Best Friends for not so long

My BFF Gina did not work out.  She did not like me.  She did not like Weed.  She liked Mommy, but everyone likes Mommy  She really did not like That Guy and would pee on his stuff, his pillow, his side of the bed . . .  I was lucky.  She didn't pee on me or Weed.  So Mommy had to take her back to the cat shop.

That was okay though.  I have to say she was not nice and I did not really want to be her friend.  Mommy tells me that she has found another forever home and she is happy.

Then it got slightly warmer.  I don't think it was summer but Mommy and That Guy insist that it was summer.  I thought it was wet and cold.  And now they say that Winter is Coming.  That makes me sad.

It was a busy 'summer'.  I had alot of supervising to do.  Mommy and That Guy painted the fence and the flower boxes in the backyard.  I even got Weed to help but she just got paint in her fur. We also painted the house.  I must admit it does look good.

TOG came to visit me again.  He comes every year to visit me.  Oh, Mommy is reading over my shoulder and says that I should tell you that TOG is That Other Guy.  She calls him her brother.  I guess that is like a litter mate.  I don't know if I have litter mates but I think he makes a good litter mate.  He made a big box in the backyard for Mommy and That Guy to hide in.  They call it a pug…pegasus…pergola!

My Mommy says I have been hogging the computer for too long and she wants to look up how many moons Mars has.  I have no idea what she is talking about but she is the boss.  I still have alot of news so I will try to sneak back on later.

Gina, Gina, Bobina...

The last few months Mommy and That Guy talked to me about getting me a friend to play with.  They said that although Weed liked to play with me she was just getting old and would not be able to for very much longer.  I know that she is slowing: she can only chase up and down the stairs once and we don't play the batting game anymore.  She sleeps alot.

So, on the weekend Mommy told me that they were going to interview possible new friends for me.  They went to the nice place where they found me.  They took along time. There must have been lots of friendly cats.  Finally the red box came home.  I had waited in the window for it all afternoon.  I did not see a new friend for me but they had a funny little box with holes in it.  That looked interesting.

It turns out that my new BFF was in the funny box.  She stayed in the box for awhile hiding under a blanket while Weed and I inspected the box.  She is out of the box now and making my house smell funny.  She is not as bold as I was.  I mentioned that to Mommy last night and she said that she was not used to other cats yet.  I guess she lived in a cage for many, many months.  Mommy said we must be patient and loving.  I can do that.  I watch her but I do not get too close.  I will wait until she wants to meet me.  

Mommy and That Guy think she is a beautiful kitty.  I think she looks funny.  She is all sorts of different colors like black, brown and orange.  Mommy said that she is a Tortoiseshell and she is my age.  Mommy also said that she will be playful all the time, just like me, when she gets to know me.    There is the red dot game, and all the furry mouses, and the balls, and the chase game, and the wap wap game.   I can't wait.

                                          

Mommy doesn't have a picture of Gina yet but she did not think that SCAT (where we used to live) would mind us using one picture of her here.

Working 10 to 8. What a way to make a living….

I have an excuse this time.  I have been run of my feet working.  I know I worked alot already, but I took on another job.  This job trumps all my other jobs.  I'm working out of my house - actually in my house - as a Therapy Cat.  It is something that I take very seriously, especially as I work mostly with my Mommy.  I find it fulfilling and over the last several months I have found I make an excellent Momma Cat.  But…..I just have not had computer time.  The woes of a working cat.

Mommy got very sick in June.  She had to go to this place where they collect sick people till they get better.  Probably so they don't make everyone else sick.  I told her that she was getting sick, but I guess she wasn't listening to me.   I would sniff her toe on the stairs every morning and tell her that something was wrong.  Well, her leg got really, really, really big and turned a funny black colour.  It got really dark like my paws and smelled really, really, really bad.  And she couldn't walk anymore and then it exploded.  Well, it did not explode but it leaked all over the place.  And smelled really, really, really bad.   That Guy took her to the place with all the sick people.  I wasn't allowed to go there and visit.  It was a very lonely time as That Guy would go visit with her and not me.  He let me know how she was doing.  Funny, she never said she missed me.

This is Mommy in the sick place after they have started to fix her leg.

Then she came home, but still could not walk well.  I was so happy.  She told me later that they were going to take the whole yucky part of the leg away.  That would be awkward.  I find it hard to walk on four legs sometimes - I don't know how Mommy and That Guy walk on two all the time.   

I spent all my time co-ordinating her care with Weed.  It was challenging because she would just not stick to her schedule that I had made for her. Weed took the day shift and slept in her lap with a short lunch break.  I took the night shift starting at 10p.m.,  sleeping in her lap till 8:00 in the morning with one litter break.  I would check in on her and Weed during the day from time to time.  She is getting much better now and starting to hold to her schedule on a regular basis and doesn't need our help as often.

My good friend Weed is still with us.  I think she quite enjoys looking after Mommy with me, but she is getting very skinny and slow.  She doesn't play with me much anymore and doesn't play for very long when she does.  Sometimes she has problems jumping into the chair with Mommy.  That Guy keeps giving her this really good tasting stuff that makes her hurts go away.

On the bright side I hear birdies outside and spring is coming.

I could blame it on Mommy.  I could blame it on That Guy.  I could even blame it on SAD and winter.  But lets be honest here.  I've been lazy.  I've spent the winter curled up on feathers.  Mommy and That Guy bought a really nice white comforter.  My dark hairs look quite stunning on it as they are close to the same color as the branches.  As you know I like to be helpful,  so I have been doing my best to add to the decorating.  

I love this comforter.  Mommy and That Guy don't always want to get up when I do.  So, with this comforter I can entertain myself hunting birds.  I can run up on them and jump on them, and sometimes I sneak up and then whack them with my paw.  Either way Mommy and That Guy just don't seem to appreciate that I am entertaining myself so that they can sleep.

Not my bed but that is the comforter with the birdies.

Speaking of birdies, now that spring has finally agreed to show it's face at my house I am pretty excited to be back outside.  Mommy gets up early when the birds are singing, wakes Weed up and Mommy gets everyone breakfast while I tell her about my night adventures and we go outside and listen to the birds.  I may try to catch one every now and then, but they are quick.  I am obviously out of shape.

I have sad news.  Weed is sick.  She has something called Kidneys and they are old and lazy.  I think Rascal had old and lazy kidney things too.  Weed is happy because now she is a 'spensive kitty.  Rascal was a 'spensive kitty, and I got to be a 'spensive kitty when my ears hurt. And now Weed gets to be a 'spensive kitty.  She only eats soft food now.  Sometimes Mommy gives me a tiny, tiny little bit for breakfast.  It's hardly worth attempting to eat, but it is pretty yummy.  My favourite is the Chef's Special.

Mommy asked the nice, stinky man in the ugly, stinky office why our kidneys were lazy and he said that was because we were healthy kitties all our lives and these Kidney things need to take a break.  I going to have to make sure that I am not a lazy kitty, and make sure that I drink the yucky water Mommy gives me, so that my Kidney things do not get too lazy.  I am already a 'spensive kitty.

Lazy Days of Summer

I've been a lazy kitty when it comes to blogging.  Once the weather got nice there was a whole new world to explore.  

Mommy's mom and dad came to visit us just after all the snow melted and they brought DOGS with them!  There were 4 of them - three were really, really, really big dogs that hunt kitties.  Mommy said they are Rhodesian Ridgebacks and hunt lions where they come from.  I did not approve of them and thought that they should go home.  They drank my water, tried to eat my food, sat on my couch and lay on my carpets.  And they STUNK!  I didn't see them clean anything but their butts.  Don't get me wrong clean butts are a good thing, I clean mine often as well, but that is all they cleaned.  And the older one drooled.

The other dog was a short, fat sausage with stubby legs and she was just annoying.  She yapped and tried to chase me and Weed all the time.  Personally, I think she was hoping to eat us because she looked like she eats lots.  I was very glad when they went home.

Lions that my Mommy and That Guy go to visit.
I don't know why the dogs don't like them - they look loving to me.

We also got new neighbours this summer on both sides.  I saw that they had cats but it appears that they have dogs as well.  One dog is named Bonnie and she has long blonde hair.  Bonnie talks alot.  The other is really new to the neighbourhood and I haven't met her yet.  I've been spying on her though and she has pretty blue eyes like mine.  

Neighborhood Watch

That Guy bought me a present.  I got my very own scratchy post with that stringy plant stuff wrapped around it.  And . . . . it has a little bed on the top.  My Mommy put it by the window in the dining room. I inspected it thoroughly and decided that it would do as my second hide out for when Mommy and That Guy were being interesting downstairs.  Both my upstairs and downstairs places have amazing sunlight to sleep in - when its out anyways. 

So I jumped up to try it out.  There was this filmy cloth stuff in front of my face.  I tried to put a hole in it so I could see through it properly.  My Mommy said that no I couldn't do that and moved it to the other side of the window.  At night they cover the window with this solid thing that I can't see out of unless I pull the bits of it apart.  I did notice that it is attached to a string by my post and it seems to control this thing.  I tried to pull it up - I grabbed the string and jumped off the pole under the dining table.  It didn't work so well.  That Guy and I compromised and he leaves the upstairs covering thing up at night.

As I am trying to contribute to my house, I decided to start a neighborhood watch group.  I get up in the mornings and make sure that everyone gets off to work and school A-okay in the morning.  Then I kind of keep an eye on things inbetween naps, food and play. 

I think I've been away long enough though, and I still need to grab a bite to eat.  It's hard work.

Rubber Fun

I found the most wonderful thing that Mommy and That Guy tried to hide from me.  They have rugs and if you flip the rugs over there is the most wonderful rubber thing that stretches and is full of holes to hook my claws into.  It feels kind of funny when you chew on it and it's sooooo soft and spongey on my paws.  It's the greatest thing and I can't believe that they hide it.

Mommy and That Guy don't like me playing with the rugs though and I've had my computer privledges revoked because I just can't stop playing with them.  Mommy said that I could use the computer again today so thought I should update you guys on whats going on.

It's been a little slow around here.  Rascal is back on her feet again and hanging around with us all downstairs again.  So I'm slowly getting to know her.  Weed and I play chase and box with each other quite often.  She is kind of grouchy sometimes, but I like her.  My buddy the red dot got really really pale and then he just disappeared.  He must be on holidays.  I also try to help out around the house a bit - so I'm still helping with the laundry.  I'm learning to iron now.

 

 

Making sure that the iron heats up properly.

Oh, Mommy's heading to the basement and I need to go and see what she's doing.  She never goes down there and this could be pretty exciting. . . . .

Boxercise

Something my Mommy calls the flu hit our house.  I don't know what exactly that is but I think it's invisible bugs that make people sick.  I don't like invisible bugs because they are hard to catch and eat.  I'm sure that a nice crunchy bug - that I can see - would taste wonderful!  Mmmmmm.....food.  

I think that my Mommy and That Guy are right.  I looked in the mirror.  I guess that I've still been eating for three and perhaps I am a little tubby around the middle. Maybe I've been so spoiled at SCAT and my new Forever Home that I'm lazy.  No, it must be that I'm still eating for three.  So.....I've made a decision to run around a bit more.  I was going to ask Rascal to play with me but she just seems so tired all the time.  Instead I approached Weed to see if she wanted to play chase with me, but she wasn't interested.  So we boxed instead.  I sat on one side of an open door and she sat on the other.  Then we reached out and tried to bat each other without claws.  It was fun! I couldn't see her and she couldn't see me.  Maybe we should practice this way more and I can catch some flu bugs the next time they come.  I bet they crunch.

Getting ready to box with Weed

Weed surprised me later on.  I was looking in the kitchen when Weed snuck up behind me and batted my butt!  I jumped straight up and squeaked!  As fast as my heart was beating I must have burned some calories. 

There is a Red Dot that lives in our house and he is helping me lose some of my tub too.  Everyone here is so friendly and supportive!  Red Dot lives in a little tube by Mommy's chair.  When Mommy lets him out of his tube he runs all over the house and lets me chase him.  He's quick!  I chase him all over until I run out of air and flop over on my side. I apparently need to work on my cardio as well.

Ugghh.  All this thought of running around is making me hungry.  I think I'm going to go have a little snack......  

Chasing Red Dot

Monkeys & Dolphins

I am SO offended.  Mommy showed me a picture of a monkey.  I look nothing like a monkey!  I don't have a red butt; I don't have a blue face!  I am very beautiful brown and cream! Although, I would like a set of those teeth.  Imagine all the kleenex I could shred with those things.  I guess my name does mean Naughty like a Monkey and they do call me Monkey sometimes.  To be fair they call me their little brown monkey, not their big red and blue monkey. 

I was complaining a little bit to That Guy about being called Monkey and he said that I sound kind of like the little monkeys at something called the University.  I want to go see them but he says we can't. I think he means he can't.  I don't see why I can't go.  Mommy says I sound like a Dolphin with my little ee, ee, ee's.  I have a very tiny, feminine, and maybe a little squeaky voice!

I've been following a strict diet of water, kibble and Temptations and I think it is beginning to show.  I told this to my Mommy and she said "yes, you are getting a little tubby".  Huh?  I am still my sleek self.  I don't know what she's talking about.  I meant that my fur is getting softer.  Some people.


I like my Mommy and That Guy anyways.  They do very interesting things, so I follow them around until one of us falls asleep.  When they walk by I look at them and say hello.  I even smile at them showing up my nice pink gums and my dainty front teeth.  They say hello back and then scratch my head or chin on their way by.  Sometimes they pick me up.  Actually they pick me up quite a bit.  At first I thought I was being molested but now I think it is kind of nice and I sing to them.

Smiling at my Mommy.  No teeth this morning.

My Indoor Tree

Wow!  Did I ever get stoned.  I have this cushion that my granny made and it is stuffed full of Okanagan Nip!  Not that commercial stuff, the good organic stuff.  I guess they used to have to take Phils pillow away from her because she would lay on it and drool all day - no eating, drinking, or litter breaks.  

Anyways I got all twitchy and so full of get up and go.  So I went.  I ran to the basement, I ran upstairs, I ran from the kitchen to the front.  I ran to a chair by the window and tried climbing the back of it.  Then I noticed something I'd never seen before . . . . . . .

A TREE!  INSIDE!  How wonderful.  I love trees.  I hunkered down and wiggled my butt in preparation for the big leap and then I heard my Mommy's voice saying 'that's not smart Tam Ling'.  I ignored her.  I'm a cat, trees are my thing.  So I lept . . . .

And the tree fell over!  I was so embarassed when I fell out of it,  I sobered up instantly.  I took another look at the tree and maybe it wasn't quite so tree like as I thought.  It was actually pretty spindly.  Mommy was crying and I went to tell Mommy that I was sorry for breaking her tree.  She said that it was okay - the tree was fine.  Turns out she wasn't crying, she was laughing so hard it looked like she was crying.  

Now I sit on a chair at the other side of the window.

It looked much bigger at the time.  Now I sit on the other chair.

Update on Rascal

Well, our house has been a little stressful these last couple of days, but I thought I should let you all know how Rascal is doing. My mommy spent alot of time with her trying to entice her to eat and drink. Now Rascal comes downstairs to visit with us, and is eating and drinking with us. I tried to play with her and she hissed at me. I guess it's too early, but I was just so excited to see her feeling better.

Now that Rascal's feeling better maybe Weed will be less cranky too. I was talking to Mommy about Weed being so mean to her, but Mommy said she understood. Mommy used to have another many colored kitty called Fill. Mommy called her this because she was always demanding “Fill my bowl”. Weed grew up with Fill and Fill was her best friend. When Fill got old she passed away and left Weed. Weed used to also have a dog buddy called Rufus.  He was a Bearded Collie.  Mommy says that he got this Cancer thing as well, and he also left Weed.  Mommy said that Weed is just worried about Rascal and blames her for Rascal being sick.  I hope that Weed realizes that I want to be her friend and I'm not going anywhere.

I helped Mommy and That Guy while Rascal was sick. I talked to them alot and let them hold me for a long time. I sang to them. Sometimes I woke up and left my cozy bed in the sunshine to play with Mommy. I even helped That Guy with the laundry. See, that's me in the picture. I'm showing That Guy where to put the clothes in the basket.

Me organizing the clothes as they are put in the basket

Mommy and I talked about my Blog. We've decided that it is easier for her to help me update my blog on Mondays.

But.... I think that my Mommy is needing another play break so I'm off.

My New Family

I thought that I would introduce you to my new family.  We all ate breakfast in the kitchen together yesterday for the first time.  It was nice.  That's the first time I've eaten with a family since my kitties were kitten-napped.  My Mommy keeps telling me that they weren't kitten-napped but went home with a nice gentleman who is looking after them and they will be well loved.  That makes me feel a little better.

Anyways, I have two older sisters.  One is a grey tabby named Weed.  I grew up on the streets, I know what Weed is.  But my Mommy swears that it is because when she was rescued she was so small she fit in a hand and two weeks later was full grown.  She says she grew like a weed, but I don't know......  I guess I'll believe her.  

My other sister is called Rascal.  She was adopted not from Street Cat, but through Street Cat.  She is  a very old Tortie.  I like her alot but unfortunately she was diagnosed with Kidney Failure the night before I came here.  She gets water from a bag  through a tube into the back of her neck.  She also gets lots of special soft food and treats.  I know she is old and sick so I don't complain about the special treatment.  Plus Mommy and That Guy told me that she seemed to have had a hard life and was going to be put down because the other kitties in her old house didn't like her.  Wow, that's harsh.

Today though Rascal took a turn for the worse.  She didn't want to talk to me or Weed and even growled at my Mommy.  My Mommy was pretty upset and spent most of the day sitting with her giving her water and trying to get her to eat some warmed up soft food.   Mommy told me that Rascal would sit with her all day and night when she was sick with something called Cancer and wanted to return the favour.  I wanted to help Mommy but I didn't know how.  I calmed my kitties by grooming them but I'm not sure that would help Mommy.  Besides, she grooms herself pretty well.  Weed sat in her lap.  So, I offered moral support.  I sat at her feet and followed her around all day, and sometimes talked to her.   I hope that Rascal is feeling better tomorrow.

3 Days Later

My new home just keeps getting better and better.  There are lots of high spots for me to sit on.  Unfortunately, my new people keep putting things on it, like cards and kleenex boxes.  I just push them onto the floor.  They don't seem to understand that I like to sit on the top of the china cupboard, and walk on the table, or the kitchen counter.  How am I supposed to look out the window if I don't?

 

They have lots of toys but I have two new favorites.  I really like kleenex boxes.  You pull one white fluffy thing out and another pops up.  You pull it out and yet another pops up. It goes on and on until That Guy or Mommy finds me.  I also really like the big long stick used for measuring.  It has something called a leather thong which is really fun to chew on.  Then I can grab the thong and drag it everywhere.  I dragged it across That Guys desk and knocked all his papers on the floor.  It was funny.  And then I got to help him pick up all the papers.  They make really nice rustley sounds.

 

I tried to visit with my people again last night.  I tried two or three times but they kept pushing me off the bed and saying be quiet, I'm sleeping.  So I told them all about my adventures while they picked all the cards and kleenex boxes up in the morning. 

 

I thought my Mommy had a foot fetish but it turns out that she was just checking my paws.  I have black pads which means I am a Seal Point kitty.  My mommy tells me that Chocolate kitties have pink pads. 

 

I have a new name.  It's a Siamese name because I am Siamese if you please.  My new name is Tam Ling.  It means Naughty like a Monkey.  I kind of like it.  It suits me because I'm kind of naughty, but I'm not sure what a Monkey is. 

 

Well this has been a long letter and my paw is getting tired cause I can only hit one key at a time.  I'm going to have a nap.

 

This is one high spot that nothing is kept on. It's far away from the window though.

 

 

 

 

Hi there

I am a Siamese kitty who was recently adopted from SCAT, an organization in Saskatoon that rescues street kitties like me.  I'm about 1 or 11/2 years old and I've had a litter of babies.  The lovely people at SCAT called me Lyra.  Here's my story starting one week ago . . . . . . . . .

I'm at my new home.  I wasn't too sure about it at first, but it seems to be okay.  I was kind of cranky to the other cats when I got here and now that I'm not so cranky they seem to remember that I was rude when I met them.  I explained that I had just lost my kitties and my cage and the pudgy cat at my old home had my toy.  They seem to be a little more understanding now.

My new mommy and "that guy" seem to be okay.  They like to scratch my chin.  I like them to scratch my chin.  They also have lots of treats.  I sang them a song yesterday.  We also chased paper and string around the room.  That was fun!

They have sunshine here.  I lay on a big squishy cushion in it all yesterday afternoon.  What luxury.  Because I got caught up on my sleep I woke up really early this morning.  So, I thought that I would go talk to my new people.  They didn't really seem to want to talk to me so I went back downstairs and snooped through a bunch of boxes and bags full of presents from something called Christmas.

But, it's nap time now so I will catch up with you all later.

This is me!  Aren't I pretty?