Kitties Blue

KITTIES BLUE CELEBRATE C. J. & NATIONAL SELFIE DAY

Belated Birthday Wishes

So, my mom is an idiot. Did you know that yesterday was my birthday? My mom had to visit the Cat Blogosphere to find out. As it was Periwinkle’s turn to plan her and Stinky’s adventure, our mom didn’t even post anything yesterday. I am more than a little hurt. And now she says I have to share my birthday post with National Selfie Day, and I’m not even on the badge for that. Pffft! You’d think she’d treat me better. After all, I sleep smushed up against her as close as I get every single night!

Here’s the cheesy card she made me to make up for the slight.

Pink and purple birthday card with photo of red haired woman and tiny dilute tortoise shell kitten.

Hey, that’s me and Mom right after I was adopted. I was so tiny, I made Astrid (who is the next to smallest Kitties Blue) look like a giant. Mom recently reshared the post with that photo as part of her Looking Back series. If you missed it, here’s the link, “Rolling, Sliding and Somersaulting.”

I also got one of the toys from the most recent Cat Lady Box. If you follow us regularly, you know that Kizmet claims those about 90 percent of the time. But, on occasion, Mom is able to hide them away before she sees them.

National Selfie Today

Badge for National Selfie Day featuring six cats.

As I am one of the three Kitties Blue missing from this beautiful badge created by Ann from Zoolatry, Mom said I should have a selfie today with my new toy. As you know, none of us here are big fans of taking selfies, but I thought I better oblige her. It did, however take me more than 25 tries to get something she agreed to use. Oh yeah, that blue octopus is my new toy. I have absolutely no interest in playing with it.

Heart-framed photo of an adult dilute tortoise shell cat and a blue octopus cat toy.

If you are participating in National Selfies Day but do not regularly join our Sunday Selfies blog hop, we hope you will link to it with your today’s selfie. The hop always remains open through Thursday. Here’s the link to this past Sunday’s hop, “Father’s Day 2023 Selfies.”

Wordless Wednesday/Looking Back

As I got extra wordy for Wordless Wednesday, Mom decided not to share a Looking Back post this week.

But, we are still going to join the Wordless Wednesday blog hop at Comedy Plus. You can join be there by clicking on the WW badge.

Thanks for joining us today.

Purrs & Paws pats, Calista Jo

p.s. I am now 11 years old. I better get treated lots better on my Gotcha Day in October!
p.p.s. Mom’s not as forgetful and mean as I make her out to be.

FATHER’S DAY 2023 SELFIES

Sunday Selfies; Week #461

Selfies of nine cats and one man, their dad, on a Father's Day greeting.

I bet you didn’t expect to see all of us here today, but we couldn’t miss the opportunity to wish Dad Tom a Happy Father’s Day. He is really a terrific dad, and takes extra special good care of us. We all feel as if we hit the jackpot, except for maybe Raleigh, when we became one of the Kitties Blue. We know all our predecessors felt exactly the same. Of course, we also included a selfie of our dad.

Hopping Time

We certainly hope if you have a dad that you are celebrating and honoring him today. If that is the case, please share a selfie of him or maybe a photo of the two of you or even more if you have lots of fursibs.

If you are too busy today, we hope you will join the hop sometime before it closes at midnight Thursday.

Thanks for joining us today and all the other days you come by to visit. We appreciate your following and supporting us, commenting on our posts and being our friends.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO ALL THE DADS

June 18, 2023 by Janet Blue Father's Day Holiday Kitties Blue Sunday Selfies 24

QUEEN OF THE BLEP

Wordless Wednesday

Tabby cat. sleeping with tongue out while showing off toes and toe beans (paw pads).

Audrey will be joining the Wordless Wednesday blog hop at Comedy Plus. If you’d like to hop with her, click on the WW badge.

Looking Back

This week’s Looking Back post is entitled, “Gardening on the First Day of Fall.” It was originally published on September 23, 2012. Kitties Blue and I would be delighted if you would read it. Click on the link to do so. I realize there is no mention of cats in the title, but they do play major roles in the post.

If you enjoy the post, please leave a comment on it to let us know.

Thanks for joining us again today.

Today is Flag Day in the United Staes. The annual holiday celebrates the symbolism and history behind the American flag on the anniversary of the flag’s official creation on June 14, 1777.

June 14, 2023 by Janet Blue Kitties Blue Looking Back Wordless Wednesday 12

NAPPING OR SECRETLY PLOTTING & FILL-INS

Feline Friday

Three cats lying with their heads together while napping.

Kizmet, Audrey and Calista Jo have their heads together, making me wonder if they are just pretending to nap. Purrhaps they are secretly plotting to raid the treat cupboard. If anyone likes treats as much as Sawyer, it is Audrey. Check our her fill-in below.

The girls are joining the Feline Friday blog hop at messymimi’s meanderings. To do the same, click on the Feline Friday badge.

Friendly Fill-Ins

I was happy to have help again this week to complete the fill-ins selected by our blog hop hosts, Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs). Sawyer is one of my regular helpers and is back again this week with one of his favorite topics. Audrey joins him, filling in with the object of both their obsessions.

1. Sawyer: I would do anything for treats.
2. The last movie I attended was before COVID.
3. I can’t relax until all the Kitties Blue are in the house for the night. (I know they are safe on the catio, but I want them in. This is an increasing problem with Raleigh, who refuses to come in.)
4. Audrey: I knew I needed treats when I discovered Sawyer liked them. (Now I try to steal his and everyone’s.)

If you’d like to be a Fill-Ins participant, check out either Ellen’s or Lorianne’s blog on Thursdays for the incomplete sentences. Click on the Fill-Ins badge to join the hop.

Thanks for stopping in to see us. We will be back tomorrow with some Caturday Art.

June 9, 2023 by Janet Blue Feline Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins Kitties Blue 13

CAPRICIOUS CAT CAPERS

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

It’s Thursday again, and time to write some poetry. I have another silly cat-centric poem!

Houseboats lined up along a canal shoreline with people walking by on a path and cats lounging on some of the boats.

Capricious Cat Capers

This is fun. We can scamper from boat to boat,
Just as long as the owner doesn’t decide to float
Down the canal and away from shore,
As the prospect of falling in the water we abhor.
And if we stray too far from our abode,
We will miss our litter box commode,
As well as regular meals and chin scritches
And the fresh fishes Mom puts in our dishes.
So, if we hear a boat motor begin to roar,
We know that it is time for us to scurry ashore.

As evidenced from our poem, a few of the Kitties Blue can be found in the photo. I challenge those of you who visit today to let us know how many of the Kitties Blue gang are included and which ones.

If you’d like to participate in the weekly poetry challenge, check out Two Spoiled Cats by clicking on the poetry badge. You’ll find next week’s inspiration photo along with Angel Sammy’s poem. He is a skilled wordsmith, and his poems are always excellent.

Thankful Thursday

As you know, we like to share our thankfuls on Thursdays as well.

I got lucky this week and earned three badges on the Two Spoiled Cats’ Tuesday Teaser. What makes that even cooler than usual is that I earned two last week for providing the Teaser photo and stumping all the Teaser guessers. This week I was one of three First Commenters as well as the first Right Guesser. Wow…I’m sure on a roll. Here are my cool badges. I think they are totally adorable.

First Commenter badge with a tabby cat wearing a pink shower cap. First right guesser badge with a black pug wearing glasses and a grey tweed sweater.
Badge with two meerkats with one hugging the other.

I am thankful that I have finally completed the marker for Giulietta’s burial site. It just needs to have the bottle, that I use to put it on the stake, added to the back. Once it is in place, I will share a photo.

A few days ago I noticed Sawyer was having some symptoms that are precursors to a seizure. I was able to wrap him up in a towel and keep him as calm as possible, preventing a full-blown seizure. Sawyer is delighted with eating kitten food, so continues to get his meds more regularly.

Those are this week’s thankfuls. Kitties Blue and I hope you had a week filled with things for which you are grateful.

We are joining Brian’s Thankful Thursday blog hop. If you’d like to do the same, click on his badge.

Thanks for visiting us today.

June 8, 2023 by Janet Blue Health Kitties Blue Poetry Thankful Thursday Thoroughly Poetic Thursday 11

WHERE’S THE NIP? & A SPARK

Awww Mondays

Ginger tabby with his tongue out tasting a basil plant.

Cooper Murphy was disappointed to find this was not catnip but basil. Kitties Blue do have a live catnip plant, so life is still good.

Coop is joining the Awww Mondays blog hop at Comedy Plus. You can do the same by clicking on the Awww badge.

Sparks

Speckled petunias in purple and white and red and white with the following quote: "We must welcome the future, remembering that soon it will be the past; and we must respect the past, remembering that it was once all that was humanly possible," by George Santayana.

Being sad over the loss of another kitty friend, I was looking for a Spark to represent how I am feeling. I didn’t find anything that expressed that, but this quote did speak to me. I have used one of Dad Tom’s photos from our anniversary trip to Hope and Glory Inn to display it.

Sparks is the creation of Annie from McGuffy’s Reader. Sparks began as a blog hop, created by our friend. Annie stated when she began Sparks, “I believe we are meant to be lights in this world. If we allow our light to shine, we can see where we are going. It is then that we can begin to truly see each other clearly. Together, we can light up the entire world.”

The Adventures of Periwinkle & Stinky

Normally, I would be reminding you that Periwinkle & Stinky would be having a new adventure tomorrow and that you could find them right here enjoying it. However, our two fun-loving tabbies, along with myself, think that an adventure tomorrow would not be appropriate, and none of us feel we would enjoy it much. With Periwinkle’s real cat brofur, Raz, recently flying off to the Bridge, Periwinkle and Stinky have decided to take the day off to spend some extra time with Friends Furever‘s Mom Sharon, Noelle and Reesie. You can find them back here next Tuesday, most likely getting into some mischief and definitely having fun.

Thanks for understanding.

June 5, 2023 by Janet Blue Awww Mondays Dad Tom's Photography Kitties Blue Nipheads Sparks 12

DOUBLE DANGLE WITH TOE BEANS & FILL-INS

Feline Friday

Large, sleeping, ginger tabby cat stuffed onto the platform of a cat tree and dangling one back leg and one front leg while displaying toes beans (paw pads).

Don’t you just want to smooch those toes?

Cooper Murphy will be participating in the Feline Friday blog hop at messymimi’s meanderings. To do the same, click on the Feline Friday badge.

Friendly Fill-Ins

Time again to let you know a bit more about Kitties Blue and myself by completing the weekly fill-ins. Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs) host the Friendly Fill-Ins blog hop. On Thursday they each select two sentences to be filled in by hop participants. You can find those on both blogs. Enter the hop by clicking on the graphic.

My usual helper, Sawyer, took over for me today on fill-in #3.

We both used teal italics to complete the sentences.

1. I’ve got a yen for all orange foods. If you are or have ever been on Noom to lose weight, you know what I am talking about.

2. Sawyer: I would gladly trade having seizures for just about anything, except my girlfriend, Noelle, and probably treats.

3. It seems like only yesterday that Kitties Blue and I started The Cat on My Head.

4. If you offered me any amount of money for our cats, I would turn you down.

So, that’s another week of filling in. We will be back tomorrow with some Caturday Art. Hope you’ll join us again then.

May 12, 2023 by Janet Blue Kitties Blue 14

2023 KITTIES BLUE ROUNDUP

Thankful Thursday

Cinco de Meow last Friday was the date of our annual Roundup. That’s when our beloved vet, Dr. Kathie Neel, comes to the house to give exams, weigh-ins, vaccinations and nail trims. The vet tech who joined her this year was Cheyenne.

Here are a couple of photo collages from the annual affair.

Collage with four photos of cats being examined by vet and vet tech.

As with last year, Cooper Murphy was the worst behaved followed by Kizmet. It’s no fun trying to wrestle with an almost 20-pound cat. Even Misty May at four pounds was a bit of a challenge, but we couldn’t blame her. She and Sawyer had blood drawn as well.

Roundup Results

Everyone received an almost clean bill of health. We are going to try Misty May on medication again for her hyperthyroidism in the hope she’ll gain a little weight. She’ll be getting a much lower dose than previously to keep her kidneys functioning.

Sawyer’s phenobarbital levels are in the therapeutic range but at the very top of that range, so even if his seizures worsen, we cannot up his dosage.

I am extremely thankful that Cooper Murphy has maintained his weight at 19 pounds 12 ounces.

Cheyenne was quite taken with Raleigh, but when I offered him to her she declined the gift.

Dad Tom and I are thankful to have this ordeal completed for another year as are the Kitties Blue. And we are extremely grateful that Dr. Neel, who is officially retired, continues to take care of our brood.

Robins Leave Home

The three baby robins, Periwinkle and Stinky reported on during their Tuesday adventure, have all successfully left the nest. It took one of them two days longer than the others, but Dad Tom and I watched him take his maiden flight yesterday morning. When the babies’ mom came back to the nest a short time later she found it empty. We are thankful none of the wildlife predators that patrol our yard discovered the nest.

Final Thankful

Kitties Blue and I are always thankful for those of you who follow us, read our posts and have befriend us. The pet blogging community is the best!

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by Brian. If you’d like to participate, post on your blog for what you are thankful, and then click on Brian’s badge to join the hop.

May 11, 2023 by Janet Blue Kitties Blue Roundup Thankful Thursday 13

FELIZ CINCO DE MEOW 2023

Feline Friday

Through the years, Kitties Blue have starred in some cute photos for Cinco de Meow. I am sharing a few of those today for Feline and Flashback Fridays.

This was Sawyer’s first Cinco de Meow in 2018. He was just a kitten but still joined Mau and Cooper Murphy in their mariachi band.

A ginger tabby cat, a grey tabby kitten and a tuxedo cat are dressed as mariachi band members with guitars.

In 2017 Cooper Murphy celebrated the holidays with a few meowgaritas. Bet you didn’t know he could speak Spanish.

An orange tabby cat wearing a sombrero and flash mustache is asking for a meowgarita in Spanish.

Mau celebrated with his sisfurs in 2014.

Eight cats are dressed in sombreros and serapes wishing everyone Feliz Cinco de Meow.

L to R Front: Misty May and Fiona; L to R Center: Astrid and Lisbeth; L to R Back: Giulietta, Calista Jo, Mau and Lily Olivia

This is one of my favorite Cinco de Meow photos. It’s from 2016, when once again, Mau was the only male among a household of female felines. Sadly, Mau and three of his sisfurs are now angels.

A male tuxedo cat is dressed as a gaucho with seven female cats dressed as chili peppers wishing everyone Feliz Cinco de Meow.

L-R: Lily Olivia, Giulietta, Lisbeth, Mau, Astrid, Calista Jo, Fiona, Misty May.

Kitties Blue will be celebrating this year’s Cinco de Meow with our annual round-up. Dr. Neel comes to the house tomorrow at 2 p.m. for check-ups, vaccines, blood work for Misty May and Sawyer, claw trims and weigh-ins. I think a few of the Kitties Blue should be worried about what the scale reveals, especially Audrey (aka The Hoover).

Hoping everyone has plans that will be more fun than a vet visit and include some meowgaritas and catnip cocktails.

The entire gang will be participating in the Feline Friday blog hop at messymimi’s meanderings. To do the same, click on the Feline Friday badge.

Friendly Fill-Ins

I was left to my own devices to complete the fill-ins today, and I used teal italics for them.

1. Having a gardener would make my life easier.

2. My May to-do list includes yard work and going on a short vacation with Dad Tom to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.

3. If my morning starts with a Diet Coke, I can wake up and start my day.

4. Ending my day with a completed post makes me feel relieved.

Thanks for joining us for today’s festivities. We’ll be back tomorrow with some Caturday Art.

"Kitties Blue" border with orange cartoon tabby cat wearing a sombrero for Cinco de Meow.

May 5, 2023 by Janet Blue Cinco de Mayo Feline Friday Flashback Friday Friendly Friday Fill-Ins Kitties Blue 10

NOT CUT OUT FOR THIS GIG & THANKFULS

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

I missed writing a poem last week, so I could not let down Angel Sammy and Teddy (Two Spoiled Cats) again this week. Here’s the inspiration photo, (which I cropped a bit) with the addition of two little tabby cats, followed by my poem.

Men with yellow helmets and blue jackets in a yellow raft with yellow paddles and two tabby kittens.

My poem is totally ridiculous, but sometimes that’s just how it roles.

Not Cut Out for This Gig

We thought it would be fun to be rescue cats,
So volunteered right away when we saw the ad.
But no one mentioned water when we were hired.
If we don’t fall overboard, we’ll probably be fired
Because nothing will force us to get off this boat,
As everyone knows cats are unable to float.
We would soon become food for the fishes—
Probably as revenge for the fish in our dishes!
When we do finally get back to shore,
We’ll be resigning from this rescue corps
And heading home to do what we do best—
Curling up on our humans’ bed for a long rest.

If you’d like to try writing some poetry, check out Two Spoiled Cats (by clicking on the poetry badge) for next week’s inspiration photo. Please read Angel Sammy’s poem when you visit. He sends it to Teddy each week from the Rainbow Bridge, and his poems are always A+ worthy!

Thankful Thursday

On Thursday, we also like to share our thankfuls with you and join Brian’s blog hop.

Dad Tom and I are so thankful that Sawyer has been eating better. When he went several days eating very little, I decided to try kitten stinky goodness. It worked. He’s been doing a great job, at almost every meal, of cleaning his bowl and getting his meds. He did have a seizure on Monday, but it had been two weeks since his last one.

Friday will be the annual round-up. Dad Tom and I are delighted that this harrowing and expensive tradition will be over for another year. Of course, we have not shared this information with the gang. We don’t want them all to try and run away from home. (If you are new to the blog and unfamiliar with the round-up, it is when our vet comes to the house for Kitties Blue annual exams and vaccinations.) I don’t expect they’ll be marking this day with a thankful next week.

Dad Tom and I have another thankful, Raleigh’s voluntary return after his seven-and-a-half hour adventure. I honestly never expected to see him again. I guess rain and hunger are big motivators, at least for him. (If you missed the posts about his escape and Kizmet’s part in it, here are the links: “National Tabby Cat Day Sunday Selfies” and “Caught in the Act!“.)

There’s been a lot of this going on since Raleigh’s break out and return. This is totally new behavior for Cooper Murphy. Do you think he has taken it upon himself to guard our latest escapee? If so, he doesn’t look particularly happy about it.

Large dark orange tabby cat and light orange tabby kitten in a blue chair.

As always, Kitties Blue and I are thankful for everyone who follows our blog, participates in our hop and offers their support and friendship.

If you’d like to participate in Brian’s blog hop, post on your blog for what you are thankful and then click on his badge to enter your link.

Have a great Thursday. We’ll be back tomorrow with some Friendly Fill-ins.

May 4, 2023 by Janet Blue Kittens Kitties Blue Poetry Roundup Thankful Thursday Thoroughly Poetic Thursday 13

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.