Goodbye to Mommy's Grandpa T.

Tabby writes:

This is Mommy's Grandpa T., her dad's dad.  I visited him and Grandma T., and also Uncle David, on April 27th.  I went visiting at H. in the early afternoon, like I normally do, but then as soon as we got back home I was off again!  Mama Shawnee and Mommy took me over to the T.'s, because they needed some purr therapy right away.  Even though it was for family, the visit was an official therapy visit and I knew it.

I'd been over to their house once before, and they'd been over to see us a few times, but not for a while.  I remembered them, though, and was glad to see them.  Mommy put me on the big bed in the bedroom, and I looked around for my patient.  I could smell that he wasn't feeling well at all, that he smelled like some of my oldest friends at H.  Why wasn't he in his bed like he was supposed to be?  Then I saw him in the special hospital bed next to the big bed.  After my special blankie was set up, I was lifted over and positioned myself in the crook of his arm, as you can see in the picture above.  Grandpa T. consented to have his picture taken with me, and talked to me, petting me the whole time.  I purred for him, and moved around a little so he could pet the easiest places.  He had Parkinson's, so his arm was shaking, but I snuggled against it so it stopped bouncing so much.  He liked that a lot.

He couldn't talk much, but he told me I was a good kitty and tried to purr at me.  While he talked with everyone and Mommy held his hand, I kept the bouncing arm in check and purred, letting him rest his hands against my soft fur.  At one point, I rolled over so he could give me tummy rubs, which gave him the giggles!

After a while, he fell asleep, so then Mommy and I went out so I could sit with Grandma T.  She sat in the recliner with her feet propped up on the footrest so that I had more of a lap.  She loved being able to pet me and snuggle with me.  I purred loudly for her, too, just like I do sometimes for her on the phone.

When it was time for Grandma T. to eat dinner, we all sat at the table with her, I in Mommy's lap.  Uncle David went in to the bedroom to try to get Grandpa T. to eat something.  Mama Shawnee said that we should probably leave in a half hour, so when that time was up I trotted down the hallway in search of Grandpa T. and Uncle David to say my goodbyes!  I knew that was going to be the last time I saw Grandpa T., so I wanted to be sure to say goodbye to him and purr for him one last time.  I hopped up on the bed to snuggle with Uncle David for a few minutes, then got to purr for Grandpa T.  After that, we went back out to say goodbye to Grandma T. before we left.

A few days later, Grandpa T. was transferred to a hospice house, where he spent almost a week.  He passed away on Wednesday, May 11th, at the age of 90.  Mommy's dad was with him when he passed, and that day he also had a visit from the pastors of the church where he and Grandma T. belong.  Grandma T. and Uncle David were just down the hall in the kitchen/dining room/lounge area when he passed, but Mommy's dad went to get them and they spent about an hour sitting in the room after that.

We loved you, Grandpa T.!  Say hi to Grammy and our angel kitty family from us!

We've all been taking care of Mommy, Daddy, and Mama Shawnee for the past week, even more than usual, and giving them our purrs and snuggles continually.

Happy 8th Birthday to Little Bit!

Little Bit writes:

Today's my 8th purrthday, and my sister Smokey's as well!  Smokey lives with Mommy Erin and is celebrating with her today.  We were born in SE Portland to a sweet black kitty named Boo-Boo.  She and our cousin Starla (Boo-Boo's sister's kitten) belonged to neighbors two doors down from the house that my purrents lived in then.  Boo-Boo and Starla used to go over to eat with the ferals in their yard, so they brought us over as soon as we were able.  We had another littermate sister, Baby Chiba, but she got eaten by our people's puppy when she was a kitten.

My dad-cat is Spongebob, who lived with a neighbor across the street.  He's a huge Maine Coon!  No one knows for sure who Smokey's dad-cat is, and Baby Chiba's dad-cat was Outdoor Fluffy Buddy.  She looked like his "mini-me"!

From left to right on the porch:  Starla, Little Bit, Smokey     From left to right on the steps:  Outdoor Fluffy Buddy, Boo-Boo Kitty     Summer 2008

Baby Chiba and Starla     Summer 2008

Little Bit     Summer 2008

Smokey     Summer 2008

Happy 6th Purrthday to the Twins!

Happy 6th purrthday to Freya and Heimdall!  In 2010, they were born to a pet cat in Salem, OR, and were two out of a litter of four.  The other two were taken with them to Salem Friends of Felines.  Freya was given the shelter name of Furkins and Heimdall was given the shelter name of Fonz.  The other siblings were given the shelter names of Fizz and Fink.  They were already adopted by the time we saw Freya and Heimdall.

Their mom-cat was a tuxie and their dad-cat was a neighborhood Siamese.  They were born at their mom-cat's home, but the humans there didn't want to keep them and got the mom-cat spayed shortly after.

Happy purrthday, twins!  We love you both!

Saturday PhotoHunt (on Sunday): Night

Niss writes:

Usually I eat at the back porch food bowl, but sometimes the raccoons get there first.  When that happens, I go hang out by the front door of the house, because sometimes the humans will put a little pile of food out here.  They were coming home when I was checking, and startled me!  Once they were inside, they got food for me and put it out where I was waiting, then called for me.

Are you a photohunter?

What Starla Did on her Gotcha Day!

Starla writes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great day, friends!

What? Who? Woofie!

Starla writes:

This is my newest friend!  His name is Mixx, and he's Auntie Shawnee's woofie who came to live in our garage when she came to live with us.  We first met him when he was just a tiny puppy, smaller than I am.

Mixx was the little one in the box!  That picture was taken at Daddy's brother's house on June 2, 2013.  Now he's about as big as the bigger woofie, Timber, who lives with Daddy's brother's family.

So, that dishwasher where I spend a lot of my time lately?  It makes prime woofie-watching territory!  When Mixx is running around out in the garage, I can spy on him if the door opens.  I bob up and down, trying to look around whoever opened the door, until I see him.  Then I meow, sometimes out loud and sometimes silently, and he spies on me, too!  It's a pretty fun game that we've been playing for about a month now.

Well, the game escalated last night, in a great way!  See, I'm the scaredy-kitty of the household, even to the point of having been on kitty Prozac a couple times.  But I like the Mixx-woofie!  When Auntie Shawnee came in from the garage last night, I was on the dishwasher, bobbing to see the woof as usual.  Auntie Shawnee was talking to us both, and then I jumped down to get a closer look.  I didn't puff up or anything; far from it!  I got as close as I could while still staying on my side of the open door, and Mixx got as close as he could while staying on his side.  We sniffed towards each other and got as close to touching noses as either of us dared!  Auntie Shawnee was so proud of us!

Oh, and in case you were wondering, he doesn't come inside with us and he's got a doghouse in the yard to play around, too.  And he gets walkies!

Saturday PhotoHunt: Cat

Dare writes:

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

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

Are you pawticipating in the Caturday Photo Hunt today?

Dress Up Your Pet Day

Tabby writes:

Today is Dress Up Your Pet Day, so are you dressing up?  I sure am!  Unlike our friend Ava (pictured above), I actually will wear clothes.  I even was a model for a fashion show once!

Of course, I just had to get a new dress for the day!  I got this one at PetSmart.  It has an attached purple tutu and says "Best Friends are Rescued".  Yep, we are!  Mommy let me wear her pretty coral necklace, and Auntie Shawnee let me wear her headband.  I love the flowers!  I also got to use Auntie Shawnee's vanity table!

Every good model needs a great manager, so Heimdall offered to be mine.  I think he may be mixed up on what a manager does, because he acted like a bodyguard most of the time.

See what I mean?  But, hey, at least he rocked the necklace, too!

Taking the Pet Blogger Challenge!

 
This is the first year we've participated in the Pet Blogger Challenge, and we're glad to have had input from many of you over the last year and few years that we've had this blog.

Here are our answers for the 2016 Pet Blogger Challenge:

1. How long have you been blogging? And, for anyone who is visiting for the first time, please give a quick description of the subject of your blog.

 We've been blogging for about 9 years now.  We first started blogging in our diaries on Catster, then created "Furry Tails of the PDX Pride" after a few years when we realized that cat blogging was a "thing".  We blog about our daily lives around the house, which animal visitors we get in our backyard, the feral cats who come by, and Tabby's tales of being an animal-assisted therapy volunteer with Mommy at a nursing home once a month.

2. What is the one thing that you accomplished during 2015, either on your blog or because of it, that made you most proud?

 Because of Tabby's therapy cat tales series, she and Mommy were speakers for the second time at the NW Pet and Companion Fair (a pet expo).  They talked about/demonstrated how to be a therapy cat team and what training is necessary.

3. Which of your blog posts was your favorite this year and why? (Please include a link.)

We have two favorite posts:  one that shows how smart the ferals are and another that shows what Tabby does when she's out and about.  The first one, about ferals Tigress and Little Niss, shows how Tigress treats Niss as her own kitten, even though she never had kittens of her own.  The second, about Tabby, details a typical visit and reactions when she's doing her therapy cat work.

4. A common theme from last year’s challenge was that many of us wanted to increase the size of our audiences. Whether or not we intend to monetize our blogs, it seems we’d all like to reach more people. It feels good to know that we’re connecting with others, sharing a laugh or supporting a cause, and it’s motivating to see those numbers grow! What is one thing you’ve done in the past year that has brought more traffic to your blog?

We did the Blogging from A to Z Challenge for the first time this year.  It's not specific to pet blogs, so it brought a varied new audience.  We found some blogs from it that we really liked, too!  Plus, we were blogging every day, so it was a good routine.

5. Which of your blog posts got the most traffic this year? Why do you think it was so popular? (Please include a link.)

Our birthday posts when they came around were high-traffic ones, but we really don't know what made Daddy's Lawnmower Monster so irresistible!  It got 321 views!

6. What is one blog that you read religiously – other than your own – and what makes you such a devoted reader? (Please include a link.)

We love reading SparkleCat, featuring Summer and also Glogirly.  We love the photography and the stories behind the photos!

7. What resources do you rely on to enhance your technical, writing, photography, social media, or other skills that improve your blog?

Mommy uses Picasa to edit the photos she takes of us, and we use NetworkedBlogs to post directly to Mommy's Facebook page (and sometimes Tabby's) as well as let our readers know when we have new posts.

8. What is the best piece of advice you can offer other bloggers?

Write from the heart.  If you don't like what you write, redo it until you like it.  Other people's opinions don't matter as much as your own, so do what you love.

9. What is your vision for your blog in 2016? Do you have specific goals?

Our goals for our blog for 2016 are the same as the last few years':  chronicling our year in words and photos!

10. You have the attention of the pet blogging community – is there one blogging challenge you’d like help with, or one aspect of your blog that you’d like input on?

We would like to know what you like best and don't like about our blog, and what was the most surprising thing we wrote about in the last year.

Therapy Cat Tales: How Tabby Travels on Public Transportation

Tabby writes:

Today's Pet Travel Safety Day, so I'm writing about how I keep safe while traveling on public transportation.  When I'm in the car, I ride on harness & leash or in a carrier like the kitty pictured above.  However, when I go visiting the nursing homes and other places, I usually ride the bus or the MAX light rail train with Mommy.

This is my stroller.  It's specially-made for pets!  People think it's a baby stroller, but the top folds out and the mesh comes up so it's fully enclosed.  We decorate it for holidays, like these heart stickers for last Valentine's Day.

Heimdall also likes riding in the stroller, but usually only around the house after I get back from my visits.  He likes to roll places, mol!  Mommy is training him to go places, too, so he rides the same way I do.  Since Heimdall's in training, he isn't allowed to ride just on harness and leash.  He has to be in the carrier bag as well.  It fits right in the stroller and has mesh so we can see out.

When I go places on the bus, I have to be in the carrier bag also, because the bus rules for both the Vancouver buses (C-Tran) and the Portland public transportation (Tri-Met) say that all pets must be in carriers.  Some bus drivers don't consider the stroller an adequate carrier, so the carrier bag is taken out of the stroller and the stroller is folded down.  On the MAX light rail, I can stay in the stroller because strollers don't have to be folded down.

Animals that participate in animal-assisted therapy have to abide by the rules for pets, not the rules for service animals.  That's because we are still considered pets.  Service animals help only their owner, and with specific tasks for medical and/or psychological reasons.  Emotional support animals are pets but have specific housing regulations and airline regulations.  Therapy animals are pets that are trained with their owner to help other people in a variety of situations.  We can help random people on public transportation, but that is a side-benefit and does not grant us extra legal protection.  We are pets, first and foremost, and then we help people in specific settings like nursing homes, hospitals, schools, and therapists' offices.

These rules and laws help keep me safe on public transportation and out in public in general.  When I'm in my carrier bag, no one can pet me without my humans' approval because my carrier bag is zipped shut.  I also cannot escape from it, so if I get scared I can't run in an emergency.  I prefer to ride in my open stroller like in the Valentine's Day picture, but I also know that my carrier bag is my "safe zone" and ask to climb in it when I'm unsure of a situation or am too tired to visit anymore.

Dogs are another reason I like being safe in my stroller.  This dog actually wanted to hop in my stroller with me!  Another time, a husky actually picked me up.  When my stroller mesh is zipped, they can't get to me.  When it's unzipped, like this picture, my humans keep an eye out for dogs, small children, and other potentially-hazardous situations.  Most dogs get along well with me, but there are always exceptions.  That's why it's good to know the pet's boundaries and monitor the situation.

Safe travels, my friends!  Always follow the rules for pets on public transportation!

Happy Mew Year, Gotcha Day, and Purrthday!!! Whew!!!

Missy writes:

First of all, Happy Mew Year, everyone!!!!!!!  Purrayers for a year filled with treats, love, happiness, family, warmth, and all good things for you and yours!

Yesterday was my Gotcha Day!  Thanks to those who left messages yesterday.  I like to write a three-in-one post for all three things on New Year's, in case you were wondering why I didn't have a post up yesterday.  It was the annifursary of the day that my humans adopted me, even though I'd adopted them a while before then.  I found them at Mommy's work, a few days after a big parade there (May 17th parade for Norway's constitution day).  The parade was scary, but I realized that there were more people around than I thought.  I wanted some of them to help me find food.  I lived in an industrial area by the Franz bakery, and the bakery employees fed me sometimes, but I was getting very hungry.  I walked down the sidewalk, calling out for help.  Mommy was teaching and the whole class stopped so that she could go find me and see what was wrong!  She picked me up and held me while someone else went to get Daddy, who was inside the building talking with other friends.  They put me in the car and Mommy finished her class.  I escaped when Daddy opened the car door, and it took them a long time to catch me again, because I hid in someone's backyard behind a fence!  Finally, Daddy got me and we all drove to my new home.

It took me a long time to purr for Daddy, but now I purr a lot for him, and sometimes for Mommy, too.  Daddy's my human, though.  When they took me to the vet for the first time, they were thinking that I was a kitten still because of how tiny I am.  Nope, I was 2 1/2 years old at that point!  That's when I got my shots and got checked for diseases.  I was (and still am) a very healthy adult cat, and I sat in the vet's lap when he sat on the floor!

It took a while for my purrents to decide to keep me, but they did.  I bonded with Daddy too much to be adopted out to anyone else!  Besides, I'm a socialized feral, and we make the best snuggle buddies!

The vet had assigned me a purrthday of New Year's Day, and I'm glad, because I get to see the fireworks and hear the cheering on my purrthday!  I like looking at the pretty lights in the sky and on tv!  I'm going to snuggle with Daddy while he plays his computer game now.  Happy Mew Year!

Feral...um...Saturday?

Sherbet writes:

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

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

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

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

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

Meowy Christmas and Therapy Cat Tales!

Tabby writes:

Meowy Christmas!!!!!!!  I'm sorry it's been so long since I've written a therapy cat tale, but we've had a kind of crazy few months here.  I went to H. with Mommy and Auntie Shawnee in November for their holiday bazaar, but then didn't have my November visit.  I did this month, though!

Mommy!  This notebook cover's the picture Grammy took of me!  It also has one of her kitty blankies on it!

I chose the mackerel because they looked good enough to eat.  Unfortunately, I couldn't eat a notebook cover!

Are we done already?  How much did we make?

We ended up making about $30, and half of that we are donating to the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon.  They got the profits from all our kitty-related notebooks and greeting cards!

On our December visit to H. a couple weeks ago, I wore my Christmas outfit, which you can see in the first picture on this post.  I was so excited that Mommy only got one decent pic out of the photo shoot, because I was rolling around and air-kneading!

My friends were all there, and I made some new friends, too.  The man who meows at me loved my dress, and one of my new friends had her two daughters there, so they got to meet me, too!  Another new friend wanted me to snuggle on the bed with her, so I curled up right in the crook of her arm.  I love snuggling with my friends!

No, that's not a real person standing with us under the umbrella.  It's the umbrella man statue in Pioneer Courthouse Square!  He had an ugly Christmas sweater on this year!

Have a merry Christmas, everyone, and stay safe!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Rori is thankful for a snuggle spot in Mommy's office room.
Dare is thankful for Mommy's licky-arm.
Sherbet is thankful for his shelf and that there is food, water, and a litter box in Mommy's office room.
Panther is thankful for Daddy's lap.
Autumn is thankful for Daddy and for Mama Lana.
Little Bit is thankful for flea medicine.
Freya is thankful for snuggle laps and fuzzies to play with.
Heimdall is thankful for flea medicine and Mommy.
Missy is thankful for Daddy.
Tabby is thankful for everyone and a tote to sleep on top of.
Carbon is thankful for food.
Starla is thankful for open windows with screens, sun puddles, and a nice day.
Niss is thankful for food and a place to hang out on the deck.

We are all thankful for YOU!

Mean Purrents!

Sherbet writes:

Auntie Rori, is this how purrents are supposed to act?  (Sherbet looks at Rori, who's sound asleep, snuggling next to him.)  Mommy, why did you and Daddy double-team me with a big blankie at 4 in the morning?  You wanted to put what on me?  Flea medicine?  I don't want them to get medicine; I want them off me.  Oh?  That's what flea medicine does?  Is that why I don't feel them crawling around my nose so much now?  Ok, I think.  I'll forgive you for putting the stuff on me, but it'll take me a while to forgive Daddy for chasing me around the room and wrapping me up in the big blankie.

Mommy writes:

This was Sherbet's first time having flea medicine put on him, and he was thoroughly traumatized, as only a true feral can get from something like this.  Rori decided to cheer him up by snuggling with him for hours; as the alpha of the household she knows that her job is to care for the others.

Dona Nobis Pacem

Happy Meowloween!!!

Happy Meowloween from all of us at the PDX pride!  We'll be celebrating while being safely indoors.  Lana and Logan got a pumpkin, and Lana's going to carve it today.  We've already been investigating it, and Autumn can't wait to jump inside!  We don't get trick-or-treaters at our house, so Mommy is going over to Grammy's house to do a "haunted yard" and hand out treats while in costume.  Tabby isn't going with her, because it will probably be cold and rainy.

Stay safe and away from that scary door, and don't forget to paw the clocks back before you go to bed on Halloween night!

Remembering Skylar and Lydia on their Birthday

Today we remember Skylar and Lydia especially, because today is their birthday.  They were Mommy's first kitties, and they were born on October 26, 1999.  Lydia lived until 2008, and Skylar lived until 2010.

They started out being part of the Rich family in Portland, who were neighbors of Mommy.  Skylar would garden with Mommy, eating tomatoes!  Lydia took a while to warm up to Mommy, but she would watch while bird-hunting.  They were inside-outside cats, a bonded pair of littermates, who would cry at the screen door if one of them was inside while the other one was outside.  They loved the Rich family, and considered the kids their people.

When the Richs had to move across the country, they asked Mommy to adopt Skylar and Lydia, because Skylar had already adopted Mommy!  Of course, Mommy said she would.  Mommy became Skylar's person, but it took a while for Lydia to choose Daddy.  At first, Skylar and Lydia lived at Mommy's boss' house, because Mommy was a nanny.  After a few months, and a few escape attempts, Skylar and Lydia were brought over to Daddy's and introduced to (then kittens) Tabby and Carbon.  Immediately, Lydia became the alpha cat of the household, although she gave her brother more leeway than anyone else.  She ruled the household with an iron paw, and could send anyone (including Skylar) flying across the floor with a double-paw slap!

After hiding and making it obvious that she despised the relocations, Lydia made up her mind to choose Daddy as her person because she wanted to help him heal.  He had just had knee surgery and was confined to the couch for most of the time.  One day, while he was sleeping, Lydia climbed up on his side and settled down.  When he woke up, she was staring right into his eyes, telling him that she was here for him and would always be.  From then on, he was her person.

After Lydia died, Skylar was heartbroken.  A few months later, we thought we were going to lose him, too, but then Starla came into his life.  She was a young cat, just over a year old at the time, and very skittish, having come from an abusive and neglectful home.  Skylar adopted her as "his kitten", and the two bonded almost like he had with his sister.

Three days after Skylar died, we adopted the "new" tuxedo twins, Freya and Heimdall, who are now five years old.  They remind us every day of their aunt and uncle, and are a constant joy in all our lives.  We know, absolutely, that our original tuxedo twins sent them to us!

Happy Birthday at the Bridge, dear angels Skylar and Lydia!  We love you and will never forget you!

Feral Friday: MOUSES!!! There are TWO of them!!!

Niss writes:

OMC, I just got a huge surprise!  All this time, I thought there was only one tuxedo cat in this house.  Now, I see there are two!  I was wondering why one cat had two names.  Now, I know that there is a girlcat named Freya who usually watches me through the sliding glass door, and a boycat named Heimdall who likes to stick his nose out sometimes.  MOUSES!!!  They had me fooled!

I asked for food at the door, and when the lady put the food outside, Heimdall stuck his nose out to sniff me.  I was surprised that he was that close, so I stepped back, but I didn't hiss this time!  I was curious, because I smelled that he was a boycat and I had thought the tuxedo was a girlcat.  Then, Freya walked over and said hi to me as well!  Wow!  Ok, there's the one I'd smelled before!  Now it all makes sense!!!  I did a complete double-take, then looked all the way up at the lady for an explanation!  She laughed, but in a good way, and explained that it was Uncle Heimdall and Auntie Freya, and that they're twins.  Wow!  Then she shut the door so I could eat and mull over the new information.

Happy National Feral Cat Day!

Sherbet writes:

Happy National Feral Cat Day!  I'm proud to say that I'm an inside feral.  Last year around this time, Mommy and Daddy trapped me and got me fixed.  They were going to let me outside again, the "R" part of T-N-R (trap-neuter-return), but I had other ideas, MOL!  I didn't want to go back outside!  I bit Mommy's finger when she opened the trap, dashed out, and hopped onto the desk in the dining room!  Here is a picture of me in the trap and then one of me on the desk:

I watched everyone for about two hours, then climbed down and ran into another room.  I found a nice cave, which now I know was a bed, to hide under/in.  I spent a few months under there, and every so often one of the other cats would come say hi to me (usually Dare, Rori, or Tabby).

After Daddy took the bed out, cleaned the room, and gave me a nice box and open carrier to call my own, I became a much happier cat!  I learned where the other rooms were in the house, learned to tolerate the humans coming into my room (although I still hid in my new carrier/house), and even touched Mommy's fingers one day!

The next breakthrough came when Mommy was away, but Daddy told her about it and she saw where I was when she came back.  I found a shelf in Mommy's office room and that became my new home!  Rori is hanging out with me in the picture.  There's another shelf, too, and I'm currently hanging out in it!  The only really scary thing in here is the door to the room, because it swings when Mommy puts her backpack on the knob or takes the backpack off.  I'm always worried that the door's going to come get me, but it hasn't yet!

I love being able to walk out into the hallway, and even to the dining room to eat with the others if I want to!  I'm not afraid of the others or worried that the humans will chase or grab at me.  If the humans get too close, I still move to safety, but I have multiple safe spots and I walk to get there instead of scoot or run!  I'm very proud of myself for the accomplishments in the last year!

Now, I'll turn the stage over to our current outside feral boy.

Niss writes:

Um, hi?  Have any of you seen Auntie Tigress in the last few weeks?  She went away and I don't know where she went.  I still smell her around occasionally, but I haven't seen her for a while, and it bothers me.  I'm hanging out closer to the food because I don't want to lose my way or miss her when she comes back.

The humans still haven't put me in a box and taken me to have a surgery done, whatever those things are.  I hear them talking about it, but they say that I'm too skittish yet and the want me to know it's safe when I come back here from the surgery.  They say that after I get the surgery done, I will calm down a bit more and not be so worried about where girlcats are.  That would be just fine with me!  I'm now just over two years old.  Last year at this time, I didn't even know where this nice place was, and now it's my home!  I also didn't have a name last year, and now I do, and a great one at that, after a fellow blogging cat.  Everyone says I look like he did, and he was a feral boy, too.  Does that mean that he celebrated National Feral Cat Day every year, too?

We all hope you have good noms today, a safe place to hang out and nap, and humans who care for you!  If you know of anyone who could use some tips on feral (unsocialized) cats, Alley Cat Allies has some awesome resources!  If you see an eartipped cat, say hi to your neighborhood feral!

Looking for a way to introduce the idea of T-N-R to children?  Check out Mommy's book, Three Feral Kittens, on Amazon!