Degu Take Two

Tomorrow is Leo's birthday! yay! My baby boy is growing up! Say, as a present to him, why don't you wander over to Chrystal's blog, the one Leo came from, and check out the kitties and doggies up for adoption! I can't think of a better gift!!



Niece 2 brought over her baby Degus again today. I think Leo thought they were an early birthday present and couldn’t figure out why we wouldn’t open the lid for him. Wasabi and Habanero were completely unfazed by the drooling looks they were drawing. They even went nose to nose with the kitties at the glass.

They were here for quite a while, and even had a romp in their hamster ball and went about unmolested. They’ve gotten quite strong and can roll the ball even on carpet, they work together to get it moving and seem to really enjoy it.

I have to say, they are growing on me. They are getting kind of cute. And I’m so proud of my niece working so hard to save them. They’re really thriving now.

First Star had to have a look at what they were doing.

I will figure out how to open this thing.. That's my snack in there.

Then Leo had a long look.

They look delicious.. Why are they behind the forcefield?

I just want a lick... that's all, I promise..

Then they both had to watch the Degu TV.

Star in front: They tease me...

Leo in back: Yeah, me too.. Not fair that mommy won't open it.

In their ball together, the Degu's are irresistible. And completely not afraid. Nothing scared them, they must know they are safe.

I don't get it.. I has opposable thumbs.. why can't I open this ball?

See you tomorrow for the Birthday!

By the way, today is my nephew's birthday! Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Feathers and Sunbeams

Saturday is going to be a special day around here. My sweet baby Leo the Chinese Lion turns one year old! It’s so hard to believe because in some ways it seems like we just got him. He was nine months old when we got him, but I still thought of him as a kitten. So three months later, I’m still thinking kitten, even though he’s HUGE. He’s just a really really big kitten!

Case in point; he plays so hard! Toys are not safe around him! He’s destroyed several of the attachments to his newest wand toy. I don’t think that was as well made as it could have been, but still, he’s rough. Then there’s today.. His maroon feather toy is really well built and tough. Yeah, it’s not on a string, but that’s probably why it holds up so well.

My fedder! I’ma getchu, fedder!

Until now.

He was going banana’s, attacking it, chewing feathers when he got hold of it, batting at it. Generally being a big playful goofball. He got a good grip, and whoopsie! He pulled a feather out of it! What a little brat! But I guess as long as he’s having fun... The silly bug.

Poor sad fedder...

Of course, that just gave him another toy to play with.

As soon as I has you dragged under the Royal Footstool, yer gonna get the bittin’ of a lifetime, fedder! Bwahaha!

Star had a pretty good day. She found a spot in the sun to lay in. Nothing is better than sun pools. Kitties are solar powered, you know, their tummies are solar panels! There was a chair in this particular sun pool, but she didn’t want the chair. Most of the sun pool was on the bare cement, but she didn’t want the cement either. She laid on the tiny little swatch of sun that was on the edge of the carpet. She was quite content with it.

Yes, this is exactly the right spot.

　

Of course I’m aware that it’s only covering about a quarter of me. My lasers are only down about a quarter of a charge.

　

You may go about your business now. I have some warm sun grooming to perform.

While I have your attention. Can I direct you to Chrystal's blog? She has a full cathouse and needs to get some of them into new forever homes. Three months ago I answered the call to adopt a Winnie's Wish kitty and I couldn't be happier! Neither, if I can speak for him, could Leo. It's so important for these kitties to have good, permanent, homes. Yes, they are taken care of and loved in the cat house, but nothing can substitute for a home of your own.

If you have ever thought about adding a kitty to your home. Or if you think you have enough kitties, but one of them touches your heart. Or if you know someone who needs the love and companionship of a sweet kitty. Then please, please, go to her blog, look over the kitties, and bring one into your home. Daily Dose of Dogs (aka Cats with your Coffee) has some great kitties, and a few doggies, that need you. Please consider adoption. (And send over people you know who can adopt too!)

Remember, distance is no object, the cat blogosphere will work hard to make sure any kitty gets into it's new home, no matter how far!

Wordless Winder Wednesday

Leo

Star

Tall Boy

Leo is so stinking tall that it’s hard to hide anything from him... Seriously, he can reach just about anything he wants. And he wants whatever he can reach.

When petite little Star is feeling lazy and wants to be put on the counter rather than jump, (she is getting old, and sometimes she just can’t bear to make the leap), she will stand up, stretch and reach up toward the counter. She’s scratching when she does that, but I know.. just can tell.. that what she’s really doing is asking for a lift. When she does that, her paws come sorta close to the counter top which sticks out over the vanity. (She gets a drink on the bathroom counter every day. She’s not spoiled. Much)

When Leo is being... well, Leo, he will reach up and wrap both paws around the corner of the counter with ease. When he does that, he’s not necessarily looking for a lift, though he is not a good jumper. When he’s asking for a lift he will stand with his back to me, slightly arched, tail in the air. I call it ‘Assuming the pick me up position’ when he does this. He’s very scoop-able when he stands like that.

You’ve seen the pictures of him reaching up for bugs near the wall lamp, which is way high on the wall because it used to be above a tallish cabinet. He really stretches for that. But the other night he thought he saw a bug a little way over. It was not a bug, it was a nail from a painting that was HIGHER than the bottom of the lamp!

He’s tall, is what I’m saying..

So what happened tonight should not have surprised anyone. Snack time, and Star was not having any of what Leo was having. There was fish in his chicken. Ok, fine, he doesn’t have to share, he can have that all to himself. So I gave her a tiny can of one of her standby favorites, all chicken, no chunks.

Leo ate some of his and decided to see what Princess Hissyface had in her bowl. She was not at all in the mood for this today. Greg had pity on her and went to shoo the infidel invader away from her and her dish, but she must have thought he was after her for being such a growler and she ran.

This was the last can of, well, of any of the stuff we know she will eat, so Greg picked it up when Leo tried to go face down in it. She’d hardly had any of it so we knew she’d be back and would be highly disappointed if her dish was empty when she did.

Greg set Star’s dish on the table and put a little more of Leo’s in his bowl so he wouldn’t feel left out ether. Leo had a few more bites and then went to see where the other stuff went. Stubborn boy.. I heard Greg say "Hey!" and looked up to see Leo standing, one paw on the table, the other reaching for the dish about half a foot from the edge.

He tapped the food in the dish with his paw, and while still standing holding onto the table, he licked the stinky goodness from his big ol’ toes. Then he reached again, got another pawful, and licked it. For pity sake! What a goober! And why why why are the batteries out of the camera EVERY stinkin’ time something funny happens???

It looked like Leo the Goofball was going to try to eat the whole dish this way! Of course, tall as he is, his head is over the edge of the table as he’s doing this so he looks like an adorable dinner guest. With the bad manners to eat with his hands, er... paws.

But no! He was not content to eat this way. He used that big ol’ mitt of his to try to drag the dish to the edge! Presumably to knock it to the floor where he could get at it better! That’s when Greg stepped in again. He moved the dish to the dead center of the table so Leo couldn’t reach it! We hoped..

Greg then put Leo’s dish where Star had been eating earlier so he would be fooled into thinking it was her dish. Not sure how well that worked, but he did go face down in it again. Until a truely gigantic moth fluttered by! Mothra?? *shudder* He spent the next 20 minutes tracking, leaping at, stalking, talking to, pouncing and generally going nuts for this new tasty morsel. Which, I’m relieved to say, he finally caught and hopefully completely munched! I’m pretty sure he did, because he stopped talking to it..

Goodness, he’s a very active dinner guest!




So I have no pictures of Leo’s silly snack behavior. But I do have yet another silly sleeping position of his... how could he breath?? He slept like that for a good twenty minutes!

*snuffle snort snore snuffle*

I keep trying to get a pretty picture of Star’s face. She’s such a lovely kitty but she squints when I get the camera out and looks all ticked off. Leo squints at the camera too.. Darn flash.

I dislike your bright light thingie. Stop using it or I will chew it into one thousand five hundred and thirty two different bits.

For this one I put my finger over the flash, but I got this weird pink hue.. From flashing through my skin, eww. Still, kinda artistic? Filtered? Oh well, she’s pretty no matter what color.

I’m so glad we understand each other now. You may view my profile.

More paint on the walls! A little darker than we thought it would be.. We'll have to look at it in the daylight tomorrow to see if we're going to keep it that color or make the second coat lighter.

Star was sporting one blue whisker earlier, and I'm not talking the blue as in her shade of gray is called blue.. I had a heck of a time catching her to wipe it off so she wouldn't lick it. I don't know if it's toxic to kitties, but it can't be good for them.

Playin' Hard!

Before I get to the cute pictures and stuff, is anyone else having a problem with blogger not keeping the blog roll updated? Mine gives the title of previous day’s posts and says they were posted like 20 minutes or something odd ago but if I go to them anyway, there’s something new within hours.. If it’s just me, might be my computer, if not then must be blogger. Anyway.. just curious.



The other day, daddy played with Leo. And Leo wasn’t skiddish in the least! He’s really coming out of his shell. In fact, let me digress here... When Greg came home from work a few days ago, Leo ran TOWARDS the door. He sat about two feet from the door in an alert position and watched Greg get the mail. When Greg opened the door and came in Leo bounced away, not ran, but goofy boy bounce. He jumped on the Royal Footstool like he was waiting for some petting attention. At the last minute though, he jumped down and moved a few feet away, not ready for welcome home pets after all I guess. Still, it was progress!

So Greg had one of the toy wands and Leo leaped and bounced around like a mad kitty and played with Daddy!

Look at those wild eyes!

Got it! Bwahaha!

Gettin' ready.. gettin' ready.. aaaany second now..

Yeeha!!!! ....ooo where'd it go?

That's better.. I'll lay here, you bring it to me. That'll work!

Aww, poor boy got alllll tuckered out from playing so hard. Him needs a nappy poo.

zzzzzz

Do you think he's trying to tell me something by the way he's sleeping?

Shh already mom... tired boy sleepin' here..

Monorail?

You may have noticed in my pictures of late, but because of the work we’re doing on the house, we don’t have curtains on our windows. While this drives me crazy, it did allow me to see something today that I usually wouldn’t see.

I was talking to my nephew’s fiancé, who was sitting in The Chair, which at that time was by the back window. The Chair moves around a lot depending on where the work is at the moment.. Anyway, as I looked at her, something caught my attention out the window. I was flabbergasted and just stared for a few minutes. First, because I wasn’t certain that the critter was alive, it lay so still.. And also because... all I could think about was monorail cat from Icanhascheezburger.

I finally had the presence of mind to grab the camera.. which had the batteries out to save them.. (anyone else irritated at how fast digital camera’s suck down battery life?) I was sure it would be gone by the time I got it ready... but dang if it wasn’t still there! In exactly the same position!

We only managed to get one picture, and he picked up his head... he’d been laying with his chin down on the branch almost the whole time. I think he caught the movement of people trying to take his picture. Still, pretty cute huh?

Here’s a closer crop, same picture.

Do you think he'd had a hard night drinking too many acorn-tinies?

Remember Leo’s fort from yesterday? Today, of course, it got taken down. Needed the table elsewhere. Leo keep pawing at the plastic in a pathetic, you stole my toy, kind of way. Of course, by the time I got the camera ready again, he was on to the next toy. Ready to pounce the last of the feathered balls... becoming less feathered every day, poor thing.

I want my fort back... oooo the fedder ball is tauting me!

You shall pay for your insolence fedder ball!

　

Star probably wishes she could get in the back window to watch the squirrel.. still, she looks pretty comfy. (she looks so fuzzy and cuddly all backlit like that!)

You know, the view would be better if you put

some seed in that snack lure bird feeder..

The Bold and the Playful

Leo just left the building. Well, the room anyway. It seems he has pretty much lost his fear of the Cave of the Growling Creature. Except when he can see her crouching in the doorway guarding her room. He’s been in here a lot since I told about waking up with him on the bed in the Invasion part 2 story a few days ago.

This was the first time I’d seen him in here when Greg was here though. I saw someone jump up behind Greg and it took me a few minutes to realize that it wasn’t Star. She usually jumps up and makes her way over to jump on me, force me to close my laptop so she can lay on it. When I realized that it was Leo, I tried to call him to me quietly. It wouldn’t do to alert Star to his presence as I’m sure she’s on her closet box as she generally is unless she’s, as I said, on my laptop.

It took him a little bit, but he came over and laid down between me and Greg. I’m surprised that the snoring didn’t scare him off... (someone isn’t using his sleep apnea mask tonight...) He seemed like he was going to settle in for a nap down by our knees, but I made the mistake of moving my leg and he took off. Couldn’t he tell it was mine? Silly boy. Still, it bodes well for the future and him sleeping in here with us. I can only hope Star becomes more accepting of him soon.

Speaking of Star, she’s been more cuddly and more playful lately. She still grumbles a lot, but the only smack down I’ve seen recently was when they were both excited about snack time and jumped onto the Royal Footstool at the same time! Yikes!

She found the last remaining feather ball, that still had a bit of feather on it! And played with it for several minutes!

Oh hello feather ball... You look a little worse for wear.

Let me help... chomp! heh heh heh

Flippity flip, toss, chase, bap, chomp!

Leo’s been a goof, as usual. There is a drop cloth covering a table. It was covering the table and The Chair, but hey, we use The Chair every day! Apparently the drop cloth hanging over this table makes an irresistible fort. Leo has made a little tunnel doorway behind it and goes under there a lot. Then he skitters around batting at the edges and generally being.. well, a goof.

Can you see him?

oooohhh, I'm in my fort, in my fort, playin' in my fort!

Ooo edges wiggled! bap! bap! hee hee hee Love muh fort!