Roxy

I should tell you some more about Roxy's family.  It consists of Roxy, Lucky, Mom, Dad and the Boy.  The Mom is Millie's Mom's sister, so Roxy and Lucky are Millie's fur cousins.  Shortly after Lucky was rescued and became part of the family, she made friends with Muffie, but she was too active for Muffie, who was an old dog by this time, to play with much.  It was decided that Lucky needed a playmate and it just so happened that the Mom's favorite pug breeder had a dog who was due to have puppies soon.  All the puppies were very cute and they were having a hard time deciding whether to get another fawn pug, like Lucky, or a black one.  The second picture shows what Roxy did to help them decide.  If that picture doesn't say, "I'm all yours.  Take me home," nothing does. Roxy and Lucky were acclimatized to each other before Roxy even came home.  They had play dates at the breeder's and Lucky loved them.  Roxy also quickly made friends with Muffie and Muffie loved to watch the two puppies play.

Roxy is nicknamed The Devil Dog.  How did she get such a name?  Roxy loves to get into mischief.  She will dump the trash and pick out tissues and then shred them and spread the pieces all over the house.  She has been known to leave her "business" in front of the shower door, where Mom is sure to step in it.  Roxy loves to look out of the window and has decided that the best place to do this in on top of the kitchen table.  She has no trouble at all jumping from the floor to a chair and then up on the table.  The problem is that once she has finished looking, she can't figure out how to get down again.  She whines until someone comes by to lift her down to the floor.  The top picture shows Roxy up on the kitchen table with the window she likes to look out of behind her.

                                         Roxy likes to jump on the table.
                                         There to look out the window she's able.
                                                     She can't get back down
                                                     And this makes her frown,
                                        So she whines until someone lifts her off the table.

Lucky

This is Lucky doing her favorite thing in the whole world, sleeping with the Boy.  Lucky absolutely adores the Boy and goes to bed with him every night.  She spends as much time as possible with him.  Lucky is a fawn pug, born to a breeder who raised show dogs.  However, Lucky was born partially deaf, so that meant she couldn't be a show dog.  The breeder was rather disappointed and just kept Lucky in a crate, where she got mange.  Lucky's Mom-to-be heard about Lucky from another breeder when she was looking for a pug, because one of the two she had had for a very long time had gone to the Bridge, and she knew she had to take her home as soon as she saw her.  Lucky was four and a half months old at this time and had seldom been out of her crate.  Lucky was overjoyed to be able to run around and play with the Boy.  She got her name because she was lucky to be adopted by this family and they were lucky to have found her.  She was soon cured of her mange.  Lucky does have some problems left over from her early treatment.  She can't run as fast as Roxy; she has trouble going up and down stairs and she can't jump up on the couch or bed.  None of this stops her from being one of the sweetest dogs ever.  She was a great comfort to Muffie, who was the remaining pug of the original two, and she adores everyone in her family, but dotes on the Boy the most.  Last fall, Lucky met Luxor through blogging and the two of them really hit it off.  If you haven't read about the amazing Road Trip for Love, you really ought to check it out.  It starts on Roxy and Lucky's blog at the end of October.

                                           Lucky is as sweet as she can be.
                                           She never gets into trouble, not she.
                                                   She sleeps with the Boy.
                                                   It's her favorite joy.
                                          Is Luxor second?  That could be.

Trixie

Here is Trixie sitting on her new perch that she got for Christmas.  Now she can see all the birds out the screen door.  Trixie is the largest cat at Top Cat Rules, but as you can see, she is not fat, just big.  She loves to play Thundering Herd of Elephants and to wrestle with Pyewacket.  She just turned four years old.  I get the distinct impression that, despite her size advantage, she doesn't always win the wresting matches with Pyewacket.  She arrived from the shelter for Allesandro's thirteenth birthday and is very attached to him.

                                    Trixie is a giant cat.
                                    Thundering Herd of Elephants is something she is good at.
                                              She wrestles Pyewacket,
                                              Though she is not in her bracket.
                                    Tigger watches the loser get pinned to the mat.

Tigger

Tigger is on the left, giving sage advice to Trixie when she was just a kitten.  Tigger is the oldest cat at Top Cat Rules and the one least likely to get into mischief.  I get the feeling that when Pyewacket starts tearing around the house, Tigger finds a good out-of-the-way spot and just watches.

                                   There is a smart old cat named Tigger.
                                   Her Fount of Wisdom just gets bigger and bigger.
                                           She has no wish to rule,
                                           But she likes to school
                                   The younger cats in the Wisdom of Tigger.

Merry Christmas

Well, it's not a very good picture, but at least now you know what I look like.  A very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you.

Opus and Roscoe, Part 2

Here are Opus and Roscoe being held by their Grandma, who loves them very much.  I told my limericker to take some time off, as I was just going to post my Christmas greeting tonight and then not post again until after Christmas, so of course, it presented me with another limerick for Opus and Roscoe.  It seems only fair that two cats should get two limericks.

                                  Opus and Roscoe are Italian gatti.
                                  They would love to live on pizzas and gelatti.
                                             They nap in the sun
                                             Until day is done,
                                  Then party all night until it's time for their latte.

Opus and Roscoe

That's Roscoe on the left and Opus on the right.  They are litter brothers who do everything together.  They have never been apart since the day they were born on a farm in 1995.  They were very attached to each other as kittens and the lady on whose farm they were born was determined to have them adopted together.  Finally they were the last kittens left from the litter and things were not looking good for them, because it looked like no one wanted two kittens.  Then one day, someone came along and knew just what to do.  Opus and Roscoe were a Christmas present to their Mom, who loves them very much.  A few years ago they and their Mom moved to Italy, where they still live.  They started blogging two years ago, on their tenth birthday.  They have had many exciting adventures in Italy, including sneaking out to go visiting Milan and Pisa while their Mom and Dad were away.  They have a second story terrace, where they love basking in the sun.  Their latest adventure has been working on CCSI and they are wonderful at it.    They wrote The Missing Kitty Caper and produced The Santa Caper.  They also help out with the photography.

                                      Opus and Roscoe work for CCSI.
                                      It sounded like fun, so they gave it a try.
                                          They produce and write
                                          And make pictures just right.
                                      They really are good at CCSI.

Pyewacket

This is Pyewacket, all stretched out on the carpet.  She's ten months old now and arrived in her forever home last May.  She is a seal-point Old Fashioned Siamese and has the famous Meezer voice, which she uses lots.  She loves to play and taught herself to play fetch with her mousies, her favorite toys.  Sometimes she tosses and fetches her mousies by herself, but she much prefers company when she plays.  She lives with her two sisters, Tigger and Trixie.  Pyewacket is quite a mischief-maker and gets into all sorts of things.  She likes to climb the drapes and tear around the house like her butt was on fire, occasionally bouncing off the walls and furniture.  She loves her sisters and snuggles with them quite a bit, but she likes to pounce on them, too.  She likes to watch birds out the window and yowls at them.  She has the idea that if she sneezes on people food, it becomes her food.  This doesn't work too well, but she keeps trying.  Pyewacket was named after the Siamese cat in Bell, Book and Candle and tries very hard to live up to her name.

                                      There is a Siamese kitten named Pyewacket,
                                      And, boy, can she ever cause a racket!
                                               She tears down the hall,
                                               Bounces off of a wall,
                                      Then yowls for attention, does Pyewacket.

Golden Rose

Black Cat gave me this lovely golden rose some time ago, but I am just now getting around to posting about it.  Miss Peach gave them out at her tea party (which I missed, unfortunately) and said that they are magic roses.  If you put them in water overnight, they will turn into six golden roses which you can give to anyone you think has a peachy heart of gold.  Several kitties have already given them out to the entire Cat Blogosphere, so I will just invite anyone who would like one to take it.  Thank you so very much, Black Cat.  I really appreciate it.

UPDATE:  I have been thinking about this and there some humans that I think really deserve this award.  Thumper took in a stray kitten and kept her in the garage while searching high and low for her people.  When she decided that the kitten had no people, she found a good home for her, even though Thumper really wanted to keep the kitten.  She did this because she knew that Max would be stressed by the addition of a new family member and that could adversely affect his health.  She put Max first, which shows her heart of gold.  Tina-P is devoting her blog right now to people who were hit really hard by recent flooding and is being instrumental in getting them the help they need, showing her heart of gold.  ML, Missy and KC's Mom, took in Dinah and is still taking care of her and her Mites, which is quite a job, and now she has taken in Momma Tortie and her two kittens, making for a houseful.  That takes a real heart of gold.

Tillie

This is Tillie in her favorite box.  She barely fits, but she loves to climb in and stay a while.  Actually, Tillie loves to climb into about any box or basket she can find.  Tillie is four years old and lives with Mickey and Georgia, her littermate.  Tillie is the shy one of the trio.  Georgia likes to tease her.  Tillie likes to play with Georgia some, but she seems more at ease lounging in a box or snuggling with the Mom.  When they all go out to the porch, Tillie has a box there that she likes to spend time in.

                                  There's a box in which Tillie likes to sit,
                                  Though she can barely climb into it.
                                                 It makes her smile
                                                 To stay there a while.
                                 It's warm and cozy and just a fit.

Georgia

Georgia's favorite place is out in the enclosed porch.  It's almost like being outside, but without the dangers.  Georgia just loves to stretch out on the floorboards and soak up the sun.  Two years ago Georgia and Tillie's first Mom, an older lady, went to the Bridge and Mickey's Mom adopted them.  They are littermates and are now four years old.  Georgia and Tillie love to play together and Georgia likes to pounce on Tillie.  Georgia also occasionally pounces Mickey, but she knows that he doesn't really like it and doesn't do it often.  Georgia also likes to curl up in baskets and boxes to nap.  Georgia is a polydactyl tortie with extra toes on all four paws.  Her front paws look quite a bit like mittens.

                                 Georgia likes to stretch out on the porch
                                 With the fierce hot sun her fur to scorch.
                                           No, wait, that's a dream;
                                           It's cold as ice cream
                                 This time of year outside on the porch.

Mickey

Here is Mickey getting ready to chomp a blade of grass that his Mom got for him outside.  Mickey loves grass, but he stays inside, so Mom has to go get it for him and feed it to him one blade at a time.  He really has her trained well.  In 1993, Mickey's Mom had just lost a long-time kitty and was at the vet's filling out some paperwork.  The vet lady asked her if she would be getting another cat and the Mom answered that she would know when the time was right for that and she wanted another long-haired black cat.  Just then they both heard a loud meow and the Mom remarked that some patient wasn't enjoying his treatment.  The vet lady said that it wasn't a patient, but a kitten waiting for adoption and it was a black kitten, but it was a short-hair.  The Mom said she would take a look.  The kitten was Mickey and as soon as he saw the Mom he stretched out both his arms to her as far as he could reach and meowed really loudly.  To the Mom it sounded like, "Take me home!" and so she did.  Mickey has two four-year old sisters whose companionship he enjoys, though he doesn't play with them.  At fourteen, he much prefers lying in the sunshine, watching the critters outside and snuggling with his Mom to playing.

                                        Mickey loves having grass to eat.
                                        His Mom brings it inside as a treat.
                                               He finds it sublime.
                                               One blade at a time,
                                         His Mom feeds him his grassy treat.

Pickle

I chose this picture of Turtle and Pickle together for two reasons.  First, some of you expressed concern about Turtle's shave and hoped that he wouldn't be too cold this winter.  This picture was taken in October and as you can see, Turtle's fur is growing back just fine.  He is probably pretty floofy again by now.  Second, I wanted to show you that Pickle has been accepted as part of the family, despite her tendency to whap sleeping kitties and even chew on their ears a bit.  Pippin and Turtle's Mom and another lady she knows found Pickle on September 9, 2007.  She was in a bad way, so the Mom took her home, then to the vet.  She had no diseases, but had a bunch of fleas and was severly dehydrated and starving.  She was about 8 or 9 weeks old and had been without food for so long that she had to be force-fed for the first day to get her to eat again.  The vet gave her sub-q fluids to rehydrate her, treated her for fleas and sent her home with the Mom.  In two days, she had started to eat on her own and by September 13th she had discovered that she really liked Stinky Goodness and managed to eat a whole half can with no prompting at all.  Pickle had an old injury, which had healed, but it hurt her back legs a bit and she still walks a bit differently from other cats.  It doesn't slow her down, though.  By early October, she was tearing around the house and bugging the heck out of her two new brothers.  The other lady who helped rescue her wants her and she may go to live with her, or she may stay with Turtle and Pippin.  Either way, she has a good home now.

                                     Pickle was a kitten lost and forlorn,
                                     Flea-ridden and hungry, then one blessed morn
                                              Two ladies found her
                                              And let love surround her.
                                    Now she has a home and of woe is shorn.

Pippin

I wasn't even going to try to write a limerick yesterday, but this one came to me at work, which is where I write most of my limericks.  I have some very routine stuff to do every day and my mind is free to wander.  I was researching Pippin before the sadness started, so it was just simmering in my mind until it could take shape.  I won't push the limericks, but if they want to come, I'll post them.

I like this picture of Pippin because it shows off his mancatly toes and his handsome face.  Pippin lives with Turtle and Pickle.  Pippin is actually very active, but he is able and willing to take a nap anytime, anywhere.  He likes to get up high and watch things at times, but he finds it very difficult to resist a good sunspot on the floor.

                                         Pippin is a cat who likes to nap.
                                         He'll quickly doze off in someone's lap.
                                                  A sunspot on the floor
                                                  Provides warmth galore,
                                         Then Pickle comes by to give him a whap.

I'm Back

I'm sort of back, anyway.  I don't have any new limericks yet, but I'll get to work on them again.  I have been offline since Thursday night, due to going to the funeral ceremonies for my sister-in-law and then getting sick.  I'm well again; it was just one of those two-day sieges of the digestive system.  The ceremonies were beautiful.  There were so many people at the chapel for the funeral that many people had to stand.  I'm not surprised.  My lovely sister-in-law touched many, many people in so many wonderful ways.  I'll get back to visiting some tonight.  I will thank each of you individually, but I want to thank you all collectively as well for all the thoughtful and kind comments you have left me at this difficult time.  I love you all.

She's Gone

My sister-in-law died early in the morning on December 4.  I won't be posting any new limericks for a while.  I'll try to get back visiting soon, but I just don't have the heart for it right now.  I do want you all to know that I really appreciate the support you have shown me during her illness.

I do want to sincerely wish a  Happy Hanukkah to all you Jewish kitties and beans.  I'll see you all again soon.

Turtle

Here are Turtle's before and after pictures of his shave.  Turtle had a persistent case of ringworm and had to be completely shaved to get rid of it.  Hopefully, it is all gone now and won't come back.  Turtle lives with Pippin, another orange kitty, and Pickles, a tuxie kitten.  Pippin and Turtle took some time go get used to having a kitten running around the house, but they all get along fine now.  Turtle is a pretty happy cat, but he does have one pet peeve.  He really hates it when he sees an intruder cat in his yard.  He hates it so much that he has been known to bite the people in the house to express his displeasure.  Turtle will lie on the floor and play on the floor, but when it comes time to nap, he has to get up higher.  You will never catch him sleeping on the floor.

                                    Turtle had to go in for a shaving
                                    Because his ouchies were misbehaving.
                                                   Now they've gone away
                                                   And I hope they stay
                                   Far away from Turtle with their misbehaving.

Loki

This is what Loki looked like after he decided to explore the fireplace.  His Mom managed to get him all cleaned up again.  Loki is two years old and loves to get into mischief.  He is a Maine Coon and he is getting really big.  I think he is now the biggest cat in the house, which is an accomplishment because there are seven other cats living with him.  Loki was adopted after the other Maine Coon in the house went to the Rainbow Bridge and the Mom felt that she really needed a Maine Coon in the mix.  She went to the breeder the other cat had come from and fell in love with Loki and brought him home.  Poor Loki found himself very lonely, as the other cats didn't want to have anything to do with a rambunctious, very floofy kitten.  The Mom and Dad called the breeder to see if there were any more kittens still available and there were.  This time the Dad did the picking, because he had always wanted to have a cat he could name Monkey.  As it turned out, the kitten he picked turned out to be Loki's litter-brother.  The two of them recognized each other at once and have been gleefully together ever since.  The name of Loki's litter-brother became Monkee and you may remember that he is the one who likes to sit in a frying pan on the stove to keep warm.  Loki is very agile, but has trouble with his jumps sometimes.  He has grown so quickly that his self-image of how big he is hasn't kept up with how big he actually is.  Sometimes he will try to jump into a space that is too small for him and his front paws make it, but there is no room for his back paws and he falls.  As a pair, Loki and Monkee are known as the Doofi (pronounced doof-eye), the plural of doofus, as they are quite a pair.

                                       Loki decided to explore the fireplace.
                                       He got black soot on his head and face.
                                                    His Mom got him clean,
                                                    But does this mean
                                       That Loki will now avoid the fireplace?

Rosie

Here is Rosie looking cute in her basket.  Rosie is seven months old now and is developing quite a personality.  She is a very punctual cat.  She knows when her meal times are and goes to her bowl in the kitchen when it is time to eat.  She knows when Gattina usually goes to bed and gets quite agitated if Gattina decides to stay up late.  She plays and naps at the same times every day.  She goes outside twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, unless the weather is wet.  Then she stays inside.  Rosie has also decided to become a house redecorator.  She loves to play with her little mice, but when she is through playing with them, she puts them in or near the food bowls in the kitchen.  She sometimes chews the tails off her mice, then festoons them in the most unusual places.  She once arranged all the toys under the coffee table in the living room.  She put Gattina's ballpoint pen under Gattina's pillow.  The other cats nap all over the house, but Rosie almost always naps in her basket.

                                   Rosie likes to redo the house.
                                   That place over there needs a mouse.
                                            The feather wand goes there,
                                            The ball under a chair,
                                   The ballpoint under a pillow, and on through the house.

Chase

Diamond Emerald-Eyes requested a limerick for Chase, so here it is.  I read Chase's whole blog, but never found out whether she is a ladycat or he is a mancat.  The only other Chase I know is a mancat, so I will opt for using "he" as a pronoun to refer to Chase.  UPDATE:  I found out, with a lot of help in the comments, that Chase is a ladycat, so I have changed all the "he"s to "she"s.  Thank you everyone.  This is a picture of Chase napping in the car.  She loves to go for car rides and often naps in the car.  Chase is a very special kitty.  When she was around four months old, she was hit by a car.  A very nice man took her to a vet clinic and left some money to help pay for her expenses.  Chase ended up losing a hind leg and, due to the trauma of the accident, her eyelids, nose and all the skin on her face just sloughed off.  Plastic surgery was tried twice, but didn't work.  Chase's face may look raw, but it is just tissue and she is in no pain.  Melissa had just started working at the vet clinic when Chase was brought in and she became her patient.  She would take her home with her at night and on the weekends, so she wouldn't be lonely.  Melissa ended up adopting Chase because she just fell in love with her.  Because she has no nose, Chase has no sense of smell, so she tastes things to learn more about them.  She has a kitty brother and two doggy sisters.  She would love to groom all of them, but Zooey, her kitty brother, doesn't like it, so Chase mostly grooms the dogs.  Because she has no eyelids, Chase must have drops put in her eyes several times a day.  She also likes to nap in dark places, like under the bed.  She has discovered that under the covers, curled up against her mom is the very best place to sleep.  Chase has recently joined Paws for Friendship and is now a therapy cat.  She loves going out and meeting new people and other therapy pets.  She has the cutest pink harness with little angel wings on it to wear on her trips.

                            Chase really likes to ride in the car.
                            It means she will meet new friends near and far.
                                           She's in Paws for Friendship
                                           And feels a kinship
                            To the people and pets she meets near and far.

Award and Fun Stuff

My good friend Roxy, the Devil Dog gave me this award.  I am really excited about it because it is "presented to a successful blogger, one who can “be the blog” - making it their own, staying with it, interacting with the readers, and just plain having fun."  I would like to pass this award on to Max, the Psychokitty, as he has been doing all of this longer than any of us.

I don't remember where I first saw this, but I got a real kick out of it.  Congratulations to all my readers, because you are all really smart!  Isn't that great?

Get a Cash Advance

The weird thing is that the first time I tried this (at Black Cat's blog), the result was Genius.  I guess I posted some less than genius stuff recently.  Chuckle.

Maggy

This is Maggy of Zoolatry giving her opinion of dressing up in clothes of any sort.  Maggy is a Himalayan and has a very long, thick coat.  This means that she and Zoey have to be professionally groomed every few months to keep looking their best.  They don't like it much, but they are very pleased with the results.  Maggy and Zoey are also very fond of the grandkids and can be seen snoozing with one of them in their latest post.

                             Sweet little Maggy doesn't like to wear clothes.
                             Her Mom has tried it often enough, Heaven knows.
                                     So virtually
                                     Is the way it must be.
                             It is the only way sweet Maggy wears clothes.

Donny

First, some sad news.  Kallie, big sister to Jeter Harris and Mickey Mantle, has gone to the Bridge.  Please visit them and give them some comfort.

I timed this limerick just right, because I got to snag this picture of Donny raising his paw for the Kidney Foundation of Canada.  This group helped Donny's Mom with her kidney transplant.  Donny is Marie's and Casey's brother.  He and Marie were adopted together two years ago from a rescue group.  It is very likely that Donny and Marie and littermates.  Donny loves to protect the house from any insects who invade.  He also likes to play with anything at all that has feathers on it.  Donny and Marie were adopted as company for Casey, who was really missing her big sister, Missy, who had gone to the Bridge.  Casey wasn't to thrilled with the two three-month old kittens at first, especially as they considered her tail to be the best toy ever.  They all get along pretty well now, even though Donny still considers Casey's tail to be a wonderful toy.  Donny loves his Mom best.  Whenever she sits at the computer, he will come up to her and give a mournful cry until she stops what she is doing to give him pets and scritches.  Donny is a little jealous of his Mom.  If he sees another kitty getting a lot of attention from her, he will go over and get some of the attention for himself.  Donny and Marie love to wrestle with each other.  Casey is content to sit and watch.

                                   There is a young Whitester cat named Donny,
                                   Who will pounce a feather with a "Hey, nonny-nonny!"
                                            He'll pounce Casey's tail,
                                            At which she will rail.
                                  Then he'll wrestle Marie, will young Whitester Donny.

Casey

The top picture is of Casey showing off her beautiful tummy.  I love the way she matches the carpet.  Casey is what you might call a mostly Meezer.  She has the Meezer points, build and voice, but her fur is a bit fluffier than most Meezers, though not as fluffy as a Himalayan and her tummy is a bit stripey.  She is a rescued feral and is very glad to have a forever home, even though she has to share it will Donny and Marie.  The second picture is some of Casey's handiwork at improving the house decor.  Casey loves socks and will pull them out of the dirty clothes hamper to carry them around the house and use them to decorate.  She is especially apt to do this when her Mom and Dad have left her alone with Donny and Marie for what she considers too long a time.  She will pull socks out of the hamper when her Mom and Dad are home, too.  Casey tolerates her younger siblings, though she is not terribly fond of them.  She loves catnip and will guard her catnip mouse zealously.  Casey sometimes cries when she is carrying socks around in her mouth and that leads into the limerick.

                           Casey, Meezer Diva, sings opera with socks.
                           She puts them everywhere; her decor rocks.
                                  She has tears in her eyes
                                  As she carries her prize.
                           She cries and she sings as she carries her socks.

Obi

This is Obi of Forty Paws on his very favorite cat tree.  Obi was another victim of the Crazy Cat Lady, born with Feline Herpes1, which means that he gets huge eye goobers in his right eye, which have to be wiped away frequently, and his nose runs quite a bit.  He was kept in a cage in the Crazy Cat Lady's garage for the first nine months of his life, along with Reno, Sally and Smokey.  When Obi, Sally and Smokey got horrible diarrhea, they were adopted out to another lady, who didn't keep up with their medication, and they finally ended up with Maw and Paw, who did keep up the medication and finally got the diarrhea under control.  Then Obi developed a horrible bladder infection which resulted in his getting a penile urethrostomy.  He had to wear the biggest, most uncomfortable-looking e-collar I have ever seen until he had healed up, so he wouldn't lick his privates and get scar tissue which would have made peeing very uncomforable for him.  After all that, you would expect him to be a slightly grumpy cat, but Obi is a very happy cat.  He doesn't like having his eye goobers removed, or his ears cleaned or being brushed frequently to prevent matts from developing in his armpits, but he puts up with it in good grace.  He bounces when he walks and loves to be loved.  When he first arrived at Forty Paws, he couldn't jump or climb, from being confined for so long, but you should see him now.  When he wakes up each morning, he races around the house, then climbs every cat tree, just because he can.  He is a bit afraid of things and believes in pre-emptive whapping.  If he doesn't like the way another cat is looking at him, he whaps them.  He also whaps other cats when he wants in the food bowl they are already eating from, or if they are in Maw's lap and he wants to be in Maw's lap.  Obi loves to wrestle with Sally, Reno and Smokey, but not with the other cats.  He is the only floofy cat at Forty Paws and leaves fur everywhere.  This gives him a bit of a hairball problem, but Maw is really good at keeping it under control.

                                 Obi is a cat who is happy.
                                 He loves to sit in his Maw's lappy.
                                       He runs through the room
                                       With a bounce in his zoom
                                 And climbs all the cat trees to show he is happy.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, all of you who celebrate it.  May you have a wonderful day full of family and friends and good food.  Things have been kind of rough for me lately, so I decided I better think of the things that I am thankful for.  I am thankful for in-home hospice, so that my sister-in-law and brother can spend as much time together as possible.  I am thankful that my brother has a job which let him save up his vacation days and take them now, so he can stay home with his wife.  I am thankful that my older nephew now has a wife and two lovely boys, to help him get through this difficult time.  I am thankful that when my Mother fell three weeks ago she only cracked a vertebra and didn't break anything, like her pelvis.  I am thankful for all our wonderful friends, who are making sure that my Mother gets to her doctor appointments.  I am thankful that my Mother is beginning to feel a bit better.  I am thankful for all my online friends, who have helped me so much during the bad times and provide me with so much good cheer all the time.  I am thankful that I have Thanksgiving Day and Friday off, so I can cook a good meal for my Mother and me, then rest up a bit, because I am exhausted.  Grin.  There is nothing like working in a grocery store the week before Thanksgiving to make you grateful that the big day has finally arrived.

Eric

Here is Eric playing with his favorite toy, Scruffy Rat.  Eric has had Scruffy Rat since he was a little kitten and he loves it dearly.  It is losing its fur and most of the stuffing has come out, but Eric refuses all attempts to get him a replacement.  He carries it around in his mouth, tosses it into the air, puts the bitey on it, bunny kicks it and uses it for a pillow to nap on.  Eric and Flynn are litter brothers and they are approximately the same size, but Eric weighs 21 pounds and Flynn weighs 13 pounds.  They both get exactly the same food in the same amounts, though Eric does eat more mice than Flynn.  That's because Flynn would rather catch the mice than eat them, so he gives them to Eric after he catches them, though Flynn does eat some himself.  The main difference is that Flynn is more active than Eric.  Eric would rather nap than run, while Flynn is always chasing after prey and climbing trees.  Eric can run and chase prey and climb trees, he just doesn't like doing it as much as Flynn does.

                                     Eric loves the rat which is scruffy.
                                     It's losing its fur and is not very fluffy.
                                            He carries it around
                                            And sleeps with it, sound.
                                     It's his favorite toy when he wants to play rough-y.

Flynn

Eric and Flynn are two Engligh cats who live in the country near Plymouth.  Their Mum and Dad board horses, so there is plenty of room for them to roam around and enjoy the outside.  Flynn is the best hunter of the two and he loves to catch mice.  In the first picture he has discovered a mouse in the hedge and is zeroing in on it.  In the second picture, Flynn is in danger of having his butt snuffled by a horse while he is concentrating on getting the mouse.  In this case, the horse only watched, but on other occasions a horse has snuffled Flynn's butt, which causes him to jump really high in the air because it's a scary thing to have happen.  Flynn's favorite toy is a catnip carrot, which he has no intention of sharing with Eric.  Eric does grab it once in a while, but Flynn always gets it back.  Flynn catches mice, rats and moles on a regular basis.  He caught a snake once, which scared his Mum half to death, because there are poisonous vipers where they live.  The one Flynn caught turned out to be harmless, though.  Flynn is very generous with his catches and usually gives the mice to Eric to eat.  Once in a while, Flynn catches a bird, which makes his Mum unhappy.  If she sees him in time, she takes the bird away and lets it go again.  Other times, Flynn has eaten the bird before being seen.

                              Flynn is a cat who runs mice through their courses,
                              Except when interrupted by butt-snuffling horses.
                                            Then he jumps up far
                                            And the mice laugh, "Har!  Har!"
                               Then Flynn goes back to running mice through their courses.

7 Facts Meme

I was tagged by Black Cat to do the seven random facts meme.  Here are the rules:

* Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog;

* Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself;

* Tag 7 random people at the end of your post & include links to their blogs;

* Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

I am having some trouble coming up with seven random facts about me that I haven't mentioned before and that would at least be interesting.

1.  I really, really like Doctor Who.  I have copies of the entire original series and am now collecting the new series as it comes out.  I also have the novels, the audios of the missing stories and most of the Big Finish audios.

2. I don't have to trim my hair, except to even it off.  It grows down to the middle of my back and stops.

3. I am clumsy with my feet.  I have broken most of my toes and six of my metatarsals at various times, starting when I was a child and slid into first base playing whiffleball.  First base was a tree.  I broke my left big toe.

4.  I love musicals and have quite a bunch of them on tape and DVD.

5. I am a night person.  I don't do well early in the morning at all.  I volunteered to work the afternoon-evening shift all the time, much to the delight of my co-workers, who hate working the last shift in the deli.

6. I like working jigsaw puzzles.  I used to spend a lot of time at JigZone before I started blogging.

7. I love reading science fiction, fantasy and mysteries.  Every once in a while I will read a history book, a biography, or a science book, but mostly I read fiction.

I will tag:

Aelou, Chancy, Vincent and Mike, Sly, Nikita and Angus.

Zoey

Here is little Zoey helping her Dad with his files.  Zoey is around 2o months old and a blue point Himalayan.  She is a small cat and likes it that way, all the better to fit into Dad's lap and arms.  She also fits very well on Dad's desk, so she can help him with his work.  In case you haven't noticed yet, Zoey really loves her Dad and he loves her right back.  Zoey has a crooked little fang that sticks out of her mouth and gives her a very amusing expression.  It's impossible to look at that face and not smile.  Besides sitting on or with her Dad, Zoey loves to sit in the window and watch the lizards.  She has found a certain window that has a plethora of lizards to watch.  Zoey is also the first cat to get into stuff.  If the doorbell rings, she runs to see who is there.  If she hears a faucet drip, she is right there to investigate.  If she finds an open drawer, she is in it in a minute, searching for treasure.  Treasure for Zoey is things like Q-tips and cotton balls, which she thinks make great toys.  Zoey is also very special in that she appears on two blogs.  She and Maggy both appear all the time on Zoolatry and she also makes quite a few appearances on Cat in the Bag, her Dad's blog.

                                      Zoey is a kitty who loves her Dad.
                                      Just being with him makes her glad.
                                               She helps with his files,
                                               Which makes him all smiles.
                                      She snuggles in his lap, 'cause she loves her Dad.

Emma

Emma lives with two other kitties, Benji and Marley, and a woofie named Sammy. She was born outside in 2006, but was rescued along with her Mom and siblings. She lives with Kat now and loves it. Her very favorite toy is crumpled up paper balls, but her second favorite is bubbles. She also really loves catnip. She is blind in one eye, but it happened when she was such a tiny kitten that it hasn't affected her at all. Emma also shares her home with foster kitties from time to time.

                                                Emma really loves to play with bubbles.
                                                When Benji joins in her enjoyment doubles.
                                                            She could chase and play
                                                            With bubbles all day,
                                                 As long as Kat keeps blowing bubbles.

Yoggie

Here is Yoggie doing one of his favorite things, walking on the fence.  There are two very nice videos of his fence-walking abilities here.  Yoggie was named after a yoghurt made with wild strawberries that his Mom and Dad really like.  He was adopted from a shelter in Germany in 2006, but now lives in Sweden.  He really likes the bigger house and garden.  The only problem is that the house where they live now used to belong to a couple of cats who now live next door.  They still think of the garden as theirs and Yoggie has had several fights with them.  Unfortunately one of the two cats, the white one, has now run away and Yoggie feels bad about that.  Hopefully someone has taken him in and he is safe now.  Yoggie likes to play tennis with his toy mousies.  He loves hunting bugs and birds in his garden.  He has even made friends with a hedgehog who came to visit.  Yoggie and Gretchen write poetry to one another as they conduct a long-distance romance.  It is really very sweet.

                                              Yoggie really likes to walk on the fence,
                                              Though seeing him there makes his Mom wince.
                                                             He balances fine
                                                             As he walks the line.
                                              Yoggie is really good at walking the fence.

                                       

Nubee Wan Kenobi

This is Nubee Wan Kenobi, Jedi cat, chilling out between parties and adventures.  Sometimes he spells his name Nubi Wan Kenobi.  He is very strong in the Force, so strong that no one can see his Jedi robes or light-saber unless he wants them to.  He is also a charter member of Pooses for Peace and Bite and Run.  Being very brave, he usually leads the charge during Bite and Run attacks.  Onlookers occasionally catch a flash of him in his Jedi robes, waving his light-saber, at these times.

                                  Nubee Wan Kenobi is a Jedi kitty.
                                  When he waves his light-saber, it's really pretty.
                                              Get out of the way
                                              When he enters the fray,
                                   'Cause he leads the Bite and Run Committee.

Miss Boo

This is Miss Boo with the tiara that one of Queen Elizabeth's corgies gave her.  She was dating this corgi for a while, but it was all a devious plot.  She dumped the two royal corgies in the Louvre during the heist there to try to shift the blame for the missing artwork onto them.  Miss Boo is quite an adventuress and very light-pawed.  She loves to party with the glitterati, who then discover that various bits of jewelry (especially earrings), watches and designer sunglasses go missing.  She is a charter member of Pooses for Peace and Bite and Run.  She had a wonderful birthday bash at Moulin Rouge recently, which led into the heist at the Louvre.  Miss Boo throws awesome parties, but watch your jewelry.

                                It is so much fun to party with Boo,
                                But wear cheap earrings whenever you do.
                                        They may disappear,
                                        Right off of your ear,
                               If you wear diamond earrings to party with Boo.

Zevo Calamari

I would like to thank every one who voted for me in the 2007 Weblog Awards.  I got 64 votes, which I think is great.  I didn't win, but I feel very honored to have been a finalist.

Here is Zevo Calamari relaxing on the laundry between adventures.  She lives with Miss Boo and Nubee Wan Kenobi in Salem, Mass., along with a pet human or two.  Zevo is an activist cat and has organized the Pooses for Peace movement along with the Bite and Run campaign to show certain people just what the kitties think of them.  The three of them also like to party hardy and teleport all over the world having fun, when they are not busy with their activism.  If you would like to join Pooses for Peace or Bite and Run, Zevo would be happy to hear from you.  You can even take lessons in the best tactics for Bite and Run.  Karl Rove found out more than he wanted to know about Bite and Run last August.

                                  Zevo Calamari has a lot of class.
                                  She bit Karl Rove right on the -- ask
                                          Karl Rove just where
                                          The teeth laid him bare.
                                  Then three kitties in black ran off through the grass.

Dandelion

Here is Dandelion, waiting for someone to turn on the water, so he can get a drink.  Dandelion lives with Prince Muddy Paws and Myst.  At eighteen years old, he is the oldest cat in the house and the biggest.  He is the Alpha cat, though Myst gets big ideas about that sometimes.  Dandelion is a very gentle cat and never uses his size to lord it over the other cats.  Dandelion lived his first year as an outside cat and may miss being outside at times.  The human staff have to watch out for him when a door is opened, as sometimes he thinks about going outside.  He likes to watch everything out the window.  In spite of his age, he is very healthy, except for his hearing.  He started losing his hearing some time ago and is now completely deaf.  He compensates for this by being very watchful.  He used to listen for the car to tell him that the staff was coming home, but now he sits by the window and watches for the car.  Being deaf gives him one advantage.  He now enjoys watching the lightning during a thunderstorm, while Muddy and Myst hide under the bed.  He also enjoys watching fireworks.

                                     Dandelion actually likes July.
                                     He enjoys watching fireworks light up the sky.
                                            He can't hear the boomies
                                            That make his two roomies
                                     Hide under the bed out of sight of the sky.

Dona Nobis Pacem

I almost forgot that today was the day.  Many thanks to Sanni for making my globe for me.

Myst

Writing about Gemini and Georgia reminded me of two other cats who have been neglected.  I wrote about Prince Muddy Paws last July, but never wrote about the two other cats who live with him.  This is Myst, a tiny shaded silver Persian.  Terry (the Mom) says that Myst is the smallest Persian she has ever seen.  Myst has never been the healthiest of cats and that is one of the reasons Terry adopted him.  She felt that he needed a good home, so he would be well taken care of.  Last spring he started getting one urinary tract infection after another and was acting a bit grumpy, which wasn't really like him.  Finally the vet found that he had two kidney stones, which were surgically removed last July.  It took Myst a while to recover from the surgery and a bit of an adverse reaction to the antibiotic he was on afterwards, but now he is more active than he had been in a year.  He is healthier than he has been in a long time and is feeling really good.  Myst has always had a lot of fire in his personality and it is really showing up now.  Not too long ago the neighbor's dog, who is about ten times Myst's size, got out of his yard and came over to look through the storm door.  Myst let out a screech that brought Terry and Muddy running to see what was the matter and there was Myst, threatening the life of this big dog, tail puffed up and all his fur standing out.  Myst also thinks that he should be the Alpha cat, though Dandelion fills that position, being the oldest and biggest cat in the house.  Every once in a while, Myst challenges Dandelion, but Dandelion doesn't have any trouble rolling Myst over.  Myst and Muddy chase each other all over the house and pounce on each other all the time.  Myst also loves to be brushed. Anytime he sees that Muddy is getting brushed, Myst jumps up to get in on the action. Myst's favorite place to sleep in on the computer monitor, until he gets too warm, then he claims Terry's favorite chair.  Myst will also lie or sit in front of the storm door for hours, watching the world go by.  He especially likes to watch the leaves blowing by in the fall.  Myst is a great bug hunter and will pounce on any bug that gets into the house, if Muddy doesn't spot it first.

                                         Myst is a tiny cat full of fire.
                                         To be top kitty is his desire.
                                               He's always tryin'
                                               To best Dandelion,
                                         But Dandelion always thwarts his desire.

Georgia

Georgia lives with Cheysuli and Gemini.  She is quite elderly and has a benign brain tumor.  It doesn't bother her much, but it has made her quite unsteady on her feet and unable to jump like she used to.  Her favorite napping place is on the bed and when she became unable to get up there any more, her Mom got her a nice set of stairs, covered with a sheepskin-like material, which gives her added traction, to get up to the bed again.  She spends a great deal of her time napping, but she still loves to go outside with her Mom to sniff around.  She loves the fact that she gets to eat as much as she likes whenever she likes.  She gets to eat alone much of the time, so the other cats don't bother her.  She also likes it that Gemini and Cheysuli get in trouble if they bother her, but if she decides to pick on them a bit, she gets praised for being feisty.  Life is good for Georgia and she is enjoying it.

                                      Georgia is an elderly lady.
                                      She has a brain tumor, which makes her unsteady.
                                              She has stairs so neat
                                              And soft for her feet
                                     To go up to the bed when to nap she's ready.

Gemini

Yes, Gemini, it's finally your turn.  Cheysuli let me know several days ago that Gemini was feeling left out because I hadn't written a limerick for her yet.  Gemini has been coming by every day since then to check.  Gemini is about 2 1/2 years old now.  Her Mom found her as a tiny kitten, about four weeks old, hiding in the yard, but mewing pitifully.  Her Mom had just lost two older cats and the house was feeling rather lonesome with just Georgia around.  Her Mom brought her inside and took her to the vet to check for diseases and Gemini was in good health, but very hungry and lonely.  Gemini fit right in quite quickly and soon became very fond of Georgia.  Gemini got her name as an anagram from the names of the two cats who had died just before she showed up.  It seemed an appropriate name, as she was taking the place of two cats.  Gemini loved to play with Georgia and she still hasn't gotten used to the idea that Georgia has gotten quite old now and can't play like she used to.  Gemini still gives Georgia gentle head butts, but now Georgia falls over when butted.  Gemini took to catnip quite early in life and soon began dropping her catnip mice in her water bowl.  Maybe she was making catnip tea?  Gemini has never quite gotten over her initial fear of people and will be quite shy when visitors come over. She still loves her toys and will play at every opportunity.  She lets her Mom know that she wants attention by getting between her Mom and the computer monitor.  She loves to go outside on her harness.  She got out by herself this past summer through a hole in the screen door that some visiting woofies had chewed.  Once out, her Mom thinks that she couldn't get back in, as she found some of Gemini's fur in the screen.  She was gone for a couple of days, but got found again just as she had been found the first time.  She was hiding near the fence and mewing pitifully.  The screen door has been fixed and Gemini seems content to stick with going out on her harness.

                                 Gemini is a cat who is still partly feral.
                                 She doesn't much care for wearing apparel.
                                         She wants Mom's attention,
                                         She's not shy to mention,
                                 But she's shy with strangers 'cause she's still partly feral.

                       

2007 Weblog Finalist -- Best Pet Blog

I am so excited.  I am a finalist in the 2007 Weblog Awards for best pet blog.  This is a great honor and I am just flabbergasted.  Please go and vote for me.

Smokey

This is Smokey, sleeping in his favorite position.  Smokey is the largest cat at Forty Paws, but he doesn't really throw his weight around.  He is pretty much fearless and loves to rassle with his siblings, Reno, Sally and Obi.  He will even rassle with Dorf, the only cat brave enough to try that.  He is a little naughty, in that he loves to chase Jenny, just to hear her scream.  Smokey
thinks that Jenny really likes the game and the screams are just playing.   Like Reno, Sally and Obi, Smokey was born to a mother with Feline Herpes Virus 1 and it has affected his right eye.  His right eye looks a little cross-eyed and leaks brown protein constantly.  He will wipe his eye on anything around him, including the other cats.  The brown stuff will fly from his eye whenever he shakes his head, decorating the floor and walls.  He keeps Maw busy cleaning up after him.  He hates it when she tries to wipe his eye, though he will rub the stuff off on her clothing.  He loves to be brushed, but the brown guard hairs never come off in the brush, just the white and fawn fur.  To look at the brush after his brushing, you would never guess that the fur came from him.  He loves tuna.

                                    Smokey is a Mancat, big and tough.
                                    He rassles his siblings, but doesn't get rough.
                                          He chases Jenny,
                                          Who screams like a banshee.
                                    She secretly likes it, but soon has enough.

Diamond Emerald-Eyes

Diamond Emerald-Eyes is an American a Domestic Shorthair black tabby with a diamond shaped white spot on her chest, which is how she got her name. When she lies in the sun, you can just make out the very faint stripe pattern in her fur. She got lost from her first family and was a wild kitty for a while, then got taken in by one family for a little while, then found her forever home. She lives in Florida in a swampy region, so there is lots of wildlife for her to observe. She is an indoor/outdoor kitty, but she is very street-smart and always watches out for cars. She knows to stay away from most of the wildlife as well, though she does hang around with some of the wild kitties down by the canal at times. She likes nip and has a nip mat. When she lies down on her nip mat, that is a signal to her Bean that she wants some nip. She likes to play with toy mice and nip toys. She also likes to watch TV. Since her Bean isn't much of a TV watcher, she will sometimes go next door to watch with a neighbor. Diamond loves to sit in her Bean's lap and have her Bean read to her. Among the wildlife in her area of Florida is the roof rat. These rats have found a way to get into Diamond's attic. She leaves them alone if they stay up there, but if they come downstairs, look out!

                                         Diamond's house has rats in the attic.
                                         When they come downstairs, things get dramatic.
                                                     With speed that perplexes
                                                     The rats become exes.
                                         Diamond's skill makes her Bean ecstatic.

Sprankeltje

Happy Halloween, everyone.  There has been good news and bad news lately.  Miss Peach is eating again, which is very good news.  Mia ran off to the Rainbow Bridge a few hours ago, which is very bad news.  Please go congratulate Miss Peach and give condolences to Mia's family.

Some of you are wondering about the Dutch cookies in LOKi's post.  All I know about them is that they are called stroopwafels.  The photo is of Sprankeltje, usually called Bean, sitting on the very edge of a chair back.  She loves to do this, but then she starts to fall asleep.  She gets more and more relaxed, her head sinks lower and lower on her chest, then she falls off the chair back.  She never gets hurt doing this and she never seems to learn to get down before she falls asleep.  Sprankeltje is Dutch for Little Sparkle, which suits her well.  Her nickname is Bean, shortened from String Bean, because when she first came to live at her forever home she had very long legs and a small body.  She has filled out quite a bit since then, but the name has stayed.  Bean is a very thoughtful kitty.  Whenever she has to throw up, she makes a certain meow to alert her Mom that she is about to hurl.  Unfortunately, she also likes to find a hidey spot before she throws up, so her Mom doesn't always find her in time.

                                          Bean alerts Mom when she's about to hurl,
                                          Because she is such a thoughtful girl.
                                                  Mom rushes to fetch
                                                  Something to catch
                                          Whatever it is Bean is going to hurl.

LOKi

This is LOKi.  He is a big mancat who lives with his sister, called Bean, and his humans.  He hasn't blogged since July, but the archives make interesting reading.  He likes snuggling with his Mom, spying on the neighbors, digging almost to China, licking his Mom whenever she is wearing perfume or sunblock (it has a flavor) and teasing his sister.  He also likes cookies, especially ginger snaps and Dutch cookies.  He loves his toys, espcially the nip ones.  In fact, he loves nip in any form.  When the Christmas tree goes up, he loves drinking the water the tree sits in.

                                        LOKi is a cat whom variety favors.
                                        First he is there, spying on the neighbors.
                                                  Then he digs a hole
                                                  For whatever goal.
                                         Then he is begging for cookies, especially Dutch flavors.

Tyler

I'd like to introduce you all to Tyler.  He's the middle kitty in a houseful of five.  He has two older sisters, Kali and Cookie, and a younger sister, Sophie, and a younger brother, Jake.  Sophie and Jake are still kittens and give Tyler a bit of grief, but he looks after them like a good big brother should.  Tyler is pretty new to blogging, having just started in July.  His blog is a fun read.  Tyler is an active fellow.  He really likes to get hold of plastic, so he can chew on it.  His Mom is always on the lookout and takes it away from him before he can chew on it too much.  Tyler is very clever and has figured out how to open all the cabinet doors in the kitchen.  He is also quite good at taking off his collar and hiding it.  He likes his Temptations, but he always gives them a good sniff before eating them.  Tyler is pretty easy going, but when he gets nipped up, he puts the bitey on everything around him, including the other kitties and his Mom.  He has developed a fondness for cookies and because he can open the cabinet doors, he sometimes just helps himself.

                                           Cookies are what Tyler likes to bite,
                                           Though his Mom keeps them out of sight.
                                                          The cupboard with care
                                                          He opens and there
                                          He pulls out the cookies and from each takes one bite.

Get Well, Miss Peach

I only found out very late last night (early this morning) that the CatBlogosphere has tagged everyone for Adan's meme for Miss Peach.  I got up extra early this morning so I could join in.  Here is the meme, as written by Adan:

Hey, everyone, this time, I decide to start this cherish meme, here are some ways (depends on which person you write), and bring our love to Miss Peach~! She always makes us know what love is!
1. tell us what is the most sweetest warm thing you will do to your mommy (what is the sweetest thing that your kitty will do to you)
2. And, hug your mommy, tightly... (and, hug your kitty....tightly...)
3. Tag your good friend...
4. Leave your computer, and continuing hug each other...

I only have memories of cats who came before, but here is one I particularly remember with fondness.  Louise and I had a nightly ritual.  I would go to bed and lie down on my back.  Louise would jump up on my chest and make biscuits, without using her claws,  and purr.  She would continue to purr until we both fell asleep.

Thank you, Monty Q for the second graphic.

Please get better, Miss Peach.  We all love and cherish you deeply.

Ivy

I made a mistake about Ivy in yesterday's post.  She has been in the StrangeRanger house over a winter, so the limerick wasn't premature.  She has absolutely no desire to ever go 
outside again.  She wandered into the yard on May 3, 2006.  She was in very bad shape: starving, so badly bitten by fleas that she had anemia from it, fur all matted, sores on her sides.  She got an immediate trip to the vet and was boarded there for a time while the Ranger household tried to find her home.  She had been wearing a collar, but no tag, so she had belonged to someone at some time.  No one claimed her, though, and no one else wanted to adopt her, so she came home with the Rangers.  She and Maddie were kept apart for quite a while, as Maddie didn't like the idea of another cat in her house at all.  There were a few issues, but the two cats are getting along pretty well now.  Ivy is about 15 years old.  She is not a tear around the house type, but she has taken quite a fancy to the new dining room carpet.  She rolls around on it and rubs her face against it.  She looks like a cat with catnip, but there is no catnip involved.  Her favorite sleeping position is in a chair with her feet up.  She can stay like that for hours, sound asleep.

                                         Ivy likes to sleep with her feet in the air,
                                         Propped up on the back of her favorite chair.
                                                         She can sleep for hours
                                                         With her legs like towers
                                          And her feet sticking way up in the air.

Maddie

Before I get on with Maddie's story, I would like to say how much I hope that Miss Peach will start feeling better very soon.  I think the whole CatBlogosphere is very worried about her and we all wish her well.  Hugs to her Mommy and Lapdaddy.

I couldn't find a picture of Maddie walking around in the snow, so here is a picture of her enjoying bubbles.  She really likes playing with bubbles, but she doesn't like the catnip kind, just the regular kind.  She also really enjoys lying in any sunspots she finds.  Maddie is a cat who really likes to play and she can be very demanding when she wants someone to play with her.  She enjoys catnip toys very much.  She recently turned seven, but that hasn't slowed her down any.  She lives with her beans and another cat, named Ivy.  Maddie didn't like it much when Ivy came to live with her and she still doesn't like it much, but she is much more tolerant of Ivy now.  Maddie is a Maine Coon and likes to go outside on her harness in all kinds of weather, except rain.  Unlike most cats I know, she even likes the snow.  The cold doesn't bother her because of her very thick coat.  Ivy hasn't been there for a winter yet, so the limerick is a bit premature, but based on Ivy's total disinterest in going outside ever again, I think the reaction described will be a true one.

                                          Maddie really loves to walk in the snow.
                                          She's ready to put on her harness and go.
                                                    The cold never fazes her.
                                                    In fact, it amazes her
                                         That Ivy never wants to put toes in the snow.