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Sunday 13 January 2019

Accidental Art, And Update On Pilling The Cat

As I continued to work my way back through my photos, I found some that I took while I was sewing for the craft sale in October.

When I finish sewing an item, there are always stray threads and lint (and sometimes cat hair) which need to be removed before the item is truly done. I use a sticky lint roller for this purpose.

I thought the used sticky sheets were kind of interesting. Here are closeups of a few of them.











Very abstract, aren't they? My first thought was that they are art, in a way, but finally I decided they aren't really art because there was no creativity involved -- I simply saw the colours and textures randomly captured on the sticky sheets and found them interesting/attractive.

So the question "is it art?" I think would be answered "no" . . . but I like them anyway :)


*****

Thank you for all your suggestions on how to get pills into our cat Lulu. It's going fairly well at the moment (knock on wood). After all the devious (and expensive!) ways I tried to get her to take them, I accidentally found that she'll eat them fairly reliably if I just put the whole pill into a small amount of her regular wet food. Who'd a thunk it?? *slaps forehead*

But if this method stops working, I now have a number of alternatives to try, thanks to your helpful hints.


It's funny, but so true



40 comments:

Lisa Southard said...

I would say yes to art, as you have framed the pictures, plus I'm a fan of found objects :-)
Hope Lulu keeps taking the pills!

only slightly confused said...

Congrats on `conquering the cat` . I`ll bet if you framed those lint trappers everyone would think you had some expensive art work there.

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

That which is lovely doesn’t always need a frame. There is beauty in so many things that are overlooked. Good art is what pleases you. Yesterday, I went to a pet expo. It was mostly cats and dogs but they also had snakes, turtles, iguanas, and three pigs. At the booth where the pigs were, they were selling pig art. They called it Pigosso, and I assume that the artists were the the ones in the pen who were grunting loudly. The pictures were priced between $25 to $50. Somehow, I resisted buying one.

Marie Smith said...

The meme is so true for cats! Have a great week!

My life so far said...

We have a cat and I have tried to give her pills, so has the vet. There is usually blood and vomit involved. Even the vet was shocked at how difficult it was. He relented and gave her an injection.

crafty cat corner said...

If a messy bed is considered art then I think your sticky paper is, lol
I'm having that problem at the moment trying to get the pills down Rupert, I'll try putting them in a bit of chicken.
I feel so mean trying to get him to take them.
Briony
x

jenny_o said...

I hadn't thought of the 'found objects' angle - I like that way of looking at it :)

jenny_o said...

Hah! Want to buy a nice picture, Delores? :D

Shhh - don't say 'conquer' and 'cat' in the same breath - the cat doesn't like it!

jenny_o said...

'Good art is what pleases you' - I love that way of putting it. I would have had a hard time resisting those pictures by pigs too. What a great idea :)

jenny_o said...

Thanks, Marie - you too!

jenny_o said...

An injection really is easier for everybody, I think. Our vet hasn't even TRIED to give Lulu a pill because of her growling and snapping. Sounds like she and your cat have similar attitudes!

jenny_o said...

I know what you're saying about feeling mean! Poor Rupert. He's had a rough time of it. And so have you. I hope the chicken works and he's back to himself soon.

The Happy Whisk said...

Are you able to crush the pills into a powder? I totally forget this until today. But I sent a friend of mine a small coffee grinder as gift and she uses it to turn her cat pills into powder. Works well for her.

To me, it is art. For sure yes is my answer.

jenny_o said...

One of the pills is very bitter, the vet warned me, so we are to try to deliver it in a way that minimizes contact with her taste buds. I'll have to check about the other one. The problem I'm having with the bitter one is that it dissolves very quickly, so if I put it in wet food and she doesn't get it down right away but licks at it instead, she gets the taste and then gets very suspicious of all her food!

I appreciate your 'yes' :)

Elephant's Child said...

Art is in the eye of the beholder. I have seen pieces I liked less than yours - with expensive price tags attached.
I am glad that you have found a blood free way to get that medication in to the cat. M'lady was a notoriously difficult cat to pill. A struggler, a scratcher, a sneaker behind furniture to spit the pill out. She had an infection. She had to have antibiotics. I showed her the tablet. She daintily ate it from my hand despite the fact that the vet had warned us about the bitterness. Which continued (yay) until the very last one. She decided she was better and was NOT having it. Rather a lot of blood was involved (ours) before she finally did swallow that one. Cats rule.

dinthebeast said...

I have come to the conclusion that art is anything you try to express yourself with.
The first place I got to go a few weeks after I came home from stroke rehab was the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the SFMOMA, which was wonderful, and the SFMOMA loaned me a wheelchair which made it much easier to enjoy the art on display. One piece sort of made an impression on me, though, and not in the awestruck way some of the paintings did. It was by an artist who worked in the medium of fiber, and it resembled nails sticking up out of a large, white, board (say 4X6 feet) with fiber strung between them in geometrical patterns. I was looking at it, trying to decide what I thought of it, when my housemate Andrew, an artist himself, walked up to me and said: "That "fiber" looks a lot like the hair you pull up out of the shower drain. I wonder where they got it?"
And I had to laugh, and couldn't take it seriously afterward.
Your pictures, especially the top one, could hang in an art gallery if they were paint instead of photos, so who's to say they are not "art" because of their form?
I'm glad the cat is taking her medicine, we haven't had to try getting our latest cat to take a pill yet, and I'm not looking forward to it as I have visible scratches on my wrist from just playing with the furry little terrorist.

-Doug in Oakland

John M said...

I think it's sort of "found art". They do look good in a way.

Steve Reed said...

Yes! The Fancy Feast method! LOL!

Martha said...

Yes, for me that is art. And very nice art at that. Glad to hear it's working out with your cat and her pills. Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one. But you just never know with cats. We expect things to be difficult!

jenny_o said...

That's amazing that she would eat the pill "as is" - and not once, but numerous times! I've filed that approach away in the back of my mind in case all other tricks fail, although what are the chances that any other cat in the world but her would do that? :)

jenny_o said...

Ha ha! Art seems to be in the eye of the beholder :)

Let's hope your kitty never needs pills - but just in case, I hope you're taking notes here, lol

jenny_o said...

They might look better if they weren't so blurry! ha ha

jenny_o said...

Yep :) And today I had to resort to Whiskas Fancy Cuts in Gravy, which she hoovered right up, lol - usually she gets a vet-sanctioned canned food but the Whiskas stuff went over much better :)

jenny_o said...

Thanks, Martha :)

Every time I have to give her a pill I'm on edge wondering if this is the time she'll stop accepting it in any form or under any pretense. I don't know what I'll do if it gets to that point!

River said...

Sticky lint papers here get so much cat hair it's like they're wearing fur coats.
Good to hear the pill trick is working. For now.

River said...

Angel used to do that with his regular worm and flea tablets for about a year and a half, then he decided he didn't need them anymore. That's when I switched to sneakier methods.

Geo. said...

We no longer have cats except for those who come here for water, a bit of shelter, to hunt rodents or be told they are pretty kitties. They all seem healthy enough --but I do remember using your medication-in-food method with success when our last cat was pushing 17 years old. Brava. As for art, it is a fundamental component of human perception that always has meaning beyond definition.

bazza said...

The question of "What is Art and who decides?" is an old on-going one. However, you have helped to define what is NOT art by identifying that it must have creativity!
CLICK HERE for Bazza’s deliberately devastating Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

jenny_o said...

Yes, I wish I owned shares in a lint-roller company :D

jenny_o said...

I like your explanation of art, Geo. Art certainly brings out the individual in each of us, both in creating it and in liking or rejecting it.

jenny_o said...

I went to the definition of "art" to try and decide if my sticky lint-roller papers might qualify - much to my chagrin, that definition, at least, required the presence of creativity! lol

Susan said...

Random beauty is particularly significant, I think. We are sneaking pills to one of our dogs right now, fortunately she is oblivious, so far...

jenny_o said...

It's wonderful when you can get those pills in and the pet doesn't even know. Takes away a lot of stress!

The Blog Fodder said...

You have found the secret to pilling a cat? Mostly I end up in worse shape than the cat and need the vet more than it does.

jenny_o said...

They can do a lot of damage, even if they are smaller than a lot of other animals. And no, I didn't really find the secret, I just found a temporary solution! She has already moved on to rejecting one of the pills in regular food and only taking it in supermarket food, which seems to be very attractive to cats raised on vet-brand food - I don't know why :)

The Happy Whisk said...

Sounds like a big challenge for sure, Jenny! So funny that she is suspicious of her food but that makes sense.

baili said...

i liked abstract art at your sheets dear Jenny !

i think everything is part of art anyhow

you did not draw it deliberately though but you captured it because it has ability to pull your attention , it means you have extra aesthetic sense to realize the beauty spread within simple common objects :)

i am glad you found solution to give your dear pet pills so she can feel better!

jenny_o said...

"The beauty spread within simple common objects" - how I love your use of words and language, baili. You have expressed a wonderful thought.

Diane Henders said...

It's definitely art! You created it, it's unique, and you composed the photos in a way that showcases their composition. Frame those puppies up and be proud! :-)

And I'm glad your cat-pilling is going well so far. Fingers crossed!

jenny_o said...

Every day is an adventure - will she take it? won't she take it? ha ha

I can't frame those photos, they're too blurry! Besides, we're downsizing :) But I appreciate your kind encouragement!