Farewell, Emil

Thanks to Skeezix for the graphic. It's just a few hours short of a week since Emil disappeared and that means that he is not coming back. I'll miss the little guy. He was just barely a year old. For those of you who think that we are giving up on him too early, I'll just go through the odds against him. It is normal this time of year for the temperatures in the Sonoran Desert to reach above 100 degrees F at midday. There is very little shade and less water. There are bobcats, coyotes, hawks and owls out there looking for a meal. He could have been bitten by a rattlesnake or stung by a scorpion and been hurt badly enough not to be able to make it home before dying of heat stroke or dehydration. I hate giving up on him, but there is just no chance for him to have survived. Goodbye, little buddy. I hope you are having a wonderful time at the Rainbow Bridge.

Java

Java is a Snowshoe Siamese.  His Mom adopted him from Texas Siamese Rescue last October.  They recently moved into a really cool building in downtown Dallas.  It is an old department store converted into apartments.  Java and his Mom live several stories up in a loft apartment with really tall windows for Java to look out.  He loves watching the pigeons who land on the window ledges.  Java has lots of fun opening the cabinets and sitting in them.  He also loves to sit in any kind of bag he finds.  He is very good to his Mom.  He makes sure that she isn't late to work by making sure she gets up if she hits the snooze button on the alarm.  He has mastered boob-walking and bladder sitting and the "get up now" stare.  Java loves to be petted and will do all sorts of things to get the attention he so richly deserves.  He will give his Mom hugs, or show off his cute tummy, or work his way under his Mom's arm and hand.  Java sometimes runs out the door, but he gets so interested in the smells coming from other apartments or the carpet on the stairs, which must be attacked, that his Mom has no trouble catching him again.  Java has lots of fun toys to play with and enjoys whapping things, especially edible things, off the tables and counters.  He also likes to whap the shower curtains.  The most amazing thing about Java is that he is a Meezer who doesn't meeze.  He rarely meows at all.  He does a silent meow sometimes, that his Mom finds amusing.  He once mao'ed three times in one week, which was a lot for him.

                                Java is a Meezer who doesn't meow.
                                It's not because he doesn't know how.
                                       Most meows are silent,
                                       But at times he'll relent
                                And give his Mom a hearty MAO!

Emil Is Missing

Emil from The Cat Realm didn't come home after being out Saturday night.  He has never stayed out so long before.  Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.  The Maid is still gone, so The Cat Realm isn't posting much, but go on over to offer them hope and comfort.

                                  Emil, sweet Emil, please come home.
                                  We know that you like to roam,
                                         But home is best
                                         To get your rest.
                                   Please pray for Emil to come home.

Gree and Othello's Wedding

Gree and Othello got married Saturday in a beautiful ceremony in Hawaii.  Here they are exchanging their vows.  Many, many cats attended and we all wish them well.  The reception was really something to remember.  You can find many more photos here.

                                    There was a marriage between Gree and Othello --
                                    A beautiful bride and a handsome fellow.
                                            Hawaii was the place.
                                            There was such style and grace.
                                   Let's celebrate the wedding of Gree and Othello.

Beethoven

I love this picture of Beethoven because he is smiling and he looks so happy.  It's quite a good picture for him because he is a happy kitty.  He loves everyone and everything.  He was adopted on February 3, 2008 as a tiny kitten to be company for Boy.  Boy wasn't at all sure that he wanted company, as he had been an only kitty for eleven years.  At first, Boy hissed at Beethoven whenever he saw him.  Boy has given that up now, but he still whaps Beethoven on the head quite regularly.  Beethoven loves it.  Beethoven even loves going to the vet.  He hasn't had his hoo-haa-ectomy yet, though.  I wonder if he will still love going to the vet after that.  Beethoven got his name because his Mom is a musician.  He has a cute t-shirt which reads Beet-in-oven, which is a joke with his Mom.  She calls him Oven for short, which makes Boy grin.  Beethoven loves to play with just about anything, but water is what he loves to play with most.  Boy thinks that he's really weird, but that doesn't bother Beethoven.  He has already learned how to flush the toilet and I'm wondering if he won't figure out how to turn on the bathroom sink tap next.  His Mom often fills up a small yellow tub in the bathroom sink for him to play with.  He laps and bats at the water and loves to fish his sparkle ball out of it.  Sometimes he just sits on a wet cloth and stares at the water.  He loves it when his Mom sprinkles water on him.  He even loves to take a bath, but doesn't like licking himself dry afterwards.  You can see a video of Beethoven playing with his tub of water here.

                               Beethoven loves to play with water,
                               Though Boy tells him he shouldn't oughter.
                                              He could play all day
                                              In the sink and stay
                               Happily sitting on a cloth soaked in water.

This and That

I won one of ML's auctions and got Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.  It arrived not long ago and I am really enjoying it.  It is illustrated by Edward Gorey, whom I like very much.

I thought I would let you know what is going on a bit.  My Mother's cracked vertabra has completely healed and I think she has recovered as much as she is going to.  This very bad experience has left her a semi-invalid and she needs a lot more looking after than she used to.  I am working 42-48 hours a week and taking care of the house and shopping and errands.  What all this adds up to is that I have a lot less time for blogging than I used to and it doesn't look like this is going to change any time in the near future.  I will still work on the limericks and visit as much as I can, but the daily limericks are a thing of the past.  I'm not feeling sorry for myself or anything like that, but I did think you all should know why my output has dropped so much and why you don't see me as such a regular visitor.  I love you all very much and want you to know that being part of this great community has done wonders for helping me get through the rough spots in my life.

Tipper

There is some more sad news.  Tyler's older sister, Kali, was helped to the Bridge on Saturday.  Please go visit and give them all some hugs.

Tipper would like every one to know that she was not named for Al Gore's wife.  She got her name because when she was a kitten, she had a white pointy tip on her tail.  For some reason it disappeared as she got older. Tipper just loves to supervise anything that has to do with food.  In the photo she is checking out her Mom's breakfast.  She will get a bite or two of banana and a taste of the milk.  Tipper is always the first one to the kitchen when the can opener sound is heard.  She jumps up on the counter to see if there is a chance of tuna water or something else yummy.  She really got fooled once.  She heard the can opener, jumped up on the counter, saw a can that looked just like a tuna can and sampled the water.  Unfortunately, it was a can of water chestnuts.  She was most disappointed.  If we categorized the Crew as a cat family, George would be the Dadcat, Tipper would be the Momcat, Max would be the teenage boy and Misty would be the little girl. Tipper has been giving Misty lessons on becoming a ladycat for a couple of years now.  Tipper also makes sure that the other cats have done their grooming properly, especially their ears.  She is a bit disappointed that none of the other cats return the favor.  Tipper was adopted as a kitten from the same shelter as George.  George was originally adopted with his littersister, Gracie.  When Gracie died, George missed her terribly and started crying quite a bit.  The Mom and Dad adopted Tipper to be company for George.

                                  Tipper washes the other cats' ears.
                                  She has been doing this for years.
                                         They hold still and let her
                                         'Cause then they feel better.
                                 Tipper's like a Momcat, washing their ears.

Furry Fighter Friday

I have a little tear-off desk calendar which features cats most days, but also has quotes.  Today's quote is especially appropriate.  "There is no such thing as 'just a cat.'" -- Robert Heinlein. Storm was certainly much more than "just a cat."  I don't remember quite when I started reading Storm's blog.  It was more than nine months ago, but probaly not quite a year ago.  I distinctly remember when she reached the nine-month mark after her diagnosis of lymphoma.  This was the most time the vet had given her to live.  Her Meowmie said that every day after that date was a precious gift.  Storm managed to live an additional nine months.  When her long remission ended, she again fought the lymphoma with everything she had and managed to make the three tumors in her abdomen disappear, but it took all her strength.  She won her battle, but simply didn't have the stamina to go on.  Storm was the bravest kitty I have ever known.  She always blogged with humor and optimism.  She won a special place in my heart, where she will live on forever.  Have a wonderful time at the Bridge, Stormie, and watch over your Meowmies and Castle.

                                   Our Storm, dear Storm, has gone to the Bridge.
                                   To share in her fight, which she WON, was a privilege.
                                         She fought hard and well,
                                         With great stories to tell.
                                  Stormie, we wish you a wonderful time at the Bridge.

Max

Max's full name is Maxwell Smartkitty, but he is usually called Max or Maxie.  He likes being on the top perch of the kitty condo so much that he even has his Gizzy quilt up there.  That is his spot and all the other kitties better take note of it.  Max was adopted to be a playmate for Tipper, because George wasn't that interested in playing with her.  Max just turned four last month.  George gave Max some mousing lessons when he was very young and now any mouse that gets into the house belongs to Max and Max takes care of them.  He's not interested in eating them, just playing them to death.  When they aren't fun any more, he just leaves them wherever they happen to be and goes off looking for another toy.  This has led to some AIIEEE! moments for his Mom.  One reason that Max likes being on the top perch so much is that it gives him the best view of the birds outside.  He just loves to watch the birds.  He also loves feather toys, though he leaves the feather-butt mousies for Misty.  Well, he does most of the time.

                                Max always heads for the topmost perch.
                                No other kitty better besmirch
                                      His right to be there.
                                      He will take any dare
                                That challenges him as King of the Perch.

Misty

Misty is the youngest member of The Crew.  She was added to the mix in June of 2oo6 at eight weeks old.  She was adopted from the same shelter as Max.  Her Mom and Dad had originally picked another boy kitten, but then found out that he was spoken for.  They went back again and found Misty.  She was being slowly introduced to the others, while living in the bathroom, when she got very sick.  Luckily, none of the other cats caught her virus, but this delayed her introduction for quite some time.  Once she was well, she started tearing around the house and pouncing on tails.  She soon bonded with Tipper and the two of them spend quite a bit of time together.  Misty's very favorite toy is feather-butt mousies.  She plays with then endlessly and loses them under the furniture quite often.  Misty takes good care of her mousies and feeds them occasionally by dropping them in the food bowl, as you can see in the picture.  The other three cats are not too fond of this behavior, but Misty guards her feather-butt until she is sure that it has gotten enough to eat.

                                  Misty just loves her feather-butt mousies.
                                  She chases them all over the housie.
                                          She gives them food,
                                          Though it seems rude,
                                  By in the food bowl dropping her mousies.

George

George just loves being loved.  He is a member of The Crew, along with Max, Tipper and Misty.  George is the oldest kitty and will be 11 in July.  He was adopted from a shelter when he was 10 weeks old, along with his litter-sister, who has gone to the Bridge.  George likes all his siblings, but seems to get along best with Max.  His very favorite food is tuna water and is very disappointed that he now has to share it four ways.  He says that he doesn't get nearly enough of it now.  George has a delicate stomach and only eats dry food.  He does have hairballs, which he usually deposits on the back of the couch.  That's because the back of the couch is his favorite place to sit,  because he can see out the window.  He'll be there, peacefully watching the world go by and, suddenly, up comes a hairball.  His Mom calls the couch the "throw-up couch".  The kitties like to sit on the back of it, but, for some reason, the humans don't sit on it much at all.  George loves to sit with his Dad.  One day George was chilling out with his Dad and his Mom decided to use the hose attachment on the vacuum cleaner to clean up the cat hair and dust in the hard-to-get-at places.  For some reason, she decided to vacuum George, as well.  Much to her surprise, George purred and rolled over on his back to get her to vacuum his tummy, too.

                                     George does not fear the vacuum cleaner.
                                     Other cats may flee; he keeps his demeanor.
                                                 Mom once vacuumed his fur.
                                                 It surprised him and her
                                     That George actually liked the vacuum cleaner.

Dona Nobis Pacem

I think you will need to biggify my Peace Globe to be able to read the limerick.  I do feel strongly that the need for world peace just gets bigger and bigger.  There have been wars of one kind or another going on for almost my entire life and I really want to see an end to it.  If we could all only work together, we could feed the world and end the reasons for strife.  We need to stop fighting among ourselves and find ways to combat global 
warming, or we will all be in deep trouble.  World Peace is a necessity, not a luxury.