Monday 31 July 2023

CATS HAVE PROBLEMS TOO! with Dr Basil ~ Featuring Today's Despurrate Dilemma ~ **HELP! MY HOOMAN GOT A BOYFRIEND!**

 Welcome to 

Dr Basil ©BionicBasil®

Happy Monday, furry floofers

Today I thought I'd revive my old Saturday Solutions post under the new banner of Cats Have Purroblems Too, where I give epically epic advice to cats with despurrate dilemmas too great for them to solve alone. 

And if mew're wondering why mew haven't heard of this before, well dearest furiends this is a regular segment I ran many years ago, and I think most of the original posts are now archived. 

We did run this post last september, and then I must have gone on a mission because it was never reprised and I forgot - OOPS! MOL 

Anyhoo, it's back now, so sit back and read today's pet peeve and my solution.

Also, mew may be pondering on what my professional credentials are, so purrlease purruse the list below:

Ph.D. in Kitty Psychology & Psychiatry
BSc (Hons) Headology  
Psy.D. Furry Logic
 MS. Fuzzy Logic
MA. Common Sense

My other Professional Credits include:

NOM Master
Snoozy Savant
Purr Master
AdvoCat of T.L. Treatment
Touchy Feely Therapy or T.F.T
Purrfume Aroma Treatment or P.A.T.

I can help mew to solve all your Pet Peeves, Purrsonal Problems and Despurrate Dilemmas, no matter how great or small they may be.

Plus, I 
only use the very latest techniques, some of which I have developed myself over my long and esteemed career, which include:

 Purr Therapy ~ For Uptight and Particularly Stressed Kitties 

Nom Zen ~The Art of Nomming in Total Tranquility 

ZZZ's Snooze Sensation ~ Including Mewsical CatNap Sessions tailored to your purrsonal requirements

YogiCat Meditation ~ Stretches and Breathing Techniques for the Severely Stressed & Overworked

Intense CatNip Therapy ~ This treatment speaks for itself (I find it very beneficial)

I am also an AdvoCat of Tough Love coupled with a healthy dose of common kitty sense

Purrfume Aroma Treatment ~ A Sensory Smelling Session S.S.S. to calm and soothe with highly aromatic blends of specially selected scents

To help mew release all your stresses and worries just drop by my clinic held here or, alternatively email me your purroblem, and I'll answer here. If mew require to remain anonymous or anon, purrlease include that in your email. 


Mew can contact me directly at the following address:

DearDrBasil (at) gmail (dot) com

So come and sit on my supurr comfy couch, reee-lax, breathe deeply and tell me of your troubles, as I'm ready, willing and able to help.

Cats Have Purroblems Too with Dr Basil @BionicBasil® Find A Comfy Spot on The Couch


This is one of my cases via email:


Dear Dr Basil,

Purrlease can mew help me? I'm despurrate! I'm an only cat, and my hooman has gone and got herself a boyfriend (the absolute nerve of it!), and this is severely cutting into 'my time' and 'my purrsonal needs' ~ what should I do?

Yours having nearly lost all hope of ever regaining the upper paw and getting rid of this usurper and interloper once and fur all!

Kevin GingerChops
Mew York City
U.S.A.



This is my Expert Reply

(Notice how I use a calming blue text colour to soothe Kevin's frayed furry nerves)


Dear Kevin

I hear what mew are saying, and this is not an uncommon problem; hooman gets new hooman furriend. The new relationship then interferes and upsets the dynamic and status quo in the previously purrfect home environment. Your fur is severely ruffled, pats are on ration, and your zen harmonies have been shamelessly disharmonied.

Mew are obviously furry upset by this 'interloper' as mew call him, and what a fitting description. So first, we must address the root cause of your hooman feeling the need to get a new furriend. Have mew been neglecting your duties as Cat of the House? If so, then we need to delve deeper, but if not, I recommend this course of action to help take back your purrsonal power or P.P.:

1.   When your hooman and the interloper are together, always make sure mew get on your hoomans lap and put your bottom end towards the interloper, stretch up with your bottom always facing the interloper, and make a big show of it. And if mew can drop a fart or two do so, the silent but deadly ones are best. The really gag-inducing invisi-clouds are best.

2.   If they are engaging in any type of hooman bonding, sit there for a few moments and use your most intense penetrating stare. When they realise they are being watched, take this as your cue to get in-between them and settle down on your hooman purring as noisily as mew can - DO NOT hesitate - Keeping yourself stationed firmly and resolutely between them.

3.   When they are eating, always go for the interloper's plate, sit on the table and edge closer until mew are within striking distance, lunge and grab whatever is nearest on the plate (Do not ever take steaming hot food and make sure that's it's not spicy hot either, using the Spicy Smell Test.) If all is fine to proceed - Nom on it really loudly. If what mew grabbed is not to your liking, spit it out and walk off in utter distaste, showing him your rear end. 

4.   If the interloper ever makes any sudden movements towards mew, cry out like he's hurt mew and cry very loudly, so your hooman hears, flop on your side and pretend to be injured. Your hooman should start to doubt the motives of her new furriend if you do this enough.

5. When the interloper tries to be friendly towards mew and wants to pat you; hiss, screech and wail, hackles up, back arched, tail brushed out as big as you can make it and then bounce very gently up and down on your paws, like he's an evil scary monster. This will also make your hooman question the interloper's intentions further.

6.   Always sleep on the pillow the interloper likes. Even if this is not your usual 'Z Spot', make it yours for the duration of this campaign. If the interloper tries to remove mew, flick your claws out and cling on to everything: Bed Covers, Duvets, Blankets or whatever, and don't forget to cry out loudly, as if in acute pain. At this point, if done correctly, your hooman should rush to your side, admonishing the interloper severely.


Usually, by this stage, the interloper will have got the message, conceded defeat and deemed your hooman as a crazy cat lady and left with his tail between his legs. However, there are some quite resilient interlopers, and this is where the next steps come into play.

7.   When he stays overnight, if he's the type to leave his clothes on the floor or on a chair, make sure that at some stage mew get your furry body all over them, releasing as much cat fur and dander as possible, an amount that takes days to entirely remove. If the interloper has allergies, this is wonderful and highly beneficial in your campaign.

8.   If all of the above have failed, there is only one thing left: pee on the interloper, back up and directly spray him, mark him and make him yours. Spray his man bag, if he has one, just pee on everything that's his and go for full saturation. Mew can then decide what course of action to take after this, as there will be one of three possible outcomes:

a) He will leave instantly in total disgust and reeking of your stinking acid pee. 

b) He will try to grab and scold mew like a lunatic; he may even try to rub your nose in it. Now everyone knows this is an entirely futile exercise and only works on the cute doggies, and also, your hooman won't like this one bit. She should show him the door and kick him to the curb faster than mew can say, 'Give me yummy Noms!' 

c) Mew will have got yourself another hooman to dote on mew and your every whim, and what's better than one hooman? That would be two hoomans at your command but only take option C if mew know you handle two at once. If mew have any doubt, steer towards A or B.

(I will be holding a Webinar on 'How to Successfully Wrangle Multi-Hooman Households Purrfectly' in the coming months for those who find this living situation complex, sometimes intense and slightly overwhelming - Stay tuned for the date).

Kevin, I do hope that your 
Cats have Purroblems Too appointment has helped mew, and if mew require any further consultations, purrlease don't hesitate to MEOW me.

Yours most sincerely

Dr Basil

@ The Cats have Purroblems Too Clinic T.M.


_______________________________


If mew can relate to Kevin's problem or feel that mew need any assistance, purrlease leave a comment to: Dear Dr Basil with your dilemma or email me directly, and I'll get back to mew.

Thank mew all for joining me today at The Cats have Purroblems Too Clinic, and I'll be back next Monday with another open clinic and brand new case study.

Until then, Keep Calm and Purr on

Dr Basil

Ph.D. ~ BSc. (Hons) ~ Psy.D. ~ M.S. ~ M.A. 








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Sunday 30 July 2023

The B Team's Battle Abbey Selfie onThe Sunday Selfies Blog Hop and Caturday Art Hop **PLUS** Smooch's UK Historical Travel Guide

Summer Sunday Selfies Banner  ©BionicBasil® 2023.jpg

Furbulous Sunday greetings furiends

Welcome to another BBHQ selfie selection, and this week we headed south again in the Time Travelling Telephone Box to historic Hastings for our little travel adventure! 

The B Team's Battle Abbey Selfie ©BionicBasil® The Sunday Selfies Blog Hop and Smooch's UK Historical Travel Guide

Now mew all know about William the Conquerer and the infamous date of 1066 for the Battle of Hastings, and mew must have heard of the Bayeux Tapestry, and if mew haven't click here to visit the museum in France to learn all about it. What a time to be alive, but we're so glad we missed that era, we much prefer now! MOL

Here's a little bit of info from BBHQ's Historical Travel Guide, Smooch:


Hello epic travellers!

This week I organised a trip to visit Battle Abbey in Hastings, the south of England and it was truly an amazing experience. If mew're a history buff, this place is a must-visit as it holds a special place in English history and every inch of it tells a unique story. Battle Abbey was built in 1070 by William the Conqueror to commemorate the Battle of Hastings that took place in 1066. This battle is a significant turning point in English history as it marked the end of Anglo-Saxon rule and the beginning of Norman rule. The abbey was constructed on the exact site where the battle took place and was home to Benedictine monks until the 16th century. When mew visit the site, mew can explore the abbey ruins and learn about its rich history. Mew'll be given an audio guide that provides an in-depth explanation of the site's significance and includes interesting facts about the battle and the abbey's construction. One of the most impressive features of the abbey is the Great Gatehouse, which was built in the 14th century. It is the largest surviving gatehouse of its kind in England and is a testament to the skilled craftsmanship of the time. The Battlefield Trail is another highlight of the site. This guided tour takes mew through the battlefield and teaches mew about the tactics used by both the Anglo-Saxon and Norman armies. It's a great way to gain a deeper understanding of the battle's significance. Overall, Battle Abbey is a must-visit for anyone interested in English history. The site is well-preserved, and the audio guide does an excellent job of bringing the past to life. It's an experience we won't forget anytime soon, and we highly recommend it to anyone visiting Hastings.

Purrs

Smooch

The BBHQ Travel Guide
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We're also joining in Athena's Fabulous Art Hop so do stop by and show off your pawesome arty-farty skills.

https://www.athenacatgoddess.com/

The B Team's Battle Abbey Selfie ©BionicBasil® The Caturday Art Blog Hop and Smooch's UK Historical Travel Guide

The effect was created with Befunky - AI Enhancer + Pastel 1effect.

We also turned this fab arty-farty picture into a puzzle, so do stop by the puzzle page and take the Puzzle Challenge, see if mew can beat our time of 10 mins 48 secs. 

Summer Banner  ©BionicBasil® 2023

We must say that we're totally fluffed off with all the rain. Cat Dad took a week off work to do some jobs around BBHQ. The upstairs windows need painting, and some need a little more attention with a few gentle repairs - windows are what they used to be, and neither is the wood used to make them! MOL

Then we were hoping to get the gravel ordered to do the new vegetable garden, but without the windows being done, there's no point. So it's all been a bit of a washout.

Anyhoo, we'll be back on the morrow with another new post and if mew missed anything from last week, here are the links:





We do hope mew have an epic day, and remember...

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Wing Commander Basil & The B Team







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Don't forget to join in the pawesome Sunday Selfies Blog Hop with

 Angel Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Angel Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo, Cooper Murphy and Sawyer ~ visit them at their pawesome blog:







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Friday 28 July 2023

**FRIDAY FLUFFERS** Showcasing The Latest Batch of Photo Bloopers From The BBHQ Archives Starring Parsley, Pandora and Melvyn ~ PLUS Friendly Fill-Ins & Pet Photo Fails

The B Team's Friday Fluffers Banner ©BionicBasil® July 2023

Happy Friyay Fab Pals

Welcome to our Friday Fluffers post where we showcase a selection of photo bloopers or photo fails from BBHQ, the photos that we thought would never see the light of day, buried deep, deep, deep in the archives on level 12 of our secret bunker, with no chance of ever being seen on the interwebs for the wurld to see... UNTIL NOW!

Are mew ready for some fun outtakes from The B Team? Of course, mew are, and this weeks selection is from 2020!

And as it's the last Friday of the month, today is also... 

...and luckily we think this selection fits the criteria! MOL



And furst on the podium is 

Parsley's Supurr Cat Fail


Friday Fluffers at BBHQ ©BionicBasil® Parsley's Supurr Cat Fail

Date: 21st July 2020

He really thought he'd nailed, sorry clawed it! 

Until we pointed out he needed to be sky-bound not carpet-bound! MOL


Next up

Pandora's Doing Meowga


Friday Fluffers at BBHQ ©BionicBasil®Pandora's Doing Meowga

Date: 11th August 2020

This pose is called the reversed banana, but Pandora needs more purractice as her back legs are supposed to be together, not sticking out like two drumsticks at a BBQ! MOL 


And finally 

Melvyn's Trying to Avoid The Papawrazzi


Friday Fluffers at BBHQ ©BionicBasil® Melvyn's Trying to Avoid The Papawrazzi.JPG

Date: 14th September 2020

Melvyn's always had huge aspirations of being The Next Top Model, and when he started his modelling career three years ago, he would purractice wearing his supurr cool shades and get Fudge to ambush him with a camera.

Yep, delusions of a young cat! 



This week we're also joining in Friday Fill-ins with the fabulous 15 & Meowing and Four-Legged Furballs.
1. I would describe my home as _______________________________.
2 I would never give ______________________ to ____________________________.
3. I share my secrets with _________.
4. Did I ever tell you _________?

The P.A.'s answers are...

1. I would describe my home as quietly comfy, with occasional quirks! LOL

2. I would never give the cheaper bird food to the birds in my garden. They get the primo stuff at BBHQ, I think that's the garden is full! LOL

3. I share my secrets with Basil. 

4. Did I ever tell you, I always wanted a Dutch Friesian Horse? The black one, with the long flowy maine and the supurr elegant gait. I've ridden everything from thoroughbred race horses and eventers, to miniature sheltland ponies and lots inbetween since being a child. But never have I ever ridden a Dutch Friesian, that is the one horse I've dreamt about for decades, though I feel it may be too late now, but one can still dream.


Other Fun Blog Hops to Join in Today



                                         

We do hope mew enjoyed today's fluffers and we'll be back next Friyay with more funny photos.

Join us again on Sunday when we're here with our usual selfie selection and Smooch's UK Travel Guide, in the meantime...

Keep calm, and purr on

Supurr purrs

Wing Commander Basil & The B Team 








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Wednesday 26 July 2023

The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ~ Smooch Snoopervising The Fabric Selection for Precious, Midnight Meetings On The Landing, and Melvyn's Wearing This Weeks Top Pick Bandana **PLUS** The Winners of Amber's Book Giveaway - IS IT MEW?

The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ©BionicBasil® July Banner 2023 Basil and The B Team cats

Furbulous Greetings Supurr Furiends

Welcome to the BBHQ midweek news round-up!

Well, so far this July, it's been a month of rain, yet parts of Europe are utterly scorchio. But we'll pick the rain over intense heat any day. So unfortunately the garden is looking pretty grim, and lots of the flowers are now looking rather droopy and washed out. 

But never fear, we've found some pictures from last year to keep mew topped up! MOL

The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ©BionicBasil® Flowers at BBHQ

We're hoping that the weather will improve, as we want to order the gravel to put in the new vegetable garden along the side of the house and get everything put in the correct place. As at the moment, it's just a mish-mash of pots placed randomly.

The good news is the runner beans are in full flower, the two varieties of peas are climbing well, and the tomatoes are in flower, but with very little sunshine the crops are way behind where they'd normally be right now.

Anyhoo, let's look at this week's top headlines.
Summer Banner  ©BionicBasil® 2023

First up in the news this week

Smooch Snoopervising The Fabric Selection for Precious


The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ©BionicBasil® Smooch Snoopervising The Fabric Selection for Precious

Gorgeous Precious won Melvyn's Birthday Giveaway, and her favourite colour is turquoise, so Smooch was in the sewing room checking to see what fabric we have in that colour. Now we are going to tell mew that the piece he's sitting on wasn't used for the quilt, yet many of the pieces underneath were! MOL

Mew'll just have to wait and see it when Precious reveals it to mew, if he does on his blog. Though he may decide to keep it all to himself! MOL MOL 

Anyhoo, Smooch made a really good choice with his fabric selection. We're just waiting on the fringe trim to arrive, as turquoise was pretty much the only colour we didn't have in stock.

If mew want to see the other quilts that were part of this year's giveaways, check out the links below:



Mews Oz, Bean & Winston - posted a story on their Instagram page, sadly it's not available anymore, but they chose a blue quilt.

Summer Banner  ©BionicBasil® 2023

Next up in the news

Midnight Meetings On The Landing


The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ©BionicBasil® Midnight Meetings On The Landing

So the other evening, well it was nearly midnight, this trio of mass destruction were having a secret meeting, it was so secret that even Fudge wasn't invited!

No details have been released yet, and my request for a copy of the minutes has been declined so far, good gravy I just can't imagine what they are plotting right now?!!!

If mew've heard any gossip on the Covert-Cat-News-Network aka C-C-N-N, do let me know if I should be worried and need to lock the bunker up for a while! MOL
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Finally this week

Melvyn's Modelling The Top Bandana Pick


Guys, Melvyn's wearing the last of the July collection,100's and 1000's of Purrs bandana, and he's rocking it today!

The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ©BionicBasil® Melvyn Modelling This Weeks Top Pick Bandana - 100's and 1000's of Purrs

He did get slightly distracted on his first run down the BBHQ catwalk and the took a slight diversion into the catservatory! MOL

Check out Melvyn strutting his funky stuff on the BBHQ catwalk at:




Mew may notice that there are no new bandanas for August, this is because Melvyn is taking a modelling break for the summer. But don't panic, he'll be back sashaying along the catwalk in September, and we'll post the brand new bandana collection in August so mew can choose the first one of the new season.
Summer Divider ©BionicBasil® 2023 Butterflies and Lavendar


EXTRA, EXTRA!


The Winners of Amber's Book Giveaway


Mew may remember a couple of weeks ago, Amber ran a little giveaway to celebrate her 250th book review, and here are the winners!

Drumroll purrlease...

And the furbulous winners drawn out of the hat* are:  

Eastside Cats 

Ruby Rose and The Big Little Angels 

Messymimi

WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO! 

MANY CONCATULATIONS TO MEW ALL!  

If mew can email us your snail mail address at your earliest convenience, that would be epic.  
deardrbasil @ gmail . com 

Thank mew to everypawdy else who entered, and don't wurry if mew didn't win this time; there will be another giveaway happening in August for Parsley's 11th Birthday. 

*And just in case mew're wondering how we pick the winner, we type the full list of names from the blog post, then paste them into the random name picker at www.miniwebtool.com, and it automatically picks the winner/s.

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That's us done for today. We'll be back on Friday with a new post just for mew, so do join us then, and we'll also be joining in the Friendly Fill-ins blog hop, as we've sadly missed the last two weeks.

And if mew missed any other posts for the last week, here are the links:

Also, if mew missed our Crafting for Your Shelter crafting fest, here are the links:





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Wing Commander Basil & The B Team