Kitty Kozy

The Kitty Kozies come today! Thank you Timmy and Grammie! You are the best. Huggy Bear and Maggie have already napped together on one. We are enjoying them so much. This is such a special prize, and so very nice of you to send one for each of us.

When the box arrived Dad opened it and we quickly investigated the Kozies. (Later, once the box was empty, I got in it ... two gifts in one, if you ask me.)

Mom has taught us to always read the cards first. Timmy's Grammie wrote us a very nice note. The card was cool with wobbly flowers on top that distracted us from the nice words she wrote.

Maggie checked out all the Kozies. The red and blue one is the one that she and HB ended up napping on together. The purple and green one that Maggie is partially on matches the bedspread pretty well where Josie likes to sleep, so we've given that one to her. The others are in our favorite napping places so we have a happy, Kozy nap later.

Thanks Timmy and Grammie once again for the great prize. Your friendship is the true prize, the Kozy is just bonus.

That'll show 'em

Mom was concerned about my right eye. I was squinting last night, so she wrangled me and Dad put some eye ointment in my eye. This morning, they dragged me up from my resting spot in the closet and put more ointment in my eye. This time it flicked out and caught on my hair, so Dad had to wipe my eye and do it again, then a third time. Well, the third time, he poked my eye a little (but I'm OK). OK, in the physical sense, but I'm a little ticked off. I wanted to find a proper way to express my dissatisfaction with Mom and Dad, so I chewed through the power cord to the telephone. I figure maybe they'll get the point.

My new TV stand

Mom and Dad went to IKEA the other weekend and brought back this new TV stand. It's great because there are compartments to lay in, plus it makes a great perch in front of the window. Now I just want a big TV so I can watch my shows...

Josie, huntress, show cat

Mom gave Maggie and ice cube earlier today and when she sent it skipping across the kitchen floor, Josie came darting in from off the couch. But as Josie came into the kitchen she saw all the birdies in the tree outside the kitchen window and she was transfixed. She got in the window, pupils got big, and her tail was kicking up a breeze with all the flicking back and forth. Maggie, on the other hand, had nothing to do with the birds -- ice cube is all she wants.

This weekend, there is a cat show in town and the Carolina Cats lady called Mom to let her know that there is a house cat division with the people's choice earning a spot in the big competition. Mom and Dad toyed with entering Josie. They figured she's a uniform beauty, not too big like HB and I, not too feisty like Maggie, and her eyes would get real big with all the commotion and that makes her even prettier. But they're going to paint the bathroom this weekend instead. Probably best ... don't want to make all the other kitties feel bad when they get compared to Josie.

Sorry, Mom

[Back from a moment of silence for Eddie...]

The other day I was enjoying some down time with Mom. She was in bed watching a little TV and I was on Dad's side (keeping it warm for him). I guess I dozed a little because Mom reached over to pet me and startled me and I shot off of the bed. When I darted my back claws came out and I ripped a three inch gash in the sheets (the nice new 800-count sheets). We all got our claws trimmed last night. So you see, it's not really my fault. If our claws had been trimmed sooner maybe this wouldn't have happened.

Rest in peace Eddie

I just read over on William's blog that his brother Eddie passed away this weekend at the age of 17. When I started my blog two-and-a-half years ago, William was the first blogging cat to find me and comment, and I've been visiting his blog ever since. I feel like I've grown with these guys, even though this has been our only interaction. I hurt for William and Caroline and Olivia and their Mom, but not nearly as much as they hurt right now. Please send your prayers and purrs their way.

Hokie the cat

Mom and Dad visited their friends Nikki and Todd in Atlanta this weekend. Nikki and Todd have a chow-lab mix dog named Lizzy, a big gray and white boy cat named Hokie and a petite mostly white (with just the slightest black highlights) girl cat named Miya (she hides a lot, and has never told us how to properly spell her name). Hokie is very funny, because he can be tempermental and fiesty, but also wants your love and attention. Dad was sitting in one of the chairs in the living room and Hokie climbed up and nudged in beside Dad on the cushion. Hokie would nuzzle Dad, and Dad would pet him for a few seconds like he wanted, then Hokie would turn and show his teeth and Dad would stop. This cycle continued for about 30 minutes ... nudge, pet, teeth, pause, repeat. It's an adventure, you never know when he might strike. But it all ended when Lizzy the dog decided to come and say hi. She got close to Dad's lap and Hokie raised up, hissed, and batted at Lizzy (and Dad's legs) several times. Hokie doesn't have front claws, so this is more funny than threatening to Lizzy and she does it all the time. I think Lizzy thinks Hokie is playing with her, because her tail just gets going like crazy, but the way Dad tells it, Hokie means business. He really is just so funny though. One minute he's biting Aunt Tiffany (also visiting), the next he's laid across her lap loving on her. I guess that's our birthright as cats ... we're allowed to change our moods that quickly.

I won!

I can't believe I won, but I really did ... I won a Kitty Kozy from Timothy Dickens for guessing his Grammie's favorite chocolates (Hershey's Milk Chocolate Nuggets -- one of Dad's favorites, too). I'm so excited. I think I'll have to stay in the guest bedroom and watch for the mailman. WOW! A Kitty Kozy ... that's another excuse for a nap! This just makes me want to purr all day...

Mother cat takes in puppy...

...proof that cats are better than dogs. A mother cat adopted a six-day-old puppy that was rejected by its mother.

Best buddies

Maggie and Huggy Bear really are the best of friends, despite the pouncing. Sure, they enjoy their time apart, but when it comes to playing and snuggling, Huggy Bear is Maggie's choice. Maybe it's because he's just so sweet and hugable, maybe it's because he's big and warm, or maybe it's because he tolerates her invasion of his space (and possible even loves his sister). But it's no surprise to see them snuggled up together, or playing ball or mouse, or just following each other around. Maggie has even started sharing her morning leftover cereal milk with Huggy. Moments like the one below just give Mom and Dad a warm feeling and remind them that we were all meant to be together.

Back to bed

Dad said today was one of those days he would have liked to have just gone back to bed, but since he couldn't we did instead and napped extra for him. It's the least we could do...

Maggie's t-shirt

Oh, the humiliation ... just too sweet not to post these pictures of Maggie in her t-shirt. What good is a little sister if I can't pick on her every once in a while?

Although Maggie seemed to feel perpetually pounced in her purple striped t-shirt, it was awful cute on her.

We typically don't feature Mom and Dad in photos on the blog (it's about us, after all) but I just had to post this one. Sure, Maggie might not have thought the t-shirt was the coolest thing since Temptations, but Mom was sure pleased as peach. I mean, really, look at that smile. At least one of the girls in the picture was excited about the t-shirt.

But this picture says it the best. I don't know if it's because of the angle exaggerating the size of Maggie's head, or the furrowed brow, but if you ask me, this picture has "these better not show up on the blog" written all over it. Sure, she'll pounce me once she realizes I posted them, but it's worth it...

Benefit for Mu Shue

I saw in the comments over at Max's that ArtsyCatsy is doing a benefit for Mu Shue. I'd never visited Mu Shue's blog before, but the story just touched me. His Mom is a teacher and has spent her savings and sold some old family jewelry to afford treatment for Mu Shue. ArtsyCatsy is selling cat bookmarks and giving every penny for Mu Shue, which I think is very very nice. It is so hard, with all the need out there right now, to help everyone, which we all know. But I wanted to pass this along.

And, as always, keep Oreo's Posse in mind, too.

Cat music

When I was first adopted, Purina Kitten Chow had this great offer for a kitten care kit. In hindsight, I wish I had managed to get a second one to share, because along with the great coupons, it came with a CD of music for cats. It's actually a nice CD with soothing melodies and nature sounds. Mom and Dad would leave it playing for me when I was a solo cat, and when they'd come home I'd be so calm and mellow. Too bad the offer is expired. I wish Purina still offered the CD so other kitties could enjoy it too. (BTW, I found the link to the kit on this website full of free offers... I don't know how current it is, but I thought I'd share.)

Crazy people!

Just like Magoo, Smudge, Bella, Dolce and Baci's Dad said "you should never go near a Rescue Society booth when you have just lost a friend" you should also never let your Mom and Dad shop near pet clothes when they have lost their ever-loving minds! Mom bought a kitten t-shirt for Maggie at Target last night, and put it on the poor thing. Admittedly, she did look cute, but poor Maggie thought someone had pounced her and wouldn't get off. She'd roll on her side and back. After a few minutes, Mom and Dad took the t-shirt back off and let her show off her stripes again (and not the purple stripes of the t-shirt). Fortunately, they bought the largest size they made and it only fit Maggie, which saves Josie (HB and I are so big that she'd have to shop dog clothes for us -- can you imagine ... double the indignity). Dad did get some pictures, but he's not letting me on the computer later because we have company coming for dinner, so maybe I'll get to put them up tomorrow.

Sam the ninja?

Dad's cousin Kerry writes about their neighborhood cat Sam, the ninja. Sounds like this cat is pretty smart, silently sneaking into her house and slipping onto her bed, despite having a bell around his neck. If you ask me, it sounds like Sam is trying to adopt them, if maybe just as a winter "during the cold day" home while his people are at work.

[BTW, would Dad's cousin Kerry be my Aunt Cousin Kerry?]

Climbing Mt. Bed

We've gotten better at getting up on the new bed. Here are some pictures from when Mom and Dad got the bed up at first.

This is Maggie doing her spider monkey impersonation. You can get an idea of the height of the bed from this shot, as well as an idea of Maggie's athleticism. The small blur at the top is Josie. I think Maggie was trying to pounce her, and that was the motivation behind the big jump.

Here I am reclining on my bed that I let Mom and Dad sleep on. On the rare chance that Mom and Dad make the bed, the cool square pillows go on. Usually they leave it unmade so I can snuggle in the sheets and on Dad's pillow, which I prefer to a made bed.

I like this picture a little better, although the one before shows the new bedspread better. It is very comfortable (and came from Target, which makes it even cooler!) and Mom is so happy to have the new bedspread and mattress. Next will be paint (probably the blue from the bedspread) and then furniture. Lots of stuff to put our stink on...

Snow, are you kidding me?

For all you northern cats, don't laugh, but we had our very first snow since we moved here three years ago. Now snow for me is no big deal because I first lived in Iowa where it snowed all winter long. But for Huggy Bear, Josie and Maggie, it's their very first snow. They just can't figure it out what that white stuff is on the deck.

Here's a picture of me when I lived in Iowa and Mom insisted that I harness up and go out in the snow.

Mom says this tiny bit of snow will be gone in a few hours, so I need to go and sit in the window for a little while to enjoy it. I hope all the kitties that got a lot snow and ice are inside snuggled up with their mom and dad.