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.

Top 25

The Cat Fanciers' Association seems to think these are the Top 25 kittens, cats, and more cats (wouldn't that make it top 75?). Sure, they're pretty impressive. Really, who can beat kittens 1, 2, 4, 7, 23 and 24 (just to name a few), or champions 2, 5, or 13, or even premiership 4, 16 or 19. These are all impressive cats in their own rights, but I say that a little guarded knowing these Cat Fanciers have not met any of us.

Mom's a winner

We always knew Mom was a winner, but Blingo told her she was a winner today. (Dad, we've always questioned, but Mom says because she's a winner, he's a winner, too.) Mom and Dad use Blingo when they search online for fun toys for us and sometimes Blingo gives away prizes. So since Dad referred Mom to Blingo, and Mom won, Mom and Dad are both winners. Unfortunately, they won movie tickets which means they'll be going out to see a movie some night, but that's OK because when they come home we lick the butter residue off their fingers...

Cat TV

This Saturday Mom was cooking in the kitchen and burnt some pecans (it wasn't her fault, she was following a new recipe and the time was off), but she ended up opening the kitchen windows to air the kitchen out. The weather was nice and crisp, but not cold, and we all gathered in the window to enjoy some fresh air. While relaxing we had a sudden surprise -- birds! A whole bunch of sparrows landed in the yard near the window, pecking at the ground for a good long time before taking off again. In our old apartment we never had birds around so now that we have a house and a yard we are so excited to see our own birds! I can't wait for Spring now. Who knows what other pleasant surprises it may bring?

Climbing the bed

Mom and Dad upgraded from a queen to a king sized mattress around Thanksgiving, but since they couldn't decide on a new bedroom suite, the mattress has just been on the floor. Last night, Mom and Dad picked up a simple bed frame to get the mattress up off the floor like it should be, which ended up raising it seven inches. Doesn't sound like a lot, but it's just enough to challenge our jumping legs. Josie cried to have Dad lift her up, Maggie looked like a spider monkey leaping onto the bed, and once half made it-half missed it and made Dad laugh as her little head just popped up over the foot of the bed then suddenly disappeared. They'll get it down. Me, I just used the bedside table as a step. I like to consider myself the thinker of the bunch.

At one point last night, Mom checked and all four of us were under the bed. That made her very happy (even though she'd prefer we'd all be in bed with her). Still, as soon as Dad's up and out of the house, I fill his side of the bed.

Cat headlines

Mom and Dad saw the teaser for this news article about missing cats (fortunately, not local) and I also stumbled across a story of a cat in a plane for three weeks. (Will Samuel L. Jackson make a movie about cats on a plane?) It really bothers my parents when people treat pets like animals. There's a difference, and we deserve respect. (Read the plane story second because it's happier.)

Update: Did you see the Weekly World News? A fat cat owns 23 old women! Wow!

My perch

I love a good high perch, like my stack of boxes in the garage. When I lived in Iowa, I had a spot at the top of the stairs so I could oversee everything. When we were in the apartment, I lacked any real high ground. Now that we have stairs again, I have reclaimed my spot at the top of the stairs.

From here, I can see the front door as well as all the upstairs action. The only thing better would be if cat stand (a plant stand that I eventually claimed and had Mom move all but one plant off of) was placed up here to give me a little higher vantage point. The only danger from this spot is dusk and dawn, when Dad decides he doesn't quite need the light, but in the dim light I blend in just a little too much and almost get stepped on. It is also very entertaining because Maggie will dart between the spindles and walk on the wrong side of them like an acrobat.

What do we eat?

Scooby, Shaggy and Scout's Mom asked what we eat, since there are four of us, with ages ranging across four years. Although Huggy Bear and I run a little heavy, we still have open feed. We eat a mixture of Purina's Indoor Cat Formula and Purina One Advanced Hairball and Healthy Weight Formula. Mom and Dad would like to see Huggy Bear and I trim down a bit, but Josie and Maggie do well with the feeding system. Hope this helps...

Face time for HB

Huggy Bear complained that he doesn't get enough face time on the blog. It seems that there are lots of pictures of the girls, and plenty of me, but not many of him. Guilty, I guess. It's not intentional, I explained to him, and he did agree that his short, dark and handsome features don't always translate in pictures, but I did manage to capture some good ones today. So this one's for you, HB.


Huggy was enjoying some time on the table in the kitchen by the window, checking out the outside. The weather already warmed back up from Thursday and I think he was hoping for some activity in the backyard. Maybe we'll see birds soon...

Cat Woman

When we lived in Davenport, Iowa (my first home) Mom started buying these local sculptures by an artist named Isabel Bloom. She was trained by Grant Wood (artist known for American Gothic) and was "the thing to collect" in that area. Some of you may have seen the greenish cat sculpture that we'll sometimes nap with (under the cat-stand in this photo). Well, Mom was looking at the Halloween sculptures online (we like Scaredy Cat) when she found Cat Woman. I think she really needs this one, even if it means we give up some of our cat treat fund so she can buy it. (It's OK, really, because I don't eat the cat treats anyway...) (Also, Huggy Bear said he found a dime on the desk this morning and that Mom can have that, too.)

What's new, pussycat?

Well, I've made the switch to "new blogger!" (now in three delicious flavors) so please let me know if you see any glitches. Mom noticed the titles on the last two posts with pictures weren't showing up on Internet Explorer, but Dad could see them on Firefox ("another example of why you should use Firefox," Dad says...). I am happy about having labels (although I don't know what to label this, so how about "purr")!

Speaking of naps...

Josie's couch, for sure...

Without a doubt, Josie has laid claim to the red couch by the windows, especially the back left cushion. I was very proud of her the other day when she shared the back cushions during a nap with Maggie, and double-decker-napped with Huggy Bear. I've taught them well, I guess. (Mom and Dad didn't get a picture of me, but Josie actually even let me nap in her spot briefly.)

Josie's big yawn

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Nap, anyone? After the temps were up in the 60s on Monday, things are dipping down into the chilly 30s with the threat of freezing rain. I guess this means we'll be doing some extra napping on Thursday...

Cardboard playhouse

I wonder if I can convince Dad to build us something like this?

Dad's wallpaper

I'm not implying that I'm Dad's favorite, but this is his wallpaper on his computer at work. Mom took this picture of me a while back when I was napping and my hair was all separated and pointy. Dad says he gets lots of comments from people at work about this photo, and people try to guess what it is (they're usually wrong).

Is it springtime already?

I overheard the weather forecast for this weekend: 75 degrees on Saturday! You know what that means ... open windows for us!

Dad got a great picture of HB and Josie on the couch together this morning when he came down for breakfast. I've been lax about posting pictures, so I promise to get some up this weekend.

Maggie's blanket

Maggie has her favorite blanket. It's a very soft orange throw that ended up at the foot of Mom and Dad's bed one night, and once Maggie started nuzzling it and curling up and sleeping with Mom and Dad, it has stayed at the foot of the bed. The issue is that Mom and Dad got a new, pretty bedspread and orange just doesn't fit the color scheme (it really never did fit the color scheme, but it was soft and warm and Mom and Dad like orange...). So Mom is on the hunt for a beige replacement. Personally, I think it's just another excuse to wander around Target. It's risky to play games with our favorite things. After the move, plant stand (aka cat stand) moved into one of the upstairs rooms, but it just hasn't felt right, so I haven't been sleeping in it. So I have to wonder, even if Mom finds the right feeling blanket, will it feel right to Maggie?

Poor Mitzi

Remember Mitzi, that sweet little kitten that showed up at Mom and Dad's doorstep just a few days before they moved from the apartment to their house? Mitzi crossed the Rainbow Bridge today. It seems that she wouldn't stay inside, so eventually her mom would let her go out and explore. Dad told her mom over and over to get her fixed and she wouldn't be so eager to go out. She was set to go to the vet on Friday. But last week she disappeared for about three days. When she showed back up, she wouldn't lift her tail. Today, she was bleeding and the vet said it looks like she'd been hit by a car, her tail was broken and she lacked rectal function. Sadly, there was only one option. Dad is sad and frustrated. He knew it was a risky choice for a mom, but thought this was someone who needed a loving cat in her life to give her something to care for, and that might be right for both Mitzi and her new mom. Looking back, Mitzi stood no chance on her own back in August, and Mom and Dad had few options since they were getting ready to move and couldn't bring another cat into the mix. We just wish things had worked out better for this poor little soul.

Dad wanted me to add that one of his patients had to send her cat to the Bridge after discovering severe diabetes. This cat, eight or nine years old, had been rescued from neglectful owners and Dad reminded her that she gave the cat good years before crossing the Bridge. To make things even worse, a patient called to let them know his wife had her third miscarriage. It was a tough day at the office for Dad.

Dress Up Your Pet Day

Now this is a holiday we don't need to celebrate! Who comes up with this kind of insanity?!? (Dog people, I'd guess...)

Dirty clothes

Is there really any better spot to nap than a pile of dirty clothes?

Cat's in clothes? I don't think so!

This is Prissy ... Mom's brother's dog. She had gotten a lot of mats in her hair so she ended up getting a summer cut in the winter. When Mom and Dad were down visiting, she was chilly so Mom put her in the only clothes she could find: a sun dress. Now there's so much wrong with that last sentence, but let's focus on the key issue... if we would tolerate it, Mom would dress us in silly clothes. No doubt about it. I worry when I see the Target bags coming in that maybe she bought some silly t-shirt for us. She hasn't yet, but I've heard conversations about trying their luck with Maggie or Josie.

Holiday recap

I wanted to take a minute and talk about the week between Christmas and New Year's...

After Mom and Dad returned on Tuesday from Mississippi, Dad's parents (Nanny and Pop) showed up with Aunt Kelly. Aunt Kelly has been wanting to meet us for a long time, and she showed us all kinds of attention. But the one we really warmed up to was Pop. He scored points with us by helping Dad install a new garbage disposal in the kitchen. This new disposal is so quiet we don't even run away when Mom switches it on! So Josie would sit by Pop all the time to show him our appreciation, and the rest of us made sure we put our stink on him (he is going back home to a dog so we wanted to make sure Sassy knew we'd been around...) Nanny, Pop and Kelly left on Friday at 11 a.m. and Aunt Tiff showed up around 1 p.m.

Aunt Tiff brought us presents! We got a neat whirly toy with fuzzy balls and kinky strings on it that Huggy Bear enjoyed growling at and dismantling. She also brought us these cool stuffed mice and toy jacks and some of our favorite treats. She stayed until today, when she had to go back to Atlanta and get ready for school (working on her fourth degree, if you count bartending school). One night Aunt Tiff was watching TV on the couch and Maggie curled up with her and fell asleep, which we all know is the biggest compliment of all.

We'll miss all the company, but we know they'll be back visiting soon enough. Today, with the house empty except for Mom, Josie and I have been curled up with her as she reads her second book of the new year. (See... still keeping that resolution!)

Neil Gaiman's cat

Dad likes to read Neil Gaiman (and his journal) and he wrote about going on walks with his cat, which always seems to sound better when a real writer writes about anything. Dad read me the post, but it was the picture of the pretty pretty Princess in the snow that got my attention.

Starting the year off right

Now this is the way to spend January 1 -- curled up in bed with Mom! Maybe that'll be my resolution ... more naps with Mom. I think I can keep that one.

Happy New Year!

Huggy Bear really enjoyed the New Year's party last night and gave a few toots with the noise makers before deciding that was just too much noise. We stayed upstairs early on, but after dinner Mom let us out to enjoy the fun! Dad watched us closely to make sure no one left the doors open. Overall, it was a fun night and a good way to start the new year... Hope ya'll had fun too!

Christmas still going on

Mom and Dad are back home after visiting Mom's family. They left the computer off (and had dial-up down there) so I couldn't even really relay messages through them to post comments on everyone's blogs. Thanks to everyone for the Christmas wishes. Christmas continues for us Wednesday when Dad's parents and sister (our Aunt Kelly) roll through for a quick visit. As long as people keep bringing gifts the holiday's not over, right? And it keeps getting better with Aunt Tiff coming on Friday for the weekend!

Merry Christmas to all

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas! We've stopped terrorizing the tree and have accepted it as a haven of warmth and napping. I hope Santa recognizes what a challenge this is for us and rewards us with special presents this year. We've all been (mostly) good this year. I hope Santa brings you everything you asked for. I know we'll have plenty of wrapping paper to dive through and nap on. What could be better than that?

Fat-Cat to the rescue

Dad had some commotion at his office the other day. It seems there was a little furry visitor (well, not so little... last year, they had a little field mouse. This year, it was definitely a mouse, not the "rat" that someone screamed, but it was about three inches long and almost two wide). Dad and the other man in the office were busy with patients, and the maintenance guy went out to "get supplies to do what must be done." Despite the fact that Dad encouraged everyone to keep things calm until after patient hours, four of the women in the office ventured into the office manager's office (the mouse hung out behind her desk all day) and preceded to try to catch it in a box. Dad said it sounded like Sylvester boxing the baby kangaroo, which did little to "keep things calm" like Dad had asked. Eventually, the maintenance guy returned, but instead of using a trap, he managed to catch the mouse in the box. [Poi Rats may want to stop reading now...] One of the ladies took the mouse out and met Fat-Cat, a gray and white tuxedo who visits the parking lot of Dad's office. She showed Fat-Cat what was in the box, he jumped in the box, the big ugly gray mouse jumped out, Fat-Cat jumped out, there was a big dust cloud and stars like on Scooby-Doo, and the office mouse problem was solved. Fat-Cat to the rescue.

William was right

William suggested that maybe Maggie's missing collar was actually doubling as a Christmas ornament, and you know what, he was right! Maggie had been operating in "stealth mode" since misplacing her collar. Without her collar she had been getting under Mom and Dad's feet and Mom accidentally stepped on her. Dad switched from casually looking to actively looking for her collar and, after moving a few presents and looking up and under the tree, Dad saw her collar on a low branch. Maggie came right away to get her collar back ... I think she was tired of almost getting stepped on.

Dog Judo

These dogs are just silly... I don't think you'd find cats engaging in this sort of behavior, but it is fun to laugh at their foolishness.

Well wishes

Get well, Smudge. Prove them all wrong ... we know you will get better.

Josie reflecting

This is Josie's new favorite spot since we've gotten the new couches. Mom and Dad liked the way the tree reflected in the window.

All around the tree

OK ... we all turned our backs to the camera, it's a little dark and fuzzy but face it, four cats in one picture around a Christmas tree ... this is about as good as it's gonna get. See that blue box on the left between Huggy Bear's head and the red ball ... that's where we've made our tunnel to dive through to get behind the tree. Also, Maggie has decided to go without her collar. I suspect Mom and Dad will find it behind the tree when it comes down. (We're currently in negotiations to keep the tree up year round as a climbing toy, but looks like we'll come out on the losing end of this one...)

If the tree's a'rockin'

Last night Mom and Dad put up the big Christmas tree, which means twice as many trees for Maggie to terrorize. The backside of the smaller tree is nice and flattened from her lying across it. Dad piled the presents around the tree thinking this may form a wall, but Josie quickly proved that that was a silly idea. With Maggie watching, Josie carefully approached the gifts, then hurdled one of the tallest boxes to land perfectly in the empty space behind the tree. Then Maggie found a small tunnel between boxes and, with one quick burst, dove head-first through the gifts. A small scuffle ensued behind the tree and Dad coaxed them out with treats. I've behaved, but all the others have taken their turns around the tree. This morning Dad came down and heard the familiar tink, tink and said, "Maggie, you'd better just be under the tree" and then the tree leaned slightly and Maggie's tail popped out from about midway up the tree. Dad quickly removed her, but he's now working on ways to secure the tree. (This is a new tree so we're still adapting to the base, and this tree is thicker so Maggie ends up more on the outside edge of the branches which makes it wobble more...)

We got some good pictures last night so I'll try to get them up today or tomorrow...

Who's purr is it?

We all have unique purrs ... I was thinking about it last evening while lying in bed with Mom and Dad and having a battle of the purrs with Huggy Bear. It's really not fair to battle purrs with him because he purrs deep in his throat and through his mouth. He's got that kind of purr that announces his presence. I purr through my nose more, so it's a slightly higher pitch purr. Maggie's purr is a quick, excited kitten purr because, although she's a year-and-a-half old, she's still a kitten. Josie has such a subtle little purr ... it's the kind that you feel in her chest when Mom and Dad pet her. Sometimes Josie will project her purr a little and that's when you know she's extra-special happy. I had turned my purr off for a while, but it's back now and Mom and Dad couldn't be happier.

Josie got in trouble

Mom felt so bad, having to yell at Josie, but Josie knew better ... On Sunday, Mom was preparing a ham tray for a Christmas party she was helping organize, so her hands were all covered in ham. Josie was on the back of the new couch in what has become "her spot" and then, for no reason, Josie started to scratch at the arm of the couch. Well, with her hands covered in ham, Mom could do nothing but yell at Josie. Josie looked so scared and ran upstairs and hid for a little bit before coming back and mewing at Mom and rubbing on her leg. Mom felt so bad yelling at Josie and scaring her, but she can't rip the new couches. When Dad got home they trimmed Josie's nails and gave her so love. Tonight is HB's and Maggie's nails. Mom and Dad are discussing trying the soft nails on them, but just don't know. Maybe they just need mittens.

Baby, it's cold outside

Mom keeps saying, "It's cold out there. You don't want to be in the garage." Well, sure, maybe it's cold out there but she doesn't know what I want. She forgets that there are stacks of old comforters that Dad uses to cover furniture in the garage and those are warm and comfy to nap on, plus I have fur. So maybe I do want to be out there. But she says no, and has the thumb that can turn the lock, so I guess it's inside naps today. (On a side note, I've gotten good at grabbing the pull handle to the door from the house to the garage and I'm hoping one day the stars will align just right and I'll be able to pull it open myself!)

Maggie last Christmas

This was Maggie last year. Imagine her bigger, but essentially in the same place and you have her this year. Stinker!

Tree'd again

Mom and Dad were so proud of Maggie. After last year when she was such a little kitten and they couldn't do anything to keep her out of the tree, Mom and Dad were a little nervous about putting up a tree again. But they were having a surprise birthday party for a friend last weekend and there's a odd space in the foyer by the stairs that is perfect for the small tree (we'll end up with two trees this year!) so they set up the tree there. For the first few days, the tree went unscathed. Then the other morning Mom awoke to tink, tink, rustle, rustle and sure enough, Maggie was in the tree again. Five balls down, four shell ornaments down (I'll have to post a picture, but it was unbreakable ornaments from Martha Stewart and sea shell ornaments Mom made that are so pretty). One ball was by the front door ... obviously a play toy, right? The others were all in a corner under the tree. Now, Dad has had to restring a few rows of lights from Maggie trying to hold on as she is coaxed out of the tree. One shell ornament has broken (just a little ... it can be fixed) and several more balls have come down. They even caught Josie (aka Little Miss Perfect) on the stairs reaching out trying the smack a ball, then later lying under the tree batting another ornament. Martha Stewart talked on one of her shows about how to keep pets from the trees, then added that she has a tree just for her pets that they can play in. I like that idea. Maybe after the holidays Dad will set the tree up in the bonus room just for us to climb in.

[Update: Here are some of the pet Christmas suggestions from Martha's show...]

Watch those plants?

We eat plants. We're cats and that's what we do. It's fun, it tastes good, and once you devour one, Mom and Dad always seem to bring another in. But Mom bought a really pretty Poinsettia for Christmas and then started to worry about toxicity and our appetites. So she found a website that lists toxic plants. Of course, there are varying degrees of toxicity, but it's always safe to err on the side of caution, right? Just at a glance, I see two or three we've had in our house. No bad results so far, thank goodness, but you know Mom'll be more wary in the future when she looks at plants for the house.

Another blog

I just recently found the Pet Prayer & Praise blog. It's such a nice and thoughtful blog. I can't imagine the effort that goes into the upkeep of that one and the Cat Blogosphere blog.

Garage nap

With Mom and Dad doing all kinds of painting in the house, we've all been able to enjoy some serious garage time. Josie and I have our favorite box perches. You can't tell in this picture, but we're almost seven feet up!

Maggie vs. paper towels

Dad had turned his back on Maggie and the paper towels and it seemed there was a disagreement because before you knew it Maggie had put the bite all over this roll of paper towels. She almost had the whole thing shredded. That, and getting paint on her paws, is how she likes to help Dad paint.

Mirror, Mirror on the floor

Mom and Dad were painting the powder room and took this mirror down. Huggy Bear started laying on the mirror almost immediately. He even got ahold of the ring from the milk jug and was huddled on the mirror giving the "keep away" low growl of his. Dad ended up just taking the ring away to calm him down. But I think getting twice the HB is very nice.

Supervising in the kitchen

Maggie supervised the preparation of Thanksgiving dinner from on top of the refrigerator. It seemed to be a good spot for her to watch, but not help too much.

Homeless cat shelter

Aunt Cathy's brother has built a shelter in his garage for the neighborhood homeless cats to get them through the winter. He built a heated two-story shelter inside the garage with a cat door from the outside so the cats don't have free access to the garage but can access the shelter unit. We need more people like that.

Riddle me this...

Q: What's black and white and red all over?
A: Josie on our new red couches!

After 11 years of marriage, Mom and Dad finally bought new furniture. Maggie and Josie were quick to give it a test run. Mom has coveted a red couch for a while, so she is so excited about her new living room.

Lucas in Cat Fancy Magazine

I just saw where Lucas (aka Prince Diaper) will be in the January issue of Cat Fancy Magazine. (brief excerpt) I'm glad Alisha let us know. We'll have to watch for that article...

At it again

Mom and Dad are at it again -- painting, that is. This past weekend was dedicated to the dining room. At one point, Maggie was a little too close to the lid of the paint for Dad's comfort (he was pouring more paint in the pan and Maggie was helping.) Because Dad was afraid Maggie would get in the paint he decided to pick her up and move her. Because he picked her up when she didn't want to be picked up she stretched out her leg and toes -- and got in the paint! All Dad's fault, without a doubt, but poor Maggie paid the price. Mom and Dad had to hold her in the air so paint didn't get everywhere (Dad's got the scratches to prove it), and they scruffed her and cleaned between her back toes on both feet. At least Dad accepted responsibility for this one -- he should know when to just leave well enough alone by now. We can walk along tiny, narrow places, and somehow he thinks she's going to get in the paint? Really, some days I just wonder about him...

Maybe I'll have soup for dinner

I love checking out the pantry. It's one of the coolest places, next to the garage, at our house. It's got shelves to climb on, our treats are in there, and there's always a bag of potatoes for me chew on. (No, I don't like potatoes, I like plastic bags.)

Sweet Maggie

Maggie is growing into such a sweet little lover. She has always been a sweet girl and very affectionate, but lately she's really been pouring it on. She bathes Huggy Bear all the time ... even started giving him a bath in bed the other night and fell asleep in mid-bath. Here she is snuggling with Mom on the couch after she and Dad returned from the mountains. Mom was so happy and Dad was a little jealous, so I hopped on the couch with Dad to make everything even.

Been sidetracked

I've been a little sidetracked lately, trying to keep up with the heartbreaking events at Atomictumor and helping Mom and Dad get the house ready for the holiday company ... so much to do and so little time. I feel like it will be 2007 before we know it! But I have some great pictures to post. I'll try to get them up soon.

What am I?

Mette had asked a few comments ago about what breed of cat I am. I was born in a shelter ... my mother had come in pregnant. She was a Manx. Unfortunately, like many of us, I have no knowledge of my father, no relationship with him at all. (I think this is a serious issue with us cats, and maybe should be addressed in public service announcements like these.) So I don't know if I have any Maine Coon or a Norwegian blood in me, just Manx for sure. Maybe I should get some DNA testing ... he he ... just the though of someone trying to do a mouth swab makes me laugh uncontrollably.

Send prayers and hope

Uncle Doug's friends over at Atomictumor are struggling with a strange, sudden, dire illness. Things are very serious, and confusing, and emotionally exhausting. Mom got teary reading AT's entries about his wife's struggles. Dad was so emotionally spent that he had to take a few breaks to get through. Please send your prayers and thoughts.

The events begin on the Nov. 1 post "It's been a loooong day," and continue for several pages (just click "previous page" at the bottom).

The blogosphere is amazing in it's ability to connect complete strangers like old friends in moments of need. Thank you all in advance for your positive energy.

Mom and Dad return

Mom and Dad went up to Tennessee this weekend to the mountains and visited with Dad's parents. At Christmas, Dad's parents and sister will be coming to visit us instead! This will be the first time we meet Aunt Kelly ... we know she's excited. Even though she has a dog, we're excited about meeting her, too.

When Mom and Dad were driving though the mountains, they saw three black bears (not three black Huggy Bears...) all up in a tree. Some crazy people were actually out of their cars and trying to get pictures. Dad took a drive-by picture that I'll try to zoom in on and post later, but Mom and Dad were both thinking, "If there are three babies, there a mom around here too," so they didn't stop.

It's fine when Mom and Dad go for a weekend or so. Usually someone checks in on us (make sure we're not throwing a party...) but we are happy that Mom and Dad are back home.

Cat glasses

Mom and Dad need these...

McKitten-Pumpkin

This is the latest kitten addition to our family. Mom created this cat pumpkin and it is so cute. The picture doesn't really show off her curly cat tail but you can see the cute face. Mom and Dad created a bunch of cool pumpkins this year ... I hope we get a lot of visitors!

HB inspects the pumpkins

Huggy Bear was a big helper carving pumpkins. He inspected the pumpkins to make sure they were fit to be carved then sat by and supervised the carving.