Gemini is Talking

Chey has taught Gemini to talk--or rather complain. Chey howls at me for food whenever I am in the kitchen and I am noticing that Gemini is starting to pick that up. She's still got her sweet little mew, but it does have tones. She is becoming increasingly less patient with me about the whole food issue as I try and wean them (Chey in particular) off of canned cat food.

Ah well, all children learn the bad habits of the adults around them. Why should Gemini be any different!

Siamese Cats are Insane

My Siamese is a weird cat. Simone was strange too but Chey is beyond strange. Siamese, however probably prefer to think of themselves as eccentric and I'm not sure how anyone can resist them.

Gemini has her quarks too. She tends to sharpen claws on the sofa. Georgia can get a bit bitchy with the other cats. They all do various things I'd rather not have them do. Papers on the desk end up on the floor. They always want attention at the worst possible moments.

But I love them all. It's hard for me to pass up a cat and not think how wonderful they are simply because they are a cat.

A woman I konw was lamenting the other day that she tries really hard but she keeps failing at being a person. She feels alone and unloved. So much of her judgements are her judgements about herself rather than anything most people would notice. I think sometimes we expect so much of ourselves and forget that no one needs to be anything other than what they are to be loved.

Cats know this. I think Siamese may use this to their advantage. I'm sure that's why there are so many fans.

What the Cat Got

One of Gemini's gifts was a toy with a bunch of feathers on it. Fortunately the packet contained three. We gave one to Gemini and Chey came over, swatted her, took it away and started growling and spitting as if she had a real live bird or something. Gemini moved back and sort of watched her, curious. Georgia too was curious. We finally gave another toy to Gemini but she continued to be more interested in Chey who continued to make a fuss.

After awhile, Chey got tired of killing the cat toy and moved on. They played with other things. Later on Chey stole the toy again and ran around the house meowing as if she had a real kill. The other cats were not impressed or fooled.

Today I came down and found feathers all over the house. The little ball that the feathers were attached to is bald. I guess Chey finally tore apart the cat toy enough.

Gemini, fortunately, also enjoyed the holiday colored catnip mice we got and has been happily batting them around. She's far less intense in her play time.

Happy Holidays

Okay, Gemini is celebrating Christmas. Georgia has always been a Winter Solstice sort a cat and Chey... well we're still not sure about her.

I'm glad that so many people enjoyed the photo of Gemini in her little hat! I can't believe I got that many comments on it!

Whatever flavor your holiday is, I hope it brings you warmth, love and peace.

Gemini in Hats

Well this was another photo where we were having fun placing hats on Gemini. I don't have a good one with the Santa hat and the way they are going with the ears, I think pasting them on after the fact may be the only way we get a good holiday cat photo... I'll keep working! It's just fun.

A little slow

The cats are sleeping and I'm close to having everything that needs to be done for the holidays done.

Chey has been on a tear about the food thing. She really really wants canned food only and she's decided to even be a bit picky about that. Siamese cat that she is, she isn't shy about using her voice to complain! And complain she does! I was talking to my real estate agent for about half an hour last night and she meowed through all of it! The poor woman probably thinks I'm insane to have that cat like that!

Well, we've decided her Christmas gift will be a squirt gun. Perhaps she'll learn some manners--along with Gemini!

Failed photo ops

I have this antler headdress for a small dog and I wanted a photo to upload of Gemini as a Merry Christmas to all her loyal fans. Alas, the photo op didn't go as planned. She didn't sit still. She wouldn't look at the camera and then she pulled them off.

Georgia just ran away.

Chey was lulled into sitting with me by the dangly thing on the antlers. I managed to get those on her head and we have a great shot of everything but her head as she leaps off my lap and I grab frantically for her.

Ah well.

Remember, it's the thought that counts!

Cat Chases

Okay, the cats love chasing each other around the house with the tree. They love running under the tree. They love to pull one of my handmade ornaments off the tree. They have jumped over and opened I don't know how many presents. I am thinking I need a fence, but they'd just jump over it.

On the good side of things I got down to my local natural pet store and got some new cat food. I wanted the Innova Evo, which is mostly protein and is supposed to be good. I saw it but decided that it was too high in protein for Georgia. It'd be hard on her kidneys. I got their regular cat food instead. We'll switch around with some mature for her and some of that for Gemini and Chey. The latest thing in feeding cats seems to be variety so they get a little of this and little of that and not too much of any one thing. So hopefully they'll never get on a kick and only eat one or two things! However, I might start having a hard time deciding what to purchase!

Gemini's Christmas Gift?

One of my coworkers was saying today that she could decorate the tree tomorrow because finally her cat had stopped climbing the tree.

Here I thought I was the only one who was slowly introducing a cat to the tree and the assorted play toys of the season!

Gemini has been quite adept at pulling on the strings that come off of packages. She's opened one gift bag several times. She must be hoping that it's for her, but it's not. I'm thinking about getting her a grooming clipper so I can keep her bottom clipped up. I suppose that's the cat's version of getting underware for Christmas, huh?

Photo Fun

I was having too much fun playing around with cat photos. This is the best of all of them, though Gemini in a camo hat is pretty cute too. Off to find more cut outs for the cats in hats!

Holiday Safety

Well I have a fake poinsettia and the cats have tried to tear it apart, which reminds me that the reason it's fake is that poinsettias can be toxic to pets. Remember to be careful.

Other holiday hazards include that stuff you put in your Christmas tree water can be toxic if the pet drinks out of the tree stand. Tinsel can clog up a cat's digestive system. It also has sharp enough edges that it can cause some inner tearing of the stomach. There are lots of small parts that might be enticing. Ribbons and bows are great cat toys and you may not want them playing.

Gemini has found a new hazard that I haven't had to deal with before. She wants to play with the Christmas lights as they blink off and on! So chewing on cords can be a hazard which means making sure she is not unattended around the tree!

Most pets and holidays do just fine. But remember where the main haxards are and try and minimize them! Good cheer.

Misheard Christmas Lyrics

There are many misheard Christmas lyrics. In Winter Wonderland, for example, I thought it was "Later on..We'll perspire... as we dream by the fire..." It makes as much sense as conspire, when you think about it.

Another misheard lyric? Piggy Pudding, not figgy pudding. Who has figgy pudding and what is it? But piggy pudding--this reminds me of Chey.

She is now called Piggy Pudding when she starts in on wanting her food. This is to say, I call her that most of the time.

I can't believe my kitten was ever that tiny! She's gotten so big so quickly.

First ski day

So it was Gemini's first ever ski day. No I do not force my cats to put skis on their little feet and join me on the hill. No, they get to watch me get ready and then come home.

The first unusual happening was how early I got up. Chey was already making noise but I suspect she wasn't expecting that I'd get up and go do anything. Then I had the ski pants. The sound they make when the water prrof fabric rubs against itself had them somewhat afraid of me.

The thing that really bothered them? Well upon returning home, instead of just taking my usual shower, I sat in the bath tub with but full of hot water. Both Chey and Gemini kept coming up to the side and with ears flattened would peer over the edge and then leave. It was kinda funny. I think both girls were appalled that I would sit in all that water!

Georgia? Well she's used to this. When she wants attention, she sits beside the tub and gets her head wet while I scratch her ears. She never seems to mind.

Winter Cat Days

In Chinese Medicine they say that winter is the time to rest and restore energy. Cats must be inherent Chinese Medical philosophers. They are resting a whole lot.

I'm always surprised at the new and creative places they find to curl up. The love the stair landing. Georgia has taken a favorite spot in front of the doorway from the bedroom into the dressing area.

Chey likes the bed (no suprise)

Gemini has a favorite place somewhere. She appears from the closet sometimes as if by magic. I swear I've looked there and don't see her but leave and she'll appear. Cats are funny that way aren't they?

Broadway Show

This past weekend I was up in Issaquah and I saw a showing of Cats in their Village theater. I wasn't sure what to expect with such a small theater but overall the players were good and the show enjoyable.

In Portland, I have been a regular patron of their Broadway in Portland series for the last several years. I feel obligated to point out that Karen Kaiser (and I believe that is the spelling of her name) was head and shoulders above anyone I have seen in anything here with her rendition of Memory. This woman has a voice that is just astounding.

As this was the first time I had seen Cats, though I have listened to the sound track once or twice, my cats have been innundated with short song chants from the play.

Georgia, my calico is hounded with "Mungojerry and Rumpleteaser" as that was performed by the Calico Cats in the show. She really isn't all that rambunctious any more.

Gemini, though she is a girl, gets her fur rumpled to "Rum Tum Tugger is a curious cat."

And Chey, well Chey... She is tortured with the conspiratorial whisper, "Macavity's not there." It does, alas, fit her personality...

Still more to do.

As I sit here finishing the last of the turkey soup (very good soup, mind, but just getting tired of TURKEY!) I have to realize that I am very lucky. I live in the Pacific Northwest and currently we haven't had any major disasters. I've been reading my Best Friends magazine and am reminded of how much there is still to do for the people (and their pets) that live in the areas hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina.

Their latest magazine talks about rescue efforts that have been going on for the last couple of months. They have a daily chronicle of what the the volunteers were doing in that area and how they were coordinating efforts. Some of this is online at their site, Best Friends. If you want to read another blog about what pet lovers are doing, Eric Rice has set up his own blog. If you're interested in how the rescue efforts are going, you might want to wander over there as well.

Best Friends has a link on their site devoted to helping lost owners find their rescued pets. They also have links to things we can do to help.

Many of us know how much a part of our family our pets are. It's important not to forget them. Best Friends does a wonderful job as a no kill shelter and it's one of the largest no kill organizations out there. Gemini and I encourage anyone to check out their site and see for themselves.

Butter?

It's Chey again making trouble. I had squash with dinner last night. After putting a pat of butter in the squash for cooking I left the butter out. When I came back, to take the squash out, the butter was gone. I thougt nothing of it. I just figured upon not finding it in the fridge that perhaps I had used it up. Coming back later I find the wrapper from a stick of butter. I think that I am a slob because I have obviously missed the garbage. I pick it up and throw it away.

Still later, I got to feed the cats. Bending down near their dish, I see beneath the edge of some cabinets a yellow stick. I look closer and pull it out.. It's the stick of butter I had pulled out earlier, rolled in dry cat food and anything else that was on the floor sitting there.

I know it wasn't Georgia, as there was a time when I could leave butter on the counter ALL the time if I wished. It's really unlikely that it was Genini as she doesn't really get that human food is food. Also butter is square and I don't think it looked like a good cat toy. Chey, skinny Siamese and Miss Piggy that she is, will eat anything that I leave out too long and has even tried to eat from my dinner plate once, is the cat I am blaming.

Note to self: No longer leave butter on the counter...