Furry Tails of the PDX pride

Therapy Cat Tales from 1/25/12

2012-01-25T18:51:00.000-08:00

Tabby writes:

Sorry I didn't write about our visit two weeks ago! We were job-shadowed by two students from Benson High School, and it was fun showing them what we do.

Today was rainy, but we were inside for most of the big downpours. I had my nice raincoat for the small showers. Typical weather for January where we live. It snowed a couple days, but now is back to rain again. While we were waiting for the rain to stop, buses to come, and on the bus, we heard a lot of cat stories! We always love hearing about other people's cats, and they love telling us about them.

One lady told us a horrible story about three cats each jumping out a window and drowning in the water tank, all years apart. That story wasn't so nice, but she decided to not have cats as pets again. She loved visiting with me, though. Another lady had a bad story that has a good ending. She decided to use a cheap flea product on her cat. She got it from Safeway, where they don't carry Frontline, Advantage, or other veterinarian-approved flea products. Her cat lost all her fur and had to go to the vet because she was being poisoned by the flea medicine. She is just now starting to grow back her fur, but not her tail fur yet. Please, please, PLEASE only use Frontline, Advantage, Advantix, Revolution, or other top-of-the-line flea products on your pets! Please do not use Sargents, Hartz, Bio-Spot, or other cheap products. They're not worth it!

We heard about a kitty who loved to sleep in a baby-doll buggy! One day, his people couldn't find him, and were looking all over the house for him. They found him in the little girl's room, asleep in the buggy, curled up with the doll and blanket! A lady on the bus told us about her sister's cats, who live with her because her sister lives with her. They have as many cats as we do! One of their cats got hit by a car when he was just a little kitten, but he lived and is doing well now. A lady on the MAX light-rail train told us about a cat she rescued when he was about 4 months old. He was down to skin and bones and the vet didn't think he'd make it, but he survived and is a big cat now. She also has a girl cat who came to her doorstep and was probably thrown out of a car. That family also has two new kittens, a present they got last Father's Day.

They are still working on the ceilings at H., but I wasn't interested in looking up the ladders today. Now it seems normal to see men up ladders into the ceiling. Our friend Dr. W. died a few days ago. We'll miss seeing him and his visitors.

G. was sleeping when we went to see her, but she woke up right away and petted me, scritching my forehead the way I love. A. was sitting beside her, smiling as he watched G. pet me. E. didn't have her kitty pillow around her neck today when we went to visit her, so she smelled a little different (the pillow has lavendar in it), but I let her pet me anyway. She put her hand down on my stroller at one point, and I put my arm across her hand to comfort her. Another E. was talking with her niece, M., so we didn't want to interrupt, but M. called us in because she wanted to see me. It turns out that M.'s afraid of cats! She wasn't afraid of me, though! :) >^..^< She wanted to know all about me, my training, and exactly what my job is. S., who is that E.'s roommate now but used to live upstairs, was telling M. all about me and S. and I demonstrated together how I love to snuggle on beds and with my friends. We also showed how I ask for pets by putting my paw up to tap the person. M. was very impressed, and told our supervisor that. She also told our supervisor that her aunt E. loves when I and the therapy dogs come to visit, always calling her after the visit to tell her all about it!

We went upstairs to see P., who was very glad to see us. I visited with her for a long time, staying just within arm's reach so she could scratch my ears. I played a game with her with my tail. Not the regular game of tails, but a different game. She likes to hold onto my tail, wagging it back and forth, then letting it go. She'll pet me from my head to my tail, then hold my tail again and let it go. I slap her hand with my tail, then she pets me from head to tail and holds my tail again. We play this way because she is visually-impaired. I know she can't see my tail well enough to play regular tails, so I play this only with her. In the hallway, we visited with two new friends. I might see them again, if they want to visit with me next time.

Torbie Thursday: Miss Marble's Weather Report

2012-01-19T01:32:00.000-08:00

Miss Marble writes:

This picture that Mommy took is what my world looked like the past three days! It's now back to normal: wet, cold, and windy. This white stuff is called "snow", and it sticks to my fur! It's very cold and wet, and turns to water when I lick it. I can't walk anywhere when it snows, but I can pounce in it. It's hard to catch mice in snow, I found out yesterday. I pounced from the deck onto a mouse, but then it slipped from under my paws. I'd bitten it, so it couldn't get far, but after I got it again I looked at my sister and at Mommy (who was watching from the door), asking for explanations on why my mouse almost got away! My sister was as confused as I was, and Mommy was laughing! My sister and I ignored Mommy and went under the deck to eat my mouse.

I've been coming inside more and more, now that it's been snowing. There is a lot of new stuff inside! There are things called toys! I like rolling toys, I've discovered, because my auntie Freya keeps rolling them to me to play with after she demonstrates how they work. I like a ball that used to flash, so the humans keep that by the door for me. Auntie Freya gave me one of her special toys, which she calls a roller! Actually gave me it! It's the core of a roll of doggie poop bags, but she loves to play with the roller (the core), and now so do I! Auntie Freya brought it out to show me, then pawed it around in the dining room so I could see how it works. Then she pawed it to me! I wasn't quite sure if it was ok for me to play with it, so I looked at her, then at the roller, then at Mommy. Mommy hit the roller with her shoe, and then I batted it with my paw. Fun! I batted it even more, then picked it up in my mouth and carried it a little closer to the door. I batted it some more, then picked it up in my mouth again, inching it even closer. Mommy opened the door and I took my special toy out into my world! My first favorite toy, besides natural things! I've played with grasses, rope, and other outside things, but this is my special, inside toy that my auntie gave me!

There is something called a heat vent inside, just on the other side of the door, that keeps the house warm. I like to stand by it and play with the blinds as they move in the wind. Striped Girl and I have learned that the spot outside across the door from the vent is the warmest spot to stand, but now I know why! I still get a bit nervous when the heat starts up, because it makes a whooshing noise, but then I like to play with the blinds as they move.

Daddy has been shutting the door when I come inside, to keep the warm air in. Mommy has, too, but Daddy makes a game out of it. I come inside, the door shuts, then I paw at it and wiggle. The door opens and I bat at the track and at the door. I go outside, come back in, and the game starts all over again! I get so into the game that I sometimes forget that I'm not supposed to bite the humans. They understand, though. When that happens, they tell me it's time for me to be outside for a while to calm down. I get to come inside again later, though! I'm even beginning to purr out loud when I'm petted inside.

Very Exciting News!!!

2011-12-31T15:23:00.000-08:00

Miss Marble writes:

I've decided that I like to be petted! I come up to the glass door and stand up on it, putting both front paws as high as I can reach, asking to be petted. The man or lady come and open the door, then reach down and pet me as I rub against them. I am a bit bitey, but it's just love bites, not hard bites. I've also learned how to lick their fingers to groom them! My sister and daddy can't figure out why I like being petted, so they stay back and watch, but they accept that I like it.

My brother Hemming is doing really well at his new home, the mommy says. He sleeps on his new mommy's face and shoulder at night and is "aggressively affectionate". We're all so glad that his new home is working out that well!

Missy Kitty writes:

Guess what?! This thing called Christmas has boxes! It also has ribbons, which are big strings. But, the most important thing about Christmas is that it means that I'm in my forever home! I got adopted officially by Mommy and Daddy today! And, my third birthday is tomorrow: New Year's Day!

Happy New Year from the PDX pride!

Wishing you all the best in 2012!

Therapy Cat Tales from 12/28/11

2011-12-29T04:35:00.000-08:00

Tabby writes:

Wow, our last visit of this year! Mommy had a nasty sinus infection for most of December, so we didn't go visiting the rest of the month, but she's feeling better now. Since we didn't get to visit before Christmas, I wore my "Santa Baby" dress and had the little Christmas lights blinking on my stroller handle today! Everyone loved all of that, even people on the buses and the MAX light rail train.

It was really cold and rainy, typical December weather for around here, so I wore my raincoat. I'm so glad I have my raincoat, because the wind was so strong it turned the umbrella inside out! Don't worry; Mommy had a coat, too, so we both were nice and dry except our heads. The top of my head got rained on, so I made the coat into a shell, like a turtle, and hid in it from the rain.

On the MAX, a family petted me as soon as they got in, and told us a few stories about trying to harness-train their cat. Their cat was scared of parks! Not me; I love the grass and wide space, and all the smells. On one of our buses, the people a few seats away from us talked about cats the whole ride. It was fun eavesdropping on their conversation.

When we got to H., Mommy took my coat off and I put my "Santa Baby" dress on. I love my dress! It's slinky and form-fitting, so it feels like a light blanket: so cozy! I posed for these two pictures, then hopped down. We went into the office and gave S. and R. the Christmas cards we'd brought for them, then got our list of friends to visit. S. went with us for a few minutes, but then had to go take care of her husband. He was sick today. Some of our friends were sick, too, so our list showed which rooms to not visit because of illness. That way, no one gets sick from petting me when someone else sneezed on me, or anything like that. Plus, if there's anything that I could catch, I don't want to get sick, either. There are some things that humans get that I could get also.

A couple of our friends took pictures of me in my dress, and one family member of a man we visited took a picture of me, too. They all loved the stroller lights, as well! One of our friends, C., who works at H., was telling a couple people about my Facebook page. They thought that was funny but good!

E., who has a kitty neck pillow, loves to see me each time I visit. She talked to me and petted me, fixing my dress so that it was smooth, then showed me her neck cat. I sniffed it politely (it smells of lavender) and purred. G. is a new friend and she has a cat named "Kitty". Kitty has come to visit her at H. a couple times! :) >^..^< G. had a snowman stuffed toy that she wanted me to see, but I wasn't really interested in it. Mommy showed it to me, and I just looked at her, wondering what I was supposed to do with it. Then, Mommy made it touch its nose to mine, so I rubbed my head against it and sniffed it, making friends with it.

The most amazing thing that happened today was visiting a lady who was in a big room with soft music playing. Her daughter and son were there, sitting in chairs. We wondered if they would like to visit, but didn't want to disturb them. They waved us in when they saw me, and told us that the lady didn't have very much longer to live. The daughter said that it seemed like she was waiting for someone or something, then looked at me and asked if maybe she was waiting for me! I looked straight at the lady in the bed and stared, concentrating on her. Mommy felt a wave of peace come over the whole room, like angels were there in the room. The others said it was ok to put me up on the bed to see the lady, so Mommy wheeled me over and told the lady she'd brought a kitty to see her. The lady's breathing changed; she made a sound and held her breath, then breathed normally again. Her right hand moved up and down a little. Mommy lifted me up on the bed, and I gently stood next to the lady, still staring at her. I looked at Mommy, wondering why the lady wasn't responding by petting or talking to me, but then it kind of clicked in my brain that it was like when we waited with my auntie Lydia kitty on her last weekend. This was the same thing, but with humans! I wanted back in the stroller, so Mommy let me jump down. I went over and got pets from the daughter and son, sniffed the son's shoe (he has kitties at home) and jumped up on a spare bed that was in the room. Mommy talked with the others, then brought me over to the other side of the lady's bed one more time before we left the room. I sat right against the lady's leg, and once again she let out her breath then started breathing normally. We thanked the daughter and son for letting us visit, and they thanked us. It meant so much to them to be able to have me visit their mom. The lady will probably not be there for much longer at all, but we're so glad we got to meet her.

A. and G. were coming to watch tv, so we went in with them. I sat between them on the chair arms and got pets from both of them. I was interested in G.'s cookies, but she said they were hers and not for kitties. Darn! She didn't have any fig newtons today, either. Hey, at least I tried! She loved my dress, and said I was dressed up with nowhere to go. When she said that, I got down on the floor and lay down! Well, if I didn't have anywhere to go, I might as well lie down, right? Everyone laughed at that! I played tails with G. She and I love that game, where she tries to touch the tip of my tail and I twitch it for her. It's a game I learned from my uncle Skylar kitty when I was a kitten, and Mommy and Daddy play it with us, too.

H. (a friend, not the place) had family over to visit today. He's a new friend, and they were playing cribbage on his bed. They all love cats, so I hopped onto one of the offered laps and settled in, getting lots of attention. After a couple minutes, I hopped over to the bed and lay down by the cribbage board, letting H. pet me. One of his relatives saw my tail move and mentioned it, so H. tapped my tail. He plays tails, too! We played tails for a few minutes, while everyone looked and smiled. H. tried reading my dress, but he was reading it upside down so it was an incomprehensible jumble of letters. Someone else figured out what he was doing and corrected him, then he read it correctly. They are a Jewish family, but they liked that I was dressed up for the holidays and that the stroller was decorated, too. That's what's good about the holiday season. No matter which holiday you celebrate, you can find joy in other people's celebrations as well.

I visited P. on the other floor. It was definitely a day for playing tails, because she wanted to play tails, too! She's almost blind, so she can only feel where I am and not see me, or at least not see me very well. That means, if I'm walking on the floor and she has her hand over the chair arm, she can pet me but "loses" me when I flop over for tummy rubs. If I'm close to her feet, though, and flop over, she can find me and give me tummy rubs! When she was younger, someone in her family had a cat who took over a baby buggy! The cat slept in it and took rides in it. P. was pleasantly surprised to hear that I have one that I use for the same things! She felt my stroller and got an idea of what it looked like.

After we were done with our visits, we went to Furever Pets. They carry the big bags of Felidae, which is a very yummy food! Mommy says it's good for us, too. I said hi to my friends who work at Furever Pets, and they gave me some treats to eat. I don't like some of the treats, but I did like one kind. They gave Mommy the rest of the package to share later, too! We got our two big bags of food. They even helped wrap the food bags up with a big plastic sheet so that they wouldn't get soaked in the rainstorm! Thanks, friends! It worked really well to have the food bundled up like that on the top of the stroller, and kept it safe and dry all the way home. We were all worried that it might slip off, but it never did!

When we got back home, there was a box waiting for us from Canidae, the pet food company that sponsors us. It was a tin of popcorn for Mommy and Daddy, a Christmas card, and some nice t-shirts and polo shirts for Mommy to wear when we visit! Thanks, Canidae! We love you, too!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to everyone!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T04:28:00.000-08:00

All of us at the PDX pride would like to wish you a

Merry Christmas

and all the best wishes for a

joyous 2012!

Miss Marble's Breakthrough!

2011-12-19T01:27:00.000-08:00

Miss Marble writes:

I'm so cold out here, and I miss my mommy-cat. Daddy-cat Tux and my sissy Striped Girl and I all huddle together in a kitty pile to be warm. Hunting helps warm us up, too, but there's white, cold stuff on the grass that Daddy-cat calls frost. He says it will get colder still before it warms up again. Brrrrrrrr!

It's warm inside that house! There is always heat radiating from the open door when the mommy leaves it open so I can play paws and touch noses with the inside kitties. I like just sitting in front of the door even when it's not open, watching the inside kitties and being just a little warmer because of the heat from the glass-door.

Tonight, when the mommy came to feed me, I wanted to get a bath from Tabby. I stuck my head and shoulders inside and purred very quietly while she groomed my head. My front paws were inside! I did it again with Freya, then touched noses with Rori, while the mommy watched. Then, while Tabby reassured me with gentle headbutts, I walked inside all the way! I greeted Tabby, Freya, and Rori, then explored the dining room a bit. The mommy closed the door most of the way behind me, but I didn't know that.

The inside kitties were following me, sniffing me, and one of them was too close. I think it was Little Bit, but I'm not sure about that. All I knew was that I suddenly wanted back outside. I flew toward the door, but I couldn't get through anymore. I cried and jumped up the door, then ran down the hall as the mommy came toward me. She opened the door a little more, so I could tell it was open if I came near it again. Then, she went to see where I was.

I had run into the bathroom, because I remembered being in there when I was inside recovering from my spay a few months ago. I was up on the window sill, but the window in there is permanently frosted over and wasn't open anyway. The mommy talked gently and softly to me, asking if I would let her pick me up and take me to the open door. I talked to her, still scared, but something in my eyes let her know it would be ok with me if she did that. She petted me slowly and carefully, then gently picked me up and scruffed me. She didn't hold me close, but held me securely enough so I didn't feel like escaping. She carried me over to the door and set me down, still scruffed, then opened the door wide enough so I could get out.

I'm now sitting in the middle of the deck, collecting my thoughts about what just happened! I'm not sure that it was bad, but I'm not sure that it was good, either. The mommy and the inside kitties think that it's very brave and very good of me to come inside, and I think I'll decide that as well after I'm over the shock of everything!

Hemming got adopted!

2011-12-12T14:44:00.000-08:00

The PDX pride Mommy writes:

Well, Hemming's at his forever home now! He did really well, but kept calling and looking for the other cats. He let Kayla pick him up and snuggle him, and played for a couple minutes with a feather wand. He investigated the covered litter box and scratched in it, so we know he'll be fine with using that. We cautioned them about the garland and ornaments on the lower branches of their tree, so they'll be moving things up on that. But, all in all, it seems like a great home for him! When he came out of the carrier, he didn't scoot or run, but walked out and investigated things, then made his way around the edges (walls) to the bathroom and hopped in the tub. He looked at windows, trying to see his sisters, and looked at the mirror, thinking his reflection was another kitty. By the time we left, he had rubbed up against Kayla also and wasn't as stressed. He'll do just fine there once he gets used to it and gets used to being an only cat.

Lots of changes and a Christmas tree!

2011-12-12T06:29:00.000-08:00

Hemming writes:

Whoa, what is that thing up there? It's got shiny balls on it, pretty ribbons, and lots and lots of branches. It looks like a tree, but what's a tree doing inside? It doesn't smell like my apple tree outside, the one I used to use to trim my claws. In fact, it smells like plastic, not like any tree I've ever smelled. It certainly doesn't smell like the forest I was born in, just a few yards away from the house, where there are trees that look like this one. But if this is a Christmas tree, then I guess that's what it is. My foster uncles and foster aunties all say that it is one, even though Uncle Heimdall and Auntie Freya only saw a little tree last year in this house.

The tree went up a week ago, with all of us investigating and "helping" put the branches into the trunk, then watching in surprise as Foster Mommy put the top on and put a cloth around the bottom of it. Freya and I batted at some of the ornaments and were told "no". Foster Mommy took some pictures of the tree and of us gathered around looking at it (and tasting it, batting at ornaments, etc.), so I'll post those here in a slideshow:

This free digital slideshow personalized with Smilebox

What is this thing called Christmas? Foster Mommy and Foster Daddy say that I'm a Christmas kitten for my new mommy. What's a new mommy? I thought I already had two mommies: my momcat and my foster mommy! I'm going to meet this new mommy and this place called a forever home this afternoon. Everyone's excited for me, and the others are saying this is special, but I'm not sure about it. I think once I'm there, I'll hide like I did at that other place. I'll find a good hiding spot to watch what's going on in this place called a forever home. My foster parents say that's ok to do, and that my new mommy understands. Good!

I wonder if she'll have a Christmas tree? If I'm a Christmas kitten, then don't I belong under the tree as a present? That's what Auntie Tabby says! After our tree here was up, Foster Mommy supervised us for a while then went to sleep. She woke up because she was dreaming about playing ping-pong. Well, guess what the ping-pong ball was? I had an ornament and was playing with it, down the hall, into the bathroom, bouncing it against the tiles! All the ornaments are kitten-safe plastic and cloth, so she laughed as she went to retrieve it, wash it, and put it back on the tree. Soon, I was at it again! A few days later, she found one of the bows in the middle of the hallway. Guess who? Yesterday I tried to climb the tree, but it fell over! I guess it's not for climbing. When Foster Mommy was editing the tree pictures on the computer, I tried to get to the tree! Yep, I'm a tree-obsessed kitten!

I'm also 7 months old today! Wow! I told my sisters that, through the window while they looked at the Christmas tree, and they love that we're all a month older! They don't know what this Christmas thing is either, but as long as it involves food, water, and talking to the inside kitties through the window, it's ok with them!

Tabby's Cyber Monday sale!

2011-11-28T04:12:00.000-08:00

Tabby Cat 2012 Calendar by TraceElements
More Tabby Calendars

Tabby writes:

My new calendar is out! Some pictures are from last year's calendar, but there are some new ones from this year as well. Zazzle, the site we use to sell our calendar, cards, and other products, is having a Cyber Monday sale and will give you the code once you are at their site. You can click on the calendar (above) or the Christmas card (below) to get there. There will be a "Catmas Greetings" stamp available in a day or two that matches the card, plus other winter and holiday products that are available now. Thanks for looking!

Kitties with Christmas Tree Greeting Card by TraceElements
create a card designs on Zazzle

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T03:05:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at the PDX pride! Tabby is thankful for family, furmily, her friends that she goes to visit, and her fans. Rori is thankful that all in the house are safe and happy. Starla is thankful that she can be out with everyone for half days and sit with Daddy while he sleeps. Missy is thankful that she is inside this fall and not outside in the cold and rain like she was last year. Freya is thankful for giant fuzzies (aka Mommy's robe) that she takes and tries to drag up into chairs to make nests out of. Heimdall is thankful for snuggles with Mommy and with his foster nephew Hemming. Carbon is thankful for clean litter boxes, water bowls, and catnip scratchers. Little Bit is thankful for family to run and play with. Foster kitten Hemming is thankful for his foster family, for warmth in the house, for being dry and having lots of food and snuggles, and for the promise of a new home in a few weeks. Feral Miss Marble is thankful for food, clean water, a sheltered place to rest, and friends to talk with through the crack in the door when it's open. Feral Striped Girl is thankful for food, clean water, and a sheltered place to rest. Feral Tux is thankful for the inside home for his son Hemming, for food, clean water, and shelter, and for a place to bring his girls where they are taken care of and loved as well.

The PDX pride Mommy and Daddy are thankful for their furmily and for all their friends in the Cat Blogosphere!

Blessings to you all!

Mini Mancat Monday: I coughed up a monster!

2011-11-21T06:25:00.000-08:00

Hemming writes:

I coughed up a monster in the litter box! It was icky, squirming, and bad-smelling. Foster Mommy said it was something called roundworms and my half-eaten food. Whatever it was, I wanted it gone and buried, so I buried it! Foster Mommy scooped it out of the box right away and threw it away, along with the poop that I was doing when the monster came out of my mouth.

She then took me into the bathroom and gave me a big pill to swallow. I tried to get rid of it, but she said I had to swallow it. I finally did, but my eyes got really big when I swallowed! She said that pill was for tapeworms, but I had to take it because I had a flea on me also. Just one flea, and I had to take that big pill? What would have happened if it had been more than one flea? Foster Mommy says that the flea can have tapeworms, so I needed the pill. Good, because I don't want more monsters!

After I swallowed that pill, Foster Mommy gave me some liquid medicine. I had the liquid medicine before, a few weeks ago, but obviously I needed more. It didn't take care of all the monster wormies the first time, so we're trying it again. I kind of like the caramelly taste of the medicine, but I don't like it for the time it takes me to drink all the liquid. It's too much after a while. Foster Mommy tried mixing some of my food in, but I wouldn't eat the food after the medicine soaked into it. She looked for a syringe or an eyedropper, but couldn't find them. Finally, she got the idea of a straw! I love straws, and will carry them around the house. She put it in a mug, then poured my medicine into the mug. I played with the straw while she did that, and sniffed the contents of the mug. Then, she put her finger over the hole in the top of the straw and trapped some of the medicine in it. She lifted it up for me to drink! Wow! I got to drink out of a straw! Boy, did I ever lap that up. I got most of the medicine that way, so she thinks I got enough to kill those bad roundworms. I drank most of it myself, but she had to put the straw into my mouth for the last bit because I was done with that flavor. She said I was a good little boycat, though, taking my medicines! I just hope the nasty roundworm monsters are gone this time.

Therapy Cat Tales from 11/15/11

2011-11-21T06:07:00.000-08:00

Tabby writes:

Mommy got to go to H. twice this week, but I only got to go once! She got to play with rubber stamps there on Friday, and a lot of people asked where I was. I would've gone, too, but Mommy had to go to work after that, and her work won't let me go there.

When I went to H. on Wednesday, though, I had a lot of fun! The leaves are falling from the trees here, and one hit me on the nose as we were walking through the park. I looked up, surprised, because it had woken me up from a nap! The leaf was gentle, but it still surprised me. I sniffed it, then looked at Mommy and she removed it from the stroller. Since I was awake anyway, I kept a lookout for more leaves. No more fell into my stroller, but I saw a lot falling around us.

It was definitely a day for looking up! Actually looking straight up! Besides the leaves. A man was fixing the ceiling at H., right across from the office. I saw the ladder first, and then saw the man's shoes on the ladder. I thought that was funny, so I looked up to see the rest of the man. He was moving a ceiling tile, so I could see his arms and shoulders but not his head! Then he looked down, and I stared at him. Why was he up there, and what was he doing with the ceiling? Why was there a hole in the ceiling? I never did find out why.

At the floor we visit most, I looked up at the ceiling the second we got out of the elevator. It had all its pieces, no hole and no man on a ladder. Good. I like when things make sense.

Most of my friends were awake this time. I met some new friends, too. B. is a new friend who broke both ankles, so she had both legs wrapped up. I didn't know what to do about her legs, which were sticking out from under the blankets because she had been doing her exercises. I didn't know whether or not it was ok to lie down on her legs, so I lay down beside her. She talked to me, and to Mommy, for a while. Then she said it was time for her to continue with her exercises. I chose that point to climb onto her stomach and curl up. I didn't want to leave her! She let me snuggle for a bit like that, but then it was really time for her to do her exercises.

T. is in a wheelchair now instead of a walker. She invited me to sit on her lap, so I did while she cooed at me. She always tells me how much everyone loves me, which just makes me happy and purry. T.'s roommate, P., had grabbed my harness and pulled last time I visited, so I didn't know what she was going to do when she wanted to touch me this time. P. was very gentle this time, though. She wanted Mommy to move her hand for her so that she could stroke my fur with the side of her hand. She went for my eyes, to pet my face, but that kind of scared me because I thought she was going to reach for my harness again. I held very still, like Mommy said to, and was a very good girl. P. didn't hurt me this time (although I know she didn't mean to hurt me when she pulled last time), and she just petted me for a bit. That was fine with me.

We had a few people to visit on another floor, so we went up to that floor. On the way up, someone suggested we visit someone not on our list. We knocked on her door, and she answered after a few minutes. She wasn't wearing any pants, but she was holding them up next to her. She had just gotten out of bed to answer the door, so she was wearing her nightgown but no pants. She liked the idea of me visiting with her, and let me come in, but Mommy stayed out in the hall and held my leash. I rubbed up against her legs and she laughed, talking to me. We'll visit with her next time, if she's awake.

I wanted to go visit my good friend I., but Mommy reminded me that I. wasn't there anymore. I tried to head down to her room anyway, certain that she was going to be there. Someone saw me do that and said that a lady had moved into I.'s room that day from another room. She suggested we visit V., so off we went to I.'s room. V. was supervising the hanging up of clothes in her closet when we got there, but she said to come in. She sat on her walker and I hopped up on her bed. It was weird being in I.'s room and having V. there instead. Everything was different, because it was V.'s room now. I kept looking around at all the new things. The ladies putting the clothes in the closet were careful not to move the clothes too near me, although I sniffed a few that were on the bed next to me. I like V., and she loved seeing me. She told us all about cats that she'd had, and she found where I like to be petted and scratched. I rolled over for tummy rubs, and she loved that!

On one of the buses back home, a lady from OHSU (Oregon Health Sciences University) helped Mommy brainstorm places to ask about visiting. Of course, those places will have to wait until we have either a little more free time or a car available, because right now we're only able to visit on one day a week. If one of the places would like us to visit on alternating weeks with H., we could work that out, though. We'll just have to see.

Happy 6-month Birthday to Hemming, Miss Marble, and Striped Girl!!!!

2011-11-12T05:02:00.000-08:00

Hemming writes:

Foster Mommy just told me it's my 6-month birthday today! Wow, I'm a half-year old already? Right after she told me that, I ran into the bathroom and pawed the treat drawer! It's my birthday, so do I get treaties? Foster Mommy said I do!

I got a special half-birthday gift a few days ago. Someone named Kayla wants to adopt me! She's going to move close to where I live, so she'll be here on the 28th. After she's unpacked the major things, my foster parents and I will go meet her. I hope she's nice and has good hiding spots for me in her house! My foster parents made sure that she knows I will hide at first, and she said she's willing to take the time that I need to get used to her and come out of my shell. In fact, she was looking for a cat who would need extra love and attention, so she sounds like she'll be a really good mommy for me! I hope so!

Miss Marble writes:

I'm 6 months old? Wow, that seems old! I'm still a kitten, though, right? I can still play and have fun? My daddy, Tux, says I can. He even still plays, and he's a lot older than me! I sleep in the rose bushes under the humans' bedroom window now, with my sister Striped Girl, so I hear when the humans wake up and know that it's going to be food time soon. Then, I go over to the window-door and wait on the deck. I meow when I see them, talk to them to tell them that I'm ready for food, and then they come out to refill the water dish. They go back inside and get the food, then put two scoops of food on the deck. That's the cue for my sister to come running from the rose bushes for her breakfast. Sometimes our daddy joins us, but sometimes he's off hunting or doing other important things.

In the evening, we wait until it's time for the human daddy to leave in the car. Then we wait on the deck, patiently, until they see us. I go right up to the glass and meow again, but this time the human mommy comes over to the glass and talks to me. She puts her finger on the glass, and I put my paw on it. Then, she gives us food and water.

Striped Girl writes:

Are we really 6 months old today? Really? I love being outside with my sister Miss Marble and my daddy Tux, but I miss my mommy Leopard and my other littermate. My other littermate would be 6 months old today, too. I wonder where they are, and if they're still alive. It doesn't bother me much anymore, but it's in the back of my mind sometimes.

My life is pretty good right now, but the air is getting colder and it's getting more rainy. I don't like being wet! I hide under the deck in the big rainstorms, but most of the time I like being in the rose bushes. I used to hang out in the backyard or behind the fence, but it's too muddy back there. I sink down in the marshy grass! As long as I have my sister and my daddy, plus food, water, and someplace dry, I'll be ok.

Happy birthday at the Bridge to Skylar & Lydia!

2011-10-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday at the Bridge to our angels Skylar and Lydia! Missing you both so much on what would've been your 12th birthday. We love you both forever!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T05:10:00.000-07:00

Tabby got her sponsorship!

2011-10-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

Tabby writes:

I'm now being sponsored by Canidae, which makes the cat food Felidae! :) >^..^< I'm featured on their website, and will be doing some publicity for them. I love their food, so I was thrilled when they asked to sponsor Mommy and me in our therapy work!

Halloween visit to H. on 10/19/11

2011-10-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

Tabby writes:

I got to wear my candy-corn witch costume to H. on Wednesday! It was our last visit to H. before Halloween, so S. suggested that we both dress up in our costumes. Yep, that's right! Mommy dressed up in hers, too! She and I have matching candy corn witch costumes. :) >^..^<

We got a lot of attention on the bus and MAX train. But there was someone way more worthy of attention who was riding our first bus. There was a mobility puppy-in-training on her first bus ride ever! She was soooo well-behaved, lying down under her trainer's seat, although she got up a couple times to sniff my stroller. I just stared at her and went back to sleep, and she settled right back down. She's going to be a good service doggie for someone who needs her help!

There was another service doggie, fully trained, who got on the bus after the puppy got off. The guide dog wanted to pay more attention to me than to his person, which was a no-no. I know it's more important to pay attention to your person than other animals, but that doggie needs some more training on that. He wanted to sniff me the whole time he was on the bus, so his person had to keep him on a very short leash and hold on to his harness to make him sit down. Mommy and I felt sorry for the person! Most service doggies are more well-behaved than that around me, so I think this one just hadn't been trained around kitties originally.

On the MAX train, we sat next to a man who spoke a few words in Hungarian and one who spoke Vietnamese. Everyone was talking about words and translating them into those languages, English, and Norwegian (which Mommy knows). That was a fun conversation to listen to! I learned that mao is Vietnamese for kitty and cica is Hungarian. Norwegian is katt, and I already knew that one from Mommy.

We stopped at a store to get pencils to do reverse trick-or-treating. In normal trick-or-treating, you go around to people's houses and collect candy or other small treats. Reverse trick-or-treating is not usually done, but Mommy likes to do it to surprise friends! Instead of getting candy, she gives people something small as a treat! Since people at H. are sometimes on restricted diets, we chose to give out Halloween pencils instead of candy. :) >^..^<

H. was all decorated for Halloween! There were fake spiderwebs over the vases in the lobby, pumpkins on shelves and tables, and indian corn next to the pumpkins. It looked great! We went into the human litter box room, because Mommy needed to use it, so I sat on the couch while she did that. All the ladies who walked by were exclaiming over me, making a fuss over how cute my costume looked and how well-mannered I was. I loved all the attention and comments, and the petting, too.

S. took a couple pictures of Mommy and me together, in our outfits. Mommy's kneeling because I didn't want to be held in her arms when she was standing up, but she's got striped long stockings on and black shoes. I wore my hat for the pictures, but I don't like wearing my hat. It's got a chin strap that I don't want. I wouldn't mind it so much if it just sat on my head or ears, but I want that chin strap off. After the pictures were taken, I glared at Mommy until she took the hat off me again. S. thought I was a chicken originally, because the hat was almost over my nose! *giggles* Nope, I was a candy corn witch!

We got our pictures taken again once we got to the floor we visit. One of the nice nurses there (everyone's nice there) took our picture with her camera phone. I forget the nurse's name. That's not the one that's posted on my FB page. My friend Crystal took the picture that's on my Facebook page when we saw her after I got done visiting. :) The other one, the one that was taken while we were visiting, is of Mommy standing and holding me. I wanted to get down and walk, though, so I kept looking away from the camera. Sorry, lady who took the picture! It's just so much fun to walk down the long hallways there and see all my friends!

I visited with some of my friends, but others were sleeping or off doing other errands while we were there. I'm glad I got to visit with some of my friends, though. I went into the physical therapy room, where the bike and a mirror are. I thought the bike pedals were interesting when they moved, so I started toward them, but then I saw myself in the mirror. Wow, is that what I look like in my Halloween costume? I just had to admire myself for a few minutes, while J. and the others watched me watching myself! Then I went over to one of the ladies for pets and to look out the window. J. rolled over a small stool, and I thought it was some kind of a monster! I'm used to rolling things, but I'd never seen something that small roll before. I walked past it once it stopped moving, looking back at it to see if it still was stopped. Then I disappeared behind my stroller to hide from it! I didn't stay scared for long, once there were more people to visit, though. Mommy handed out pencils to everyone who wanted one, which they all liked. Many people thanked me for their treat, and I purred at each of them! You're welcome, everyone! Happy Halloween!

After we were done at H., we went to "my" store: Furever Pets! That's the place the Halloween party was at last year. We won't be able to go to the party there this year, because we've got things scheduled for that day already. Furever Pets has a video showing on their tv screen of last year's Halloween party, and I'm on it with my costume! A couple times, because there's one of my costume and then one of the doggie sniffing me! It was very strange to see myself on the screen. The lady there said I was famous because I had the picture on there. Really? She also said that I was the only one allowed to try out the scratching posts, because I don't scratch them. I just sit on them and admire the view.

I got a new, pink harness! I'm outgrowing my old one, and so it doesn't fit right in the shoulders anymore. The new one is very comfy, and easy to wear. Once it got on and adjusted, I started purring to let Mommy and the lady know that it was fitting properly. Then I got to wear it home!

On the way back home, we listened to stories of a cat and kitten who are being harness-trained. The mama cat slips out of the harness, but the kitten likes wearing it and keeps it on. The mama cat knows where home is and always comes back, but the kitten likes climbing trees! So it's good that the kitten is the one who likes the harness.

Happy National Feral Cat Day!

2011-10-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

Miss Marble writes:

Happy our day! I'm proud to be a fixed, eartipped feral girl! When the lady opened the window today, I was right there waiting. I curled my tail around my paws and sat pretty, a foot from her, just like my momcat Leopard used to, and waited for the lady to put food out for us. I talked to her the whole time, telling her how happy I was, and she talked back to me. Then, I called to my daddy Tux and my sister Striped Girl and they came to get food, too. I could see my brother Hemming through the window, and he was eating from the inside plate with the inside kitties. He and I talk and play through the window a lot, but we're both happy with our separate lives. He says he may have another home soon.

Hemming writes:

Happy our day! I'm proud to be a fixed, eartipped, former feral kitten! I have a good life inside now, and hope to have a forever home soon. I'm still up for adoption, and no one else has passed my foster parents' tests for forever homes, but I'm still hopeful. Until then, I've got my foster family to play with, the humans to snuggle with, and my family to watch out the window.

Missy writes:

Happy our day! I'm proud to be a former feral who chose to ask for help from humans. I was out on the streets by myself in an industrial area, then all of a sudden I had foster parents and foster siblings! I still bite occasionally, but I love snuggling and playing with everyone.

Rori writes:

Happy our day! Yes, I was a feral kitten! You wouldn't know it to look at me now, because I came inside at 4 weeks old and am fully socialized thanks to my family. My mommy-auntie Lydia and my auntie Tabby took care of me and taught me, and my uncles Carbon and Skylar played with me and taught me. Mommy, Mommy Erin, and Daddy helped me grow and become Lady of the House and Big Kitty of the House. Feral kittens can make great inside kitties if you catch us when we're little enough to learn how to be inside kitties!

Happy National Feral Cat Day, everyone!

Therapy Cat Tales from 10/05/11

2011-10-06T03:04:00.001-07:00

Tabby writes:

I have been visiting, but haven't been writing about it because I've been busy taking care of Daddy. His back is really hurting him. Something about a crushed disc. Is that a cat toy? I have a disk that I like to play with. Is it similar? Whatever it is, it's hurting Daddy so he wants it out of his back but can't have surgery yet. I snuggle on the couch with him and purr to help him feel better.

Mommy and I went visiting to H. today. It's fall here now, after a short summer, so it's rainy again and starting to get colder. I wore my fleece raincoat that I got last year, and people on the bus liked it! I met two new bus drivers today, and one had never seen a stroller like mine before. She had to call C-Tran to see if it was approved to be on the bus, and of course they said it was. One bus rider was mean, though. She thought someone had pooped on the bus, then she covered her nose with her scarf and walked to the middle of the bus, loudly complaining. Everyone else on the buses were very, very nice to me and to Mommy, though, and some even told her about their cats! We love hearing stories about other people's kitties. Today, we heard about a litter of kittens that were born in February a few years ago, on a deck to a first-time mama cat. The cat's human saw the newborn kittens, picked all of them up, and took them inside to rub them warm and feed them. All of them survived, but some of them had brain damage. Another person told us about a kitten that his roommate almost ran over with the lawnmower! The roommate stopped the mower as soon as he saw movement, picked up the kitten, and brought it inside. The now-grown cat now freaks out at different things, but is a good cat. I'm glad people were so nice to those kittens! That makes me purr with happiness. :) >^..^<

At H. I saw my friend T. and met a friend of hers who had come to visit her. Her friend didn't stay long, because she didn't want to interrupt my visit with T., even though Mommy told her that we were only going to be visiting for a few minutes. T. was singing and talking to me, and I was lying very nicely on her walker seat, my favorite place when I visit with her. I didn't even roll off this time!

B. was delighted that I visited with her today, and gave me ear rubs while smiling the biggest smile I'd ever seen from her! S. came down from the next floor up just to see me, and said that I was the highlight of her day. I met a new lady who had fallen a few days ago and needed some extra care to heal. She had a very strange towel that I didn't like. It was rolled up and duct-taped together! Mommy said it was to help the lady's ankles. I didn't want to lie down on the bed until Mommy picked up the strange towel and let me sniff it, explaining to me what it was. Then it was fine to be on the bed. G. is another new friend who had a crocheted blanket over her. I hopped right up on that blanket and snuggled in, very relaxed, and let her pet me for a while. I could tell she loves animals, although she said she prefers dogs. She did say that I was the nicest kitty she's ever met, and that made me purr even louder and longer for her! She's one of the nicest people I've ever met, too.

One of my friends, I., wasn't there today. We go to her apartment to visit her, on another floor. When we got to her door, S. knocked but there was no answer. S. opened the door and peeked in, and I. wasn't there! Why wasn't she there? S. closed the door and I hopped out of my stroller. Walking over to the door, I put my nose right up to the crack between it and the frame and sniffed, trying to look in. I looked at Mommy, then at S., then back at the door, and sat down, very disappointed. Mommy picked me up and told me that I. was probably out on an adventure. Not fair! I wanted to visit with her! I got back in my stroller, curled up, and pouted. :(

When Mommy was signing us back out, I ran as fast as I could to catch up with and pass S. so that I could get into the office to say hi to R. I made it to the door before S. did! I can run very fast when I want to, even though I'm a big girl! I said hi to R., but I can't stay long in the office because she's allergic to me now. At least I got to see her, though!

On the bus home, we met a very nice family with three girls. I was playing peek-a-boo with the almost-2-year-old! She was funny! It started raining just as we were walking the last bit of the way to the house, but Mommy let me walk along the side of the house anyway because that part was dry. I rode the sidewalk part, though, where I usually walk. I stepped in a puddle and made wet paw prints on the sidewalk in front of the house!

Thanks for the birthday wishes for our daddy!

2011-10-04T04:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all the birthday wishes for our daddy! Every one of the comments made him smile. He's having a tough time right now because he's got a crushed disk in his lower back, so he's hurting a lot. We all curl up with him and purr, helping him to feel better. He always pets us and tells us how much we're helping him. He'll have to have surgery on his back, but that will have to be a few months from now.

Missy snuggling on the couch with Daddy

Mommy's grandpa isn't doing well either right now, so she hasn't had the time to keep up our blogging. We'll blog more in a while, when we can.

Ahoy! It be Meow like a Pirate Day!

2011-09-19T03:21:00.000-07:00

Tabby writes:

Ahoy there, Mateys! It be Meow like a Pirate Day for all this fine day! We be sailin' for calm seas, as it be too rainy here for the likes of me and the rest of the crew. Cap'n Rori threw Carbon in the brig this mornin' for tussling with Starla in the bedroom doorway while switchin' rooms. I barreled in to try an' stop the fight, but became part of it, so I got myself outta there an' remained on the edge offerin' comments. Cap'n Rori stood alongside me an' bopped Carbon on the head each time she saw him. Mommy clapped, an' Daddy barged in an' grabbed Carbon by his scruff. Mommy got Starla from under the dresser and then the switching of the rooms was completed without further nonsense from any of the crew. Starla is now in the crow's nest on the kitchen counter, while Carbon will be confined to the brig in the bedroom until sunup.

Missy keeping a watchful eye belowdecks.

Hemming update: I'm back home!

2011-09-15T11:24:00.000-07:00

Hemming writes:

I'm back at my foster home, with my aunties and uncles! I'm so happy to be back here! I've been running around for the last half hour, getting reacquainted with everything and getting lots of loves from my foster family, humans and other kitties.

Foster Daddy and Foster Mommy came over this morning to get me out of the wall behind the basement stairs, but I wasn't hiding there! I found an even better hiding place! It was still in the same area, under the stairs, but I was hiding behind and under a shelf in the pantry area under the stairs. I'm very proud of my hiding skills that my momcat and my dadcat taught me!

Foster Daddy and someone from the house took a mini fridge out, then moved the shelf. The man from the house called to me, and I came running out. I ran around the living space, up on the fireplace hearth, then ran around the living space again. Foster Mommy stood by the stairs to catch me if I ran that way, but I ran mostly around the open space. Foster Daddy followed me, and finally pinned me down as I ran by the couch. He called to Foster Mommy, who brought the carrier over and they put me in it. Foster Mommy took me into the bathroom and petted me through the carrier while Foster Daddy and the man put the pantry area back in order.

I cried the whole way home, wanting to be let out of the carrier. I hate cars! I did lick Foster Mommy's finger and put my paws against Foster Daddy's hand, headbutting his hand, but mostly I cried and tried to dig my way out. When we got very close to home, though, I smelled my marsh! I calmed down right away, started purring, and kneaded away at the carrier with a big smile on my face.

I'm going to be here for a couple weeks, then Foster Daddy and Foster Mommy are going to talk with the other people interested in adopting me. They are going to e-mail the other people sometime this week and tell them what happened, then see if the people who wanted to adopt me are still interested and if they would work with me if I hid again.

Hemming's too smart for his own good!

2011-09-14T13:39:00.001-07:00

The PDX pride Mommy writes:

I just talked with the lady who has Hemming, and it turns out he's gone in the trap a few times, but hasn't triggered the trip plate because he hops over it, eats the food, then hops over it again and goes back behind the stairs! He's soooo smart! So, she's going to line the bottom of the trap with newspaper and put a towel or blanket over the top of it, per our advice, so that it doesn't quite look the same, and re-bait it. Hopefully that works, but if not, then we'll go over there at 10 am tomorrow and dismantle the fake wall (plywood barrier) to get to where he is and get him out of there. They've already removed the mini-fridge that was there, so it'll be easier to get to the partition wall.

In the trap and out again. :(

2011-09-12T12:17:00.001-07:00

The PDX pride Mommy writes:

Well, these people just don't know how a semi-feral acts, apparently. :( Hemming went upstairs last night, tried to get some dry food out of the closed food box, and used the potted plant as a litter box. All good things! However, he did get trapped but they couldn't bear to see him so sad so they took him into the bathroom for some cuddling. Of course, the second they went to leave the bathroom, he was out the door and back down into his hiding place. The lady felt so bad that she had let that happen again!

The trap is once again baited, and she will call me the second he's back in it. I'll go get him right away this time, rather than waiting until morning. She had thought it was too late in the evening to call me last night, so I reminded her that we're night people and she can call at anytime during the day or night when he gets in that trap. So, keep your fingers and paws crossed!

We will never forget

2011-09-11T03:01:00.000-07:00

We will never forget the events of 9/11.

May the lessons live on.

Lessons of courage,

sincerity, brotherhood,

community.

Faith is not a weapon.

Faith in your neighbor,

your brother,

your sister,

your friend.

Faith in your community,

shared values,

the belief that there is something worth living for.

Those are the lessons of 9/11.

May they live on.

Hemming will be coming back here

2011-09-10T13:53:00.001-07:00

The PDX pride Mommy writes:

Baby Hemming will be coming back here as soon as he's in the trap again. :( He did go in the trap last night, and they brought him into a smaller room. He was all lovey, rubbing his head on their chins and wanting as many pets as they could give him, so at least they saw his sweet side! The second he saw the door open, though, he was out and ran to his hiding spot again. He's just not happy there, so they baited the trap again and will let us know when he's trapped. We'll go get him probably tomorrow and bring him back here.

I'm just so discouraged, because we really thought he'd do ok with another family! Even though he was born feral, he's just so social that we really want him to have a family of his very own. :( I guess he just needs more time. I think we'll ask the next people on the list if they want to come over here and meet him after another week or so, to give him time to get used to them in an environment where he feels secure.

Foster Friday: Hemming and the Stairs

2011-09-09T04:33:00.003-07:00

Hemming writes:

The people in this strange house saw me! When I was let out of the carrier after my people brought me to this strange house, I ran all around the first floor, then ran downstairs and into the basement. I found a very good hiding place! I'm under the basement stairs, where no one can get to me, but I can listen to everything that's going on. At night, I went back upstairs and found what I think is the kitty food box, and tried to get into it. That's when the person saw me. She said I was at the right box for the food, but I just couldn't get into it by myself. When she saw me, I ran downstairs again and hid in my hiding spot. She followed me to see where I went, then got a plate of something yummy called tuna and put it down by me, along with a bowl of water. I waited until she left, then I came out to eat and drink.

Yesterday, the lady at this house called my people and told them where I'd hidden. My people came with a trap and called for me, but I was sleeping and barely heard them. They put tuna in the trap, put it near me, and then left. I don't know whether to eat the tuna or try to get in the food box upstairs again. If I eat the tuna, it means going in that trap, and the last time I went in there I took a nap and went to the vet! I don't know if I want to do that again, but the tuna smells really yummy! I heard something about being put in a smaller room if I go in the trap, and that sounds like a good idea. I also heard something about maybe staying here and these new people being MY new people?

Note from the PDX pride Mommy:

The new family does want to keep him, so once he goes in the trap he'll be put into a smaller room with a door. They'll get him accustomed to being in there, being visited by his new family, then slowly introduce him to the rest of the house, then to the puppy. I'm so glad they still want to keep him, even though he's scared in his new surroundings. They totally understand that it's because he was born feral and doesn't really know houses yet!

Hemming's at his potential adopter's

2011-09-07T17:29:00.001-07:00

The PDX pride Mommy writes:

We brought Hemming to his potential adopter's house this afternoon. As soon as we let him out of the carrier, he scooted around the house and then hid somewhere. He hides well! We couldn't find him, even after an hour of searching! The family has had many, many cats and now has two cats and a 10-week-old German Shepherd puppy. Their cats mainly live upstairs, so they wanted Hemming as a playmate for the puppy. The pup is adorable, well-mannered, calm, and happy, so when Hemming emerges and starts figuring out the house and its inhabitants, he's going to love playing with the pup.

We talked for a while with the family, told them Hemming's life up to this point, and gave them his paperwork from the clinic. They're going to call us when he emerges from his hiding place, and we're going to talk with them in a week to see how it's going and how he's adjusting. If he isn't doing well, then we'll take him back. If he's doing well, then the adoption will be official.

blush Forgotten Gotcha Day!

2011-09-07T03:18:00.000-07:00

Rori writes:

*blushes* Everyone forgot my Gotcha Day! Including me! We're celebrating today instead, so I'll get my Gotcha Day anniversary treats today. That's ok with me, because I'm glad for the reason we all forgot. The reason is that we've had Baby Hemming inside and are all getting him ready to go to his forever home. He's come in the bedroom to visit with me at least twice every day, and he behaves himself so I give him some licks on the top of his head and sniff his butt to make sure he's cleaning it well (which he is). He loves saying hi to me, then pouncing on the big bed for a while. Then, after about 5 minutes, Mommy comes in and takes him back out to the rest of the house.

I've decided to make the bedroom my space for a while. I enjoy just hanging out in here, either on the bed or behind the curtain that hangs down alongside the bed. My goopy eyes (kitty cold/herpes virus) have been getting better, but they're still an issue, so Mommy is going to take me in to the vet in about a month when she gets paid. I don't like the eye gel, but it's at least better than having goopy eyes. Mommy cleans my eyes for me at least twice a day and I tell her when I need it done by pulling the door so it bangs.

I can't believe it's been four years since Mommy Erin saw my brother and me running across the road at our old house and she told Mommy! They both went to get us, and found us in the neighbor's yard playing in the old tires. My brother ran away at first, but I was too scared so I hid inside one of the tires. Mommy and Mommy Erin picked me out of the tire and took me into the house, then caught my brother using tuna fish as the bait. We were only 4 weeks old, so my mommies and Daddy bottle-fed us and helped us learn to clean ourselves. Tabby, Carbon, and Skylar all taught us how to be inside kitties, but I mainly watched Lydia and learned from her. She was already getting sick, although none of us knew it at the time, so she didn't play a lot. Since she taught me how to be the Big Kitty of the house, that's why I don't really play. I like to play, but I think I'm not supposed to because I'm Big Kitty. Mommy and Daddy wish that I would play more, because I need to lose weight, so I sometimes play to oblige them. I like bouncing around on the bed while Mommy's trying to sleep after it's light outside!

Thanks, everyone, for the Gotcha Day anniversary wishes in the comments on the previous blog post!

Good news from Hemming and Miss Marble!

2011-09-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

Miss Marble writes:

Hi! I'm much happier back outside with my sister and my daddy. Yes, my sister! The striped kitten is a girl. The lady says that those trap things will be back out in a couple weeks to try to catch my sister and my daddy. I'm going to tell them to stay away from them! Well, maybe not, because I do feel better now, so maybe those traps were good things after all. I am glad I'm back outside, even though I see my brother enjoying being inside. I also am much more interested in those cats on the other side of the window, now that I've had a chance to watch them more closely. I love my outside life too much to be inside, though. I'm much more comfortable hunting and sleeping under the deck. Thanks for letting me be part of the outside family, lady and man!

Hemming writes:

Hi! I miss my sisters and my daddy. I go up to the window and watch them, calling to them, when they come eat twice or three times each day. They say hi to me, but we all understand that I'm an inside kitty now. I don't even try to escape when the lady puts food out. Freya and Heimdall play chase, ball, tails, and a lot of other games with me, so I love that! My favorite games are crazy circle, throwing a ball around, and chase. I've been out with everyone for two days now, since my tests came back negative. No diseases, yay!

And the big news...I've got two people who want to adopt me! We're going to visit one of the homes on Wednesday, and meet the family and the puppy who may be my sister. Wow! If all goes well, I'll stay there. If not, then I will meet with the other person later. I'm hoping that everything goes well with this first family. I'm so excited to meet them! I love meeting new people. I love people, sitting on laps, and being petted. I just am not used to being picked up high, so I squirm around and want down. Once I'm on a lap, I curl up and purr, after giving kisses!

The release part of tnr, and the socialization part

2011-08-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

The PDX pride Mommy here:

We sent Miss Marble on her way outside again. :'( I always choke up when we release a feral back into the wild. It's such a bittersweet moment! It's where she belongs, though. She just was freaking out too much inside. She bounded off like a rabbit, straight to a hiding place she and the rest of the family use, under the cedar tree (surrounded by rosebushes). Then, when she saw us wave at her and realized we could still see her, she bounded off to another favorite place, through the back fence into the wilderness of the wetland behind us.

Hemming did very well with his testing today! We are sooo proud of him! There were a lot of dogs waiting in line, and one other cat who looked like him, only female and a little older. This was his first experience being around dogs, and he aced it. He meowed the whole time we were waiting, while the dogs barked. I really wish more dog owners would put their dogs through obedience courses, or at least train them properly. Two barked and lunged at a lady wearing a straw hat, another dog kept nipping at its neighbor in line, and a lady made her dog walk right down the line to the end rather than walking around a different way to get to the end. Maybe the owners need obedience training, too?

When we got checked in, and were in line again waiting for the vet, a big dog who was behind us in line came over to the carrier and sniffed Hemming through the bars. Hemming sniffed him back, and put one of his paws up to the mesh door like he was asking the dog to play with him!

The vet and vet tech who did the blood draw couldn't barely believe that Hemming was born feral and that we'd only had him a short time. They both said he looked and acted like a tame kitten, and were quite impressed with him! He was so calm for his blood draw, even came out of the carrier nicely after the vet tech scruffed him. He flinched and tried to look at his leg when they poked him, but he didn't mew in surprise! Afterward, he walked right back into his carrier on his own, after the vet tech redirected him from wanting to jump down off the table. We get his test results back on Tuesday, but are fairly certain that he doesn't have any bad diseases.

He's now in our office at home with the door closed, but free to roam in here. He absolutely loves having a room of his own! He walked around for a bit after I showed him his dishes and put him in the box to show him what that was, then I put him on my lap and petted him for a bit. The first lap he's been on! He wanted to climb, so he climbed up the door to the carrier, onto the top of it. Then, after getting down from there, he climbed up the back of the computer desk onto the CPU tower and is very happy in his newfound nest. Snuggly, purry, smiling, the picture of contentment!

Both kittens came through surgery fine

2011-08-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

The PDX pride Mommy here:

Both kittens are recovering. The marbled kitten turned out to be a little female, so her new name is Miss Marble. She scratched, bit, and took off running through the house when I was transferring her to a carrier from the trap. Not a good idea for her! I'm alright, she's recovered from her scare, and she's in the carrier with food and water. The polydactyl tabby/white kitten is a male, but had only one testicle. They thought the other one might not have dropped yet, so they did an exploratory surgery, and it simply wasn't there! His new name is Hemming. He let me pet his paw pads, stretched his foot through the mesh on the trap, and put his head in my hand with his tongue sticking out, wiggling the tip of his tongue in nursing fashion as I was petting his nose! He's taking a bit longer to wake up completely, and still hasn't woken up completely even though it's been about 6 hours. I'm kind of worried about that, although he's looking at me when I talk to him. He'll sit against the side of the carrier, then slowly start to tip over the other way, then correct himself. He likes sitting better than lying down right now, for some reason. Both kittens have eaten and had some water.

Tomorrow morning they go in to the mobile clinic at Petco for their FeLV/FIV testing. They got their rabies shots today and first boosters.

At this point, we are pretty sure that Miss Marble is going back outside after the weekend's over, given her run around the house this afternoon. Hemming seems like he wants human contact, so he's a good candidate for socialization, depending on how his personality is when he wakes up fully.

Sleepy little boy Hemming in the carrier

Miss Marble says, "Leave me alone, woman with the flashy box!"

Two trapped!

2011-08-26T02:18:00.000-07:00

The PDX pride's Mommy here:

Two of the kittens are trapped and inside! We made the decision not to try for more, because we can pay for the neuter fees and then next week get these two tested for diseases. If we trapped any more at this time, we wouldn't be able to get them tested, and we'd much rather know if they are clean before trying to socialize them.

At around 4 pm, the polydactyl tabby/white boy made his way into the trap after the canned food, got trapped, and started screaming his little head off. He couldn't understand why he wasn't allowed to go back out the way he came in. He kept going to the door of the trap and batting at it, trying his best to make it open. I brought him inside, where my husband and I gently talked to him and the inside cats all came to talk to him and investigate him. Heimdall is turning out to be the best babysitter in the world, another reason why he reminds me so much of Skylar! He lay down right next to the baby and started purring, which relaxed the baby considerably.

About an hour later, the marbled boy was trapped. He made quite a ruckus in the trap, pulling the newspaper lining over his food, sticking his paws out the top, and turning around and around in the trap. When I brought him inside and placed his trap alongside his brother's trap, they both calmed right down and started trying to play paws through the mesh with each other! The inside cats went over to see the marbled boy, too, and were very interested in the rearranging he'd done with his trap paper. He finally uncovered his food and ate, though it took him about two hours to do so because he was so stressed.

Little Bit cannot be around these new ones for a while, because she wanted to clean their behinds for them. She was a mama cat, after all, with four boys of her own, so she knows how to treat young ones. She just doesn't realize that you can't clean and groom someone through trap mesh. Besides, a stranger cat trying to clean them was just scaring the little ones instead of helping.

They're sleeping now, curled up in their traps, with water bowls that they haven't touched yet. We'll feed them some canned food in the morning, then take them to the feral cat clinic for their surgeries and eartipping. We'll pick them up in the afternoon sometime and take them back home. They will stay inside with us for the weekend to heal, and we will try to get them tested for diseases early next week. They'll be inside until we figure out if they are disease-free, and then we will start to socialize them. Once they are socialized, we will either make them our outside pets or adopt them out to a good home, depending on the level of socialization.

Here are some pictures from yesterday:

Heimdall and Tabby greet the poly tabby/white boy.

Heimdall being a good babysitter and purring to calm the baby down.

Mr. Talkative!

Carbon's not afraid of kittens anymore! Checking each other out.

Two brothers in traps: marbled kitten on the left and poly tabby/white kitten on the right.

Tabby greeting the marbled kitten.

Heimdall greeting the marbled kitten.

It's Trapping Day!

2011-08-25T01:38:00.000-07:00

It's trapping day at the PDX pride! Mama Leopard's disappeared, along with the normal-toed tabby/white kitten. We hadn't seen the striped kitten for a few days, either, but he came back last night! The polydactyl tabby/white and the marbled kittens have been eating out of the open traps, as has "Daddy" Tuxie, so we're confident that we can trap at least the three little boys and maybe Tuxie as well. We'll bring them in tonight and take them to the clinic for fixing/eartipping tomorrow. Here's some pictures from the past couple days, where everyone was learning how to eat out of the traps.

Tux keeping watch as the striped kitten eats in the left trap and the other two eat together in the right trap.

Wait! How come brother is eating in the box and I can't figure out how to get inside?

Is this how we're supposed to do this?

Freya: Yep, I see them both eating in the same trap!

Hi! Do you have any more of that yummy canned food?

Wordy Wednesday: Catching up on the news, pt. 2

2011-08-17T05:04:00.000-07:00

Mama Leopard writes:

My boys and I have been hanging out at the house for the past week, right up close most of the time. When we need shelter, we've been hiding in the roses around the cedar tree, just off to the right of the picture above. It makes a great hideout, and we're camouflaged from the raccoons (even though they haven't done anything bad to us). The lady and man say that next week there will be wire boxes over our food. I'm not sure about that, but as long as we can still get to the food I don't have a problem with it. At least, not until I see the boxes.

The lady (and sometimes the man) comes out at about 9 pm to put water in the bowl and put food out for us. We show up, and if the humans are running late my kittens tap on the glass while I wait expectantly about a foot from the window. When the humans come out, I back up but am still pretty close. I'm learning to trust them, so I let them be within 3 feet of me now! My babies run, but pop right back up and investigate. My striped boy was mewing to the man, and the man meowed back to him! My little one didn't know the humans could speak our language, so he looked from the man to me, and back again to him, then mewed again and got an answer again!

Mrs. Raccoon writes:

I had three kits around the time that Mama Leopard had her kits. Now that they are old enough to travel well and eat regular food, I have shown them where the cat food is. Since my kits are so young, I usually accompany them. The picture above shows me in the middle and two of my kits. However, two nights ago I let them go on their own to the food place. I should have known better! They are too young to handle the ones on the other side of the window! The one on the other side of the window who looks like us, Little Bit, likes to jump at me when I eat. Since I wasn't there, she jumped at my kits, and they jumped back, thinking she was going to come out and play with them! They don't know what cats are, and thought she was another baby raccoon. All three jumped at her at the same time, hitting the window with a bang. That scared Little Bit, and she meowed at them. They got confused, stood up, and put their front paws on the window, looking in at her. She jumped again and they jumped again. The human came and removed Little Bit. Then the human came back to the window, knelt down, and looked my three babies straight in the eyes. In a commanding voice, she told them that they could not jump at the window like that, Little Bit was not going to come out to play, and they had better be nice. They looked at her, got down on all fours again, and backed up. Still looking over their shoulders, they ran back to where I was and told me all about it!

Wordy Wednesday: Catching up on the news, pt.1

2011-08-17T04:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting bloggie entries for a while! We have been taking care of Daddy, because he has a crushed disk in his back. Not nice, and it's very hurty for him. We've been giving him a lot of extra snuggles and purrs, and Mommy has been taking care of him, too.

Missy writes:

I've found a new snuggle spot! It's very comfy and surrounds me, plus I can play whenever I want to. Do you like it? I've got another favorite one, too. We just got our prize from Goma on Friday, and we blogged about it on the Frugal Feline. Go see my stretchy tummy! *gigglepurrs*

Heimdall writes:

I've found a better comfy place than Missy has! Mommy left the bathroom cupboard open while she dried off from her shower, and I hopped in to snuggle! Too bad they won't let me be in here most of the time.

Freya writes:

Forget snuggle spots! I like to play! While Mommy was taking pictures of everyone for our post about the new snuggler/scratcher, I was attacking the string hanging from the camera!

See my teeth?

I also love putting my strings in the bathtub and playing with them in there!

Happy Birthday to Rori!

2011-08-03T01:08:00.000-07:00

Rori writes:

Today's my 4th birthday! Wow, such a lot has happened in four years. I was born far away from here, across the river in Portland, Oregon. My momcat was a feral tabby and my dadcat was a huge tabby named SpongeBob. Sponge lived across the street from the green house and brought all the ferals to the back porch food bowl. My brother and I were the only two in our litter, and I had an older brother who looked like me as well. My littermate brother, now named Knut, is a Siamese/tabby mix (his dadcat was a Siamese). He got adopted to a friend when we were very little, so I barely remember him at all. My inside family raised me, and my auntie Lydia was my mentor. She's the one who chose me to succeed her as the Big Kitty of the House.

Today I think I'll snuggle with Mommy while she sleeps, then go check on Daddy while he naps later on. It's my job to check up on everyone and make sure things are running smoothly in the household. I check on the outside part of the family, too, watching through the big window to see if they're outside and making sure our purrents know if they show up. I keep my distance from the window, preferring to watch from my chair rather than right up at the window like the others do.

Mommy always gives me a birthday rub-down, rubbing me from my shoulders all the way to my tail. I love when she does that, and I purr so loudly to tell her how happy I am. She'll also clean my eyes for me, as I have goopy eyes from allergies right now. I'm glad she cleans my eyes so that I can see better. I tell her exactly when I need that done, and she obeys. Yes, I definitely am the Lady of the House, Big Kitty of the House!

Here's a picture of my brother Knut and me when we were about 4 weeks old.

Happy First Gotcha Day Anniversary to the Twins!!!

2011-07-26T01:54:00.000-07:00

Heimdall writes:

Mommy says it's been a whole year today since she and Daddy came to get us at Salem Friends of Felines. Wow! I remember being scared to leave my friends in the kitten room, and glad my sister was with me wherever we were going. I'm so glad that we came to live with our family! Mommy says that she asked Uncle Skylar to send them a new tuxedo kitten or kittens, and then she saw my picture on Save A Cat on Facebook, which uses Petfinder ads. She told Daddy, and Daddy saw my sister's picture. The next day, they came to get us both!

My favorite activities are kitten-watching (in the picture above) and snuggling with Mommy. At night, I love snuggling right against her hand or her arm. If I'm sleeping and wake up and don't feel her arm there, I move so that I'm touching her. I also like hopping up on the recliner and snuggling with Daddy when he takes his after-work nap. But mostly I like kitten-watching and trying to play with the kittens through the window!

Freya writes:

Wow, it's been a year already! When Mommy and Daddy came to see us at Salem Friends of Felines, I didn't want to pay any attention to them, and squirmed to be put back on the snoozing shelf when they picked me up. They were insistent on seeing me, though, and I'm so glad they did! I remember talking the whole way home, putting my paws through the carrier door to grab Mommy's hand while my brother stayed in the back of the carrier. I knew we were going somewhere good, and I wanted to be out to find out where it was!

Now, my favorite activities are playing with sockies, my blue hedgehog with the squeaker and bell in it, and annoying Rori. I always want to play or snuggle with her, and she sometimes lets me, but not always. I also love being brushed by Mommy, and will hop up every evening to snuggle and get my brushies! I love my brushies!

Thinking of Skylar on his first Bridge Day anniversary

2011-07-23T01:27:00.000-07:00

There really are no words that fully express what this last year has been like for our family. Skylar was the first cat who ever adopted me fully, even before I adopted him. He was my "heart cat", as one of my friends puts it. He was everyone's favorite, the one who played with all our foster babies and taught them how to have fun. His sister was the head of the household, but he was next. When she passed, the new head of household (Rori) still deferred to him a lot of the time. That alone tells you how revered he was in this family.

As I think about him today, and grieve once again, I will cry into the fur of one who looks and acts so similar to him that sometimes we have to stop ourselves before we call Heimdall by Skylar's name accidentally. Heimdall was the name given to the keeper of the Rainbow Bridge in Norse mythology, so it's appropriate that we gave that name to the kitten Skylar sent us, three days after he journeyed. Heimdall and his sister Freya are signs that Skylar is still watching over us every day, and will continue to watch over us on our earthly journey, waiting for us at Bridge's end.

Thank you to all our friends who have supported us through this past year. We love you all!

Therapy Cat Tales from 7/13/11

2011-07-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

Tabby writes:

Sorry this note is so late! Mommy's birthday, everything with kitten watching because Mama Leopard (our feral cat) brought her kittens by on Mommy's birthday and they all are practically living on our deck now, it all means writing my note took back stage. That's fine, though, because I love watching the kitten show!

Last Wednesday, when we got on our second bus, the man we sat next to wanted to know all about me and kept waving to me. He has a cat that he absolutely adores, and his wife has a cat, too. The bus driver, however, wasn't impressed with me and told Mommy I smelled up the whole bus! I meowed at him once, right after he made that comment, and everyone on the bus smiled. Mommy replied that I'd had a bath the day before, and that at least cats didn't smell as bad as wet dogs!

We were early, so we ended up walking from the Rose Quarter/Rose Garden Arena to the Walgreens to do some shopping. At Walgreens, a lady saw my stroller and picked up a Snoopy doggie toy they had on sale, bringing it over to us and pointing it out to Mommy. Mommy smiled and said that would be a great toy, if I were a dog! The lady smiled and looked more carefully, giggling, then took the toy to buy it for her own doggies at home. It was a cute toy, but not one I would like to have. We also heard about a new baby chihuahua that just got adopted.

After the store, we walked to H. My friends had bought my book! :) >^..^< Mommy signed it and I pawtographed it by pressing my paw onto a stamp pad and then onto the book. :) I don't like to have anything goopy on my paws, but Mommy cleaned it right off so it wasn't too bad. I didn't want anyone touching my paw pads for the rest of the day, though! We love my book, and the residents love it, too. They had it read to them a few days before, when it came, so we got to hear how much they enjoyed it!

I went upstairs to visit, and got mobbed in the tv room! T., G., H., S., M., and a few others were there, waiting for me. I made a new friend, B. She fell and broke her arm, so she's there for a little while until she recovers. She cried as she petted me and talked to me, because she missed her little doggie that went to the Bridge a few months ago. She apologized for crying, but Mommy told her that she totally understood and that it was good for her to cry. I snuggled in, then sat on her walker seat for a bit as well. She had a Fig Newton wrapper, but didn't have any left to give me. I looked over at G., but she didn't have any either. That treat was GOOD last week!

I sat with G. for a few minutes, then went over to see T. and S. I rolled around on T.'s walker seat again and rolled off again! Surprised, I shook my head while everyone laughed. Why, oh why can't I remember that it's not a solid back?! I sat on S.'s lap, then went over to see M. and let her pet me. I haven't seen her in a while, so I was really happy to see her again. Then, I decided it was time to leave the tv room, so I walked out, Mommy following with my stroller.

A lot of my friends were either off doing other things or sleeping, but I got to visit with a lot of people anyway. I saw B. again, because she'd gone back to her room. She was happy that Mommy was writing down my adventures, and wondered if she'd be included. Of course you are, B.! I don't know if you'll read this, or have it read to you, but I loved visiting with you! *headbonks*

D. was walking in the hallway, so we stopped to visit with her. Mommy asked if she was trying to go to her room, or where she was going, and she told us she just wanted to walk for a while. Good for her! :) I sniffed P.'s feet, making her smile.

We visited with a few people another floor, too. They'd requested that we visit them. One lady wasn't ready for our visit, because she was taking a nap, but she got up and let us in anyway. She liked seeing me, but we'll come back another time when she's more ready for a visit. A man whose family had requested a visit smiled when he was told who was visiting, and fixed his hair for us. He was happy to have me come in and see him! Another lady, whom we'd visited with before, was so very glad for my visit. She'd missed me! I lay down on the arm of her recliner and let her pet me and snuggle me, then lay down on her lap. Mommy took her hand and moved it over my stripes while she described me to the lady, who is almost totally blind. Then the lady petted me and told us stories about the kitties she used to have.

After we got off our last bus going home, Mommy would NOT let me walk! I usually walk at least a third of the way home from the cross street to our driveway, but she wouldn't unzip the stroller! She said we didn't have time. Then, it started to rain, so I was just as glad I wasn't walking in that rain. I did get to walk up the stairs by myself, though. I absolutely LOVE stairs!

Wordless Wednesday: Mama Leopard, "Daddy" Tuxie, and baby kittens

2011-07-20T02:25:00.000-07:00

Digital scrapbooking design personalized with Smilebox

Happy Gotcha Day anniversary to Tabby & Carbon, and an honor for Heimdall!

2011-07-15T18:14:00.000-07:00

The PDX pride mommy here:

Wow, we've been so caught up in the kitten drama with Mama Leopard's kits that *blushes* I forgot that it is Tabby & Carbon's Gotcha Day Anniversary today! So sorry! It's 6 years ago today that they came home. I saw a sign on the feed store in Clatskanie, Oregon, where my husband grew up. The sign said, "Free Kittens". All the way down to Long Beach and all the way back, Scott kept on saying, "I want a puddy! Remind me to stop so we can look at them!" I knew what we would find when we got back to the store, because I'd had a dream a few years earlier about it.

Sure enough, when we got back to the store, there was a bunny in a cage just outside the front door of the store, and further down the porch was another wire cage with two little kittens! Just like in my dream! We felt so bad for them, because it had been 90 degrees out and one of the kittens was black with long fur and didn't look very happy. The other one was laying down in the litter box. There was some food in the cage, but it didn't look like it had been eaten, and they had some water as well.

The clerk came out and told us the kittens were from different litters and the rest of the litters had already been adopted. Just these two were left. Scott picked up the black one, and immediately the kitten climbed up his shirt and perched on his shoulder and around his neck like a parrot, snuggling in and digging in his claws. I picked up the little tabby one, and she snuggled into my elbow. After a few minutes I handed the little one to Scott and picked his off his shoulder to snuggle. The lady got a cardboard box for us and punched a few holes in it with a scissors, then we put the kittens in it.

When we got in the truck, we opened the box and four big eyes looked up at us. I asked, "What are you going to name them?" Scott replied, "Tabitha and Carbon. A friend had two kittens with the same coloring and personalities, and that's what she named hers. I helped her find them at the shelter, so that's what these two are going to be named." We told them their names, and they settled down in the box.

After a while, Tabby decided she wanted to get out and see what the rest of the truck was like. She liked watching out the windows, but then she wanted to crawl all over Scott when he was driving! I kept having to pick her off him and try to hold her, while trying to keep her from going into the extended cab! Carbon was not having a good ride. He was way too warm, so he threw up a few times. I cleaned it up each time, and he purred a little and licked my fingers while I petted him.

We put Tabby back in the box and closed them both in it while we went into the pet store to get supplies, because Scott wasn't prepared for adopting any cats. I had agreed to adopt Skylar and Lydia a few days earlier, but we weren't living together yet, so the house was without anything for kitties. Scratching post, litter box, two kinds of food, CHECK. Toys, CHECK.

Once in the house, we put everything out for them and then opened the box. Immediately, Carbon found Scott's work boot and hopped in it. Mind you, he was only 5 weeks and Tabby was only 4 weeks at the time, so he fit perfectly in that boot! He took a mini nap while Tabs explored, then he hopped out and explored, too. I was eating some cake, and Tabby wanted to know what I was doing, so I lifted her onto the couch and she took a nosedive into the cake! From that point on, she's loved cake, whipped cream, and any people food. Carbon helped her clean up, of course.

Later on, we noticed the house was too quiet for a house with kittens. We'd been watching a movie and letting them explore the house after showing them the food and litter box. We just about turned the whole house upside down looking for them, and found them curled up in the top two drawers of Scott's dresser! They were asleep, and looked at us like, "Well, we found comfy nap spots! Why did you wake us up?" They'd crawled up the back of the dresser behind the drawers, using the drawers as steps!

Heimdall has an honor today, as well. He's Captain of the Week over at Cathugger!

Mama Leopard & kittens update

2011-07-14T03:43:00.000-07:00

Mama Leopard writes:

Yesterday was a busy day for my kittens, Tuxie, and myself. We spent nearly all of it lounging on the deck or in the freshly-mown and mulched grass in the yard. I really like this yard. It supplies many needed things for raising my kittens properly: food, water, hunting training ground, shelter! Tux likes it here, too, and that's a plus. We all slept under the deck or on the deck.

Yesterday afternoon, Tuxie and I took the babies into the grass to teach them how to camouflage themselves. My little ones were more interested in playing and roughhousing than the lesson, but they did well with reminders to stay down and watch for movement. The humans didn't even see us until one of my babies popped its head up to look at the house, and then they saw us!

Last night, I was very brave and let the human lady look at my babies from just the other side of the window-door. She was on one side, touching the glass, and my striped baby was eating on the other side. I watched, stared at her long enough so that she knew she wasn't supposed to come out of that door, and then proceeded to take a bath! Tux felt comfortable enough to turn his back on her with the baby there, too!

This morning, we stayed on the deck while she reached out her hand to put food on the deck for us. She says that's an improvement, and we think so, too. I was snuggled on the deck with two of my babies, and I got up but didn't disappear underneath.

I am polydactyl, and one of my tabby kids is, too. I now have shown the lady that I have another kitten! Previously, she knew about (and filmed) two tabbies and a white & tabby. The white & tabby that she filmed is a little boy. Well, when I was sleeping on the deck, I was snuggled with TWO white & tabby kittens! So, I have four kittens total!

Mama Leopard's kitten presentation day!

2011-07-13T02:11:00.000-07:00

Mama Leopard writes:

I'd been considering bringing my kittens to the food place for a few days, but there was a loud machine in their yard. The machine cut the grass and stirred up the mice, so yesterday (when it was all quiet) I decided to bring my kittens. I looked around to make sure it was safe, then hopped up on the deck. My kittens followed, then scurried around on the new surface, testing it out and smelling all the smells. As I went over to eat from the food pile the lady and man leave for us, my kittens saw the inside cats for the first time. Were they ever surprised, on both sides of the funny window-door!

I saw one of the inside cats run off, then come back with the human lady. She was very happy to see my little family and told me what a good mama I am! Then she got a funny-looking thing and set it up on the floor where the inside kitties have their food bowls. I knew she wouldn't come outside without letting me know first, so I kept eating and one of my little ones joined me, discovering what kibble was for the first time. The lady put something on the food container inside, then lay down on the floor! She said she was going to take a video of us.

Later on last night, Tuxie and I came back with my kittens. Tuxie's a good dad to my kittens, washing them and playing with them a bit, even though he looks at them like they just landed out of the blue sometimes.

My kittens are now about 8 1/2 weeks old. I have one who looks like me, one with a classic marbled tabby pattern, and one who is white with tabby patches and reminds me of the inside kitty named Starla. The little ones are very interested in the inside kitties, and go up to the window-door to look in and play by tapping their little paws on the glass. Heimdall plays back, and tries to bat at their little tails as they run past the window!

Happy Birthday to our Mommy!!!

2011-07-12T03:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Mommy!!!

Today's Mommy's birthday! Freya's helping her celebrate by bringing her string, blue hedgehog, and blue sockie. Rori's helping her celebrate by letting her pet. Everyone's celebrating by giving her snuggles! Daddy got her two Harry Potter movies, so we'll all be watching those later on today.

Mommy also got a big blue ball for her birthday. We don't quite know why she replaced the office chair with this new ball, but she says it's good for her balance to sit on it? We can still hop up and sit on her lap, and that's the main thing. And...we get the old office chair as a scratching post! Yay!

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-04T03:38:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day from all of us at the PDX pride! Stay safe, celebrate freedom and those who gave their lives for it! Keep your pets indoors, please, with lots of water and in cool conditions. We will be watching the fireworks from the windows! :) >^..^<

Therapy Cat Tales from 6/30/11

2011-07-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

Tabby writes:

Wow, such a busy day! I was half-snoozing under the folding chair when it was time to leave, so Mommy had to pull me out of my nice, snug cave to put me in the stroller. Missy just looked at me, interested in what was happening, but Heimdall wanted to come with me! Mommy told him he'd have a turn in the stroller when we came back. He loves to ride around the house in it. :) At the marsh right by our house, I saw a mama duck with two little baby ducklings! Nice! The mama was teaching them how to give themselves baths.

On the MAX train, a boy in a wheelchair got on with his nurse. It took a few minutes for the nurse to realize that I was a cat instead of a human baby, mol, but then she wanted to pet me. Mommy told her it was ok, and asked if the boy wanted to pet me as well. When the boy nodded, I got to sit on his lap. He was wearing this huge raincoat that covered his chair as well, kind of like a big, zippered bag, so the nurse unzipped it for him and then he could pet me. I wanted to snuggle in his coat! :) Nice and warm! He loved me doing that!

At H., Mommy showed my friends in the office a flyer of my book, and they looked at the website for it. They love that I have a book now! They may even order it for the library there! If they do, I'll paw-sign the copy and Mommy will sign it, too. Then we went up to see my other friends.

D. rode up in the elevator with us, and was really glad to see me. Then, S. was waiting patiently in the lobby when we got off the elevator. She comes from another floor specifically to see me on my visiting days! She used to feed a feral cat when she had her own room, but can't anymore. I purred for her and Mommy talked with her about her previous cats. We went into the tv room to see T., and I sat on T.'s walker again. I wanted tummy rubs, so I rolled over, and fell off! I had thought that the walker bag was solid, but I rolled right through it! I landed on my paws, shook, and looked up at Mommy and T., wondering what happened! Mommy told me and made sure I was ok, then I jumped in my stroller and onto T.'s lap again. MOL! G. was very happy to see me, too, and she had a yummy treat for me. It's called a fig newton, and I ate a quarter of it! *licks lips happily* I ate it right out of her hand while she smiled at me! Totally made her day, as well as mine! In R.'s room, there were two loud monsters, one near R. and one near the other lady. I kept looking back and forth between them, then I started telling the closer one off for being so loud! I don't like those monsters. Mommy called them oxygen machines.

After visiting, we went to the pet store and they put the flyer for my book on their bulletin board. The owner was quite impressed that we wrote a children's book! :) >^..^< When we got on the MAX to go home, there was a lady who is moving to Portland with her two cats and looking for housing that will allow pets. She loves the stroller idea, and loved petting me and talking with Mommy. Another lady on the bus talked with Mommy about therapy pets vs. service animals, and regulations for each, because her autistic son is going to college next fall and loves cats. She didn't know that cats could be service animals for autistic people, so Mommy told her to check out the Service Animal Registry of America page to find trainers and more information. They certify many different kinds of service animals, and also certify therapy pets even though we are not service animals.

Tabby's written a book!!!

2011-06-21T05:13:00.000-07:00

Tabby writes:

I'm excited to announce my children's book! You can preview it below. It's 26 pages of photographs and text, about my life and my work. The cost is $19.43 for this softcover square book. To purchase, click "Book Info" at the end of the preview.

Meet Tabby the Therapy Cat by Written and photographed by Karen Thompson | Make Your Own Book

Spooky 2's diary from Catster

2011-06-18T04:57:00.000-07:00

Spooky writes:

First of all, Mommy can't believe she forgot my Bridge anniversary on the 6th! It's ok, Mommy, I forgive you.

As our family moves from Catster to Cathugger, we are each publishing our previous diary entries here so that we will still have them and others can read them if they like. These entries are mostly previous to the creation of "Furry Tails of the PDX pride", and are from earliest to latest, organized by cat.

The new house!

December 30th 2009 2:58 am

Fun!!! I got to be on harness for the first time, and ride in a car! Foster Mommy and Foster Daddy were so proud of me and impressed with my car-riding skills. I sat on Foster Mommy's lap the whole way to the new house and purred!

I didn't know what a fireplace or a fire was before I came here. I've only tried to climb the screen once, and that was when there wasn't anything inside. I talk to Foster Mommy and Foster Daddy about the fire, and am mesmerized by the whole thing.

I love the wide open spaces and dash from room to room. Foster Mommy throws my jingle balls down the long hallway, and I run after them happily.

They adopted me!!!

January 14th 2010 1:32 am

I'm at my new forever home! No, I didn't go somewhere else. I got to stay right here with my foster family, who are now my REAL family! Mommy and Daddy had a serious talk tonight, and they told me that my new last name is the same as theirs now. Yay!

Happy snuggles,

Spooky T.

CH? What's that?

February 4th 2010 1:27 am

Mommy and Daddy both have been trying to figure out why I fall and why I'm so floppy. Today, Mommy did an internet search and they have been talking about something called CH. It doesn't sound scary. It's just letters, so why does it bother them so much?

CH, cerebellar hypoplasia, would explain my falling and flopping. We put a question up in the "Answers" part on here, but that was before Mommy noticed my almost-imperceptible head bobbing, which is the only thing missing from a "correct" CH diagnosis, according to what she's been reading.

Luckily, my family loves me ANYWAY, and told me that I'm theirs and that they will never leave me like my first family did. Yay!

-- Spooky, one happy, floppy kitten.

I love music! Music means snuggles!

March 11th 2010 1:50 am

Guess what?! Music playing on the computer means that Mommy has a snuggle lap for me! Tonight I was flopped on the floor of the dining room after eating, when all of a sudden I heard a song coming from the computer in the kitty tree room. I knew Mommy was in there, so I went running at top speed, came around the corner, skidded to a halt in front of the computer chair, and jumped up in her lap! Snuggles, loves, and singing, all equal a happy ME!!!!!! And a happy MOMMY!!!!!!

Oh, and a jealous Carbon kitty who spat at me as I raced by and then he went and hid under the bed, MOL. I was too focused on getting my snuggles that I didn't chase him this time.

What happened?

June 6th 2010 6:26 am

Yesterday afternoon, I was curled up in the dining room in my favorite spot, when all of a sudden I felt weird. Something was happening, and not a good something! Mommy was sleeping, and Daddy was taking a shower, so I ran to Daddy since he was closest. I skidded to a halt in the hallway just as he came out of the shower, meowed my concern long and loud, then flopped over and started drooling, dripping a small puddle onto my paws and the floor. Daddy cleaned me and it up, then set me on the couch so I could snuggle with him and Skylar.

Then, it happened again! My eyes went wide and unseeing, my body went rigid, and I started drooling heavily again! After it was done, I meowed a complaint and my confusion.

Daddy called for Mommy, who woke up and came out. They both petted me while they tried to decide what to do. Daddy called our friend Kellee, who's a vet tech, but she couldn't come until the next day.

About an hour later, I had another seizure. This time, I was sitting on Mommy's lap when it started. I looked helplessly at her, then lifted my tail and peed. I couldn't help it! Then the wide-eyed seizure, then drooling again, and my confused meowing. Mommy and Daddy tried to get me to relax afterwards, petting me to calm me down again. That helped a little, and I took a bit of a nap for a couple hours.

While I was asleep, Mommy searched online for vets that were open on a Saturday evening. Of course, many were not. She found one that was, and called them. It was a 24-hour place, so when I woke up (and had another seizure) she and Daddy packed me into a carrier and drove to the hospital.

The people were so kind! I had a seizure again as my purrents were filling out the paperwork, and the people immediately took me back and put me on a big table in the open room. I looked at them and meowed, and one of them went to ask my purrents if they could give me something to help calm me down. Of course, Daddy said yes, so they gave me Valium.

The vet came out to discuss options with my purrents. She said that I probably had sustained brain damage from the seizures, and there was a poor prognosis if I survived. The vet wanted to keep me in for 24 hours at least, give me i.v.'s and do bloodwork. Even then, it would be the same prognosis: not likely to survive, or very brain-damaged if I did survive. Mommy & Daddy said their goodbyes, and Mommy stayed with me and petted my head and cheek as the shot was given. :'( The hospital needs to hold my body until Monday so that the state can release it (standard procedure for anyone who comes in with seizures), so my purrents will bury my body then. My new profile picture is my picture superimposed on the bag that the vet did for my purrents to take home, containing a bit of my fur and the heart from my catheter wrap.

:'(

Mommy & Daddy loved you, Mr. Spooky kitten! R.I.P. July 2009 -- June 6, 2010

My burial

June 8th 2010 2:15 am

Daddy brought my body home from the vet's yesterday. He put it on a blanket on the living room floor so my aunties and uncles could all say their goodbyes. Tabby, Little Bit, and Skylar came over, looked at my body, sniffed it from head to tail, then touched noses with each other, conferring with each other. Rori hid, because she mourns in a different way and never has needed to see the body to know. Carbon had been having fun with a catnip toy, so he wasn't keen on going to see what was on the blanket. He was more interested in the box that Daddy had brought home. But Daddy said he couldn't jump in the box, and wanted him to look at the blanket. He didn't quite know why. Mommy picked him up and placed him nose-to-nose with my body. He was kind of afraid of me while I was alive, because he doesn't consider kittens to be cats until they are at least a year old, for some reason. But he sniffed because he was that close, then realized what he was sniffing. He looked at Tabby, who was right beside him, touched noses with her, then looked at Mommy and Daddy and walked away to the other end of the house.

After everyone had sniffed and said their goodbyes, conferring with the others about it, and even Starla had come to say her goodbyes (Mommy brought her out to see and sniff), Daddy carried my body out to the backyard. He and Mommy buried my body in a corner of the yard, at a spot where you can see and hear the geese in the marsh next door. I loved to see and hear the geese, and even got to see one fly one day when I had gone out on leash to the back deck!

Happy Birthday to Tabby!!!

2011-06-16T03:26:00.000-07:00

Tabby writes:

What, you mean it's my birthday again already???? Wow! Mommy says I'm 6 years old today. I don't feel like I'm 6 years old! Today, I'm going to sleep on top of the folded laundry on the dresser until Mommy gets up, then I'll watch for Tuxie & Leopard to come eat while I eat my breakfast. After napping a bit more, I'm going to play with Heimdall, Freya, Little Bit, and maybe our foster cat Missy if she wants to play. Then, I'll nap with Mommy when she takes her nap. After that, who knows what I'll do for the rest of the day? Probably more of the same. If it's nice weather, Mommy will take me out for a birthday stroll like she did yesterday. Well, yesterday was my visiting day, but I walked almost half a block y myself on the weay back! It was just such a nice day to walk and feel the sun on my fur! I'll write about my visit later on today.

Love,

Tabby.

Happy Birthday to Carbon!!!

2011-06-08T02:03:00.000-07:00

Carbon writes:

Happy birthday to me!!!! This is how I'll spend my birthday: wake up and annoy Tabby and Rori by leaving a stinkbomb in the box in the bedroom, then run around playing. Crash on the bed until Mommy wakes up, then watch as she brings Starla into the bedroom. Then I'll run out to the window and see if any friends are in the backyard, followed by eating and playing with everyone. I'll try to get Missy Kitty to play (she played with Freya a little yesterday), but I'm still wary of her because she's got a strong left hook. Then running around playing with some of my favorite toys, snuggling with Mommy and Daddy, and snuggling with shoes. Yep, I'm looking forward to enjoying MY day! :) Mommy and Daddy say they can't quite believe I'm 6 years old already!

Baby-Dot & Baby-Tuxie's diary from Catster

2011-06-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

The tiny tuxie angels write:

As our family moves from Catster to Cathugger, we are each publishing our previous diary entries here so that we will still have them and others can read them if they like. These entries are mostly previous to the creation of "Furry Tails of the PDX pride", and are from earliest to latest, organized by cat.

Gone too soon

September 22nd 2009 12:26 am

Baby-Dot here. I was only with my last foster family for a week. I left for the Bridge when I was 2 1/2 weeks old. Foster Mommy was worried because I never ate as much as my brother, and wasn't as active as he. I was nursing from the bottle when I died, in Foster Mommy's hands. She had taken us to her work so she could feed us after her class, so she called Foster Daddy and he came and got her. My brother was snuggling with my body, so Foster Mommy picked up my body and petted it, kissed it, and arranged the fur. She settled the tiny paws and set the body back into our tote.

At the same time I died, even though I was away from home, Skylar knew. He woke up from a nap and walked over to sit with Foster Daddy in the chair.

Foster Daddy dug a hole by where Lydia and Sara are buried in the backyard, burying my body there. He stroked my fur and both of them told me how sorry they were that I had to leave so early. They told me they loved me, and how they had tried their best to give me what I needed. I know they did their best for me.

Foster Mommy called the lady who cared for me for the first 1 1/2 weeks, and they both cried while talking.

Both brothers are angel kittens now

September 22nd 2009 2:39 am

Baby-Tuxie just left us as well. I took him out to feed him, and he barely meowed. He had been screaming his lungs out, but barely made a sound this time and he was so cold. My husband held him while he went through the same things his brother had.

We buried him in the backyard next to his brother. We think that they had some kind of infection, and had no resistance because they never nursed from their mama cat.

Rest in peace, little ones. We loved you both!

KMR powder warning!

October 7th 2009 1:36 pm

Everyone who fosters needs to check the smell of their KMR powder! If it does NOT smell like milk, call PetAg (the company that makes it) at 800-323-0877 and tell them. They will send out a replacement in liquid form.

The rancid KMR powder is due to excessive heat while shipping! It is NOT a manufacturing issue or anything related to PetAg. It is the fault of the shipping companies letting the product sit in enclosed trailers in the summer heat.

There is no way to tell which packages will be rancid before they are opened. It is not by lot number or by expiration date. It is by when and how they were shipped.

PetAg is being very nice about this issue. Our foster mommy called about our can, and the lady was extremely polite and kind. She is sending liquid replacement that can be stored for up to a year and a half, and sending a call label so the rancid powder can be sent back free of charge.

They are going to reformulate KMR powder so that it stands up better to extreme heat and doesn't separate as much. The liquid wasn't affected at all.

The lady said that some of the symptoms we had (diarrhea, listlessness) could have been caused by the powder, but since we didn't have the vomiting usually associated with food poisoning that it wasn't the whole story.

Please, please, PLEASE pass this on to individuals and organizations who foster!

Missy Update: Back from the vet, and I'm NOT a kitten!

2011-05-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

Missy writes:

Foster Mommy put me into a box today and Foster Daddy took me out to the car. I thought they might be getting rid of me, taking me back to where they found me, but they said they were taking me to the doctor to see if I had any icky diseases or not. Then, if I was negative for diseases, I could start meeting the other cats in the household! I thought that sounded ok, so I crouched in the box (carrier) on Foster Mommy's lap and yelled at the cars. I liked seeing all the cars on the freeway.

At the vet, I did extremely well, not talking much and going right over to the vet. His name is Dr. Bob, and he loves kitties. He sat on the floor and let me come right up to him and sniff him! Wow! He checked me over, and I purred for him. Then the vet tech took me into the back and the vampires took some of my blood and shaved my tummy.

The good news is that I'm negative for diseases. The ok news is that I've not been spayed. The surprising news is that I'm about 2 1/2 years old! I'm just a petite cat! The vet gave me a tentative birthdate of Jan. 1, 2009. I'm 6.5 lbs, and about the same size as a year-old cat, but that's a pretty healthy weight for me.

I'm hanging out on a blankie in the living room, under the end table, now. I've met the other kitties here, and hissed at most of them. Tabby came a bit too close, so I swatted her, and then she backed off after going to Foster Mommy for reassurance. Freya keeps her distance, but I can tell she's curious about me. Heimdall isn't sure about me so isn't coming too close. The rest are taking their time investigating, which suits me just fine.

Therapy Cat Tales from 5/18/11

2011-05-25T23:07:00.000-07:00

Tabby writes:

So sorry this note is a week late, but we've been busy with our little visitor! ;)

Last Wednesday, when Mommy said it was visiting day I went to eat one more bite of food and then she put me in my stroller and away we went! One of the bus drivers laughed at my stroller, because he'd never seen a cat stroller before. I just looked at him and meowed!

At H., my friends who normally greet me before I start working weren't there, but I saw someone else I knew. Then, I went up in the elevator to do my rounds. P. was sitting by the fishtank, and giggled when I paid more attention to the fishies than to her. But they were interesting! Then I went over to see D. on the other side of the wall, and saw more fishies! A big, black one was waving its tail just out of reach, taunting me!

T. was sitting in a chair with her walker in front of her when I strolled up. She invited me onto her lap, so I hopped up, but then I noticed her walker. I walked on her lap to her knees, then jumped over to the seat on her walker and curled up. She loved it! She kept telling me how everyone loves me. <3 <3 <3

Some people were sleeping, and others were not there, so we didn't visit as much as I'd have liked to. We did see one new person, though. H. (the person, not the place) has a new hip replacement, so she was in bed with a bag of ice on her leg. She was sooo glad to see me! She lives on one of the other floors, but because of her surgery she was on our floor for recovering. I curled up inbetween her feet for a bit, then walked up and sat on her so she could pet me. Then back to her feet. Her daughter, C., came in for a visit after a while, and was glad to see me there! C. had seen "Tabby the Cat" on the schedule for the floor, and wondered what that could be! It was me! Even when H. gets better, she may still come down to see me on my visiting days. Purrrrrrrs!

Up for Adoption: Missy the Torbie!

2011-05-23T05:31:00.000-07:00

Missy writes:

Hello! Foster Mommy said I can write my story here in hopes of getting adopted faster. So, here's my story, as much as I've told the humans:

I was hanging around Norse Hall, just south of the Franz Bakery, in Portland, OR, on Friday night. It's a busy neighborhood, with four bus lines, major streets, a lot of industrial buildings of various kinds, and near a highway. There are some houses, but not many. Anyway, I was outside Norse Hall, telling the world that I needed food and attention, and hoping someone would listen. Foster Mommy was teaching a class, and her whole class stopped when they heard me yowl. Everyone looked at Foster Mommy, knowing that she was going to investigate the cat outside. Sure enough, she came out to see me.

I was a bit scared of her at first, although she looked like someone who wouldn't hurt me. I have some bad memories of humans, though, so I was wary. I looked at her, went toward her, then ran away under a dumpster. She followed me over there and knelt down to look at me and talk to me, so I came back out and sniffed her hand. She picked me up and scruffed me, asking a passerby to go inside and tell Foster Daddy (who was in the office) that she'd caught me. Foster Daddy came out and held me, asking her what she wanted to do since I couldn't go inside the building. I was still talking, telling them I wanted down and wanted some food. They decided to put me in their car until after Foster Mommy's class was over, then take me home with them. They could see that I had a deliberate cut on my left ear, done by a vet to mark me as a spayed feral, but I'm not feral.

I was put in their car and immediately explored the back seat, then the front seats, then hopped up into the back window to look out. The humans went inside the building again, so I sniffed around and found some cat food on the floor of the back seat. I wasn't sure about it, since I haven't had kibble that many times, but I tried it because I was so hungry. Then I curled up in the driver's seat for a snooze.

When the humans came back and opened the door, I made a break for it, running under some trucks in the next driveway. The humans followed, and eventually I came within reach again, but only after going behind a chain link fence where they couldn't get me. They talked me out of there and caught me again, bringing me back into the car. The whole way to their home, I was wedged between the driver's seat and the door, where I felt safe but could still have Foster Daddy pet me. That helped calm me down somewhat, even though I talked and talked.

They brought me into their house, and I saw and smelled the other cats (and hissed at them). I was scared about being in a house, but I didn't struggle much. They took me to the office room (computer room), where there was a litter box already set up, and brought in food and water bowls. I ate a few bites, then huddled under the computer desk.

Later on, Foster Mommy came in to type, and she brought another kind of food. This new kind smelled like what I'd had before, or at least smelled like food to me, so I gobbled it up from its little container. Foster Mommy was so happy that I ate something, because I'm really skinny (and a bit dehydrated). Later on, I drank a lot more water, ate a lot more, and used the litter box, then curled up on a fabric-covered binder that I found on the floor.

Saturday, Foster Mommy and Foster Daddy each spent time with me. Foster Mommy especially spent a lot of time in the room, and she brought in her cereal. I'd never smelt it before, but her soymilk seemed yummy enough that I jumped up on the computer desk to try to steal it. She petted me, and I curled up in her lap for the first time and purred. When she came in again to type for longer, I hopped up again on her lap for more cuddles and petting. Today, I even sat on Foster Daddy's lap for a few minutes while he petted me.

Here is my description:

Female tortoiseshell/tabby (torbie), approximately 8 months old.
Left ear recently cut to mark her as a spayed feral.
Recently spayed.
Flinches when left ear tip or spay area is touched.
Loves to be petted and held, will let you pick her up by her front shoulders. Loves chin scritches and neck rubs.
Very talkative, wanting someone in the room with her all the time.
Hisses at the other cats when they peek under the door at her or put their paws under.

Was found in the vicinity of the Franz Bakery in Portland, OR, on 5/20/11. Had been hanging around for at least 2 weeks before she was caught. Was fixed within the last 2 months, probably.

I am definitely NOT feral!

No one has put up flyers or put ads in the paper or on websites about me, so I was probably written off as a feral.

If you or someone you know would like to adopt me, please leave a comment here so my foster parents can contact you. We are asking for a small adoption fee, the name of the vet you use, a brief history of your pet ownership, and (if you're in the area) a home visit where I would come to your home to meet you and check out the place for potential hazards (electrical wires, plastic bags, string, etc.) to see if I would be the right cat for you.

I'm only adoptable to an inside-only home. No more running the streets for me.

Here's a nice slideshow that Foster Mommy put together for me. Feel free to share it with any potential adopters.

Slideshow made with Smilebox

Feral Friday: Update on Leopard

2011-05-13T13:15:00.000-07:00

Leopard:

I came by this morning and surprised the lady! Well, she surprised me, too! I was pawing at the food place, trying to get some food out of the space in-between the boards where it had fallen, and looked up and there was the lady. She put more food out, but I decided to come back for it later. I had my kittens, but I'm not telling where my nest is. I may bring them by when they're old enough to come to the food place.

Mommy's kitty tattoo!

2011-05-13T13:08:00.000-07:00

Mommy got a kitty tattoo yesterday, in memory of Skylar & Lydia! A friend picked her up from the house, and when she came back she was wearing a bright blue bandage. She smelled funny, but she wouldn't let us sniff the bandage closely. Later on, she took it off and then we could see the design! Wow, it looks like them, and like Freya & Heimdall, too!

Concept drawing by one of Mommy's friends, based on a design Mommy suggested.

Transferred to Mommy's right arm just below her shoulder.

Outline tattooed, and then the final tattoo.

Almost-Wordless Wednesday: Portland Pet Expo!

2011-05-11T04:14:00.000-07:00

Tabby writes:

Last Saturday, I went to the Portland Pet Expo with Mommy, Erin, & JJ. We had a blast! I got to see lots of doggies and I also saw lizards and snakes! Plus, there were a lot of people who wanted to say hi to me and pet me. I stayed in my stroller most of the time, relaxing but watching everyone and everything.

Slideshow design made with Smilebox

Therapy Cat Tales from 5/4/11

2011-05-04T21:58:00.000-07:00

Tabby writes:

Wow, today was so warm that I didn't need my extra coat! I had a snuggle blankie, though. On the first bus, I heard about a cat who went through a dryer and lived, and one that didn't. Please be careful that your pets don't get into your laundry as it's going into the washer or dryer! The first bus driver wasn't sure he could let me on the bus in my stroller, so he kept on calling his boss on the radio to make sure it was ok to have me riding in my zipped-up stroller. He'd never seen a stroller designed specifically for pets before. On the second bus, I heard all about a bird that lived at a nursing home. It would fetch slippers, put itself in "time out", and greet all the residents by name. Wow, that's one smart bird!

I met some new friends today, and one lady came down from her room on another floor specifically to visit with me! I sat on laps, made nests on beds, and got lots of pets, chin scritches, and tummy rubs. Yay! I was kind of sad, though, because a couple of my friends didn't want to visit with me today. Mommy and S. asked them if they'd like to see me, and they said, "No, not today." G. didn't know I was there to visit with her. She thought that S. was asking if I was her cat, rather than asking if she'd like me to visit. When we left, the receptionist thought that I might not be feeling well because I curled up in a fur circle in my stroller. Mommy tried to explain that visiting takes a lot out of me, but we don't think the receptionist quite got the idea. No, I wasn't sick, I was just very tired!

After we got off the last bus, I jumped out of the stroller and walked alongside Mommy, looking at the grass, road, sidewalk, marsh, and everything else around me. I walked a long way! Mommy took some good pictures of me, and the tip of my tail was wagging in excitement!

We're almost home! *sits up big and tall in the stroller*

Wow, what's that car doing? I know I'm safe on the sidewalk!

Ready to walk again

Relaxing in the sunshine

Shadow's diary from Catster

2011-05-03T22:46:00.000-07:00

Shadow writes:

As our family moves from Catster to Cathugger, we are each publishing our previous diary entries here so that we will still have them and others can read them if they like. These entries are mostly previous to the creation of "Furry Tails of the PDX pride", and are from earliest to latest, organized by cat.

Watch out for flying cats!

April 25th 2007 4:43 pm

The she in the green house saw me out on the porch and fed me a little bit ago. I got the shock of my life! I knew there were others like me in the house, because they sometimes come to the door to check me out and I can smell them (and their used litter). One of them has even come out the door once and started to eat my food. This time, a huge cat (I think it was the same one who ate my food) flew at me from inside while I was eating!!!!!!!!! I ran one way, it ran the other, and started eating grass. Outside is supposed to be my domain, not that cat's! The she picked up the offending cat and put it inside, then told me it was safe to come back to eat again. She tried to pet me, but I only let her stroke me once.

A few minutes later, I saw two other cats coming towards me and the porch. I thought they were going to eat my food, so I ran a little ways away and watched them intently. I saw the he watching from the door. After they were gone, I came back and finished.

I AM eartipped!

May 4th 2007 6:07 pm

The she in the green house just got confirmation from the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon that I am eartipped according to state guidelines! Yay! That means that I have been spayed, and had all my first shots. My she is so happy for me! :)

Thanks, Catster!

May 8th 2007 1:20 pm

Wow, I'm one of the picks for Diary of the Day! Thank you! My she got me a new food bowl, white with multi-colored paw prints on it, that I absolutely love, but the best thing in the world is having a porch to stay at and people to care about me. :) *purrs*

Tagged!

May 23rd 2007 7:08 pm

1. I am eartipped on my right ear.
2. I live under the porch.
3. I always think the he is out to get me when he comes to put the trash outside.
4. I meow at the door and paw the door for food.
5. I'm friends with most of the other neighborhood cats.
6. No one knows where I came from.
7. I wander the neighborhood.

The rules: Each player starts with seven random facts about themselves. Cats who are tagged need to write on their own blog about the seven things and the rules. You need to choose seven cats to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment that they have been tagged and to read your blog.

Tagged cats:
Paddy
Moose
Elliot J. Somers
Tangie
Mario
Kotek
Merlin

Getting used to my humans

May 25th 2007 12:40 am

I'm getting used to my new human family! I love them now! Erin comes out and takes pictures of me, and I love posing for pictures as long as she doesn't have the thing right up to her eyes so she looks like a scary monster (I think the camera up to her eyes turns her into one). Daddy is funny when he sees me through the door/window he taps on it until I look up and waves at me with a goofy grin on his face, and he talks to me constantly when he's outside taking out the trash (doesn't want me to run from the trash monster). Mommy always calls for me when she puts the food out. They're great.

In the house? Maybe later?

June 7th 2007 12:05 am

When Daddy went to work this evening, I was outside by the front porch to say goodbye to him. I always know when he's leaving or coming back from work, and drop by to say hi. :) He waved and talked to me, but I was on my way to the back porch to be fed. Mommy was there, but I beat her to it, and was meowing at the door. I didn't run when she opened it like I usually do, but stared into the space, trying to figure out if I was brave enough to venture in. I walked around a little bit, trying to decide, then put one paw over the frame. Nope, didn't want to go in today. Mommy, this is what I want! (pawed the food bowl) She bent down to try to coax me over, but I stood my ground this time. Suddenly, my eyes got wild again for a minute, and Mommy turned around to see Skylar crouched right behind her, not wanting to come out this time (no food in the dish for him to guard from me, I guess), just watching me and checking me out. She closed the door to get the food scoop, and opened it with Carbon looking out the door at me! Carbon doesn't want to come out and play, because he's as scared of outside as I am of inside, but we had fun communicating in our non-sound little way, sniffing and body language. Then the big outside tom who's my best friend came, and I greeted him happily, rubbing along him because he's my bestie, and we ate together.

Two paws inside!

June 19th 2007 12:41 am

Two days late writing this entry because Mommy hasn't had time to be meowed to until now.

I went two paws inside! :) Houses are scary, but I think it'll be ok. The cat who flew at me before, Skylar, was coming to see me as I was thinking about coming inside, so Erin put him into another room and closed the door. I looked around, just to make sure he was gone, then cautiously put one paw over the doorframe. I looked up at Erin to see if this was ok to do, then put my other front paw inside. Uh oh! Black and white cat alert! I thought it was Skylar, and ran back outside, but my nose told me it was another cat who just looked like Skylar. I haven't officially met this other cat, so I was being safe and ran. Erin told Mommy and Daddy, and they all are so proud of me for adventuring in!

A close call!!!

February 11th 2008 11:37 pm

Spongebob and I had a close call on Friday! Karen was just leaving the house, and we were across the street. Of course, we came running to say hi, and I rolled over on the street because I was so happy! :) We got to the other side of the street after greeting her, then realized she wasn't following. A truck was a couple houses away, but Spongebob knew he had time to get back across before it got there. I didn't look (! I usually always look!), just followed along behind Spongebob, and Karen shouted and waved. Luckily, the lady driving the truck was paying attention and slowed down, but it was too close and shook up all involved. Karen made sure to call Scott and watched while he put food out and we went and ate. Karen called us goofs for almost getting hit! I'm so glad she was there to protect us! *shudders*

A shaken up
Shadow Kitty

Interlopers!

October 28th 2008 1:00 pm

I thought these new ones would be gone soon, so I didn't think much of sharing the porch with them. But now it seems they're here for good! They eat from MY food bowl, drink from MY water bowl, and barge in when it's MY turn to be on the porch! Mommy lets them inside and pets them, so I guess they're ok, but they can be annoying. She calls the little ones Baby Chiba, Fluffy Girl, and Smokey, and the mama one Mama Chiba. I tolerate them, but I also have to show them who's boss. I've hissed, swatted, told them off, but still they keep coming back! I don't mind when the other ferals eat there, hey, we all have to have a food source, but these other ones have another home. Why do they need to eat here?

The white stuff is here again!

December 14th 2008 8:16 pm

Oh no! When I woke up this morning, the cold white stuff was coming down from the sky! I have to jump through it or plow through it, because it's up to my tummy. I came and ate this afternoon, but the snow had almost completely covered the food bowl. NOT HAPPY!!! When the lady opened the door and called to me, I actually came in to the kitchen a little ways, then saw Tabby and headed back out. She put Tabby in another room, then opened the door again. I came in about a foot, but didn't feel comfortable staying inside. At least I was warmer for about two minutes while I stood there, though! She put food in a protected area of the porch, on the bottom of a shelf that's under the kitchen window, so we'll have food still during this storm.

We now have a blogspot!

January 29th 2009 6:21 pm

We now have an actual blog! You can read it here. Of course, we're still going to be updating our Catster diaries as well.

Not seen

March 3rd 2009 1:06 pm

The people in the green house haven't seen me for over a week. I may be coming when they're not looking, but they usually see me out and about. SpongeBob's been around, but not me.

I'm here

March 4th 2009 7:04 pm

Mommy saw me this afternoon. I'm doing fine, just very hungry. She thinks I may have been hiding from all the construction people.

Breakthrough!!!

September 29th 2009 2:49 am

Yesterday I had a great idea! The other people who feed me and take care of me haven't been around as much, so when I went over to the green house for my usual meal I stared at the lady for a while without eating. She figured I wanted some water, so she came out with the mug to fill the bowl. Nope, that's not what I wanted, but I head-butted the mug to tell her that I appreciated the thought. She asked me what I wanted, and I rubbed up against the porch step then stared right at her. Finally, she got the idea!

I let her put her hand up to me, and then sniffed it and arched my back a little. She put her hand on my soft fur and petted me ever so gently. We were both shy about me being petted, but she was gentle and I turned around and around to be petted on both sides and my back. I even let her pet all the way from the back of my ears to the tip of my tail!

Then, finally, after about 5 minutes of me allowing her to pet, she said she had to go back inside. I didn't want her to stop petting me, so I followed her up the porch. She pet me one last time, and then went back inside. I stared at the door, wanting her to come back out again.

Later on, when I went back for my next meal, the man was there watching me from the door. I looked at him, then looked around for the lady. He said she had gone someplace else, but she'd be back later. Maybe today she'll be there and pet me some more?

Not quite sure what's going on....

December 29th 2009 12:11 am

I'm not quite sure what's going on. The people in the green house haven't been around as much as usual. A few days ago, they were trying to get me to eat out of this big green box, so I did. Not too bad, same food. Then today, as I was letting the lady pet me and was purring for her, she took the back of my neck and lifted me up, then tried to put me in the green box! I realized I was inside it when I was halfway in, stretched out my legs, and the lady was caught off-guard. She didn't close the door quickly enough, and I scratched her on the way out. I didn't mean to scratch, and I was very gentle, but I did leave marks. I just was so scared, and ran toward the back fence.

The lady said she was sorry and said she'd be back to pet me again in a few days. I love her, and love her petting me, but I wasn't at all sure what was going on today!

Spongebob (my friend cat who lives across the street from the green house) said the people in the green house may be moving. He went inside their house today, and called for their kitties to come out, but there were no other kitties inside anymore! The lady said they had all moved to their new house! She told Sponge that they want me to move with them. Maybe that's why she wanted me in that box?

Not going anywhere

January 14th 2010 1:42 am

The people in the green house haven't been around in a while. They don't come home anymore. Spongebob's dad, George, said they left a note with him that they really wanted to have me come live with them, but they would have to trap me to do that. They asked him to help them trap me. He hasn't called them back about it.

The lady who types my diary for me is the lady from the green house. I'll let her tell what's going to happen next.

Karen here:
We're going to let Shadow stay with Sponge & George, because she's happy there and she and Sponge are best buds. George will feed her and take care of her the best he can, and hopefully she'll learn to trust him more. Scott's going to go over and talk with him one of these next weeks and explain what techniques we were using to get her to trust us more, and so hopefully those will work for him as well.

It breaks my heart to give her up, just as it breaks my heart to give up the rest of the Trailer Kitties, but it's best for them to stay where they are. We'll never forget you!!!

Love,

Mommy/the lady who lived in the green house.

Trixi's diary from Dogster

2011-05-03T22:03:00.000-07:00

Trixi writes:

As our family moves from Catster/Dogster to Cathugger, we are each publishing our previous diary entries here so that we will still have them and others can read them if they like. These entries are mostly previous to the creation of "Furry Tails of the PDX pride", and are from earliest to latest, organized by cat (or dog, in this case).

I miss you.

November 10th 2006 11:46 pm

Trixie, it's been twenty years today since you died. I miss you so much! I still think of you as my sister, the only sister I ever had. I'm starting my own family now, of four fur kids and a soon-to-be-husband.

I remember how you were on the day we took you in to the vet for the last time. You were so sick, it hurt to look at you. Torn leg and scratched, bloody eye from trying to get the fleas away (you were allergic to them). Ear mites on top of the other things. Mom wasn't home when Dad and I came to get you, because she couldn't take the thought of seeing you leave. It was a Wednesday, and a school holiday for me because of Veteran's Day. Dad and I came and got you, and Dad had gotten you a whole bag of fresh green beans at the store. You gobbled them right up, your favorite! I cried, because I knew it was your last meal. I know you knew what was going to happen. I could see it in your eyes. You knew, and you were glad the suffering was going to end. You were 13 years old. Dad and I took you to Lieser for a run, and some rough-and-tumble play. We couldn't agree on who should play with you the most, because we both were going to miss you terribly.

We put you in the car with the seat down in back so you could ride with us, and you put your head down in between our seats in the front. Then, off we three went to the vet's. You walked in and sat down right by the counter, as you always did, and got a dog bone treat from the lady at the desk. One of my teachers, Mrs. Short, was there with her cat (for a regular appointment) and she came over and met you and gave Dad and me hugs. You, too, and you licked her back on her wrist. When your name was called, Dad and I went in with you and the vet took you with him to the back room. He came back with your collar and tags. Dad and I both cried so much that we couldn't leave for a few minutes, so we sat there in the office crying. Then we went out to the car and cried some more.

We still tell stories about you. I have one of my favorite pictures that Mom made into a magnet, on the fridge. It's from one of our many trips up to Mt. Hood, and we're coming back from filling your red plastic water bowl. I was about 5 or 6, so it was in the last two or three years of your life. We're looking at each other, probably talking, and you're smiling that doggy smile of yours that I loved.

Your people-puppy sister forever,

Karen.

My birth family

December 22nd 2006 8:54 pm

I know you're not supposed to start out an autobiography with "I was born", but so what! :)
I was born on St. Patrick's Day 1973. My mom was a beautiful Golden Retriever, and my dad was an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix. I had at least three siblings, one sister named Taffy who was all cream-colored, and one sister who was brown and white (typical Australian Shepherd) with different-colored eyes.
My first human family was really nice, but all the puppies were too much for them! I don't blame them; we were very rambunctious! They decided to adopt us out, and one of the first places they asked was the grocery store where they shopped: Grand Market in Vancouver, WA. Mom's human She took us to the store in a box and showed us off as soon as she could, and we met everyone! It was so exciting, and we got lots of pets and smiles and gave lots and lots of licks! One of the humans who worked at the store would always say hi to mom when she came with her people, and he said that he would ask his wife about getting a puppy when we were old enough.
When I was old enough to find a home of my own, the wife of the man at the store came to our house with one of her friends. Our She had just vacuumed, so I was hiding underneath the couch as far back to the wall as I could be. I hated that vacuum until the day I was died. The new Shes petted and played with all of us, and took Taffy and me in the car with them to a new house with a yard, trees, and a fence. The He met us at the door, and was quite surprised to see both Taffy and me. The Shes couldn't choose, so they surprised him with both of us. Neither of us had a name yet, but Taffy was named because of her fur coloration, and I was named "Trixie" after Trixie in the "Hi and Lois" cartoon strip.

Happy for Natalie puppy!!!

January 18th 2007 10:17 pm

My earth puppy friend Natalie got her new forever home today, and tomorrow's her 3-months woofday! What a great woofday present!!! Her first human mommy, Nancy, is going to keep her page on Dogster and keep everyone updated on how she's doing! WOOF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, Dogster HQ!

January 21st 2007 10:31 am

Thank you, HQ, for the honor of being Featured Diary of the Day! WOOF!!!!!

Tristan's in the hospital!

January 27th 2007 4:38 pm

Our little 4-year-old human friend is in the hospital! Please bark a prayer for him. Updates are in the forums under "Get Well Soon" and on Cadillac and Boots' pages in their diaries.

Tagged!

June 7th 2007 1:27 am

1. I am a bridge doggy.
2. I lived in Vancouver, WA, USA, with my Mom, Dad, and human sister.
3. I understood English and Norwegian, and did my tricks in either language.
4. I herded ants, making them stay on the sidewalk by putting my paws down between them and the grass.
5. My favorite food was green beans, and I would do every trick I could think of to get them, without even being asked to!
6. My Dad knew my doggie mom, and I got to go on visits to see her and one of my sisters/littermates.
7. I lived to the ripe old age of 13!

The rules: Each player starts with seven random facts about themselves. Dogs who are tagged need to write on their own blog about the seven things and the rules. You need to choose seven dogs to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment that they have been tagged and to read your blog.

Tagged dogs:
Bridget
Star
Coosa
Minuette
Rocko
Peanut
Harley

I've got wings now!

July 19th 2007 3:30 pm

Thank you so much, Kadie, and the A-Team, for my new wings picture! I love it. :)

Embarrassing cake story

December 21st 2008 11:56 pm

This happened in Spring 1985.

When my human “people puppy”’s great-grandma died, human Mom baked a chocolate cake to bring along for the gathering after the funeral. I knew I wasn’t supposed to eat it, and I normally was very, very, very, VERY good about leaving things alone (even food alone) that were on the counter. But that smell of freshly-baked cake was just too delicious to resist! I didn’t even touch the counter, just stood on my hind legs and bit just the tiniest piece off the corner of the cake! My human mom came back in the room and saw what I’d done, and I got a talking to, while licking my lips. I was ashamed, but it was so good! Human mom cut around the cake where I’d bit off, frosted it with a little extra frosting at that corner, and took it anyway!

Human mom vs. the cocker spaniels!

December 22nd 2008 12:06 am

Another time, I had gotten out to go play in the neighborhood, and human Mom went to look for me. Well, she found me alright, but I was surrounded by a pack (5 or 6) of cocker spaniels! Now, cockers are alright, as long as there’s only one or two of them, but they were nipping at me; this was too much and I wanted out of there! Mom saw my predicament, and went in screaming and kicking. It’s just a wonder she didn’t get bit! She was so afraid they’d bring me down that she went into the whole pack to save me!

It's my birthday!

March 17th 2009 9:10 am

It's my birthday today! I'm celebrating at the Bridge with my friends here, and watching my human grandma and my human uncle celebrate their birthdays on Earth. Sis and Dad are going to go out to dinner with Grandma and the family for birthdays tonight. For part of the drive to Grandma's house, Sis and Dad will probably tell "Trixie stories". That's their little tradition to keep my memory alive.

Happy Birthday to me and family!

March 17th 2010 2:54 am

Once again, it's my birthday! Happy St. Patty's Day, everyone! May the luck of the Irish be with you, even if you're not Irish. :)

Sis and Dad are celebrating Grandma's birthday tomorrow, but Sis will call her today and wish her a happy birthday. Same with Uncle Bill, who also shares today as a birthday.

When I was alive, I'd always get a bit of corned beef as a special treat on my birthday. I could smell it out, no matter how hard they tried to hide it! One time, I almost ate some foil because I was eating the beef out of the foil package, BOL!

Sis' cats do something I did, that makes her laugh every time. You know those trays from t.v. dinners? Well, that was a special treat for me. I'd get those after my people were done with them, usually from mac & cheese with spiced apples & green peas. I'd put my left paw in the spiced apple section and lick the tray clean on the other side. Then, I'd chase the tray around so that it was headed the opposite way and put my paw in the pea section and clean the rest of the tray. Then, of course, I'd lick my paw. I just LOVED those food trays! So do Sis' cats. Her husband puts the tray on the floor and they go crazy for it!

Lydia's diary from Catster

2011-05-03T21:40:00.000-07:00

Lydia writes:

As our family moves from Catster to Cathugger, we are each publishing our previous diary entries here so that we will still have them and others can read them if they like. These entries are mostly previous to the creation of "Furry Tails of the PDX pride", and are from earliest to latest, organized by cat.

I miss my snuggle buddy!!!

October 9th 2006 10:14 pm

My snuggle buddy (aka Scott) has been gone for two days now. Karen says he's on a trip to Idaho and will be coming back tomorrow. I'm going to ignore him when he comes back, to show him how mad I am that he's not here.
I had a substitute snuggle buddy this morning: Karen's head. I slept on her pillow curled around her head purring. Tabby was curled behind her knees, but I didn't want her there, so I told her to go away. I was too sleepy to put up much of a fight, though, so I went back to my pillow and ignored her.

Playing

October 14th 2006 11:10 pm

I decided to play with Tabby this morning. I usually stay away from her, since she's a little kitten (well, she used to be, so I treat her that way still). I wanted to play today, so I ran into the bedroom and hopped on the middle of the bed, then went to the side and chirped at her from the edge for a few minutes. She looked up, wondering what I was going to do, then I leaped down on her and let her chase me into the kitchen. I got bored, and swatted her, but it was fun until then. Sometimes I wish I could play more, but I'm too proper to do that a lot. The others play rough-and-tumble, and I want to keep my fur clean.

Gramma and Grampa came today, and I played with Gramma's shoelaces. They're fun to play with, and she didn't even notice right away! When she noticed, she took them away, but it was fun for a little bit, anyway. Scott and Karen like when I play, and encourage me to have fun. Scott played tails with me a lot this evening. That's the best game ever! Tabby played tails with Skylar's tail, and everyone was laughing because it was so fun. After Gramma and Grampa left, I moped around the house and snuggled with Karen. I like Grampa, and miss him when he leaves.

String

October 24th 2006 11:13 pm

Mom was playing with string today, and she wouldn't let me play. Bummers! :P She's making fleece blankets, and sewing them with string, so I jumped on the table to get closer to the string. She knew what I was going for, though, so I just lay down on the blanket. I got bored with that after a while, and sat on her pattern so she had to pay attention to me! The blanket was cozy.

Birthday notes

October 26th 2006 1:21 pm

We got our present: a "Crazy Circle". I love watching the little ones make fools of themselves trying to chase the ball around. I like the noise it makes, but haven't tried it yet. Even though it's my brother's and my present, we're letting Tabby and Carbon play with it most, because it's fun to watch them being silly. Skylar's tried it once, but mostly watched. There's pics of it on the others' pages, just not on mine because I was sitting on my basket watching, and that's too far away for a good pic.

Mom didn't change the kitty box on time today, so I was naughty and peed on the towels to show her it needed changing. She rubbed my nose in it! I'm mad now, but at least the box got changed.

Mom's sick

November 16th 2006 4:57 pm

Dad went away to that Idaho place again last Friday. Mom says he'll be back next Sunday. Gramma came for a long visit this time. She's one of my favorite people. I snuggled with her and gave her licks while she slept all the nights she was here. Mom got sick the last night Gramma was here, REALLY sick. We've all been very worried about her and snuggled with her on the couch when she's lying down. She's up right now, so we're doing our own things, but I'm waiting for her to lie down again so I can make her feel better.

Happy

November 25th 2006 8:23 pm

Dad and Mom are both back home. Mom came back smelling like turkey, but she didn't bring us any. Dad got us a big bag of food today, though, and my bro thinks it's all his.

Snow and Gramma

November 27th 2006 11:08 pm

It snowed today, and we got door time. Skylar and I wanted to go play in it, but it was just a bit too cold, so Mom wouldn't let us out. Gramma's here for two days, so I spent most of the day snuggled with her.

Snuggles for everyone

December 15th 2006 12:09 am

Mom's been really stressed lately, so I've been constantly snuggling on her lap to try and help her feel better. Today she was lying on the couch and I snuggled on her side. Yesterday, Jenelle and Tristan came over with a new person, and I knew the new person would be kind, so I went over to her and meowed. She didn't know what I was saying, so Mom had to translate. I wanted to sit on her lap, and she let me, so I snuggled with her. I was right: she is kind. I guess she lives with Jenelle and Tristan now and is Tristan's new babysitter.

Thank you, Secret Santa!

December 18th 2006 2:16 pm

A box came for Tabby and me today from our Secret Santas, from the same family. Dad put it right up by me, because it was my gift (well, both of ours, but he wanted me to know it was mine, too). Mom opened it for us, because it was taped. I got a kitty teaser and a white yarn puffy! I picked the yarn puffy out of the box myself, and Mom got a pic of me doing that! I love the kitty teaser (strings, meow!). We got a bag of Temptations treats each, and other fun toys, and a stocking each, but I was most interested in the two I picked out. Thank you, thank you, Secret Santa! *sleeping now, tired out from playing*

Summer was my Secret Kitty!

December 18th 2006 11:48 pm

Summer got my name for the Secret Kitty, and her brother and Tabby got each other's names!
I drew Toffy's name, but I don't think he's gotten his gift yet. I hope he likes it when he opens it!

Merry Christmas!

December 27th 2006 8:43 pm

Dad was very sick on Christmas. Not a nice gift to have! He's feeling better now, since we've all been snuggling with him to help him get better. Mom's feeling sick now, but not as sick as Dad was.
Dad felt better yesterday, and went out and got us our Christmas present. It's a new kitty house! I tried it out, sitting on the top nest, and then curling up for about five minutes in the bottom hollow. It's got two "rooms" besides the nest on top.

Tristan's in the hospital!

January 27th 2007 4:37 pm

Our little 4-year-old human friend is in the hospital! Please purrrray for him. Updates are in the forums under "Get Well Soon" and on Cadillac and Boots' pages in their diaries.

Uff! Medicine!

March 28th 2007 6:21 pm

I had to go to the vet today. I've been really hurting for a few weeks, but I've tried not to let on that I hurt, because I didn't want to worry anyone. Dad figured it out, though, and Mom took me in today. My right hind leg/foot hurts, and twitches unexpectedly. I was calm during my vet visit, even when they took my temperature (I didn't flinch at all!). Mom left me there for a couple hours while they tried to run tests and feel my leg to see what was wrong. They tried to take x-rays, but it was hurting so much that I protested. Didn't scratch, just told them in my no-nonsense way that it hurt too much. Mom came and got me, and gave me icky medicine for the pain and Clavamox for infection (my teeth are really bad, too). When Mom and Dad can afford it, they will take me in again for x-rays and a dental cleaning under anesthesia.

Hating my foot

April 19th 2007 2:30 am

I'm off my meds now, and still able to jump up into bed with Mom and Dad. Our friend Erin moved in with us, and I've been sitting with her sometimes, too. She took new pictures and video for our pages. Sometimes I need help to get up into the chair with Mom or Erin, but they help me without hurting me. Today, I sat with Mom while she was playing computer games, and figured out a way to sit where my foot was out straight and propped up on the computer keyboard shelf of the desk so it was stabilized. It'll be about two weeks before I can get into the vet for my dental and x-rays (doing all of it at the same time so I only need to be anesthetized once). It was going to be sooner, but Mom has to go to the dentist and have a root canal done, so that takes the money. She wishes it were the other way around and I could go in first, but Dad says no. Since Mom and I have both been hurting, we've been snuggling together. One day, she was sleeping and woke up to me climbing under the covers with her and curling up against the small of her back. Comfort to both of us. :) *purrs*

Tagged!

May 23rd 2007 6:55 pm

1. I hate being picked up or held.
2. My littermate Skylar and I have been together since we were born.
3. My favorite human is Dad.
4. I LOVE to snuggle!
5. Tabby chases me a lot.
6. I have my own sewing basket to rest on.
7. My favorite place to be petted and scratched is between my shoulderblades.

The rules: Each player starts with seven random facts about themselves. Cats who are tagged need to write on their own blog about the seven things and the rules. You need to choose seven cats to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment that they have been tagged and to read your blog.

Tagged cats:
Orbis
Justin
Stinky Sargent
Fawn
Bear
Nefertiti
Ellie

Funny snuggles!

August 31st 2007 11:18 pm

I usually snuggle under the covers with Mom and Dad, and purr and purr, falling asleep with my chin on a wrist or an arm. But today when they were napping, I first fell asleep with Dad under the blanket, snuggled against his arm, then woke up and went over to Mom and put my neck and head under her chin and fell asleep with my ear around her nose. I woke up, and she was breathing right into it! :)

Whaddaya mean it's my birthday?

October 26th 2007 5:06 am

*yawn* I'm going to go snuggle with Dad in a few minutes, but just thought I'd write a bit first. Skylar and I are 8 years young this morning; and, as usual, he made a big deal about it already, even though it's still really early. He came out and got pets and kisses from Mom. I got a few pets too, but preferred to sleep through it all. I get pampered every day, why should today be any different? Mom's taking us to the groomer's this weekend to get our fur done as our birthday present.

I hurt

December 6th 2007 11:06 pm

I went to see Dr. Bob (our vet) yesterday, and stayed there for almost the whole day. I was very groggy after they gave me my shot, and I don't remember a lot. When I woke up, my mouth felt funny but better, and I knew I would be better. Dr. Bob told Mom I have acute stomatitis, which means that I have chronic gum disease, probably a condition I'll have the rest of my life now. My teeth are very healthy, but my gums are very inflamed (looks like masses rather than tissue). I'm on steroid antibiotics now, going in for my first shot treatment for them in two weeks. I'm on pain medicine now, and supposed to be on Clavamox but the vet tech forgot so I get that starting tomorrow.

Mom's very sad and feels guilty for not taking me in earlier, but I headbutted her hand last night to tell her it was not her fault. She says hopefully I'll learn to be better about taking my medicine, and that she hopes I'll respond well to treatment.

I scared Mom and Dad!

January 17th 2008 12:35 pm

Mom took me into the vet this morning, because I had tarry poop and wasn't eating much or drinking much! I did have my steroid shot for my gums a couple weeks ago, and they are doing a little better, but then on Friday this other happened. I didn't have any energy either, and Mom could see I was very, very dehydrated!

Dr. Bob took blood samples, and my blood was almost as dark as my fur! VERY dehydrated! They gave me sub-q fluids and medicine for home for the next few days, and Mom got me canned food to get my weight up and get me eating again.

The original blood test for Felv/Fiv was negative, the only good thing about the visit. The other sample's being sent out and Mom will get a call when they get the results back.

Results of my blood test

January 18th 2008 5:35 pm

Mom got a call from the vet today, with the blood test results. I have a VERY high white blood count, off the charts as far as the vet's concerned! That means I either am having a very bad reaction to my mouth infection, or it may be the big C. I go in for another blood test on Monday morning to see if the white cell count is better, then we'll go from there.

I'm eating my special canned food really well, and tried to eat dry food but couldn't chew it. I love my canned food, though! My eyes, though still sunken, are brighter and I'm moving around a little bit better.

Doing a lot better!

January 24th 2008 6:15 pm

I've had to go into the vet's a bit more, for fluids and for more blood tests. The latest blood test (two days ago) came back with VERY GOOD RESULTS!!!!! My white blood cell count is almost back to normal! I'm not dehydrated anymore, my coat has returned to normal (actually better than normal, because of the oils from the canned food), and I've been eating and playing a lot.

The vet says I have to have at least four teeth pulled (back molars), because my infection was caused by my body rejecting my teeth! So, Mom and Dad are getting the estimates and deciding when to have that done for me.

Toothless me!

April 29th 2008 6:20 pm

My teeth are gone! I still have my canines (Mom's dad says it should be "felines", hahahahaha), but my other teeth are no more. Now my gums and mouth should be healthy, as should I overall, because they're not there anymore to reject!

It was raining today, but I missed most of it. It was dry on the stroll to the vet's, then I was inside all day. I was in the rain on the stroll back home, though, but Mom did her best with a cover over the stroller so not much rain made it in to me. Now, I'm home, a bit groggy still, in my spot on the top of the kitty tree, lady of the house once again.

I have medicine to take for a few days, and different food to eat (though I was so hungry when I got home that I started eating the crunchies right away, before Mom fixed my plate up). I know it's all for good, though, and I'm sure I'll feel back to normal, or better than normal, soon.

Mom and I had to laugh when we were going to go home from the vet's. There was a new vet tech there, who didn't know me, and she asked if I had a carrier. Rose said, "She has a STROLLER!!!" with a huge smile on her face. The new lady carried me out, and I hopped right in (of course), to her surprise! She said, "She knows where she's supposed to be!" Mom said, "Yep, and she loves her stroller."

Well, off to hide from Mom, medicine time!

Love,

Lady Lydia of the near-toothless mouth.

Mom's got a kitty job!

May 31st 2008 10:12 pm

Mom started her new job today, and she gets to hang out with cats and dogs three days a week! She came home smelling like dogs today, but they all smelled friendly. Of course, I had to check her hands and clothes to make sure. She is now working as a demo lady for a pet food, and goes to three different Petcos to tell people about the food. I'm not sure if the Catster HQ will let me say which food, so if you want to know you can p-mail me. I pawmise I won't give you the whole spiel, though!

Along with the money she gets for working, she also got a "sign-on bonus" of a whole bag of cat food, plus coupons for every month she works for them. We love it, because it's one of our favorite foods anyway! We're so happy that Mom's doing something she loves, with a company she loves and we love too!

Along with the normal brochures and cat food bags on the table, she gets to bring along pictures of us to share. Today she brought a picture of Tabby, but the frame broke because she accidentally dropped it showing it to someone. Now, she's got a sturdy red frame with fishies and "MEOW" on it, which is purrfect for a picture of Carbon! Eventually, she'll have pictures of all of us on the table with her at work, so she'll feel like we're there even though she can't take us to work with her.

I'm dying :'(

October 11th 2008 12:31 pm

I was throwing up a lot yesterday and this morning, and have lost a lot of weight, so Mom and Dad took me to the doctor today. I have a mass about the size of an egg between my liver and my stomach, and have lost over 2.5 lbs. The doctor gave me an antibiotic, fluids, and took bloodwork samples.

Mom and Dad were crying buckets, and decided to wait until we get the results of the bloodwork back. When I got home, I was up on the couch and let my bladder go, having no control over it right then. Dad put me on the floor, and I just lay there. Mom put a special blanket down for me, and I walked over to it to lay on it, and she wrapped me in my yellow blankie. That's where I am right now, and Mom took a picture (it's my main pic now).

When the bloodwork results come in, Mom and Dad will decide exactly what to do. They want to be sure it's not anything else, but right now it's 99% certain it's cancer. They don't want me to suffer anymore, so they'll make the tough decision, but they want to have the results back before they say for sure.

The other kitties know, and they've been coming to check on me, especially my brother and Rori. My brother even snuggled with me and groomed me.

Update: 3:00 pm Saturday

October 11th 2008 3:03 pm

I threw up again, not as much as before, but it still racked my body. I fell over twice, and had to have Mom help me to stay upright so I wouldn't choke on my vomit. I lay down again afterward, and Mom lay down right by me so I could be petted and have a hand to rest my chin on.

Now, Carbon's curled up where Mom was, resting by me so I won't be alone. I'm resting, not sleeping, just taking it easy. I don't have much energy at all.

Update: 10:30 pm Saturday

October 11th 2008 10:51 pm

Mom made fish, but I wasn't even interested in the smell enough to lift my head. She put a small bite by me, but I didn't lick it. She also put some water there, and I sniffed it, but didn't drink any. Rori came over and sniffed me, then tentatively reached out a paw for the fish. I let her take it. She tipped the water over drinking it, so Mom put a new pee pad down. When she lifted me onto it, I lay down, but my front legs were too weak to put them in the right spots. Mom straightened them out for me, and I lifted my head and looked at her, meowed once, then put my head down again.

Carbon and Rori have each been spending time by me, letting me know they love me. I had to pee, so I meowed loudly to let Mom and Dad know beforehand. I don't have the energy to clean up after myself, let alone go to the box.

Mom made some very watery canned food, put it in a bowl, and tried feeding me with a syringe. I got about 1/2 ml in my mouth, and swallowed. That was in three tries, but at least it was something. Mom and Dad's friend Kellee, a vet tech, talked to them on the phone and said to try that, so we tried. Kellee's going to come tomorrow (out of town today) and see me, see if there's anything she can do to make me more comfortable until Monday.

Skylar kept on stealing the watery food out of the bowl when Mom was trying to feed me!

Update: 8:00 am Sunday

October 12th 2008 8:22 am

I made it through the night, and am awake, moving my head around. I tried to switch how I was lying (currently on my tummy with my paws under me), and rolled over, but got back to my current position. When Dad left this morning to deliver firewood, I looked at him. He woke Mom up so she can watch over me. Tabby and Rori came and said hi to me. They don't know what's going on, but they're concerned. Skylar knows, of course; brothers always know.

Update: 9:00 am Sunday

October 12th 2008 9:05 am

Mom went to try to syringe-feed me watery canned food, and I wanted to get up. She watched me walk, and I went in to the bathroom and peed in the litter box! I collapsed on the floor afterwards, but that made her happy that I accomplished that. She picked me up and brought me back to my spot, fed me one syringe full of food, and now I'm curled up resting again. I cleaned myself sometime during the night, because I don't have vomit on me anymore.

Update: 3:30 pm Sunday

October 12th 2008 3:27 pm

Thank you, everyone, for your kind p-mails, rosettes, and gifts. We appreciate and love every one of you!

I gave myself a bath for my face and ears, with Mom and Dad supervising to be sure that I wouldn't fall over. I've been resting, mostly. Skylar's been sitting with Dad, comforting him, since I can't sit on his lap right now.

Update: 3:45 pm Sunday

October 12th 2008 3:57 pm

Mom put the watery food by me, and I got up and walked over to where Dad was on the couch. I hopped up by him and lay down to snuggle, but then felt that I had to go pee. I meowed to let them know, and Mom picked me up and put me on the pee pad. I went pee as soon as she put me there, kind of flopping a little (no bladder control again). Then Mom fed me almost a syringe full, getting most of it in my mouth with two tries. Very weak, no attempt to clean the food that missed off my fur.

Update: 5:30 pm Sunday

October 12th 2008 6:08 pm

My friend Kellee, a vet tech, is over with us now. She has been out of the state for a week, or she would've come by sooner. She checked how I was doing, and agreed with Mom and Dad. She said that, if nothing comes up in the bloodwork, that she can be the one to "put me to sleep" at her clinic and take care of all arrangements. They all cried buckets at that.

I was able to hop up in Dad's lap again and snuggled with him and with Mom petting me for about an hour. Then, I jumped down and went into the bathroom, didn't try for the box, didn't need to go pee, just wanted to be in there on the cool linoleum floor. Mom picked me up and brought me back out, under vociferous protests from me. Once she put me on the pee pads, I stayed there, and am there now, resting.

Update: 7:15 pm Sunday

October 12th 2008 7:14 pm

Mom gave me 3 ml of the watery food, in two syringes. I took most of the first syringe without spilling it.

Update: 11:30 pm Sunday

October 12th 2008 11:32 pm

Mom just syringe-fed me 4.5 ml. She had to force some of it a little, but I'm not too upset with her. She gave me a blankie again to curl up in.

Update: 12:15 am Monday

October 13th 2008 12:14 am

My brother just came over, sniffed my head, walked around the house, came back and sniffed my head and licked me again. Mom and Dad worry how he's going to react. Already he's acting a bit lost.

Update: 7:00 am Monday

October 13th 2008 7:03 am

Mom syringe-fed me 3 ml in one syringe. Rori came over and sniffed my tail, and I looked at her. Last night, Sara sat within two inches, nose to nose with me. It looked to Mom like we were having a heart-to-heart talk.

I'm curled on top of my blankie now. I gathered it together, making a little nest out of it, and slept that way in the night.

Thanks for all the purrs, rosettes, and stars. We really apuuurrrrrciate it!

Update: 10:30 am Monday

October 13th 2008 10:41 am

Mom syringe-fed me 3 ml of watery food. She had to put Skylar and Sara into the bedroom, because they were trying to get to the bowl. She's been giving the bowl to the others after she's done feeding me my portion. She gives me what's in the syringe, but always offers me the bowl, too, even though she and I both know that I won't eat from it. Rori ate a little from the bowl while Mom was feeding me, then sniffed the syringe. She also hopped up to the sink when Mom was cleaning the syringe after feeding me, then sniffed it once it was clean. She's trying to figure out what's going on, but doesn't get it.

Goodbye, my friends! I love you all! >^..^

October 13th 2008 1:58 pm

Mom just heard from my doctor, with the bloodwork results. It's definitely cancer, my results are all over the place: protein at 1.6, red blood cell count at 8%. Doctor Conradi says she can't believe I'm still breathing, that I made it through the weekend!

We've made my appointment for 3:00 pm today, just a little over an hour from now. We're going to my vet for it. Mom's taking me, and Dad's going to meet us there. They're going to bring my body back and bury me in the backyard. Mom wants to plant flowers there, because I love flowers so much.

Love,

Lydia.

Death and Burial

October 13th 2008 6:24 pm

Lydia, sweet one, your death day was beautiful: bright sunshine, not too cold. We told everyone to go say goodbye to you, and they all, one at a time, went over near you. I carried you out to the truck wrapped up in a blankie, and you looked around and meowed. Little Smokey kitten from two doors down heard you, and he and Mommy Chiba came running to see. They watched the truck drive away from the house. You lay down on my lap, very interested in what was out the window. You meowed and peed on me because you had no bladder control, but we understood. Your dad and I petted you as we drove to the vet. At one point, you hopped up and looked out the window, fascinated at the cars in the parking lot we went by.

When we got to the vet, we took you inside. There was another cat there, waiting to get a checkup, with two little girls. They thought you were so beautiful, and we told them it was your last day. You meowed at the cat and at one of the resident kitties and looked around. Your dad started crying and had to sit down. I held you and cried.

We went into the room, and I set you down on the table. You immediately hopped down to the floor and lay in the corner. Your dad and I petted you, and told you we loved you, and how much we would miss you. You got up and walked around, while we cried and petted you. You meowed a few times, especially when you heard the other cats meowing. We picked you up to see if you wanted to be on our laps, but you wanted down so we let you be there. We kept on telling you how we loved you and we didn't want you to suffer anymore. I know you understood.

The doctor came in and took you into another room. She gave you sleepy medicine, and then the shot. You went peacefully, just as we had hoped you would. She made a pawprint in clay for us, and brought it and your body into the room where we were. I burst out crying again when I saw your body, and couldn't even look at the pawprint. She put your body, wrapped in the blankie, on my lap, and I just held it, warm but so still. We sat there for a few minutes, then picked up your body and went back home.

When we got home, we unwrapped your body, placed it and the blankie on the floor, and brought the other cats, one by one, to it so they could sniff and know what had happened. Rori wouldn't come, so we moved your body over to her. She sniffed, and then walked away, then came back and sniffed again. I got scissors and cut a little bit of your fur to keep.

Your dad dug a hole in the backyard, and I brought your body out there. Little Smokey kitten, Baby Chiba kitten, little fluffy girl kitten, and Mommy Chiba were out there watching, and Mommy Chiba sniffed your body. The kittens were too interested in playing with the dirt to realize what was going on. Your dad curled your body up in the hole like you were snoozing, and we each shoveled dirt on top. We put the old dishwasher on top of the dirt so that Seven doggie next door wouldn't come over and dig it up.

Your brother is very sad, too, and he's snuggling with us. He didn't want to eat any of my fish sandwich. He misses you. Tabby's very subdued, too.

We love you and miss you very, very much, sweetie. You are forever in our hearts. Thank you for the love, memories, and snuggles of the past three years. It is almost three years to the day since I adopted you, sweetheart. Too short, but it was time, and you are at peace now.

Love,

Mom Karen and Dad Scott.

Thank you everyone

October 18th 2008 11:59 pm

Mom's not able right now to send out thank yous individually, maybe after a while. But she has read all your rosette notes, gift notes, p-mails, forum posts, etc.

From Mom:
Thank you so much, from all of our family. It helps, knowing that you care and that you cared for Lydia, even though you never met her "in the fur". Eventually, I'll post a couple things that people have sent to me that are especially meaningful, but I can't do that right now. Just thank you to everyone, and know that your caring and friendship eases this burden of grief.

Thanks,

Karen (Lydia's mom).

Happy birthday, sweetie

October 26th 2008 1:24 am

Today would be your ninth birthday. Skylar is celebrating by snuggling in my lap, acting like you used to. He, your dad, and I are still grieving. In some ways, I wish you'd made it the almost two weeks to today, but we knew it was time to let you go. Today I will bake the clay pawprint the vet made on your last day.

Happy birthday

October 26th 2009 12:44 am

Thinking of you on your birthday, sweetie. Thank you for sharing your life with us and accepting the move, our home, and our love. Thank you for the three years we had with you, and for being the best "big kitty" ever! You trained Rori well, and she has taken over where you left off, growing into her role this past year and guarding the household & caring for everyone just as you did.

Your brother's celebrating his 10th birthday with snuggles on Daddy's lap, in the spot that he knows you used to occupy. He took it over when you left for the Bridge. His new companion, Starla, used to live outside and you met her a few times through the door. She's a lot like you in personality, though submissive instead of alpha. She's a total snuggler, just like you were once you knew someone.

Miss you, love!

-- Mom.

Skylar's diary from Catster

2011-05-03T05:10:00.000-07:00

Skylar writes:

As our family moves from Catster to Cathugger, we are each publishing our previous diary entries here so that we will still have them and others can read them if they like. These entries are mostly previous to the creation of "Furry Tails of the PDX pride", and are from earliest to latest, organized by cat.

Mad

October 11th 2006 1:42 pm

I don't know what's wrong with my humans lately. They are mad at me all the time for some reason, and I can't figure out why. I want to play with Scott, so I curl up when he leaves the couch so that he can play with me when he comes back, but he yells at me and claps loud above my ears. Scott sure spends a lot of time on the couch, and when he gets up he can't walk right. I heard them talking, and saying something about knee surgery and physical therapy, but that makes no sense to me at all. I try to be supportive because he seems sleepy a lot, so I sit on his chest or in the window. I've jumped down onto him a few times yesterday and today, but I just get yelled at again and spanked. I try to tell Karen that I'm just trying to play with Scott, and that I'm sorry for whatever it is I did, but I don't think she understands. I think I'll go lie on the bed and keep out of their way. Maybe Tabby will come over and snuggle with me and clean my ears. She's good at that.

Calm

October 12th 2006 4:19 pm

I got to snuggle with Scott today. He's not mad anymore, so I've forgiven him. He told me not to stand on his chest anymore, so I'm lying down on it being petted and purring.

Contest

October 15th 2006 7:13 pm

Please vote for me. http://www.catster.com/show06/vote_pet.php?i=398277

Cheese!

October 24th 2006 11:10 pm

Dad gave us cheese today, while Mom was sleeping. We each got a little chunk. Yum! Gramma was here for the weekend, and I slept on her feet each night. She called Mom tonight, and I hopped up on the couch when I heard her voice. Mom had grilled cheese sandwiches tonight, and Dad dropped a big piece of cheese on the floor. Guess who got to it first?! :) No one else even had a chance.

Happy Birthday to Me (and Sis)

October 26th 2006 1:16 pm

We got our present! It's a "Crazy Circle", and I want the ball OUT! Carbon and Tabby have been playing with it the most, even though it's Sis and my present, but that's ok. Our turns will come. It's just fun watching them right now, and Sis and I are staring at them trying to get the ball out. We watched them for two hours straight already! There are pics up on their pages of them playing with it. When it's our turn, Mom'll take pics of us playing with it, too. You can see me watching in one of the pics, and that one's on my page.

Gramma's visit

November 16th 2006 5:03 pm

Gramma came again for a long visit. Dad's gone to Idaho again for a while. I love having Gramma visit, because we get yummies! She got Chinese food this time, and Jenelle and Tristan came over for dinner. I got up in the window and made my way to right behind Tristan's head and waited for my opportunity to snag some food, but Mom saw me and picked me off the couch. I tried again a few more times, but she saw me each time. Later on, Gramma said the "T" word (TUNA!) and I got all excited, but we didn't get any. Since Gramma had said it, though, Mom had to give us a treat, so we got some orange chicken. Lydia didn't want hers, so I got to eat it instead. I think Tabby got Carbon's 'cause he just plays with it and licks it. The only human food he likes is cereal. Weird cat! Mom's been sick for a couple days, and so I've been better at not begging so much for food because I don't want to wake her up when she needs her sleep. It's hard to wait until she's awake, though. She thanked me and carried me around when she got up this last time, because I've been so good about it.

Torturing Mom

November 19th 2006 6:27 pm

Mom's feeling a lot better now, so I'm back to driving her nuts. This morning, I kept uncovering her when she wanted to sleep. She even had to put the sheet up over her head so I couldn't get to her! I just wanted to play! *whines* Then, I kept racing around the house and pawing her lap when she was sitting at the computer. I wanted to play and no one else wanted to play at all, so I was just bored! Dad's coming home tomorrow, and then things will be a lot more fun. I've missed him.

Big food!

November 25th 2006 8:16 pm

Dad and Mom went to Fred Meyer's today and got a lot of groceries. Dad got me this HUGE bag of food! It won't even fit in the cupboard, it's so big! I'm trying to be patient and wait until it's opened, but I wander in and rub my head against it.

My new outfit

November 27th 2006 11:06 pm

It snowed today, for the first time this season, so Mom has decided it's time for our winter clothes. She went to our store (the pet store) and got me a Santa Claws outfit, and Tabby a red sweater. I didn't mind her putting my Santa outfit on, but the velcro scratched me a little. She apologized for that, though, and gave me cuddles. I do look handsome in it, but she'd better not try putting a hat on me.

We had door time during the snow, and I wanted to go outside and play in it. I loved to play in the snow when I was an outdoors cat.

Oh, and Mom opened the big food and we got some of it.

I got my Secret Santa Kitty gift!

December 12th 2006 3:25 pm

Thank you, Secret Santa Kitty!!! My gifts are wonderful! Wow, all the way from Britian, too. I guarded them when they came, and then let Tabby and Carbon play with them a little bit, too. Lydia watched. Tabby also loved the wrapping paper, but she started eating it so it had to go away. Pics will be up as soon as Dad hooks up the regular computer again. The pink ball is a definite hit, and Tabby carries the feather mouse around everywhere while I stalk it and try to get it away from her. The cat grass is going to be yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chase got his gift!

December 18th 2006 11:38 pm

My little buddy Chase got his Secret Kitty gift from me, and has got pics up on his page! It's so cute! I'm glad he loves his crinkle sack. :)

My gifts were from The Drifter. Thanks so much!

Catnip Christmas!

December 27th 2006 8:38 pm

Mom hid the catnip from Carbon's stocking because she's going to give it to the shelter cats later. Somebody figured out where it was and tried to get to it. It was (and is) on top of the fridge, and whoever it is knocked down the cookbooks and a few papers. *wicked kitty grin* She still doesn't know for sure who it was!
Dad got us a new kitty condo. I like curling up in the bottom hollow and being cute. Today I was being very wild, one of my crazy days, but I took a two-hour nap in the hollow.

Snow walk!!!!!!!

January 16th 2007 8:55 pm

When Mom and Dad came home this morning from a friend's house (they had D-O-G smells on them!), Mom hooked Tabby and me into our harnesses for a walk. I hadn't been out in the snow at all last year, but before that I was an outside cat, so I was very excited. I just lay on the couch and let Mom buckle me into my harness, then watched her chase dingbat Tabby around to get her into hers so we could go. Even then, I wasn't sure Mom really was going to allow me out, until she picked me up and deposited me on the front porch!

I immediately started making little paw prints in the snow, Mom thought it was so cute! Then, I jumped off the porch and started exploring. Mom was holding dingbat's leash, and she wouldn't get off the porch and follow me, so I was stuck between the porch and the corner of the house. Lots of good smells there, though, and you can bet I explored every single one of them! Tabby was whining to go inside (her first time being out in the white stuff), so Mom let her in, and then I decided I was cold, too, and hopped on the porch and stared at the door, so Mom let me in. I got a nice towel dry and my harness off, and curled up very content on the couch in a little curly ball.

Tristan's in the hospital!

January 27th 2007 4:36 pm

Our little 4-year-old human friend is in the hospital! Please purrrray for him. Updates are in the forums under "Get Well Soon" and on Cadillac and Boots' pages in their diaries.

Decorating the restaurant!!!

February 1st 2007 11:46 am

Wow, when I started my restaurant, I had no idea it was going to be this huge of a success! We've already catered two parties, and now have three rooms plus the kitchen and the litter room. My whole family and I are getting ready for next week's painting/decorating party, a lot of work, but everyfurry's going to help out. Each room will be a different color, and the furniture will be painted. I've chosen the biggest cat tree I can find for the playroom, and it is HUGE! Also, Autumn requested hammocks, so there's one for the playroom and one for the Fireplace Room. If anyfurry (kitty or doggy) wants to join in the fun, the address is http://www.catster.com/group/grp_page.php?g=5310 or click here.

I'm just so excited about the success of the place that I'm running around like crazy!!! MEOWROWR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darn outside cat!

March 14th 2007 7:30 pm

There's three outside cats that have been eating MY FOOD! Well, the food that Mom feeds us out of our bag, anyway. She's been scooping it out for kitties outside, too. Today when she opened the door to feed the little black kitty, I walked right outside and started eating the food she put on the back porch. Well, it came out of MY FOOD BAG, so it's got to be mine. The little black kitty got scared, and I growled at it to make sure it knew who was boss in the house, then Mom picked me right up and put me into the house again and shut the door, and said "Naughty Skylar". Then she had the nerve to watch out the window and talk to the black kitty when it came back, and let it eat the rest of the food outside.

Flights to Freedom!

April 25th 2007 4:37 pm

I got out twice today! Mom was feeding THAT CAT, whom she's named Shadow, on the back porch, and I wanted OUT! I tried sneaking behind her, but she knew I was there. I fooled her and jumped up on the sink counter and took a flying leap over her head (she was bent down by the other kitty) to the porch. Shadow went one way, I went the other, and stopped at the edge of the steps to munch on grass. Mom came and got me, put me in the house, and convinced Shadow to come back up to eat.

Then, Dad went out the front door to check the mail, and I followed. I ran as fast as I could out to the grass, sat down, and continued munching. Dad got me and put me back in the house.

Just now, I put both paws up by the doorknob on the back door, trying to get out. How do humans turn the knob, anyway?

Lots going on!

May 2nd 2007 2:22 am

Thank you, Catster, for choosing me as one of the daily diary picks!

Let's see...hmm...busy the last few days!

1. Ashley Jay & Teal'c's wedding: My restaurant was the site for the bachelor party, and we also catered the wedding. My family, Aldo, and Sweet Secret served the buffet at the wedding reception.

2. Contest: My restaurant is giving away rosettes and stars to cookin' kitties. Sign up at the group forum. Open to doggies as well.

3. Detective agency: Keep those anonymous rosettes coming! Carbon was busted as the Butterfly Kitty, heeeheeeeeheeeee!

4. Cinco de Mayo celebration: Potluck at the restaurant on the 5th.

5. Shadow: Mom, Dad, and Erin have been feeding Shadow still. *sighs* I had to go out to defend my food again. One day, Tabby and I both accompanied Erin outside on our leads for a while and had fun playing with Shadow and the other outside kitty.

Food snatcher, ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May 2nd 2007 12:25 pm
Hahahahahahaha, I ran away with Erin's macaroni & cheese today! She made a mac & cheese tv dinner in the microwave, so of course I bugged her until I got some noodles. Then, when she was done, she set the tray down on the floor so I could lick it. I grabbed it in my mouth and ran under the bed with it. Erin had to crawl under the bed to get it when I was done eating! :)

Tagged!

May 22nd 2007 1:10 am

1. I love FOOD!
2. My littermate Lydia and I have been together since we were born.
3. My favorite human is Erin Dublin, Mom and Dad's friend who's living with us.
4. I hate my fur being brushed.
5. I throw up a lot.
6. I love lying in the middle of the living room floor.
7. I steal people FOOD.

The rules: Each player starts with seven random facts about themselves. Cats who are tagged need to write on their own blog about the seven things and the rules. You need to choose seven cats to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment that they have been tagged and to read your blog.

Tagged cats:
Simba
Orangey Orange Kitty Cat-Met
Julie
Khofu
Freckles
The Billybobs
Antigone

Horrific Day!!!

May 26th 2007 6:05 pm

Tabby's given her cold to me! I have sneezes now, too. Mom took Tabby and me to the V-E-T this morning. We rode in the big green carrier, on the bus. I'd never been on a bus before, and I got really scared. I was panting, drooling, and yelling my part-siamese head off! MREEOOOOOWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!! I threw up in the carrier when we finally got off the bus.

Then, we went into the V-E-T, and she checked us over. I've lost so much weight, they are really worried about me, and Mom had them give me sub-Q fluids to rehydrate me. Tabby and I both got meds for our colds, then the V-E-T took me into the back room and did a "senior exam" on me: urinalysis, blood tests, etc. I was very good throughout everything, but I was thinking "What?!? You're calling me OLD? I'm only 7, gee whiz!"

Mom called a cab for us to go back home in; she wasn't about to have a screamer on the bus the whole way again. I was good until I was almost home, then I pooped in the carrier two blocks from the house. I was MAD/SCARED at the whole thing!

I've got hyperthyroidism!

May 29th 2007 10:46 am

The vet just called Mom with my test results from Saturday, and I have hyperthyroidism! Explains why I have been dehydrated and losing so much weight. Mom cried a bit when she got off the phone. The only known treatment is to have radioactive iodine, which would cost a little over $1000. The other thing that could happen is that I can be on medication for the rest of my life, which would be about $35 a month plus bloodwork every 6 months. Mom and Dad are trying to decide what to do, but it looks like probably medication because of the costs. We would like to hear other kitties' experiences, please!

Hahahahaha she can't trick ME!

June 1st 2007 10:26 pm

*sings* I'm too smart for Mommy; I'm too smart for Mommy!

Mom picked up my hyper-T meds at the human pharmacy (boy, did they ever have fun with that!) and tried to give it to me a few minutes ago. She tried to disguise the half-pill by putting it in a piece of cheese dog, but i ate around it and licked the pill clean! She picked me up, took me over to a chair, and slid it in around my teeth like she used to do for Auntie Trixie, but I spit it out as soon as I got down! She finally caught me again (I thought I had it made and had escaped to the top of the couch, but she pulled me and my claws off there) and held me until I swallowed it. I held the thing on the tip of my tongue for the longest time, but finally I had to swallow and the nasty thing went down.

Ok, here's the pharmacy story! *nasty, evil laugh*

Mom had to pick up her medicine at Wal-Mart today, so when the vet called to ask which pharmacy she would like the prescription called in to (and human pharmacy at that), she said the same one. Hers was done first, then they called her up to the counter and she had to fill out the thing to enroll me in their system. Skylar, cat, age: 7, birthday: 10/26/99, sex: male. Then, when the scrip was ready, they called "Skylar" (although they spelled it with an e instead of an a because it was a call-in). She had to sign as "guardian" for it! Everyone got a laugh out of the whole thing!!! :) ;)

New addition to my family!!! :) :) :)

July 20th 2007 11:33 pm

I adopted a new mommy! She's living with my two humans, and I've decided she's my mommy instead of my adopted mom. :) Her name's Erin. I try to say her name, and I hope she can understand me meowing it to her. :) I LOVE her, and follow her everywhere! I talk to her from the moment she wakes up, follow her around the whole house. I even jumped in the shower with her once! I climb up the ladder to her bunkbed and snuggle with her, purring. My new mommy is 12 weeks 3 days pregnant, and I love to sit on her tummy right above the baby and purrrrrrrrrrr. While she's gone during the day, I make a nest out of her pink hoodie and curl myself up in it. I've trained her from the day from the day she moved in to feed me her food, and most of the time feed me FIRST. I'll even eat from the palm of her hand. She gives me CHICKEN! When I know she's cooking chicken or anything else I like in the microwave, I jump up on the counter and watch it go around and around. She gives me my own plate of food, especially Mexican shredded cheese. I once licked ice cream out of her mouth, my favorite: strawberry! Mommy Erin's favorite, too. Before she goes to sleep, I mark my territory by rubbing her wrist with my jaw. She makes kissy noises at me, and I come running. I hug her, putting my paws around her shoulders and my face in hers. When I can get to her, I wake her in the morning by putting my face into hers and purring. :) The reason I can't always get to Mommy Erin is because Dad works nights, so Mommy closes her door so that she and the unborn baby don't wake up when he comes home. Dad and my other Mom let Mommy sleep and try not to wake her up when her door's closed. But that means I can't go in and snuggle with her!

Dad thinks I'm only sucking up to her when I want food, but my other mom and my new mommy know better! They know I'm showing I care for my mommy. :) The one who I was calling my mom, Karen, Dad's girlfriend, she knows how I feel about Mommy Erin and she's fine with it. I LOVE my Mommy Erin!!! :) :) :)

I love my new vet!

July 25th 2007 12:32 pm

Mom and I took my stroller and me to the vet today! We went through the park, and I got to see squirrels, kids, humans, crows, trees, and smell all the wonderful outdoor smells. I sat straight up in the stroller and loved every minute of it! Not the loud traffic, though. I meowed at that in protest.

Once we got to the vet's, I was the most well-behaved gentleman. I meowed when we first got there, but then settled right down and not a peep. When we got into the exam room, I even let the nurse take my temperature without ANY protest!!! I did give a growl or two when they took my blood for the hyper-T panel, though. Mom could hear me from where she was sitting! We won't find out results for a couple days, but we'll keep everyone updated. In the meantime, the doc said I was doing well on my meds (which I'm taking without complaint, just clenching my jaw but nothing more).

I have a favorite chair now at the vet's, too. Mom got a pic of me relaxing on it with her camera phone. :) *purrs*

Blood work results

July 27th 2007 8:44 pm

Mom got the blood work results back yesterday from the vet, and my thyroid levels are still high (6.4) but no other systems have been impacted. The vet's increasing my medicine dose to one pill morning and evening (instead of half a pill each time), and a full panel recheck in a month. So, so far so good.

News!

August 31st 2007 12:15 pm

Mommy Erin and I each had doctor's appointments today at the same time.

First, mine:

I had a blood panel recheck for my hyper-T. It was done by a vet tech this time, but I loved her as much as Dr. Bob, so that was fine with me. We'll know the results in a few days. I hated the stroller ride there, and back, and meowed at all the traffic again, and at everyone we passed. The park is the highlight of the trip, though. I was petted by all the kids who were playing there, and purred and purred my contentment to each of them!

Now, Mommy Erin's:

*drumroll please* She's having a BOY!!! 18 weeks along, and doing fine, very healthy (both her and baby). She and her boyfriend Brad (the baby's father) dropped by after the appointment to tell the news to Mom and me, and we're sooooooo excited for them! They haven't decided on a name yet, but we'll let everyone know when they do choose. He's due to be born on February 6th. You can see the latest pregnancy picture as the last picture in my photo book.

*purrs*
A very happy

Skylar.

New tag game!

October 21st 2007 6:25 pm

Thanks, Bear and Grey for tagging me!

Here are the rules. When you are tagged pick ten cats and write something nice about them and the cat that tagged you. Then tag those ten cats you picked and send them an email letting them know they were tagged.

1. Aldo: one of the Master Bakers at my restaurant. He and his sister Tess (apprentice chef at the restaurant) are two of my besties ever!

2. Bluie: always puts that extra special touch on events, no matter what! Also expert decorator!

3. Rocky Ann: one of our family's first Catster friends, and a fellow Hello Kitty friend/super stroller.

4. Edward: another first friend on Catster, and another crazy kitty pal! We love her and the character she was named after!

5. Bear: of course, the greatest fellow Feline Flyer, and one of my absolute besties! (And the one who sent me the tag!)

6. Smudge: my friend from the other side of the pond, who keeps me on my toes with her good humor (or is it humour?).

7. Autumn: another awesome cook, and best friend to my Auntie Trixie.

8. Bruce: my brofur Carbon's buddy!

9. Nurven: my Norwegian pal!

10. Sin: a true friend and fellow detective.

Birthday morning hugs and pets! :)

October 26th 2007 5:03 am

I woke up very early this morning, and Mom was still up. 4:00 in the morning! I hopped up in the chair, sat right against her, and started in purring. *rrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrr* I know it's MY BIRTHDAY today!!! I got loves, hugs, and pets for about a half hour, so much so that I shed all over the chair, but Mom and I didn't care. :) Kisses on my ears, too, and ear rubs that I absolutely love! I'm going now to make sure Mom gets some sleep, because I watch over her closely. I chose her and adopted her, so it's my responsibility to make sure she stays healthy.

Jarek is born!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

January 13th 2008 4:57 pm

Mommy Erin's baby, Jarek Lachey Jeseritz, joined the world yesterday at 1:51 pm. He is 6 lbs, 9.6 oz, 20 inches long. Lots of blonde hair, just like his parents, and blue eyes. Mom: Erin Theresa Dublin, Dad: Bradley Jeseritz. Picture at the end of my photo album and as Rori's first picture.

Mommy Erin is Mom and Dad's friend who lived with us for most of last year. I adopted her as my second mom, and Rori is her kitten (but Rori still lives with us).

Announcements, announcements, announcements!!!

July 8th 2008 4:06 pm

Mom and Dad are officially engaged!!!! They got engaged on July 5th. They will be getting married by the end of this year, probably the last weekend in August!!!

Happy purrs,

Skylar.

I'm happy Mom and Dad are so happy!

July 8th 2008 9:01 pm

Definitely makes me happy to see them so happy!!! I've been purring, sitting on Mom and Dad all the time, purring in their faces, rubbing up against them, snuggling with them more, more, more!!!

Today, Mom got little guest books where the guests can write messages to Mom and Dad, and I went right over, hopped up onto the couch, and drooled on a corner of the box! Mom laughed and made sure they weren't where I could get them, but she could tell I was happy, happy, happy!

I is a CELEBRITEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

July 27th 2008 7:26 pm

The picture site Global Warming Hates Kittens has chosen me as spokescat for yesterday! Me, Mr. Cool in front of my a/c, linked to a news article on the worst summer heat in Europe! Thank you, thank you, thank you! *bows in front of my adoring crowd*

My sister's dying :'(

October 11th 2008 12:34 pm

My sister's dying. She's got a mass between her stomach and her liver. She had bloodwork done today, and we're waiting on the results, but it's 99% certain she has cancer.

See her diary for more information.

I sat with her and groomed her when she came back today, helping her know that I care. She, Mom, Dad, and I snuggled and Mom and Dad petted us and cried. She and I meowed softly, and I purred.

Lydia's gone

October 13th 2008 7:24 pm

I'm snuggling with Dad right now, to comfort him and for him to comfort me. Mom snuggled with us for a long while too. I'm missing my sister already. When Mom and Dad brought her body back from the vet's today, Dad picked me up and set me down by it. I sniffed, then lowered my head and rubbed against Dad, then against Mom, then made a circle around Dad, finally sitting in the middle of the floor. It's always been the two of us; what'll I do now? I didn't even want to eat any of the fast food hamburger or fish sandwich Mom and Dad were eating, too sad.

*sad cries*

Skylar.

Grieving

October 14th 2008 9:09 pm

I stuck to Dad like glue last night, all night long. Slept by his side, or on him, the whole night. Followed him around this morning until he went to deliver firewood. He woke Mom up so that she could sit with me when he left, so I would have someone there. Rori's been cleaning my ears for me, and snuggling hard with me.

I ate, drank, and used the box regularly, so it's "just" that I miss my sister. I even let Mom know when it was time for my medicine, but not as insistently as usual. I haven't been talking at all.

Last night, I wondered where she was, and I went over to the door looking for her. Not there. Looked on top of the clean laundry. Not there. Stuck my head in the kitty carrier. Not there. Looked at Mom and Dad, and they picked me up and cuddled me, telling me she was gone, and that they loved and missed her too. They told me they love me so much, and they know I'm sad and miss her.

A very sad

Skylar.

Sad Happy Birthday to me!

October 26th 2008 1:19 am

It's my ninth birthday today! Happy birthday to me! I wish my sister were here to share it with me. I miss her so much. I've not been the same goofy me since she died. I cling to Dad and Mom, preferring Dad if he's around, sitting on Mom's lap if he's not there. I just got up from a two-hour nap, something that used to be very uncommon for me. I haven't talked once in the last two weeks, except to purr a little. Rori keeps coming to check on me, and Tabby snuggled with me yesterday, burying her nose in my fur. I'm eating fine, drinking fine, and using the box. I even showed interest when one of the outside cats came in for a bit, watching her and walking past her. But I'm very subdued.

We're writing hubs!

November 12th 2008 7:02 pm

Mom is letting us occasionally write articles on her hubpages account. Our articles are getting read internet-wide! I wrote one on planning a pet-friendly Christmas

I went on vacation!

November 12th 2008 7:10 pm

Last week, I got to go with Mom and Dad to the beach! They packed the kitty travel bag, put my harness and leash on, and carried me out to the truck. I snuggled, purred, and slept on the way down there. We stopped at Gramma's house, and I got lots of pets and cuddles from my human cousins. Storm even dressed me up in a doll bonnet! Hey, what do you expect from a little girl. Lucky I love her. :) Then, off we went again. When we got to the beach, Dad drove the truck down onto the sand and opened the window a crack so I could smell the nice salt air. I stood on his lap and looked out the window at the waves and sand. They stopped the car and took me out to feel the sand on my paws, but it was too windy and rainy for me, so I told them in no uncertain terms I wanted back in where it was warm and dry. Once in again, I stood at the window watching everything.

When it was time to leave, I snuggled up again between Mom and Dad and fell asleep purring.

It was medicine time on the way down, and I wasn't sure that they had remembered to bring it since we weren't home. I got kind of worried, and looked at them funny. Mom reassured me, and pulled out the bottle of pills. I took my meds, and then purred at the top of my lungs, headbutting both Mom and Dad and giving them jowl rubs! I was soooo happy they remembered!

Trouble pooping!

November 16th 2008 7:01 am

I'm having a lot of trouble pooping. Actually, I can't go at all. I've been trying and trying, but nothing is coming out. I tried pooping in the box, on the living room floor, on the kitchen floor, even on Mom! Mom and Dad both looked up information on the web, and saw an article on PetPlace about Dulcolax being prescribed sometimes for constipation. Mom gave me a 5mg tablet (the size it said in the article was ok for cats) about 15 minutes ago, and so we'll see if it works. I really, really, REALLY hope it will!

Went to the vet

November 17th 2008 10:51 pm

I went to the vet today, and had a urinalysis done, plus got fluids. I've not been eating or drinking at all today. I'm still not pooping, but I've got a runny butt, so at least something's working back there. Waiting to see what the results will be. I want to snuggle with Dad, but he won't let me on his lap with my runny butt. Not fun! :(

Back to normal again!

November 20th 2008 6:46 pm

Whew! Thankfully, I'm back to normal again! My urine results were normal, and I'm eating and drinking on my own again. Mom and Dad have seen me use the box, even.

A very happy, cuddly, purry

Skylar.

Woweeeee!

November 22nd 2008 12:14 am

Wow, thank you Catster HQ!!! I'm Diary of the Day today!!!!!!!!! Mom's going to give me lots and lots of snuggles and loves today (not like she doesn't anyway). So glad I'm feeling better so I can enjoy my special day!

A very happy

Skylar

Meowy Catmas!

December 27th 2008 6:44 am

It was a very strange Christmas this year! We've had snow for over two weeks, so Mom and Dad didn't go anywhere for Christmas. They barely could get out of the driveway!

The day before Christmas, we got a present! Rori and I knew right away it was for kitties, and sniffed and rubbed up against it. Mom had ordered it online, shopping the new Catster Marketplace, since she couldn't go regular kitty-toy shopping (and wanted to get us something extremely fun and special this year!).

So, when Mom got up, she opened it for us and handed the paper-wrapped package to us, after taking off the pretty ribbon and pin. Rori and Carbon drooled all over it, and Carbon swatted a little at Mom when she took it back to unwrap it all the way.

It is a catnip-filled fortune cookie and tea bag from Jake and Micah's store! We all have played with them, and have taken them from each other, fought over them, drooled on them, licked them, and bunny-kicked them. I even licked the cookie while Mom held it in front of me, then rubbed my head against it!

In other mews, I went to the vet's on Christmas to get fluids. I've not been drinking water, so they sent home an I.V. bag for me and showed Mom and Dad how to give it to me. I'm doing so much better now, and I get all excited when I see the bag because I know it helps even though the needle poke hurts. We're going to see about putting me on kitty Prozac too.

MY friend came inside!

January 2nd 2009 9:20 pm

Lately, Rori's friends have been coming inside. Well, they're all of our friends, but they're closer to her age than to mine, so I consider them more her friends. I go and sniff them, but then continue with my own business rather than follow them around like everyone else.

But tonight, we had MY friend as a visitor! That's right, the big (even bigger than Carbon or me!) tom cat goof named SpongeBob came in to visit us! I go onto the porch to say hi to him all the time when he comes over for snacks, but this time he came in the front door when Mom came home! He saw Mom come, and ran over, waited for her to open the door, and walked right in for a visit! I jumped off the couch and ran over to say hi, sniffed and rubbed against him, then went back to the couch so he could visit with the others. When he ate a snack from our food bowl, I went back over to observe so that he wouldn't eat all of our food, and to say hi again to him.

He stayed in for about 5 minutes, then meowed his large, deep meow so Mom would know to put him outside again. Sure enough, we could hear his people calling for him from their house across the street, so it was time for him to go home.

A happy

Skylar.

Very, very sad

January 5th 2009 4:46 pm

Sara Kitty left us today. I knew she was going to, and am very sad. I didn't even go smell the body, because I didn't have to. I knew she was gone. I knew where she was going when Mom and Dad took her out to the truck, and I knew she wasn't coming back. After the others had sniffed her body, and Dad went outside to bury it, I got down off the couch and walked slowly to the bed to lie down.

Yay for fluids!!!

January 12th 2009 1:38 pm

I had a couple days where it was very hard for me to go poop again. Mom and Dad are worried about me. They've been giving me fluids every day since my last vet appointment, and it's REALLY helping, but I'm not drinking much on my own or even eating much on my own. My poops are as small as Rori's!

Dad went to pick up my new fluids bag from the vet's today. I got soooo excited when he came home with the bag, because I knew what was in there! I started actually racing around Dad, and hopped up on his lap the minute he sat down! He said he had to hook it up first (the tube to the bag), so I got down again and raced around him some more, then back up into his lap, purring the whole time. Mom put the new needle in and poked me, and then it was done in a few more seconds!

I love my fluids!

Keeping Mom's head warm

January 24th 2009 8:58 pm

Mom finally let us into the bedroom again! Rori's been secluded in there after her spay surgery, but she's out for the most part now. Yay!

Last night, I went into the bedroom to sleep. Mom was already asleep, so I picked a spot and curled up. When Dad came home, he woke Mom up very quietly and told her not to startle me. I was curled up around her head on the pillow! I slept that way until she got up this morning! She says she slept so well, she didn't even want to get up. She had very pleasant dreams, too.

Purrs,

Skylar.

We now have a blogspot!

January 29th 2009 6:21 pm

We now have an actual blog! You can read it here. Of course, we're still going to be updating our Catster diaries as well.

Mommy Erin came to visit!

February 5th 2009 1:05 am

Mommy Erin came to visit for a little while tonight! I was so excited to see her that I sat up very straight on Dad's lap when she came in the door! She sat on the couch and picked me up to sit on her lap. I purred so loud, and she snuggled me. She was quite shocked to see how skinny I was, compared with the last time she saw me. She cried when Mom and Dad told her that I've been failing since my sis died last October. I'm still eating and drinking, but I'm losing weight and have to have fluids at least twice a week. The vet can't find anything wrong.

My new main picture is Mommy Erin and me. She kept hugging me and snuggling me, telling me how much she missed me. I've missed her too. She's going to move back closer to Mom and Dad, so we'll get to see her more often.

Cat fight!

February 11th 2009 8:48 pm

Everyone's ok now, but see Rori's diary for details.

DAD, I want to SNUGGLE!

February 22nd 2009 3:06 am

Yesterday, I really, REALLY wanted to snuggle with Dad! I hopped up on the couch, got right in his face, and screamed at him to tell him I was there. I then hopped onto his side, hopped down, then back up, making sure he knew I was really there with him. Then I lay down on his side just like my sis Lydia used to and took a nap with him.

Mom and Dad are trying to decide if my increased snuggling is a sign that I'm feeling worse. I'm starting to act the same way my sis did before we knew she was dying. They know I probably won't last out the year, but I'm still able to get around the house and do my normal routine (eating, drinking, litter box, up on the bed and on the couch). I have fluids almost every day now, and love getting them still. So, all in all, I'm doing ok for my 9 years!

TREATS!

February 24th 2009 8:34 am

Skylar here. Mom's typing this for me, because I'm busy getting TREATS! Mom refilled the treat ball, and the others each got a turn. When they all decided they were done, I nosed it and a treat came out. So I've been nosing it and pawing it, getting all MY TREATS. Yummy!

Saturday Sit-Down Dinner

February 28th 2009 5:03 pm

We're starting a Saturday sit-down dinner! Social "hour", with dinner by our chefs. Rotating menu. It's drop-in, service when you get here and are seated, so come anytime from 4:30 pm Catster to 7:00 pm Catster.

We're going to host it the first few times, to get it going, then ask for volunteers if anyone wants to make up a menu, serve, etc. It will be open to anyone, as all of the restaurant events are.

Come by the Chef Skylar's Restaurant group to join in the fun!

Mean Mommy Erin!

March 19th 2009 8:57 pm

*stares out the screen door as the car leaves*

Mommy Erin is soooo mean! She came with a cat carrier and took Smokey away instead of me! She cuddled me and said hi to me, then put Smokey in the carrier, petted me, and left! I watched her go, then watched the place she had been until Mom shut the door.

Mean Mommy Erin to take Smokey instead of me! Except I would really miss Mom and Dad if I left here. I'm going to ignore Mom until it's time for her to sleep, but I'll go snuggle with Dad for a bit.

P.S. I'm feeling sooo much better now that Starla has come to live with us! My depression is totally gone, and I'm eating and drinking more. I'm still having some trouble pooping sometimes, and still taking fluids, but doing better than I was.

Playing tails with Starla

March 26th 2009 10:31 pm

*giggles so much that he almost falls over* Just go read Starla's entry! She played with me! :) :) :) :) :)

A very happy,

Skylar.

April Fools from the vet?

April 1st 2009 2:33 am

Skylar: Whattaya mean, no medicine? I have to have my medicine! *follows Mommy around*

Mommy: I'm sorry, buddy. The vet gave us the wrong thing!

Skylar: You're not April Foolin' me, are you?

Mommy: Nope, I wish I was. See, your label says it should be methimazole, but the bottle label says it's fluoxetine and it's definitely not shaped like your regular stuff.

Skylar: But I want my medicine!

Mommy: *pets Skylar and tries to reassure him* I'm sorry. It will have to wait until after 11:00 am. I'll call the vet right away when they open.

Skylar: After my 8:00 medicine time? I don't get my 8 am medicine either? *looks very, very sad*

Mommy: I'm so sorry, hun.

Skylar: *goes to sulk by the food bowl where Rori is eating* They better have the right stuff at 11 am. *goes to stick his nose in the bag where the other bottle is*

Medicated at last!

April 1st 2009 1:06 pm

Mommy just came back with the CORRECT medication! Someone new at the vet's office had put the other stuff in the wrong cupboard. All taken care of now, and I have my meds. :)

Preparing for the inevitable :(

April 13th 2009 11:22 am

Mom and Dad have been watching me really closely since I begged Dad to adopt Starla. From what they've seen, they think I'm preparing the household for my death. They saw this with Lydia when she passed, too.

1. I told Dad to adopt Starla.
2. I've taken myself out of the daily household activities and am spending my days snuggling with Dad or on the bed sleeping.
3. I am not vocal at all, even in situations when I would shout (think Siamese!), but now I don't even make any sound.
4. I am teaching Starla how to snuggle and observing her interactions with Mom and Dad, so basically teaching her to fulfill my role in the household.
5. All the other cats come check up on me throughout the day, and Rori monitors my every move, even walking with me wherever I go.
6. My body processes are slowing down. I'm not taking in much of what I'm eating, and my poops are kitten-sized. I'm rapidly losing weight. I fall over sometimes when I walk. Some days, I can't jump up to the couch and wait until Dad or Mom picks me up to set me on the couch.

Mom and Dad think I have 2-3 months left. All tests come back normal; we think it's "just" old age and the pain of not having my sister around.

OMC, we won!

June 16th 2009 12:28 am

Our family won the overnight stay for one cat at the Pet Smart Hotel! The one that's the prize from Skeezix's/Catster's/The Cat's Meow contest for the travel series!

Now, to decide who gets to use it. What, Mom, you say we might all get a vacation stay? But there's only one free one. *looks confused* Oh, you'd pay for the rest of us? You have to talk with Dad first? Ok!

Mom says she and Dad might go to the beach overnight sometime and have us stay at the pet hotel.

My Fourth of July road trip!

July 9th 2009 12:09 am

On the 4th, I went to see Grandma & Grandpa! My cousins were there, and I had a great time with them. Mom, Dad, and Mommy Erin went to the beach, but it was too hot to take me all the way. I didn't mind at all, because then I got to spend time with the fam. :)

If you want to see pictures of me with my cousins, and of the beach, you can go here.

Happy birthday to meeeeee!!!!

October 26th 2009 12:22 am

It's my birthday today! :) I'm celebrating by snuggling on top of my best friend in the house: Starla. She's kind of glaring at me, but allowing me to sit on her, MOL!

Sorry I haven't written in my diary, but being an uncle to 6 foster kittens plus Little Bit took all my energy this summer! They loved to play tails with me, climb on me and over me, jump at me, ambush me, and snuggle with me! Playing and snuggling with the very young ones has kept me semi-healthy and very happy. :)

Sis, I love you and wish you were still here to celebrate our birthday. Miss you, Lydia!

Thankful for Silliness on Thursday

November 12th 2009 5:54 am

Silly, silly day! First, I didn't get my medicine on time. Mommy and Daddy said that Dr. Bob didn't want me to have it! I kept begging for it, but I didn't get it. Then, finally, I got it when I was supposed to get my next dose. They completely skipped one of my doses!

Then, while I was begging for part of Daddy's hamburger, he was teasing me! See the picture of me with the straw wrapper on my head? Daddy said that being silly helped relieve some of the stress of my blood work results from Tuesday's vet appointment.

I have anemia (17% red blood cell count) and my creatinine levels are elevated considerably. Dr. Bob told my purrents that this may be caused by too much methimazole in my system (my medicine for hyperthyroidism), but that it doesn't usually present in that way. It also may be a sign that the hyper-T was masking kidney disease.

Mommy and Daddy are both very sad about that, even though they knew that there might be something majorly wrong (which is why they took me in to the vet in the first place). The first course of action is to decrease my meds to twice a day, which is why they wouldn't let me have one of my doses today. They're hoping that it will do the trick and help everything within a week. If not, then it's more serious than just a response to my meds.

I go back in for retesting of my blood in two weeks, regardless of if I'm feeling better by then. If it is kidney disease, I won't be doing better by then and my creatinine levels will still be elevated, Dr. Bob says. Mommy and Daddy are praying that it's not kidney disease, because if it is then they say that it will be time for me to join my sister at the Bridge, because they wouldn't want me to suffer more (and for it to show up it would need to have been diseased for some time already).

So that's why we're having a silly time right now. It's so stressful around here, we need the laughter and smiles!

Doing a lot better!

December 2nd 2009 11:54 am

My purrents took me in so the vampires could take more of my blood this morning. Dr. Bob said that my red blood levels are soooo much better (26% now) and so it was just that my medicine was too high. We still don't know about my kidneys, but the anemia was the main thing that was worrisome to Dr. Bob. So we're so glad that it's much better!

Mommy's uncle sent home some turkey for me on Thanksgiving, and I smelled it the second my purrents got home! I followed the bag into the kitchen and yowled for it until Mommy put it on a special plate for me. I shared with the others in the house too, of course. Yum!

Our new house!

December 30th 2009 2:43 am

Moving again? Okay by me! I was totally unconcerned with the moving process. When it was time for us kitties to move, our purrents put my harness on and carried me out to our friends' Expedition that they let us borrow.

They had to stop at the store to get new litter boxes and some food for us, so Tabby and I waited in the driver's seat until Daddy came back. Then I sat on Daddy's lap the whole time while he drove.

Once we got there, Starla and I shared a room and the others shared another room. Tabby and Starla still need to be separated, so they figured that was best for us. Once we were all allowed out, I saw my chair had arrived so I hopped up into it and settled right down.

As long as I have my chair, I'm fine! Spooky and Starla like it, too. :)

Not feeling well

June 20th 2010 1:45 am

Mom & Dad took me in to the vet on Friday. It was time for my routine doctor appointment and bloodwork, but they were worried as well because I've not been grooming myself. I keep my face, paws, and chest clean and smooth, but the rest of my fur is matted. Mom plucks my "feathers" (fur that has come out but is still stuck in the rest of my coat) every day, and picks apart my mats. Sometimes I let her; sometimes I yowl until she stops. They were also worried because I've lost a little over a pound since Thanksgiving!

So, off we went. I complained when it took longer than usual to get there, but then my purrents reminded me that we live farther away than we used to. That made sense, so I settled down again. I like to sit on Dad's lap while he's driving, and watch the cars go by out the window.

There was a new doctor at the clinic on Friday, a relief doctor, because the others were gone for the day. As usual, when I got there I wanted down and pulled at my leash to go back into the back (treatment) room to say hi to everyone! Nope, Dad wouldn't loosen the leash and let me run back. Bummers! My sis used to do the same thing. Mom & Dad are glad that I like my doctors and staff so much that I immediately want to greet them! Believe me, I wouldn't run away, I would just run TO someone to be greeted!

The vet tech took me into the back to weigh me, then brought me back out and talked with Mom & Dad after she stuck that thermometer in me. :P After she went into the back, I stood on the exam table and looked at the door for a few minutes, then YOWLED! Ok, so where's the doctor? I'm ready, so come in! Everyone laughed at that, then Mom put me on the floor and I went to sniff both doors and then yowled again at the back.

FINALLY, the doctor came! Should it really take her 10 minutes to get done with the doggie patient and come look at me? She talked with my purrents, consulted my chart, then took me into the back to have the vampires take some of my blood. They also took my urine. Hey, you could have just given me a box instead of poking me! Mom & Dad could tell exactly when they were poking me, because I think they could hear me down the street. There's something to be said about being half-Siamese! ;)

We got the results back on Friday evening: possible kidney disease. It's what my purrents were afraid of, especially considering that my kidney levels were elevated back in November. I'm anemic, both my BUN and creatinine levels are elevated, I'm dehydrated, and I've lost that pound. My thyroid levels are also low, but that's kind of a separate issue.

So, on to the next steps. First off, I'm only going to get one pill a day, to even out my thyroid levels. I've been looking at Mom funny when she doesn't give me my evening meds but takes hers, although I give up after a few minutes so she knows it's more from habit than anything else. I still get my morning meds.

Then, I will be getting my own special food! The doctor recommended giving me yummy canned food! I don't even have to share with anyone else, so I'll get fed in a separate room. Yay!

My blood & urine will have to be rechecked again sometime, but I don't mind that. I may have to go back to getting sub-Q fluids, but that's not a big deal either.

Properly managed, which is a see-saw because it can change from day to day, I may have another year or three. But it's different for every cat, so we'll just take each day as it comes and be grateful for every minute.

Weird question....

June 23rd 2010 6:09 pm

Mom talked with my regular doctor today, and we have a strange question! Including the vet, who doesn't know the answer to this either!

Has anyone ever had their thyroid levels continue to go low? I had mine checked back in November, after 4 years with hyper-T my meds were decreased from four to three, then two pills a day. Redid tests, and it was normal again. Now, after my vet appointment last week, my thyroid levels are low again, so we're trying half a pill per day.

The vet has no clue why I'm suddenly "getting better", or at least my thyroid levels are! My creatinine & BUN are slightly elevated, just out of the normal range, not as bad as we'd originally thought (we got the exact numbers this time). That part's to be expected, and I'm still going to have my yummy canned food and my sub-Q fluids to try to keep my kidneys semi-under control. But we're (and the vet is) absolutely clueless as to why my thyroid levels are normalizing!!!

Any advice/help/experience would be appreciated!

-- Skylar.

Fading

July 17th 2010 11:20 pm

Tonight, I let Mom "speak" with me, commune with my inner self. I don't know how humans explain it, but it's how we cats talk with each other. Mom can do it, and Dad can, too, but not often, just under the right circumstances. Everything has to be calm.

I'm aching. All my joints are hurting. Mom says it's something called arthritis. It hurts to move, hurts to lie down. My vision is a bit blurry, too, and Dad had to clean my eye twice today because of mucous. That's from a "kitty cold", mostly.

I'm hungry a lot. I get my wet food twice a day, but I used to "graze" instead, eating small bites throughout the day. It's tough to get used to eating only twice, so I'm hungry during the middle of the day and let my parents know it. When it's food time, I run down the hallway to Tabby & Carbon's room (aka the spare room), starting up my yowl as soon as I hit the doorway, and stand on my plate so that Mom has to move me to put my food on it. Then, I eat my fill and curl up on the chair in that room, yowling once to let everyone know I'm done for the moment. Then, Mom lets everyone else in to get a treat of what I've left on the plate.

I seldom snuggle with my parents anymore, but did this evening with Mom, to let her know what's going on with me. I was shaky as I stood on her, looking her in the eyes. Then, with effort, I lay down, wanting my chin scritched while she went over my body to "see" how I was doing. I'm still not putting on any weight, and my fur's still matting. She brushes me with the slicker brush, and that gets a major part of the mats, but not everything and I hate being brushed. My bones are rubbing my skin in some places, like my shoulders and my heels. Massages aren't really helping.

My favorite places are the bathtub and the kitty tent. I've given up sleeping in my recliner, preferring to curl up in one of my two chosen places instead. Dad has to lift me out of the bathtub when he comes home from work, or else I'd stay in there until he turned the water on for his shower. I get out when it's Mom's turn for a shower, though, for some reason. I'm using the box normally, and drinking water normally.

I told Mom tonight that I'm not quite ready to leave even though I'm hurting and confused, and she said that all I have to do is tell them when I can't stand it anymore and they'll release me. My kitty nieces and nephew aren't ready yet, so I'm going to stay around until they can handle the transition. I can tell Mom and Dad will never be quite ready to let me go, but they will do what's best for me. Rori knows what's going on, knows I'm close to leaving, and has been watching from a distance rather than her usual headbutting-following-me-around behavior. Death always troubles her, and she hides from it and then picks up the pieces. That's why my sister chose her to be Big Kitty of the Household. She came and sat with us on the couch tonight as I was talking with Mom, just sat, watching and listening, then walked over and rubbed against me telling me that she understands. Then she let Mom pet her, too.

We don't know how long it's going to be. No one ever knows.

Mom says that she talked with the vet about a week and a half ago, when she ordered my fluids (which I've been taking every two days). Dr. Bob now thinks I may have cancer, since my behavior's changed so abruptly. Nothing in my behavior seems to correlate with kidneys or hyper-T, in fact some of it counterindicates. So cancer is their next guess. If it is, then it's in a place where it's not showing up yet and not a mass, maybe in the bone marrow. That's what Dr. Bob said, and Mom and Dad think that's most likely, too. That's what they've been thinking for a while, and sensing from me as well.

We just don't know anything for sure, but who ever does?

Going to the Bridge this week or next. :'(

July 19th 2010 6:10 pm

Hi friends,

I'm going to be making my journey to the Bridge sometime either this week or next. I've been vomiting tar-like liquid, plus my other symptoms (see my diary entry from a couple days ago). Not good, so Mom and Dad talked with Dr. Bob today and he confirmed that it's my time to leave. My purrents are scheduling it so that Dad has the day off from work and so that my other mommy, Mommy Erin, can be with me as well when I make my final journey. We will let you all know when we schedule it.

Sad purrs,

Skylar.

It will be Friday

July 20th 2010 5:56 pm

I'm in the bedroom, resting on the bed with Rori and Starla, so I'll let Mom type this. My appointment's set for Friday morning at 9:40 am. Everyone at the vet's is sad, too, because I'm a favorite patient there. None of their other client families have cats who come in on leash and are well-behaved in the waiting room like I am! Imagine that!

Dad can't get the day off, but he has the morning off at least. Mommy Erin is trying to get a sitter for JJ so that she can be there, too, to say goodbye to me.

Thanks, everyone, for your prayers, purrs, rosettes, treats, special gifts, p-mails, notes, etc. Hugs to everyone from all of us!!!

Sad purrs,

Skylar.

Journey to the Rainbow Bridge

July 23rd 2010 6:38 pm

This morning, I woke up on the bed curled up with Dad, Mom, and Starla. Rori was at the foot of the bed, too. I woke Mom and Dad up when the alarm went off, and Mom fed me TUNA! She and Dad got ready, while I lay by the water bowls in the dining room, exchanging sniffs with Carbon, Tabby, and Little Bit.

Then, Dad went out to the truck, and I got up to follow him. Mom said to wait, so I lay back down while she put my harness and leash on. She went to wash her hands, because I had jumped in the tub while she was getting ready so I had water all over my tummy. I got up to follow her, but Carbon bit my leash and pinned me! I lay down under the table instead, then Little Bit pinned me by my leash, too!

Mom picked me up, petted everyone, and we went out the door. When we got in the truck, I walked over to sit on Dad's lap so I could look out the window, like I usually do. They said we were going to pick up Mommy Erin. Why? I looked right at them when they said Mommy Erin's name, knowing who she was (which I sometimes forgot, but I was forgetting a lot of things recently).

When Mommy Erin got in the truck, Mom sat in the back so I could sit with Erin, but I kept switching between her and Dad. Then, we turned onto the street where my doctor is, and I knew that's where we were going! I went over to sit in Erin's lap, looking out the window, until we got there, then I looked straight through the windshield at the doctor's office!

We all got out of the car, and I wanted to walk. Nope, Mom insisted on carrying me. In we went, straight into a room. We were only there a few minutes before they switched rooms on us because another patient was coming in who needed an isolation room. No one minded, because no one cared which room we were in. The vet tech came in with paperwork, which Mom signed, and Mom and Mommy Erin took pictures of me. Finally they put me down so I could rest! I lay on the floor, purring. I knew somehow, the doctor was going to do something for my pain and make me feel better. The doctor always helps me; I love my Dr. Bob and Dr. C.!

Dr. C. came in, and she DID give me something for my pain! She gave me a shot that made me VERY sleepy! I didn't want to go to sleep, but Mom and Mommy Erin said it was ok. Dad was sitting in the chair, and he said it was ok to go to sleep, too. Mom and Erin petted me until I fell asleep, then Dad came over and petted me, saying his goodbyes to me, and kissed me. He went out of the room, but at that point I wasn't in a position to follow him.

Mommy Erin picked me up, and my tongue stuck out of my mouth! I wiggled it, but I was too sleepy to put it back in! Dr. C. said that might happen, and it was normal for sedated cats. What Mom and Erin didn't expect, though, was to hear me PURRRRRRR!!!!! I was soooo sleepy, but I wasn't in pain anymore, and I was happy, they were holding me and petting me, and I was comfortable, more comfortable than I've been in years!

Dr. C. came in and made pawprints for Mom and Mommy Erin. She shaved parts of my fur off my leg and over my heart, and gave the fur to them as well. Then, she tried to give me the other shot. She couldn't find my blood vessel in my rear leg! She said I have "old man veins"! Hmm...I don't think that was meant as a compliment! She used a vein in my front leg, which she could see after shaving some more of my thick fur, but not all the shot would go in. Enough of it went, though.

My heartbeat slowed, breathing slowed, then everything stopped.

I was floating, looking down on everyone as my body was wrapped in blue surgical sheeting and given to Mom. Mom and Dad drove Mommy Erin home, then drove home and let the other cats sniff my body. Dad brought Starla out of the bedroom to sniff, too. Then they buried my body in the backyard right next to Spooky's body.

I floated higher, then saw my sister Lydia coming toward me! Lydi! We greeted each other, purring together. Then, I saw both our little Spooky and our foster Spooky/Nyx, Sara Kitty, Squishy, and all the other angels waiting for me. All my angel Catster friends were there, too, gathered underneath Calvin's sign!

I asked if I could visit my family from time to time, and everyone said I could. I know they are really going to miss me, and I'm going to miss them, but I know they did the best thing for me. They took all my pain away, and that's the best gift anyone can give. I love you!

Furry Tails of the PDX pride

Therapy Cat Tales from 1/25/12

Torbie Thursday: Miss Marble's Weather Report

Very Exciting News!!!

Therapy Cat Tales from 12/28/11

Merry Christmas!

Miss Marble's Breakthrough!

Hemming got adopted!

Lots of changes and a Christmas tree!

Tabby's Cyber Monday sale!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mini Mancat Monday: I coughed up a monster!

Therapy Cat Tales from 11/15/11

Happy 6-month Birthday to Hemming, Miss Marble, and Striped Girl!!!!

Happy birthday at the Bridge to Skylar & Lydia!

Wordless Wednesday

Tabby got her sponsorship!

Halloween visit to H. on 10/19/11

Happy National Feral Cat Day!

Therapy Cat Tales from 10/05/11

Thanks for the birthday wishes for our daddy!

Ahoy! It be Meow like a Pirate Day!

Hemming update: I'm back home!

Hemming's too smart for his own good!

In the trap and out again. :(

We will never forget

Hemming will be coming back here

Foster Friday: Hemming and the Stairs

Hemming's at his potential adopter's

*blush* Forgotten Gotcha Day!

Good news from Hemming and Miss Marble!

The release part of tnr, and the socialization part

Both kittens came through surgery fine

Two trapped!

It's Trapping Day!

Wordy Wednesday: Catching up on the news, pt. 2

Wordy Wednesday: Catching up on the news, pt.1

Happy Birthday to Rori!

Happy First Gotcha Day Anniversary to the Twins!!!

Thinking of Skylar on his first Bridge Day anniversary

Therapy Cat Tales from 7/13/11

Wordless Wednesday: Mama Leopard, "Daddy" Tuxie, and baby kittens

Happy Gotcha Day anniversary to Tabby & Carbon, and an honor for Heimdall!

Mama Leopard & kittens update

Mama Leopard's kitten presentation day!

Happy Birthday to our Mommy!!!

Happy Independence Day!

Therapy Cat Tales from 6/30/11

Tabby's written a book!!!

Spooky 2's diary from Catster

The new house!

They adopted me!!!

CH? What's that?

I love music! Music means snuggles!

What happened?

My burial

Happy Birthday to Tabby!!!

Happy Birthday to Carbon!!!

Baby-Dot & Baby-Tuxie's diary from Catster

Gone too soon

Both brothers are angel kittens now

KMR powder warning!

Missy Update: Back from the vet, and I'm NOT a kitten!

Therapy Cat Tales from 5/18/11

Up for Adoption: Missy the Torbie!

Feral Friday: Update on Leopard

Mommy's kitty tattoo!

Almost-Wordless Wednesday: Portland Pet Expo!

Therapy Cat Tales from 5/4/11

Shadow's diary from Catster

Watch out for flying cats!

I AM eartipped!

Thanks, Catster!

Tagged!

Getting used to my humans

In the house? Maybe later?

Two paws inside!

A close call!!!

Interlopers!

The white stuff is here again!

blush Forgotten Gotcha Day!