Still a little off

My tummy is still a little off so I had another vet visit yesterday and they put me on some meds that worked well in the past. The antibiotics just weren't cutting it so we're trying something else. If that doesn't work we'll do more tests, so paws crossed this does the trick. 

So, funny story. Aslan likes to put his toys in the water bowl. Last night he rediscovered a red fuzzy ball that he was having a blast playing with. In the middle of the night he must have put it in his water bowl, then decided to give it to Mom (while she's asleep). She woke up thinking the roof was leaking and really confused about this wet ball in her hand. (Better than a bug — that happened once too.) 

Birthday Stinky Goodness

I almost forgot to post my birthday Stinky Goodness pictures!


Dad made me a Stinky Goodness cake in the shape of a 15 for my fifteenth birthday! This has been our tradition for as long as I can remember. It was very tasty!


I was even nice and shared some with my brothers. They didn't even make me hiss!


Here's the "cake" before I started eating it.

Thanks for the birthday wishes! I'm not as spry as the kittens are, but I still have my kitteny moments, and still climb on the back of the couch to watch the sassy squirrel on the deck. Now, back to my nap...

All in our own spots

Last night Dad caught us all hanging out on the couch together. You can see that I've trained the kittens to stay in their own zone. We can hang out together, just not too close together. (Baby steps in this relationship.)

(Also, Dad wanted me to tell you the blankets are from when Mom and Dad went out of town this weekend and they are there to limit the cat hair on the couch. They know when they're gone we just camp out on the couches waiting for them to return.)

Missing HB

Yesterday marked one year since Huggy Bear crossed the Bridge. We spent the last few days celebrating the boys' birthday, since it was just a few days earlier. I'm convinced that Huggy Bear sent these two boys to Mom and Dad, because Loki is a lover much like Huggy Bear was, and Aslan has a lot of HB's personality. I loved Jasper and Josie, but Huggy Bear and I had a special bond. It was usually "Maggie and Huggy Bear" -- rarely just one of us.



Aslan is trying to fill Huggy Bear's role, and I give in every now and then. You have to give him credit for trying hard. It is nice to have a couple of little brothers who think you are a rockstar.

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.

Intruder update -- Day 1

It has been an entire day since "The Intruders" entered the house. They are very cute, and getting all kinds of love from Mom and Dad, but I'm still having a little trouble warming up to them. I was premature in my first post about no hissing, because shortly after that the hissing and growling started -- all me, not them. We'll try another meet up with them later tonight and see how it goes.

Early on they smelled like the house from the shelter/foster, and definitely not our house. Mom and Dad gave them a bath last night and I think that will help. Either way, I'm getting lots of treats out of the deal.

In tent

I have a new favorite spot -- it's what Mom and Dad call "tent" ... basically, they are in bed, usually sitting up, with their legs bent up and the covers over their knees. So I will get under the covers and under their knees. It is so warm and cozy. I'll stay there for a while, sometimes up to an hour, until eventually slinking back out from under the covers.

This is a trick I learned from Josie. This used to be one of her favorite things. Years ago she would sleep under the covers tucked up tight against Mom. Being the youngest of the McKitten-Cats I learned a little trick here and there from the other three. It is nice for Mom and Dad, since we lost Jasper, Josie and Huggy Bear in the last year, to see me replicate some of their traits and habits. I think it's very comforting for them (and me too).

Sick Maggie

Maggie had to go see the vet today. She's been losing weight, having litter box issues, and throwing up her food. Luckily, all of her blood work (liver, kidneys, sugar, etc) came normal except for high white blood cell counts. So she has an infection somewhere, most likely GI. So she got an antibiotic shot, prescription GI food, and a probiotic. Fingers crossed this takes care of the problem. In 12 years, this is the first time she's gone to the vet for an illness.

Maggie and George

Mom had an aquarium in her office at work from a few summers ago when they did Doctor Dolittle and there was a scene with a real live goldfish. A friend who was moving had donated two goldfish and the aquarium to the theatre since she didn't think the fish would make the trip. Mom has been working from home more so the remaining goldfish, George, and Al, the algae eater, moved to our kitchen.


We have enjoyed having some new "cat tv" to watch, especially at feeding time (well, Al just eats algae all day, but George is fun to watch). We keep thinking we want to taste the fish food but Dad keeps insisting it's not cat treats.

Small box, no problem...

Dad ordered new blades for his razor from Harry's (he really likes them ...) and they came in a little rectangular box. It was a tiny box, but Maggie didn't care.


She was determined to get in the box. She tried for a minute before Mom just opened the box flat and let Maggie sit on it. That still counts, right?

Meow Like a Pirate!

This picture is an oldie but a fun one...


Here's Maggie ready for Meow Like a Pirate Day from 2008. She is the pirate cat in the family. Since she has just the one eye people are always suggesting that Mom and Dad get her an eye patch. I'm not sure how well that would go over.

So to celebrate Meow Like a Pirate I suggest waiting until really late at night to do the meowing. I think that's what a real pirate cat would do.

One of those days

Mom and Dad are both having one of those days where they probably should just go back home and not be around people and just pet cats all day. We're all OK with that, except that they both have "very important things to do" today.


So I'm posting this picture of Maggie sitting on a stool in the middle of the kitchen to help remind Mom and Dad that we are here, looking cute, and ready to de-stress them whenever they get a chance to escape the real world and come back home.

That's about all she can take

Some days you just can't go any longer and you just need to find your favorite cat bed and sleep.


Here's Maggie in her favorite bed. (I would have sworn this was bought for me to replace a really ragged box that I had to give up -- but now it's pretty much Maggie's). You can see she's covering her eyes from the light so she can sleep a little longer. It's not easy being a little sister some days.

Belated Stinky Goodness Cat

Well, it took them long enough, but Maggie finally got her Stinky Goodness Birthday Cake!


Maggie turned nine back on June 17, but it was almost exactly a month later before she got her cake. Maggie got her taste first, but then she shared with the rest of us. We don't do a lot of wet food, so we usually just have a few licks, then come back later for a nibble. But either way, it was good.

Also, our wall climbing shelves arrived the other day. We still need to order brackets and figure out where they need to go, but at least the shelves are here, and that is very exciting!

Sweet Maggie

Yes, the title says "sweet" -- that's not a mistake. Maggie is definitely the stinker in the family, but she can also be very sweet.


Here she is curled up on her favorite blanket. It is a fuzzy picture because Dad didn't want to disturb her to get a good picture.


And look at this perfect cat pose on the stool as she snoopervises Mom in the kitchen. (Mom and Dad are trying to re-grow their Romaine lettuce after cutting them. Apparently you can soak them in water and they will start to grow, and root, and can be planted. That's what you see behind her. It's off to a good start.)


Maggie got a little bored with the snoopervising and the photo shoot. It happens. At least she wasn't pouncing her sister.

The treat givers...

So last Friday night Mom and Dad brought little Eliza and Elliott to the house. These are two of their godchildren and they will come and visit and stay the night every now and then. They really like to give us treats, but they need to work on their treat-giving technique.


Maggie was on the steps. She's cautious around the twins. But Elliott really wanted to give her a treat. I'm not sure if this is the best approach. But he gets an A for effort.


Josie is much braver, and will visit the kids. But even with a handful of treats in the hallway, Josie still wasn't ready to relax and eat. Elliott gathered them up (gave a few to his sister), and chased Josie into Mom and Dad's room trying to make Josie eat the treats. I think the treats eventually ended up in the food bowl.

Maggie Long Arm

Maggie is a little cat, but she has long limbs. She likes to sit with one leg stretched out. Mom calls her Maggie Long Arm when she does this.


Here she is on Dad's lap watching TV in bed.


And just to prove it's not just her from leg, here she is with her back leg stretched out. Of course, this would make her Maggie Long Leg instead.

Ping Pong Cat

Mom and Dad went to IKEA last weekend to grab a few things. Mom ended up getting a small shelf and some spice jars to create a new spice rack in the kitchen.


It looks really good.

The almost bought some kitchenware with a cat playing ping pong. I'm not sure why they didn't get it. It sounds perfect to me.


This is the apron of the ping pong cat.

Mom and Dad have been at the theatre a lot with the current show. They are doing Crimes of the Heart. It's a three-act play, so they get home later than we would like.


We need more snuggle-on-the-couch time. Josie loves to snuggle with Dad.


Maggie loves the corner of the couch. These pictures were from the other weekend when it was warmer and we stretched out more. The past few days have been colder, so we've been looking for good blankets to curl up in instead.

The play ends on Saturday, and we are counting on some good down time with Mom and Dad on Sunday!

Secret Paws is here!

Hooray! Hooray! It's one of our favorite days! Our Secret Paws package arrived! We got a  very intriguing package from Crepes, Rocky, Niles, Mrs Peabody and Doodle from Cat in the Fridge.


Maggie was the first to investigate the box.


Being the oldest cat I have to set a good example and read the card first.


We got a tin of really cool Christmas colored balls to play with. (You'll see these again...)


And look! Cat grass! We needed this!


Huggy Bear helped me pick out a catnip mouse to play with. He was so excited that he got blurry in the picture.


But really, how could you help but not get excited with all these cool gifts!


Maggie likes to check out the box and make sure Mom and Dad got everything out.


Josie showed up a tad bit late to the opening, but she still got to pick out a ball or two to play with.


There were peppermint striped balls, and green ones, and they jingle when we bat them around.


Josie had trouble deciding.


Huggy Bear had no trouble deciding -- it's the crinkle butterfly for him.


I was partial to the heart-shaped mouse from the tin of catnip mice. I kept knocking it under the dresser so Mom and Dad would have to get up and get it for me. It's a really fun game. I highly recommend it.


And then there was the Catnip Stogie! This this is amazing! It is compressed catnip in the shape of a cigar. Maggie just couldn't contain herself. She licked it and put her stink on it so we all knew it was hers.

There were Temptation Mix-Ups too -- some of our favorites! (I know I got a picture but I don't see it right now...)

Thanks to all the cats at Cat in the Fridge for the great Secret Paws! We are having so much fun with all the awesome toys. We can't wait for the grass to grow so we can eat it.

[We made a mini version of this post on the Secret Paws site.]

Halloween collar

Mom and Dad were at Michael's Crafts the other day and saw a jester-style Halloween cat collar. They probably would have passed on it, but it was 60 percent off, which I guess in their minds makes it a wonderful idea to torture is with. So they brought it home, and fortunately decided to try it out on Maggie, who always seems to be the one to get the clothes and ridiculous outfits.


Here's one of the few pictures where Maggie isn't blurry because she was trying to eat the bells off the collar. She wore it for a few minutes, and even settled down a little bit. But then Dad was nice and took it off of her so she could hunt it properly. It makes a much better toy than a collar, if you ask us.