So, after I painted my green dresser earlier this year I ran into a small problem: the cat food and water bowls we keep on top were really roughing up the finish. In fact, the paint started to peel along the back edge of the dresser, probably from water that spilled and then sat. I got in It took much longer than I expected but finally, after a few months, I found a cute vintage tray at a thrift store for only $2. I thought my problems were solved but I was wrong, because the metal tray quickly rusted, especially in the middle where the kitties’ shared bowl of water sits.
But never fear, spray paint to the rescue! I don’t get to do much pink in this house, but the tray is so small that I thought it would be fun. The can cost me just under $4 after coupon at Hobby Lobby.
I didn’t take any pictures of the painting process, I guess because it seemed pretty self-explanatory. I brought the tray outside, gave it a quick cleaning, placed it on some cardboard, and misted it with several thin coats of paint until the design and rust were both completely covered. I waited for it to dry before flipping it over to paint the back, then coated the whole thing with a protective sealant that I already had (Rust-Oleum Crystal Clear Enamel). I left it outside for a day to finish curing and then brought it in to regain its rightful place in the world.
The finish is not quite perfect, probably because I didn’t take the time to sand it down before painting, but since its purpose is literally only to contain bowls of cat food I’m not stressing over the details (do I ever stress over details???). In the picture above you can see the peeling paint on the dresser peeking out at the very back. This is what I get for painting laminate-and I even used primer that time!
The pop of pink is a fun addition to the laundry room, which is sort of subtly colorful with the green dresser and floral fabric. I feel like the white walls make it really easy to add color without it being overwhelming.
I took all three animals to the vet yesterday and the doc said that Pistachio, at a whopping 14 pounds, is overweight. It seems like an easy enough solution-switch the 1/2 cup scoop in their food jar out for a 1/4 cup one and consider getting her some catnip. If only it was that easy for me to lose weight! They also want us to bring Juliet back to get her teeth cleaned, but after dropping over $300 just on the visit and medicine yesterday I’m hesitant-have any of you found an at-home alternative to professional teeth cleaning? I’ve had dogs all my life and can not remember my parents ever brushing their dogs’ teeth so this feels sort of like a made up problem to me, but whatever.
Unless there’s an immediate issue, I’d hold of until February, which is National Pet Dental Month, and almost every vet I’ve ever had ran discounts on cleanings that month. I’ve only had one cat that needed cleanings - Max for some reason had terrible plaque/tartar issues - but it was a huge cost savings to plan ahead and take him in every February.
I don’t know of any home remedies besides brushing them yourself, or the dental bones.
Hi, just had to comment on the pet dental issue - the reason our parents never took their pets in for dental cleanings (and many people today still don’t) is because it’s a pretty new thing in the vet world. We just didn’t know until fairly recently that dental care is just as important for our pets as it is for us! I hope you will take her in eventually to get her teeth cleaned. If you’re worried about if it REALLY needs to be done, you can always get a second opinion from another vet. In the meantime, nylabones or greenies can sometimes help. The other thing to keep in mind is that preventative care is usually cheaper - better to pay for a simple dental cleaning now then to have to pay for extensive xrays/tooth extractions/more meds etc. down the line if her teeth get a lot worse. AND really bad teeth can actually lead to kidney, liver, or heart disease because all of that bacteria in their mouths gets in the bloodstream through their rotting gums and causes infection elsewhere in the body. Sorry for the novel, I’m sure that’s more info than you really wanted but I just thought I’d share. I’m not a vet so I’d definitely talk to yours if you want more info, but it really is important! P.S. the pink tray is cute!
We spent a crapton of money on 2 of our cats because they needed teeth pulled that had apparently rotted and calcified…ugh. After that, we started brushing the dog’s teeth 3 times a week in hopes of avoiding that happening to him. As for the cats… I don’t dare brush their teeth. They’d kill me in my sleep. haha
Love the tray- we have to keep both the food AND the litter on higher ground, away from the dog. It’s basically chaos.
My dog is not about going to the vet for anything. They can barely give him the shots he needs, so we don’t even bother with checking his teeth. They can see them when he bares his teeth and tries to take an arm off an unsuspecting vet tech. I’ve tried brushing his teeth once and that definitely didn’t work. He wouldn’t even lick the toothpaste. From what I hear, pet dental health is somewhat important, but I’m not about to lose any extremities brushing my dog’s teeth and he’d have to be sedated to have the vet do it. I would make sure to get Pistachio’s weight in check though. Manhattan ended up with diabetes from being overweight. You don’t even want to go that route. It’s not expensive, but it is a pain. But he’s my boo and I’ll get the insulin in him when he’s distracted by a treat.
Not sure about a cat, but we had dogs who needed to get a teeth cleaning, which can be very expensive because they have to administer anesthesia. My dad, no joke, went out and ordered a tooth scrapping tool (like they use at the dentist) to do the same job at home. Every since our dogs have had lovely teeth
I think the tool was ordered from any old pet catalog, and while it can take some getting used to (for dog and human…or in this case, cat!), it really seems to make a difference when we do it because you just scrap the junk right off. Apparently it is the same tool they use at the vet for the teeth cleaning procedure at a fraction of the cost. I’ve never heard of anyone brushing cat teeth though! But might be worth checking out.
Hi!
I know dental cleanings seem expensive and risky due to the anesthesia, but they truly are important for your dogs health. Some dogs,just like people, are lucky and rarely ever need teeth cleanings. Others, especially small breeds, sometimes require yearly cleanings. Unfortunately, we can’t just ask our patients to keep their mouths open so we do need anesthesia. We use the some of same tools as your dentist including hydro-powered scalers making sure to get well under gums to truly clean them. After getting all the tartar off, we also use a polisher to prevent further tartar buildup. If you just scrape the tartar off, you open the teeth up to faster tartar buildup. Sorry for the lengthy response but preventative care is super important!
p.s. Greenies and teethbrushing are great at home in between cleanings!
I used to have an outdoor kitty named Alice (I’m allergic) and had a “house call” vet - he would, however, take her to his office in his van for her teeth cleaning. I, like you, thought “teeth cleaning for a *cat*?” but my roommate insisted.
Okay, y’all have convinced me! Greenies and a professional teeth cleaning are on the agenda, but we’ll wait til February (thanks for that tip, Amanda!).