Chair Wars

So every since we decided to toss out one of the couches because we had no place to store it while we worked on the livingroom we've had a shortage of seating space for people around here. The Cot of Extreme Coolness (first seen here) has long since been folded up and stored as well. I think when the cement went down but I'm not sure...

We've had those folding chairs for a long time, but to be honest... they are not the most comfortable chairs on the planet. Only Leo seems to LOVE them. Star likes them, but only if her daddy just got out of it. She will sit anywhere he's just gotten up from.

I freakin' LOVE these chairs! They're awesome fun-ness!

So anyway, after all this time, we finally did something about the chair shortage!
First this one showed up, Niece 1 set it up I believe. Star immediately and totally took it over! Leo hasn't figured out how to get in it yet.. And frankly, it looks kinda uncomfortable to me too!

I claim this as the Purpley Pink Princess Perch! No barbarians may touch it!

When I needed to get to the oven to bake pies for Thanksgiving, this one moved into the livingroom and all I could think was, why didn't we bring this in ages ago????
Leo thought it was pretty awesome and laid his claim as soon as possible.

This one's mine ok? It can be my throne cause it looks like a throne and Princess Hissyface doesn't have a chair that looks like a throne! Bwahahah!

Star does not recognize Leo's claim..

ok, I could like this one too. Except.. *face-paw* it already smells like the barbarian.. Who lets him off the floor in the first place? Doesn't he know that most of the scratches on the legs are from me?

So now there are new seats, but apparently NOT for the humans...

Manic Mancat Monday

Leo has had a very busy weekend. He’s been bouncing off the walls. Greg and I disagree about what he’s like. I say he’s like the sheep in Pixar’s Bounding short. "You just get a leg up and ya slap it on down, And you’ll find you’re up in what’s called a bound. Bound, bound, and rebound. Bound and you’re up right next to the sky." Greg says he’s more like Disney’s Tigger. "Their tops are made out of rubber, their bottoms are made out of spring They're bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun." We're probably both right.

He’s been so silly, so playful, and so goofy. One time he was rolling around on the Royal Footstool attacking my snuggy and generally being a silly bug. Star was sitting on the couch observing him with regal disdain. Suddenly he stood up, walked to the edge of the Royal Footstool and leaned out as far as he could until his face was five or six inches from Star’s. He gave her this sort of high pitched, baby like meeeee-eewwwwwwwww, all long and drawn out, right in her face. Then he turned around, flopped over and settled in for a nap.

Star, as amazing as it sounds, never made a peep. No meow, no hiss, no growl, no smack, no nothing! Totally out of character for her. It’s not like she meowed back sweetly either or suddenly became his best furry friend, but I’m taking it as a step forward anyway!

Another thing Leo has started doing is something that just warms my heart to no end! A while ago he started sleeping on our bed, and spending most of the night there at the bottom between my feet and Greg’s feet, not touching anyone. Then he started sleeping up against my feet, my fuzzy little foot warmer. But a few days ago, he moved up and is sleeping leaned up against my hip. That’s close enough that I can pet him any time I want, and he leans in for extra chin scritches! It’s taken him a long time, but he’s getting so comfortable with us, well, with me, and I just love it!

Oh, and get this! I’ve mentioned before that when I open a container of catnip Leo runs, not walks, runs from the room! Well while we were looking for something else we ran across a couple of their scratchies that had been put away while we worked on the floor (ages ago! Yeesh). The bench scratchie has lots of catnip sprinkled on it and when Star, who was first to jump on it, (she’s a scratchie fanatic), got down, he got his turn. The first thing he did was sniff all over it, then he started eating the catnip! I was stunned! Makes me wonder if he had to grow up a bit before it attracted him? Whatever it was, he sure liked it.

Hmm, maybe that’s why he’s had such a bouncy weekend!

What.. what is this delicious.. stuff..??

Catnip, you say? Why haven't I been given this before??

What? Now I suppose have to share catnip with him too?? Life is unfair!

Thankful Thanksgiving Thursday

Thanksgiving is upon us again and I have to pause to remember the things I’m thankful for. Of course I have to start with being thankful for everything God has done for me. Which includes all the other things I’m thankful for!

I’m thankful for Greg, who is really the best husband in the world. I’m thankful for my family, we may all be a little nutty but when it comes down to it, we all love each other.

I’m thankful for my friends, what’s life without friends??

I’m thankful for this blog an the people I’ve met through it and the cat blogosphere, you all are amazing wonderful people!

I’m thankful, of course! For my kitties! I’m thankful that Star’s owners gave her to me when they really wanted homes for her and their other kitty’s kittens, (they were weaned!) I’m beyond thankful to Chrystal for rescuing and then entrusting me with Leo the Chinese Lion, my heart kitty. And I’m thankful that though they are not friends, they aren’t really trying to kill each other any more. I think..

Oh, and I’m thankful that my carpet is finally in! And I’ll be even more thankful when the installer gets me on the schedule for installation!

The kitties are thankful for many things too.

Leo: I'm thankful for the Royal Footstool

Leo: Jacket strings!

Both: Snackies!!

Leo: Shoe strings!

 Star: Boxes!

Leo: Fevver toys!

Leo: Toys!

Leo: Windows!

Leo: Pets!

Leo: Shoulder hugs with mommy!

Star: More boxes!

Star: Things to shred!

Star: My closet box!

Leo: More Fevvers!

Star: My butterfly toy!

mom: That they can share space now without fights (too much)

Differently Alike

My kitties are more alike than either of them would like to acknowledge. Ok, sure, they’re both gray, that’s pretty obvious. But there are other things.

They both like to chase the other, even though they know it will end badly. Half the time for one, half the time for the other. Sometimes the chaser and the chasee change several times in one day! Silly cats.

I showed the other day how Star gets her drink in the bathroom in her own special glass.

Well, Leo now has to get a drink out of that glass most days too.

If he goes first, I have to empty it out and refill for Star.. She doesn’t like drinking after him.

One way they are not alike is size. Leo is a big ol’ huge boy. Star is a petit little thing. Since I now have pictures of both of them at the same glass, and since I cannot get them to sit next to each other, I decided to use the glass as a constant to show their size relative to each other. The glass, rim to base, is just about exactly the same size in the side by side picture here so you can see the difference.

Speaking of alike. Within days, I caught both of them in this.. odd pose. They were too cute to pass up the pictures!

Leo

What?

Well if you can figure out a better way to clean the belly, you tell me!

Star

What?

Honestly, a lady has no privacy.

Tuneful Tuesday

I would like to preface this by saying that Greg has a very nice voice and sings really well. He actually won my heart with his singing. We sing together in the car a lot. (I’ve been told I have a nice singing voice as well, but that’s not the issue for this post)

That said, as we were looking over some songs for Sunday service, playing them, and discussing lyrics, Leo, my sweet snuggly kitty, decided that he needed some neck time. So he stepped off the back of the couch, curled up on my chest and snuggled his furry body around my neck. Of course I had to lean back and allow this invasion even if it kept me from typing out lyrics.

So I’m sitting there with a face full of fur and all the sudden Greg belts out some Hey-oh!’s along with the CD. Leo jumped, startled out of a deep snuggly sleep and growled!

Leo!

Growled!

He who rarely growls at Star who hisses, bats at, chases, and grows at him! He who has to be mightily provoked to make a single peep!

So he jumped, growled, and gave Greg THE most offended look before he scrambled off of me to leave, all affronted, and thoroughly disgusted with my giggling about it! But seriously! It was funny!

(I think he was just startled by the sheer volume and enthusiasm, and I assured Greg not to take it as a criticism of his tunefulness!)

I think the lesson learned from this is: Sing softly and carry a big cat!

I don’t know what that was.. but it was scary!

I love Simon’s Cat videos! Someone posted THIS ONE on their blog recently and I about died! It’s so Leo! Right around 38 seconds he walk on the guy’s chest EXACTLY like Leo does to me! And while Simon's cat didn't lay down there, it is very like what I was just talking about.

More Boxey Fun

Remember that box from a few days ago? Well, it's still pretty popular, mostly with Star.
At least it was.. until THIS incident! Niece 1 couldn't resist trying to close the box! Poor Star, and to think she was the one who had the thought in the first place about closing it up, but on Leo so she could send him to a forign country where he couldn't disturb her any more..

Hey! Not me, not me! I'm the pretty one!

She leaped out and jumped into the recycle box behind it.

Oh what's this? Another box? Full of boxes..

Hmm, this box doesn't have flaps that could be closed on me. And now that it's emptied out, I think it could be my new favorite place.

Just let that barbarian try to get this one away from me!

Two boxes, no waiting.. But.. but.. I can't decide which one to get in!

Leo the Chinese Hero

Pet owners live longer. Pet owners have lower blood pressure. Pet’s know when you’re upset. Pet’s will lay with an owner in times of crisis.

You’ve heard those stories right? A person’s kitty never sleeps with her and then someone in her family gets sick, then the kitty sleeps with her until the crisis passes? A kitty knows when their person is hurting and will comfort them.

You’ve maybe read Chicken soup for the pet/cat/dog lovers soul? Ever have anything like that happen to you? I haven’t.

When I’m upset, Star either gets bitey or more usually, just takes off so she doesn’t have to deal with my mood, whatever it’s cause. Leo hasn’t been here long enough to go through a crisis, but when things get loud, he takes off and you won’t see him until everyone has calmed themselves.

Except for today.

The first thing you should know is that I’m a flip outer. Someone gets hurt? I flip out. Something happens to someone I love? I flip out. Yes, I can deal with your injuries, but I’ll be flipping out while I’m doing it. Or, if I can keep it together long enough, then I’ll flip out when I’m done, and a little bit before I start dealing with it.

So today, my darling husband comes home after stopping at a drug store for something to treat his injury. He calls and tells me he got scalded. He doesn’t sound upset, just surprised that he got a blister. And, oh, it ruptured. Ok, get home and I’ll bandage it, if it needs it.

Then he gets home. Scalded? With what? A blow torch?? Blister? No, blisterS! His whole wrist, about five by 10 inches is swollen, bright red and covered with huge bulging blisters, one of which has popped.

So I’m flipping out. Things like "You goober!" "That’s not a scald, that’s second degree burns!" "This happened at work, you should have gotten it looked at!" "You should have had this treated right away!" "Continuing to work in a greasy shop with popped blisters can give you blood poisoning!" and so on while he remained unnervingly and annoyingly calm.

While I’m sitting on the couch looking at the damage, and he’s standing there showing me the damage while I continue to flip out, sorta loudly and ok, maybe even a little shrilly.. Leo, my scardy cat, my hide under the bed until any loud noises stop baby, Leo jumps up on the couch and climbs on me. With Greg standing RIGHT there. He climbs up until he’s nose to nose with me and he starts purring right in my face.

What in the world can you do to that? He kind of interrupted my flipping out hysteria. Greg laughed and said there’s your buddy. I leaned back and he settled down on my chest, staying almost nose to nose with me AND he let Greg pet him while he was standing there!

Do you know how hard it is to stay all flipped out with a large furry snuggly cat purring LOUDLY in your face? Do you know that you cannot help petting and cuddling said cat until you’re calmed down? Do you know that those kinds of stories are true??

Once I was calmed down and Greg had carefully cleaned the area, I was able to calmly bandage it. Without further flipping out! Cat’s are miracle workers!

Bein' a hero is exhaustin'!

Star? She didn’t come around until about an hour after everything was over. She did want her daddy to pet her, but that’s nothing new, she adores him.

Greg will be fine, even if he still refuses to see a doctor about it.. Goober.

Oh give me a box

Oh give me a box
Where I can park my hocks
And I’ll be content.. for a while

I’ll jump in and out
And Leo I’ll rout
And you’ll swear that you saw me smile

ooOOOooo A cool new box!

It's mine! All mine!!

Don't even look over here, you box heathen!

Huh? Box? What are you going on about now, Hissyface?

Leo: Oh, new box! I see now!

Star: *if I don't look at him, he doesn't exist..*

Leo: Turn you're back on me, will ya? I'ma get you...

Star: Try it, I'll slash you with my mighty Claws of Death!

Leo: Maybe I'll consider things for a while.

Star: Mom, are you sure we have to keep him?

Ha! I knew all I had to do was wait a while and it would be mine!

Well, this isn't as much fun without her to torment..

Star: *off somewher plotting to close him in the box and mail it to Abu Dhabi*

Noisy Weekend

Leo spent a good part of the weekend under the bed again... Star hid some too, but she came out every time the noise stopped. Leo didn’t come out until hours after the noise stopped.

The noise? Just an angle grinder taking the lumps and waves off the cement floor. That doesn’t sound too bad now does it?

Actually, yeah it does! And the dust! I spent that time with a sheet thrown over my head so I could continue to breath. I like breathing... It makes me happy. Did you know that it’s not very easy to read with a sheet over your head.. And it’s too bad I forgot to get ear plugs!

But back to Leo. When he hides, he does not come out. And I don’t get his hiding spot! Under the bed is Star’s favorite nappy spot. Ok, ONE Of Star’s favorite nappy spots. You’d think she’d kill him for being under there. But when he’s hiding, she doesn’t bother him at all.

And where exactly does she hide when he’s under the bed? I have yet to figure that out. The niece’s room was open, so it’s possible she was in there or under that bed. As I said, when the noise stopped, she came out, looking for attention and possibly snacks to make up for the assault on her sensitive ears.

The noise stopped frequently because the vibration, noise and dust was also really getting to Greg. It also gave me a chance to peek out from under the sheet to see how the job was going. You know what? It’s not too bad. At least in the places he was able to get to. Angle grinder burned out.

It took the kitties long enough to come check it out. Well after sucking and blowing the dust out of the house. You should have seen it. It was like a huge grey cloud blowing out the window.

Oh yes, the door and several windows were open, with a fan blowing out. This could have been the other draw for Star. She loves open windows and doors, no matter how cold it was that day!

But then, I’ve always thought I had rather silly kitties.

Freeze, smeeze. You can suffer, I'm getting good wiffies. And no pushy barbarian trying to get door time.

I was not scared... I have sensitive ears! yeah.. sensitive ears.. that's the ticket..

Formerly Feral Friday

My sweet baby Leo was a feral kitten. If it hadn’t been for Chrystal and her wonderful family going and trapping him and his sisters and his still Feral, but now neutered, mom, I wouldn’t have my heart cat.

I imagine him, just weeks old, thinking humans were the enemy, yet the givers of food. Staying away, scared, but wanting the food so badly that risking going in one of those frightening human’s garage was worth the risk.

And then being grabbed up and taken away, leaving behind most of his family, riding in a car only to wind up in a cage. Thankfully the rest of the siblings showed up, but now they’re just a huddled mass of frightened fur. But fed fur.

Over time the frightening humans became more than food givers, they became friends, cuddlers, toy players, and dare I say it, friends. And then.... the vet, coming back minus a few bits. And a move into a bigger area, with lots of other cats! Leo did not adjust well at first and was returned to the cage, but with only one sister for company until he finally stayed in the cathouse, resigned to the other kitties presence.

A long time passes, and again he’s stuck in a car, alone, and this one a long trip that ends with him in the hands of scary new humans! And the trip continues for hours and hours and hours until he’s brought into a house with the scent of another kitty.

Time passes. These humans aren’t too bad either. One, in fact, is now his favorite play partner and cozy nap spot.

Feral? What’s that? No no, not any more. Just one big, really BIG, domesticated, pampered, spoiled, snuggliscious pussy cat!

Rough start.. Wonderful ending.

Now, just think, there are lots more of these sweet kitties still in the Cathouse. Wouldn’t you like to go to Chrystal’s blog, pick out one, and get your own cuddly buddy? (Winnie's Wish aka all the adoptable kitties)

Feral

Not Feral

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