June 2014

SHELTER CAT MUSINGS AND A WINNER

Adopt a Shelter Cat Month

I wanted to do something special for this very important month, but time slipped away from me as it often does. So, on this last day of the month, all I can do is share a poem. It is based on what I imagine a caged, shelter cat might be thinking. Maybe it will touch your heart enough to adopt a new friend.

Musings of a Shelter Cat

Oh, look at that one. Doesn’t

she look nice? Do you think she’ll

notice me? Maybe she’ll want

to hold me. I’m going to

purr really loud. Maybe she’ll

hear me and come this way. She’s

not taking the bait. Should I

meow? Maybe she likes

talkative cats. No…nothing!

Maybe I should roll around,

show her I like to play. Maybe

she likes active cats. No…

she’s leaving. She didn’t even

look my way. She probably

wants a kitten and thinks I’m

to old to adopt. Oh, look

at that one. He looks nice. I

think he’s a cat man. Prrrr…

prrrr…prrrr…prrr!

June 29, 2014

And the Winner is…

our furiends, Hannah and Lucy, in the UK. Pretty purrfect…a garden flag with two cats for a two-cat household. I’ll be contacting them via e-mail for their address.

I used Random.org to select the winner. Forty-two comments were left on the post, Fabulous Feline Flag Giveaway. Number 28 was the first number selected of the 42 by the random number generator. Hannah and Lucy made that 28th comment.

I wish I had flags for all 42 making comments. Alas, I don’t, but I will plan to offer them again in future giveaways. I hope some of you like them well enough that you will order one or more for yourself or as gifts from AJ’s Pup Pastries.

Petties Awards

Nominations for the Petties close today. We have been nominating all our favorite blogs and hope you have been doing the same. If you’d like to nominate us, that would be terrific. You’ll need our url: https://www.thecatonmyhead.com. Click on the badge to enter your favorites.

We’ll be back day after tomorrow with a new post for Wordless Wednesday featuring everyone’s favorite tortie, Astrid.

June 29, 2014 by Janet Blue Monday Meowsings 35

EASY LIKE SUNDAY: NEW KITTY QUILT

Our New Kitty Quilt

Our mom won a 2014 BlogPaws Conference commerative quilt in the auction for Katnip Lounge‘s The Baby. These quilts are handmade by Ms. Stella O’Houligan’s (on a more personal note) Mom Stacy and are imbedded with catnip. And they are made for cats…not humans! But as reported to y’all in our post, Monday Meowings: Prezzies, our thoughtless and selfish mom decided she was keeping it for herself as a memento of the event.

Thanks to the comments of our faithful readers, however, who chastised her for depriving us, she felt guilty enough to order us our very own quilt. She chose some Laurel Burch kitty fabric for the center and Mom Stacy took it from there.

It arrived a couple of days ago, and Astrid almost ripped the package open all my herself. As soon as the quilt was exposed, Astrid claimed it…rolling and rubbing herself all over it!

Stacy was so kind and made the quilt extra-large for us. Two or three of us could snooze on it together. Yeah right, that’s never going to happen! Once Astrid finished having her way with it, Mom folded it and draped it over the antique, dough bowl Astrid and Lily take turns using for naps. In fact, at this point, only Astrid and Lily Olivia have enjoyed its nippy goodness. The remainder of us are waiting for it to be relocated to a spot we all like to use.

If you don’t have one of these niplicious quilts, visit Mom Stacy’s Etsy Shop.

Fabulous Feline Flag Giveaway

As a reminder, the opportunity to be eligible for our giveaway of a colorful, appliquéd kitty, garden flag, ends tonight at midnight EDT. To leave a comment, which will automatically enter you in the giveaway, please click on the flag.

Petties Awards

Nominations for the Petties close on Monday, June 30. We have been nominating all our favorite blogs and hope y’all have been doing the same. If you’d like to nominate us, that would be terrific. You’ll need our url: https://www.thecatonmyhead.com. Click on the badge to enter your favorites.

See y’all tomorrow with the announcement of the winner of the kitty flag. And Mom has a little something special for the last day of Adopt a Shelter Cat Month.

Purrs and paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

CATURDAY ART FEATURING LISBETH

I want to feature Lisbeth in our Caturday Art post today so I can tell everyone a little more about her. I will, however, start by showing off her lovely, bright white tummy in today’s Caturday Art submission.

I really didn’t want to do much to this photo as Lisbeth looks so pretty just as she is. I mostly played around with the edges using a Vignette filter and a Drop Shadow effect which makes the photo appear to be floating off the page. I did use a very small percentage of Boost on the photo as well to help keep her fur bright. I did all of this using Picasa.

I always like to show you the before photo. I am doing so with a photo taken at the conclusion of the photo session. Lisbeth is telling me, “Go away! You have disturbed my nap enough.”

So, Lisbeth is a rather solitary cat; though, as mentioned in other posts she and Astrid were adopted together from Barn Cat Buddies. They had different birth moms, but Astrid had been abandoned by hers, and when old enough, was placed with Lisbeth and her siblings and their mom, Tux.

They were bonded and inseparable when they came to us. Please click on the title, Cats = Love to see them when they were fairly new members of the Kitties Blue clan.

For whatever reason, Lisbeth and Astrid grew apart. Now Lisbeth hisses at Astrid whenever she sees her. I don’t really know why or exactly when this happened. They both love and interact with Mauricio, and as you know from previous posts, Lisbeth and Lily Olivia will occasionally sleep near each other. But mostly Lisbeth hangs out in the laundry room atop a makeshift bed (also a favorite place of Lily’s), somewhere on the catio or on”her” pillow on the bed.

Lisbeth will join in and play with the red dot or Da Bird or other toys, but she is not aggressive and tends to hang back.

But I couldn’t ask for a sweeter or more loving cat when it comes to human interaction. She will immediately roll over on her back when she sees me coming. But in is NOT an invitation to rub her belly, just her way of saying, “I’m happy to see you. May I please have some attention.”

Her absolute favorite thing is butt scritches. She never seems to get enough. Like most cats she likes her head, chin and neck rubbed and scritched. Whenever I do this to any of the other Kitties Blue, I always give them kisses on the top of their head. Lisbeth, however, would never allow this until three days ago. She would always pull away from me. But on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, when she was napping in the laundry room, I tried this, and she allowed me to give her several kisses. And in return I even got a head butt.

I feel I have broken down an invisible barrier between the two of us. I know that the next time I try the kisses, she may pull away again, but I feel as if I am making some progress in making her more social and open to attention. Now, if I could just get Astrid and her back together, I would by a happy mommy.

We are, as usual, participating in Athena Cat Goddess’s (Athena and Maria) Caturday Art blog hop. To participate or view the other submissions, please click on the badge at the left.

I also want to remind anyone who has not entered our giveaway for a colorful, appliquéd kitty, garden flag, that you can do so through Sunday midnight EDT. To do so, please click on the flag.

See you all tomorrow for Easy Like Sunday with a report on our new kitty quilt that I was shamed into buying from Ms. Stella O’Houligan and her Mom Stacy (on a more personal note) after keeping the BlogPaws commemorative one for myself.

June 27, 2014 by Janet Blue Backstory Barn Cat Buddies Caturday Art Blog Hop 32

FABULOUS FELINE FLAG GIVEAWAY

Our very good friend, former vet and caregiver, Jeanmarie (oh, the tales she could tell about us), gifted us with this beautiful, garden, kitty flag. She recently opened an Etsy Shop, and the flags are one of the featured items.

Her shop is named AJ’s Pup Pastries. This is the link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AJsPupPastries?ref=hdr_shop_menu. She currently has the garden flags, dog beds (looks as if we kitties would like them as well) and personalized, glass, pet treat jars.

Flags measure 13″ by 15-16.” They are fabricated from a durable, blue, canvas-like fabric for the background. The appliqués are created using an outdoor polyester fabric. Flag edges are double stitched to prevent fraying.

The flags will withstand rain, wind and heat. Like all outdoor flags, prolonged exposure to the sun may eventually result in fading. Flags can be spot cleaned with mild soap, rinsed with water and air dried.

All flags are made to order, shipped in three to five days and are a very reasonably priced $17. Shipping is by USPS with delivery confirmation for a cost of $2.50. PayPal and the usual credit cards are accepted.

Five percent of sales will be donated to one of the following three animal associations: League for Animal Protection, a non-profit, no-kill shelter in the Roanoke Valley, Virginia (http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/lap.html); Virginia Beach SPCA (http://vbspca.com/) and Siamese Cat Rescue Center (http://va.siameserescue.org/) in Locust Dale, VA.

Now comes the exciting part for our readers. We will be giving away one of these incredibly beautiful flags. The design will be of two cats in coordinating fabrics. To see an example, click on the Etsy Shop link in the second paragraph. To be eligible, you only need to leave a comment on this post prior to midnight EDT, Sunday, June 29. The recipient will be selected using Random.org.

Purrs and paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

Disclaimer: We received no payment for promoting AJ’s Pup Pastries or their products. We received a flag for our own use and a flag to give away to a reader.

June 26, 2014 by Janet Blue Kitty Written Blog Product Review 42

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: DINNERTIME

June 25, 2014 by Janet Blue Wordless Wednesday 37

CAT WORLD DOMINATION DAY: CATS RULE!

We are joining our furiend Sparkle today in celebrating Cat World Domination Day. Purrsonally, we think cats dominate the world efurryday, but if the world wants to give us a special day of recognition, we’ll celebrate and purrmote it.

To be taken to Sparkle’s blog, click on the badge to the left.

As you can see, the eight of us have done a darn good job of covering the world. Hope all our kitty furiends will join paws with us in a day of domination. CATS RULE!

Clockwise from upper center: Fiona, Lily Olivia, Astrid, Lisbeth, Giulietta, Mauricio, Calista Jo and Misty May

The final date to nominate your favorite blog for the 2014 petties awards is coming up on June 30. We have already nominated lots of our furiends. And we would be honored if you would consider nominating us. You can nominate once each day. To do so, you will need our url: https://www.thecatonmyhead.com. Click on the badge at the left to be taken to the petties web-site.

Purrs and paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid and Calista Jo

June 24, 2014 by Janet Blue Kitty Written Blog 25

MONDAY MEOWSINGS: CJ’S BIRTHDAY WRAP-UP

Hi Efurrybuddy,

It is me, Calista Jo, reporting today to let y’all know that I had the best birthday ever. Now granted, this was only my second birthday, but it was pawsome. I really want to thank my brofur Mau and mommy for making it so special with the Hello Kitty Palooza theme. Lots of my furiends attended making it even more fun.

I got this most excellent card from our furiends at Kitty Cat Chronicles. That’s where Astrid’s boyfriend Sampson lives. All the kitties, Sampson, Caster, Sophie, Sassy and Delilah are wearing Hello Kitty pawty hats. Isn’t that cute.

Then my brofur Bailey from Bailey Boat Cat has offerred to have his dad take Kitties Blue for a ride in one of the Hello Kitty airplanes. He’s a pilot. I cannot wait until we can arrange this. Talk about a once-in-a-lifetime gift, and it was for me, Calista Jo!

The cat's whiskers: Taiwan's second-largest carrier, Eva Airlines, and Japan's comic company, Sanrio, which owns the Hello Kitty brand, collaborated on the second generation Hello Kitty-themed aircraft, sen here at Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan

Lots of my furiends asked to if they could get a Hello Kitty memento photo from my pawty. I want to share all their cute photos with you. (If you wanted a photo and forgot to ask or Mom missed your request, please let us know.) Efurryone has their name on their romper. You can click on any photo to make it bigger.

: Kitty Cat Chronicles

: Kitty Cat Chronicles

: Kitty Cat Chronicles

: Twinkletoe Tails

: Twinkletoe Tails

: Twinkletoe Tails

: Nylablue & Sherri-Ellen’s Purrfect Pad

: Dezi’s World

: Critters in the Cottage

: A Doll’s Life

: Tomcat Commentary by Tim

: Me…CJ

Me with Da Bird

Fiona with Da Bird

But the very bestest part of my birthday was the gift. I got something we all have been needing for a really long time…the others since before I was even born: Da Bird. The night of my birthday, seven of us (all except Misty May) played with it in the foyer with Mom for 30 minutes. In all that time, only one small growl was heard from Lily Olivia. I don’t know if she was on her good behavior for my birthday or if this is something we can all do together and get along.

If you missed my party, but still want to visit, click on the link in the first paragraph.

Thanks again efurrybuddy. If I could come to your houses and hug each of you, I would.

Purrs and paw-pats, Calista Josette

June 23, 2014 by Janet Blue Barn Cat Buddies Birthday Kitty Written Blog Monday Meowsings 25

LISBETH HAS AN EASY SUNDAY

Lisbeth Easy Sunday

Lisbeth loves to sleep in this spot on our bed whether just for a nap or for the entire night. I assume she thinks we can’t see her as her tuxie furs blend purrfectly with the Panda-design pillow. And, of course, it is just the right size for a kitty. If you look closely to the left of Lisbeth, you will see Lily Olivia snuggled next to her. Lisbeth is the only cat Lily will sleep near. You also can see them together in the post, “Conjoined Twins?“

Image 1-002

Sorry this second photo is a little on the fuzzy side.

Hope all our furiends are having a great Easy Sunday.

Please join us tomorrow for “Monday Meowsings” where I will have a recap of Calista Jo’s birthday celebration.

June 22, 2014 by Janet Blue Easy Like Sunday 23

CATURDAY ART WITH ASTRID

I am featuring Astrid today for our Caturday Art submission so I can give an update on her. But first, here’s her arty photo.

I liked the original of this photo as Astrid was sitting on the colorful kitty pillow, and the photo had lots of various textures. I used my normal editing program, Picasa. I applied the pencil sketch filter and then applied saturation at 100 percent. That made her purple name tag really pop. It also made all the colors appear so much warmer.

Here is the original photo. I always think Astrid is a great candidate for the Caturday Art experiments as her tortie furs can be altered in so many different ways.

As I have been reporting, ever since Astrid and Sampson (Kitty Cat Chronicles) became a couple, she has slowly been emerging from her scaredy-cat persona. She has spent as many as six hours lounging out on the catio napping and watching the birds and squirrels. Click here to see her up close and personal with a squirrel if you missed last week’s Caturday Art post.

She has been coming upstairs to the bedroom. I found her asleep on Mauricio’s blanket from his girlfriend, Allie (Friends Furever), when we returned from biking a few days ago. She remained there for most of the afternoon.

This morning, she came to the bedroom to let me know she wanted breakfast. But the best display of her newly found bravado occurred a few mornings ago when I woke up to her purring and burrowing under the covers next to me. My heart leapt to think that she felt confidant enough to join us in bed.

And tonight, she joined in a play session with six of her fursibs. I will tell you more about that in our Monday Meowsings post when I recap Calista Jo’s birthday celebration. But until then, Calista says, “Thank you for attending my Hello-Kitty-Palooza Birthday Pawty. I had a blast!”

For those who requested Hello Kitty memento photos, I have completed several. If you did not receive yours today, I will have it to you tomorrow.

We are participating in the Caturday Art Blog Hop held by Athena and Marie. To join or view the other submissions, please click on the badge at the left.

June 20, 2014 by Janet Blue Asrid & Sampson Astrid Photo Experiment Caturday Art Blog Hop 32

HELLO-KITTY-PALOOZA BIRTHDAY PAWTY

Welcome to Calista Jo’s Hello-Kitty-Palooza Birthday Pawty. Today is our little Barn Cat Buddy‘s second birthday. Pull up a chair and join in the festivities. And please take the pawticipation badge for your blog if you’d like.

Mauricio is the Birthdaymaster for the Wolverine Patrol at Cat Scouts and just had a Hello Kitty birthday party for his Patrolmate, Anya. It was so successful, he asked if he could do a similar party for his little sis, Calista Josette. What mom could turn down an offer like that!? Not this one.

We’ll be celebrating in the yard as our weather has been so warm. The pool is available for those of you who brought your swimsuits and want to cool off.

We have this fun Hello Kitty cutout for any kitty who would like to have their photo made as Hello Kitty. Calista Jo, as the birthday girl, is taking her turn first. If you would like one as a memento, please let us know in the Comments. If we don’t already have your photo, I will contact you to get one.

So no party is complete without the noms. If you arrive early enough for breakfast, please help yourselves to pancakes, apple turnovers, a Hello Kitty fruit and cheese plate and hot chocolate.

For those of you who don’t arrive until lunch or dinner time, we have some mini pizzas, sushi, cookies and cupcakes. And, of course, we still have cake to come.

But, prior to that, Calista Jo wants to present all her guests with some party favors including some Hello Kitty plushies.

And finally, what all of you, especially the Cat Scouts, have been waiting for…cake and some Hello Kitty bubbly.

Thanks so much to all our furiends for joining us in celebrating Calista Jo’s birthday. We hope you had fun. We know she did.

June 19, 2014 by Janet Blue Barn Cat Buddies Birthday Cat Scouts 42

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.