Saturday, June 9, 2012

Star's Birthday/Gotcha Day Celebration!

I really dropped the ball, but Star, being the sweet kitty that she is, has given me a reprieve. As long as I get her birthday/gotcha day party up before the weekend is over, I get to keep my arms! Otherwise, she’ll shred me to bloody stumps.

Note to self: Claw clipping time again...

She’s being this lenient with me because of my earlier back trouble, physical therapy, vacation, and my mom’s surgery. I appreciate it, Star, I truly do! (Next week I’ll show you how she helps with my physical therapy!) So let’s get right to it!

We don’t know Star’s actual birthday, and we honestly don’t remember what date it was exactly when we got her. So we did some guesstimating. We know it was right at the end of the nieces’ and nephew’s school year. So June was a good choice. And since she’s a number 1 kitty, June 1st was the best, logical choice.

I’ve told her story before, you can find it here: Gray Cat Obsession

The short version is I thought she was one of the free kittens they were giving away at the house I parked next to when I picked up my nieces from school. I’d seen her on the porch one day and just wanted her! Thinking she was a slightly grown up kitten of the ‘free kittens’ sign proclaimed. She was not.

She was one of the momma kitties. But they were giving her away too, so I got her! My nephew, who I’d picked up from junior high before going for the girls, carried her home in his arms. We were not expecting to get a kitty or I’d have had a carrier. But her owner was in the middle of a divorce and was hardly ever there and was only there at that time to pick up a few things. (Actually, it looked more like he was throwing things out into the yard and breaking them, but I digress..)

It took days, but once I got her in a room by herself, visited her several times a day, I discovered that she was very happy to be pet and cuddled. Just not picked up. Once I let her out to mingle with my three elder kitties, she quickly took control as top cat.

Within a few years, she was an only cat and seemed to prefer it that way. Cuddly and kittenish as long as it was her idea and she got her way. Which she almost always did.

Eating chicken? Oh that’s hers, must share! Ham? Same deal. Gooseliver (braunschweiger)? She’d take your arm off for that! Pick her up? Expect her to fight tooth and claw. Let her come to you, forget anything you’re working on, it’s Star time! Catnip? Whenever she wants it.

It’s only been recently that she’s started showing her age, but bring out the right toy and she still plays like a kitten, leaping and biting like a champ!

I looked up how to tell cat years and discovered that my 13 year old petite darling is actually 68. I guess it’s understandable that she’s showing her age. Occasionally. She seriously doesn’t show that age when she’s chasing around 1 (15) year old Leo!
 

Here’s the chart I used:

        let's take a glimpse at a simple formula for calculating feline age in human years. Assume that
        a 1-year-old cat is equal to a 15-year-old human and a 2-year-old cat is equal to a 24-year-old
        human. Then add four years for every year after that. (Example: A 4-year-old cat would be 32 in
        human years.) The following chart shows this formula of calculation:


So it’s her Birthday/Gotcha Day! Time to party!

My little lady loves her nip, so there will be nip, nip toys, and niptinies! Along with all of her favorite foods, chicken, tuna, gooseliver, ham.. I better stop, she’s drooling already.. Rest assured, everything needed for a party is here, except YOU, her guests!

26 comments:

Marg said...

Hi there Star, Happy Birhtday, and Happy Gotcha day. HOpe you have a great day and it sure looks like such a good party. Lots of nip which we love. And the balloons should be fun to play with too. Have a great day.

Fuzzy Tales said...

Happy birthday/gotcha day, Star! It's a terrific party, and we've brought you some silvervine, to go along with your nip!

Memories of Eric and Flynn said...

Happy Birthday /Gotcha Day Star. Thanks for inviting us to your party, It's going to be great!

GLOGIRLY said...

Happy Bday & Gotcha, Star!!!
That chart is very helpful...I'm pleased to report I am YOUNGER than Glogirly.
heh heh
; ) Katie

Connie - Tails from the Foster Kittens said...

Happy Gotcha Day beautiful girl

Nadbugs said...

Such a sweet post. YAY.

Random Felines said...

Happy Birthday/Gotcha Day. We are on our way north to help you party (hope we aren't too late).

Love the chart - that means Maestro is 84 in human years...yikes!

Quill and Greyson said...

Happy Birthday Gotcha Day Star!!!

Noir the Texas Tabby said...

Ahh...Ms Star--Happy Gotcha and Birthday--DAY. You are THE star in any galaxy!! I'd let you chase after me... :)

Noir

PS. Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Sparkle said...

Happy birthday, Star! It was a very lucky day when your human brought you home all those years ago.

Katnip Lounge said...

GOOSELIVER!?! Star, you know how to throw a party! Happy Birthday, sweet miss! We thought you were about Five so whatever you're doing, keep it up!

Laura and Taffeta Rose said...

Happy Birthday /Gotcha Day Star! We are enjoying all of the flavors of nip at the party. We brought our new nip nanner to share.

We have no idea how old we really are, but probably a senior kitty. My woman adopted us in June two years ago on the 4th. We think it is the *best* month.

Laura & Taffy

Clooney said...

Happy Birthday and Gotcha Day Star! And many more...I'z got my jazz paws going for ya bigtime! Hope you had a wonderful B-Day Floofalicious Lady!

Gattina said...

Happy Birthday and Gotcha day ! She has the same as me, and I still hop around too and I am not a cat, lol !
15 years for a cat is still young, 3 of my cats I had made it up 20 ! Pookie is now the eldest one with 13 years.

ZOOLATRY said...

No matter which day you celebrate your STAR shines brightly!
Happy, happy.

Angel Ginger Jasper said...

Sorry I am late but Happy Birthday sweety.. Hugs GJ xx

The Island Cats said...

Happy Birthday and Gotcha Day, Star! We hope it was a good one!! oxoxox

Fr. Tom Fish said...

Happy Gotcha Day, sweetheart. We love "love at first sight" stories!!

May you have many more Gotcha Day celebrations. Thanks fur the age chart. It'll remind Mom Julie to be a little easier on us since we're not exactly spring chickens lol

Hugs,
Tom

Katie Isabella said...

Star you are truly a very VERY beautiful girl. Happy Gotcha Day sweet girl, and may you always rule with Leo and have more birthdays/Gotcha days to come. Love you bunces sweetheart. xoxoxoxox

Mark's Mews (Marley, Lori, Loki, and Binq) said...

Happy Birfday an Gotcha Day, Star!

ANGEL ABBYGRACE said...

Star
We are so sorry we missed your party, but Mom doesn't let us go online much on the weekends. WE are so glad that you celebrated in style and we send you many happy purrs for your purrday and your GOTCHA!

purrs
>^,,^<
♥Abby♥Boo♥Ping♥Jinx♥Grace♥

Oui Oui said...

Star, sweetie! We hope you had a good day! Our mom is such a slacker, she didn't notice. We think you and your mom are lucky to have found each other! Purrs, and hope you had fun with lots of ham and stratches!

Oui Oui said...

We were just on our way over to tell you about the award for Leo, but you beat us to it! We can't wait to hear what he has to say for himself!

Gigi said...

Happy Gotcha Day, Darling girl! I must say you are verreh forgiving, thought you do look just the teeniest bit peeved to have been so nearly ignored. Well, my birfday and gotcha day have been lost in the mists of my Human's fading brain cells (well, to be fair no one efur knew my birfday). The Human finks my Gotcha Day was around August 15, but I have nefur hadded a pawty. Maybe this year could be my first one? I'll be 8 (48).

Brian's Home Blog said...

Happy Birthday and Happy Gotcha Day! Sorry I'm running so late.

LP said...

Happy birthday Star! We are sorry we have been unable to leave comments sooner but blogger is being a pain lately! Hope your day was special just like you :)

the critters in The Cottage xo