This is starting to get a little freaky

I am posting The Crew's posts at work (yes, I know, but I'm bored) and when I got home yesterday after posting Eli's he was ALL OVER ME.  First Ollie becomes more affectionate after I post he doesn't really want much affection, and Eli's complete change of routine and being all affectionate (and very squeaky - he had so much to say)

I'm almost afraid to keep posting these :) 

Ok not really.

My intention is to work through my current crew, then go back and do posts for Kodi, Em and Tig (the first cat I owned after I moved out)

Animal Communicator?

Ok, so I am not an official animal communicator, cause I have no idea what they are thinking at any moment in time - but I can generally figure out what they are about to do by their body posture - but I am starting to believe I have the ability to TELL the cats what to do..

now for the most part my kitties are much like other kitties, they don't listen.  They take a message and get back to you sort of thing.  Often if you want them off something they are on, you have to walk up to them and threaten physical removal in order for them to care.

but recently I have started asking my cats to to get down, or come here, or leave their sibling alone... and it worked!!

I am sure it has a LOT to do with my tone.  If I tell them to get down in a sing songy happy voice, they just bask in the praise they think they are getting.. but there is that no nonsense tone I have that means *I have absolutely had it with whatever you are doing and the next time I speak you are NOT going to like it*.  You know the one, when you say, no, get down, no, go away, leave my food alone, no, NO, GEEZE  COME ON!!, no, down, sit down.. and THEN you get the tone, so you could pretty much tell them to fly to the moon and they'd slink down and sit somewhere close and watch you.  Maybe I've come to be able to use that tone the first time, but I got Kit to lay down on the first command the other day when she was so excited over seeing DH that she was about to step in his dinner for the fifth time.  I got Fleurp to get off the counter, twice.  I got Ollie and Muffin to drop their little scuffle (those are interesting.  Muffin is 1.5 times the size of Ollie, but Ollie is older and meaner.  They've never actually fought, but they have been having quite a few vocal scuffles lately)

I also haven't been able to do anything in my house with out an entourage.  DH thinks it is quite funny when I walk down the hall with at least four cats following me around.  Last night when I got home from work, I had six, and they were all squeeking and whining wanting my attention.  I was in the kitchen trying to talk to DH and I almost couldn't hear myself from all the hubub.  I told them to be quiet a few times, but not in "the tone" finally I had it, and told them to leave us alone! and surprisingly a moment later there wasn't a kitty in the kitchen (they were all on the far side of the island which I refer to as the dining area of our great room kitchen/living room/dining room room) no crying, no noise of any kind.  I almost went giddy with my power.  If I could get Jack to not cry for treats, could I take over the world??

I then went down to exercise, and my entourage came with me.  Fleurp has taken to sleeping in a blanket that is on the floor in the basement where I work out.  She comes down with me and takes a cat nap while I work out.  I have not worked out alone since... well since I can remember :).  But last night I had Skippy running around playing with a ping pong ball and trying to goat Fleurp into playing.  Muffin was there too, doing her best to distract me with her beautiful belly.  She so loves to flaunt that thing at me when I'm busy knowing I have a very hard time resisting it. Life according to Muff is that NOTHING is more important then paying attention to Muff - unless she's busy. 

We do have a little bit of a situation though.  Twee has ended up with a few scabs on her head, so someone is not playing fair.  She had a tiny one at the base of her ear on the back side last week, and on Sunday I found a rather large scrape/scab under her chin.  I see her playing with Skippy and Muffin (ok so Muffin doesn't play she tells her to go away with some rather aggressive tones but I can't see her getting physical) and I've never seen anyone trying to hurt her.  Not quite sure what is going on.  She's lost several patches of fur on her head previous, but with no scabbing, no irritation of any type.  Just a small round patch of fur missing (maybe the size of a pea) and smooth white skin peeking through.  *shrug*  I'll have to keep an eye on it and see what comes of it.

the irresistible cuddling Skippy

I was thinking yesterday that I hadn't seen Skippy for a good cuddle for a while, and I might just have to seek him out.  But I was tired and cold, and my bed was warm and toasty, so I figured it could wait.

Well last night in the middle of the night, in some hour that should not be seen by mankind, I got up to go to the bathroom.  Getting up is a four step process (longer if you include the waking up and then thinking about getting up, which are pretty vital steps)  There is the taking off of the covers, getting the feet out from under the covers you can't get off your feet, swinging said feet off the side of the bed, then the actual standing up.  This is not a fast process in the middle of the night.  In fact it is agonizingly slow - especially in the dead of winter because we have adjustable thermostats so the house is cold at night.  I was in step three (feet over the side of the bed) when Skippy comes out of no where and jumped up on my lap.

"Cuddle time Mom!"

But Skip... it is the middle of the night.  I'm still sound asleep.  I have to go pee!!  IT'S COLD!!

"Purrrrrr"

arrrgh

I give up and roll back into bed so my feet don't get frost bite and we spend the next little while cuddling.

Until Tweedle thought she could join in.  Because Muffin decided Skippy had had enough "Mommy Time" and walked in between him and my face (not nearly enough room there for your 15lb fluffiness, but she some how found a way)  So poor Skippy felt a little claustrophobic (ok so I'm projecting, he probably just didn't want to keep smelling Muffin's butt) and left.

and fortunately for my bladder I have no problem telling Muffin to get off.  Mostly because she is relentless and is on top of me most of the time I'm in bed.

My bladder didn't have a good night, and a little while later I was up again.  Did I mention the house is cold?  well you do know that means the toilet seat is cold too right?  (a little TMI?  sorry, it is going to get a little worse before you start laughing at me)

So I was trying to hurry things along to avoid frost bite on delicate bits, and all of a sudden out of no where Skippy shows up and jumps up on my lap.

"Hi Mom!"

Um.. Skipster, I'm using the "litter box"! 

"Purrrrrr" *cuddle*

I'm always a gonner when he leans into me.  I'd give that boy the moon if he could find a way to ask for it while cuddling.

And yes, I'm still on the freezing cold toilet, in the freezing cold bathroom, which has freezing cold tiles.. so yes, my pants are down around my ankles.  There is just no dignified way to get up and go back to bed and keep Skip happy.

So I did it the un-dignified way.  I was certain he was going to get annoyed with me and leave, but I made it back to bed with him, and we spent a few more minutes cuddling before Skippy went to a sleeping DH and decided it was his turn.

Which is good, because my fingertips were starting to turn blue  (which frankly doesn't take much.  Don't think my house was actually icy.. the thermostat only goes down to 62 at night, but for me I'm cold at 72)

So I finally get back to sleep.  To be awoken several hours (I'm hoping anyway) by a Jack to the bladder.  How they know where that thing is, and are able to step square in the middle of it always amazes me.  I think Jack and Muffin have a running contest to see who can get to mine first in the AM.  When Jack fails, he tends to hang out by my head and stick his ice cold nose on warm bits that are exposed when he steps on the covers.

Why they want me to wake up in the morning I have no clue.  I do not feed them in the AM.  Guess they just miss me.

and I'm totally ok with that.

and apparently I forgot to mention

So I did mention that Ollie was having some issues not eating and being miserable.  Well he felt ok for a few days after that, but then he decided to stop eating on the 23rd again.  I decided to not worry about it as it was probably the same thing as before and was going to wait and see.

Later Muffin stopped eating.  She wasn't quite hiding, but she was sitting in areas out of her normal places, and seeming not quite right.  When I went to see her she was happy to see me and interactive, but it was just strange.  Christmas eve I realized that she had had a horrible case of diarrhea that had covered her rear end, and created a huge mass of fur and foul stench over her anus.  It was the most incredibly foul thing I had EVER smelt.  She was ok with my snipping off the fur that was covered, but when it came down to wiping her clean she was upset.  I let her go, and she was able to clean the rest off herself.

The next morning we saw scoot marks on our hardwood floors.  I did a butt search, and found that Jack had issues.  He was still eating, but he also had horrible diarrhea that was all over his tushie.  Jack has always been quite proud of his tushie, and normally doesn't mind if I'm back there, but this time he was quite defensive.

So we switched the crew onto canned food for a couple of days, then they went back on their raw, and so far no other problems.  No idea what the problem was.  Although I think it was the food.  We had finished one package of raw when we started the canned.

To further the idea that there might have been something wrong with the food is that Doug the diabetic foster, was also put on canned food, and his BG numbers stabilized.

shortly there after I saw Eli jump into the bath tub.  Since Eli had problems with crystals in his urine, I gave him Jack's litter box with the special "is his urine alkaline" litter, and the crystals turned bright pink.  He hasn't had problems since being taken off dry food all those years ago.

aren't my kitties sweet?

I went to the dentist yesterday and had a cavity filled.  It went pretty badly and I was in a boat load of pain for the rest of the night.  I came home and went to bed, and my kitties decided to spend the day with me.

The video is a little dark because I didn't turn the light on.  Hopefully you can get the idea.  Not everyone was there at the time, but through out the day the ones missing from this video did show up.

Six cat wake up call

Well this morning was fun... NOT!

Eli is at the vet having a dental - It's been over due for a while. And to get him there I had to get up two hours early. Well this sparked great fascination with my crew. First it was Ollie Jack and Muffin. Then Eli showed up. I had the "old crew" sitting on and around me staring at me, wanting attention. Then Twee showed up followed shortly by Skippy (who is going in this afternoon for his "meet the vet" check up)

I finally convinced all the cats that the world was not coming to an end and got up out of bed and started my day. Got in some exercise, fed the fosters, got breakfast and my lunch ready and went off in search of Eli to capture and crate up.

Fortunately at one point he was alone in the bedroom, so I had shut the door. At least I knew what ROOM he was in, but catching that boy is NEVER easy. I went and got a carrier to have close by, and of course Skippy and Fleurp both wanted to know what was going on and tried to investigate. Got them out of the carrier, got the towel IN the carrier, now to catch the boy.

Sent DH in first, since Eli knows I am up to no good. No go. I think he heard us talking and probably the noises of the carrier, so he's hiding.

Finally find him, far corner of the bed. I'm of course on the wrong side. Send DH to the other side to try to roust him out of there, and he moves to an ungrabbable spot. We finally roust him out from under the bed, and now he's freaked, hunched over and squeaking like his nickname implies. Oh so upset, I snuggle him but he's not buying it. I stick him in the carrier - which he does not want to go into but Skippy does - and shut the door.

Well he has not stopped squeaking. Instead of meowing, he squeaks. High pitched 1/4 of a meow, it is how he has always communicated with us. Just once have I heard him actually meow, and it was an odd little noise.

Squeaks while walking down the hall, squeaks while hanging out in the kitchen while I get my jacket on. Squeaks while I carry him out to the car, squeaks louder due to the echo of being in the car. I try covering the carrier up, but it doesn't help. The squeaks become swear words. How I'm a horrible mom, and how life is just not worth living, etc. 40 minute drive down to the vet listening to him squeak the whole way down. Get there, carry him into the vet squeaking the whole way, get in the vet and check him in, yup.. he was squeaking.

I wonder if he has stopped yet.

I feel bad, but sometimes you just have to make them unhappy for their own good..

a few photos

I interrupted Fleurp when she was grooming. She looks like this a lot, as she spends a lot of time grooming, and is easily interrupted.



Skippy carving out a little sun bathing time. Looks so relaxed doesn't he?



Quality time with the kitties. Fleurp in the far background. Eli to the left, Twee to the right and the Skipster lounged over my thighs. I had the worst time taking this photo since he is on my upper thighs, angling the camera and seeing through it was impossible, so I kept taking shots and trying to reposition the camera to make sure they were all in the shot.  Eli got annoyed the flash going off so much that he left shortly after this photo was taken.


This is the whole crew.  I can't hand feed them treats as doing so often ends up with me shedding blood (claws in the thighs, teeth in the fingers) so I toss them on to the ground.  This is the ONLY way Twee eats treats.  If I ever catch her alone and try to offer her something individually she completely ignores it.  If I am bold and try to hand feed treats and toss one in front of her, it usually bounces off her nose and she completely ignores it.

I'm so sorry Skippy..

I so wanted you to have the perfect for you home. I wanted you to have family that could give you all the love you could possibly handle.  I wanted you to not have to put up with a pack of kitties watching you pee, and having to struggle for food.  I wanted you to have your choice of laps to curl up in when ever you wanted to.

I just couldn't handle the 'what ifs' of leaving you at the shelter.  I could not deal with the possibility that you would end up in a situation like you were in before, and being returned to the shelter again - or worse..

So I struck a bargain with the shelter, and I traded for you.  I had some old aquariums in the basement, and in the middle of an email exchange about a foster situation for a cat found in the middle of the road last week* I jokingly suggested that I trade for you, and she took me up on it.  She knew how upset I was at leaving you at the shelter, and how much of a toll on me it was taking to come visit you every couple of days and to keep leaving you there.. so I ran to the shelter after work, signed the paperwork, and brought you home with me.

and now you have to put up with my crew harassing you, and when I took you down to the litter box (because you seemed to be looking for your litter box in the bathroom where it was the last time you were here) you had all seven of them watching you pee.  Will you ever know peace?  Will my crew ever accept you?  Will you find a lap to cuddle on when you need it?

I love you so much.. I hope you are happy here.



*the new foster is coming on Saturday.  She was found in the middle of the road, either hit or thrown from a car.  She was pregnant at the time, but she ended up aborting.  They said her kittens were the size of mice, so it must have been several weeks before the due date.  They had a week old kitten who needed a mom, so they matched them up, and it worked out nicely, except for the fact that she is being fostered by a staff member who is not allowed pets in her home.

*headpalm* or why 8 kitties is a bad idea

Ok, seriously, I know owning Skippy would be a bad idea.  Doesn't mean I don't want to do it anyway though....

but this morning my kitties showed me very clearly why.  Mostly it would be that there would be more of them then I could handle.

So in the wee hours of the morning I woke up.  Not one of those *oh crud I'm awake in the middle of the night and I can't get back to sleep* bits.. but I had left my heating blanket on and I was a little warm, so normally I would have rolled over, shut it off and fallen back asleep.  But there were kitties on the bed who were missing me terribly, so when they realized that I might be conscious they sprang into action, and surrounded my head purring up a storm.  15lb Muffin, 12lb Jack and 6lb Fleurp were all there.  9lb Twee showed up a few moments later jockeying for a position to worship at the head of the sleeping mom.

Now if you have never had this experience, let me tell you it is a bit overwhelming.  I have blogged about it before, but it really is something to have four cats up in your face when you are barely awake... not to mention the fact that their bodies are the perfect length for their noses to be all up in your face, and their back feet to be targeted to your bladder.  *sigh*  off they all go as I stumble towards the bathroom.  I hate kicking kitties off me, but sometimes the bladder wins.

I stumble back into bed, get comfy, and once again there are cat noses where there shouldn't be cat noses.  Those things are COLD when it is cold in the house.  I finally convince all the kitties to settle down somewhere around the area of my legs, and drift off to sleep (but not before annoying the daylights out of DH who went to sleep on the couch.  Kitties were happy - more room for them)

Morning begging is reserved for DH who feeds them since he gets up first.  But when I got up, Jack was all up in my business begging for attention.  Fleurp dug out a superball and was playing with it.  I picked it up and realized that someone had chewed chunks off it.  I probably should have put the ball in my pocket to be stored in a drawer (ok I admit it, I really like superballs.. and yes it is appropriate to give me a gift of one) but I bounced it into the other room, and watched Fleurp fly at it, and look so adorable doing it.  something between a rabbit and a flying squirrel (I so wish I had video proof of it).  The ball ended up back at my feet, so I bounced it again, and this time she was so intent on getting it she missed the fact that the ball was bouncing towards the fridge, and she ran right into it.  Yes, Fleurp makes me laugh every single day.

But later, after I exercised, I went back into the bedroom to get dressed for work, and realized that a flipflop I have not work in over a year (wore them the summer previous) was on the middle of the floor.  I shook my head, knowing my Fleurp thought it was irrisitable and some how had dragged the thing from my shoe rack in the front of the house, through the kitchen, down the hall, and into the bedroom.  I KNEW it was her, only from the evidence of the lone flop on the floor.  Sure enough a few minutes later, she came and flopped next to the shoe and proceeded to "kill" it. I got a photo, but it only looks like she's laying on it.

Then I went to feed the rabbit.  Her water bottle was empty, so I bent over to take it off the cage, and went and filled it.  I bent back over to reattach it to the cage, when Kit in all her claws decided to jump up on my back.. OUCH!  I had been saying for a few days I needed to trim claws, well now was the time!!!

I also think one of the other kitties has convinced Twee to play Hide and Seek, because she has taken to hiding behind the curtains in the kitchen.  They are floor length, and mostly sheer.  When I went to pat her through the curtain, she was quite disturbed that she wasn't properly hidden, so I pretended I was just fixing the curtain so she could be happy.

Ollie is still quite annoyed with life.  He's annoyed that the other kitties want to do what he wants to do, and there for are in his way.  Doesn't matter if they were there first, and he walks in on them, if they are in the spot HE wants to be in, they get smacked.  If he offers his head for grooming and they don't groom fast enough, the smacking will commence.  Not quite sure who I feel worse for, him or them.

They definitely bring a depth and richness to my life.  The love, the cuddles, the laughter.  They do add a certain emptiness to my wallet though, the annual vet visits, the $800 surgery for Ollie, then the $500 revisit this year.  Eli needs a dental.  He has for a while, but I put it off, well I can't put it off any more.. Jack is having issues with his bladder.. at least I'm assuming his bladder is a little uncomfortable and he doesn't just like the Brazilian look.  All of my kitties are under 10 years of age, so I'll have multiple seniors at the same time in a few years.  Being proactive costs money, not being proactive either means more money or the loss of my kitties too young.

I just wish my heart understood all that..

You catch more flies with kittens than with honey

Just so you know :)

Being the dog days of summer, once again my foster room has been swarmed with flies. How they get in? I have no idea. Why they want to be in there? no clue really, unless they are smelling the deposits in the litter box and think kitten poop is the bee's knees? (do flies like bee's knees?)

so for the fun of it I brought down a paper plate with a little honey on it. Flies completely ignored it. However, the kittens LOVED stalking and pouncing on the flies. So.. kittens are a better fly catcher than honey.. albeit a bit unreliable, and their pouncing skills leave a LOT to be desired.

Last week I noticed a flea on one of my own cats. Muffin tends to get fleas on her face. Not sure why. Maybe I'm just more able to notice them on her since she's white. I played ignorant and hoped it was an only child until late last week I saw another one on her, and one on Anne. *rolls eyes*

So I went to the shelter and told them the kittens have fleas, and I was sent home with frontline. Enough to do the kits and four of my own kitties. I have enough to do the rest, I just haven't gotten around to it yet, because once I started dosing my own crew, half of them took off for hiding places yet unknown by Mom. I'll end up having to do one a day (hopefully) and if I'm smart I'll start with Eli, since if he figures out he's on the hitlist he will find his space ship and go home.

I also mentioned the odd reaction the orphans had when I dewormed them last week. They became quite pale and went off their food. I was concerned enough to force feed Annie, but by the time came around to bring them to anyone for a check up they were back to their perky selves. The manager was a little concerned by that, and so I didn't deworm them yesterday but gave them the flea meds instead. I'll deworm them probably tomorrow, since they are supposed to get it once a week for three weeks. I also weighed them, 1 lb 10 oz... so probably Labor day weekend adoption :)

Lula has yet to give birth. I ask the manager when she came into the shelter - so I would know when she went past her last possible due date. She came into the shelter on the 9th, so if she got pregnant that morning she wouldn't be due until Labor day. Labor day?? arrgh. I don't want to wait that long for kittens!! I don't feel any kitten movement - which is usually a sign that she's about ready to pop (because there is no room for them to move) but considering her history, I'm watching her like a hawk for ANY change in behavior or attitude. I'm so scared they are dead or are about to be. but then I still panic that (live) kittens might have died overnight too. Lets just say I'm overly cautious.. (you say paranoid like it is a bad thing)

Yesterday I spent extra time in the kitten room. Usually it is play, feed, clean and gone, but I had some free time and a book I was reading, so after cleaning I sat down on the couch and laid down to read. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon. Lula curled up (well as much as an obnoxiously pregnant cat can) on top of the sofa above me, Oliver sprawled out on my leg, Annie curled up in the crook of my knee, and Anne laid down on my arm, and spent way too much time gazing up at me as if to say, "You are the most wonderful thing, thank you" :) It was just too cute.

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Clams from the clam festival

I am not a fan of any seafood. But I do enjoy going to the clam festival. There is a lot of good food (aside from clams) and lots and lots of craft stands.

This year finally we had a stand for cat toys.. which of course I had to buy something from. Need to support the sale of stuff for cats. She was clever and made clams for the clam festival..



They were enjoyed

The Crew

So I got a coupon for some free digital prints, and I have some cute photo frames I want to fill up with photos of the crew, so this morning I took my camera (yes, the stupid Kodak one who will NOT focus on the cats no matter how hard I try) and took about 100 photographs of the kids. These were the only ones who came out half decent (and one that isn't half decent but is too cute anyway)
Click on any photo to view the larger format:

So first I took photos of Ollie. Sitting on the fridge I figured I had a half decent chance of getting a good photo


Then Fleurp decided she wanted in on the action


Then I took a few of Jack that did not come out at all (the rug he was on was clearer than he - the item in the CENTER OF THE PHOTO) and Fleurp was not amused she wasn't the center of attention


So then Muffin came around, and I got one of her on the chair. Unfortunately that was all blurry too, and the first one of Muf and Kit was bad, but this one was cute.


seriously, you would think this kitten never gets any attention!!



Tweedle walked by, and the first few of her were all blurry, but I got this one


Eli's first photo was horrid, the second was good, and he was out of there, because he knew I was going to want to clean his face


More Fleurp.. I swear...


So then Muffin jumped up on the cat tree and proceeded to pose for me in the MOST DIFFICULT POSITION POSSIBLE. I love her.. really I do, and she totally makes me work for it


so I got her to turn around with a few well placed complements and some begging



but then she decided she needed to wash up.


and because that picture was just so priceless, a few close ups



Then I thought I'd go get a photo of Brianna, the Bunny. and guess who showed up


Tried to get one with out Fleup. Tried...

Cat Tv

My kitties were quite intent on the new channel on our local cat TV station...

As you can see, As The Chipmunk Turns is very fascinating!

I shall call her... "Mini Me"

Ok, I'm kinda getting freaked out by Muffin and Fleurp's relationship. Fleurp is showing so many of the characterizations of Muffin it is really starting to show. Fleurp is showing Muffin's devotion to me. They walk around visiting the same things together. Muffin does not mind in the least when Fleurp follows her around (but when Twee does it it is *JUST WRONG!!*)

Muffin, who has always been very much her own kitty, and who wouldn't mind if all other kitties disappeared off the face of the planet (except maybe Jack who helps her beg for treats) so she can be worshiped and have the people's undivided attention, actually doesn't mind spending time with Fleurp.

and surprisingly things have always seemed to just work out when it comes to curling up on my chest and getting attention. Muffin has always loved crawling up on my chest or under my arm and hanging out with me. She gets jealous and reacts violently when others come near during her "mommy time" - hissing and lashing out. Either Fleurp knows better than to invade this space, or luck or fate or who knows, but Muffin has never done that to Fleurp. Fleurp has raised Muffin's ire when she gets a little too rambunctious, prancing on the bed wanting to "play" and Muffin isn't in the mood, but Fleurp was quick to figure out if Muff doesn't want it, it doesn't happen (unlike Twee who continually asks, much like a child in a car ride asking "are we there yet")

While I wouldn't quite go so far as to call them Best Buds, I never thought Muff would develop a feline bond, and this still amazes me.

Happy Mommy Day,

For years, my kitties didn't realize about the human holiday called "mother's day" well a couple of years ago we explained it to them (we don't have human children to teach them) and since them I've gotten Mother's Day gifts.

This year I got a pair of shoes I have been hinting horribly to my DH, and the following note:

Happy Mommy Day,

To the best kitty mommy in the world that there was EVER.
We love you,
Ollie
Muffin
Jack
Eli
Tweedle
Kit
(flip page over)
And me too! I'm Fleurp. They didn't want me to sign it cause I'm little and cute and they are all jealous and everything and I love you more than them and I wont let them stop me and and...

Made me smile. That is soooo Fleurp.

A cacophony of complaints

Vet day today. Yes, once again I am foolish enough to think I should take all of my cats to the vet at once. But yet again I'm glad to know I can evacuate the house in under half an hour if necessary.

I closed the bedroom doors, and threw some dry food on the floor down the hall. They 'fell for it' and went down the hall to chow down.

Eli has to be first. If he even thinks there is a trap set for him, he is off and running and then hiding very well. He saw me coming down the hall and realized what was going on. He tried to make a break for it, but I knew it was going to happen and I zigged when he zagged and into the carrier he went. The rest of my cats are happy enough chewing on dry food to not notice their ranks are being thinned out.

so then they were all in carriers. Playing Tetris, we got them all into the truck and we were off. We were surprisingly early. Ok not really surprising as I was early last time I took them all to the vet. I like to leave plenty of time. They all complained the whole way down and DH said they sounde much like a symphony does right before a preformance.

we got to the vet, and unloaded. Got into the appointment, and the cats preformed well. Tweedle surprisingly came out with a mouth like a sailor. Oh she swore up a storm. I don't think she quite understood why she was hissing and growling, but she wouldn't stop. she took comfort in the cuddling and the cooing, but the hissing still continued.

We did rabies only. It had only been two years since their distemper, and since the new recommendation is three years, I'm going with at least that. I've decided to stop giving Ollie vaccines. Because that growth was much where the vaccines are given, and he's 10 now.. better safe than sorry.

so an hour and a half later, we packed them all up, paid the $340 fee and came home.

Kit did not enjoy the ride home. she ended up salavating all over the place.

But they are home, and they are healthy and "unremarkable" medically. I knew this prior, but it good to know.

Good Morning Mom!!!

Ok, seriously, I so wish I had the ability to understand my cats.

Why oh why were ALL SEVEN cats in the bed this morning waiting for me to wake up?

Ollie was *right in my face* (whiskers up the nose in the face) on the left. Muffin was on my chest. Jack was on my right. Right behind Jack was Eli waiting his turn. Twee, Fleurp and Kit were behind the first line just sitting there amusing themselves.

Ok, so I wake up. Pat Ollie, pat Jack, snuggle Muff. Jack leaves, I pat Eli, and then pretty much I'm alone.

seriously. It isn't like I feed them in the morning - or ever. DH takes care of that. I understand the "We are STARVING! Dad forgot to feed us this morning" plea when I finally do crawl out of bed. can't blame them for trying to get more.

I must say I am amused and dismayed by one new development in the house. Fleurp has decided to bring her toys into the bed. Now she's done this in the past, but never to PLAY with them. She has started sitting on top of me and playing with things. yes, when I'm asleep. Yes, at some unseemly hour of the night - no glasses on so I have no idea exactly when. It has been belled balls, but I immediately take those away from her so she's started bringing toy mice into the bed. During the day when she brings them, we play fetch. Fortunately I'm not asleep enough to think that if I throw the toy off the bed she'll go away. I know that she'll just bring it back :)

I finally schedualed their annual exam. May 2nd. I'm still not sure what I am going to do about vaccines. I'm thinking Ollie is done since he had that growth. Rabies is required, but FVRCP isn't. The new vaccination guidelines say no sooner than every 3 years. Well I believe I'm at year three. Since I have fosters in the house, there is risk of exposure, but there are a lot of people who believe that once vaccinated that they are protected for life.

I believe in vaccines. Completely. I think every single cat everywhere should be vaccinated unless they have a vet approved reason for not being (aka known health issues that cause vaccines to be riskier than the possibility of the diseases) but our cats have been so over vaccinated over the years. I'm not 100% convinced that 3 years is when vaccines 'run out" or need to be boostered.

Guess I have a few more weeks to think it over. Although since my vet is the shelter vet, I might have to if I want to continue fostering..

Flying Fleurp

Ok, honestly, I have no idea where the name Flerup came from. I was driving down the road, approaching a bend in the road (I can't believe I remember where I was when the name came to me) before I even brought her home. But the name is so perfect for Fleurp it isn't even funny.

She does the Fleurp Flomp, where she is either walking or standing one second and laying down the next, and the Fleurpy Dance, where she's up on her hind legs squeaking adorably for food, and now she's Flying Fleurp.

an explanation.

I have started dosing Jack with L-methionine to help him with his alkaline urine. I noticed he's been grooming his belly raw, so I tested his urine last week and the stuff was bright pink. (color changing litter) since he hadn't had any treats for several days, I knew that he needed more than the raw food I have been feeding him. (it is premade and higher in carbs than apparently he needs - but it is cheap, and already made, which are two huge bonuses in my book so we are going to try the supplement with Jack and see if that helps him before going back to making our own raw)

The stuff is pretty bland tasting (yes, I tasted it) so I figured I could get away with rubbing a little into some meat of one sort or another... and yes, that works nicely. I did it with some raw steak the other day, and deli meat the past few mornings.

Well if you are giving out deli meat, you can't just give it to one kitty.. every one gets deli meat. Fleurp is the most persistent when it comes to grabbing snacks. She'll take them right out of the mouths of other kitties (why they let her I have NO idea) so she has to have hers first to distract her long enough for the other kitties to get a chance to taste their own treat - and since Jack has to have his piece, she has to be distracted.

Well this morning apparently the piece wasn't big enough to be much of a distraction, because by the time I got around the counter, she had jumped up on the chair that I walked around and "flew" to the other side of the counter. It was so adorable (yes, she's adorable in just about EVERYTHING she does) I don't know if her feet even touched the chair.

She then proceeded to do the Fleurpy Dance to try to convince me to give her more. Fortunately she was distracted enough doing the dance that Jack got to eat his treat.

In case you haven't seen the Fleurpy Dance, here is an encore presentation:

we have packs now

well something intersting has happened now that Fleurp has fully moved in. The crew has now broken into two packs. We have the babies: Kit, Twee and Fleurp. And we have the older crew: Ollie, Jack, Muffin and Eli.

This morning was interesting. we fed the crew early last night (5ish) and went out to the movies. They ate, but they left a few bits on the plate - which is so not like our kitties. This morning I guess they figured their entire feeding schedual had changed because around 5 am they decided to start waking us up.

Us? no. let me rephrase. ME. they decided to wake ME up.

why? I HAVE NO IDEA! I don't feed them.. maybe I'm easier to wake up.. which I do believe. My DH sleeps among the dead.

So this morning I was a play ground, then I was a jungle gym. I ignored it the best I could and got comfortable. I woke up again to a cold nose in my face

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Ok, so I don't scream. I'm used to it by now, but even still this morning was intereting. When I woke up, I realized Muffin was on my side (I was sleeping on my side) and I knew there was a kitty in front of me. Ollie usually sleeps between DH and I, so I thought it was him. I reached out to pat him (eyes barely open and no glasses and it was still the middle of the freakin night so identification wasn't a top priority) as I patted, I realized it wasn't Ollie, because he made a little noise. I opened my eyes more, and realized in the space of my head were three cats. Muffin on my side, Ollie and Jack were all trying to stick their nose on my face. I turned to get my glasses, and ran into Eli laying on the other side patiently waiting. So seriously, in the space of two pillows laying side by side was me and four adult cats. how come they can do this with out arguing, but they can't walk into a bathroom with out squabbling?

I made my DH get up half an hour early and feed them, mostly because I do enjoy breathing. As he was ambling toward the kitchen the kittens showed up and started wrestling on the bed. Fleurp is starting to over power Kit. Fleurp now tackles Kit and pushes her over completely. Kit is not amused. Fleurp and Twee are now playing nicely together, which is so nice. I was so worried about Twee after we lost Em. She just couldn't find a kitty to take her place. She definately seems happier now.

Fleurp is also starting to turn into a preteen. She is filling out and fluffing up. Her tail is very raccoon like. I wish I could capture a photo of her walking because she really is quite beautiful.

I love my cats.. I just don't particularlly appreciate all of them close up at once :)

Mice belong in the Office!!

Fleurp has until now not had access to my office. She was in the kitten room until she was neutered, then lived in the house as I fostered Happiness and Joy in my office. They went back to be adopted, but I still needed to clean up the room and re-claim it as foster kitten free. I did that this weekend, and the door has been open all week.

Well while the door was closed, mice would be shoved under the office door. I thought maybe Fleurp wanted to share her mice with the underprivileged, but since the door has been open, there have been more and more mice congregating in the doorway. Apparently mice belong in the office.

Tonight has been an interesting night. DH is out of town once again for work, so I've been home alone with the crew. Jack has once again taken to 'attacking" Kit. I never really see what happens, I only ever see the middle and or hear the end. This time I heard a horrific scream, and when I screamed in response; Jack, Kit and Fleurp all came out from behind the chair. Now Jack is no where to be found, Fleurp has some odd condition on her chest that is making it look wet, and Kit is flopping her tongue around as if she's got something stuck in her mouth. Fleurp was a little annoyed I was examining her, but other than the uncertainty of the situation, she seems fine. No odor, no excessive moisture, no puss, nothing other than she looks wet or greasy. from under her chin, down past her collar, and all on her chest. I've looked in Kit's mouth twice, and see nothing for her to be flopping her tongue around for, and now she's grooming herself as if nothing is wrong. I swear, my cats just like to test me. I absolutely will be keeping an eye on Kit, as I tend to err on the side of caution. I'd rather spend the next two days watching for issues than to have one pop up and my not be aware of it. She's currently sitting right in front of my monitor trying to attack the cabinets.. She's fine. Although I'm starting to understand why she likes to ride around on "Daddy's" shoulders.

snow day

Yesterday it snowed pretty badly here, so I took the day off from work. I worked out a bit, and attempted to do my taxes. At one point I decided to take a nap, and crawled back into bed. When I woke up, I was surrounded by six kitties. It was such a nice lazy leisurely time. I was so comfy and warm. I finally started to sit up and realized I only had the six, and had to count to figure out who I was missing. Kit. Where was Kit?

Turned out she was at the foot of the bed on the chest we keep there for sweaters. So I did sort of have them all :)

I also spent the day trying to get photos of all my kitties. Shutterfly is offering a free photobook to get you into their services, and I haven't updated my photo albums since Kit was a little kitten. My kitties did NOT like the flash, and most of the photos of most of my kitties are blinking. I also took WAY more photos of Kit and Fleurp, and not nearly enough of Eli but he was pretty interactive. He asked for some belly rubs, but then wandered off to do his own thing.

At dinner time, Eli was very sedate. He remained on the bed and didn't appear to eat. DH mentioned it, and I went to look for him. He had moved from the bed, and was now laying in a cat bed in the middle of the floor in the kitchen. He was very sedate. I offered him a treat, and he wasn't interested. But this morning he was all up in arms about not having his breakfast, so he must have just been a little off.

easily amused AND mean

Well I turned my webcam back on this afternoon, and see three of my kitties sleeping.. So made me want to run home and be a kitty, sleeping in a warm puddle of sunlight on a big soft comfy chair.. But I couldn't. So I called the house.

and I woke them all up!

What I found very interesting, is my generally accepted Alpha kitty Ollie is on the arm of the chair. Jack, the second is on top of the chair. Usually the dominant kitty is in the higher position.

I am too easily amused

Joy and Happiness are at the shelter today. Joy's face started to swell. I have no idea what is going on, but clavamox is NOT helping it.

poor Happy really didn't like the idea of going to the shelter again, and when I was holding her she started purring, but then realized what I was going to do and pulled her scared cartoon kitty look (eyes open wide, ears completely back so all you can see is her round head with her round eyes) I felt so bad, but I do have a small hope that all these trips are helping her adjust to new surroundings. I mean she is going to have to find a new home at some point.

So while they were at the vet I moved the web cam to the sun room to spy on my kitties. I tried to check it this morning but it was very slow to load, so I thought that maybe it wouldn't work on the other end of the house (even with a wireless booster thing my DH hooked up) but I just checked it again and I set it up with out looking this morning, and low and behold I got a great shot.


What you can't see is Eli in the top of the cat tree sleeping in the little box up there. Kit is on the chair, and I believe that is Jack on the platform.

is it wrong of me to want to watch kitties sleep all day?

Its Official!!

Well, today I officially adopted my little Fluerpy Face. I went to the shelter with Happy and Joy and the manager asked me if I was bringing back Fleurp. I said no. So she processed the paperwork and I paid my fee.. now she's officially mine.. all mine..

but of course she's currently all cuddled up with Jack..


and she is getting closer to Tweedle which is nice.

An Open Letter to my Kitties

My dearest kitties,

I know I spoil you rotten. I pat you pretty much when ever you want, I make room so you can sleep in my bed (on my pillow, on my head) and you have free run of the house. You have more scratching posts / trees in number than there are of you. You get the best I can provide for you.

But please, do not forget, you are actually CATS! see those claws at the end of your feet? the tail? have you forgotten the sharp pointy teeth you have in your mouthes??

No?

well then why oh why will you not dine on the flesh of the birds I bring home to you..

and WHY is Tweedle the only one of you who will actually dane to chew the flesh off those bones?? Twee! yes, my special little girl who looks at me cross eyed when I talk to her, and who took till she was eight weeks of age to eat on her own with out her face burried in the food (because that was the only way to teach her to eat)

Now Jack, I know you did eat the meat I provided for you, but don't forget - YOU HAVE TO CHEW IT!! or else it comes right back up like it did today. It is not supposed to enter your stomach as your eyes saw it you know. That is why you have those sharp pointy teeth!!

*sigh*

so I will clean up the vomit and throw away the meat filled bones, and I will eventually cave and give you the ground up raw you so very much want (but not the gooshey food nor the dry you REALLY REALLY want) and maybe we'll try again another day..

cause honestly, trust me on this, you are cats!!

giggles

Ok, Fleurp kills me. I was scooping the foster kitten box, and when I do that I go and scoop Fleurp's "Kitten Box" too. When I have kittens under 6 months of age, I usually keep a box upstairs *just in case*

Well this time around the kittne box is well used. Apparently I have very lazy cats, and they don't want to wander downstairs to use the two HUGE boxes they have, they want to use the one lonely overly used box upstairs. One time I cleaned it, I think I scooped out every spare piece of litter in the box..

anyway.

When I scoop out the box, I can either sit on the floor or lean over at the waist and scoop. I prefer to stand. (if I squat too long my legs go all pins and needles)

today while I'm scooping, I've attracted the attention of Kit as well as Fleurp (who loves to be the first one to christen theh box when I'm done) and they were circling around waiting for me to be done, not really able to contain themselves, they both at one point got in while I was still scooping and started digging. I kicked them out and kept scooping. Well Kit (the shoulder riding cat) thought it would be fun to watch from the top of my back *rolls eyes* so she jumps up from the floor to my tushie, and climbs up.. yes, with claws.. Fortunately she doesn't weigh much, so it wasn't THAT painful.. I mean I kept scooping.

So I was finally done and they both jumped in and started digging around. Well one dig landed on another paw, and soon wrestling ensued in the box. THey are so friggen cute.

Kit finally gave up and jumped out and Fleurp had her way. SHe hates it when I scoop before she burries though. I got her BM, but when it came to her urination, she started covering before she was done.. *giggle*

So then Kit jumped in and urinated first and started to leave so I scooped and started closing up the bag. Well since I was closing up the bag, she thought she'd go back in and mark up the box again *rolls eyes* well I fooled her, I only half closed it up, so I was able to open it right back up again and take her stool with me.. ha ha ha :P

Man I love my kitties

This morning I did NOT want to go to work. I wanted to stay in bed all snuggled down and watch movies surrounded by my cats..

but that is not an option, so I got up.. I was putting together my lunch and I needed a hug from a kitty. I went after Muffin because she is the one that usually puts up with my shenanigans. Well Muff wasn't that much into being hugged. As I was hugging her, Jack jumped up on the chair Muff had been sitting on and rubbed my thigh, so I put Muff down and picked Jack up. Well Jack really didn't want to be picked up and immediately started squirming to get down.. I saw Ollie, aka my grumpy ol man, sitting on the other side of the room, and I said to him "If you want a hug, you should come over here, cause I won't force it on you" well darn it if he didn't get up and walk over. I picked him up and gave him a quick hug, then put him up on top of the fridge for some treats.

Then as I was putting on my boots to leave my kitties started gathering around me. I'll admit, I got emotional. I didn't want to leave. So I sat there for a moment soaking up their presence. and darn it all if Ollie didn't show up again for some lovin.. I have such good kitties.

*ok, I think this is really cute, spell check knows how to spell shenanigans