A sunny visiting day

Tabby writes:

Yesterday was a very sunny visiting day! It was nice to be out of the house, but WARM! Mommy and I had a little time before we actually had to be inside, so we visited one of her former customers from when she worked at Starbucks last year. He begs in the park and collects cans. It was a slow day for him, so we spent about 15 minutes chatting and meowing with him. He petted me, but didn't want me to climb onto his motor scooter-chair. That's a very funny kind of chair! I sniffed it and my ears went straight up! The man and Mommy laughed at that.

When we got to the retirement center, Mommy checked for our sign-in sheet and her nametag, but they weren't there. We're so new visiting that they haven't made one for us yet. So she signed in the regular visitors' log and up went went. We had to wait a little for the nice lady who walks around with us, so we visited with a couple residents who passed by in the hall. Then, she walked out of the elevator with a nice lap quilt to put down so I didn't shed on everyone's clothing.

I visited with a lady who just turned 103 years old! She knew just how to scritch my head. I was interested in one resident's bed, but she didn't want me to hop up on it. Some residents didn't want to visit with me, but that was ok. One lady had a very small lap. When I tried to roll over for a tummy rub, I rolled off! Mommy rearranged the quilt and set me back up, putting her hand as a guard in case I tried that again.

There was a tiny puppy in the lobby when we went downstairs again. She was only 12 weeks old! She had never seen a cat before, and I'd never seen a dog that tiny before! She was as small as a 4-week-old kitten! Her person set her down, and Mommy took me out of the stroller. I went up slowly and sniffed her; she sniffed back, then sat down! It was too cute! I went over and sniffed her again, then she tried to sniff my butt but I had my tail down so she couldn't. She followed me around, then wanted to play with my leash. I turned and sniffed her again, so she sniffed me back. Then I head-butted her and she almost fell over! She sniffed me again and lay down, so her person picked her back up.

After our visit, we went to the park again. Mommy's friend in the power scooter was talking with some other people, but we found a fountain to watch. I was getting REALLY warm, so she rolled the stroller into the shade and sat taking pictures. A min-pin came by with his people, so he and I sniffed while Mommy and they talked. The min-pin gave me a tongue bath! He kept wanting to hop up to lick me in the stroller!

PhotoHunt: Painted

Tabby writes:

Last summer, I painted a canvas bag with my pawprints! It was really fun! There was a fundraiser/birthday party/carnival, and one of the booths was making the bags. The volunteers sponged yellow non-toxic fabric paint on one of my paws, and pressed it down onto the bag. I helped by flexing my paw as it touched the bag! I made a few impressions, then they washed off the paint with a rag. We repeated it with a light green for a few pawprints, then washed that off too.

Mommy has the bag, but it's too big for the scanner, so we'll just put the link to the picture the carnival organizers took. You can see it here!


PhotoHunt

Feral Friday by the Trailer Kitties

Food bowl rollcall:

Shadow, Spongebob, Little Bit, black fluffy Carbon-lookalike, Black Tom Kitty, Orange-head Kitty, Orange kitty from down the street, Raccoon, Boo-Boo Kitty

Other than Little Bit's pregnancy, no kitty news this week. The dogs next door escaped, and the people spent over an hour searching for them, even driving up and down the streets calling for them. Somehow, the dogs were found.

Photo Friday: Self-Portrait 2009

Foodie Friday: Casserole Weather

It's a rainy Spring here (always is in the Pacific Northwest), so it's perfect casserole weather. I write for HubPages as well as this blog, so I often post recipes over there where they will get more of an audience. Here is a link to two recipes: one for the classic green bean casserole with French onions, and another for a broccoli and cheese casserole.

More Foodie Friday posts

Little Bit's announcement

Little Bit writes:

I'm going to be a mommy! When I was visiting the green house, I was held in place by the lady. I screamed about it, because I didn't want her to touch my baby (or babies), but she held me anyway. She wasn't hurting my baby, and I know she just wanted to see if I was preggie, but I just didn't want her to keep me from eating and relaxing inside. After a minute or so of just resting her hands around my bulge, she felt a heartbeat and two kicks! Then she felt what she thinks was the baby's head against her hand! So my baby kitten has at least two paws and a head that are moving around. I hope it's fully formed with all four paws! The lady thinks that I will be a good mommy to my kittens. She just hopes my people will not let them run wild like they let my sisters and me when we were kittens (and still let me do). She hopes that the people will adopt the kittens out or let them be fostered, instead of keeping them. My people still have no intention of spaying me or my mommy Boo-Boo Kitty.

I hope that my kittens will live, and will know kind humans.

White Wednesday

Starla writes:

Tomorrow, Mommy is going to take away my special litter box! She says the rest of the household is getting better at not chasing me, so she and Daddy want to see if I'll go out and use the big box in the bathroom most of the time again. Hmph! What about Tabby? She still chases me! In fact, she now gets put in "time-out" every time she bothers me. They lock her in the bedroom or the bathroom until she quiets down. Boy does she ever scream for a while until she realizes they're not going to let her out until she behaves! Then I get to explore and really be myself, because I don't have to worry about her chasing and cornering me.

Mommy and Daddy say I need to "whup her furry butt", but I don't like to swat. I do occasionally swat, but only if someone else goes first. The only thing I hit is my string. And that, I ATTACK!!!!

I wanted to snuggle with my best pal Skylar today, so I made my way down from the top of the couch onto the main part, where he was lying. I snuggled down right beside him and it was very cozy for a few seconds, until he woke up and saw me there. Sometimes when he wakes up he's very grumpy. He looked at me, stood up, and jumped down off the couch to go eat. He was all grumpy, and wouldn't even look at Daddy. I was a bit shocked by his reaction, and looked at Mommy and Daddy with very sad eyes. Did I do something wrong by snuggling with him? No, they said. He just sometimes is like that. And they petted me and told me I was a good kitty, and that Skylar still loves me. After he woke up a bit more, he came back and lay down a few inches away from me. I guess he still loves me.

The HubChallenge is underway!

30 hubs in 30 days! Whew! I've got some good topics lined up, but could always use more ideas. If you have an idea, please leave it in the comments for me or officially request a hub here.

Ideas:

• Leash-training your cat
• 13 uses for empty cat litter containers
• Secrets to a great potluck
  
• If you could be anywhere in the world, where would you retire? (from Katie and Da Katz)
  

Completed hubs:

• Fitting my Life in a Suitcase
• The Day We Died (about a drunk-driving awareness day)
• Looking out the "Nothing Window" (Window Views)
• The top 5 things no one tells you about cat ownership
• The Burning of my Church
• A Simple Way to Destress
• Why Learn an obscure Language?
• Three strangers and a guy named Bob on a quest to kill giant birds for a crazy poacher dude
• Summer Dangers to Pets
• Happy Memorial Day?
• To a Confederate Soldier
• UFO's: The Bane of a Crafter's Life
• Cats who have Owned Me
• Independence Day at Fort Vancouver
• The i who lost his dot (Part 1)
• The i who lost his dot (Part 2)
• The i who lost his dot (Part 3)
• The i who lost his dot (Part 4)
• Events and Adventures
• How to be a tourist in your own town
• Sweden isn't Switzerland! And other travel misconceptions
  

Thanks for your support and for reading! If you want to know more about this challenge, click here for my first post on the subject. You can even join in if you want. :)

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the momcats, human mommies, and moms-to-kitties!
We love you all!

Mommy's gone crazy!

Mommy's decided to write 30 HubPages articles in 30 days, starting on Monday! That's a lot of writing! Each article will be at least 250 words, and one topic per article. Believe it or not, some people are going to try to write 100 hubs in that amount of time, but Mommy's only going to do the 30-hub challenge.

We've started brainstorming a list of topics that she might write about:

• Leash-training your cat
• 10 must-see places in Portland, Oregon (already mostly written)
• 13 uses for empty cat litter containers
• What I would take with me in a suitcase if I had to be homeless (in response to a request, already written)
• Looking out the "Nothing Window"
  

If you have other suggestions for topics, you can leave them in the comments below. You can also officially request an article from her here under Tabby's picture.

The most recent hubs will always show up on the widget on our sidebar, so you can keep track of her progress if you want. If you scroll down a bit, you'll see it under Mommy's links. We'll also do posts linking to anything she writes that's cat-related and/or that was requested by someone from the cat blogosphere.

*We have a post now that organizes all the brainstormed topics and lists the completed articles. You can find it here. Feel free to keep suggesting topics!*

HubPages is a fun community of writers who are committed to publishing well-written articles. The articles, called "hubs", do have ads but the revenue from those ads is not why I write. I write hubs because I like the challenge of writing something informative and/or funny for others to read, in the format of an article rather than just a blog entry. Hubs are published for anyone to read, and are searchable in Google and Yahoo (as well as other search engines).

If you would like to know more about HubPages, click here. You can even join in the challenge!

PhotoHunt: In Memory

Lydia
alpha cat and Skylar's littermate
10/26/99 to 10/13/08

Spooky (adopted name: Nyx)
foster kitten adopted out for the last 3 weeks of his life
Summer 2007 to 3/26/08

Baby Chiba
neighbor's kitten and Little Bit's/Smokey's littermate
August 2008 to Winter 2008

Big-Head Kitty/Grey Guy
feral and Rori's probable dad
2006? to June 2008

Sara Kitty Princess
adopted us for the last year of her life
1990 to 1/5/09

PhotoHunt

Project F.U.R.B.A.L.L.

Calling all feline special agents! Project F.U.R.B.A.L.L. is recruiting and has asked me to spread the word. Click the link below to read the referendum and report in.

Project F.U.R.B.A.L.L.

P.S. This was written by a friend of ours on HubPages who also hijacks her purrson's account for special top-secret cat business.

Foodie Friday: Desserts

This week's Foodie Friday theme is cakes, but I chose some general dessert recipes instead. May 17th is Norway's Constitution Day, which I celebrate (being Norwegian-American). For the day's smorgasbord, there are lots of goodies, including a traditional assortment of cookies. These are also served at Christmas. Last winter, I wrote an article about the Scandinavian tradition of seven kinds of cookies, "Sju sorter småkaker".

More Foodie Friday posts, including cakes and other desserts.

Feral Friday by the Trailer Kitties

Food bowl rollcall:

Little Bit, Boo-Boo Kitty, Black Tom Kitty, Orange-head Kitty, Grey Striped Kitten, Marble, Shadow, SpongeBob

Marble is definitely a male. He was yowling and wandering around after Little Bit yesterday. No one has answered our ads or put up an ad about him, so either he was dumped or no one cares about losing him. So sad. We'll try to befriend him and bring him somewhere to check for a chip. He let the lady look out the window at him yesterday, but as soon as she opened the door he was out of there.

For those who were wondering, Marble's coloring is a classic marbled tabby pattern.

Photo Friday: Wildlife

These guys, along with a flock of starlings, share the cat food on the back porch with the feral cats and provide hours of entertainment for our inside kitties.

Photo Friday posts

White Wednesday

Starla writes:

I've got my very own litterbox now! A couple days ago, Daddy woke up from a nap and smelled something awful under the couch. I was sitting in my own pee, with Carbon a paw away. Daddy chased Carbon away and told him he was naughty, then cleaned up the mess and cleaned me up.

When Mommy got home that night, there were poop nuggets under the couch. Obviously, they'd trapped me under there again, so I couldn't run to the bathroom. She got a box lid from one of the delivery boxes, filled it with litter, and put it under the end of the couch.

Now, whenever I need to go potty, I just jump under the couch and use my own personal box. It's so handy, the others can't use it (I guard it from Tabby, and I swatted her after she tried to get to it), and I don't have to "run the gauntlet" with a full bladder. I've actually been more social since my box appeared. I hopped up on Daddy's lap yesterday and kneaded for a while, being petted. When Mommy took her nap, I ran in and napped under the dresser (a spot I could defend if needed) the whole time so I could be near her.

My new toy

Rori writes:

I have a new toy! I'll give clues, and see if you can guess what it is.

1. Mommy thinks it belongs to her.
2. It's big and puffy.
3. It is big enough so that all of us could nap on it if we want.
4. I think it's a blankie, but Mommy says it's not.
5. It has silver dangly toys on it that I can bite.
6. Mommy brings it with her when she goes to teach.
7. It goes "sssssshhhhhhhh" when I pounce on it.
   

Do you know what it is? Leave your guess in the comments and I'll tell if someone gets it right.

Whew!

Wow! Yesterday was ANYTHING but sleepy! First, Daddy got up and went directly out to the store instead of lounging around for a while first. Then, when he got home with all sorts of odd things like paper towels and gloves, he didn't sit on the couch even though Skylar was asking him to. He went and played with the toilet for over an hour! He cleaned it, even cleaning off the litter we so helpfully put around the base of it to stop the small bit of water that had leaked out. Then he scooped out all the water from both parts of it. We didn't even know there WAS water in that top part! Little Bit was inside, so she and Rori watched from the doorway, with Tabby watching from the box in the living room. Carbon and Starla did walk-bys, and Skylar wasn't interested in it (probably because his nose isn't working properly so he couldn't smell it).

We thought he was done, but then he took the toilet off the floor! Wow, we had no idea! You should've seen how wide our eyes got and our ears wiggle at that! He replaced the seal, then put the toilet back. He cleaned everything up again and took all the cleaning stuff out to the garbage. Of course, we all piled in to investigate the floor, the toilet, the bathtub (where he'd set the garbage bag while he was putting the garbage in it), and the counter (where the cleaning supplies had been).

If that wasn't exciting enough, the water started leaking again. This time, it wasn't the new seal, but it was the intake pipe. Turns out that seal was faulty, so Daddy had to go to the store again and get a new pipe. That wasn't as dramatic as the first thing, but we all assembled again (minus Little Bit, who was back outside) in case he took the toilet up.

Then, things settled down for a few hours. All of a sudden, BOOM! FLASH! BOOM! More flashes and booms, then incredible hail and rain! Freak thunderstorm! We all ran around to find hiding places while Daddy laughed and tried to reassure us. Yeah, right, it's ok for you to laugh, but we're afraid it's going to come get us! Rori and Carbon went in with Mommy, who woke up for two seconds then went back to sleep. Something about sleeping better when it rains...she's obviously a Northwest native!

When she did get up later, she tried her computer and the internet didn't work. Daddy looked at it and said the fan was broken. He had a new one already, so he took the case apart and replaced that. Carbon supervised very closely, even getting his whiskers in the case.

We think we've had enough adventures for this weekend, don't you?

PhotoHunt: Walking

Even though this is from YouTube, it's our own video.
Tabby loves to walk on her harness and leash!

PhotoHunt

Fundraising Update

I was busy with everything else last week and didn't post a fundraising update, but..............

We are over halfway to our goal!!!!!

Thanks to the Creek Cats and to Gypsy & Tasha, we now have raised $66 for Cat Adoption Team! Way to go, Team Tabby! You rock!!!

If you still want to donate, the challenge goes until the end of May. All the money raised goes to medical and housing services for strays and ferals at the CAT shelter, and to providing foster care for the baby kittens and the adult cats who need more socialization. For more information, see the widget on our sidebar.

Thanks for helping us support this great organization!

Former Foster Updates

Starla writes:

I'm still scaredy of all these cats! Skylar and I are friends, of course, but it's taking a little longer with the others. Carbon still thinks I want to play, so he comes rushing at me or swipes at me as I go by. Sometimes he even comes to sit under the couch with me when I'm hiding under there! So I growl and hiss a lot at him.

Tabby wants to check on me to make sure I'm doing ok after things happen, but that's when I just want to be left alone, so I growl, hiss, and swat at her. I know she doesn't mean to scare me, but she sits there and stares, wagging her tail. Mommy and Daddy have explained to me that it means she's trying to figure me out, but it's what the other cats did before they pounced when I used to live outside. It confuses me!

Rori and I have come to an understanding. Mommy was taking me into the bedroom with her when she slept on the nights when Daddy worked, so I didn't have to fend off everyone while she wasn't there to stop them. Rori scooted in one night, a couple weeks ago, and behaved herself after the initial hissing from both of us. So, we made it a nightly ritual, and Rori and I learned to trust each other more. She still does things that put me on edge, but only every few days instead of daily.

This house doesn't have a room to reserve for just me, so that's why it's taking me longer to integrate with the rest of the household. With the kittens my family fosters occasionally, it goes faster because the older cats are more protective of the new little ones. With my being around 2, my "cat behaviors" are set and I'm on edge around the others. I know they just want to be friends, though.

Mommy and Daddy are watching my progress closely, and are encouraged by the small steps: making peace with Rori, coming out from under the couch more and more, sleeping on the couch when Daddy works on his laptop, going to the food bowl by myself, walking (instead of running) especially from the litter box to the couch, purring more, acknowledging petting and turning my ears for rubbing, and playing with the "galaxy ball" that I've adopted and that now lives under the couch.

Yes, you read that last one right! I've adopted a rubber ball! Some of the toys have gathered under the couch from various playtimes, and one day my parents heard a brrrbllllrrrrrll sound. Looking around, they couldn't see anyone playing. Again it went, and the only one not accounted for was me. Then they heard toenails on the floor and the ball sound again. Looking under the couch, they saw a white flash from one side of the area to the other! Then the ball sound again, and the flash. "Starla, are you PLAYING under there?!" In answer, the ball came shooting out into the living room, followed by a quick paw to bring it back to the safe zone. Again, the ball escaped, and Mommy kicked it back under the couch. The third time it escaped, and Mommy kicked it back. When it rolled partway, I hooked my paw around to catch it again. "You ARE playing!" They laughed for a few minutes, so hard that tears were coming to both Mommy and Daddy's eyes!

Smokey update:

Smokey is doing well in her new home. She now sleeps with her 1-year-old brother in the crib when he's sleeping, and runs around the house after him. She has a scratching post and a feather wand that she absolutely adores, but her favorite toys are still her new mom and dad. She hates when her human brother chases her with his flashing, realistic-sounding fire truck, and is scared stiff of the guinea pig! When Truffles the guinea pig is out being petted, Smokey takes one look and dashes under the bed. If it's in its cage, she'll look at it, but if it makes any sudden moves she shoots away.

She is getting a new older cat sibling. Mia is an absolutely gorgeous calico who has been coming to their porch to be fed. Mia's estimated age is somewhere between 6 and 8 years old, and she's had a hard life (teeth missing), but is sooo loving. Right now, they are getting Mia tested for felv/fiv and clearing up her eye cold, but then she will come inside if all checks out.

Photo Friday: Casual

This picture is from December 2007, showing a casual day. Tabby is always very protective of our foster kittens, and her behavior toward Spooky was no exception, as this picture shows. Spooky, or "Mr. Pookers" as we called him for a nickname, was adopted out in March of 2008 at around 10 months old. Unfortunately, we didn't know he had only three more weeks to live. He died of an enlarged heart (a birth defect). We still miss you, little one! Here is his website, with his story. If you are a Catster member, please don't send a message or give a gift on his site, because it goes to his adoptive parents and they don't check their Catster stuff anymore.

Feral Friday by the Trailer Kitties

Food bowl rollcall:

Little Bit, Tom Kitty, Orange kitty from down the street, Marble, little grey kitten, Orange-head Kitty, Shadow, Outdoor Fluffy Buddy, black tom cat with the red collar who looks like Carbon, Precious.

Despite the downpours, it's been a good week. Yesterday was very nice, in the 60's, and today will be in the 70's!

Happy May Day! Have you presented your people with a flower today?

Window Views with Carbon

Window Views is a new meme for Thursdays that we found out about on Samantha, Mr. Tigger, & Maverick's blog. The rules are:

Post your own photographs
Sign Mr. Linky at the Window Views site
Leave a comment
Visit other participants

Marble Monday

Here is Marble, the cat who's been coming to eat for the last couple weeks. He's a very handsome cat. I wish we could find his home, because he's obviously been taken care of. I put a post on Craig's List and have been checking the ads for anyone saying they've lost a cat of this description. He's still a bit scared of us, but getting better. He's wondering why I'm staring at him and holding a box up. He wasn't that concerned when it was just me, but then I went and got the camera. That confused him a little, so he's kind of worried about what I'm doing.

PhotoHunt: Protect(ion)

Carbon protecting our former foster kitten Knut

Tabby protecting Knut

Tabby protecting Knut

Tabby protecting Rori when she was a kitten

All these pictures were taken a year ago September.

PhotoHunt

Feral Friday by the Trailer Kitties

Food bowl rollcall:

Precious, Little Bit, Boo-Boo Kitty, Shadow, Spongebob, Orange-head Kitty, Tom Kitty, a very handsome cat we're calling Marble.

Marble first showed up a week ago, but we didn't post a food bowl rollcall last week. We're pretty sure it's a he. He's tortoiseshell, but dappled brown & grey rather than the usual grey & black. He's pretty scaredy of the humans, but behaves more like a stray than a feral, which is good news.

Remember we thought Precious might be pregnant? Thankfully we were wrong. She's still not letting anyone get close, and Little Bit runs her off if they're both out there at the same time.

Photo Friday: Brown

How now, brown...ummm...fish?
Photographed in 2002 in Portland, Oregon, part of the "Kows for Kids" exhibit.

More Photo Friday posts

Earth Day Almost-Wordless Wednesday

"Cats for the Environment" Shirt by TraceElements
Design a Custom Tee Shirt Using www.Zazzle.com

Rori's Tabby Tuesday

Rori writes:

Daddy put things on my kitty tree last night and left them there! I went to hop up, but smelled something different, so I stood on my hind legs and looked first. There were moneys up there! I ran to Mommy, and she put them in the coin jar. Clink, clink, clink, clink! We all hid. Tabby and I hid under the bed, and Carbon hid in the kitchen by the door. Skylar and Starla weren't as scared, but they still pricked their ears up at the sound.

When Mommy gave the all-clear, Tabby ventured out. Then Mommy came in and told me it was ok to come out from under the bed. I waited about 15 minutes to be sure, then came out. I still haven't gone up there again, because I'm not willing to take a chance right now. I will later, though.

Mommy said something about Daddy needing some moneys from the coin jar for stuff to drink at work. Why doesn't he just open the fridge there? There are always pop bottles in the fridge! Mommy says it doesn't work that way. But that's how it works here, doesn't it, Mommy? O_o

PhotoHunt: Purple

Mommy in her purple nightgown holding Knut, the brother to our Rori. This picture was taken two days after he was rescued. He was about 5 weeks old, and was the kitten of a feral cat. We found him and Rori in the backyard of the house next door. Now he's an almost-2-year-old terror (but very lovable) who lives with a friend of ours, her husband, a dog, and another cat. If you click here, you can see how much he's grown!

PhotoHunt

Fundraising Update

Tabby writes:

We have three new members of Team Tabby's fundraising team! Thank you to Kazuko Neko and to Pinky & Ash for donating! We are now up to $44, which is a quarter of the way to our goal. :)

If you would like to donate to Cat Adoption Team, see the widget in our sidebar. It all goes to help stray and feral cats in Portland, Oregon, and to get the socialized ones into foster homes and adopted.

Thank you!

Fashion Friday

Mommy got this pretty faux-fur-lined jacket for me! She saw it in the close-out section of her Avon catalog. It's supposed to be a D-O-G coat, but it fits me purrfectly!

I'll lie down so you can see the fit around my neck. It velcroes there and under my tummy as well. The inside is lined with camel-colored fleece.

The length is just right!

Photo Friday: Circular

This is the pawprint memorial the vet made for us after Skylar's sister Lydia died last October. We also got one after sweet Sara Kitty died in January. It still means so much that we have these, to take down and touch where their paws pressed into the clay.
It helps when we're missing them.

Photo Friday

I'm officially working!

Tabby writes:

I went with Mommy to my orientation yesterday for my therapy cat work, at an assisted-living facility. Some of the residents there are senior citizens who simply cannot live at home anymore, and some have medical issues (physical or mental). My visit was supposed to be an orientation, filling out paperwork, and meeting the staff. Well, all that changed when I was brought up to meet the staff on the floor where we will be working. The residents saw me, one of them said "Can I pet the kitty?", and soon they were lining up with their walkers and sitting in chairs so I could be passed from one lap to another! We were there a little over an hour, and it was wonderful! One lady, who had just moved in, was having a hard time adjusting. She had to give up her cats in the transition, and she thought I was her own kitty. She called Mommy and the staff member thieves when it was time for me to visit with another resident. The staff member had to pry me gently out of her arms! I'm glad she loved me so much that she connected me with her cats, but it was so sad. Maybe next time she'll have happy memories instead, though. One lady told us all about her mothers cat. Another one was seated in front of the fish tank, and I watched the fish instead of concentrating on being petted! That person thought it was funny, and at first couldn't figure out what I was watching, but then turned so she could watch the fish with me!

We are going to visit every other Friday. There's a dog who visits from DoveLewis, with their therapy group, so it's him one week and me the next. That way, the residents always have a furry friend each week. :)

Almost-Wordless Wednesday

This Scandinavian-style kitchen witch (good luck "charm" for cooking) hangs over the sink at our house. Carbon spends time staring at it from the floor or from the sink counter, trying to figure out how to get to it. A couple times, he's leapt up and missed, landing in the sink, but he has yet to actually get it.

This is soooo cool!!!!

Wow! Mommy checked her e-mail, and guess what she saw?! Diego and I are pictured in the Catster newsletter today, for the battle of the sexes! Diego is a good friend, so I'm glad it's only a numbers battle. MOL! He's another Portland, Oregon, kitty, and Mommy and I have met his mom in real life! PORTLAND ROCKS CATSTER!!!!!

Sir Alfie made the kimi for me to commemorate today, and I'm putting it in my sidebar on my Catster page as well as here! Thanks, Alfie!

Preparing for the inevitable :(

Skylar writes:

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 littermate sister around. I've been fading since her death in October.

A new visitor

Once again, we have a new visitor. Word must really be getting around the neighborhood as the weather warms up! The guest this time is a young cat, probably 8-12 months, who looks like our Rori. He or she stared up at the man when he looked out the door "window", but didn't run right away, then took off underneath the trailer when the man moved. Obviously the kit knew there was food here, but wasn't sure about the people. Is it feral? Is it just scared because of new people? Time may tell. If it's feral, does that mean that Rori's mom and brother might be around still? We hope it comes back.

Happy Easter from all of us!

Happy Easter! Hallelujah! He is Risen!

PhotoHunt: Triangle

The triangles of mirrors make an optical illusion. This photo of me was taken by my grandfather. I was about 7 or 8 at the time, I think.

PhotoHunt

Kitty dropped off at Mommy's church

Mommy got this picture and the following e-mail from her church today:

"Two weeks ago placed a cat in a box and abandoned her at the North door. They left a note saying that she is about 2 years old. She appears healthy and seemingly well cared for. Dennis has been acting as her “foster” parent, however he doesn’t feel that he is the appropriate long-term “parent” for her. Dennis would like to see Miss Kitty (a temporary term of affection that Dennis and the church office staff hung on the poor thing!) go to a good home rather than to a shelter. If you think you would like adopt Miss Kitty or if you know someone who is need of a good companion, please contact (church office)."

Mommy is glad that the person who left "Miss Kitty" decided to abandon her at the church, rather than dump her someplace. She knows Dennis well, and he's very kind to animals. But we would love it if this kitty got a new forever home. If you know of someone who would like to adopt her, please let us know by leaving a comment to that effect. Thanks!

Foodie Friday: Three Quick-Prep Recipes

For this week's Foodie Friday, I'm going to post the link to three recipes I wrote up for another meme over on HubPages. Last week, there was a recipe challenge, so my choices were a carrot & tofu scramble, candied acorn squash, and strawberry-cheesecake milkshake. You can see them here.

Click here for more Foodie Friday recipes.

Photo Friday: Wealth

Wealth is not measured by how much money you have, but by how much love you have. This is our wedding, last August.

This is what was on our cake. Our cats are a part of our family, and part of the love God has granted us. We are wealthy in having their love as well.

Photo Friday

Feral Friday by the Trailer Kitties

Food bowl rollcall:

Tom, Orange-head Kitty, Shadow, Spongebob, Little Bit, Boo-Boo Kitty, Outdoor Fluffy Buddy.

It's raining today, so the people can see our pawprints on the porch. We've had a few really warm days for the season (up to 78 F). Not quite sunning weather, but almost. Pretty soon, we'll be laying out on the porch and in the grass, getting some rays.

Fundraising Update

We've raised $30 so far for the Cat Adoption Team. Some of it doesn't show up on the widget in the sidebar because it was given by Mommy's mom as a check to them. So far, all the teams together have raised $1,049. There's still a month and a half to go for this! If you can donate, or want to know more about the Cat Adoption Team, you can click on the widget in our sidebar. Even $11 will help, because that amount pays for FELV/FIV testing for one cat. $22 pays for a "kitten fostering bag" to be sent along with babies who need socializing.

Thank you!

-- Tabby and the other members of "Team Tabby"

A new puffy? *hopeful eyes looking up at Mommy and Daddy hopefully*

Carbon & Rori:
Please, please? Can we have a new puffy? A new sparkle ball?

Rori:
Carbon really didn't mean to throw our red one in the litter box yesterday!

Carbon:
Honestly! I just was playing baseball with it and didn't catch it! I really didn't mean for it to land in there!

Carbon & Rori:
We're very sad you had to throw it away. So please may we have another one to play with?

Daddy:
Yes, we'll get you another one.

Carbon & Rori:
Yay! *dash around the house chasing each other and Tabby joins in the fun after a minute, while Skylar and Starla watch*

Wordless Wednesday

I'm getting a new tag; I'm getting a new tag!

Tabby writes:

I'm getting a new tag! Actually two of them! One will come next week, and one will come in 2-3 weeks. I have one tag already; my little pink heart engraved with my name and Mommy's phone number. But, she decided that wasn't enough now that I'm going to be visiting as a therapy cat. So she's going to get me two others instead. I'll still get to keep my pink one, but not for when I'm visiting.

My first tag is going to be my rabies tag. I was going to get my updated shot yesterday, but Mommy was not feeling up to going to the pet store, so I will get my rabies shot next Sunday. I really don't mind it, because Mommy holds me and pets me while they poke me in the leg. It's required by our state every three years, so I absolutely have to have it current when I go out, along with paperwork and the tag with my license number on it.

My second tag is going to be a Together Tag. Mommy did a post about it on her new bloggie, the Frugal Feline. The Together Tag is something thought up by Dogster/Catster after Hurricane Katrina, when all the pets were stranded (with or without their people). It's made to withstand natural disasters, though I don't think we'll have one of those here anytime soon. It has a special number and website, and my name and Mommy's phone number. The special number is the password to the website, which has information on how to reach my family, including an out-of-state friend to contact in case no one can reach Mommy or Daddy. I'm going to have this tag because it is easier for people to read than the engraved metal one, and if I run away while on a visit then they can contact Mommy right away. I keep on telling Mommy I'm not going to run away, but she wants me to have it anyway.

I'm excited to get my new tags, because I love walking around with jingling things. For a while, I had a collar with a bell on it, and I loved shaking my shoulders just to hear the bell jingle! These tags will be on my harness, so I'll definitely be the "Jingle Bell Girl"!

NOT easy!

Starla writes:

The people who WERE my people were fighting. I could hear their voices, and jumped up into the window to see if they were coming to get me. I couldn't see them, but I could still hear them. My new mommy and daddy looked out the front windows, and they could see the people. Then the people quieted down and went back into the house next door and the one next to that. Mommy and Daddy picked me out of the window, where I was cowering, and petted me and told me that I was safe here with them. They said the other people whose voices I knew would not hurt me any more, and that I am loved and cared for and safe here. I calmed down and sat with Mommy and Daddy.

Then, a few hours later, we all heard a loud sound and then my former man person shouted and cried, "Oh my God, oh my God, no!" He repeated that, went out to a white van, then the van pulled away and the man went into the house, still crying and shouting. Daddy called 911, and while he was on the phone Mommy watched through the window. A lady came out of the house and went over to my old house, and went inside there. I was very scared, and jumped up in our window, which is in the opposite direction. Daddy told the 911 operator what we'd just seen and heard.

The police came and drove past. Two police cars. They didn't go up to the house next door or my former house, and didn't come here to ask Mommy or Daddy any questions. Mommy and Daddy wonder why they didn't at least go up to the neighbors' doors and knock to find out what happened.

Mommy and Daddy brought me down from the window again and petted me to calm me down. Mommy took me in to the bathroom to see if I needed to go potty. I didn't need to, but I needed my ears cleaned, so I scratched them then looked at her. She cleaned my ears, and then opened the door again so I could go back out. She picked me up so I didn't need to "run the gauntlet" of the other kitties, because I'm still kind of scared of them. They chase me still.

Rori came up on the couch to see if I was alright, and she and I touched noses. She also came to check on me throughout the loud shouting and everything next door. She wanted to be sure I was alright. Mommy and Daddy told her she was being a very good big kitty for doing that. I settled down again, and snuggled right up against Mommy on the couch while she and Daddy petted me. I lay with them for about an hour, until Skylar tried to sit on my head! He was trying to sit on Mommy's lap, but he didn't know where his seat was going to end up! So I jumped down and lay down on my basket. It didn't really bother me, because I knew he didn't do it on purpose.

PhotoHunt: Stripes

This picture really shows off Rori's stripes.

PhotoHunt

Mommy started a new bloggie

Mommy started a new bloggie called the Frugal Feline. It's about saving money on cat essentials and finding good deals on new, interesting, chic, and cool products for cats and their people. If this sounds like something you want to read about, you can click here.

Rori's Concession

Rori writes:

Well, I lost to Siena, but that's fine. She had such a good, cute picture that Mommy would've voted for her if I hadn't been her opponent. So, you won paws down, my friend! Good luck to everyone on the next round!

Feral Friday by the Trailer Kitties

Food bowl rollcall:

Little Bit, Boo-Boo Kitty, Outdoor Fluffy Buddy, Shadow, Spongebob, Orange-head Kitty, Tom Kitty, baby possum, raccoon.

Our big surprise this week was the return of baby possum. You can read our post from Tuesday about that. The lady also observed Tom Kitty licking Orange-head Kitty's ear while OHK was screaming about it (both unfixed males)!

The lady sold 20 pins this week: 10 of Baby Chiba and 10 of Shadow.

"Feed a Feral, Save a Life" feral kitten button by TraceElements
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Trap-Neuter-Return button by TraceElements
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Photo Friday: Grandmother

Click here for more Photo Friday posts.

Fundraising Update

Tabby writes:

Thank you to Parker for donating to the Cat Adoption Team! Whoo-hoo, now there's $22 dollars raised, and Mommy heard that two of her friends around home are going to send in checks as well, so it's really even more than that. :) :) :)

If you would like to donate, the link is in our sidebar under my "Go Team Tabby" picture. Every dollar goes to fund spay/neuter programs, medical programs, shelter kitties through a private nonprofit, and foster homes through the CAT shelter. It is a no-kill shelter in Portland, Oregon, and they have a good rate of adoption.

Thanks,

Tabby.

Foodie Friday: Hunting for Chocolate

My husband caught Carbon going methodically through the unpacked shopping bags yesterday. "Carbon," he said in a mock-menacing tone of voice. "What are you looking for? What are you doing?" Carbon looked at him, gave him the "evil eye", and stalked off into the next room. By this time, I'd come out to see what was going on, and went to the refrigerator. Picking out something, I held it by Carbon's nose and asked him, "Is this what you were looking for, buddy?" He took one sniff, and looked like the proverbial cat caught in the act. No canary; this was a CHOCOLATE BAR!

Pets can and will sniff out your chocolate and eat it. This goes for the candy bars out in plain sight, as well as the Passover or Easter treats you have hidden in a good spot until next week. Chocolate is toxic to cats and dogs, causing seizures, lethargy, and death. Because of their smaller body mass, it is more toxic to cats, but they are more likely to sniff it out because of their investigative nature.

If you have chocolate around the house, keep it locked up: in the refrigerator, a child-proof cupboard, or a room that is kept totally closed-off from the cats (and not used while the candy is hidden there). Anywhere else is not cat-safe, as I have learned from my resident geniuses. They have opened cupboards, closets, and doors, sometimes even grouping together to mastermind the operation.

PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!!!

Other Easter dangers are peanuts, baskets (can be chewed by dogs and swallowed), and basket grass. Basket grass is especially dangerous because it looks like string. It can wrap itself around the intestine, cutting the cat's internal organs! A safer alternative is raffia, which is harder for them to swallow but still comes in pastel colors.

Click here for more Foodie Friday posts.

Thankful Thursday: Begging for Medicine

Skylar writes:

Yes, those of you who commented on yesterday's post were right: I DO beg for my medicine. I'm very thankful to have it! Before my vet figured out I needed to be on medication, I would have days when I was racing all around terrorizing everything (including my littermate sister), then days when I would be too tired to do anything. I was happy, but hyper. That continued for 5 years, before I adopted Mom. My other family didn't know what was causing it, and the vet didn't run the right tests. When I adopted Mom, then she and Dad returned the favor, they took my sister and me to the vet. There, they ran blood tests on me and figured it out: hyperthyroidism, also called hyper-T. It's really common in cats, especially older cats. You can find out more about it here, but the basic symptoms are increased blood pressure, rapid weight loss, increased water consumption, and sometimes heart problems.

When I don't have my meds, I revert back to all that really quickly. It didn't take me long, only a couple weeks, to figure out it was that little tablet that made the difference. At first, I didn't want to take it, and would eat around it even when Mom put it in cheese or hotdog or something else I like. So she'd make me sit and then force it into my mouth. I'd spit it right back at her, of course, so she'd hold my mouth closed while I swallowed it. Once I figured out the tablet was the key to feeling better, though, I started running toward the kitchen when I heard the pill bottle rattle. For a few days, I would get mixed up and come when it was Mom's medicine bottle, but then I learned to distinguish between the two. I would even remind Mom and/or Dad when it was around the time I usually take my medicine! Mom was so surprised, but that's when things really started turning around health-wise for me as well, so she assumed that I'd made the connection. Now, even if I'm half-awake, I walk out to the kitchen when I hear, "Skylar, medicine time!" and patiently sit down. She has to open my mouth for me still; after all, I have to have some of my feline dignity! But that little tablet makes all the difference in the world, so I LOVE my medicine!

April Fools from the vet?

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*

UPDATE:
Yes, we did get the right medicine now from the vet. Someone had put a special shipment of the other medicine in the wrong cupboard. Skylar is happy and medicated. :)

Wordless Wednesday