Mancat Monday

 I am showing off my magnificent tummy again.  Mom isn't taking away all my treats, just cutting down on them.  After I regained my weight after being so sick, I leveled off at fourteen pounds and stayed there for a long time.  I only gained the last two pounds when Mom started giving me all the treats I wanted when she got home from work.

Karen Jo:  That was my fault.  I thought that the way you asked for more treats by reaching out a paw toward the treat bag or patting my hand or my cheek was so cute.  I was giving you a ridiculous amount of treats each night.  You were making a whole meal out of them.  This week I am giving you ten treats when I get home and next week I am going to cut you down to five.  Then we will see how it goes.  If the weight starts to come off, then I will leave it at that.  If not, then I will cut you down to two or three.  I do think that when Emma gets used to you and comes out to play, you will be getting a lot more exercise and that will help with the weight.  I do want to keep a couple of extra pounds on you as a cushion against the next leukemia flare-up.

Mom thinks that just having Emma in the house is good for me.  I am playing with my toys more and running up and down the hall a little bit more.

Karen Jo:  I do think that she is good for you.  It got so all you were interested in was eating, sleeping and seeing how many treats you could get.  The other day, you chased one of your balls all around the kitchen, which you hadn't done in months.  Almost every night when I get home I see that you have been playing with your toys at least a little bit.

Karen Jo:  Emma stayed still for this picture, but it doesn't do her eyes justice.  I have never seen such bright golden eyes in a cat in person before, though I have seen some pictures on blogs.  Herman got about one foot away from her before she hissed at him this morning.  It was just a little hiss, too.  Emma has discovered the stairway to the top of the bookshelves and the kitten cozy that I put up there.  It's just some storage boxes stacked up, but it works to let her get up to the window so she can look out.  At present it's her favorite place.  To get down, she moves along the top of the bookshelves then jumps down on the couch. Tonight after I petted her a bunch, I picked her up and took her on a tour of the house.  She stopped purring, but she didn't struggle in my arms or start to shake in fear.  I think she was interested to see what was outside her room.  When we got back to her room, Herman was in there, of course.  He was really checking out the bed that I bought her, but I don't think she has done more than walk across it.  I sat on the couch with her and petted her for a bit while she watched Herman.  When she jumped down and went into her cave, I picked up Herman and we left her alone.  I think she is coming along very well.  Herman chirped at her today.  It wasn't anything like the way he chirps at birds, but more of a questioning sound.  I am hearing lots of sounds from Herman that I have never heard before.