nathanbeachcat

Are You a Digital Nomad? Here’s How You Can Take Your Pet With You Everywhere

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 07:39:15 GMT

Are You a Digital Nomad? Here’s How You Can Take Your Pet With You Everywhere

Working remotely is an exciting opportunity to explore the world while still staying connected to your job. It’s even more exciting when you can bring your furry friend along for the journey. Nathan the Beach Cat discusses the essentials of becoming a digital nomad when you have a pet.

Pet-Friendly Accommodations

GoPetFriendly notes that the first step in becoming a digital nomad with a pet is to seek out pet-friendly accommodations . Research different cities and towns that are known for being pet-friendly and look into housing options that allow pets. Additionally, research local parks and dog-friendly areas where you can take your pet for walks or playtime.

Go Prepared With The Necessities

As a digital nomad traveling with your feline friend, there are several essentials you need to pack. First and foremost, a sturdy, well-ventilated cat carrier is necessary for safe and comfortable transport. You may also consider CBD to help keep your cat calm . Don't forget a leash and harness for those moments when your cat needs some outdoor time.

Pack enough cat food, water, and treats for the journey, along with collapsible bowls for convenience. A portable litter box and cat litter are must-haves, ensuring your cat's hygiene needs are taken care of. Also, remember to bring any necessary medications, a first-aid kit, and your cat's health records. Lastly, to keep your cat entertained, pack their favourite toys. Traveling can be stressful for pets, so having familiar items can make the experience more comforting for them.

Give your pet attention

As a digital nomad, it's crucial to balance your work responsibilities with the needs of your pet. Pets, especially dogs, can develop separation anxiety if they feel neglected or left alone for extended periods. To prevent this, make sure your pet gets plenty of attention and interaction throughout the day. Take regular breaks from your work to play with your pet or take them for walks.

This not only helps to keep them physically active but also provides mental stimulation. Also, try to maintain a consistent routine, as pets thrive on predictability. If you're on a video call or focusing intensely on a task, ensure your pet has engaging toys or comfort items to keep them occupied. Remember, while your work is important, the wellbeing of your pet should always be a priority.

A Reputable Local Vet

It’s important to do research on local vets so that if any emergencies arise, you know exactly where to go for help. Pawlicity Advisor suggests finding out what services they offer and hours of operation so that you know who to contact in case of an emergency. You should also inquire about pet insurance, which may help lower pet care costs.

Updated Vaccinations

Before taking off on your adventure, make sure all your pet’s vaccinations are up-to-date and that you have the necessary paperwork on hand . This is especially important when traveling between states or countries. This will ensure that you don’t run into any problems while traveling with your pet.

Quality Time

When working remotely, it is important to determine how much time you can realistically spend with your pet. It's crucial that they don't become neglected or lonely during this transition period. If needed, look into hiring a dog walker or sitter who can come by during the day and provide companionship for them while you are away at work or running errands.

A Ready Resume

Creating a resume using an online template can showcase your skills and experiences in an eye-catching way, which will come in handy as you apply for remote gigs. These templates make it easy to create professional resumes without having any prior design experience.

Don’t Forget Your Taxes

When working remotely, managing taxes can become complicated due to different laws in different states or countries, so it's important to plan ahead before making any big moves. Research tax laws in different countries and states before deciding where to live so that there are no surprises come tax season. Also, speak with an accountant who specializes in taxation — this will ensure everything is taken care of properly before leaving the home base.

Enjoy the Nomad Life with Your Pet

Working remotely doesn't have to mean leaving behind your pet. With preparation and planning, including traveling with supplies like CBD, you can still have your beloved pet by your side as you embark on the adventure of becoming a digital nomad.

For more about the adventures of Nathan and Winnie, visit Nathan the Beach Cat today!

Image via Pexels

What You Needs to Know About a Pet Care Business

Sun, 01 May 2022 10:21:17 GMT

Valued at over $60 billion , the pet industry is a lucrative opportunity for anyone looking to start a business. With technological advancements, new local businesses offering pet grooming, training, walking, and sitting services can reach customers, scale operations, and streamline processes. That’s why Nathan the Beach Cat would like to provide you with the following resources to help you with your future pet care business.

Background

One of the reasons the pet care industry is hot is that more than 35% percent of customers are millennials, who are adopting more pets than previous generations. More than 76% of millennials have adopted pets, and they’re willing to spend to pamper their furry family members. A survey by Mintel showed that 75% of Americans aged 30 to 40 own a dog, compared to just 50% of the overall population who adopted a dog.

Among Australians, pet ownership is also extremely high, with almost half of Australian households owning a dog but a sizeable number owning a cat or a fish. This means you can get clients who will serve your business for the long term.

Young people with pets also use technology to buy services, giving you an opportunity to explore e-commerce ventures or a subscription-based model with connected devices like pet wearables.

What You Need

Before venturing into the pet care industry, you need an affinity for animals. Some of the essential skills for pet care you need include knowledge of grooming techniques, an ability to spot behavioural signals, dog handling and training skills, and the ability to recognise health problems.

Also, you need to market your business to reach new customers. Integrating technology in the business needs some proficiency in building apps and should work with an expert if you don’t have these skills. If your petcare business is offering a variety of different services, you may want to create a “doing business as” name. A DBA name allows you to sell your products or services under a new name that’s more relevant to your offerings.

If you decide to run your business out of your home, you’ll definitely want to have a dedicated office for work. The good news is that certain home improvements have the added benefit of raising your home’s appraisal value, so make sure you keep those receipts!

Barriers to Entry

The barriers to entry can be low if you want to start a pet care business. Services like pet sitting and walking require little upfront investment, but training, grooming, and boarding will require capital to set up facilities, health and safety certifications, and to get the equipment you need.

When you get started, understand that customer turnover could happen quickly, and it might also take a while before you build a loyal base. Also, running a business requires long hours, and you should provide an always-on-call policy. Often, you are required to be available on weekends and holidays as these are the times pet owners are likely to be traveling.

Potential for Growth

The pet products market size was valued at $9.9 billion in 2018 and is projected to grow at a steady rate of 5.7% up to 2025. This is attributed to rising pet adoptions and humanisation, driving an increase in spending on different pet products, including food, accessories, and grooming items.

Throughout the decade ending in 2017, spending on pet care services doubled. This includes services like pet sitting, veterinary services, pet training, etc. All these highlights point to incredible opportunities in the future, showing great potential for growth over the long term.

How to Start a Pet Care Business

Now that you know the opportunity in the pet care industry, how can you start your business today? Here are the steps to help you set up your business.

First, you must decide what you want to be. There are many things to explore, including selling dog care products or offering services like dog walking and grooming. Next, you need a business plan, and to also find a good location. With these ready, figure out your financing plan if you don’t already have the money. Also, you need certifications for pet care.

Conclusion

With more young people getting pets, there’s a growing market for pet care services. This would be the recommended time to set up a business in this industry. It’s an industry with great future prospects, ideal for anyone with ambitions.

Nathan the Beach Cat is the best place for cat-lovers to shop ! Shoot us an email and we'll get back to you as quick as we can: info@nathanthebeachcat.com.au.

Photo courtesy of Pexels

4 Types of Entrepreneurs And How They Make Cat Ownership Work

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 04:13:30 GMT

Everyone knows that it's tough to juggle running a business and raising a family. But no one ever talks about running a business and raising a cat! Cats have a reputation as low-maintenance pets, but even the most laid-back felines like Nathan need plenty of care and attention.

Is it possible to give your cat the quality time it deserves when hustling to start a business, or are entrepreneurship and pet ownership inherently incompatible?

We think it's doable — but don't take our word for it! Here's how four different types of entrepreneurs are making it work as cat parents.

The Startup Founder

Founding a startup is stressful, rewarding, and everything in between. However, that doesn't mean you have to rule out other responsibilities like adopting a cat. Pet ownership can actually be a boon for startup founders. Working alongside a pet reminds you to take breaks and is great for stress relief too.

The challenge for founders is finding time to take those little breaks. When it comes to achieving balance as a startup founder, the number one tip is to delegate . That's tough when you're operating on a shoestring budget, which is why many founders opt to hire freelancers for their startup needs. Take building a website for example. Is fiddling with website builders really the best use of your time, or should you prioritize strategic development while letting website developers do what they do best? We think you know the answer.

The Digital Entrepreneur

Starting an online business often means the freedom to work from home. That's great for balancing work and pet care. The problems arise when your cat clamors for attention in the middle of a client meeting.

As cute as an attention-starved cat can be, it's not ideal for your professional image. Digital entrepreneurs should set up a home office with cat perches, beds, cat trees, and other resting places that are more appealing than your keyboard. In addition to an enriching environment, a routine that includes scheduled play breaks minimizes distractions while working.

The Brick-and-Mortar Business Owner

Long hours come with the territory of running a brick-and-mortar business, especially when you're just starting out and don't have a large staff to rely on.

Brick-and-mortar business owners should take note of the shop cats found in cities like New York and Vancouver . A shop cat's original job was as a mouser but these days, shop cats serve as mascots, morale boosters, and ambassadors for animal adoption. While we don't recommend letting your cat free-roam in a food service business or a company with heavy machinery, shop cats are at home in lots of places including offices, retail stores, and residential care settings.

The Digital Nomad

More entrepreneurs than ever are starting their businesses on the road. While international travel with pets is tricky due to pet quarantine requirements, plenty of van life solopreneurs travel with cats. According to these digital nomads, the key to van life with cats is to take it slow, starting with short drives and letting cats get comfortable with their new surroundings before going all-in.

It's also important to microchip and leash train your pet if living on the road. While cats are happier in small spaces than other pets, you'll want to take your feline friend out for exercise and enrichment without worrying about losing them.

Entrepreneurship comes in many forms — and so does pet parenthood (just ask Winnie and Nathan !). Instead of letting your entrepreneurial dreams hold you back from adopting a cat (or vice versa), consider these creative ways to balance business ownership with cat ownership. You never know — your cat just might turn out to be the secret to your business's success!

Image via Pexels

Why we keep our cats indoors

Sun, 06 Oct 2019 12:47:22 GMT

Many of you are aware of the awesome outdoor adventures that Nathan and Winnie have been on. However, outside of our family adventures, these girls are actually indoor cats.

When we adopted Nathan and Winnie from the RSPCA, it was suggested that cats (in general) should remain indoors only. I guess we hadn’t really thought much about it at the time, but we knew we couldn’t handle the stress of either of them roaming around outdoors without us for protection. At the time of adopting Nathan we were living in an apartment, so having her indoors was really our only option. However, we didn’t want to rob her of experiencing the great outdoors and hence Nathan the Beach Cat was born - but that’s another story!

The girls essentially love being with us, whether that be indoors or outside in nature. We can really tell how comfortable and safe they feel with us. It’s really touching to see that we were able to create a safe space for them - a very different story compared to how they came into our care.

Why we choose to keep our cats indoors

There are a number of reasons we keep the girls indoors. Our main reason is that we are obsessed with their safety - they are our babies after all! For us its like imagining opening the door for your toddler and letting them roam free on the streets on their own! We wouldn't be able to sleep at night!

Some of the benefits of keeping your cats indoors include:

Reduces injuries - associated with being hit by a car, attacked by another cat or dog, or even human (there are some cruel people out there!!)
Prevents the spread of disease and illness, such as cat flu and FIV
Decreases incidence of parasitic infections such as fleas, worms and paralysis ticks
Stops them from hunting native wildlife - the safety of our wildlife is just as important!
Prevents poisoning - either accidental or intentional
Becoming lost or taken in by another family

Although the risk of our girls being exposed to some of the points above is reduced, it unfortunately still exists when we take them outside exploring with us. We therefore ensure they are checked by us following each outing and have regular Vet appointments. Their safety is our number one priority.

So how do we ensure that Nathan and Winnie are properly cared for when at home? This will be the topic for our next blog!  

To ensure you don’t miss the release of our next blog, you can subscribe to our Wolfpack!

Love Nathan, Winnie and family

How do you know you've got a healthy fur-baby?

Tue, 02 Jul 2019 02:43:47 GMT

Post brought to you by Petbarn

I’m sure we all can agree that our little fur-babies are certainly part of the family. As such, it’s vitally important to keep them happy and healthy. But how do you really know if your babies are healthy?

There are many ways a vet can assess the “health” of your cat or kitten, but surprisingly enough there is a simple way the untrained eye can gain some insight also. How, you ask? Through a look at your cat’s poo. This should obviously not replace your frequent vet checks, however it does give us owners a window into our pet’s well-being.

So, what does a healthy cat’s poo even look like?

Well, if your cat is anything like our little Nathan, it won’t be too hard to assess the poo – she does miss the litter box from time-to-time the poor little thing. But essentially, there are several characteristics you can assess…..

The perfect cat poo - check your fur-baby cat or kitten poo nutritional health chart

So remember, “check it before you chuck it”!

If you find your baby’s poo is not quite what it should be, you may need to assess their diet. Drop into your local Petbarn and ask the staff for advice on the right diet for your pets, and how to optimise your pet’s nutrition, or check it out online by clicking here – After all, a nutritious diet is essential in helping our pets live a happy healthy life, and in our case keep Nathan and Winnie swimming and enjoying the great outdoors!

Nathan the Beach Cat, Winnie and Instagram

Sun, 23 Jun 2019 03:19:27 GMT

Nathan and Winnie become Insta-famous

Over the past few months, since setting up this blog, we are constantly trying to answer all the questions we are asked. Probably the most common question we get, in every language you can think of (thank god for google translate!!) is “How did Nathan and Winnie become Insta-famous”. We first set up our Instagram account for nathan_thebeachcat in September 2017. We had found our little Nathan only a few months before and she was well into the swing of amazing us with her water antics! This has now built up a following of over half a million people and still increasing! But how did it all happen? What are the tricks to building up an Instagram following? The truth is, this all happened fairly passively and it still surprises us to this day! Back in September 2017, Mel initially set up Instagram as a way of showing family and friends our beautiful little Nathan. We were both working at Bundaberg Base Hospital, and our cute little swimming kitten was famous around the Wards and Operating Theatre. We would be asked 10 times a day “how is little Nathan?”, and to show pictures and videos of her swimming and playing at the beach. This also came from both of our families (living interstate). So one day Mel decided to set up an Instagram for Nathan so that everyone could enjoy watching her whenever they want.

Needless to say, we had no idea how this would blow up on social media. All of a sudden Nathan’s Instagram started jumping up thousands of followers per day! We honestly remember very little about the first 100,000 followers because it literally got there almost overnight! This also lead to Nathan now being noticed by TV and news programs. By November our phones were ringing off the hook and we were being inundated with Facebook and Instagram messages requesting interviews, pictures, permission to feature her videos on TV and also to do newspaper shoots. This was not just in Australia but all over the world, and major organisations including – E-News, Entertainment Tonight, Sky News, all the Australian TV Channels, multiple Australian Radio Stations, Scandinavian talk shows and even sites like BuzzFeed and The Dodo. Her pictures and videos were literally everywhere! Nathan became known around the places we took her – we would often have people come up to us at the beach and ask “Is this Nathan?”. We had children and their parents asking if they could take a photo with her (which Nath always obliged!). It was crazy and overwhelming to us! Funniest of all, this beautiful little kitten was getting all this attention and had no idea. All she knew was that she loved a swim when it was hot, as thats what cats do…right? lol!

This rapid increase on Instagram continued until about 300,000 followers over a few months. After that, although we kept gaining followers, the speed really plateaued a little – until Winnie came along! When we picked little Winnie up in July 2018, we hoped she would become besties with Nath (which they are). But with her little personality being so different to Nathan, we never thought she would go near the water – but that was ok, she could come and watch Nath and play in the sand and meet the crabs down the beach! We were wrong…. Her first trip to Elliott Heads Beach we filmed her run into the water and swim straight across, no hesitation at all! Not only that, when she got to the other side, she turned around, hopped straight back into the water and swam across to get Nathan – gorgeous little thing. Guess what? Winnie went viral!

This video of Winnie’s first swim saw our exposure increase and again our numbers have jumped up to over half a million, and climbing! So, the truth is, a lot of increasing Instagram followers is luck! We have found it to be so unpredictable with what videos go viral and on occasions what pictures and videos are well received by Nath and Winnie’s followers. So we definitely do not have the answers and we certainly don’t now any tricks. Its just so flattering to us that so many people enjoy watching our little girls as much as we do.

So how has Insta-fame changed our lives? Well, for the much part it hasn’t. We are certainly busier (as the time it takes to put posts together each day and write blogs etc is enormous!). Having this platform allows us to advocate for animals and donate towards animal welfare, which is very satisfying. However the Social Media presence is something we do on top of our regular lives. We both work demanding full-time jobs in the medical industry (me being a doctor and Mel being a nurse). We still have as much if not more difficulty co-ordinating our time off to fit in with each other AND the weather for that matter, so we can take our little girls out a few times a week to stretch their legs ad enjoy the beautiful outdoors.

So far, we have set up Instagram, Facebook and in the past few months we have launched Nathan and Winnie’s YouTube Channel. Here we are gradually posting all Nath and Winnie’s videos for everyone to enjoy! We will soon be posting a few each week – not just the swimming but more on their personalities and funny things Nathan and Winnie get up to. So make sure you check it out and subscribe!

Love Nathan, Winnie and family

Getting Nathan & Winnie Comfortable with a Harness and Lead

Tue, 15 Jan 2019 02:42:53 GMT

Why do Nathan & Winnie need to walk on leads – whats the point?

In the past Rian and I had never owned cats. Both of us grew up with dogs as family pets and I think this really shaped our expectations and the way Nathan and Winnie have been brought up. Before we found our little Nathan in 2017, we had been toying with the idea of rescuing a kitten. When discussing this, one statement from Rian sticks in my mind; he said “I’ve never owned a cat before so I think I’m just going to treat it like a dog”. He wasn’t wrong…

It was a tortuous 5 weeks from the time we decided to adopt Nath till the time we could take her home – our little girl was still dependent on her mother and needed to reach 1kg to be desexed, as per the RSPCA policy. Once getting her home however she immediately claimed our place as her own. She was with us always! It was therefore early on that we decided if she wanted to be with us 24-7, we should bring her out and about also. So began our attempt at training baby Nathan to walk on a lead.

Nathan vs the leash

Rian and I are both avid beach goers. The beaches of Elliott Heads are incredibly beautiful, with their perfect white sands and crystal clear, warm waters. The region was often quite secluded and such an expansive area that we could easily separate ourselves from dogs and people – a perfect area for kitty training! We thought it would be a dream to bring her with us to enjoy this lifestyle on a regular basis.

We kept Nathan home for the first few weeks after getting her until her vaccinations were complete. In the meantime, we decided to start harness training her, by having her wear it around the house for a few hours at a time. She took to it like a natural and never seemed bothered by the harness – we were relieved, “this will be easy” we thought – Wrong!

The problem with Nath was never the harness, it was the lead. Nath would run around with the harness on, no problem, but the moment we attached a lead, Nathan refused to walk normally. She would constantly fight the lead, pulling against it and often refuse to walk at all. Nothing we tried would snap her out of it. Perhaps we are going to have our work cut out for us after all. Regardless, we decided to take her to the beach and see how she goes.

Once at the beach we walked her well away from people and dogs, and placed her down on the sand. The lead was attached and true-to-form, Nath was having her little attack – completely refusing to move. This went on for about 15 minutes. We would call her and then carry her for a bit, place her down again, encourage her to walk and even offer her food – all to no avail. It was then, while she laid down, we took her off the lead. We were very cautious and a bit anxious, please don’t run away Nath! We walked 10 or so meters and called her. To our surprise she jumped up, her little tail high in the air and sprinted over to us rubbing her little face and body on our legs while taking in her surroundings – our normal little Nath had returned! We continued our walk another 200 metres to a quiet section of the beach with Nathan following along closely – no lead necessary. She followed us everywhere, came when called and even joined us in the water for her first swim – but that is a topic for another blog ��

From this day, we almost never use a lead on Nathan. She is amazingly obedient (without any real training) and so relaxed off the lead, that unless we are near a road or somewhere where she may be in danger, we are very happy to let her walk on her own. It’s been kind of a reverse process with Nath – she started by being perfect off the lead from 12 weeks old, and we have had to gradually get her used to occasionally being on the lead – which is still a work in progress to this day.

The curious case of Winnie’s harness paralysis

With Winnie, we didn’t quite know what to expect. We knew Nathan was a rarity and Winnie has such a different personality. Winnie, although liking to be around us, is completely full of energy – every moment is an opportunity to play. She is at it non-stop until her tied little eyes kick in at about 9pm, where she has a little rest before getting back to play at 4am. Although we didn’t think Winnie would be into swimming, it goes without saying, we wanted her to experience the same lifestyle as Nathan – exploring the great outdoors with her big sister.

We started by following the same process as Nath – putting a harness on for a few weeks leading up to our first outing. This was a problem. The minute the harness went on our little Winnie she would instantly collapse and refuse to move anymore then a stretch out with her front legs. The look on her little face was so sad it tore our hearts out. Nothing we did seemed to make this better. We couldn’t even entice her to stand up with food! We tried distracting her with her toys (as this is her absolute passion in life), still no cure. We weren’t sure how she was going to go at the beach, but we were hopeful – after all we had been surprised by Nath in the past in more ways then one, so decided to give Winnie a shot.

We didn’t have access to the beautiful Elliot Heads Beach, so we took the girls to Tugun Beach on the Gold Coast. Just like we did with Nath, once arriving at the beach we carried the girls across the sand and away from anything dangerous. We put Nath down (no lead necessary) and then did the same with Winnie, lead attached. Her eyes never left Nath for a moment. To our surprise, in the new environment, Winnie’s paralysis was completely resolved. It’s as if she forgot all about her hate for the harness and was more interested in the new sights and smells, as well as keeping up with Nath. She was perfect on the lead here. She came when called, walked/ran beside us and never tried to run away – like a perfectly trained dog! We couldn’t believe our eyes!

This has continued ever since – she is actually so good that when at Elliot Heads Beach (a place that is safe and familiar) we take her off the lead completely. She is just as good as Nath in this setting.

So why is Nath off in the lead in our videos & Winnie remains on?

When on the Gold Coast beaches (where we now live) or in parks we take them to regularly, we keep Winnie on a lead (despite Nathan being off the lead). This is really due to the way each of them reacts to being scared. On a few occasions when a dog or another person has unexpectedly appeared, Winnie gets spooked and tries to run as a reflex. This is in contrast to Nath who either jumps up into our arms to be carried or crouches down behind us. As a result we trust Nathan will remain with us under all circumstances – she has proven this for a year and a half. With Winnie on the other hand, anytime we are close to a bush or road we prefer to leave her on the lead. We generally don’t hold the lead however, we just let it drag a few metres behind her as she runs around as an added safety measure. Thankfully we have not yet had to use it!

Tips for training your cat to walk on a lead and in public

As we are new cat owners, we aren’t sure whether we have just been really lucky or our techniques are actually effective. We did discuss the best approach with the RSPCA when adopting Nathan, and got some great tips. We also googled an awful lot to see what had been successful for others – I have listed a few of the sites we used below. What is clear however is cats absolutely have a mind of their own and nothing you do will convince them otherwise. You therefore need to be patient, encourage them and give lots of love. We found putting the harness on for a few weeks to get them used to it seemed to help (especially with Nathan). Trying to distract them once its on with play or encouraging them to move for food was also useful. I think consistency and persistence is probably the most important thing. Its important for your cats to see this as “normal”, and therefore not have an adverse reaction to the harness or lead being put on.

This is our story. We hope you enjoyed reading it and found it somewhat useful. Let us know your experience.

Don’t forget to join Nath and Winnie’s Wolfpack by subscribing .

Also, we have launched a Youtube Channel for Nathan and Winnie! It will include more information and stories about our little girls – please check it out!

Some useful links:

Train your cat to walk on a leash

Cat harness and leash training

Video: How to teach a cat to walk on a leash

Love Nathan, Winnie and family.

A day in the life of Nathan and Winnie…

Sun, 02 Dec 2018 03:13:40 GMT

As the weather warms up and we move into summer, we love to venture out, taking our girls on trips into mid-north Queensland – after all this is Nathan’s old stomping ground. On this occasion we took a 3 day trip to Elliot Heads.

The drive to Elliot Heads

The drive to Elliott heads is a pleasant 6 hour drive through some of Southeast Queensland’s most beautiful beaches. This was to be Winnie’s second trip to the beautiful beaches up north, not to mention, Elliott Heads beach was where she was found abandoned by RSPCA Bundaberg.

We arranged to stay at a cute little animal friendly Bed and Breakfast – no sneaking our girls into a hotel required ;). After packing the car with all the essentials – scratch post, kitty litter, an abundance of cat toys and food and treats, we started the journey. Although our girls are very chilled and slept most of the way to our destination, Winnie can get a bit vocal at times, we suspect she’s being a back seat driver.

We get to our BnB late in the evening, unpack the car and take the girls into the room. The girls explore their new surroundings, not remotely fazed by the new environment. Winnie heads straight for the kitty litter and Nathan to the food we’ve laid out for them – some succulent chicken breast for dinner – their favourite.

Soon after eating, Nath and Winnie both claim the bed. Despite being less than a foot long, it always amazes us how they can cover the entire bed – as Ron Burgundy would say, “I’m not even mad, I’m impressed!”. Any movement of these little girls is met with being yelled at by Winnie in disgust. The only thing we can do is bend ourselves around them so we can get some sleep for the big day ahead.

Beach day with Nath + Winnie

It seems that all the sleep Winnie had on the drive up, combined with a good few hours overnight, has left her full of beans! From 4.30am, Winnie caught the zoomies, taking laps of the room, which obviously required her to run over us in bed continuously. It seems that Winnie’s zoomies were contagious and Nath was set off not long after. Ultimately our sleep came to an end at 4.30am and we spent the rest of the morning playing with the girls – I guess if you cant beat them, join them!

After a quick breakfast and popping on sunscreen, we’re off to the beach for the day. We arrive at beautiful Elliot Heads beach, not a cloud in the sky, a warm 28 degrees celsius and not a person or dog in sight – perfect for the cats! It was dead on low tide, which produced some perfect little shallows and thousands of Blue Soldier Crabs littering the white sand.

With Nathan and Winnie both off the lead and joyfully exploring their surrounds, we pitch our tent by the waters edge and headed off for a swim. Nathan decided to sit out for the first swim, however Winnie accompanied us immediately and started swimming laps before lounging and resting with us in the warm waters. We were soon joined by Nathan, and it was a family of 4!

The day was spent lounging around in the sun, swimming, playing and exploring the sands exposed by the low tide. Needless to say, our little girls where in and out of the tent, plagued by an abundance of energy followed by extensive naps, snacks and water.

Our day at the beach ends when they’ve both had enough. Winnie lost interest in the water and Nathan started jumping up into Rian’s arms wanting to be carried. It was a quiet ride back to the BnB. After a thorough wash and dinner, our girls cuddled up to each other and were out for the night – thankfully no 4.30am wake up this time!

The drive back to the Gold Coast and Winnie’s demon

Up at 8am, our girls still with their tired little eyes. We had a quick breakfast and packed the car for the trip home. We decide to take our girls down to the park for a quick walk before the long drive. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to head back to the beach, despite the amazing weather.

As per normal, we packed the kitty litter into the back seat so the girls have access to the toilet, but after our walk in the park, we were hopeful they wouldn’t need to use it – we were wrong! Within 5 minutes of starting our drive, Winnie unleashed a nasty poop! The odour ripped through the car, requiring quick action and a litter change. Who would’ve thought that this could come from something so cute! The rest of the trip was thankfully uneventful and the girls were excited to be home.

We can’t wait for our next trip!

We hope you’re enjoying our blog of life with Nathan and Winnie, please leave us a comment, we would love to know what you think! Don’t forget to subscribe to Nathan and Winnie’s Wolf Pack!

Love Nathan, Winnie and family.

Nathan and Winnie’s First Day

Mon, 29 Oct 2018 03:29:38 GMT

We didn’t plan on getting another kitten, however we both knew that if we did, it would definitely be another rescue. It was in late July that we decided to take Nath on a road trip up to the beach she grew up on – Elliott Heads, near Bundaberg. While up there, we decided to drop in to the Bundaberg RSPCA and take Nath along to show everyone how she’d grown over the past year. Obviously while there we had no choice but to play with the kittens currently being cared for.

There were about 15 little kittens being housed at the time, and we made sure to play with all of them. It was here that we met a little black ball of fluff, confident and very vocal – pawing through the cage door as we walked past, calling out if we stopped giving her attention, and purring the minute she was picked up….. We spent time with all the kittens, and cats for that matter, but kept getting pulled back to this one little black female… it was Winnie…

Nathan meets Winnie for the first time

Just before leaving we carried Nathan around the outside of the kittens’ cages for one last look. We held Nath up to the cage door to see how she would react to a little kitten. None of the kittens would come anywhere near Nath, and she hissed and growled at all of them anyway – with exception of one – Winnie. We held Nathan up to the cage door and the moment we did, Winnie leapt to her feet and ran over to her. They stared at each other for a moment, no hissing or aggression, both cats looked comfortable. Winnie came over closer and Nathan reached her little head over and they touched noses through the cage – in our minds, Nathan chose Winnie at that moment and our decision was made.

The Introduction Process

We were terrified that bringing another kitten into the family would change our little Nathan’s personality, and after a long night spent on Google and a morning discussion with the RSPCA, we decided Nathan had surprised us at every step since we got her and saving another little girl was worth the risk. After a morning with Nathan at the beach, swimming and doing all the things she loves, we headed to the RSPCA to pick up the newest member of our little family and start the 6 hour drive back to the Gold Coast. It was an exciting time but also quite daunting. We weren’t sure what to expect, and the best way to introduce Nathan and Winnie to each other – bearing in mind Nathan has never been around another cat since we adopted her.

We received a lot of advice from the RSPCA and there is also a lot of information on the internet on the best way to introduce a new kitten to ensure they end up as besties and not enemies. This includes separating them initially, exchanging scents and gradually introducing them face-to-face. We were ready for a potentially lengthy process that can take up to a few weeks for your cats to be comfortable with each other.

The ride home and first night together

Needless to say, Nath hadn’t read any of this information, and moves to the beat of her own drum. The first interaction the girls had was when Winnie was in a travel box in the car on the way home. Winnie was calling out and vocalising (as she still does), and Nathan was curious trying to see where in the world these little noises were coming from. At this stage however, she was far from pleasant, she hissed multiple times (despite not actually being able to see Winnie). She then slumped down on Mel’s lap sulking for the entire drive home – she was not impressed we had brought a little invader into her life.

Once home it was already late at night, so we kept them separated – Winnie was in the large bathroom with the door closed except for a tiny crack, and Nath roaming around the main house. We took a piece of cloth from Nathan’s bed and placed in the bathroom with Winnie and did the same with a piece of cloth from Winnie’s bed to try and get them used to each other’s scent. Nathan was not happy and even hissed at the cloth. Winnie continued her vocalisations and Nathan did intermittent rounds to assess the situation – this generally also resulted in them nose to nose through the small crack in the door and Nathan hissing. Nath set up camp for the night just outside the bathroom to ensure little Winnie wasn’t going to escape unnoticed.

Nathan the Beach Cat and Houdini Winnie

The following morning, we were a little concerned as to whether Nathan was going to adapt to Winnie, but apart from the sporadic hiss, Nath seemed to be getting used to her presence – so far, so good! The next step was to let them meet face to face – we did this through the use of a baby gate. No one told Houdini Winnie the rules of the encounter however, and as cheeky as she is she escaped within minutes and took off running straight past Nathan and into the lounge room. Nath was a bit shocked but quickly took off after her with us following close behind unsure what Nath was going to do. Winnie stopped in the lounge room with her tail high, looking as comfortable as ever and started playing with Nathan’s toys. Nath just stood there watching her. Every time Winnie took off running Nath was quick to follow, staying within a metre of Winnie at all times, but never showed any aggression. We kept very close just in case Nathan got aggressive, but with them both being so chilled we decided to let it go and see how it plays out. It was the best thing we did!!

Throughout the day Nathan and Winnie became more and more curious of each other, and began sniffing each other. This turned very quickly into playing and after a few days they became inseparable. Winnie absolutely adores Nathan and does not leave her alone for a minute. Even now, every time she sees Nath she lets out the cutest “meow” and goes straight in for the face rub. They nap together during the day, play-fight continually and even share each other’s food – yes that’s right despite there being two food dishes full of food they both share the same dish. Nath grooms Winnie like her own baby – it’s the cutest!!

We have been told that this is not the normal process for introducing cats, and we consider ourselves extremely lucky to have had such an easy process. I think we just somehow got a hold of the two most chilled kitties around. But I guess with Winnie under the influence of our little Nathan, what else could we expect?

Useful tips for introducing a new cat to your family

Here are a couple of helpful links that we read prior to introducing Winnie and Nathan:

How to introduce two cats

Introducing Cats post

Let us know how you went introducing your new cat/kitten to your resident cat.

Much love,

Nathan, Winnie and family

Welcome to Nathan the Beach Cat’s website!

Sun, 28 Oct 2018 03:34:47 GMT

Hi everyone!

We want to thank you all for your support so far! This has been an amazing experience and one we did not expect. We would like to officially welcome you to Nathan and Winnie’s new website and Blog!

We are so happy to see that so many people love and adore our little girls as much as we do. We love sharing their adventures and spreading some of the joy they give to us. So we thought what better way to do this than through a monthly Blog. We will use this to answer all your questions and share our experiences, road trips and lives with Nathan and Winnie.

Our first Blog will be released on Tuesday 6 November, 2018. It and will be about our first day with Winnie and how we introduced her to our little Nathan. Make sure you join Nathan and Winnie’s wolf pack by subscribing to ensure you don’t miss out on all our news.

Also don’t forget we have just released our yearly calendar and it is selling out fast. Get in quick so you don’t miss out! With the profits of these sales we will again be donating to animal welfare. You can order a copy of your calendar here.

Lastly, this is all very new to us, so your suggestions and feedback are very much welcomed! Please don’t be shy to contact us, we are happy to answer any of your questions.

Talk soon.

Love Nathan, Winnie and family

nathanbeachcat

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