Therapy Cat Tales from 9/18/2013

Tabby writes:

Arr, Mateys!  Ye be wonderin' what I have in store for you on this Meow Like a Pirate Day?  Ok, I'll drop the pirate accent and tell you!

Yesterday, Mommy took me visiting again.  She's also training Heimdall to be a therapy cat now, but he's only ridden the bus once so far.  I've ridden it tons of times!  Heimdall's not ready to go visiting to actual nursing homes yet, though.

I had a friend who wanted to come along once we left the house.  He met us at the bus stop and got on the bus with us, then hopped away.  Warning:  this may be scary for young kits!

Ready?

Yep, it was a grasshopper!  He flew onto my carrier bag and stayed there while we got on the bus, then hopped under a seat once my stroller was folded down.  I had fun watching him!  Do you see that he's smiling?

Mommy and I were both being silly in the morning, and the silliness continued for me once we got to H.  She had gotten some chai tea, but had finished it.  She was getting ready to throw the cup and sleeve in the trash when I decided I wanted the sleeve!

See?  I told you we were being silly!  I didn't wear my new fashion accessory for long, though, because it pushed the fur around my eyes back and felt funny.  It was fun to try on, anyway!

A few of our friends had passed away during the last month.  That's the downside to visiting where we do, and especially with only visiting once a month like we do now.  However, it also means that we get new friends to visit with, since the empty rooms fill up again.

One room had two people in it, a husband and wife, who had just celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary!  Wow!  Mommy wished them happy anniversary, and I snuggled with both of them while the humans talked.  They wanted to know all about my training, how long I'd been working as a therapy cat, and "my numbers", as the husband put it.  He meant my age, weight, etc., but couldn't think of how to say all of that together.  We knew what he meant, though, and that was a perfect way to say it!

I got to see my three favorite friends:  A.M, F., and R.  A.M. knows just how to scritch my chin in the right place and always makes me so relaxed that I simply melt in her lap!  I always climb from my stroller into her lap, then snuggle in her arms while she pets me and scritches my chin, closing my eyes in happiness and purring loudly for her.  When I visit F., I always hop out of my stroller and walk into his room on my own, with Mommy follwing holding my leash.  I sometimes need reminding that he's in his recliner instead of in bed, though.  He has a recliner like Daddy does, so I snuggle on his lap like I do with Daddy.  F. always tells me I'm the most beautiful kitty in the world!  R. loves to tell us stories about her kitty, who ate food out of a spoon and tried to catch birds by climbing out on the limb the bird feeder was on, crashing everything to the ground and running away.  No matter how many times we hear the story, it's always funny!  She calls me the same name as her kitty, but that doesn't bother me a bit.  I know she means me.  I just look so much like her kitty that she forgets my name and substitutes his.

After visiting at H. for a while, we went over to our new visiting place, C.  We've been visiting there for three months now.  We only have one regular, but then we ride the elevator back down to check if there are any other people who want visitors.

At C., there is one man who sits in a big chair in the lobby and greets everyone going out or coming in.  He always likes seeing me.  When Mommy was signing us in, I asked to hop onto the check-in counter.  All of a sudden, the man behind the counter looked up, and I was staring down at him!  "Oh, SNAP!" he said, in a very startled voice!  He then petted me and laughed.

I wanted to walk up the stairs in the lobby, but Mommy reminded me that she couldn't carry the stroller up all those stairs.  I still wanted to do the stairs, because I absolutely love stairs, so she said I could go up to the first landing!  Yay!  I walked up to the first landing, then walked back down.

We went to see the lady we visit each time, but she didn't have very long to visit with us this time.  She had to get a few things organized for her daughter-in-law, who was coming to visit her.  That's fine.  We went back to the lobby, and they told us that possibly some people on two other floors would like to see us.  We went to one of those floors, but no one on that floor wanted a visit.  We tried the other floor, and found a lady who wanted a visitor.  She was feeling very lonely, so having us come brightened up her whole day.  That's why we do this!

On the bus on the way home, we sat in between people who wanted to talk.  There was a man who is a published young-adult fiction author (M.T. Dreams), a lady who feeds and T-N-R's feral cats, and a lady who is interested in buying Mommy's newest book (Three Feral Kittens, just now published and available from Amazon.com).  We will be having a book launch party for Three Feral Kittens on October 12th.  It will be online, but we haven't decided on a time yet.

When we got back home, Mommy checked her e-mail and got some more exciting news!  She is on the mailing list for the NW Pet and Companion Fair that takes place every April.  She had contacted them about doing a talk about my training for their stage shows, and they accepted!  We don't know what time slot we'll be put in, but it will be fun no matter what!

Book Reveal: Three Feral Kittens!

Rori writes:

As the Big Kitty of the House, I sometimes get to make Very Important Announcements.  I have one today!  The kitties of the PDX pride would like to introduce our new book, which will be available on Amazon.com the first week of October.  That's just in time for National Feral Cat Day on October 16th!

Here is our official press release:

Three Feral Kittens is a new children's nonfiction book for grades 2 through 4.  It tells the story of three kittens that were born in the woods bordering the author's backyard and grew up in her yard.  This book is illustrated with photographs, making it a unique journal and an excellent way for children to learn about feral cats.  It will be available from Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle formats on October 16, 2013.  A portion of the proceeds from this book will go to the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon to help provide spay, neuter, and vaccination services for feral cats as well as education services for feral cat caretakers.

We have a Facebook page set up for the book here, and will be having an online book launch party, time, date, and place to be determined and announced later.  The book launch party will be open to all, because it will be on a regular website.

If you are a regular reader of our blog, you can guess who the three kittens are!  The book, since it's written for children, stops when all three are still safe in their respective homes:  one inside with his new mommy, one inside-outside but safe, and one still feral.

Mini Mancat Monday: Learning about Snuggles!

Panther writes:

Yesterday, Mommy and Daddy were watching TV from the couch, but then Daddy fell asleep in the chair.  I don't like the TV, because I don't want those people and things coming out of the box and into the room.  Everyone tells me that they stay in the box, but I still don't quite believe it.  Anyway, Mommy was still on the couch.  Freya climbed up to sit with her and get some pets.  That looked like it was nice, so I went over to see if I could get some pets, too.

I walked by the couch.  Mommy petted me a couple times, then made a clicky sound and called me up, patting the couch.  I wasn't sure, so I put my front paws on the couch.  Was I really allowed up there, or was it someplace for the inside-only kitties to be but not for me?  No, she really was calling me up there!  I hopped up on the couch, then walked over to Mommy.  I got pets!  She really did want me to be up there!  I walked all the way over Mommy's side, then headbutted her chin while she petted me.  Thank you, Mommy, for allowing me to do all the things the inside kitties do!  I hopped back down, but then hopped back up and did the whole thing again, just to be sure.  I got more pets, so I tried it again.  Yep, it worked a third time, too!

After that, I decided I'd had enough of figuring out snuggles and the couch.  I went off to play with a roller, which is a tube from the inside of a doggy poop bag roll.  The humans here use those bags to bring the box stuff out to the garbage.  Very strange, but I'm glad they come with the rollers inside the bag rolls, so I can play with those!  I went hopping sideways around the living room after my roller, while Mommy giggled and Freya looked on with pride.  Freya's becoming my inside mama cat, at least for a while until I get my forever home.

Foster & Former Feral Friday: Panther & the Box

Panther writes:

Hi, everyone!  Remember when I wrote that I was having trouble figuring out why I was supposed to do my business in that box thing?  Well, I figured it out yesterday!!!!!  I've been in for almost 24 hours now, and I was a good boy using the box for both pee and poop!  I even demonstrated it for Mommy when she came home, although I already had demonstrated it for Daddy earlier in the day.  Both of them are so proud of me, and my foster aunties and uncles are so proud of me, too.  They even followed me into the potty room to make sure that I was using it properly.

Thanks, everyone for your comments and suggestions, but I ended up figuring it out all by myself!

Rori writes:

Wow!  It's my Gotcha Day anniversary already?  Mommy and Daddy can't believe that it's been 6 years since the day that Mommy Erin came running inside yelling about baby kittens crossing the road!  You can see me in the picture with Panther above, but the picture below is the first one of me, when I was 4 weeks old, with Mommy Erin.  She was my first mommy, then Mommy and Daddy adopted me when Mommy Erin wasn't able to keep me after she moved out.  She still loves me, though, and finds me to say hi every time she can.

I had hidden in an old tire in the neighbor's yard.  Mommy Erin and Mommy went into the yard and picked me out of the tire, then brought me into the house to have Daddy watch me while they went to get my brother.  Here's a picture of us after we'd been cleaned up and fluffed up:

Monday Mystery: Why is Tabby there?

Starla:  Mom-my!  Tabby's under the dres-ser!

Tabby:  Tell Mommy to get me out, please.

Starla:  *crouches down to see Tabby better*  How did you even get under there?

Tabby:  I don't know.  I can't get out by myself!

Mommy:  Starla, is Tabby under the dresser?

Starla:  Yes, Mommy!  *still crouching down to see her*

Tabby:  *waits patiently to be rescued*

Mommy:  *takes the bottom drawer out*

Starla:  *backs up so Tabby can come out*

Tabby:  *hops out through the drawer hole*  Thank you, Mommy!  Thank you, Starla!

Strolling Sunday: Heimdall's Star Wars Adventure!

Heimdall writes:

I went on a grand adventure today!  Yes, I am wearing a Yoda hat with ears in that picture.  I'll explain why!

Mommy needed to go to the store to get litter for both our boxes, plus she'd gotten an e-mail from Petco that the new Star Wars toys, collars, and dress-up things were on the shelves.  They were giving away the Yoda hat to anyone who bought something from the Star Wars collection today, and Mommy thought it would look cute for us for dress-up.  I won't wear clothes, but I do like collars, harnesses, and hats!

Mommy knew I needed a new harness, because the blue mesh ones my sister and I got when we were kittens are too small for us now.  Mommy took it out to take the leash off, and I immediately begged for it.  I remembered what it was, and wanted to wear it to go into the garage or wherever I was allowed, because I knew I was allowed unusual places with the harness!  Mommy tried it on me for a laugh, and I looked very disappointed that it didn't fit anymore.  She said I could wear Tabby's harness until we got to the store and got me fitted for my new one.

I didn't like Tabby's harness.  I'm used to my walking jacket, and Tabby's harness is a loop one.  Not the same feel at all.  I wore it, but under protest.  I bit it first, then Mommy said the first loop went over my head.  I agreed to try it, so she put it on me.  I kept wanting to bite it as she was fastening it, because it looks like a giant string to me.  Another reason to get a walking jacket one!

Finally, I was harnessed.  Mommy put me into the carrier bag and I figured out how to lie down in it.  Once again, I've grown so much since I was last in it that I had to get used to it again.  Then I was put in the stroller and off we went to the bus stop!

I didn't like the bus.  I kept on squeaking to Mommy about it, but she wouldn't let me out to sit in her lap like I wanted.  Luckily, I speak softly, so I didn't disturb the other bus riders or the driver.  Everyone on the bus said what a good rider I was, and Mommy thought I was, too.  This was my first time riding the bus!  I got used to most of it after this first ride, though, and did well on the way back.

Once we were off the bus, Mommy let me out again to ride in the stroller.  I do this at home, so I knew how to sit while Mommy pushed me.  I commented on everything!  Cars, grass, trees, a big parking lot, people, wow!!!!!

Hey, there's a sidewalk!  Mommy, can I get out and rest for a few minutes?  It's hot out here, and that looks like a nice spot to relax.

Mommy let me rest here for a bit and petted me while we talked about all the things happening around us.  There were people walking in and out of a store, cars parking and leaving, and a bike going by, as well as big strollers called shopping carts.  It all was very overwhelming!

Yes, I'm giving Mommy the stink-eye!  She put three harnesses on me!  At one point, I ran away from her into the dog beds on the bottom shelf by the harnesses and she had to crawl in and get me.  I was a good boy and only ran into that shelf, instead of running anywhere else in Petco.  So many people, smells, and things happening!  Mommy said I did very well for my first time out, though.  She was quite impressed with me.  I only ran away twice:  once in the dog beds and once in the litter bags while we were getting litter.  A saleslady helped get me out and thought I was doing very well for my first time out, too.  Another customer had a dog and that's what scared me by the litter.  It was a big golden retriever, and I'd never seen a big dog up close before!  It was very good and sat when its person told it to, though.

A good Yoda do I make!

This was while we were waiting for the bus to take us back home.  I got to sit by Mommy on the bench.  I liked the ears and didn't try to taste them like I had with the string harness.  See my handsome new, green harness that matches the ears?

 Any day that ends with catnip mice is ok with me!

Yep, it's a stormtrooper mouse!

PhotoHunt: Model

If you are a regular reader, you know that most of our cats love to model clothing!  We dress them in outfits made for dogs & cats, but also in outfits for teddy bears and dolls.  Here are some of our favorites.  Tabby is pictured above in a "Love Bug" outfit from Build-A-Bear Workshop.

Tabby, wearing her pirate girl outfit from Build-A-Bear Workshop.

Former foster kitten Smokey poses with a pot of gold.

Rori joins Tabby for Thanksgiving dinner.  Tabby is dressed in a pilgrim girl dress from Build-A-Bear Workshop.

Tabby modeling a t-shirt from Bentley B.  They make awesome pet clothing out of vintage human t-shirts!

Tabby when she was a model in Dove Lewis Animal Hospital's Boutiques Unleashed fashion show, wearing another Bentley B t-shirt.

Tabby in a mixture of Build-A-Bear outfits and a hippie Halloween hat, bandana, and necklace from Petco.

Freya when she was a kitten, posing in a sundress from PetSmart.

Former foster kitten Hemming posing in a tie collar from PetSmart.

Tabby and I in our matching candy corn witch outfits, bought at Party City.

Carbon hates dressing up, but he will wear a collar and tie when the occasion calls for one.

If you would like any of these pictures, please do not take them.  I sell a lot of them on cards, as prints, and on other products on Zazzle.  If you don't see something and would like to request it, please ask and I will make it.

Are you a photohunter?

(P.S.  Happy 5th Anniversary yesterday to my husband!  Love you, and thanks for being such a great cat man as well as a great person.)

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.

PhotoHunt: Humble

 Panther is very humble about his newfound ability to sit on chairs.  (Notice Tabby laughing at him in the background?)

 See, Panther?  This is how you pose on a chair for the camera!

 Fine!  The lady with the flashy box won't see that I know how to sit on these chairs under here!

Panther, you don't need to be humble about sitting on chairs!  See, I can even sit on the table!

Are you a photohunter?

Therapy Cat Tales from 8/21/13

Tabby writes:

Wow!  I got to go visiting again!  We haven't been since June, because of scheduling conflicts and one day Mommy wasn't feeling well.  She's feeling good now, and I've been feeling good all summer, so we got to go to H. and our new visiting place, C.  We went to C. one time in June, but we will be going there regularly after H. every month now, one time a month for each place.

H. now has three visiting animal-assisted activities teams:  two dogs and myself.  We each work with our own person and one staff member, but we each have different staff members!  We also have different days, of course, so that we can spread the love around.

Mommy has heard that Pet Partners and Therapy Dogs, International, two groups that we are not affiliated with, now have policies that stop new teams from unaffiliated organizations from visiting at places their teams visit.  She asked our supervisor about that, and our supervisor said that PP and TDI have no authority to designate who can and cannot visit.  Only the site supervisor and building management have that authority.  Mommy was very glad to hear that!

We heard kitty stories on the way to H. again, as usual.  I also got to demonstrate the commands that I know for one lady who thought that kitties were untrainable.  HAH!  She changed her mind really quickly when she saw what I can do!  A man told us about healing a dog who had a tumor.  I'm not sure if he was telling the truth or pulling our legs on that one, though.

When we were passing by one of the walls of H. on our way to the door, there were strings hanging down and moving!  I sat up straight in the stroller when I saw those and thought about trying to bat at one!  They were bungee cords, Mommy said.  There was also a strong smell of soap, and a few bubbles floated through the air.  I looked at Mommy and she told me to look up.  I looked through the leaves on the tree branches, way up high, but things blended into the sky so I couldn't see what she could.  She's a lot taller than I am, even when I'm in the stroller.  I looked at her and put my paw up to ask her what she saw.  She said there was a man up there on the strings, cleaning the windows!  He was washing them with the soap that I smelled and saw!  Wow!  He was taller than the trees and sitting on strings, giving those windows a bath?  He must be magic, like the man with his head in the ceiling that I saw inside H. one time.

I made my usual rounds, purring for everyone and helping them to feel happier.  One lady was having a rough day, because it was getting near her birthday and she didn't feel well so she really didn't want a party.  She cried while holding and petting me, but that was fine.  I leaned into her hands to reassure her, and she loved that I'd come to visit her.  She was still sad and didn't want a party, but she felt a little better.

I taught R. to play tails with me today!  She was petting me in my stroller, then I flipped around so that I was facing the back of the stroller and started wagging my tail.  She thought she'd offended me in some way and didn't want her to pet me.  Mommy told her that I wanted to play with her instead!  Mommy demonstrated how to grab the tip of my tail gently with two fingers, hold it for a second, then let it go.  Sometimes you grab it, but sometimes you just barely miss it on purpose!  It's a game that I learned from my uncle Skylar, who's now an angel.  He was my favorite playmate, aside from my brother Carbon, when I was a kitten, so he taught me all the good games to play!  I played tails with R. for a few minutes, then turned back around and hid my tail under me.  She petted me all over, trying to find it, but I wanted regular pets so I didn't bring my tail out to play.  She had a good laugh over that!

After we visited at H., we walked to C.  They're pretty close to each other, so we can walk (well, I stroll) between the two.  The lady we had visited the last time at C. wasn't in her room.  She had gone to dinner early.  We found another lady to visit with, though, and right next to the aide station so there was a lot of activity around (i.e. more people to say hi to).  J. talked with Mommy about the zoo a lot, because they found out that each other loved to go there.  I can't go to the zoo, because some of the animals in the exhibits would want to eat me.  Not fun!  I'm glad I can't go there, but it was fun hearing about some of my wild cousins like snow leopards and tigers.  I got to meet some of the people who work at C., too, and that was fun to "surprise" them!  They come around corners and see me, do double-takes, then come over to meet me and ask questions.  Mommy told them when we'll be visiting them next, so hopefully more people will want to meet me and that one lady will be in her room next time.  The man at the counter loved seeing me, too, and another person told us that she has a certified therapy dog.

Wordless Wednesday: Freya vs. Feather Wand

Mini Mancat Monday: Panther's got interest!

Panther writes:

Mommy came back from that dance workshop she was at.  Daddy was very good to us over the weekend, and I got to come in a lot to socialize with the inside kitties.  When Mommy came back from the workshop, she brought two other humans with her.  Well, actually, they brought her back, because she rode in their car.  Anyway, they came inside and wanted to meet me!  Mommy called for me, so I came up and started to come in.  Then I saw them!  Whoa, two new humans inside the house?  I put on the brakes fast and backpedaled to the door.  Mommy picked me up and "flew" me over to meet them.  I'm not used to being carried, so she holds me by the armpits and "flies" me instead.  I sniffed their feet and said hi, then went back to a safe distance to watch them.  Mommy and Daddy called me over, and the lady called me over, too, so I came back to within arm's length of them.

They said they would talk it over and let Mommy and Daddy know if they are interested in adopting me!  Wow!  They know I need more socializing and would probably be willing to work with me on being more of an inside kitty.

I'll keep you updated on this new development in my life and if it pans out!

PhotoHunt: Swanky

 

The PDX pride Mommy ran off to this retreat center in the Puget Sound area of Washington state for a Norwegian dance workshop. Pretty swanky, we think!

 Are you a photohunter?

Foster Friday and Two Honors!

Rori:  Calm down, Panther!  It's only Mommy with the flashy box again.  You'll get used to it.

Panther:  No, I won't!  I don't like it!  It's scary, even when it's not taking pictures!  *tries to get out the door behind him*

Mommy:  Panther, it's ok.  Can you please play with the catnip pillow like you were just doing?  I want to get a picture of you with your first favorite toy!

Panther:  No!  I don't wanna do that for the flashy thingy!  *turns his back on the catnip pillow*

Mommy:  Please?

Panther:  NO!

*Mommy lowers the camera.*

*Panther rolls over and starts licking the catnip pillow and bunny-kicking it.*

*Mommy starts to raise the camera again.*

Panther:  Oh, no!  Here she comes with the flashy thing again!

Rori:  Come over here, Panther.  You'll be safe by me.

*Mommy puts the camera away.*

Rori:  Before you go outside, Panther, I want to tell you something.

Panther:  What?

Rori:  You remember Miss Marble, who was outside for a while with you?

Panther:  Um, yeah?  She didn't like that I was in the backyard.  It was her territory, but she let me be there.

Rori:  Yep, that's right.  Well, she's got a very sweet memorial over on the Our Rainbow Friends blog today!  They made a gorgeous frame for one of Mommy's favorite pictures of her, with a rainbow and everything!

Panther:  Wow!

Rori:  That's not all.

*Panther's eyes widen.*

Rori:  We also had an interview with the Funny Farmers this week, and the article's posted on Mousebreath today!

Panther:  Cool!  That's great!

Rori:  Yep, it is.  All us inside forever cats are thrilled, and we mentioned you and Dare, too, as our fosters!

Panther:  Thank you, Auntie Rori!  Hey, do you think it might help me get a forever home?

Rori:  It might!  You never know.  First, you need to have more inside time with us, though.  You can start by having some dinner and then you can play some with the toys in here, including my catnip pillow.  I'll share with you.

Panther:  Thank you, Auntie Rori!  *goes over and licks her once on the hip, then goes off to eat*

The Great Meow!

The Great Meow is an event on Facebook (and off) in remembrance of all those kitties who have gone to the Bridge.  If you are on Facebook, you can find out more about it by clicking here.

Rori, our alpha cat, is MEOWING loudly for all our angel kits, as are our other cats.  You can find out more about our angels by clicking each of their names as we meow them out.

Spooky/Nyx (6-2007 to 3-26-2008)
Big-Head Kitty (feral, died in 2008 at about 2 years old)
Lydia (10-26-1999 to 10-13-2008)
Baby Chiba (died as a kitten in 2008)
Sara Kitty (died 1-5-2009 at about 18 years old)
Baby-Dot (9-1-2009 to 9-21-2009)
Baby-Tuxie (9-1-2009 to 9-22-2009)
Squishy (5-27-2009 to 11-2009)
Spooky 2 (7-2009 to 6-6-2010)
Skylar (10-26-1999 to 7-23-2010)
Grey Striped Kitty (feral, died 11-6-2010)
Miss Marble (5-12-2011 to 7-31-2013)

PhotoHunt: Blue

When it's a sunny day in Vancouver, WA, USA, the sky is very blue!

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Funny Tale Friday!

Rori writes:

Mommy threw up in our litterbox yesterday!  Ok, so it's not funny that she was sick.  She ate something she wasn't supposed to (food allergy) and got an upset tummy from it.  She's doing better now, so now we can all laugh.

She was running for the toilet to throw up in there, but Daddy was using the toilet.  She grabbed one of the poop bags that she scoops our litter into, but couldn't open it before she needed it.  She was right next to our box, so she threw up in that!  She figured it was the next easiest place to clean up, since she could just scoop it out.

Sure, Mommy.  Right.  I guess that's what we get for putting hairball traps on the floor sometimes.  She basically did the same thing to us!  We understood, though, and she did clean it up after she felt better.  Daddy scooped some litter over it right away, so it didn't smell as bad as it could have.  We all turned up our noses at it after we investigated, then ran to give Mommy extra snuggles and purr for her.

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.

PhotoHunt: Guess?

Can you guess who Heimdall is looking at?

Yep, Panther decided to come inside for a visit!  As you can see, he's feeling much more comfortable with us.  His ad is up on Craigslist, so we'll see if anyone in the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA, area wants to adopt him.  We're sure someone will take him!

Are you a photohunter?

Happy birthday to our alpha cat, Rori!

Rori writes:

It's my purrthday today!  I'm 6 years old!  Is that too old to learn how to ride JJ's skateboard?  When he and Mommy Erin lived with us, I liked sitting on it upside-down but didn't like it moving when it was right-side-up.  They've taken it with them, now, though, since they moved a few months ago.

Life here is getting back to a new normal.  One of my jobs as Big Kitty is to check on everyone, and that's exactly what I've been doing.  I heard Mommy crying at one point and pulled at the door for Daddy to open it so that I could check on her.  I hopped up in bed with her and snuggled for a bit, then Daddy let me back in the other room again with Starla.  Another time, I heard Daddy in the living room and wanted to come check on him, so I pulled at the door and Mommy opened it for me.  I made a beeline to Daddy's chair and got some pets.  Missy is slowly getting over being lethargic from her vaccinations, so I've been checking on her, too.  I lie down next to her for a while, then get up again and go about my business.  I've been checking on Freya, too.

Panther has come in a few times more, and seems comfortable letting us sniff him all over.  He's also comfortable exploring the dining room, has ventured into the kitchen, and has discovered that there's a hallway and living room.  He's doing really well so far!  My half-sister, Little Bit, got him to play last night.  She's good at doing that, because she was a mama cat.  She got his tail, so he started playing with her, but she was up on a chair so she was hiding from him.  He found her, though!  They played for a couple minutes, then he went outside again to eat.  Thankfully, he's staying in the backyard and further back, the opposite direction from that nasty road!

Thank you all for your comments and condolences on the passing of Miss Marble.  We love you all!