Bip, Brig and Gig...a Love Story...

Before there was a Gig, there was a Brig. And before there was a Brig, there was just a Bip.

Bip hunkered down in the cage with the other kitties and tried to go to sleep. Eight months old, he was the senior of the kittens and he did not want to play with the others as they whined and mewed for attention. People gathered around to see them. It was Adoption Day at the pet store. Bip didn’t know what that really meant but he did know that lots of people came to the store and wanted to hold and pet all the kitties. He was over it and pushed his nose deeper into the corner of the cage with his back to the door.

A woman with a deep scratchy voice and long pokey fingernails was looking at Bip. She poked him his belly with one of her nails and rasped, “He’s a cute one.” She opened the door and reached in to get him. Bip squirmed uncomfortably as she pulled him from his sleep and grasped him to her chest which smelled like cigarettes and old coffee. She gruffly petted his head as he wriggled to get away. Bip did not like this woman and tried to get back to his comfy cage.

“Oh, not very friendly!” the woman said. She pushed him back into the cage and moved on. Bip curled back into a ball in the corner and pretended to be asleep.

After a while, the crowd started getting smaller. Many of the younger kitties were gone having been adopted into forever homes. Bip stretched a bit and then lay back down. Soon he was aware of another woman standing there. She had a soft voice and it didn’t poke when she reached in to gently pet him. She spoke softly as she rubbed that sweet spot right under his chin. Bip raised his head to get a good look at her. She was smiling and it made him feel warm to see her. She reached into the cage and carefully lifted him out.

“That’s a sweet boy!” She said, as she held him close to her chest.

Bip smushed his face under her chin and started to purr. This felt right to Bip. This felt good to Bip. This felt like forever to Bip. And it felt the same way to the kind woman too.

Bip carefully crept out of the cat carrier and stepped into the living room of his new forever home. The floor was carpeted and it felt good to dig his claws into it. The woman was there to show him where to eat and drink and there was a special place for when he had to go. Best of all, there were toys! Lots and lots of toys and the woman loved to sit on the floor and play with them as much as Bip did. The forever home had lots of new rooms to explore and it was fun pretending to be Inspector Bip and checking them all out. There were also big windows where Bip could sit and enjoy a breeze while making sure the neighborhood birds stayed safely in the trees. In the evening, the woman would sometimes relax on the couch and watch television. That was a good time for Bip to climb into her lap and sleep while she gently rubbed his head. Bip loved these snugs. He would always let her know how much he loved her by licking her face for a time or giving her a love bite on her hand. At night, even though there were three cat beds to choose from, for Bip, the best place to sleep was right on the woman’s pillow where he could snuggle up and put his big, round head on her shoulder. Together they would sleep and dream and Bip was almost sure the woman was dreaming about those cat toys too.

Sometimes, during the day, the woman would go away. At first, Bip was afraid because he didn’t know what would happen if she never came back! Sometimes, when he thought about that, he would be so scared that all he could do was go lay on her pillow and hope she wouldn’t forget about him. Her pillow smelled of her sweet hair and it always made him feel better. And before he knew it, she would be back. She never forgot him. When she came home she would sit on the floor and they would play and snug and purr. Then, while she waited for her own food to cook, she would feed Bip and it was always his favorite food.

After a while, the days when she was away, were not so scary but awfully lonely. The woman now was sometimes busy in the evenings talking to a man on the phone. Bip would do his best to get her attention but she would shoo him down and tell him “No!” when tried to get in the way. He’d go and lie down and wait. One day, the man came to visit. At first, Bip wasn’t sure if he was going to like him. After all, this man was taking up a lot of playtime and that made Bip mad. Bip was cautious about getting too close to the man but then something really fun happened! The man got down on the floor and started to play! The man liked to play! And he even created a new game where he would chase Bip into the kitchen and then Bip would chase him back into the living room again…and again…and again! Bip really liked the man! In the evening, when the man and woman were watching TV, Bip decided to climb onto the man’s lap.

“Oh I see how it is now!” said the woman with a smile.

The man rubbed that special sweet spot under Bip’s chin, causing him to purr and fall asleep. That night, Bip slept in the big bed with his head between the man and woman’s pillow. He put his head on the woman’s shoulder and wrapped his tail about the man’s neck. This felt like forever.

After a week, the man was gone again! The woman was sad so Bip made sure to give her extra snugs. He wasn’t sure when the man would be back again and pretty soon Bip and the woman were back into their old routines. And it was lonely all over again with the woman going away during the days. One day, when the woman came home she could see that Bip was a little bit sad. He wanted a friend. Someone he could play with when the woman was gone. He heard the woman telling the man about this when she talked to him on the phone. He wasn't able to understand everything about what she said but she got very happy when they talked and Bip understood that the man was coming back very soon! Bip flicked his tail and chased his feather toy around and around in celebration. That night he dreamed of running through the house with the man.

A week or so later, the woman was extra excited. She started cleaning and dusting and sweeping the whole place. Bip tried to help by supervising so she wouldn't miss a spot but the woman didn't want his help and kept shooing him out of the way. Then, one day, the man was back! He walked into the house and Bp did a little flip of excitement. He made sure to walk under the man's feet and rub, rub, rub against his legs to show him how happy he was to see him. The man was going to stay for a while so there was lots of play time ahead!

One day, while the man was still there, they took the cat carrier and left the house. Bip was relieved when they just took the carrier. Usually, when the woman brought out the cat carrier it meant Bip had to go to the doctor and he hated the doctor. Bip was used to the woman coming and going now so he wasn't scared when they were gone. He found a bit of sun on the carpet and stretched his body out as far as he could to feel the warmth. He wasn't sure how much time passed but suddenly the man and woman were back and there was something in the cat carrier. They put the carrier down in the kitchen and opened the door. Bip slowly walked to the carrier and sniffed around. Yes, there was definitely something in there and it smelled just like a kitty! Bip heard a soft "mew" and a tiny white and grey face emerged from the carrier. Her eyes were huge and she looked around, afraid, and not sure where she was. Bip walked up to her and gently licked her nose. It was his way of welcoming her to her new home. This was Brig and this was a friend! Bip showed Brig all of the toys and where to eat and the special place for when she had to go. He showed her the open window where she could watch the birds outside. Brig quickly took a place in the window and Bip didn't even mind that she took his favorite spot. Brig liked to play and it was great fun when the man or woman got on the floor and played. She was still a little shy so she didn't really try the running back and forth game. One game Brig showed Bip was hide and seek. Brig would hide somewhere in the house when Bip wasn't looking and then he would spend time hunting and searching for her. If he got close to her hiding spot, like when she would hide under the couch, she would sometimes suddenly reach out and swat him on the nose! That would start a chase around the room until they were both tired out. Bip would usually fall asleep first and Brig would go hide again. They loved this game and played it for hours! When the man and woman watched TV, Brig would stay close but not too close. She just wasn't sure about the people yet. But she was sure about Bip. They became best friends and Bip didn't even complain when Brig would boss him around sometimes. Because she was shy, she wouldn't sleep in the big bed with the people so, to make her feel more at home, Bip sometimes would curl up with her on the couch. Together they would make one big swirly circle of fur and that's how they would sleep, purring into each other's ears.

Eventually, the man had to leave again. Now the woman had a new way to talk to him while he was gone. There was a camera on her computer so she could actually see him while they talked. This was fun because he could see them too. Every time they talked Bip made sure he would climb up and be seen so the man would never forget him. Brig would stay back a little but she came close enough to be seen and, over time, she would inch closer and closer. Slowly she began trusting that this was her new family and this home was forever. Everything went like this for a long time. The woman would leave during the day and Brig and Bip would play or nap or watch birds together. There was no more lonely in the house.

But one day, Brig didn't want to play. She slept all day and wouldn't eat very much. The woman was worried and watched her closely. Brig started to find hiding places to sleep and the woman would have to look for her. And something else was wrong too. Brig wasn't using her back legs right. Something was wrong. The woman got the cat carrier and off they went. Bip knew she was going to see the doctor. He was worried too. He couldn't nap or watch birds now. All he could do was sit on the couch and wait for the woman to come back. When she finally came home, Brig wasn't with her. The woman told Bip that Brig was sick and the doctor wanted to keep her there for a night or two to find out why. He was giving her medicine to make her better. That night Bip and woman slept together in the big bed but neither one really slept much. They were too worried about Brig.

The next day the woman went to get Brig. The doctor told her that Brig had something called a stroke and it was serious but sometimes kitties had these things and got better. Bip hoped that was true. Brig was tired out when she got home but she was happy and even ate some food! She climbed onto the couch and Bip gave her a good warm snug all night long. The next morning when Bip woke up, Brig wasn't there! He searched the house and looked in all the rooms. The woman was still sleeping because it was too early. Bip was frantic! Where was Brig! Finally, he saw the tip of her tail. She was behind the bathroom door. Bip ran to her and kissed her nose. Silly Brig! Was she playing hide and seek? Bip jumped excitedly thinking this was a game. But Brig just sighed and didn't move. She was sick again. Bip ran to the bedroom and hopped on the woman. He pawed at her face to get her to wake up and he let out a scared squeak trying to tell her that something was very wrong. The woman reluctantly got up even though it was too early.

"Why are you waking me up?" she asked. "Well, now I'm awake. I might as well be up!"

She shuffled into the bathroom and there she saw poor Brig.

"Oh baby! Oh sweet Brig!" the woman cried out. She gently lifted Brig from the cold bathroom floor and brought her to a soft cat bed in the living room. Bip paced back and forth. He was so worried. Suddenly, Brig cried out and her back stiffened. Her front paws moved to one side in a way they had never done before. She looked at the woman with fright in her eyes. The woman immediately called the doctor and off she went with Brig leaving Bip to pace and worry about his dear friend.

A long time passed and finally the woman came home. Brig was not with her. The woman was crying. She gathered Bip up in her arms and held him close and quietly said, "There was nothing else they could do for her." And she cried some more. This felt sad to Bip. This felt empty to Bip. This felt like a hurt. And it felt that way to the woman too.

For a long time after that, it was just the woman and Bip together. The woman still talked to the man on the computer and Bip made sure he got to see him too. Talking to the man made the woman happy again and it helped Bip feel better too. The best day was when the woman shouted out, 'He's coming here for good!" and she twirled Bip around the room! The man was coming to live in the forever home too! Everything was getting happy again. Bip thought that Brig would have liked to live there when the man was there but he knew that sometimes friends have to go away and you have to never forget them. Sometimes Bip had happy dreams of playing hide and seek with  Brig. And everything was going to be all right.

When the man moved in there was something new that Bip discovered. It was a suit case! This was new and exciting! A suit case was something the man brought with him to carry clothes and other things in. But to Bip, a suit case was like an island with an inside and an outside. Sometimes you could climb inside and close it over you and peek out at the people in the room. It was fun to grab at their ankles with a paw when they walked past. They never saw it coming. Sometimes you could sit on top of the suitcase and watch everything happen around you. The suitcase sagged in just the right place so it was comfy and usually caused long naps. Eventually, the man had to put the suitcase away but it was fun while it lasted.

Bip didn't feel lonely with the man there because, at first, when the woman was gone during the day, the man stayed home. Bip could snug and play with the man all he wanted! But one day, the man went out too. Now both the people were gone during the day and Bip started to remember what lonely felt like again. Even though it was always fun when the people came home, it was also always long and boring when they were away. Sometimes it was so long and boring that Bip forgot to wake up to greet the people when they returned. The woman noticed that Bip seemed down. One night, he heard her talking to the man and heard his name said over and over again. He didn’t know what that meant.

The next day the people went out. They were gone a long time and when they came back Bip noticed that they had a new smell on them. They smelled like kitties! But there was no kitty in the carrier at all. How could this be? A few days passed and it happened again. The people went out and came back smelling like kitties! Bip sniffed and sniffed to make sure it was true and it was! But there was still no kitty in the carrier. Bip was confused but when he slept he had the most happy dreams of running and playing with a friend and sometimes even Brig was in his dreams.

Gig walked around the kitty shelter with her watery eyes and runny nose. Every time she came upon a food dish she would eat some of it just in case there wasn’t going to be food tomorrow. The shelter was warm, at least, and there were comfy beds if you were fast enough to get one. Some of the kitties had been here a long time. They eyed Gig suspiciously as she ambled through the shelter. She was skinny and they could see her ribs and her cold made her squinty and sneezy. During the day, the kind shelter lady would give Gig some medicine that made it easier for her to breathe. Gig was a scrapper though and she always gave the lady a hard time even though she knew it would make her feel better. People would come to the shelter every day. They would hold and pet the kitties and many of them would go off to their forever homes. Gig tried to stay away from the people. They were big and scary and usually they didn’t want to hold her anyway because she was so skinny and her nose was runny.

One day the man and the woman stopped in. They walked around looking at all the kitties. They told the shelter lady that they were looking for a friend for someone called Bip. Gig watched them closely as they made their way through the storefront shelter. There was something about this woman she liked. When the man and woman sat down on the couch, Gig bravely walked over and rubbed herself against the woman’s ankles.

“Oh, look at this poor thing!” the woman said as she gently picked Gig up and placed her on her lap. Gig didn’t like being scooped up like that so she quickly jumped down and started to walk away. Another kitty came over and rubbed against the woman’s ankles. Something didn’t feel right about that with Gig. She went back to the woman and pushed the other kitty out of the way.

“Well, she likes you,” said the man. “It would be nice if we could get one that liked me a little too!”

The man and woman did not take Gig to a forever home that day. They didn’t take any kitty home with them at all. Gig watched sadly as they left the shelter and drove away. She found an empty comfy bed and rolled into a tiny ball and feel asleep. A few days went by and more people came and went from the shelter. Gig, still coughing and sneezing, tried to stay away from them as best she could. She was eating from someone else’s bowl in the back room when she heard a familiar voice. It was her! The man and woman were back. Gig scurried into the main room and saw them sitting there petting a black kitty. She strolled over to the woman and rubbed against her ankles.

 

“Well, here’s that skinny grey fluff,” said the woman. The man reached down to pet Gig. The Gig did something that surprised even her! She jumped right up on the man’s lap and let him pet her. The woman looked at Gig with her snotty nose and runny eyes and skinny ribs showing through her fur.

“This scrappy girl needs some love,” said the woman.

“I don’t know,” said the man, “I’m just not sure if this is the right one.”

“Ah, c’mon,” said the woman, “Look at her. She needs us!”

The man looked at Gig’s little face and realized the woman was right. This little kitty needed a forever home.

When the man and woman came home, Bip could smell the kitties on them again. But there was something more. The man was carrying the cat carrier and there was definitely someone moving around inside! Bip thought it might be Brig! But it didn’t smell like Brig. The man put the carrier on the kitchen floor and opened the door. Slowly a skinny grey scrappy thing with runny eyes and sneezy nose crept out into the room. Bip wanted to show her all the toys and where to eat and the special place for when she needed to go but all Gig wanted to do was find a comfy place to sleep. This had been a big day for a sick little kitty. She was happy, in spite of her cold, and knew that she had finally found her forever home.

 

Bip stayed close by while she slept. After all, she might wake up during the night and want to play. He laid down next to her comfy bed to keep watch but after a awhile he couldn’t keep his eyes open anymore. He fell asleep next to Gig dreaming of teaching her all the best games. In the morning, Bip opened his eyes and Gig was gone! Bip searched the house for her. He looked where the food was and where the toys were. He even looked at the special place for when you needed to go. He even looked behind the bathroom door and was very relieved that she wasn’t there. He went into the bedroom where the people were sleeping. He jumped up on the bed and there she was! Gig was curled up in a ball on the man’s chest – sound asleep. The movement of Bip pouncing on the bed woke the people up.

“Look at this,” said the man with a smile as he gently rubbed Gig’s soft grey fur.

“I guess she likes you best!” said the woman.

Bip purred into the woman’s ear and they all four snugged in the big comfy bed. This felt right to Bip. This felt like family to Bip. This felt a lot like love to Bip. And it felt that way to the rest of them too.

For the love of Arn...and baby Belle...

I have always loved animals and have been blessed to have some good ones in my life. Cats, dogs, fish, birds, and even a few bunnies have all been part of my life. For a long time, I went without having a pet at home. It took a lot of convincing to get my sister/landlord to agree to let me have a cat. Once she did, I went straight out and adopted one.

At Petco, every Saturday, Kindred Kitties has cats up for adoption. I went there just to see what they had. What they had were some of the cutest cats and kittens I'd ever seen. At first, I held a tiny tabby - just 9 weeks old - and thought this was the one I would get but then in the very last cage was a black and white tabby who was all curled up, sleeping, and trying to ignore everyone. There was a lady in front of me who spotted him first and tried to get him to come out to be held but he was not having it. It was clear he didn't want anything to do with her. That wasn't a good sign, I thought, because it looked like he was being stand offish and shy. I wanted a kitty that had some spunk but that was still a cuddler. After she moved on I went up the cage and reached it to pet him. Lo and behold, he got right up and came to me. I picked him up and he immediately snuggled up under my chin and started purring. That was it. Arnie was mine. I told the Kindred Kitties lady that I would be right back. I loaded up a cart with everything a cat might need or even want and then I went back for him. I filled out the paperwork and was dismayed to read the bottom stating that after they checked out my information I could take him home in a couple of days. Okay, I thought, if that's how it has to happen, oh well, it will happen. But when I gave the lady my paperwork and adoption fee she just handed him to me! I was taking him home that same day!

Arnie took a minute or two to get used to his new home. He was hesitant to come out of the carrier but once he did, he sniffed around  and made himself right at home. We played together on the floor and I showed him where his food and litter box were located. He seemed satisfied that this home would do! I showed him to Alex via Skype. I got him before Alex had moved to the US so this was how he got to know Arnie - via Skype. The first time Alex met him in person they were instant buddies. Still are!

The first night Arnie came home I went to bed only to find him sitting at my bedside looking at me for a while. I called his name and he jumped up on the bed and that's where he slept. He still sleeps on my bed sometimes though now he's older so he's not as scared to be out in the living room anymore.

Things have changed a lot for Arnie and me. First, another kitty named Brigitte came to live with us. But, sadly, she became very ill at a very young age and passed away. Arnie and Brigitte loved playing with each other and once she was gone he was a little lonely. Second, and best of all, Alex came to live with us! Arnie loves running around the house with Alex. Alex gets out the laser pointer and Arn goes a little crazy chasing it back and forth through the apartment. Then he rests. That's the thing about cats. They rush around like mad for a short time and then sleep it off for a few hours afterwards. Third, a skinny little fluff named Belle came to stay. She was all bones and runny nose when she arrived. Now she's a scrappy ball of grey who's stolen all of our hearts. She is definitely Alex's girl. And that's just fine because Arnie is all mine. Whenever I'm just sitting down to watch some TV, Arnie is there - ready for a long snuggle and some head rubbing. He looks at me in the eyes and we have long talks. Yes, I talk to my cat! Get over it! LOL We talk about everything though he mostly listens. He loves for me to hold him which is fine but he also has the annoying habit of trying to get me to hold him when I'm at my computer. It's difficult getting anything done with a 15 pound cat trying to snuggle under your chin! If I shoo him away he'll sneak around and come up behind me as if I can't see him doing it. We always have to make sure there is dry cat food in the dish at night because he gets hungry at about 3am. If it's empty he's on our pillows sniffing and purring into our ears to wake us up! Again, annoying and endearing at the same time.

Arnie and I have a copacetic relationship. He's the first one awake when I am awake and usually the last one that comes and says good night, in his own way. He has found a place in my heart that only someone who's ever had a pet can understand. There is a responsiblity to being a pet owner for sure but there is a desire to do right by him (and Belle) too. This little fur beast who's put so much trust in me and who gives me unconditional love. No matter what I do during the day, how crappy my day might be, or who I might piss off - Arnie is there to let me know that it will all be find in the end.

I'm sure that to those who've either never had a pet or who don't like cats, I look like a crazy cat lady. Maybe in another life I was or still could be. I don't think so though. Because it's not just any cat will do for me. It's Belle  - the scrappy princess  - and my beloved Arn - my big headed boy - who make each day happier and full of love.

What a difference a day makes...

Two doses of antibiotics and I finally got a snuggle from Arnie. He's on the mend.

All's right with the world.

Pappan!

My cat Arnie, who we affectionately sometimes call Pappan for reasons we're not even sure of, is sick. This is the second time in his life with me that he's been ill. Having gone through this once with him already, you'd think I would not be as worried and emotional as I am. But I've also been through this with our other kitty, Bridgitte, who passed away. So I get a little worried when my beloveds are ill.

Chances are he has a cold. But it's tricky with cats because cold like symptoms can mask so many other things. The last time he looked like he had a cold and it was a bowel obstruction. Go figure that out!

Right now, he's sleeping and he has been for over 12 hours. While cats are master sleepers and Arnie is a pro at sleeping, 12 hours straight without even an occasional stretch is not normal. I called his regular vet, Dr. Khan, who I really like but he can't see him until 4pm today. That's too long to wait. I called another vet and he's getting us in at 10am. I hate to switch like that but I don't want Arnie to continue to get worse.

I don't have kids, I have cats. And they are as precious to me as anything I have. Arnie is special to me. For a while, it was just him and me here. We have a special bond. So seeing him ill and just not feeling well is worrisome. And terribly sad.

I love my little Pappan! I hope he feels better soon.

Please...I've asked you....no photos!

Sometimes getting a picture of Arnie is difficult. He can be such a diva!

Arnie and Belle...

Belle is a gray beauty!


Arnie, my big boy!


Big round head!


Belle likes to be upside down!

October is National Adopt a Pet Month so I thought I would write more about my experience being an "adoptive" mother to Arnie and Belle. I know I've written about them before but they really are two unique and individual personalities. I thought this time I would compare some of their routine activities and show you just how different they are.

1. Sleeping - Now anyone who has a cat or has had a cat knows that they spend an enormous amount of time sleeping. They're really good at it! Arnie and Belle are no exceptions. I think Arnie has taken his sleeping to a professional level. They each have very distinct ways they like to sleep. Arnie, for example, tends to like "holing up" in covered spaces like the inside of the condo/tower thing we have or the inside of his little tent house. He curls up in there and I won't see him for hours. Belle, on the other hand, loves a box. Any box. She'll squish her way into a box and stay there snoring for a while. Yes, she snores and it's adorable. One then they do share in common is where they like to sleep during the winter months. That would be on top of my legs pinning me to the bed until I lose all circulation. More than once I've awaken startled from a dream that I am being held down in a pool of water by cement blocks only to find the cats are weighing me down in bed!

2. Eating - When Arnie and Belle first came home I was told a mixed diet of both wet and dry food was best so that's what they got. Arnie has been a-okay with that since Day 1. In fact, if he doesn't get his wet food by 5pm each day he makes a real pest of himself until someone gets it for him. At first, Belle loved it too. She would scarf down the wet food like there was no tomorrow. When she first came home she was super skinny and somewhat undernourished so I think she was making up for lost time. Now though, Belle doesn't really eat more than a bit or two of the wet food but, instead, chows on the dry. Sometimes she eat the dry food so fast she will immediately throw it up. I know...sorry...not a pretty visual image but oh well! One thing they do agree on is that there is almost nothing better in this world than Whiskas Temptations Cat Treats. I keep a bag of them in my desk drawer and if I even open it to get a pen they are here at my side waiting. They could probably live on those things if I let them!

3. Affection - Both Arnie and Belle crave affection but in this they are very different. Arnie is a very insistent cat when he wants to be held, which is very, very often. If I have my back to him he'll climb across the couch and over the back of my office chair and up and over my shoulder clinging onto my clothing in the hopes that I'll lean back and let him perch over my shoulder. if I do, he'll rub his big round head into my face and ears and nose and neck until I stop what I'm doing and pet his head. Oh yes, he has a big round head. Occasionally, I call him Charlie Brown because of it. Belle likes affection on her terms. When she wants attention she'll come bounding over in her stumbling way and BAM she's on you. She does this at night sometimes too. Nothing like having a 9 pounds dead weight with claws just PLOP on your chest in one leap from the floor to get your heart racing!

4, Curiosity - All cats have a natural curiosity but in this Arnie and Belle are very dissimilar. Alex called Arnie "Inspector b' Larnie" because no matter what we are doing - cooking dinner, taking a bath, putting on make up, putting together book shelves, typing a blog post - Arnie has to be there, sniffing around, making sure it's all up to par and then we can go on with our day. Belle will stand aside and watch and doesn't really get involved. Which is much appreciated when what we're doing involves doing something big like putting in the window air conditioners. Arnie is also unafraid of most household items where Belle is terrified of the vacuum cleaner. I mean TERRIFIED!! She screams and runs and if you've never heard a cat scream you haven't lived. It's blood curdling.

5. Playtime - Both cats love to play and, by far, their favorite plaything in this house is Alex. I often protest when, late at night, the three of them start a romping game of chasing each other into the kitchen and back again. Alex will take off with the cats chasing him and then he'll turn around and they'll run into the other room and hide around a corner or a chair until he comes running in and then they're all off running again. It's actually pretty funny and cute to see. We've purchased a thousand little cat mouse toys which are always a hit until Arnie hides them all over the house and we don't see them again for months. We've had other toys too. Toys that hang from door knobs or are attached to a stick. Those last for a while and are popular until Belle chews the mousy thing or the ball thing off the end and then all that's left is a stick or a thing on the door knob. The mousy thing or ball then get hidden with all the other mousy toys. I swear I have no idea where they go. One day, when we move our couch there will be a million mouse march going on under there, I'm sure.

The whole point of this post is to tell you about my cats and how much they have enriched our lives. When you have a pet, cat or dog, you finally understand what true, unconditional love means. There's always someone waiting at the door when you come home that's really happy to see you and they don't care what you look like, who you are, how much money you make or if you really screwed something up at work that day. They'll always listen and commiserate with you when you need a friendly ear. And they will always, ALWAYS, make you smile. So many dogs and cats are out there right now that need a home. Please consider adopting and, if possible, adopt an older animal. They have so much to give you and they're just waiting for you!

Hobbling...and possibly a renovation...

For two days now I've been hobbling around like...well...like someone who hobbles. Over this past winter I twisted my right ankle at least five times. I didn't break it or even sprain it, just twisted it enough in the slightest way to make it painful. Now there's a tendon at the back of my heel that's hard and takes time to stretch out and warm up. If that wasn't enough, two night ago, one of my cats had one of those cute cat spasms when we were trying to get it in the cat carrier and she accidentally slashed the bottom of my left foot. The good foot. Now, there's the slightest of scratches there but it is just right in a place that rubs against the inside of my show so it hurts. So I am hobbling.

I know there's an appointment with the foot and ankle doc in my future. I'll have to get that tendon thingy looked at because it doesn't seem to want to get any better on it's own. It feels better some days and the not so much the next. Sheesh!

On a different note...
Over the weekend we had some excitement. Well, if you can call it excitement...
At some point some water from our bath tub went through the ceiling to my sister's kitchen below. This has caused us to have a summit meeting second only to some political meeting of the minds. Yesterday, my sister and her son in law had to come up and look at our bathroom. The problem is the tub needs to be recaulked. But the rigmarole we had to go through was epic. We had to figure hide our cats in the bedroom when they came up. You see, we are allowed one cat. We have two. Thus far, we have managed to keep this a secret from my sister/landlord even though other people in our family know. It's also the reason we were trying to get Belle into the carrier. Hence, the foot slashing incident.

What came of this may be a very good thing though. There was talk of a complete bathroom overhaul complete with new shower. We don't have a shower now and I would love to have a shower!

Now if I could only get them to redo the kitchen!

The very picture of contentment....

Arnie in his tower. All is right with the world.

At Van's request...

This is Arnie and "upside down" Belle!

Randomocity....

Geebuz, it was nice today. I mean seriously nice. 55 degrees and sunny. That's shorts wearing weather here in Wisconsin! LOL All this sunshine has eked it's way into my brain and I'm in an uncharacteristically good mood today. I came home and opened the windows to get the winter stink out. Belle, the 'lil terror, has taken up her place on the windowsill in the open window which leads me to something of a dilemma.

I have two cats - Arnie and Belle. Before Belle came to live here I had a cat named Brigitte who was almost identical in coloring and markings as Arnie. That was a good thing because according to my sister/land lady I am only allowed one cat. Yet, I have two. When they looked alike it didn't matter which one was in the window because from a distance she couldn't tell them apart anyway. But now, I have Belle. She's all grey. Doesn't look a thing like Arnie. Surely, when my sister/land lady sees her sitting in the window the jig will be up! I'm in for quite the tongue lashing, I'm sure. EEK!

On another note, I've spent entirely too much time at Walmart this week. I wasn't even there buying poorly made items for myself. Rather, I was taking some of my clients shopping. See the transactions through their eyes has been enlightening. Some of the clerks there couldn't care less about how they're perceived so they felt completely comfortable with their eye rolling and noticeable disdain for my mentally ill clients. On the other hand, there was one shining star in the Walmart employee pool. She was a Customer Service Supervisor who was uber-patient, kind and understanding and she went above and beyond what was expected. I was impressed. So much so, that today I wrote a letter to the general manager of our new, local Walmart Super Center to let him know of this one bright spot on his staff. I feel credit is due. And, lucky me, I get to go there again tomorrow morning with another client. Let it be known that I hate Walmart. I always have, even when it wasn't such a Super Center. So that alone has tried my patience this week and made for a very cranky me.

Today is St. Paddy's Day. Being half Irish I'm right now making the obligatory corned beef and cabbage for dinner. I like corned beef and cabbage but I only ever make it once a year. I realize now how silly that is. I wonder why I don't make it more often but the truth is, I don't even think about it other than on St. Paddy's Day. Go figure...

On that note, I'll leave you with my favorite Irish blessing.

"May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows you're dead!"

Erin go bragh, everyone!

I think someone has wanderlust...

For the past few days I have had the itch to travel. I really, really, really want to go to Stockholm. Of course, I want to go and be with Alexander but I think even more than that I just really feel the need to GO somewhere. I know it's because of spring - the weather's warmer, the sun is out and I want to go, go, go! I'm not the only one.

Yesterday was the first truly nice "open up all the windows" kind of day here. My little Brigitte cat took her place in the front window sill and didn't let go of it until some time this morning. She looks longingly at all the goings on out there and sniffs the warm breezes. I wish I had a balcony that she could lounge on all day but I don't. She's the little one who quietly opened a hole in one of the screens last year and made her way to the small roof which gave me a heart attack! If I trusted for a minute that she would be safe and find her way back I would let her outside but there are so many dangers outside for this little indoor girl. So, she has to be content with her perch at the window. Besides I think she is braver in her mind than she actually is in her heart. She scares easily and, while she loves checking into any manner of goodies that could mean trouble, if they ARE trouble she jumps a mile and hides for a while until her nerves calm down. Even the cursor on my computer screen sometimes scares her if I move it too quickly!

Arnie, my big baby boy, is more content to stand on his haunches at the window and look out like an old man making sure the kids stay off his lawn. Once he's sure they are, he stretches and goes back to sleep. He's not very concerned about what's going on outside unless it involves a lot of noise. If it does, then he has to sit on my lap for a while just to make sure I'm not scared of that noise or until he stops palpitating, whichever comes first! As long as that big boy has food, water and his favorite soft bed - he's good to go. Oh, and he does have to have the nightly squidge from me. That's when he climbs on my lap, nestles into my arms baby style, and begs me to rub his face telling him what a big baby he is! What is it with cat's faces? When I rub Arnie's face his eyes roll back into his head and he looks like he's in ecstasy! Brigitte shows her love by thumping me with her head...over and over and over again.

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree....

My Christmas tree bit the dust this morning and here's why.



I woke up and walked out into the living room to catch the catters redhanded. They have tortured the tree into submission and it finally keeled over in shock. They were both very proud of their actions until I started yelling and swearing at them. Sorry for the bad quality of the photos but in my morning stupor the only thing I had in hand was my cell phone.

I picked it all up and got it back in place although it is listing to the right pretty badly at the moment. Oh, the cats wanted to be all cute and cuddly and make up with me but I'm not talking to them today. I'd like to think it makes a difference but they're cats and I know that the minute my back is turned they'll be taking on the tree for Round Two.

My Charlie Brown tree and bitter cold...

My cats have ravaged my Christmas tree. Alex wants to wait to put on the ornaments until he gets here on the 19th so right now I have a drooping, branches hanging everywhere, fully lighted, pathetic wonder standing the corner. Arnie tends to stick to the lower limbs. He paws and them and bats them around and chews on them until they drag sadly on the floor. Brigitte has found she loves to climb. She gets about half way and hangs from the ever drooping branches and then let her body weight slide her down until all of the branches on one side of the tree are irreparably dangling down. The tree's a mess. But, oh well, there's always next year.

We've had snow every other day for a week here. It snows, it freezes and then the next day we're left with bitter cold. Temps in the 20s with a wind chill in the negatives. Wind chill is, I think, a weather term most of the rest of the country is not familiar with. Basically it means "you will freeze your ass off". It's just a nicer way to say it. Starting 12/1 we have alternate side parking rules in affect here. You have to park on odd numbered sides of the street on odds dates and even on even. It's annoying. Especially on a bitter cold weekend when I would rather stay in my warm, toasty jammies and putz around the house and NOT go out. Occasionally, I run the risk of getting a parking ticket by choosing to ignore it. Today may be one of those days. I'm cold just sitting here typing and the thought of getting all bundled up, going out, starting the car, and scraping the ice off just to move it to the other side of the street seems silly.

I have until midnight tonight to decide whether to go out and do that or not. For now, I'm staying in!!

When putting up the Christmas tree is like the WWF...

I put up the Christmas tree tonight. I love putting up the Christmas tree but putting up a tree with two cats is like a cage match in the WWF. I spent most of the time shooing Arnie and Brigette out of the way. I have a small tree and it took me about two hours to get it in an upright position. Once I lit it up, I went into the kitchen to wash tree goo off my hands. When I came back, Brigette was happily sitting at the top of the tree looking at me.

I didn't put the ornaments on it yet. I spent the next hour shooing and clapping at them and swearing a lot. Arnie finally gave up and went to sleep on the couch. Brigette has decided her new sleeping place is under the tree. I fully expect to find it all in a big heap when I wake up tomorrow morning.

Wearing fur in bed...

I woke up this morning wearing a purring fur hat and some purring fur slippers. Arnie was sleeping on top of my head while Brigitte curled up down around my toes. I have to admit it was a lovely way to wake up on this cold November morning. Made it awfully hard to get out of bed though. I was too cozy.

I haven't talked about my cats in a while. Have I? I probably have...I'm turning into one of those crazy cat ladies. You know, the kind that when other people are talking about their real, live children chime in with some story or other about something cute their kitty did? Yeah, that's me. Anyway, indulge me....

Lately, I've been seeing some rivalry between Arnie and Brig and the center of their feud seems to be ME! If one wants attention, the other one wants it and they push each other out of the way to get it. Arnie in particular has proven to be very jealous of any time I give Brig. He's always popping her in the nose to get her off my lap, gorging on her food before she even gets to it, and nosing his way past her if she's coming up to say hello. Brig takes it all very well but I feel bad about it so I try to give her a little extra attention or make Arnie wait. Then I realize...they're cats for crying out loud! I can't tell you the number of times I get all heady and thinking "what's going on in their little brains" when the truth is all they're thinking of is "food? sleep? mousie toy?"

I know they have distinct personalities but, honestly, I start treating them like their my kids and that's just wrong, isn't it?? I even talk to them about stuff I know they have no way of understanding. I don't even know why I do this. See? I am the crazy cat lady. Good lord...

Too many cats, so little sleep....

This is a lazy Labor Day weekend. I've just been enjoying the last "real" weekend of summer and relishing the fact that I do not have to work tomorrow. I spent yesterday swimming at my sister's pool, sipping vodka and lemonade and, basically, just soaking in the sun. Maybe a little too much sun but eh...it was worth it.

Last night, however, was not good. My cats have decided they do not need sleep. Now that Arnie is well there is much tearing around the house and wrestling going on. For some reason, the desired wrestling spot is on top of me in the middle of the night. I shooed them out of the bedroom and closed the door. Later, when I had to get up to use the bathroom, they seemed to be sleeping so I left the door open again. My bad! It wasn't ten minutes and there they were again...on top of me...wrestling around. I shooed them out again and closed the door. A couple of hours later the door opened. Arnie has learned how to open the damn door! Right back on top of me...sheesh! This routine went on all night and I got next to no sleep.

Of course, today they are all drowsy and sleepy and being good as gold. I'm going to just crash pot and pans together or vacuum all day just to give them a dose of their own medicine. I love my cats but right now, in my sleep deprived state, I think they would both make great hats.

Homecoming revisited....

Arnie spent the day in hiding. He came out to eat and poop and then hid some more. I went out to a family dinner and night of cards and when I came home he was out. I sat down to watch the news and he jumped up on me and laid down on my shoulder as he always does and stayed there for about a half an hour. He jumped down to get a drink of water - a good sign since I have to make sure he keeps hydrated. He came back, jumped up and stayed there for another hour. Got down again, ate some more, came back and planted himself on me for most of the night. He's still snuffly and sneezing but all is right with the world.

Later, he spent a few minutes sneak attacking Brigette. My heart is very, very happy.

Much to Arnie's dismay...

Last week I noticed that Arnie had a red eye. I thought that maybe he had scratched it or that my other little bruiser scratched it. I cleaned it up for a few days but it wasn't getting better so off to the vet we went. Arnie was a trooper at the vet. Calm and cooperative unitl...DA DA DAHMMM...he put on the dreaded cone collar. Turned out Arnie had an eye infection so two shots of antibiotics in the butt and a dash of eye drops later, I came home with $60 worth of medicines and one very unhappy cat. Is there anything more pathetic than an animal having to wear one of these things?

Arnie clunked around desparate to find a spot where he could, somehow, just lie down and sleep. At first, he couldn't seem to navigate in forward motion so he backed up all over the house. When he did figure it out, he waddled awkwardly from side to side while walking and if he bumped into anything he would just stop and stay there until I physically moved him on. He was finally so exhausted that he just went to sleep on a suitcase that's sitting my living room with his conehead pathetically hanging over the edge.

He's better now, three days later. I took the collar off which sent him into fits of runnning, leaping and general joyous mayhem for a while. He still has some medicine to be put in his eye and some for his food but, collarless, he is surprisingly calm when I have to do this. I think he's just afraid that if he doesn't sit quietly while I poke and prod him I'll put that thing back on!

Lessons I Learned from having TWO cats...

1. Even though the food in both bowls is identical, whatever the other cat is eating is preferable and vice versa.

2. Every corner in the apartment is just another opportunity to pounce on the other one and sit on his/her head.

3. There is enough room in one shoe box for two cats if they fold themselves up in impossible ways and squish each other hard.

4. A human in the bathtub is STILL the most amazing thing ever.

5. While one cat may love the Jim Lehrer News Hour on PBS, the other is more interested in the Hover Round commercial proving that, as with humans, there's no accounting for taste.

6. One cat's hairball is another cat's mid-afternoon snack.

7. No amount of air conditioning in the world can cool you off while sleeping with one cat laying on your head and the other covering your feet.

8. Vacuum cleaners are scary.

9. Flinging kitty litter all over the kitchen is fun but makes the human really, really cranky and ends up with the scary vacuum cleaner chasing the cats out of the kitchen.

10. Cats can tell time. They know when I should be home and are waiting for me at the door everyday. They also know when it's time to eat and come and get me if I forget. All of which just makes me feel loved and useful. I'm sure they don't care how it makes me feel but I like to think they do it just for me. I know...delusional human!

I done gone and lost my mind...

Last Friday, Alex and I visited the local kitty rescue shelter. Somehow, I was talked into taking home this little beauty. This is Brigette. Of course, we love her but Arnie isn't too sure about this at all.

So, I'm reasonably certain that the chasing, pouncing and pinning behavior is a good thing if no one is wailing or getting hurt, right?

Brigette is cool. She gives as good as she gets. Both she and Arnie are only a year and half old though he outweighs her by some. I really hope that they calm down some. 'Cause if they don't - they may make me crazy!