Prayers

PAW PRINTS ON OUR HEARTS

Sunday Selfies: Week #459 – Remembering Raz

This is not our usual Sunday Selfies, as one of the Kitties Blue will not be here to host the hop. Instead, we are using this opportunity to remember our dear friend, Raz. On Friday afternoon at 4:15, our wonderful friend, Raz, became an angel and flew off to the Rainbow Bridge. Raz had been ailing for several months. Nonetheless, we hoped he wouldn’t make his trip to the Bridge anytime soon.

As you know, we consider Raz family. Our angel Mau was married to Raz’s sisfur, angel Allie, Sawyer is his sisfur Noelle’s, boyfriend. And the alter-egos of Sawyer and Noelle, Stinky and Periwinkle, adventure together every week.

Sawyer and Raz have always been two peas in a pod. Both are charter members in the PTU Poopers Club and obobsessed with treats. He especially will miss their connection.

One of the things we will miss most about Raz was his quizzical, wide-eyed expression. I have made a couple of collages, and I think you’ll see what I mean.

Collage of photos of a grey/brown tabby cat.

Collage of grey/brown tabby cat.

Raz was a wonderful brofur to his fursibs past and present. He had a great girlfriend Madi, who I am certain was one of those who was there to meet him at the Bridge, along with so many friends, including our Mau, as well as family members.

Cat Scout Raz

I think most of you know that Raz was a Cat Scout. But not just any Scout, an exemplary and accomplishment Scout. He earned the highest honors available, including Cat Scout of the Year, the rank of Sabertooth and membership in the Clan of the Cave Cat. Raz also was Leader of the Rumbling Thunder Patrol and Assistant Leader of the Worldwide Wildcats Troop. He was loved and respected by all the other Cat Scouts.

Raz left paw prints on so many hearts, including mine. I will always love and remember him, as will so many others. All the Kitties Blue and I are sending love, prayers and hugs to Mom Sharon as well as fursibs, Noelle and Reesie.

If you have not visited Friends Furever and left your condolences, you can do so by clicking on the link.

Hopping Time

Kitties Blue hope you will forgive them for not posting a selfie of one of themselves this week. And they also hope you will, nonetheless, post one of yourself. They always look forward to seeing your happy and adorable faces.

Thank you for joining us today whether or not you post a selfie.

We will be back tomorrow with a Spark.

THANKFULS, POETRY & A PRAYER REQUEST

Thankful Thursday

We always are happy on Thursdays to share with you the things for which we are thankful.

A grey tabby cat and a pale ginger cat on a catio.

Sawyer & Raleigh enjoying catio time.

I am delighted to report and truly thankful that Sawyer has not had a seizure (that Dad Tom and I know of) in four-and-a-half weeks. He is delighted to continue to enjoy kitten stinky goodness with his meds.

ginger cat wearing Cat Scout uniform

Cooper Murphy is happy he was able to follow in his big brother, Mau’s, paw steps and become a Cat Scout and eventually share leadership with Teddy (Two Spoiled Cats) of The Wildcats Troop. With the lowering of the Cat Scouts flag for the final time this past weekend, Cat Scouts came to an end. I am not certain what Cooper Murphy will do with all his free time. Regardless, I am thankful he, Mau and I had the opportunity to be a part of this organization. We thank Karen Nichols, Denmaster, for creating this group and dedicating nearly ten years to it.

Kitties Blue and I are so thankful for each of you who follow and support us. We truly appreciate your friendship.

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by Brian. To participate, click on his badge.

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

As much as I tried to add one of the Kitties Blue to this week’s poetry inspiration photo provided by Angel Sammy and Teddy (Two Spoiled Cats), it just wasn’t to be.

Here’s the photo followed by the Haiku I wrote to accompany it.

Baby wearing an aqua and lime green swim cap in a swimming pool and being held by a woman

Swimming is so fun
The water tickles my toes
Mom, please don’t let go

If you’d like to try your hand at writing some poetry, check out Two Spoiled Cats, by clicking on the poetry badge. You’ll find next week’s inspiration photo, as well as the poem Angel Sammy sent to Teddy from the Rainbow Bridge. I hope you’ll read it. Sammy is a terrific poet.

Purrs & Prayers Please

One of our dearest friends, Raz (Friends Furever), who just happens to be the brother of Sawyer’s girlfriend, Noelle, and Angel Mau’s wife, Angel Allie, is not well. He’s been ill for several months and on medication, but he’s lost a lot of weight and is not doing well. If you can, please send him some prayers. And kitties, if you can add some purrs and POTP that would be wonderful.

Thank you.

June 1, 2023 by Janet Blue Cat Scouts Haiku Poetry Prayers Thankful Thursday Thoroughly Poetic Thursday 11

NATIONAL TABBY CAT DAY SUNDAY SELFIES

Sunday Selfies: Week #454

A couple commenters yesterday mentioned that they were looking forward to today’s surprise. There really wasn’t going to be a surprise, other than the fact that one of us Kitties Blue had already snapped a selfie.

Portent of grey tabby cat sleeping

And that kitty was me, Sawyer. As Audrey got away with posting a snoozy selfie last Sunday, I decided I could do the same this week. I think I look cute awake or asleep.

Surprise!

Actually, we do have a surprise. Unfortunately, it is not a good one. Somehow Raleigh got out of the catio. When Mom and Dad called him for dinner last night, he didn’t come. Mom checked the upstairs catio and didn’t find him. They thought he must be inside on the second floor. A very short time later, Mom looked out the kitchen window and saw him under the catio. Of course, trying to get him to come to her or Dad was futile, and he finally disappeared with barely 30 minutes of daylight left.

Raleigh is a good-for-nothing bum, and he continually takes his collar off. As he hates being touched, it is often days before Mom or Dad can get it back on him. So he was and still is out somewhere without it.

Mom and Dad have set up our trap under the catio with both stinky goodness and tuna in it. Dad checked it at 10 p.m., but it still sat empty. Mom plans to check it every hour through the night. And she will start searching the neighborhood in the morning. Rain is in the weather forecast, which isn’t good, but might just tempt him to come home.

He’s also been posted as lost on PawBoost, our neighborhood forum and Facebook, and Mom has reported him missing to the microchip company.

To be honest, Mom does not expect to see him again. He may like getting three square meals a day as well as treats and free-feeding kibble, but he doesn’t like Mom or Dad or any other people for that matter. Don’t get me wrong, she wants him to come home or be found, but she is trying to be realistic.

After going through this with me, she doesn’t need any advice or suggestions on how to find him or get him home. But she and Dad ask you to please keep the little stinker in your prayers. She and Dad obviously do not want anything bad to happen to him.

National Tabby Cat Day

National Tabby Cat Day badge

Cooper Murphy, Audrey and I are looking forward to being spoiled rotten today. Of course, that happens everyday. If Raleigh comes home, he’ll get the same treatment. What self-respecting tabby goes missing the day before our special day? Sheesh! Anyhoo, we wish all our tabby friends a treat- and fun-filled day, including lots of cuddles and play time.

Hopping Time

Now that I have shared my adorable, snoozing selfie with you and filled you in on most of our news (Kizmet also escaped on Caturday, but as she wears her tracking collar, she was easily found and brought back in the house.), it’s time for you to snap your selfie and join our little hop. You know your friends will be looking for you, and you don’t want to let them down.

After that, you can enjoy a nice Easy Sunday and Tabby Cat Day.

Thanks for joining us today and being our friends.

Purrs and paw-pats, Sawyer (with whisker kisses to Noelle)

UPDATE: The little turkey returned home at 3:30 a.m. Mom heard some cat scratching franticly at the cat door. It was Raleigh on the outside. She and Dad had left the door to the catio open in case Raleigh came home. He went straight to the food bowl! Guess he gets to celebrate National Tabby Cat Day after all.

Thanks for your prayers!

April 30, 2023 by Janet Blue Doozy of a Snoozy Kittens National Tabby Day Prayers Sunday Selfies Tabby Cat Appreciation Day 32

SAWYER’S SNOOZY ART

Caturday Art

Yesterday was a snoozy day for me, as I am exhausted as well as back on my seizure meds. I moved around a lot just to keep the humans on their toes and make them look for me. In the photo I used for Caturday Art I am on one of our “Ham-micks.” It was comfy, but Dad’s chair still is the best spot in the house.

snoozy

Mom created this with the Englass effect from Painnt and then increased the saturation and added the grain merge effect. The frame is from Favpng.

I am going to join Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty’s Caturday Art blog hop. You can do the same by clicking on her badge.

Sunday Selfies Reminder

So, I hope you aren’t tired of seeing me already. Mom says that I have to do the Sunday Selfie tomorrow as well. She claims I owe it to all of you for praying for my return. As long as I can take a break after that, I’m okay with doing the selfie. I really hope you’ll join me by sharing your selfie with us and all your other admirers.

Once again I want to thank everyone who prayed for me and supported by mom and dad in their efforts to find me. The more mom thinks about the ordeal and its outcome, the more she realizes we were all granted a miracle. As she types this for me, I am curled up against her leg asleep. I think she has forgiven me for all the wounds I inflicted on her.

Purrs and paw-pats, Sawyer

July 24, 2021 by Janet Blue Caturday Art Blog Hop Doozy of a Snoozy Kitty Written Blog Prayers 22

MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!

Sawyer is Home

Thanks to miracles, social media, and Dad Tom and I blanketing our area with flyers and posters, Sawyer is home after 24 days and 12 hours.

miracles do happen

He showed up .9 miles from home at the exact house where we adopted our first cat Skooter in the mid-80s. Thinner and with matted fur, he was still wearing his collar and tags.

He is currently in quarantine until he can be seen by the vet tomorrow. Needless to say, he is grounded for life. And a locater tag is being added to his collar in case he gets any more wild ideas about going on another neighborhood walkabout.

I will fill you all in on the details tomorrow for Thankful Thursday.

Until then, thank you for all the purrs, prayers, support, POTP, posting and sharing. It is what sustained us during this long ordeal.

Big hugs, Dad Tom and Mom Janet

July 21, 2021 by Janet Blue Prayers 72

THANKFULS & “OOPS!”

Thankful Thursday

Thankfuls are hard to come by these days with Sawyer still missing. Dad Tom and I are thankful, however, for all those who continue to purr, pray and post about him.

Kizmet is thankful for those who voted for her in the Helen Woodward Superheroes Sidekicks Calendar Contest.

All of us are thankful for the love and support you give us everyday.

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by Brian. If you would like to participate, post on your blog for what you are thankful, then click on Brian’s badge to go to his block and enter your link.

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

After a couple weeks off, I have written a poem for Angel Sammy and Teddy’s poetry challenge.

Here’s this week’s inspiration photo and my poem, which is actually about my Grandpa Herman and me.

Oops!

I had a pogo stick when I was six.
It was a Christmas gift from my grandpa.
He tried to show me how to use it
And ended up in the juniper bushes.

If you’d like to try writing some poetry, check out Two Spoiled Cats for next week’s inspiration photo. You can get there by clicking on the poetry badge. While visiting, check out Angel Sammy’s poem. He’s one of the best poets we know.

Thanks for visiting!

July 15, 2021 by Janet Blue Poetry Prayers Thankful Thursday Thoroughly Poetic Thursday 16

PLEASE VOTE FOR ME!

Words on Wednesday

Mom said I could come by today to remind everyone about the Superheroes Sidekicks Calendar Contest in which I am entered. The photo I am sharing today isn’t nearly as cute as the one entered in the contest, but I wanted to share something new.

Mom always picks up everything off the floor in the bedroom when Chris comes to clean. I thought it would be fun to explore, so that’s exactly what I did. In this photo by backend actually is inside the wool flower beddie.

Contest

So here is the dealio with the contest. I am currently in third place…just 20 votes out of first.

You can vote for me by making a tax deductible donation. For each dollar you donate, you get one vote, but votes have to be purchased in $5 increments. You have until 8 p.m. on August 2 to vote. To do that, click on the the graphic below.

The money you donate in order to vote goes to the Helen Woodward Animal Center (HWAC) to help support their orphan pets and programs.

Lots of our friends have already voted, and we really apprpreciate the support.

Mom says that we can have another comment-a-thon on July 17, which is the one-year anniversary of Mauricio flying off to the Bridge. Once again, she will donate $1 for each comment on that post.

Sawyer’s Walkabout

My brother still has not returned home. I really love him a lot and wish he’d come back. Mom and Dad are doing absolutely everything they can to find him. All the purrs, prayers, POTP, sidebar badges and shares have been incredible. Thank you. If you are able, please keep up the good thoughts that this rascal will find his way back to us.

Purrs and paw-pats, Kizmet

July 14, 2021 by Janet Blue Prayers Wordless Wednesday 18

SEEING DOUBLE SELFIE

Sunday Selfies: Week #360

When it came time for one of the Kitties Blue to take a selfie, they all made themselves scarce except for Misty May. She, however, had no interest in taking a photo. When she finally agreed, this is what she gave us. She said she was one-and-done, not realizing she was actually two-and-done. She had no idea she’d caught her reflection in my iPad. When she discovered this, she seemed to think two images made up for the poor quality. I was not about to argue with her, or today’s selfie would be a blank page.

seeing double

Hopping Time

All the Kitties Blue invite you to hop along with Misty May. They are fairly certain you can take a better selfie than she did. And they know it will cheer Dad Tom and I up when we see your cute faces.

I usually stay up until midnight, so we can get our selfie linked to the hop somewhere in the top three, but Dad Tom and I will be going on an early morning Sawyer search before the neighbors get up and start making noise. So after two additional call outs for him, I am heading to bed.

We are so grateful for everyone’s support, prayers, purrs and POTP. There have been no sightings since those from a couple of miles away, which I now believe were in error. Nonetheless, we are remaining vigilant in searching and making as many people as possible aware of Sawyer’s status. When and if we get any news, good or bad, we will let everyone know by as many means as possible. Thanks.

July 11, 2021 by Janet Blue Prayers Sunday Selfies 32

KIZMET & SQUIRREL ART

Caturday Art

The squirrels are pretty put out with us. Dad Tom took down the bird feeders and covered the bird baths due to this bird disease that is in several states, including Virginia (though not in our area).

They have taken to getting on the upper deck, which is partly open and coming down to the catio looking for food. Yesterday Astrid chased one up and down from upper deck to catio. Mr. Squirrel was on the handrail and Astrid on the stairs. He got away!

Our art today features one of our demanding interlopers. He’s on the pergola adjacent to the the catio. Kizmet is watching through the kitchen window. I think she looks super cute with her paw on the window.

Kizmet and squirrel

As per usual, I went back to Painnt to create today’s art. I used the Leather effect with original color composition and the Grunge frame. Easy and simple.

Kizmet will be popping over to Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty’s blog to join her hop. If you’d like to participate, click on Athena’s badge.

Sunday Selfies Reminder

Tomorrow is our weekly blog hop, and all the Kitties Blue hope you’ll take a selfie and join us. We’d love to have our Sawyer as your host, but he’s still not home. It is heart wrenching to think we may not see him again, but we are not giving up. We continue to search and let more and more people know that he is missing. Dad Tom and I are thankful for each of you who continue to post about Sawyer and pray that our boy is found or finds his way home on his own.

Please, please join us tomorrow. We all love seeing your adorable faces!

July 10, 2021 by Janet Blue Caturday Art Blog Hop Prayers Squirrels 22

THANKFULS BUT NO GOOD NEWS!

Thankful Thursday

I would love to announce that we are thankful for Sawyer’s return. Unfortunately he is still missing.

We are super thankful, however, for everyone who is purring, praying, posting and sending POTP. Though, Dad Tom and I are discouraged; your support fuels us to keep going.

We have received tons of advice and suggestions on how to bring Sawyer home, and we have employed many of those.

A camera will be installed in the backyard tomorrow to see if Sawyer is visiting unbeknownst to us.

I hate that we probably have used a tree’s worth of paper with posters and flyers for everyone living within a few blocks of us, as well as in the neighborhood where there was a possible sighting. But, we will continue to distribute these items. This has prompted many of our neighbors to help in looking for Sawyer.

I won’t list everything we are doing, but I will have a post about that in the future.

Astrid asked to share her thankful as well…nip! We can no longer allow Kitties Blue full access to their pots of catnip, as they lie on top of the nip and kill it. Dad Tom cut some for them on Tuesday. Astrid monopolized it and refused to share with Kizmet, smacking her on the nose whenever she approached. She did, however, share with Periwinkle, who remains with us, to help in the search for her Stinky (Sawyer).

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted by Brian. To participate, post on your blog for what you are thankful and then click on his badge to hop over to his blog and link up.

Thank you again, dear friends.

July 8, 2021 by Janet Blue Nipheads Prayers Stinky & Periwinkle Thankful Thursday 28

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.