Happy 14th Gotcha Day to Tabby!!!

Tabby says:

It's my 14th Gotcha Day today! I made it! I'm fading every day, but still hanging in there. I spend my days screaming, hanging out with my purrents, and watching Shadow. He's the new kitten, a new family member, and only 2 1/2 months old so he zooms around a lot. I think he looks a lot like my brother, Carbon, but he definitely smells different, so he's a bit confusing. And, yes, that's me on the top of the scratching post in this pic, and that's Carbon looking up at me. This was just after we got home to Daddy's from the cage on the front porch of the feed store in Clatskanie, OR. I was 4 weeks old and Carbon was 5 weeks old.

Yes, I did say THE NEW KITTEN!!!  Can you tell I'm excited?  Mommy and Daddy were going to wait until after I passed to get another family member, but then they thought it might do me some good to have a job to do again, in whatever time I have left.  I love him!  They went down to Salem Friends of Felines, the same shelter that Freya and Heimdall came from, also the same one that JJ's Scamper came from, originally to look at another kitten but that one had already been adopted.  They thought that Shadow looked so much like Carbon!  He loves ball toys, and he keeps on pawing the jingle ball over to me to bat back to him.  He also likes following me around the house.  We all are learning to love him, and he's so much fun to watch exploring and figuring things out.  We're all a bit happier because he's here, although everyone still is spending a lot of time trying to help me feel better by snuggling with me.

He was born on April 26, 2019, and we adopted him on July 6, 2019.  His shelter name was "Shrek," but he's not green or an ogre, so his new name is "Shadow," which suits him better!  Yes, we've had a Shadow before, the main semi-socialized feral girl at the green house in Portland.  I think she'd like that we have another Shadow who will live as an inside-only cat.  I've taught him to ask for pets like I do, and like I've taught everyone else to do!  He's so smart.  Here's a few pictures, including one of me watching him play with the Crazy Circle, and a video.  More pics to come, as both Mommy and Daddy are shutterbugs!

Remembering Carbon on his 1st Bridge Anniversary & Black Cat Appreciation Day

We've all been thinking of you so much these past few days, Carbon, with leaky eyes, fond memories, and many smiles.  How you raced around at top speed while playing, played basketball with your toys and tag with the other cats, and how you would snuggle once a day with each of your purrents.  About the bottlecaps that you stole off the counter as a kitten, your toy hoard under the couch when we moved, and your favorite battle buddy and mousie.  Your battle buddy's still around, as well as the replacement one we got you when your other one got gnawed off the wand part.  How you loved pipe cleaners, as evidenced by the top picture after your Catster Secret Santa gift from Winter.  How you were afraid of kittens until they got old enough for you to consider them the same species!  How you purred while sitting on friends' laps and sat on your stool for bites of whatever Mama Shawnee was cooking.  How you were afraid that Lydia was going to swat you (and she did) when you misbehaved as a kitten, but you realized that she was the alpha cat and loved you anyway.  How you studied things until you figured out how they worked:  automatic litter boxes that you made mountains in and then admired your own handiwork, doorknobs that you opened by yourself, the wall furnace that you body-slammed as a kitten trying to make it stop running like your daddy did.

You were one crazy cat, and we'll always remember you for that.  You were a love, when you allowed yourself to be loved on, and we'll always love you for that.  There are so many stories that will be told for decades!  It's hard to think that it's been a year already since you've been gone.  Tabby still has days when she wanders around lost, remembering you.  Most days are better for her now, but we see the look in her eyes every so often and know you're in her thoughts, as you are for us all.  You were the best black cat in the world, and it's so fitting that Black Cat Appreciation Day is your day.  We love you forever.

Remembering Carbon on his birthday

Happy birthday at the Bridge, dear Carbon!  We miss you and love you, and know you are taking care of Missy now, too.

Fly Free, Carbon!

Carbon, June 8, 2005 to August 17, 2016

Carbon writes:

Today I earned my angel wings.  I'm sad about leaving my family, especially my sister, Tabby, but I'm glad to be feeling whole again in mind and body.

The above picture was taken a few years ago, when I was still feeling well.  Within the last year, I've really been failing.  I lost a lot of weight, my fur on my tail and sides got so matted that I begged Mommy to cut the mats out (which I hated doing) without a struggle.  I yelled for food and followed everyone around for bites of theirs, so Mama Shawnee nicknamed me "Shark".  She trained me to sit on the footstool in the kitchen and wait while she cooked omelettes, then she would give me bites of the egg and meat.

Within the last week, my mind's been failing, too.  I've always been super-smart and alert, but lately I've been not listening, not responding the same way to others and things, and taking a while to realize when I needed to use the litter box.  Well, that last one has been for a few months now, actually, although up until the last few days I would go try if someone said to.

Last night, Mommy came down the hallway to find me being a loaf (normal) with a glazed expression on my face (very not-normal).  She asked me if I was ok, and it took me about a minute to focus enough to look up at her, and then I had a confused expression on my face.  I didn't know how I'd gotten to that spot, why I was there, if I'd been headed somewhere else, or why Mommy was worried!  She asked me if I wanted a hug or a cuddle, and I meowed sadly at her.  My meow changed, too, from what it had been.  I sounded as lost as I felt.

Mommy picked me up and gave me a huge hug, then carried me to a chair and sat down with me on her lap.  She gave me another big hug while some of the other cats gathered around to sniff me.  I tried to tell her that I was ready to go to the Bridge.  The others knew it, too.

Early this morning, Rori ran to get Daddy, meowing her head off.  Daddy didn't know what she was trying to tell him, but she sounded and acted very worried.  Daddy asked Mommy, but she didn't know why, either.  Once she woke up, though, she knew.

I was in my box lid in the dining room, where I loved to hang out and nap, but whenever anyone else approached the food or the water, I ran to them and beat them up.  Then I ran back to my box lid and lay down again.  Tabby was supposed to go on one of her animal-assisted therapy visits, but I beat her up, too, when she tried to eat breakfast.  She was so upset, she ran and asked Mommy what was going on with me.  Then she wouldn't leave the part of the room I was in, choosing to watch over me even though I wouldn't let her snuggle.

Truth be told, I didn't even recognize the other cats as my family today.  All I knew was they were trying to get my food and my water, so I defended what was mine.  I feel very sad about that, and I hope they know I didn't mean it personally.

Daddy and Mommy discussed what to do, but it was more like when, not what.  Mommy called the vet, Mama Shawnee, and Mama Cai, while Daddy called Mama Erin and texted Debbie and Kimila (friends of ours who loved me).  Once the purrents were ready, Mommy tricked me into the carrier bag and zipped me in.  I tried to get out a few times, and ended up sticking my head out while we went out to the car, but Mommy was holding my head.  I actually did better on the car ride than both Daddy and Mommy thought, but especially better than Daddy thought I'd do.  I kept my pee in my body, which is a big thing for me on car rides, and hardly yelled at all.  My purrents petted me while we traveled.

At the vet's, there were a lot of dogs on one side, but the other side was pretty quiet.  Daddy checked me in while I lay in the carrier on the quiet side on Mommy's lap.  Then Daddy held me for a while in the carrier, too.  He reassured me that none of the doggies would come and get me, and told me none of them were Mixx, the one who lived with us until recently.  Mixx lives somewhere else now; long story, and not ours to tell, but not by anyone's choice.

It was going to be 20 minutes for a room if my purrents wanted to be with me when the vet put me to sleep, or they could take me back right away if we didn't need a room.  Daddy can't deal with being in the room emotionally, too sad for him.  Mommy sometimes does and sometimes doesn't.  She felt that it would be best if it were done as soon as possible, so the vet tech took me back.  At 2:15 pm, I went to the Bridge.  They wrapped me in a thin blanket that had been donated for that purpose and put me into a cardboard box, then taped it up and took my body out to my purrents.  Mommy and Daddy both had been crying, and cried more when they got into the car.

At home, Mommy opened the box and took my body out, after uncovering my head and paws.  Autumn wanted to hop in the box, but no one would let her.  Then she saw me in there, and left the box alone.  Daddy let everyone know what had happened, and he and Mommy petted everyone.  My sister sniffed me, nuzzled my ear, sniffed my paws, and slowly walked over to Daddy.  He told her how sorry he was, but that I wasn't coming back, then she walked over to Mommy to the same response.  She slowly walked back, and conferred with Missy about it.  One by one, everyone came to pay their respects.  Sherbet didn't want to come up to my body, and hissed at Mommy when she went over to him to have him smell her hands, so she didn't push the issue.  Starla was carried over to me, sniffed me, conferred with Tabby, then figured it out and ran to the chair.  Daddy carried the twins in from the other room.  Freya kept thinking that I was just sleeping, and came back many times to check on my, thinking I might wake up.  Mommy got Rori, who took the news badly and bolted back down the hallway.

Daddy dug a hole and buried me by the cedar tree in the backyard, by the roses where Miss Marble is buried.  That's the toughest part emotionally for him:  digging the hole and laying the body to rest, then covering it up.  It's so final.  He and Mommy are going to keep the blanket I was wrapped in and use it in the carrier for the others for vet visits and things like that.  They also have a clay double-paw print that I made for them at the vet's, with my name stamped below my paw prints.

I love you all, purrents, friends, sissy, nieces, nephews, and extended furmily!  I'll wait for you here at the Bridge with the other angels.

Love,

    Carbon Cuddlekins/Fluffikins

P.S.  How appropriate that today's Black Cat Appreciation Day!

Happy Belated Purrthday to Carbon!

Carbon writes:

Don't worry, my purrthday wasn't forgotten!  Yesterday was just an extremely busy day around our house, with appointments for the humans and kitten-watching for us.  I had a good purrthday, though!  It was very relaxing, as you can tell from the above picture, MOL.  I snuggled with Daddy and later with Mommy, taught Bunny that the food plate is mine with a whap to the head (gently), and ran around playing with all kinds of toys that Mama Shawnee had taken out for us.  I even played Crazy Circle!

I turned 11 years old yesterday!  Yes, I'm a grouchy old man, but I can still tear up the house like a kitten when I want to, including going after a bouncy ball set loose in the kitchen!  The kittens were afraid of it, but I taught them how to whap it down mid-bounce.

What Starla Did on her Gotcha Day!

Starla writes:

Today was my Gotcha Day Annifursary!  I can't believe it's been seven years already since I was adopted by Uncle Skylar!  The piccy above was me on the first full day (the 4th) I was a member of this household, when Smokey and I both got spayed.  I came inside the afternoon before, so on the 3rd, which is why we celebrate the 3rd.

I was just shy of my 2nd birthday when I was adopted, at least that's why my purrents think.  I'm not telling for sure!  They didn't know me as a baby kitten, only after I moved in two houses from them in Portland.  My mom-cat and Little Bit's (and Smokey's) mom-cat were sisters from the same litter, making me cousins with Little Bit.  The same people had Little Bit's mom-cat who had me, because they took me from my feral mom-cat when they moved with Boo-Boo Kitty (who they had adopted).

I became a semi-feral, semi-socialized young cat, then I found the green house.  It had a nice, warm, dry basement that I could get into from the outside, a porch with a food bowl, and sometimes the humans would bring me inside.  They made plans to foster me when they were told by "my" humans that they could.  My spay was scheduled.

They brought me inside the day before, and told me I would be staying.  I didn't know what that meant, but it sounded nice.  The next day, Smokey and I went to the vet and got spayed, then came back.  We got chilled, even though we had a fleece blankie around us and one over the stroller, so Uncle Skylar hopped up on the couch to snuggle me warm.  He looked at the humans, curled around me, and that was that!  We were besties from then on.  I miss him a lot.

Slowly, I got used to the other cats in the household, and now I'm friends with everyone.  I still worry some about Carbon, because he likes to be threatening, but I don't hide.  I mainly spend time on the dishwasher in the kitchen, but I also like the sun puddles in the dining room, if Carbon's not easily seen.  I still have anxiety issues, and have to be "flown" in or herded in to the bathroom for potty time.  I use the tub still if I make it in there; otherwise, I use the kitchen floor and then Mommy cleans it up.

Mixx doggy and I are still besties!  I'm "his" kitty and he's "my" woofie.  We both get big smiles when we see each other, and happy ears!

Have a great day, friends!

Happy 10th Gotcha Day, Tabby & Carbon!

Happy 10th Gotcha Day to Tabby and Carbon!  This is a picture of them when they were just a few weeks old, after they came to live with Daddy.  They were in a free kittens cage in Clatskanie, OR, where Daddy grew up.  He and Mommy were driving through on their way to Long Beach, WA, for their first beach trip together, and Mommy saw a sign on the feed store billboard:  Free Kittens.  All the way down and all the way back, Daddy kept asking Mommy to help him remember to stop.  Sure enough, there were two little kittens in the cage on the porch!  Carbon was 5 weeks old and Tabby was 4 weeks old.

Needless to say, the rest was history!  Daddy picked up Carbon while Mommy picked up Tabby, then they switched after a few minutes.  Carbon threw up on the way home, but Tabby loved the trip, even looking out the side window and trying to climb on Daddy (who was driving).

Once at their new home, the little house in SE Portland, Tabby dove headfirst into Mommy's cake while Carbon curled up in Daddy's work boot for a nap!  Later on, after playing, eating, and using the litter box, it got really quiet in the house.  Daddy and Mommy noticed and started looking for the kittens.  They looked everywhere, to no avail, until Daddy had a brainstorm.  He opened the top two drawers of his dresser, and four blinking, sleepy eyes, along with two big yawns, greeted him!  The kittens had climbed up the back of the dresser using the drawers as stairsteps!

Under!

Carbon under the blinds at our house in Portland

Squishy (one of Little Bit's kids) under the blinds, trying to imitate Uncle Carbon

Kai (one of Little Bit's kids) under a scarf at his new mommy's house just after adoption

Rori under ponies just after we moved to our current house

Starla under the big chair (with Spooky 2 up top and Skylar in the middle)

Carbon under chart paper just after we moved

Rori being a bed lump

Rori and her brother Knut as kittens at our old house, in the basket under the stroller

Rori under the table but on the chair

Miss Marble under the chair (and one of the twins on it)

Tabby:  Get off of me, Little Bit!

Heimdall checking out Tigress

Freya under the covers

Panther thinking he's hiding under the table

Tigress under a chair

Knut under a blanket at his new mommy's house

Missy under wrapping paper

Sherbet under Daddy's dresser

Still Doin' the Q, and Answering Questions at the Pet Fair!

Carbon's still doin' the Q, just like our friend Monty Q!  A few years ago, Carbon joined many of our fellow cat bloggers to honor Monty with a "Doin' the Q" contest!  It was a lot of fun.  This picture from yesterday shows that Carbon's still in fine form, even at almost 10 years old.

Tabby writes:

I had a blast at the NW Pet and Companion Fair on Saturday and yesterday!  I saw many of my friends and family, and met some new friends.  I even got a new outfit from WildChild!  Mommy and I did a stage presentation about feline-assisted therapy and how to get started in animal-assisted therapy.  Mommy talked about how she trained me, and I demostrated how calm I am (by falling asleep on stage!) and showed off how I hug when being carried.  It was really fun!

There was a not-so-fun part, though.  A husky bit me when we first got there on Saturday!  It actually was going to carry me off somewhere, with a not-good ending.  *shivers*  The owner, who was on the other end of the leash, was 3 feet away and looking the other way, not paying attention to the tugging on the leash.  Mommy was pushing me in my stroller, and the husky charged the stroller, grabbed me behind the shoulderblades, and lifted me up a few inches!  Mommy charged the dog with a "Drop it now!" command, which the dog luckily obeyed the first time!  I was not hurt physically, and the bite did not break the skin.  The lady's comment when Mommy Cai confronted her?  "I didn't think anyone would bring a cat to a dog show!"  Mommy Cai responded, "It's a pet fair!" and pointed to the sign.  The organizers went after the lady after Mommy made sure that her dog had the proper vaccinations.  I was ok after about a half hour of snuggling and being petted.

One lady who attended our presentation may want to adopt Autumn!  And, if that weren't enough of a highlight, Jennifer at Spot Magazine wants to interview us later on this year about our work in animal-assisted therapy and animal-assisted activities!  Very cool!

Here's a video slideshow of our weekend!  We met up with Panther's Mommy Cai, Mommy Erin, Coriel, JJ, Erin's friend Amanda and her son Matthew, and Auntie Michelle McClintock and her brother on Saturday.  We also saw my birdie friend Athena from last year's fashion show!  On Sunday, we saw human Athena and her family, who are friends we know from Grammy's kitty blankets for the Humane Society for Southwest Washington.

Almost-Wordless Wednesday: Maniacs!

Carbon vs. pipe cleaners

Tabby chillaxin'

Skylar stealing Mommy Erin's jerky

Rori tackling Tabby to play (while Tabby was trying to sleep)

Squishy (one of Little Bit's kittens) falling asleep in his "flying saucer" (aka crazy circle)

Daddy put a straw wrapper on Skylar's head

Freya putting a yarn ball in Daddy's shoe

Mommy Erin playing fuzzy sockie with Freya while JJ watches

Heimdall and Freya playing with the laundry hamper

Heimdall getting the camera strap

Somebody put ribbons in the tub

Hemming (Tigress' brother) insisting that's the way into the trap

Tabby tried to play with Mommy's coffee cup sleeve

Panther sleeping upside-down