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!!!

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

Happy Gotcha Day & Birthday to Missy!

Photo credit:  Erin Dublin

Missy writes:

"How I spent my winter vacation"

Hmm...no, that's not right.  Let me try again.

"Enjoying Christmas at my forever home"

Yep, sounds about right to me!  Yesterday was my gotcha day anniversary!  I can't believe it's been four years since Mommy and Daddy made the decision to officially adopt me!  It's actually been 4 1/2 years since I came to live here at my forever home, but I wasn't "official" for a few months until Daddy decided he couldn't part wth me.  I love my daddy!

I remember when I found my family.  It was May, and I was hungry.  There were some people who had been feeding me, but they weren't around because it was after their work time.  I went looking for someone to help me, but couldn't find anyone.  I was worried because it was starting to be evening, and there wasn't much prey in the industrial area I called home.  I lived outside, finding what shelter I could.  I walked down the sidewalk, calling out for someone, anyone, to come help me.

Mommy was teaching her class, and the whole class stopped to listen to me.  They could all hear me from inside the building!  Everyone turned to look at Mommy, and she put down the chalk she'd been using.  She all but ran out the door to look for me!  She found me and picked me up after letting me sniff her hand, then asked a few people if they knew where I belonged.  Then she asked someone to go inside the building to get Daddy.  He came out, took one look at me, and put me into the car!  I knew right then that this was the family for me!

I escaped from the car when my new purrents opened it to go home.  I'm very quick!  It took them another 45 minutes to re-catch me, because I decided to hide in the lot across the street.  They had to earn my trust enough to lure me out the side of the fence and catch me again.  I rode by Daddy the whole way home!

It took me a while to trust them completely, and about a year and a half to purr for them, but I'm so glad I chose this family!  I love my auntie, uncle, cousins, nieces, and nephews as well.  They are my play buddies, entertainment system, and companions.  For a kitty who grew up on the streets without siblings, I've come a long way!

The interloper, aka Autumn, has been taking over Daddy a lot lately, though.  I think it's fun to play with her tail as she walks by my chair, so she's not all bad.  Actually, she's a fun kitten, but she has this annoying habit of tackling when she wants to play.  I have to watch when I'm coming out of the bathroom door after using the box, because she likes to try to ambush the rest of us at that corner!  I've actually played with her a few times, and even snuggled with Daddy at the same time as she, but not often.  I do like watching her from the top of the chair or from the file cabinet!

Photo credit:  Erin Dublin

Mommy Erin, JJ, and Coriel came over last weekend and we had a wrapping paper party!  I got all the paper, and there was a lot of it!  JJ gave me every piece off his presents, and made a fort around and over me.  I played in it for a while, and then walked off with a piece of the paper still attached!  I made a big deal of shrugging it off, and everyone laughed.  Very fun!

Today's my 6th birthday, too!  Does that mean I get more wrapping paper to burrow in?  I sure hope so!

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.

NW Pet & Companion Fair 2013

Tabby writes:

It was so cold today when we left the house!  I didn't know where we were going, and why Mommy Erin and JJ were coming with us, but I was sure it wasn't to visit my friends at H.  It was the wrong day and the wrong time!  Mommy Erin held me for part of the time, because I was shivering.  I had my jacket on, plus a fleece blanket, but it was still cold.  Mommy didn't think it would be that cold this morning, and she wished she had had another blanket for me to wrap up in.

Mommy Erin keeping me warm.

I was fine once we got the the Expo Center, though, because it was warm inside.  There were a lot of doggies waiting in line to check in, so I got sniffed and licked.  That was ok with me, though.  Mommy signed a waiver that said if I clawed anyone she would take full responsibility, although that would never happen.  I'm too well-behaved to do that!  I said hi to the lady at the check-in table, who was wearing a cat shirt.  Then we went over to another table where JJ got to throw a small sample bag of dog food at a bowl.  Why didn't they have an eating contest instead of a throwing contest?  I guess they couldn't, for humans.  Anyway, he won a pin.  Then, we got to see the fluffy black girl-cat who looks like Carbon!  She rides around on her humans' shoulders and goes to the Doggie Dash every year as well.  It was my first time meeting her, although Mommy's been introduced to her before.  Mommy Erin held me up to touch noses with her while she was on her daddy's shoulders.  We touched noses, sniffed, then I got hissed at!  I didn't take offense at her doing that, though, just gave her a puzzled look and got back into my stroller.  Mommy, Mommy Erin, and the cat's daddy all laughed and said the black cat was just jealous.

Hissy black girl-cat

Besides the black cat, there were two other cats visiting the expo with their families.  They were both young kittens, so that's great for their socialization and experience to visit places so young!  One was just over a year old and had a jacket harness like I used to use.  He was riding on his mommy's shoulder, looking behind her wide-eyed at everything.  The other kitten was only a couple months old, if that, and was an orange tabby.  She didn't know what to make of people, let alone all the doggies, sounds, and activity, so she clung to her mommy and was very interested in everything.  Her nose was going a mile a minute!

We saw a lady who recognized me from seeing me on the MAX.  That was fun to be remembered on sight!  Also, a lady at the Dove Lewis booth remembered me from when I modeled at Boutiques Unleashed, and had just been telling someone about me!  Another lady at another booth is going to buy the Kindle version of my book to read to her new baby.

We talked with a few people about therapy cat work, but mainly I snuggled in my stroller while Mommy went around to the booths collecting information and seeing what there was to see.  Mommy Erin and JJ got to hold birds, but I couldn't go in that part so Mommy didn't get to do that.  We all went to see the wild animals and saw a bobcat in a kitty tree!  That's right:  it was in housecat furniture!  One man kept looking from me to the bobcat and back like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Bobcat (lynx) in a domestic cat tree

Mommy Erin and JJ got to hold a Patagonian Mara, also known as a cavy, and a miniature pig.  They even got their pictures taken with them!

Hello again and exciting news!

Freya writes:

Hi!  Sorry we haven't written for a long time, but we've been busy!  Tigress has learned to eat from the inside bowl sometimes and is letting Erin pet her when Erin and JJ come to visit.  Last time, she even sniffed JJ's fingers!

It's been sunny and warm lately, but yesterday morning we woke up and the world was cold and wet.  No fun!  Well, I thought it was no fun, but I found out differently.  Last night, the invasion of the frogs started again!  Mommy calls them the plague of froggies.  When she came home last night, seven froggies were stuck to the front door and one was on top of the door frame!  They had to be brushed onto the sidewalk and the ground before she could come in the door.  We didn't get any inside, but then I saw some on the back door.

That's what they look like when they splat on the door!  They stick!  They can actually hop up the door.  I told the others, and they all came to look.  I tried catching them, but they were on the outside of the door.  Darn it!

We also have a visitor, but I'll let her tell about that.  She's fun to play with!

Smokey writes:

Hello!  I'm Smokey, and I'm Little Bit's sister, from the same litter.  I'm also Starla's cousin.  If you were a friend of the PDX pride when we were on Catster, or a few years ago on here, you may remember me.  My mommy is Erin, and my human brother is JJ.  I usually live with them, but I've been staying with the PDX pride, Mommy Karen, and Daddy Scott for a few weeks while things settle down at my house.  Dare, the youngest kitty in my family, was acting up because her person left.  That made me nervous, so I started guarding the litter box and the food.  I also chased Dare and terrorized her.  Mommy thought it was best to remove me from my home for a while to see how Dare did.  Well, that little cat was the problem, not me!  So I'm going to be going back to my real home in a week or so, and Dare will come to this house.  We'll see then if she starts using the litter box properly again!

I miss my family, but I knew some of the kitties here already.  Of course, I know my biological family, but Rori, Tabby, and Carbon were also part of my first family because I came to live with the PDX pride when Cousin Starla did.  She, Little Bit, and I would come and go in the house in Portland when we were all kittens.  I didn't know the newer cats here in this house, but I settled in pretty easily and now play chase with everyone up and down the hallway!  My favorite place to sleep is on the top of the recliner, above Daddy Scott's head.

Tabby writes:

Exciting news!  Exciting news!  My book is now available on Amazon.com and also for the Kindle!  It is now priced at $9.99 for the paperback and $2.99 for the Kindle version.  That's a 50% savings over the Blurb edition, plus now it has the electronic edition.  Wow!  I've already sold one for the Kindle!

I've been visiting again since September, but we've had so much going on with everything here (and Mommy started teaching her classes again) that I haven't had time to write.  One of my friends at H. actually went to the next floor up to find us, because we'd missed her on her floor.  She found a nurse, who found us, so we went to visit the lady!  I have a couple new friends, too.  Our next visit is on Wednesday, and both Mommy and I will dress up in our Halloween costumes for it!

Happy Anniversary to Mommy & Daddy!

Happy 4th anniversary to our mommy and daddy!

We have been having a very exciting time here!  Last weekend, JJ spent a day and night with us.  It's very interesting having a 4 1/2-year-old here!  Tabby, Carbon, and Little Bit remembered right away who he was, even though they hadn't seen him for about a year.  Freya took a while to warm up to him, and Heimdall ran to hide in the bedroom (behind a closed door).  Missy, who's only seen him once, walked right up to him and rubbed against him for pets!

When Miss Marble came inside, she was ok until she realized that something she didn't know about was walking around and talking.  Then she made a beeline for the back door and wanted out!  Tigress wasn't sure about him, but she ended up coming a few steps in while he was watching quietly from behind Daddy in the hallway.  Later on, she got pets from Mommy through the door while JJ was watching beside Mommy.  Very brave!

Heimdall's saying he wants everyone to know he wasn't as chicken as it sounds.  He really ran to assess the situation, then came back out later after he'd had a good, long nap to think about things!  Poor Rori didn't know what to do, so she ran in circles around Daddy's chair, because JJ slept in the big bed in her room.  After he left, though, she was back up on the bed, then lay on the train tracks in the spare room (JJ's playroom, at the moment).  Rori just didn't know what JJ was, then figured out he's a human kitten.  She used to know what he was, but he's grown so much in the last year!

Remember Tabby writing about Tigress' birdie in the last post?  Well, yesterday Tigress had a baby bunny!  We've got wild bunnies around here, but none in our yard because of the ferals.  Obviously, the girls are such good huntresses that they scared them all away!  Tigress found one somewhere and brought it to show us.  We were watching through the glass, amazed, while she carried it around, let it go, ran a short distance away, then stalked it and caught it again.  Daddy got up to see what we were watching.  He went out to try to get the baby bunny away from Tigress, because he didn't want it to suffer.  She let it go and ran off, then he helped it decide where to go when it hopped away.  Daddy said the little bunny wasn't hurt at all, not even a bite mark!

Almost-Wordless Wednesday: Portland Pet Expo!

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

Our Wonderpurr Holidays!!!

We had a great week of Christmas parties and get-togethers!!!  First, Tabby and Mommy visited H. on Christmas Eve, then Mommy went over to be with her dad, uncle, and grandparents for the rest of the evening.  On Christmas Day, Mommy's mom came over to exchange presents, and we got a LOT of boxes and wrapping paper to play in/bite/hide/pounce in!

 Christmas tree over at Mommy's grandparents' house

Lights at Mommy's grandparents' house

 Heimdall is interested in the fire in the fireplace.

In the afternoon on Christmas Day, Erin came over to spend the rest of the day and the night with us.  She was a bit sad, so we did our best to cheer her up.  We think it worked, too!  How could she not be cheered up watching us play and petting us?  Our purrents and Erin had yummy leftovers from Christmas Eve for dinner (meatballs, gravy, and mashed potatoes) and we got the plates afterwards.  Carbon does love his mashed potatoes and gravy treat!!!

 Erin and Freya

 Erin making kissy noises at Freya

 What's that???

What is it???  What's it doing???

Then, on Monday, Daddy went over and got Erin and JJ so we could have Christmas and open gifts with them.  They spent the night, then went back the next day.

When it was bedtime for JJ, he took a bath with his new green bath salts.  Freya, who loves jumping in the bathtub when the water's running for showers, wasn't sure exactly what JJ was doing, but wanted very much to investigate it.  So she jumped on the side of the tub and looked in!  Nope, she didn't slip in.