Happy Easter!!!

Happy Easter from all of us!  Tabby went to PetSmart last weekend with Mommy Erin, JJ, and Mommy.  She got her picture taken with the Easter Bunny and JJ!  Everyone at the pet store loved seeing and petting her, and she learned a lot about bunnies and other small animals during the scavenger hunt that JJ did.  She even brought back some Peeps toys shaped like bunnies for the rest of us!

The store didn't have the kitty-specific ones, so we got the ones with squeakers in them.  Panther learned how to squeak them first, by sitting on one, then Dare bunny-kicked one, scaring herself when it squeaked.  Freya tried her hardest to make another one squeak, but it wouldn't so she gave up on it.  When Daddy or Mommy (usually Daddy, though) makes one squeak, Dare jumps and the rest of us run towards the Peep!

Keep away from those Easter flowers, and have a safe and happy Easter!!!

Sunday Surprises!

Sherbet writes:

First of all, hi from my second-favorite spot in the whole house!  This shelf is the one I used to like when it was in my room, but now it's in the dining room.  I still love it, and will go out to it to sleep sometimes.

Mama Shawnee likes to take pictures of me.  She took the one of my shelf and also this one, of me spying on her.  She wasn't supposed to see me from her bed, but she did!

Just in the last few weeks, I've started hanging out on Mommy's desk while she's sleeping.  Once again, Mama Shawnee caught me in the act of being cute!  Mommy woke up to Mama Shawnee talking to me and the camera flash at 2 a.m.!

But, that's not the latest of the surprises.  We have two visitors from another kitty family!  We're kitten-sitting for a couple weeks.  Until now, I didn't know what kittens looked like or sounded like, since I haven't been around any since I was one.  I was quite confused when they appeared.  What were they?  Why did they move so fast?  Was it ok that they were wrestling?  Was it ok that they were eating my food, drinking my water, using my box, and climbing my kitty tree to check out my "house" cubby there?  Mooooooooommies!!!  Daaaaaaaddy!!!  They've been here three days now, and we're all getting used to them (and they to us).  I actually like them, and will go find them if I haven't seen them for a while!  They like me, too.

Bunny (on the left) is fun to watch zoom around.  Well, they're both fun to watch, but he runs with a lope!  He likes to play with Auntie Dare (on the right), who now thinks the kittens are fun to torment (in a good way).

Prince Eric is very fast, and he loves my kitty tree!  I'll even let him sniff me sometimes, if he doesn't try to jump past my house (on the next shelf down) to get to his favorite place.

Their people need to move from the apartment where they've been to a new one, because of poor management and very poor maintenance.  While the family's moving, they've asked that the kittens stay with us.  Once the humans get settled, the kittens will go back to them at their new home.  If you could help Prince Eric and Bunny's people with some green papers, their GoFundMe is here.  It's set up and monitored by them, not us.  Please, no rude comments.  Everyone's trying to help them and the others at those apartments.  Thank you.

Saturday PhotoHunt: Cat

Dare writes:

This is feeding time at our house, when we get special treats!  This time, we got tuna, but sometimes we get canned cat food or pouch food.  Everyone comes running, meowing our heads off for the plates to be put on the floor faster!  Once they're down, we all jockey for position.  We eat by pecking order, so Carbon and Rori always get plates first, also Tabby and the twins.  The rest of us get to eat with them or when they're done, unless there are more plates put down for us.  In this picture, Carbon, one of the twins, Starla, and Missy have the plates.  I'm getting ready to ask Starla if I can share a plate with her, and Tabby and the other twin have the cans.  Bit's waiting her turn patiently, and so is Panther.

I love being part of a clowder!  That's what a group of cats is called, and we have 14 in our clowder.  Some of us are fosters, some are outside ferals, and most are forevers.  Regardless, we're all part of the gang!

Are you pawticipating in the Caturday Photo Hunt today?

Feral...um...Saturday?

Sherbet writes:

*YAWNS*  Pardon me while I eat my breakfast.  I guess I slept through yesterday, because we got our Christmas present and I was too busy trying it out!  Rori and Dare love it, too, and everyone else was exploring it while Daddy was putting it together.  He bought it especially for me!  *smiles*

I was scared when I was hiding in Mommy's teaching shelf, because Panther would come and get me.  I pooped in the shelf!  It's now in another room, but I needed a hiding spot.  Daddy looked online and ordered this kitty tree!  I've never had a kitty tree before, and I didn't even know what it was for a while.  I thought it was interesting, but it smelled funny.  After a while, the smell went away almost completely.  That's when I took a chance and explored it when everyone else was sleeping.

This is my hidey-hole!  This is why Daddy bought it for me!  I can look out of here and hiss at Panther when he comes in the room, and he can't get me!  Well, he could if he tried, but he's too scared after I hiss at him and the others defend me.

It has six levels, two of which are platforms with a raised edge.  Perfect for napping spots!  Then there's my hidey-hole, and the other regular platforms, including the base.  The platforms and hidey-hole are carpeted, and the posts are wrapped with sisal.  I guess it's nice to scratch on, but I haven't tried it yet.  Rori and Dare have demonstrated it, though.  None of us have tried out the roof of the hidey-hole, but our purrents are sure that we'll get to that eventually.

The other big news is that I've been letting the humans pet me!  Mommy is able to pet my back, flank, and tail with the back of her hand.  Daddy is able to pet a whisker and get a nose-touch sometimes.  Auntie Shawnee is able to pet my tail, but she accidentally pets my feet.  I hate my feet touched!  Mommy Lana isn't able to get near me, but I watch her from the floor sometimes when she's got her door open.  I do the slow blink at everyone, because I'm pretty content all the time.

Monday Movie: Easter Egg Roll 2015

Dare to Adopt!

Dare is a 3 1/2-year-old female silver tabby adoptable in the Portland, OR, USA, metro area.  Please forgive the amount of cat hair on the stool; the cats own that piece of furniture and nap on it frequently!  Dare has some Russian Blue heritage somewhere in her ancestry, although we're not sure how much.  She was found as a 4-week-old kitten underneath a bush in the apartment complex that Mommy Erin lived in at the time.  Mommy Erin raised her for about a year before Dare came to live at this house.

Dare is wonderful with other cats, kids of all ages, and adults.  She prefers females over males, because she was neglected by a man at one point in her life.  She interacts with males, but it takes her longer to warm up to them than it does to females.  She is shy to start out with, and it took her about 2 weeks to start to interact with our purrents after moving here.  Now, she is a wonderful lap cat, snuggler, licker, and purrer!

If you would like to adopt this adorable, petite ladycat, please contact us by commenting and/or via our profile link in the sidebar where it says "PDX pride".  Thank you!

Meowy Catmas, a Therapy Cat Tale, and a Sherbet Report

Heimdall writes:

Meowy Catmas, everyfurry!  We've been having so much fun over here at the PDX pride!  Thank you to all our friends who have sent Catmas cards!  Mommy and Daddy read them to us and let us look at the wonderful piccies when we get them!  We'll send out cards, too, but it will be a few days before we get them mailed.

I've been taking care of Mommy again.  She got sick and had to go to the ER, but she's doing better now.  I try to take care of her tummy, but she says purring on it doesn't help it heal.  She lets me purr next to her tummy, though, and that helps a lot!  It's a furry important job, and that's why I got a special Christmas bandana this year!  I paraded all around the living room, showing it off to everyone.

Tabby writes:

I got a new outfit, too!  I was so excited to get it; I couldn't even sit still for the picture!  It's a black & plaid dress, and it matches Heimdall's bandana perfectly!  Mommy and I couldn't go to H. or C. this month because of Mommy's tummy, but we'll be able to go next month, and she says I can wear my new dress on those visits instead of a Christmas visit.  That's ok with me, I guess.

I did go on a very important visit at the beginning of this month, though!  I went to Mommy's church in Vancouver, WA, to entertain kids whose families participate in the Winter Hospitality Overflow (WHO) shelter program.  WHO was putting on a health fair for the participating families, who are homeless and need assistance of various kinds (housing, medical, monetary, nutrition, etc.).  The health fair had information on free medical & dental clinics, food assistance, housing assistance, and hands-on stations with basic checkups from nurses, medicine checkups, manicures, massages, and foot-washing.  For the kids, they also had gingerbread house decorating, coloring masks, and playing with toys.  I was there to entertain the kids and take some stress off the parents, plus promote healthy interactions with animals.  I was very important!

Mommy and I took a taxi to the church, because we had to be there pretty early in the morning.  The driver was the same one who took us to the pet expo last April!  He was glad to see me again, and told us how his kitty was doing.  He even let us sit up front and petted me while he was driving!  When we got to the church, the lady in charge told us what we would be doing and I got settled in.  At first I wondered what I was supposed to do, because it was a totally new environment for me.  Where were the people crowding around to see me and pet me?  Where were the beds, walkers, laps, and chairs?  Why weren't people calling me over?  What was I supposed to do in this large, open space, with only two rows of mostly-empty chairs and some long tables scattered about?

It took me a while to realize that I was supposed to just be myself, like I do at home, and not like I do on a regular visit.  I was supposed to walk around on my leash, say hi to people, ask them for pets, and hop onto chairs.  Those parts of my duties and training didn't change.  But on this visit, I could also talk a little (as long as I didn't scream), play with the toys the kids put near me, and investigate things!  I'm usually not allowed to do those things on a visit!  It was fun; more like playing with JJ than being on a visit!

The kids naturally gravitated toward me.  Two kids in particular wanted to be my assistant trainers, because Mommy told the kids I was learning how to interact with people in this new environment.  The two boys shared me nicely.  The older one pushed me in the stroller around the room and got me used to being there, then gave me a nice chair to curl up in.  He sat in another chair next to me, petting me and talking to Mommy about me.  A lady with a walker came up, and I immediately switched into my regular visiting mode.  She has an emotional assistance cat, but she can't have her with her at the hotel where they were staying.  I visited with her, her husband, and their young daughter for a while, then the second boy came to see me.  He and his sisters had met me when the first boy had, but his sisters had gotten bitten by a cat in the past so they were leery of petting me or being close to me much.  The brother wanted to be sure I wouldn't bite or scratch, but once he was convinced that I would be good, he was my very best friend for the rest of the time we were there!

The boy held onto my leash just like Mommy showed him, and we walked around the whole narthex of the church, investigating all the windowsills.  It was so much fun, and everything smelled differently than my windows at home!  At one point, I walked under a rolling table and the organizer of the event had to get Mommy's attention to have her "rescue" me.  Mommy walked right over and called me to come out, and I came right back out.  All I wanted to do was have a nice nap in a quiet space, and that looked about as inviting as anywhere else!  Mommy brought my stroller over and I got in, taking about a half-hour nap while she visited with some people who were at one of the tables.

After my nap, the little boy found us again.  He wanted to have me help him with his gingerbread house, but I couldn't.  I did play trains and cars with him and the girls, though!  I think I was a bridge at one point, but I'm not quite sure, because sometimes the cars flew over me and sometimes they went around me.  I politely sniffed them, and pushed a couple with my nose, but wasn't really interested in batting at them right then.  The boy wanted to push me around in my stroller some more, so he, Mommy, and I walked all around the church and back out into the narthex.  Those two rows of chairs were still there!  I wanted to get out of the stroller and investigate them, because they intrigued me, so I hopped out and got pets from one of the other volunteers.  I then walked over him to the next chair in line.  Mommy told my friend that I like to walk from chair to chair, so he very nicely moved all the chairs in the line so they were touching each other, like a huge train!  I happily walked about three-quarters of the length, about 10 chairs, then got tired again.  Back into my stroller I went, while the little boy and Mommy talked about the functions of my harness and leash, my stroller, and my walking jacket.  After seeing me in action and walking around with me for that long, he had a lot of good questions!  He wanted to know why I ran out of energy so quickly, where my food and water were, did I sleep in the stroller, and did I have a home.  Mommy answered that I ran out of energy faster because I am smaller, my food and water were in bowls in the closet area, I do sleep in the stroller, and I have a home in a house with Mommy, Daddy, and the other kitties.

It was an exhausting day, but very fun!  Even the two little girls who were afraid of me were happy to see me and know now that not every cat will attack them.  I'm glad I made a difference for all those kids and people!

Sherbet writes:

Hello, everyone.  I'm still inside!  At the moment, I'm under the bed again, where I've been for most of the time.  I come out to eat, drink, and use the box, but the rest of the time I stay hidden.  It's a very different life from being outside!  A couple weeks ago, Auntie Shawnee came to clean the room I'm hiding in.  Boy, was that ever a traumatic day!  All those sounds, and wondering what was going on, and then a horrible thing happened!  They moved my bed!  They actually moved it clear across to the other side of the room!  I scooted out of there so quickly I was just a blur, bounced off the wall in the hallway, and ended up on the sink counter in the bathroom!  I'm still not quite sure how I got up there!

Panther hit my seat while I was trying to see if the window would open.  It wouldn't, so I turned and hissed at my brother.  He backed off when everyone told him to, so I hopped down and started for the living room.  Panther started chasing me!  We ran into the living room at top speed, so I looked around for the highest safe spot.  Seeing a bookcase, I climbed it, but it was full of computer parts that crashed down around me!  They and I were alright, but what a commotion!  Everyone in the household came out to see what in the world was going on, and I got out of there as fast as I could.  I ran to the other side of the fireplace and hopped onto the small table next to the end of the couch.  There was a nice pillow on it that I used as a bunker, as you can see from the picture!  This is where I stayed for the next hour and a half until everyone and everything calmed down.  Mommy sat in the chair and worked on a project, Daddy fell asleep in his chair, and the other cats went about their routines.  Dare checked on me and Tabby walked over to touch noses, make friends, and lie down almost touching me!  Both of them check on me under the bed now, as does Rori.  When there are visitors in the house, Rori even comes under the bed to hide with me, and we talk!  I'll come out when I'm ready, but it may be a while.

Wordy Wednesday: What have we been up to?

Carbon writes:

Your furry investigative repurrter Carbon here, with the news about the household.  First of all, there has been an unexpected lull in our repurrting.  Please pardon the interruption of the news.  It couldn't have come at a worse time, when Auntie Lydia's Bridge Day Annifursary and National Feral Cat Day were upon us!  However, our paws just aren't the best for typing on the human keyboards, and our typist was out of commission.

She's ok, though, and we put her back to work pronto!  I watched out the window for any strange goings-on, like big dogs or sewer-sucky machines while she slept on the couch for a few days straight.  Doctors Tabby and Heimdall revved their purr motors up and alternated sleeping on the couch back or behind her knees.  Nurse Dare and Aide Autumn put their purring skills and super snuggling skills to good use on her legs.  All of us made sure to supervise her walking around the house and we all were extra-good to not get underfoot.

Daddy took good care of us while Mommy was resting and recuperating.  Daddy still will need to be the one in charge of us (and our food, water, and boxes) for about 6 weeks, because Mommy had gall bladder surgery.  Mommy showed us the owies so that we would know what to avoid.  Daddy made sure to tell us exactly how he expected us to behave.  We mostly followed his expectations so far, with some kitten antics and some hairballs, but that's to be expected as well.  Mommy will sleep on the couch for at least another week, maybe longer, which is just fine with us.  More room to snuggle!

Foster Friday: Introducing Autumn

Autumn writes:

Oh, hi!  I didn't realize there were other humans and big cats here, reading what we write!  I'm Autumn, and I've been at this place for a week now.  I'm a foster kitten.  I'm about 4 1/2 months old, and I'm a double-fanged monster!  Rawr!  No, actually I'm a sweet baby who is teething right now, because I just got my adult teeth but still have my baby teeth.  That means I like to chomp on arms and legs, but I'm always careful not to break the skin.  I have very good manners!  I even use soft paws on my foster purrents, instead of clawing (at least most of the time).

I'm also very smart!  In a week, I've learned to ask for petting and for up, just like Tabby and Heimdall do!  I also know how to hop into the stroller for a nap, and I know the best sleep spots in the house.  I also do funny kitten stuff, like try to climb onto the desk by standing in the garbage can, spilling it over in the process.  After I did that, I walked around the house with a used tissue on my back for a few minutes before I shook it off!  Foster Mommy didn't have the camera handy at the moment, though!

My other people had to give me up.  My other mommy loves me very much, but she split up with my other daddy and couldn't take me to college with her.  I couldn't stay with my other daddy, either.  My other mommy is a student of Foster Mommy's, so she called Foster Mommy and arranged to bring me to this home.  At the time, my name was Doug and my other people thought I was a little boykit.  I guess they never checked to see once I got old enough!  My foster purrents quickly changed my name once they saw I was a little girlkit.

This is why I'm now named Autumn.  My orange spot looks just like a leaf landed on my little head!  Everyone loves my colors.  There is another kitty here who looks like me and her name is Missy.  She doesn't really like me much, because she thinks I'm taking Foster Daddy away from her.  No, I'm not!  I just like sitting with him and snuggling because I spent most of my first day here in his lap being petted.

At first, I was overwhelmed by all the big kitties here.  At my other home, I was an only kitten, so this was a complete change!  I hissed at everyone, but then I realized that they were only curious.  I was curious, too!  I saw something waving around, so I crouched low in the chair and tracked it.  Suddenly, I made up my mind to grab it, so I pounced!  One of the big cats turned to look at me and jerked the waving thing away.  It was Heimdall's tail!  Now, every time I see that tail, I go play with it.  It's the best toy in the world, and the big cat attached to it, Heimdall, doesn't even mind unless I try to bite!

I also like playing with Dare, who is my size even though she's older than I am.  I like playing chase up and down the hallway with her, even though I can't leap as high as she does.  She hops to the top of the roll-top desk, and I can't get that far even with an in-between jump.  I try to get Rori to play sometimes, and she played a little with me yesterday around a box, but then she swatted at me and I got scared.  She was confused because I ran off, so she apologized to me by touching noses with me later on to tell me she was sorry.  All these big cats are two to five times my size, except for Dare and Missy.  That's big!

I like my foster home, but I would really love a home of my own.  I'm very social, smart, and friendly to humans and other cats.  I'm up-to-date on all my shots, but still need to be spayed.  My foster purrents are going to make an appointment for that next week, probably.

I'm off to explore and play!  Meow at you later!

It's International Box Day! Yay!

We love our boxes!!!  Here are some of us in boxes from this last year:

 Missy loves to hide and then attack unsuspecting passersby!

 Dare says:  "Is this close enough to being in the box?"

We got the box from Mommy's Christmas present, and it was big enough for all of us!

From front to back:  Heimdall, Freya, Little Bit, Tabby, and Dare (on the chair)

Happy Gotcha Day Anniversary to Starla!

Starla writes:

Happy Gotcha Day Anniversary to me!  I remember the day I was gotcha'd by my forever family!  I had wintered out the ice storm in their basement and it was finally starting to be spring.  I was coming inside to visit them frequently, along with the rest of my biological family (Smokey, Little Bit, and Boo-Boo Kitty).  Smokey and I were both in heat, so my forever purrents asked the people who actually owned me (two doors down) if they could adopt us, and the people said yes.  Smokey became a foster, and was then adopted to Mommy Erin and became her forever kitty.  I was going to be a foster, but something wonderful happened!  Besides getting spayed, that is, which in itself was a wonderful thing.  Not the surgery, but the fact that I didn't have to worry about that anymore.

The wonderful thing that happened was this:

I was brought inside so that I could have my surgery the next day.  After my surgery, Skylar curled around me on the futon and looked up at our purrents, pleading with his eyes for permission to keep me.  How could they deny him this wish, when he'd lost his sister a few months before, and we'd all lost Sara Kitty a few weeks before?  Of course, they told him that he could adopt me as his kitty!  Yep, that's right!  I was adopted by another kitty!

Here we are snuggling together, just after Skylar asked Mommy and Daddy if he could keep me!

He and I were best buddies until he went to the Bridge a few years ago.  Now, my best buddies are Rori, the twins, and Panther.  I live in the bathroom (yes, I "graduated" from my isolation room due to the Prozac helping my anxiety) and have my own special cave in there under the sink cabinet.  And, guess what?  I don't even need the Prozac anymore!  I haven't taken any for the last month and a half!  I'm going to celebrate my gotcha day anniversary by going to eat with the other kitties in the dining room, venturing into the living room to use the scratcher, and greeting Grandma in the hallway when she gets up!  Grandma gave us tuna a couple days ago, and I even went out to eat it with everyone else, sharing a plate with Dare!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tabby is thankful for her family, friends, those she visits, toy springs, food, water, and Mommy and Daddy.

Carbon is thankful for windows that he can look out, Mommy and Daddy, and a long hallway to run up and down.

Rori is thankful for a closet to hang out in when she wants to be by herself, snuggles with Mommy, scratcher, and her family.

Little Bit is thankful for toys, scratcher, the office chair, and Daddy.

Starla is thankful for her cave under the sink, food, medicine for her anxiety, and a family who understands her needs.

Missy is thankful for the printer to lie on, snuggles with Daddy, a warm home, and her family.

Freya is thankful for scratcher, toys, sockies, Mommy and Daddy, her brother, Tigress, and the rest of her family.

Heimdall is thankful for snuggles with Mommy, his sister, the bathtub with fresh shower water, scratcher, toys, food, water, and the rest of his family.

Dare is thankful for the couch to snuggle on, Foster Mommy and Foster Daddy, a home and foster family, toys, and food.

Panther is thankful for an inside foster home and foster family, Foster Mommy and Foster Daddy, Tigress, toys, food, water, the litter box, and health.

Tigress is thankful for the warm house, the ability to go in and out the door, food, liquid water in the house, her inside family, and Mommy and Daddy.

We are all thankful for YOU, our friends!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy National Feral Cat Day!!!

Yesterday, we posted about feral cats as part of our Be the Change for Animals post.  Then, we got the surprise of our lives!  Look who showed up, after being gone since mid-July!!!!!

Tigress came back!!!!!

We all crowded around the back door as soon as we heard her meowing!  Mommy let her in, and we spent about 15 minutes talking, sniffing, and bathing her.  She didn't mind us all crowding around, and was as glad to see all of us as we were to see her!  She wanted a lot of pets from Mommy, didn't mind being inside with the door closed, and made a beeline for the food plates and water bowl.  Boy, was she ever hungry!  Mommy refilled the plate twice, then picked her up by the armpits and "flew" her into the back bedroom with Starla.  Starla sniffed her all over while Tigress explored the room.  Tigress was absolutely scared of the ceiling fan, so that was turned off.  Mommy had to go to work, but left Tigress in the room with Starla while she was gone.

When Mommy and Daddy came back from work, they let Tigress and Starla out.  We all crowded around again, until Tigress made it clear that she wanted back outside.  Mommy and Daddy said no to that for tonight.  Maybe tomorrow, but we all want to make it clear to Tigress that we are still her family and she is safe with us.  Now that she's come back and is inside, we all want to keep her as safe as we can.

We all let her know about her sister's death, and our purrents talked to her about it.  She wonders why Miss Marble isn't in here, but at least now she knows what happened.  Mommy let her know about the book that she and her family are in, too!

We're hoping that she realizes she can be an inside kitty, a former feral, like our other former ferals.  Our current family has several former ferals:  Rori, Missy, foster Dare, foster kitten Panther, and former semi-feral Starla.  Over the years, we've cared for many ferals and semi-ferals.  Each is an individual who accepts our love to the extent he or she is comfortable with, and gives his or her love to us to a degree.

For more information on feral cats, see the link to Mommy's book page on our blog sidebar.  It includes many informational links and videos, as well as the link to the children's book that features Tigress and her birth family.

Happy National Feral Cat Day 2013!!!

Foster & Feral Friday: Box? What's a box?

Panther writes:

Oopsie!!!  I did a big no-no!  There was a very scary thunderstorm on Wednesday night that lasted into early Thursday morning, and I did not like being soaking wet!  I meowed and meowed at the back door until the people let me in.  But then, I didn't want to go out again!  The man went to work, then the lady said she had to go someplace, too.  She tried to get me to go outside again, but I didn't budge.  She pushed me gently with her foot, but I put all my weight on my feet and stuck to the floor.  It's amazing how we cats can do that, even though sometimes we seem to not weigh anything at all!  I was very clear that I did not want to be that wet again!  She let me stay inside while she was gone.

Now, I've seen something called "the box", and I've smelled it.  I've even seen the other cats use it for their pee and poop.  The lady has put me in it and moved my feet to scratch in it, even though I protest that with all my lung power and splay all four legs out.  I just don't get what all the fuss is over this box thing!  What does it do?  I saw the lady take the pee and poop clumps out of it, but it just doesn't make sense to me.

I did what I do outside when I needed to pee.  I picked a spot that was out of everyone's way, under the dining-room table.  I squatted and peed, because I know I'm not supposed to spray inside the house.  That much I'd figured out already.  I don't understand why the other cats were so disappointed that I used that spot!  They even went directly to the lady when she came back and told her in no uncertain terms that something went wrong and they were disappointed.  They all wanted to be sure she knew that none of them did what I did.  Why was it wrong?

The lady sprayed some cleaning spray where I'd gone, then picked me up and "flew" me into the bathroom.  She put me in that box-thing and moved my feet again.  Auntie Dare sniffed my butt to let me know that whatever comes out of me there goes in the box.  I still don't get it!  I think I'll be going outside from now on whenever the people need to leave the house.

At least until I figure this box thing out.

Gotta Go!

Panther writes:

I don't care that Auntie Little Bit is trying to get my tail!  I gotta go!  I found the hallway with Mommy yesterday, so where WAS that?  Oh, right.

*walks down the hallway, a little unsure of himself, glancing back at Mommy*

Yes, this is the way.  There!  That doorway!

*goes into the bathroom*

Yes, this is the place that the little silver kitty was using.  Auntie Dare, this is where it is, right?

Dare:  Yes, that is the potty box.  *sniffs Panther's tail*  Wait, what are you doing?

Panther:  Using the potty area.  Why are you looking so horrified?  Mommy, am I doing the right thing?

*walks out again*

Mommy:  You did fine, Panther.  Most kitties use the box instead of the floor, but we'll show you that when you come in next time.  You found the right room, though, and that's good.

(Panther got some pets after he used the floor in the bathroom, because he at least went close by the correct place.  He stayed inside for a few more minutes, then went outside again to hunt.  This was his first time needing to "go" while visiting us inside, so we're proud of him.)

Rori writes:

We got a new couch!  Pictures to come.  Some of it's in the blue room, waiting, because there is a davenport and a loveseat.  The davenport is a hide-a-bed, so it's in the blue room.  The loveseat is in the living room, and Missy has adopted the footstool as her own.

The bed in the green room got tipped up by Daddy, who cleaned up underneath it.  Yay!  The mattress still needs to be disposed of, because of getting peed on before Starla was put on her good medicine that's helping her, but at least it smells better in that room now.  I hid under Daddy's dresser while he was working on the room.

Exciting Announcements and Therapy Cat Tales from 5/22/13

Tabby writes:

First, the exciting announcements!!!  *runs around chasing her tail*  The Pet Blogger Mall (PBM) is having a Sneak Peek Sale Day today!!!  It's a new online shopping venue featuring those of us who are pet bloggers and sell our creative products online.  We have a store there; look for Trace Elements Art to purchase my children's book, t-shirts featuring us, playing cards, and other great products.  Also check out the other stores for everything from blankies to greeting cards to paw-paintings from your other pet-blogging friends!  If you sell products, you can sign up for a store on the PBM as well.  All the details of the sale day and the PBM in general are on their most recent blog post.

We have had a very exciting week, which is why my blog post has been so delayed.  Sorry about that!  Mommy Erin and JJ moved into their new apartment a week and a half ago, so we had a fun time zooming around in the half-empty house, in and out of their rooms, and generally enjoying the increased space.  We moped that first night, missing them, though.  Heimdall thought they were in Mommy and Daddy's bedroom, but they weren't there.  Smokey thought they might be out in the garage, but they weren't there, either.  Mommy and Daddy said they were in their new home.  Where is that?  Can we visit them there sometime?

Then, last Sunday, Scamper and Smokey got put in carriers and taken to be with Mommy Erin and JJ.  I was very sad to see them go, but reluctantly let Scamper use my favorite carrier to travel in.  His new daddy, Mommy Erin's boyfriend, promised that he'd bring it back in good condition.  I touched noses with both Scamper and Smokey through the mesh of their carriers to say goodbye, then pouted on the bed.  It's very odd not having them here.  Dare is still here, being fostered until we find her a new forever home, because they could only take two kitties.  Mommy Erin is sad they couldn't take Dare along, too, but we promised we'd take good care of her and find her a wonderful home.

Ok, on to the Therapy Cat Tale!

Last Wednesday was very rainy!  Mommy made sure to bring my umbrella to cover my stroller where the mesh is, but I growled at the rain anyway when it came in under the umbrella a few times.  On the way to H., we listened to stories of cats who lived at a nursing home and a dog who visited there, courtesy of a former employee at said nursing home.  It was all very interesting!  However, I had to ride on the floor in my carrier because the bus driver wouldn't allow Mommy to set the carrier on the bus seat like she normally does.  I had to look at everyone's shoes rather than their faces.

After we got on the MAX, I got to ride on the seat out of my carrier.  I wanted to snuggle with Mommy because I don't like the sound of the MAX, so I stuck by her side the whole time.  She talked with three people who were quite impressed with me and my work while I rested.

We got to H. early, so we greeted a few people in the hallway then went into the ladies' restroom.  I love the brown couch there and sit on it while Mommy fixes her hair each time we come to H.  That's where a lot of my photo shoots are done, as well.  As we were going in there, we heard someone in the hallway say, "When she comes early, she takes Tabby in there and takes updated pictures of her on that brown leather sofa."  Yep, we do!  I shared some of them with you on my last edition of Therapy Cat Tales, the ones with the blue bandana.

S. went around with us for the first part of visiting, then she had to go home and R. went around with us.  Some of my regulars were sleeping, but I got to visit with quite a few of the ones who were awake plus some new friends.  M. wanted me to come up in her lap, so I did.  She had a cookie for me!  I used to get cookies from another lady, but she died.  I didn't know M. had the same cookies!  Fig Newtons are so yummy, and Mommy checked with the vet about me eating them.  I can have up to a quarter of one per visit.  I didn't get even that much, just a corner of one this time, but I ate it all up then looked around for more, licking my lips.  That got a laugh out of M.!  She promised me that next time she would give me another cookie.  Yum!

F. is a new friend.  He was excited to meet me, because he had cats when he was younger.  I got up on his lap, then wanted to get onto his bed.  He wouldn't let me!  I liked that he was petting me, but I really would've preferred being on his bed.  That's how I am with new people sometimes.  It usually takes me two or three visits to be comfortable on someone's lap.  But then, watch out, because I won't want to move!

Our last visit was with another M., who was trying to put a puzzle together.  She petted me while she worked on it, but R. and Mommy quickly realized that not all the pieces were there.  They put that one away, then sorted through the remaining puzzles to find one of the right level that seemed to have all the pieces.  All three of them worked on the new one, which had ducks and fish on it, while M. petted me with her free hand.  I was very content to lie in my stroller and listen to them talk while getting petted.

PhotoHunt: ZOOM!!!

ZOOM goes Dare!  When she first came to live here, she wasn't sure about anyone and never stayed out in the open for long.  Now she's a confident young cat around us, and will even peek at strangers from a safe hiding spot.  She is up for adoption in the Vancouver, WA/Portland, OR, area.

Are you a photohunter?

Celebrating more birthdays!

Happy 5th birthday to Erin's Smokey and our Little Bit!  Wow, can't believe these two girls are that old already.  Smokey acts older than she is, but Little Bit acts like a kitten still.  Little Bit is zooming up and down the hallway, almost running over Dare on her way around the house!  Smokey sometimes snuggles with the other cats, and sometimes plays, but most of the time she acts like a grumpy old lady, proving that you can never tell personalities only by heredity.

Remembering their sister, Baby Chiba, who went to the Bridge as a kitten.  These girls had a tough first year, being neglected by their original family.  Smokey was abandoned along with her cousin-cat Starla, whom we adopted.  Little Bit got pregnant when she had just turned 1, and had four little boy-kits.  We fostered them all and found homes for three of them.  One ended up dying of genetic complications.

Even though we love these girls, please remember it's important to spay and neuter your pets!  It's also important to spay and neuter feral cats.  Little Bit's dad was a pet cat, Smokey's dad was probably a feral, and their mom was feral-born.

From left to right on the porch:  Starla, Little Bit, Smokey.  From left to right in the back:  Outdoor Fluffy Buddy, Boo-Boo Kitty.

Smokey as a kitten

Little Bit as a kitten

Baby Chiba and Starla as kittens

Wordy Wednesday: News!

Tigress writes:

Some of you guessed that I was the one hiding under the chair (kudos to Sparkle!), on my first big adventure inside since my spay a few months ago!  Well, was it ever an adventure!  I'd met some of the inside cats before, just to sniff or touch noses, from either my spay-recovery trap or the open door.  This was my first official meeting with Dare and Scamper, though.

Dare decided that I was interesting enough to follow around the house.  Yes, you read that right!  I explored the house!  I first ate from the food plate, then had some water, with my sister's encouragement while others looked on and Mommy petted me.  Then the heater went on and Mommy asked me if it was ok if she shut the door to keep the warm air in.  She and Daddy have been\ doing that with me for a few weeks now, and I like the warmth on my fur.  It really is much warmer with the door shut.  When the heat went on, I was a little startled by the sound, but then it became interesting when I saw the blinds move over the vent.  I went to explore it, and meowed happily when I felt the wind blowing my fur!

Somebody was on something called a chair, underneath something called a table.  My sister hopped up on one of the chair things, but I was too chicken to join her.  I walked under the table, then to the computer desk.  I found a long, open place called a hallway, but didn't go down it.  I was much more interested in the living room, which was really open.  It reminded me of my deck, so I felt safer there.  There were more chairs, although these were covered in something soft, and a big chair called a couch.  I walked around until I heard Daddy snoring, then dove under the couch into the corner.  Dare followed me but let me have some space, which I was glad about since she'd been following me nose-to-tail since I walked in.  Mommy tried to get a good picture of me, but every time she got close, I moved to another place.  If she aimed the camera at the couch, I moved underneath the chair.  If she tried to crouch down to take a picture of the chair, I ran to the couch again.  I was way too quick for her!  She got a picture of Dare checking on me, though.  (See two posts back.)

After all that exploring, and the nice warmth of the heater, I was getting very sleepy.  I felt comfortable and safe under the blue chair, and I knew my sister was inside as well, so I took a nap.  I thought I would only sleep for a little while, but I slept five hours!  Mommy was so happy!  She stayed up in case I wanted out, but she didn't think I would stay in that long!  I was soooo tired.

As soon as I woke up, I started pacing and crying.  I'd forgotten for a few minutes that I'd come inside, so I was very disoriented and felt trapped.  I ran all over the place, tried to get out the door (which wasn't open right away), then tried to get out the stove!  Yep, I thought the stove was the door!  Mommy opened the door a little way, then came into the kitchen to get me.  She thought she'd herd me toward the door, but I didn't want to move from the corner.  She picked me up right under the armpits, gently but firmly, and "flew" me to the door, opening it further when we got to it.  I went right out, then she put some food outside to let me know it was ok.

Just a few minutes ago, I came in again for some food and to explore the dining room a little.  She shut the door, but let me out right away when I asked her to.  Maybe it's a Wednesday morning thing?

Fluffy Tuxie writes:

Hi!  I'm a reticent guy, but the outside girls have kept me company for a few months out here in the yard.  I've been around since just before Tigress got spayed, but hadn't come close until this last week.  I decided it's much nicer when the people know I'm here, because then they come with scoops of food for me.  Can you see me at the door waiting for my scoop while Scamper eats?

I'm longhaired, with white boots, shirtfront, stomach, and nose (except for a black splotch on my nose).  I'm about as big as Carbon, but younger.  The people think I'm about three or four years old, but I'm not telling.  I could be as young as two.

I'm getting to the point now where I only run a short distance away when the people open the door.  I run to the edge of the deck, sometimes diving but most of the time staying up, then turn and look at them.  Once they close the door, then I approach the food and eat.  However, the lady didn't close the door all the way one time last week because she was talking to me, and I approached to eat.  She put her hand within sniffing distance and held it there while I ate.  Then, I came closer at the same time as she reached down, and her fingers brushed my fur!  I pulled away, looked at her, looked at her hand, then went back to eating.  It felt kind of nice to be touched!  She touched me again, very gently, and I leaned in so she was petting the edges of my long fur.  I let her do that for about two minutes, then I had enough and walked away.  She shut the door so I could eat in peace then.

Almost-Wordless Wednesday: Who's inside?

Who's under the chair, Dare?