August 2012

A BIRD IN THE HAND

Aftermath

Dad Tom and I went away for a couple of days and just returned home to seven cats eager to get outside.

The house was not wrecked…probably because Chris was here to clean before we got home. She and the kitties always have nip and treat parties!

Two kitties—Fiona and Astrid, our escape artists—were collarless, however, and Lily Olivia was missing her bell. A quick search has not turned up either collar. If Chris found them and put them up for us, they were reappropriated by the horde and used as toys. It’s now time to look under all the rugs. Dad Tom found Lily’s bell. Getting it back on her collar will probably result in a wound or two for me.

We took our tandem out of town with us and rode yesterday and again today around Luray, Virginia, where we stayed for two nights. (If you’d like to learn more about Luray and the caverns we visited, check out the post, ” The Adventures of Periwinkle & Stinky: Part CXLVI.”

Yesterday I saw two felines while we were riding. Today I saw eight (five at one house) while riding and three more as we were driving home. I am always on the lookout for kitties when we are away from home, as I miss ours. We do, however, enjoy having a bed all to ourselves for a couple of nights, as I am sure the kitties enjoy having ours all to themselves.

Though all the kids sped outside immediately, Fiona came back in quickly so she could get some love and petting. She and I usually have at least three one-on-one sessions per day, so she is short about eight sessions. I am sure she will force me to make up each one. She is such a sweetheart, I’ll gladly give her plenty of lap time.

Carolina Chickadee

Bird in Hand: Grey cat in a human's lap getting a kiss and a hug.

Fiona demanding her “me” time crawls in my lap as I am working on this post.

While Fiona and I were having our first love fest, Tom was unpacking the car. On one of his trips into the house he found a baby Carolina Chickadee sitting on the front porch. The birdy was breathing hard when Dad Tom picked it up. It didn’t have any missing feathers, kitty spit or other evidence of meeting up with any of our furballs. The bird just sat in Dad Tom’s hand while he carried it through the house to a section of the back deck that is not part of the catio and so inaccessible to Kitties Blue. He set the bird on the railing, and it flew away. Danger averted!

Day’s End

Even though they had a short outside, everyone was ready for dinner when I called. They began swarming around me in the foyer like a school of sharks. The only kitty missing was Misty May. She always waits outside the front door until she sees the bowl of food in hand. They all acted as if pet sitter, Maggie, had failed to feed them in our absence! If they didn’t get their stinky goodness, it was because they refused to come out of hiding while she was here.

Lily’s collar has been removed, bell attached…no wounds! She’s back in her dough bowl having a wash.

Time to look for those collars, then off to bed for kitties and humans.

Astrid’s collar was located, but she almost severed one of my fingers when I tried to put it on her. So…both she and Fiona are still naked!

Note: For those who may not know, all the Kitties Blue were inside/outside cats until we adopted Fiona and Giulietta. Those who had the privilege continued to be allowed out until their passing. Misty May was the last of the Kitties Blue to have outside privileges. I expected all of them to be in before dark, and it most cases they obeyed.

CAT IN A BOX

Calico Chloe Joins Kitties Blue

Chloe wasn’t fooling anyone when she selected this rug as a hiding place.

In 1993, Chloe became the first calico cat to join our household. At that time we had Skooter, Steamer, Daphne, Thelma and Louise. None of them had ever met a calico cat and neither had we. And for some unknown reason they took an instant dislike to her. This lasted throughout her lifetime. We did not share their opinion of her.

Calico cat hiding atop an armoire among stuffed bears.

Chloe hiding among the bears.

Chloe, whenever possible, would find a place to hide and take refuge. One of her favorite hiding places was atop an armoire among a collection of stuffed animals. She blended in so well and could stay so still that we could walk by and never see or suspect she was there. Even if we couldn’t find her, we were pretty certain that all the others knew exactly where she was but didn’t care to share that information. She was out of their sight and that was good enough for them.

Calico cat with scratches on her nose hiding in laundry hamper.

Chloe hiding in the laundry hamper after receiving some boo-boos on her nose.

Chloe finds this box a nearly perfect fit!

Lily Olivia Arrives on the Scene

In 1999 when Lily Olivia followed us home we thought she and Chloe, both calicos, would bond and have a friend in each other. But even though we already were a haven for six cats, we had not yet figured out that cats never do what their caregivers expect. (For more on that subject check out the previous post, “My Cat’s Better Than Your Cat.”) Chloe didn’t like Lily Olivia any better than the other Kitties Blue. In fact, all the others treated her even worse than they did Chloe. They hissed at her, chased her and left her with a myriad of wounds on her nose and ears. Chloe had those as well as evidenced in the above photo.

We understand that in any group situation, a hierarchy exists with the first arrival most often at the top and the last at the bottom. However, with all our past and current kitties, Chloe and Lily are the only two who have been disliked by all their housemates. And that includes those who have joined our clan after the admittance of these two. Lily Olivia is currently the oldest and the longest in residence, yet she remains near the bottom. We continue to wonder why this is the case. My best guess is that neither Chloe nor Lily fought back. They both would immediately turn and run trying to escape the otherwise inevitable boo-boos.

Attempts at Friendship

We have had a recent exception. Lisbeth has tried to make friends with Lily Olivia and has approached her nose to nose. Lily has hissed and turned away, but no fisticuffs have occurred. When Astrid has approached her, however, Lily has immediately lashed out at her with a right cross. It would seem that a calico/tortoise shell relationship doesn’t work any better than a calico/calico partnership.

Lily Olivia takes refuge in a bakery box. At least she waited until all the cupcakes had been eaten.

Is Lily Olivia Possessed?

We do believe Lily Olivia was “bi-polar” when she came to live with us, but the constant abuse hasn’t helped with her personality. She can be as cuddly and loving as any of our other cats and then suddenly turn into a hissing and scratching monster. On one occasion, shortly after joining our cat house, she gave me a look that actually frightened me. Now, we have been given the “stink eye” by all of our cats at one time or another, but I had never seen anything like this. I was sure that Lily was possessed by the devil. I backed away slowly and let her have her space.

If we get a look from her that in any way resembles her “I am possessed” one, we know to stay clear of her.

We are truly surprised that in her 13 years Lily has never given up and abandoned us for a less-populated household. However, she does spend 90 percent of the day across the street in a chair on a neighbor’s front porch as well as in other hiding places we know nothing about. In fact, Mauricio, Misty May and MacKenzie, when he was alive, chased her across the street to get rid of her.

And she is one of the worst when it comes to staying out late or over-night. She used to get in one of the rockers on our front porch and sleep there, but now I am not sure where she hangs out when she does not report in at bedtime.

The DMZ

Calico cat, white cat and ginger tabby cat sleeping near each other on king-sized bed.

Madison and Mac (on the right) were best friends, so sleeping together was a daily occurrence. But only on our bed would you find them in close proximity to Lily.

We do have one place in the house that the kitties consider to be the DMZ…our king-sized bed. I am not saying that no feline fracas has ever occurred on the bed. If one of the kitties jumps up and lands on one already present, a little fur might fly. If Lily is one of the kitties involved, she retreats to the floor of Dad Tom’s closet. Once cats and humans have gone to sleep, she will usually sneak back in bed and curl up next to me.

Sometimes Lily still feels a need for refuge when she’s on the bed.

Watch for future posts with some more cute photos showing the kitties in some of their favorite hiding and napping places as well as one about cats in high places.

Update: When Lily Olivia passed away, Misty May began torturing Astrid. Like Lily, she has never fought back. She just “screams” and runs for her life. Misty May only has to look at her, and Astrid takes off as if shot from a cannon.

MY CAT’S BETTER THAN YOUR CAT

Cats Are Predictably Unpredictable

Who am I kidding! My cats are no different than your cats, your neighbor’s cats or even cats in foreign countries. Though I have found those in other countries speak a different cat language than those in the U.S.

The din from all of you disagreeing whole-heartedly with me is deafening.

But admit it, all cats are predictably unpredictable, which is why I have selected that for this blog’s tag line.

If you have come to expect them to do something with regularity, they won’t. Just when you figure out what food she likes, she turns up her nose, tries to bury it and then turns and walks away in a huff. A few days later she is wolfing it down again.

If your cat is doing something silly or adorable, he will stop the minute he sees the camera. But, unexpectedly and on occasion a cat will come along who doesn’t do this. Our Mauricio is one of those. He is an attention “hound” and a chance to pose offers an opportunity for the ultimate amount of “me” time.

Tuxedo cat lying on his back with paws on chest and mugging for the camera.

If your cat has been curling up to snooze in the same spot for the last couple of weeks, he will vacate it for a new one never to return to the original. But, if you try to guess where he will perch next…good luck!

If she constantly plays with the same toy, dragging it around the house, taking it to bed and attacking any person or kitty who picks it up, again she will abandon it for a different one.

In the same vein, when we ride our tandem bike I always count the kitties I see along our route. Some of these I will see day after day and year after year and then suddenly one will disappear. Of course, some do move away or pass away, but they are just as likely to reappear weeks, months or even years later. I hadn’t seen Emma, a neighborhood calico, in at least three years and now I am seeing her with regularity. (Sometimes I can make cats along the route reappear. If I disparage one for not being around for a ridiculous amount of time, it will show up on that exact day.) I am always excited when a new cat pops up, but the likelihood exists that years can go by before I see it again.

Reader Challenge

As much as they are capricious, however, all kitties will do much the same things at sometime during their lives. I challenge any readers who have cats to let me know if their cats have never done any of the following things:

Grey kitten and tuxedo cat sitting on newspapers.

Kitten Fiona was unable to obscure much of the Sunday funnies so she enlisted Mauricio’s help.

Blocked your view of whatever you were reading. Almost any one of our cats could serve as the poster puss in support of illiteracy.
Stripped the leaves and flowers off your house plants. We haven’t had a house plant since Steamer ate every last leaf off of a topiary teddy bear. In the picture below you can see how difficult it can be to have fresh flowers in our house.
Shoved everything off a table or countertop. I was fortunate that the vase pictured here was inexpensive and easily replaceable by a similar one. As a novice cat owner, I was devastated when Steamer knocked an antique, amethyst glass vase (an anniversary gift from Tom) off of a window sill. We had no idea that cats enjoyed sitting in the window and “reading the news.”

Vase smashed on the floor and floors strewn everywhere.

Not one of the kitties would confess to making this mess. I did crop Fiona out of the photo. (Note cat toy in upper right of photo.)

Mauricio discovers a treasure trove of styrofoam peanuts.

Shredded or chewed up the newspaper, wrapping paper, napkins, styrofoam peanuts or anything that leaves bunches of small pieces to clean up.

Grey kitten standing on hind legs with head in human'a water cup.

Fiona helps herself to my water.

Drunk out of the toilet, the sink faucet, your glass or any scummy puddle they could find.

Tuxedo cat sitting in front of computer screen with paws and nose on it.

Mauricio helped Tom when he was working from home.

Helped out while you were working on the computer.
Helped you make the bed or change the sheets.
Burrowed down into a basket of clean, warm laundry.

This is a short list of a cat’s quirks and foibles. If your cat hasn’t done any of these things, he will. And you can expect that it will be when you least expect it. After all, a cat’s main goals, if he actually has any, are to keep us guessing and to prove us wrong always!

August 24, 2012 by Janet Blue Backstory Kitties Blue 9

BELLS ARE RINGING FOR ME AND MY CATS

Cat Bells: Early Warning System for Birds

When we brought our first kitty, Skooter, home, we decided immediately to get him a collar with a name tag. We have done this with every cat since, even those not allowed outside unattended and those who are microchipped. With cats, like Fiona and Astrid, who are so adept at escaping, a name tage is a necessity.

Ginger tabby cat with bird in its mouth.

MacKenzie with bird.

Almost all kitty collars come with bells as an early warning system to birds of an impending attack. Unfortunately for a few birds from our yard, MacKenzie was and Misty May is a stealth cat, both practiced at moving swiftly but noiselessly through the grass. The number of birds lost does not come close to either the number of cats we have had or the years we have had cats.

Baby Bird Rescue

We have managed to save a few as was the case with a baby bird Daphne brought into the house. It was concealed totally in her mouth except for a few feathers. I thought she had been in someone’s garbage and so was chasing her throughout the house demanding she open her mouth. I should have become suspicious about her contraband when the other felines began to gather around her. When she finally opened her mouth, however, I was shocked to see an intact baby bird fly out.

This led to the creation of another Don’t. Don’t ever allow your cat into the house with a foreign object in her mouth unless you’re prepared to intercept the live baby bird that flies out.

Nest full of baby birds with mouths open waiting to be fed.

Keeping the onlookers at bay was my next challenge followed closely by trying to catch the bird and return it to the yard. Fortunately, the bird was a baby that its mom had pushed from the nest for its inaugural flying lesson. It could fly short distances only and just a few inches from the floor. When I finally caught and put it outside, I was forced to keep the whiney predators in the house for the remainder of the day.

Nesting Birds

Robin mother and baby in carport nest.

Unless we are painting or in the midst of some form of construction, we have at least one bird nest in our carport every year. These nests are completely inaccessible to even the most devious cats but the comings and goings of the birds provide hours of entertainment for both homeowners and cats. But, as usual, I digress…

Cat Bells: Early Warning System for Humans

The bells are really an early warning system for the humans. I hate having a cat sneak up and pounce on me when I’m awake. It is bad enough when I am asleep. I can recognize each individual cat by the sound their bell makes when they are on the move. I know exactly which of the Kitties Blue is in hot pursuit of me or a kitty housemate. Bells come in particularly handy when a naughty cat decides to stay outside after dark. I know right away if a kitty is coming after I call if I hear a bell. No bell sound, and I retreat to try again later.

Only the Best for Kitties Blue

Our kids are never stuck with the wimpy, unadorned bells that come with cat collars. They have had numerous bells from Japan as Dad Tom has traveled there with regularity. These have consisted of cloisonné in a tie-dyed pattern as well as a set that included a cat face, owl, fish and eggplant.

They also have had a set from Switzerland. These were miniature cow bells painted with the national symbol of a red cross on a white background. These were my least favorite bells, as the paint wore off, the brass tarnished and the clabbers fell out. Not too useful after that.

Lost Bells

The current set of bells from Japan are the fanciest yet with cloisonné flower cut-outs accompanied by a small gold-toned bell and tag. I suspect these may be the kids’ least favorite as they have been removing their collars with increased frequency. Misty May went so far as removing the bells. She didn’t do a good job hiding them. I found them on our front walk. So far she has managed to allude our efforts with regard to reattachment.

The need for so many bell replacements arises from the ability of our kitties to lose their collars. All our cats had leather collars at one time and so the number of losses was fairly small. Since changing to the break-away collars, the number of losses has escalated. And I expect more than a few were lost purposely.

When I find a lost collar with bell and name tag still attached weeks, months or even years later, I feel as if I have won the lottery! They are usually in the garden like the one Fiona lost during one of her unauthorized outings. It was hanging from the branch of a boxwood. Over the years neighbor’s have returned a few. The best find, however, was one of Daphne’s which we knew had to be somewhere in the house. Years after the loss, it was found at the back of Dad Tom’s closet on the top shelf.

If you are reading this, I expect that you are a cat lover and will not have apoplexy about the loss of a few birds. If this does upset you, please refrain from sending me hate mail. I do understand your concerns. Thanks!

August 21, 2012 by Janet Blue Backstory Kitties Blue 1

NIP HEADS

Catnip Gift

Yesterday, Chris, our house cleaner, local catnip pusher and Kitties Blue caregiver brought the kitties a large zip-loc bag of dried catnip. She also brought six fresh cut stems each about three feet tall with lots of seeds for me to plant in my garden.

Tom immediately put the bag away. We learned our lesson years ago with regard to leaving catnip unattended. A friend had given the kitties a small bag of dried catnip for Christmas. On the afternoon of Christmas Day we went to a movie.

The nip was on a small end table in the living room when we left. When we returned, what was left of it was scattered all over the cats and living room rug. Daphne was in a stupor atop a new Cat Claws scratching pad. The effects eventually wore off as did those demonstrated by Skooter and Steamer.

nip heads catnip gifts: Long-haired Tuxedo cat is passed out atop cat scratcher after overindulging in catnip.

Daphne passes out after overindulging in catnip.

nip heads catnip gifts: White and brown tabby rolling around in catnip.

Skooter is all revved up after an afternoon of eating catnip.

nip heads catnip gifts: Brown tabby roles on catnip covered cat scratcher.

Steamer rolls in catnip sprinkled on cat scratcher.

Sharing the Nip

Not wanting to spread the seeds from the nip Chris brought throughout the house, we left the branches on the front porch. Mauricio and Misty May, with noses twitching, quickly zeroed in on the prize. By the time they finished, most of the seeds were on the porch and the kids were ready for naps.

That evening before dinner, Dad Tom and I were sitting on the front porch when Lily Olivia came home. She quickly discovered the seeds and started rolling and snorting. She soon mellowed out (not a small feat for our bi-polar calico) and came to sit with me on the dual rocker.

As we were enjoying some time together, the neighbor’s marmalade, mackerel tabby snuck onto the porch. Sparky spends quite a bit of time here. He often appears when he hears the call for breakfast or dinner. He knows that if one of our bunch refuses a meal, he sometimes scores the rejected food.

To my surprise Lily didn’t budge from my side or even hiss. She watched contently as he too rolled in the seeds. Catnip can elicit drunk and disorderly conduct, but, to my relief, none was displayed by either cat. When Sparky had enough he meandered home. When he stood up I noticed the puddles of drool he left behind.

Who is the Biggest Nip Head?

Madison was our biggest Nip Head. I make small catnip pillows for Barn Cat Buddies to sell in order to raise money for their organization. Whenever I work on the project, I am fighting off cats the entire time. Madison would pester me unceasingly. He would dance around my feet, jump into my lap and put his paws on the sewing machine. I could only keep him at bay by continually sprinkling catnip on the floor until I finally would have to give him one of the newly-sewn toys.

Lily is the current catnip frenzy champion. Unbeknownst to me, she was in the house the last time I began this project. When I sew these little pillows closed, I don’t cut the thread between the toys but let them accumulate in a long string until I am finished sewing. When Lily discovered me at the sewing machine, I already had a fairly long string of completed pillows.

She was on the sewing table batting these around before I could respond to her presence. She tangled up the threads and persisted in trying to pull toys off. No matter what I tried, I could not get rid of her. She finally was able to bite through the threads and take off with a pillow in her mouth and several trailing behind. When I caught up to her, I was able to cut one of the toys loose so she could have it. She batted it around once or twice, lost interest and left. Of course, she did. She loves catnip, but she loves making me crazy even more.

Christmas Catnip

This wasn’t the first time Chris brought catnip to the hoard. She also gave them a welcome gift of freshly-cut catnip at Christmas. You can see their response in the photos.

nip heads catnip gifts: Tuxedo cat and kitten standing at kitchen sink, eating fresh catnip.

Mauricio (Me) and Lisbeth (Mini-Me) inspect the Christmas catnip.

Not too long ago, I read that kittens usually are not attracted to catnip. I guess Lisbeth and Astrid, only four-months old at that time, hadn’t had the opportunity to read that article.

nip heads catnip gifts: Calico cat standing on hind legs to reach catnip hanging overhead.

Lily Olivia isn’t going to let a long reach keep her from the Christmas catnip.

If I had remembered one of dad Tom’s and my DOs from 1993, I would have anticipated the interest and behavior of Kitties Blue. DO buy every cat “how to” book on the market and read them from cover to cover so that you can precisely predict how your cat won’t act in any given situation. (And, by the way, these selections are located in the fiction section.)

P. S. Fiona, who has just been on the deck obviously rolling around in some seeds, is now sprawled on the kitchen rug acting wonky and chewing on her toes!

P.P.S. I just found out that Mauricio Lima, Brazilian indoor volleyball player and our Mauricio’s namesake, is being inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame. Our Mauricio will have to clean up his act if he ever expects to be inducted into the Feline Hall of Fame!

August 17, 2012 by Janet Blue Backstory Barn Cat Buddies Christmas Kitties Blue Nipheads 13

KITTY HELPER RETURNS FROM LONDON OLYMPICS

Dad Tom Returns from Olympics

Dad Tom returned home late last night from his Olympic adventure so the washer and dryer are running non-stop today.

He kindly added a note about this web-site to his Facebook page today. If some of you are new readers who found me through his announcement, WELCOME! I hope you will visit often. Anyway…

Three cats sitting looking out front door...one white, one tuxie and one ginger tabby.

Usually when the car enters the driveway the cats stir and make their ways to the foyer so all are in attendance when we come in the door. One might think this is a welcome home party, but it is nothing more than an opportunity to escape while bags are being brought in the house. Whether suitcase, grocery or 18.5-pound cat food bag, it doesn’t matter. If the door is open even just a crack, one of the felines is going to try to escape. None succeeded last night!

No Cat Awaits

When we first opened the door, not one kitty was waiting. It was after midnight, but that was no excuse. They began to slowly meander into the room. Dad Tom’s return was of little consequence to them. They were interested in sniffing every inch of the luggage in an attempt to find out if he had been cheating on them with some other animal. They found absolutely nothing.

Lily Olivia was the last to arrive. She was probably asleep on the floor of Dad Tom’s closet. She started bellyaching as she came down the stairs. I am not sure if it was because we woke her up or because she wanted to go outside. It was probably a little of both.

Once the exterior door was closed and locked, most of the kids went back to their sleeping spots. Mauricio, however, followed us around silently. For those of you who know Mauricio, you also know that it is almost impossible for him to keep quiet. We weren’t sure if he was holding a grudge because his dad had left him for three weeks, or if he was miffed because Dad Tom was home to reclaim his spot in the bed and divert some of my attention.

Mauricio Breaks His Silence

This is how our bed looks normally: No room for humans! Only Misty May was missing.

Once we got into bed, Mauricio broke his silence. He snuggled in next to his dad and proceeded to regale him with tall tales of how I ignored him and never fed him. He even threw in some unkind words about me going to Richmond and leaving him with no human attention except for a short, twice-per-day visit from Maggie, the kitty caregiver.

When he finished his harangue, he sauntered over and threw himself down on top of me. Misty May then took his place, crawling up on her dad’s chest for some snuggling. She and her dad are each other’s favorite of human and cat.

And that was the end for us. Tom and I both fell asleep. What the kitties did after that is anybody’s guess.

August 14, 2012 by Janet Blue Kitties Blue 1

LISBETH & ASTRID TURN ONE

Kittens

Babies, Misty May and Mauricio, were once inseparable.

I adore kittens. They are cute, cuddly, rambunctious and full of surprises. They have boundless energy that constantly gets them into trouble. And they are precious little lumps of fur when they are sleeping. But I love kittens most when they get to the one-year mark. Each develops his or her own special purrsonality totally separate from that of kitten-hood. Yet, they still maintain the spunk and playfulness of that first year.

During the first year, they greet my announcements of “breakfast” and “dinner” with squeals and leaps into the air, shoving their elders out of the way in order to be the first two to each get their 1/7 of a can of wet food. Mauricio and Misty May, Giulietta and Fiona and Astrid and Lisbeth have all displayed this identical behavior.

Canned cat food had never been served to any of our kids. It was added to their diet when Steamer, in her senior years, lost her sense of smell and stopped eating. It is impossible to serve canned food to one out of seven cats and live to tell the tale. When Steamer passed, the remaining Kitties Blue not only wanted, but also demanded, their canned food. So, serving it still takes place morning and evening.

Growing Up

One of the first clues that kittens are growing out of their baby-stage is the inevitability that at least one of them will dismiss the wet food as inedible. It happened with Misty May, then Fiona and now Lisbeth. Misty May at most will nibble at her spoonful of food. Fiona will occasionally take a few small bites, but in the end, she always tries to bury it. In the last week, Lisbeth has been sniffing at it and then walking away as often as not. Of the two (Astrid and Lisbeth), Lisbeth was always the first to finish her portion so she could shove her head into the bowls of Giulietta, Fiona or Mauricio. So, she has surprised me with her recent refusals.

At one time we alternated among several flavors but now only serve one, Friskies Ocean White Fish and Tuna Classic Paté, as this seems to please the majority. If we still had other flavors to offer, maybe those who now shun this concoction would partake but then one or more of the others would not. And we refuse to dole out different flavors to different cats. Around here the only options are to take it or leave it for one of the others to gladly gobble up.

Mauricio & Misty May

But back on topic…around the time of their first birthday, even siblings who have been inseparable, always bathing each other and sleeping together, start to go their own ways. The good-hearted kitten wrestling can become a little violent with growling, hissing and hair pulling. Mauricio has his own particular technique. He lulls Misty May into a stupor by giving her a long and soothing bath and then attacks by biting her ear or neck. Then it is no-holds-barred, full-on war.

Fiona & Giulietta

kitten purrsonalities: one-year-old short-haired grey cat bathing a long-haired, grey cat.

Fiona bathes her sister Giulietta.

kitten purrsonalities: two six-week old grey kittens, one with long hair and one with short.

Who wouldn’t fall in love with this adorable six-week-old twosome?

Fiona and Giulietta, for some reason, have missed this stage and still remain snuggle buddies. On most days, they can be found spooning and bathing each other. (Update: These two remained close their entire lives. After Fiona passed, Giulietta never stopped grieving and missing her.)

Birthday Girls: Astrid & Lisbeth

Astrid and Lisbeth have shared as much snuggle and play time as the previous pairs; though, they are not biological sisters. But as most of the others, they usually go their separate ways now. As I write, Astrid is sleeping in Lily’s wooden dough bowl on the kitchen counter. (Lily is outside.) Lisbeth is in her favorite place: She’s sprawled on the deck railing behind the screen and adjacent to the bird feeder. The days of sleeping curled together seem to have officially ended.

kitten purrsonalities: a tuxie kitten and a tortie kitten snuggling.

Lisbeth and Astrid now only fit one-at-a-time in this bed.

Astrid is a little more physical and likes to instigate trouble. She enjoys swatting the tails of the others, springing from behind the shower curtain to frighten both cats and humans, running up behind Lisbeth and jumping on her back to start a chase and game of tag. Of course, her favorite pass-time is trying and managing to escape from the house.

Lisbeth prefers more individual pursuits. She enjoys getting into trouble by shredding mail and newspapers and shoving them off the counter to the floor; turning on I-Tunes while I’m typing; stealing pens, pencils, silverware, coins, rubber bands, bottle tops, etc. and pushing them beneath the kitchen rugs.

But, as of now, they both continue to be sweet and loving kitties with easy-going dispositions. I am anxious to see how their individual purrsonalities develop in the future.

Update 10/10/2023

Astrid and Lisbeth are the only two remaining Kitties Blue from this post. They really have nothing to do with each other anymore. Lisbeth spends the majority of her time in the dining room cat tree. Astrid enjoys the second level of the catio and our old upstairs bedroom. Unlike Lisbeth, she often comes in to our current bedroom to spend time with Dad Tom and me.

We also now serve a variety of flavors of of stinky goodness and both Astrid and Lisbeth gobble theirs up as long as they are of the paté variety.

August 13, 2012 by Janet Blue Astrid & Lisbeth Birthday Kittens Kitties Blue Looking Back 7

HOME AGAIN WITH MY KITTY KIDS

Away from Home

For a few days I’ve been visiting my sister/friend, Elizabeth, who moved to Richmond a few months ago. I didn’t write that I was going. I am one of those paranoid people who worry about intruders. My neighbors across the street always know when we are away, however, as they don’t see Lily Olivia. In an attempt to stay away from Mauricio and Misty May, she spends most of her daylight time across the street. In fact, they will chase her across the street in order to get rid of her! Naughty kitties.

Did Kitties Blue Get Into Trouble?

Maggie from PlayTime Pet Sitting came twice per day to feed, water and scoop. As I was only gone a few days, the house wasn’t even trashed. Giulietta and Fiona were both naked, having removed their collars. Newspapers were strewn on the dining room floor. Three stuffies littered the upstairs hall floor. And a small porcelain box from my night table, that often gets thrown to the floor and emptied, was there again. I continue to be amazed that it remains unbroken. Finally, as always, the dining room curtains were pulled down to give more kitties space on the sill to “read the news.” As yet, that’s all I have found. I am certain they have hidden some throw-up somewhere. Our household motto is: A day without throw-up is a day without cats. Did I say the house wasn’t trashed?

I told Maggie she could let the kitties out on the catio during the day, but they remained inside, which makes the minimal mess even more surprising. She thought it was too hot one of the days and was fearful that one or more might jump from the unenclosed upper deck, so she contained them. Squirrels have jumped off and raccoons have climbed up and down the screen to gain access to kitty food, but no cat has ever taken the leap. (This, obviously, was before Sawyer joined the family.) If neither Astrid nor Fiona have tried it, I don’t think we have anything to worry about. (Oh, I was so naive!) But Maggie needed to do what felt right to her. They are cats, after all, so who knows what “acrocatic” feat they might attempt next.

Tuxedo cat sitting on desk with mouth open talking and telling whoppers.

Mauricio began telling “whoppers” when he was a youngster.

Mauricio’s Lips Were Sealed

It must have been a very uneventful few days as Mauricio, who usually never stops talking, has been silent. Either all the cats slept their days away or he was the instigator of mischief and doesn’t want to rat on himself.

My time away was like a mini-vacation as Elizabeth’s house is on a pond, she’s an incredible cook and I had an entire bed to myself. But I am glad to be back with my little shadows and their routine.

P.S. As I finish writing this all cats are outside except Fiona. She is sitting on my lap getting “lovies” and “rubbies” and covering my clothes with her fur. Yep…I’m home.

Update 07/18/2023: The upper deck is now screened in a way that only the most daredevil of any cat would try to escape. It also now keeps the raccoons and squirrels from gaining entry.

August 10, 2012 by Janet Blue Angel Cat Backstory Kitties Blue Looking Back 4

CATS IN THE GARDEN

Day 1

The temperature was on the cooler side yesterday morning, so I decided to head outside to work in my poor, heat-ravaged, rain-deprived flower gardens. Due to a broken leg that had me laid up for 22 weeks, I neglected them all spring and summer of 2011. I promised myself I would not let them deteriorate this year. Neither the weeds nor the three plants that come with the old yards of old houses (English ivy, privet hedge and honeysuckle) are fazed by hot and dry weather.

MacKenzie the Supervisor

The garden is my sanctuary where I can de-stress, think and now plan future posts for this site. But I don’t mind a little feline company. When MacKenzie was alive he was my constant companion in the garden, scrutinizing my every action.

With only three cats now having outdoor privileges, my supervisory personnel have been lacking this season; though, Misty May or Lily Olivia occasionally drop by to take up residence under a tree for a cool-down and nap.

Fiona in the Garden

Since I planned to work in the backyard yesterday, I took Fiona with me. She doesn’t get unsupervised outside time unless she sneaks out. If I let her accompany me, she is fairly well-behaved.

Tuxie cat sits among plants next to statue of St. Francis.

Misty May spies on me while she visits with St. Francis.

Today she visited Thelma’s grave (the cat whose personality her’s most closely matches and whose name I often call her). She rested her head on the large rock above it. Then she visited the statue of St. Francis, stood on her hind legs with front paws on his shoulders and gave him several head butts. After that, she was off to look for squirrels and investigate the grounds. The highlight of her adventure was catching a cicada. To her dismay, all the vibrations against her mouth caused her to drop and lose it when it flew into a tree and out-of-sight.

White cat sleeping on garden bench surrounded by ivy.

Madison never took his supervisory duties very seriously.

She was an exceptionally good girl, checking in with me often and coming when I called her. Usually, after a few hours, she will get in my lap and let me know she’s hungry and ready to go inside. Yesterday, after four hours and just before it started to rain, I was the one who decided to head to the house for a rest and meal. She had other pursuits in mind and could not be persuaded to join me until the rain started to come down harder. I did get Fiona in the house but that’s when I lost control of the situation and Astrid got out.

Astrid Escapes

When Astrid gets out she freaks out, especially if its raining, and takes refuge under an old grain bin that holds yard equipment. When the sun comes out so does she. That’s when I found her hanging out under the deck with Mauricio. I could not even bribe her with treats to come to me. After several more tries she graced me with her presence, as did Giulietta who also had snuck past me at some point.

Grey cat lying beneath a tree looking up.

Fiona keeps her eyes on a resident squirrel.

Day 2

Even though the temperature today was several degrees higher, I decided to venture into the garden again. Fiona gave me her best pleading look in the hopes of joining me, but I denied her request after her refusal yesterday to come in the house. Upon leaving the back deck, I found, as often happens, that the door was not latching properly. After quite a bit of contemplation, I decided that as the door was closed I wouldn’t need to worry about any sneaky felines escaping.

Those of you who live with cats are scratching your heads and wondering how I could be so stupid. And after you read my next post (nearly completed prior to my starting this one): “ARE CATS SMARTER THAN HUMANS?,” you’ll be convinced I must have fallen out of bed on my head and suffered a brain injury during the night.

Four Sneak Out

Tuxedo cat climbs high into a dog wood tree.

Mauricio surveys the yard from the dogwood tree but keeps mum about the escapees.

As I puttered in the yard, I noticed that it was a lovely and quiet day…no lawnmowers, weed-eaters or cats causing a racket. At one point, I thought to myself that things were maybe a little too quiet with regard to cats. But, as I didn’t want to stop my pursuit of wily weeds, I did not investigate. Not until Giulietta nonchalantly came sauntering down the walk toward me. The jig was up then. I found the other three, Fiona, Lisbeth and Astrid on the patio under the deck. CATS: 4 – HOMEOWNER: 0. Not wanting a confrontation, I let them stay outside with me.

When rain started to fall Giulietta followed me to the stairs and lay down at my feet as I changed out of my garden shoes. I easily scooped her up and brought inside. One down, three to go. A few shakes of the treat package and the other three came running. HOMEOWNER: 4 – CATS: 0.

It looks to me like we’re tied for now!

August 6, 2012 by Janet Blue Backstory Kitties Blue 10

THE 2012 KITTY OLYMPICS

Belly-Up Sprawl

Gold Medal Winner – Misty May

So…we are in the midst of the XXX Summer Olympics and usually Kitties Blue would be displaying their penchant for the games. But with the heat we’ve been having, the most “hotly” contested event is the BELLY-UP SPRAWL. Mauricio and Misty May both get extra style points for the best lead-in—the drop, flop and roll. But, Misty May is the clear gold medalist, as she is known for her ability to spend about 22 hours per day on her back.

Calico cat in the bell-up sprawl position while napping.

Silver Medalist – Lily Olivia on her back! Lily Olivia gets the silver medal. Giulietta earns the bronze based on her girth and floofy hair-do.

All the sprawling has given Giulietta the energy for the occasional Track and Field events. She is the master of the BACK-TO-FRONT DOOR SPRINT as well as the BACK-DOOR-TO-UPSTAIR’S-FOOD-BOWL SPRINT. Should another feline mistakenly cross her path, a little CAT-ON-CAT WRESTLING can ensue. When that happens, I am forced to disqualify all those involved.

On the other paw, Astrid is definitely the best at the STUFFED MASCOT WRESTLING event. She refused to let me take her picture as she didn’t want to give away any of her top-secret techniques. And with sibling, Lisbeth, she has mastered the HIGH-FLYING-BUG SWAT AND GOBBLE. (She’d have some hard competition in 2023 with Kizmet and Audrey being masters at this event.)

Baby Mauricio with His Kitten-sized Volleyball

One would think Mauricio and Misty May, named for gold-medal volleyball players, would take a bigger interest in that sport. But even though Jolly Old England is the locale for the people Olympics, neither find the sport to be their “cup of tea;” though, as you can see, Mauricio once did. (Mauricio eventually found that he enjoyed volleyball as a spectator sport from Dad Tom’s lap.)

Additional Events

The Olympics always have been contested among the resident kitties. They aren’t really partial to either the summer or the winter games. Games take place all year around and include a variety of “catrobatics.” These include LEAP CAT, TEAM PAW BALL/CORK /STYROFOAM PEANUT (a lot like team handball), CAPTURE THE CRITTER, WRAPPING-PAPER WRINKLING, MOUSE MUNCHING, TUB-TAIL TAG, LASER LIGHT KEEP-AWAY and the always favorite, CHRISTMAS TREE DISMANTLING.

Tuxie kitten standing on hind legs on bed.

Mauricio competes in Capture the Critter.

Kitties Blue have become quite distressed by the discontinuation of many events due to our usage of laptops, tablets and smart phones. No longer contested are ANSWERING MACHINE ANNIHILATING, MODEM MAULING or FAX FIDDLING.

We wish they could be better sports cats and competitors, but as I have said often, if wishes were cats, we’d be up to our necks in cat poop…oh, wait a minute, we are. Maybe LITTER BOX SCOOPING should become an Olympic event for the caregivers. We’ve certainly built up some great upper-arm strength…probably even enough for the CAT CLEAN AND JERK. (Dad Tom does most of the scooping now for which I am entirely grateful.)

Dad Tom at the Olympics

FIVB Referee Commision at the 2012 London Olympics.

Tom (2nd from left) and his fellow Referee Commission Members

For those of you who know Dad Tom and me, I have added this bonus photo from the Opening Ceremonies of the 2012 Olympics in London. For those who are just becoming acquainted with us, Dad Tom is a member of the FIVB (International Volleyball Federation) Referee Commission.

August 3, 2012 by Janet Blue Backstory Kitties Blue Looking Back Volleyball 9

YOU
For Fiona

It seems like only yesterday…
You were just a kitten.
When I saw your pleading look,
I was completely smitten.

Now at only six years old,
You are getting ready to leave,
Soon you will have your wings.
I’ve already started to grieve.

You’ve fought hard for the past year,
And I’m not ready to say good-bye.
I can’t imagine you not in my life
I am so sad…today I had to cry.

I am grateful and blessed
For my six years with you.
You’ll live in my heart forever.
You’re one of the best ever Kitties Blue.

YESTERDAY

Many yesterdays have passed since
You gained your angel wings. Today
Is six months since you left us behind
To remember and mourn. Our hearts
Continue to hurt, and we miss
You as much as the day you left.
Giulietta whined from the catio
Yesterday as I worked in the yard.
I know you put her up to it. That
Was your way of getting me to,
Allow you to join me as I
Gardened. You were there with me
In spirit. With every meow
I thought of you and how much I miss
Your sweet face and disposition.
In these past few months, many friends
Have traveled your same path in your
paw-steps. I am certain you were
Waiting to greet them with purrs and hugs.
I pray you and your friends are laughing,
Frolicking and having fun together.
Picturing that makes me smile, but
Does not lessen my sadness at your
No longer being here to snuggle
And receive our love, care and kisses.
Fiona, please do not ever forget
You are still and always will be loved.

ONE YEAR MISSING YOU

One year has passed since you flew away,
And I still think of you everyday.
I see your sweet face in my mind’s eye
And wish we’d never had to say good-bye.
It’s nice you’ve sent us kitties needing a family,
But my dearest love, we are now at capacity.
You thought it would take more than one cat
To take your place in our habitat.
We love Cooper Murphy and baby Sawyer dearly
But thinking either could replace you makes me teary.
You were one-of-a-kind and will stay in my heart
Until the day I join you and we’re no longer apart.
When once again I can hold you in my arms
And revel in all your love and feline charms.
Together with you and all who have passed.
I will spend eternity contemplating how blessed
I was to share my life with my furry children,
Each and every one of you one-in-a billion.

UNTIL

I miss you each day.
Until we meet in heaven,
The pain will remain.

ONE OF A KIND

I don’t know how to say good-bye.
I thought you were invincible; though,
You used up many of your nine lives.
You ruled us all with an iron paw;
Never took “no” for an answer
And always got your way.
If not, you’d bark to signal your
Displeasure and sometimes raise a paw.
I always joked that you were bi-polar.
When I told people you were a calico
They immediately understood what I meant.
Today was unnaturally quiet in the house.
Can a home seem empty with eight cats?
I will miss waking up at night to find you
Sitting next to me and staring at me.
I will miss you yelling at us as you did
When you wanted breakfast and dinner.
I will miss watching you lounging and snoozing
On the porch settee on a warm afternoon.
But most of all I will miss your kisses!
When kitten Sawyer befriended you,
We suspect you were imparting your
Wisdom and secrets for controlling us.
Time will tell if he was a good listener.
But whatever he may have learned,
Neither Sawyer nor any other cat
Can or will replace you in our hearts.
Lily Olivia, you were one-of-a-kind.