to get somepawdy in here to help her. Ya’ know, kinda like mommy wasn’t tryin’. You can’t make somepawdy work that doesn’t wanna. The work ethics of peeps these days is just pawful. She also said she worried ‘bout mommy bein’ depressed and all. And wished she had some kinda support or at least somepawdy to talk too. Mommy told her fanky fanks but not to worry, she has us and we have ya’ll.

 

Raena oversees the AeroGarden

Anyways, I’s wanted to talk ‘bout somethin’ else today. You all know how sis Dezi’s always meowin’ on ‘bout how I’s messin’ with the new AeroGarden. Well, You should see her with the garden. Ya’ know we got a few sprouts last week and mommy removed those cool caps. No, she didn’t let me have them. She said she was savin’ them to use again. Anyways, that’s not the point. But those caps sure do scoot across the floor well. And they’re just the right size fur carryin’ in one’s mouth. Again, I’s getting’ off track. Let me tell ya’ ‘bout sis Dezi and the AeroGarden.

 

 Dezi poses by the AeroGarden

Ifin ya’ don’t know, Dill is an herb that grows really tall, really fast and has feathery leaves. Mommy says she doesn’t know many uses fur dill outside of pickles, which she doesn’t like, but it makes a purretty plant. And of course it’s feathery leaves was just too much temptation fur sis Dezi.

 

 Dezi checking on the aerogarden

          Was Not, Raena!!! Me was just checkin’ on the purrogress of everything.

 

 Dezi munching on the dill plant

Yeah, right. Is that what you call takin’ a bite outta mommys’ herbs? 

 

 Dezi munching on the dill plant

 

 

 Dezi licking lips after tasting the dill plant

          Well what about you runnin’ off with the whole pod? At least what me did didn’t hurt anythin’. After all, mommy said she was ‘posed to purrune them as they grew so they’d get bigger and floofier. All me did was give the dill a bit of purrunin’. Altho’ me doesn’t think me’ll be doin’ that again, least not any time soon. It doesn’t taste very good. Now me knows why mommy doesn’t like pickles. Me doesn’t either. Well, except maybe one of those tickle pickles mes seen ‘round the blogosphere. Me might like one filled with nip. 

 

 Dezi sitting beside the AeroGarden

A nip pickle? I’s want a nip pickle, sissy. Where’s the nip pickle?

 

 Dezi lays on the back of the chair

          We don’t have one Raena. Have you already furgotten all the pawsum toys we got fur Christmas?

 

 Raena plays with Christmas toys

Oh no sissy. I’s luvs all the toys we got fur Christmas, and your Meowday. I’s just thought you meant mommy was growin’ nip pickles in her garden.

 

          Yeah, right. Altho’ mommy did say that when she gets some lettuce she would start us a pod of grass too. At least we’ll get somethin’.

 

When’s this gonna happen sissy? 

 

          Soon Raena, soon. We need to wrap it up now so we can try to get ‘round and visit our furiends.

 

Pet Parade Blog Hop Badge

Raena lays on top of the Liberty Cat Tree

You’re right sissy. Furst let’s link up with Rascal, Rocco and their pawtastic co hosts fur the weekly Pet Parade. Oh and ifin you would like to donate to mommys teeth fund, you can donate directly thru paypal to our email address: lexi.dezi@yahoo.com that’s lexi (dot) dezi (at) Yahoo (dot) com, or the fundraiser here. We really purreciate all your luvs, support, purrayers and donations. I’s hope you enjoyed seein’ that it’s not just me messing with mommys’ garden. We’ll be by to see ya’ll as soon as we can; we’re really behind. 

 

Till the next time…………………………………..Be Blest!!!

 

Do you (your peeps) eat dill?

If so, how do you use it?

Do you think mommy should grow us some grass in one of those pods? 

 

Raena: Navy Blue 

Dezi: Vibrant Blue

 

Luvs and Hugs and Kitty Kisses

 

RaenaBelle and Deztinee    



Service Cats: The Rest of the Story

Hey, are ya’ll there? It’s me, RaenaBelle. I’s getting to write mines furst Service Cat Monday posty. Don’t worry, it’ll be in human English, like all our educational postys. And ifin you’ve missed any, you can check them out by clicking the links at the bottom of this post. Today is a continuation of Furidays’ post when I’s accompanied mommy to Ardmore to the dentist. And we also received a question from awnty Jeanne, Purrseidons’ mommy. The answer to her question will actually occur naturally in todays’ posty. So you’ll know, her question was, “What does mommy do when we alert her to the fact that she’s gonna pass out?” Basically, what are we expectin’ mommy to do?. So, let’s get to it.

Raena lays on the small cat perch

We left off with mommy sitting at the business office desk getting told the cost of what needed to be done. You know the dentist had already told her what needed to be done, so now we were finding out how much all that was gonna cost. We’d been in the office for over an hour at this point and mommy was a little on the warm side. ‘Course she’s been running a fever now for a couple of weeks, so it could have been that, or that the temp outside was actually 72° and they had the heat on. Whatever it was, mommy says she almost passed out when the lady gave her the paper with the breakdown of the costs. I’s told mommy I didn’t sense that at all. She said it was okay, cuz it was a different kind of passing out that sometimes humans do when given really bad news. Mommy says similar actions could be a falling out of the chair, or pulling your hair out. Anyways, payment is due at the time of services, so mommy gathered those ugly photos of her and the estimate papers and we left.

 Raena lays in mommys lap

Now you all know we live in a really small town that doesn’t have anything. Sis Dezi says they posted a video of our town a while back. So anytime mommy goes into Ardmore, she tries to make a day of it and stop off at Wally World and maybe the new Ulta store. Mommy loves beauty products. She used to be a licensed Cosmetologist. That means she did hair and makeup. She doesn’t wear makeup most days cuz she says she can’t afford it; but she’s got some for special occasions. The dentist wasn’t one of those occasions. Anyways, part of my training is learning to focus and be invisible when in public surrounded by the crazies. That means I can’t be singing the song of my peeps or clawing at the stroller trying to get out, or doing anything in general to draw attention to myself. Mommy says I was the perfect Service Cat while we were at the dentist. I laid quietly in the stroller and watched over mommy. Now came the real test.

 

The last time I had been with mommy in Walmart was after my spay day, and I was still a little groggy from having surgery. This time I was wide awake and alert as a hawk over a kill. We finally found a parking space and mommy got me unloaded and locked up the car. We headed for the doors and I could hear peeps saying, “Is that a…that’s a cat!!!” The wind was really whoopin’ around so I stood up and looked through the top opening at mommy. She said everything was okay, and I’s laid back down. Once inside, I could smell all kinds of things. And let me tell ya’, it was loud. There was a lot of peeps inside the store, and it seems all of them were talking at the same time. Mommy grabbed her a ride and bungeed me to her and off we went.

 Raena lays in the stroller

It seemed like we went down every aisle. Mommy says it was to expose me to every thing and every possible situation she could. There were some situations that’s for sure. We encountered a few older ladies that wanted to ooh and ahh over me and chat with mommy about what I’s do for her. We also ran into a mean man that purposely bumped into my stroller and mumbled on about how mommy shouldn’t be bringing a kitty to the store. I stood up and wanted to give him the hiss of disapproval, but mommy said calmly and quietly, “It’s okay Raena, lay back down.” I settled down just in time to be met with sticky little humans running up and down the aisles and squealing at the top of their lungs. And then it happened…they saw me. One of those sticky humans came over and put their hands on my stroller and another went running off hollering for its’ mommy.

 

Apparently this was a test. A test mommy says I passed with flying colors. I didn’t see any colors fly, but I did remain quiet and laying in my stroller; even when the sticky little human started slapping my stroller all I did was look up through the top of the stroller at mommy. Mommy quietly but sternly told that sticky little human to stop and go find his mother. And mommy drove us out of the toy department. I think it was more stressful for her than me. MOL  We wandered around the store a bit longer, and then went to the front of the store to stand in a line with other humans. Everybody in front of us turned to look at me and started cooing and talking about how well behaved I was. Seeing that we only had a loaf of bread and some treats, one of the nice ladies let us “cut in line”. And then we were off again, heading for the car.

 Raena alerts

Hmmmmmm What’s that smell? Ooooooh mommy’s gonna pass out, I thought to myself. So I stood up and started meowing and patting at the stroller. “Mommy, you need to sit down, you’re gonna pass out,” I mewed. Mommys’ hobble sped up and we reached the car. Once there, mommy opened the door and sat down and put her head between her legs and started taking deep breaths. Well, as deep as she can. She’s been having some extra breathing problems since her teeth got infected. Anyways, we sat there for what seemed like forever, but mommy was able to push (breath through) the episode away and get me loaded into the car again. Mommy says she had wanted to go by Ulta, but decided it was best if we headed home. She didn’t actually have a reason to go to Ulta, she just likes to see what’s new. But we got all buckled in and headed down the highway to home. Mommy told me how proud of me she was and I chortled my joy.

 

Once we got home I’s couldn’t wait to tell sis Dezi about all my adventures. And tell her how lucky she was to have missed the ordeal with the mean man and sticky little humans. Mommys’ appointment had been early, so she went to do up the breakfast dishes so we’d have clean plates at dinner time. While sissy and me were meowing about my day, we both smelled that familiar scent and headed for the kitchen to alert mommy. We both danced around meowing till mommy sat down. This time mommy said she didn’t really care and in short order she passed out. Sis Dezi and me both jumped in her lap and purred till she came back around. Once she got reoriented she loved on me and Dezi and told us how proud of us she was and how much she loved us. The perfect ending to a perfect day.

 Dezi and Raena chat while laying on the chair

So in answer to the question asked by awnty Jeanne, when we alert, we want mommy to sit down and be aware that there’s a problem. She can often keep from passing out by putting her head between her legs and breathing through it; but not always. And sometimes, she doesn’t worry about it and just lets it happen.

 

Well, that wraps up my mommy and me day out. Mommy says I performed purrfectly; she couldn’t have asked for more. ‘Member. ifin you’ve missed any of our posts, you can check them out by clicking the links below. And you can donate towards mommys dental by either giving to our paypal at: lexi.dezi@yahoo.com or the fundraiser here.

 

Till the next time………………………………………..Be Blest!!!

 

Luvs and Hugs and Kitty Kisses

 

RaenaBelle and Deztinee

Service Cat Monday 

What to Look For     Training Foundations     Train Kitty to Massage

 

Smelling Disease    Do You Need One     Who Bears the Cost 

 

Housing Laws and Exceptions     Accommodations and Common Sense

 

When the Handler Dies     Proper Training Methods Pt. 1 & Pt. 2

 

Easiest Task to Train     Getting Kitty Ready for an Outing

 

Discipline: Stop Countersurfing Kitty     Internal Disputes

 

Calling Emergency Help     Just What is Kitty Capable Of

 

Shad: Original Service Cat     Harness or Vest, Leash or Stroller

 

Dezi, the Wheelchair and the Chest     Round and Round We Go

 

Tumble and Fall Response     Raena Calls For Help