And then there was cake!

Happy birthday boys!

Tonight we celebrated Loki's (left) and Aslan's (right) first birthday. Mom and Dad fixed us each a Stinky Goodness cake in the shape of a 1. I even got one a 1 cake, even though I'm 14. 

Now I'm purring my sleep on the couch while Aslan wrestles a nip banana and Loki is cleaning up the leftovers. 

Happy Birthday Kittens!

Today is Aslan and Loki's FIRST BIRTHDAY! I can't believe those little stinkers are already one year old. They've been with us for nine months, and I'm slowly warming to them. Sure, there's still some hissing but there's also more hanging out. So that's good.


Here's Loki as a tiny kitten. These are screen shots from Dad's phone, but we left them uncropped for the date on the bottom.


And here's Aslan as a tiny kitten! It's hard to believe they were ever that small. Aslan is around 12 pounds now.


Here are the boys patiently waiting for Mom and Dad to finish the puzzle they were working on so the boys could get some treats.


You can see Aslan snoopervising the puzzle work. If he didn't try to help Mom and Dad would finish faster and he'd get those treats he wants.

Tonight for their birthday they are going to have some Stinky Goodness Birthday Cake and get all the love they want. I'll post some more pictures later tonight.

Sometimes this happens

So yeah, sometimes this happens. I have been sleeping on my favorite blankets on this comfy couch. Tonight Aslan curled up near me. Loki was up here last night. Their birthday is tomorrow so I figured I'd be nice and let them hang out with me some. 

Hunters

I've done my share of hunting. As the senior cat in the house I get to rest like this while the boys are now in charge of hunting bugs. The reality of living in South Carolina is sometimes there will be a bug in the house. 

The other day we had an ant invasion — those tiny annoying sugar ants. It happens once a year usually in the spring when it's been dry. The ants had found a wayward treat in the pantry that the kittens must have knocked under the door. Loki showed Mom the ants. He's the first McKitten-Cat to ever give an ant any notice. But he hunted them like an aardvark and snoopervised Mom's cleanup. 

Now Aslan likes to play ball. I've mentioned before how he'll hunt a foil ball and play fetch. He had been doing that one night until the ball vanished. So later Dad was asleep and Mom was up watching TV because she can't sleep. Well Aslan came up and dropped something in Mom's hand. She was expecting the ball, not a roach. She threw it on Dad, screaming "there's a roach in the bed!" Dad hopped up and finished the "hunt" for Aslan. Then Aslan got a treat for being a good hunter. 

(OK, this makes us sound dirty. Our house is clean. These are rare instances but it unfortunately is what sometimes happens in the South.)

Two cats in the window?

Dad got Mom a cool cat pot for her office. She was going to put some succulents in it before everything went crazy, so now it just sits in the window of the office at home. This morning Loki was in the window too, peeking back at Dad just like the pot. 

Sleepy Loki

Loki has enjoyed napping with Mom and Dad. If there's something good from this lockdown it's the napping with Mom. Dad is still at work but Mom is working from home. 

Last Saturday Loki ended up at the vet because he didn't seem to be eating and was throwing up. Blood work was ok and he got an antinausea shot and has been doing better. 

The Friday before that I was at the vet with a UTI. I was given some meds and am doing well too. This just isn't how we wanted to spend our isolation time — it's hard enough going to the vet without the extra worry. Take care of yourselves in the difficult time. 

In tent

The kittens are learning about the joy of getting in "tent" with Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad will bend their knees up and pull the covers up and we will get under their knees and curl up. It's dark and warm and you still get to snuggle with Mom and Dad. The kittens just learned this today. This was one of Josie's favorite things so it makes Mom and Dad happy that they are figuring it out. 

Vitamin C and good neighbors

I ended up going to the vet today for a quick visit. I was real uncomfortable and pacing back and forth to the litter box but couldn't produce anything. Mom was afraid I was constipated. It turns out I have a UTI. In addition to an antibiotic, the vet recommended adding some Vitamin C to my wet food to balance my pH. He was guessing it was closer to 9 when it should be around 6. The challenge right now, of course, is actually finding Vitamin C. Mom and Dad struck out at the two stores they were at but then stores started to close. Fortunately a neighbor got some from another neighbor to give to us (a series of handoffs on front porches that would have raised eyebrows any other time). It's great to see how we all come together in hard times. And I got extra wet food too!

Hope everyone is safe

My brother Aslan loves me so much even though I always encourage social distancing. But look how sweet he is to lay exactly like I am (safely on the other side of Dad's legs). 

Dawn Ellen

Mom and Dad's friend has a hedgehog named Dawn Ellen. She's super cute, even if she gets huffy when she doesn't feel like playing (It's ok because I do too). But as much as I think she'd be fun to play with I think she'd be too pokey. 

You can follow her on Instagram at 

https://instagram.com/the_hedge_of_glory?igshid=14e6l3yxbe2z5

Whatcha doing?

Aslan needed some attention...

Comfy cubes

Mom and Dad went to Ikea last weekend and brought back little pillows for my cat cubes. I'd been hanging out in the cubes a lot recently anyway but now that I have super soft pillows it is definitely my favorite spot. 

Uh, brother, your tail...

Sure Aslan just put your tail across me. Little brothers can be so silly. 

Silly kittens

These silly kittens do some very silly things. Loki likes to bite Mom's nose and chin when she is sleeping. Aslan will snip at Mom's nose and really likes to try to bite her earrings. But they can be so sweet too. I mean, look at that little face!

Two years ...

It's been two years since Jasper crossed the Bridge. It feels like just the other day and forever ago at the same time. Mom and Dad saved a baggie of his fur so they never forget just how soft and floofy he was. He really was the best big brother, and my mentor for how I need to teach these kittens.

All curled up

It's moments like this that make Mom and Dad so happy. I'm curled up at Mom's feet and not fussing as Aslan rests beside me. 

Snuggling with the kittens

Last night was the first time I've ever let the kittens snuggle up with me in a tabby-cat pile. I was sleeping next to Mom and next thing she knew this had happened:


I'm sandwiched in between the boys and they are all loved up on me. It is hard to see with all the tabby fur and me being short-haired and all their floof. Mom outlined me so you could see better:



This lasted for a little while, until Loki couldn't help himself and tried to play with my tail and turned my growl on. He's such a kitten! But this made Mom so happy.

Heated cat bed

Mom got me an early Christmas present -- a heated cat bed. This is the very first cat bed I have instantly taken to. It feels good on my 14-year-old joints that have been a little achy lately. 

The intervention

Dad came downstairs apparently to find the kittens preparing for an intervention. 

Little brothers

So yeah, I let this happen. Loki wore me down and he needed to snuggle.