Super Sunday

 Bambino:  I have some great news: I'm well!

Karen Jo:  I'd say 99% well.

Bambino:  Why only 99%?

Karen Jo:  The Prince of Pounce isn't back yet, but I'm sure he will be.

Bambino:  I got a little better every day and the night before last I played with Mom's shoe laces and the sleeve of her pajamas.  Today I rassled with Julius and napped with him.  I can do my mighty leaps again and I eat up all my treats and food.  Yesterday, even the kitten food disappeared.  I say I'm all well.

Karen Jo:  You are certainly well enough not to have to go back to the vet tomorrow.

Bambino: YAY!  I want to thank everyone for purring for me.  It worked!

 Spyro:  It is Sunday and most of us are taking our Easy.  I'm in the blue bed by the heat vent, keeping warm.

 Oja:  I'm up on the tall scratcher, catching some rays.  Mean Mom says she isn't going to take any more pictures of me.

Karen Jo:  That's not what I said.  I said I wasn't going to take any more pictures of you in your cushioned chair under the kitchen table or in your chair in the computer room.  It's too dark and the pictures don't come out well.  I am going to concentrate on getting the camera out when I see you out, so there will be new pictures of you.

Oja:  Oh, that's ok then.

 Rocio:  I'm up on the big pillow in a great big sun puddle.  It's so bright I have to cover my eyes to nap.  Mom says that I've been a bad boy.  I've been annoying Oja again, once in the computer room and once in the kitchen.  She is such a lay-about that I've just been trying to get her up for some exercise, but she doesn't like it one bit.

 Horus:  The trouble with sun puddles is that they move.  When I started my nap I was right in the middle of the bigger one.  At least my tail is getting some rays.

Julius:  I'm glad that Bambino is well again.  I missed playing with him.  I'm getting my rays up on the table.  I still won't let the Lady get close to me with the clicky box.  I did let her pet me while she was giving out treats, but I run from her the rest of the time.

Good News at the Vet

 Bambino:  Man, what a morning I had!  First the blurp came over and I didn't feel like dealing with her.  Luckily, whenever she comes over Mom puts our ham-micks on her bed and won't let the blurp come into her room, so I just sacked out in a ham-mick until the blurp's grownup came over.  Then Mom picked me up and put me into a PTU.  Off we went to the vet with me complaining all the way.  After we were put in a little room, Mom opened the PTU and I got out to explore for a little, but I didn't get much looking around done when a lady came in, picked me up, put me on a table on a comfy mat and started poking and prodding me and holding a round thing to my chest.  Then she stuck something where it didn't belong.  Thankfully she left after that and I went to hide behind Mom.  Then another lady came in and felt me all over and held a round thing to my chest and talked to Mom.  Then she took me into another room and stabbed me several times and pilled me and put something on my hind leg.  Finally she put me back in my PTU and we went home.  When I got there, my fur on my back was all wet and I couldn't shake that thing off my leg.  After a bit, Mom took the thing off my leg and gave me some really yummy food and I ate most of it.  I would have eaten all of it, but Julius kept sticking his nose in.  It turns out he's not all that afraid of Mom when food is involved.  A little while later I felt hungry again and ate a few bites of dry food.  There was an intruder kitty in our yard and I jumped up on the table to watch out the window with the rest of the mancats.  It's the first time I have been really interested in something in days.  Right now I am in the playpen catching some rays.

Karen Jo:  The good news from the vet is that there is no indication that Bambino's FeLV has become active.  The bad news is that we don't know what's wrong with him.  His temperature is slightly elevated, but that's not unusual for him.  Just going to the vet can do that to him.  He might have an upper respiratory infection, but there aren't enough indications of that to put him on an antibiotic yet.  He might just be feeling under the weather for some reason.  He got a shot with B-complex and B-12, subQ fluids (in case he got dehydrated) and some blood taken for a new FeLV test. He also got an appetite stimulant and I got some more to give to him later.  He could be back to normal in 24 hours or so, or he might not be.  I'm supposed to watch him for signs of an URI, like sneezing or discharge from his nose.  The test results will be back Thursday and will tell us for sure if he really is FeLV+.  If he's not back to normal by then, I am to take him back in.  Keep your paws crossed.  Thank you so much for all the purrs pouring in.  I am sure that they are helping him and I know they are helping me.

Spyro:  I just love making Mom get down on the floor to take my photo.  The blurp was handing out treats like crazy and I was the only cat brave enough to get close enough to her to eat them.

Oja:  I feel discriminated against.  Mom manages to get clear pictures of all the cats, except me.  She took two shots of me and this one was the less blurry so she used it.  I haven't been sleeping with Mom lately and she wants to know why.  I'm not telling, but it might have something to do with a certain orange kitten.

Rocio:  I grabbed Horus' favorite spot today.  Just look at the great sun puddle up here!  There was an intruder kitty in our back yard a few minutes ago and I'm still watching for her.  I know it's a her because Mom knows the cat.  She lives up the street from us.

Horus:  Rocio and I traded spots today.  It's comfy up here and I got some sun on me, too.  I have been grabbing Mom's lap a lot lately.  She pets me and tells me how hard it is to type with me in her lap.  Too bad.

Julius:  The Lady caught me by surprise.  She was facing the other way, then she suddenly turned around and took my photo before I could run.  See my cool stripes?  Mom says I look a bit like a Rex cat she saw at a cat show once.  Mom kept trying to shoo me away from Bambino's really good food, but I kept sneaking back.  Bambino let me have some and he let me have his leftovers when he was done.  He didn't leave me much.

Caturday

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 Spyro:  Getting Mom down on the floor to take my picture was so much fun the other day that I decided to do it again.  It's so funny watching her get up again.  I haven't been doing much since yesterday.  I know where Mom has stashed all those new treats she bought yesterday, but I can't get at them.  I did knock the laundry basket over onto the floor trying to get at them.

 Oja:  Mom is so lame.  The picture she took of me in my chair was too blurry to use, so I have to appear in a repeat.  Now that I have accepted Julius as part of the family I am back to lounging around in all my usual spots instead of hiding from him.  He is the most polite kitten I have ever met.  He never pounces unless he is already playing with the cat he pounces.  I had to give Mom the stink eye today.  I was so comfy cozy on her lap, then she told me she had to get up, so I moved to my chair.  When she came back, Horus jumped up on her lap and she was petting and praising him just like she had been doing with me.  The nerve!

 Rocio:  See that purple fish by the scratcher?  It's stuffed with silvervine like the green one.  I rubbed it all over my face and now I'm playing with the blurpy's blocks and enjoying my sun puddle.  Julius is so great.  Just before Mom got out the camera we were snuggling and grooming and rasslin' just like I used to do with Austin.

 Bambino:  We have great sun puddles today.  I am just lounging around and soaking up rays. It feels so good.

 Horus:  I am up on the watch tower making sure that the other kitties behave themselves.  I have started eating treats more often.  I used to just ignore them when Mom would give me some, but now I eat them at least sometimes.

Julius:  Spyro had so much fun under here that I decided to try it, too.  He's right.  It is fun watching the Lady trying to get up again.  Last night when she went to bed I followed her and jumped up on the bed.  There were no other kitties up there, though, so I jumped down again.  I don't trust the Lady enough to be alone with her.  I did the same thing this morning after she woke up.

Friendly Friday

Spyro:  Mom didn't take any photos of us today because she was "busy" again.  First the tiny two-legger came over, then she left with her friend and didn't get home until nearly dark.  Our photos are half reruns and half unused pictures.  I am up on our fairly new scratcher busy scratching for treats.  One good thing about Mom being gone is that when she got home she had half a shopping bag full of treats.  Yay!  You'll never guess what Mom has for breakfast half the time.  Crunchies!  I love them.

Karen Jo:  It's Grapenuts, Spyro, and I'm amazed that you like them better dry than when I put the milk on them.

Spyro:  You don't use real milk and I don't really like it.

Karen Jo:  It's almond milk and it's good for me.

 Oja:  I am in the safe room by the heat vent.  It's toasty warm back here, which is nice because it's been cold outside.  I know because sometimes I greet Mom at the door and the cold air comes in.  I think I have mentioned that all the food in the kitchen is mine and I choose who I will share it with.  Last night at dinner and this morning at breakfast, I decided that Julius could share the canned food.  While he was eating breakfast, I sniffed his tail from the tip to his rump and gave him my seal of approval.  He is now officially no longer an orange threat.

Karen Jo:  This is amazing.  Oja has never warmed up to a new cat this fast.  It look her a couple of weeks after she came out of the safe room to make friends with Herman and Spyro.  It took months for her to make friends with Bambino.  She did make friends with Horus fairly quickly, but it was still a matter of weeks.  Rocio has been here a year and she still doesn't like him.  Julius has only been here nine days.

Oja:  You know what Mom has for breakfast some mornings?  Solid milk.  I love it and make her share.

Karen Jo:  It's called yogurt, Oja, and you are welcome to share.

 Rocio:  I am mostly in the blue cat bed by the heat vent in the living room.  It's nice and warm here, too.  I also like to play with the toggle and string from Mom's coat that you see hanging over my head.  I wish Oja would make friends with me.  At least Spyro, Bambino and Julius like me.  And Mom, of course.  When she has yummy meat or fish for dinner I stare at her until she gives me some.  I only want a bite or two and Mom always gives me what I want.  I love to lie on Mom's legs when she goes to bed.  It's comfy and warm.

 Bambino:  I'm up on the couch watching Julius play.  That boy loves all the toys and wants to play all the time he's awake.  Sometimes he curls up with me and we groom each other.  I am glad Mom got so many treats.  We were nearly out and I scratch for them a lot.

 Horus:  There is nothing better than my favorite pillow in a sun puddle for a nap.  The tiny two-legger wore me out with Da Bird this morning.  Mom got a new bird for it and it was more exciting than usual.  The tiny two-legger even petted me.  She has learned how to do it right and it feels good.  Rocio upset Oja again this morning and I had to chase him down the hall.  That boy will never learn that he can't make friends with Oja.  She has to make friends with him.

Julius:  I still won't let Mom get too close to me with the clicky box.  Oja lets me eat in the kitchen with the big kitties now.  Yay!

Karen Jo:  But your kitten food is in the safe room.

Julius:  Let Rocio eat it.  I like the big kitty food better.  Oja doesn't hiss at me any more.  She really sniffed my tail this morning, all over.  I think she might even like me now.  You will never guess where I slept for the first part of the night last night.  The Lady went to bed and Spyro followed her and she was petting him, so I jumped up on the big bed.  The Lady ignored me and just kept petting Spyro, so I snuggled up to her leg and went to sleep.  It's very comfy and warm up there.  I think I might try it again.

Easy like Sunday

 Spyro: I'll get my Easy on later.  Right now I am scratching for treats.

 Oja:  I may look like I have my Easy on, but I am feeling distinctly uneasy.  That little orange monster has escaped from the safe room.  I am so ticked off that I am hissing at all the other cats.  Mom was giving me my early morning petting and I hissed at Spyro, Bambino and Horus from the bed.  At breakfast time I hissed at Rocio and the little orange monster.  I am sticking close to Mom, where it's safe.

 Rocio:  I have my Easy on.  Julius is a cool cat.  He runs around and wants to play, but he doesn't go around pouncing other cats.

 Bambino:  I'll get my Easy on later.  Right now I want to play with Julius, but I can't find him.  He's hiding from Mom.

 Horus:  I have my Easy on in my favorite sun puddle.

Julius:  What's an Easy?  I decided yesterday that I was bored with my room and wanted to meet the other cats.  I tried coming out in the morning, but there were three of them in the hallway and that was too much.  In the afternoon, the hallway was clear, so I stayed out.  When I wanted to run, I ran into the living room.  I met all the boys yesterday and they told me their names and I told them mine.  I didn't meet the grumpy gray one with the curly tail until this morning and she hissed at me.  This morning after breakfast I discovered an opening that leads to a dark place with a great napping spot.  I was sound asleep when suddenly another opening appeared and there was the lady, right in front of me.  I think she wanted to catch me and put me in a box and take me out in the cold, so I ran out of there so fast she didn't even see me.  I hid for hours, then came out to play.  The lady did give me something crunchy and very tasty, but I still don't trust her.

Karen Jo:  Sunday is laundry day and I opened the closet door to put away some clothes.  I didn't mean to, but I really scared Julius, who was napping on some bedding I keep in there for the kitties.  I tossed him some treats when I was giving them out to the other boys and he got a couple.  I think he likes them.

Easy like Sunday

 Spyro:  I am wearing my new harness.  Isn't it jazzy?  I can hardly wait for spring so I can try it out outside.  The photo is blurry because I started to jump down just as Mom took the picture and I think she tried to follow my movement with the camera, because even the doorknob is blurry.

Karen Jo:  I like the design of it because it wraps around his body.  The D-ring is at the very back and I hope the stitching holds when Spyro pulls on it because he is very strong.  I got it from Nip and Bones.

 Oja: All of us are just lazing around today, trying to keep warm.  The sun is out, but the wind is howling.  I am in my warm hidey-hole, lying partly on the heat vent.  Rocio was lying on the floor under the blue blankie that you can see in his picture when I started to head over here.  I walked very slowly and cautiously because Rocio was so close to where I wanted to go.  I stopped on the way and approached Rocio close enough to take a sniff, then made myself very comfy back here.

Karen Jo:  I was watching in case any ruckus started.  Horus was up on the sewing machine cabinet, very alert, watching Rocio for any sign of aggression against Oja.  Rocio just lay still and I am glad that Oja took a sniff of him.  That is her first step in making friends, sniffing without hissing afterward.

 Rocio:  I am glad that Oja didn't start anything with me.  Horus would have blamed me for it.  I moved up here after Oja got settled in, so I would be more out of her way.  It's also more comfy up here on the soft knit stuff.

 Bambino:  Mom has this collection of fleece throws that she keeps on the couch in the living room.  I just love napping on them.  They are soft and warm.

Horus:  I know that the best way to keep warm is to find a sun puddle and I found a great one.  I love to nap up here on this big pillow.  If any of Mom's papers get in my way, I just shove them off on the floor.  I was really watching Rocio when Oja was close to him.  Any move from him and I would have pounced him good.  Oja is my friend and I won't tolerate any cat messing with her.

Karen Jo:  Thank you for all the kind words about missing me and the cats and about depression.  It did sneak up on my because I never felt really bad.  I just felt as if my emotions were stuck in neutral and I would snap out of it in time.  When I got really sick of it, I asked my doctor about it and I'm glad that I did.  I am not exactly walking around full of the joy of living, but it is much easier to make myself get my work done and things like blogging seem interesting again.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

 Spyro:  We've been having lots of sunshine and we have been making the most of it.  We get great sun puddles in the living room and we love all of them.  Mom has been very lazy lately.

Karen Jo:  I haven't been lazy.  I've been Christmas shopping.

Spyro:  You've been lying on the couch with Oja and reading.

Karen Jo:  Yes, I have, quite a bit.  Shopping makes me a bit tired.  Haven't you noticed how much I've been going out?

Spyro and Oja:  Yes, we have and we don't like it.  We also don't like the scarcity of food around here.

Karen Jo:  I took you both to the vet Saturday a week ago because Oja had gotten awfully round and Spyro missed two jumps in the same week.  I was worried.  It turned out that you had both gained weight, especially Oja, and the vet told me to put on on a diet.  Now you don't get lunch any more and I cut down on your dry food.

Oja:  (singing)  Sunshine on my belleh makes me happy!

Karen Jo:  I am glad.

Oja:  So my tummy is round.  You don't have to starve me.  There are only two food bowls on the floor now: my Stinky Goodness and my crunchies.

Karen Jo:  I feed Spyro on the counter now.  I saw you push him away from the food the other day.

Spyro:  I'm happy about that.  Oja was eating more than her fair share.  I'm still hungry, though.

Karen Jo:  I'm sorry about that.  You are going back to the vet in February and maybe then I'll be able to give you some more food, Spyro.  You aren't really overweight, but Oja is.  I give you treats whenever you ask for them and you have been helping yourself to treats a bit, too.

Spyro:  If I'm starving and you leave treat bags lying around in the open, what am I supposed to do, ignore them?

Karen Jo:  I don't really mind.  You were missing jumps because of the weight you had gained, though.

Spyro:  I haven't missed a single one since that vet visit.  I want more food!

Karen Jo:  Well, now that I am feeding you on the counter, maybe I can go back to giving you the old amount of crunchies, since Oja can't get at them.

Oja:  I'm being discriminated against just because I have short legs.

Karen Jo:  And a very round tummy.

Happy Halloween

 Spyro:  Happy Halloween, everyone!  Mom decided to put the Halloween necklace on me.  I am a rough, tough Mancat and I don't wear necklaces, so I stepped through it and turned it into a belt.  Mom threatened to lock me up in Oja's room if I tried to escape when the Trick-or-Treaters came by, but I behaved myself and remained free.  Mom was pretty sure I would behave because loud knocks at the front door make me nervous.

Herman and Oja:  We don't give a hang about Halloween, especially when there is a nice sunpuddle to be enjoyed.

Karen Jo:  Since the weather turned cool, sunpuddles have become prime napping spots.  I was afraid that the new heat-resistant windows would diminish their desirability, but the windows do not prevent the sunshine from warming up whatever it falls on.

Spyro has been being mean to me.

Spyro: Have not!

Karen Jo:  Yes, you have, a little bit.  Herman was relaxing in the above chair and Spyro jumped up to join him.  I don't know why, but Herman flattened his ears and gave Spyro some mighty growls.  Spyro appeared to ignore Herman, but Herman jumped down and found another spot while Spyro settled down in Herman's sunpuddle.  A couple of days ago I actually saw Spyro harassing Herman while Herman was trying to use the litter box.  I don't know why Spyro would do that.  Each of them has his/her favorite litter box.  Herman prefers the one in the entrance hall, Spyro likes the one in the human litter box room and Oja likes the one in her room.  I heard Herman digging in his favorite litter box, then I heard him growling, so I went to see what was going on.  Herman was crouched in the corner by the door and Spyro was standing near the litter box, but scooted away when he saw me.  Herman got back in the litter box and Spyro ran up and actually tried to bite him.  I shooed Spyro away and let Herman do his business in peace.  I wish I knew what was going on with those two.  Sometimes I see them giving each other nose kisses and butt sniffs just like they used to when they were the best of friends and sometimes they seem like they are going to get into a big fight.

Oja:  You never can tell about Mancats.  Me, I am friends with both of them, though I cuddle with Herman more often that I cuddle with Spyro.  Herman will let me nap with him in peace, but sooner or later, Spyro always wants to rassle.

Spyro:  Hey!  You pounce me lots of times when I am just walking by.

Oja:  You are the one who starts to rassle when all I want to do is snuggle with you.

Karen Jo:  We have all been doing fine.  I haven't blogged in a long time because I upgraded my internet speed and had lots of problems to begin with.  I have most of them ironed out now.  I am looking forward to being able to visit more blogs as I won't have to wait as long for blogs to load.  Yippee!

Mancat Monday

Yet another picture of me lying around the living room.  Mom took this picture weeks ago and kept it as a spare in case she didn't get a picture taken, but found she had time to blog.  See my baby sun puddle?  I got too warm in the big one, so I moved to the baby one.  My fur is completely grown out again.  Mom has been really bad about blogging again.  She still hasn't done my award that I got weeks ago.

Karen Jo:  My apologies.  I have been very busy.  I had a lot of work to do with year-end reports for an organization I belong to and now I have to write another report for the state convention coming up.  I still haven't gotten my new computer up and running and I think I will let it wait until I have written my report.  A friend on mine has been having a rough time and I have been spending quite a bit of time with her, helping her unwind after some very stressful days.  All I can promise is that I will blog when I can.  I should be able to do your award tomorrow.  I also have to do my income taxes very soon.

Sheesh!  I had a busy day today myself.  I got taken to the vet for my yearly wellness exam. The great news is that I am so healthy that everything shows up as normal.  The good news is that I have lost 0.6 pounds since the last time Mom weighed me last fall, before the weather got too cold to take me in for a weighing every month.  The bad news is that the vet says that the weight isn't coming off fast enough, so Mom is going to have to take a little bit of food away from me.  The really bad news is that I need to have my teeth cleaned.

Karen Jo:  I am so very pleased with your wellness exam results.  The only change I am going to make this month is to start measuring out your dry food.  We'll check your weight again next month when you go in to have your teeth cleaned.  If I am happy with your progress, I won't make any more changes.  I am waiting a month to have your teeth cleaned because I have so much going on right now.

I can wait; in fact, I can wait a really long time for that.  I have been feeling really good.  I am playing with my toys more and talking to the birds more and running up and down the hall more.  I think I can feel Spring in the air.

Karen Jo:  You are really good at detecting it then.  We had snow just Saturday.  It wasn't much, but a bitingly cold wind came with it. Today it was really nice.  Some people's bulbs are coming up and the crab apple trees are budding.  The forsythia is getting tiny buds, too.

Mom's war with the ravens has come to a stalemate.

Karen Jo:  I thought I had them outsmarted when I put a twist-tie on the suet feeder.  One of them looped the chain over the crossbar of the clothesline pole and got the twist-tie off.  This time I put one of those heavy duty twist-ties that comes on computer cables on the feeder and they haven't gotten it open again.  They do occasionally loop the chain over the crossbar so they can get at the suet more easily, but at least the starlings are getting a share now.  The flickers haven't shown up yet.

Chasing Sun Puddles

With the birdies not coming around and my toys being boring, there's not much else to do around here but chase sun puddles.  I had found a great one up on the big pillow on the table, but Mom wasn't fast enough with the camera to catch me in it.  When the puddle moved to the carpet, I followed it.

Karen Jo:  I don't know why you think your toys are all boring.  I try to play with you and you ignore me, mostly.  We did bat a ball around a little bit last night.

I have seen them all before and played with them all before.  I did play with the mousie hanging from the kitchen door a little bit last night.

Karen Jo:  I think you are just being lazy and would rather nap in a sun puddle than play.

Sun puddles are great in the winter.  They aren't around every day, so I have to take advantage of the ones I can find.  When are you going to cook something good again?

Karen Jo:  Soon.  I have all the ingredients for a meat loaf, but I don't feel like cooking it tonight.

Meat loaf is good, except that you put onions in it.

Karen Jo:  I will break you off some little pieces that don't have onion in them.

I think you ought to cook one for me with no onions.

Karen Jo:  That's an idea.  I could make you a little one before I put the onions in.

Now you're talking.