Hellos...and Good-Byes

Persephone

Aries

You may remember that I mentioned a mean neighbor's cat who I've tried to shoo out of the yard.  Anyone with a cat knows that cats cannot be shoo'd!  So, taking the advice from some smart comment's, I tried to make friends.  Aries, the boy in the second photo, growls and makes these really threatening noises when I approach.  But after a couple of kibble feedings, he's now letting me pet him and scritch him under the chin!  He continues to growl, while he's head-butting me!  Weird, but I accept his friendship offer.  And his sister Persephone is a little doll; she just keeps purring and comin' back for more luvin'.  She would not sit still for a good photo, but obviously Kindness works!  A big hello to Aries and Persephone!  Oh, and there is a mini-dachshund named Zeus living there too, but that little dog knows better than to wander into our wild-cat backyard sanctuary.  Great names, no?

And I'd like to welcome Emily at Stillness at Cherith.  They just lost their sweetie kitty Lucy, and quickly decided that Oscar and Winston needed a new sister.  Emily is a cute little kitty, and I am wishing the whole family purrs on the loss of Lucy, and hugs to Emily.

More 'Welcome!' signs to Magoo at my niece's house, and Izzy and Ivan at William of Mass Destruction, whom I have mentioned before.

Poppy

Now some goodbyes:
Poppy was 20 plus years old when she left for the Rainbow Bridge in October 2013.  I just recently learned she was gone, as she lived Up North with her humans.  Poppy arrived as a kitten, with her momma and sisters, in Macomb Township, Michigan.  All were trapped, spayed, then fed and cared for.  When the humans moved, Poppy and a few remaining sisters went along.  Poppy was the last of her family, and although deaf and blind, she still enjoyed getting brushed and snuggled.  Farewell, Old Girl.

My aunt lost her kitty Putchka to a bladder tumor a few weeks ago.  I have no photo of her, but I know she was once a pariah cat at a home full of people and animals.  My aunt removed her from that awful experience, and gave her a home of her very own.  The two lived together for many years, so now it's quiet at the house.  However, the neighbor's cat is welcome to find his way inside from time to time, and he continues to visit for a nap on the couch, some petting from my aunt, and a nibble of food.  She is considering a new cat, but will give herself some time first.  Adieu, Putchka.

Amber

Amber has been ill for awhile, with a fast-growing tumor.  Her humans took her to the bestest veterinarian, and they started on a course to keep Amber as healthy and pain-free as possible.  She left for the Rainbow Bridge a week ago, less than two weeks after her sister Sugarbear.  Amber and Sugarbear's humans are sad, yet they have Tonya and Spit Spot to hug and purr with.  Tonya and Spit Spot were strays, but they hung around the backyard long enough to become tamed, then incorporated into the feline family, called The Cat Crew.  Amber and Sugarbear's brother cat Colby passed in 2012.  So long, sweet Amber.

Tonya

Spit Spot

I love my cats, and heck, I love other people's cats too!  It is hard to live without them, but the tremendous joy and love we receive when they are with us is just too fantastic.  May we always remember the warmth, the purrs, and the beautiful moments of love.  Kindness...that's the key!  Open your kitty-loving arms and say, "Hello!"

Growin' fresh cats

Growing fresh cats in the garden urn

Discovered Patty O'Malley had potted himself in the garden urn.  Looks like I'm growing cats in my yard!  The tree house in the background was designed as a ship prow, for my neighbor's son.  Ahem...the outside cats now use it as a napping spot sometimes...

Pile 'o kittens!

Here's a photo taken last Saturday, while I visited with Paws for the Cause Feral Cat Rescue at their weekly adoption event.  Squee kittens!  That's a whole pile of them too, and each one just as cute and cuddly as the last.  Hard to walk away without putting one or two in my pockets and bringin' 'em on home!

Cat socks

On another note, these are my lucky orange cat socks.  Well, yeah, there are other colors of cats there, but the orange one's are like real life, while the others are just play (green or blue?)  I wear these to send healing orange cat vibes to my friends Amber and Sugarbear, who are holding their own right now in sunny FLA.  These cats have fantastic peeps who dote on them, aiding them to live their furry lives with as much normalcy and dignity as possible.  I could write a whole book on how deeply my friends love kitties, but for now they are concentrating on their cat crew of four, with two who need extra, EXTRA hugs and purrs.  May the power of my orange cat socks help add healing power to their ministrations!

The Cat Hotel is Open for Business!

The Cat Hotel

Second Floor, Two Suites (lid open)

Patty's after-lunch bath outside The Cat Hotel

Patty used it first, then Sammy, and today I just watched Mama Mia head into the first floor suite of the newly opened Cat Hotel!  Okay, it's not much to look at, and the punch list has yet to be completed, like edging around the door frames and such, but it's built solid as a rock!  Old Man Winter can bring all the snow, cold and blow he wants to, but my friendly ferals will be tucked up warm as a bug in a rug.

You see that we put silvery duct wrap all around the sides, and on the bottom.  I'll complete the floor/ceiling and the lid later.  I filled the three suites with straw too.  There are porches to use for lounging or as steps.  Once we know the 'o' cats are happy with it, we'll move it into it's permanent position, then remove the old, beat-up styrofoam shelters.  Somehow, I have to entice them to try out the smaller, upstairs suites too.  The idea of the T-divider is to have wind-breaks, like hallways, instead of flaps.  I've tried flaps before, and the cats refused to use them.

Chucky

On another note, Chucky seems much better today.  Still don't know why he was feeling poorly enough to go 'high' while in the litter box, so I continue to monitor him closely.  He could have had a tummy ache, or his hip arthritis started acting up.  The weather changes around here have been extreme the last few days too (although no where near as bad as the states hit by bad storms, and we wish everyone affected gets the help they need to clean up afterward), and my old bones are feeling extra achey and sore too.

And lastly, again I ask for purrs for Amber, who is fighting now to keep infection at bay.  Her human parents have a new veterinarian that really seems to have a feel for keeping kitties on the mend.  Amber's sister Sugarbear is doing better on her new sequence of meds.

Sugarbear, looking sassy!

Amber, I'm wearing my special orange cat socks in your honor, and sending all the warm fuzzies I can to you in FL.

Whitefoot

Little Whitefoot

Spent some time with Paws for the Cause Feral Cat Rescue on Sunday, for an adoption event.  The handsome boy pictured here is Whitefoot, named for the three toes on his back foot that are white.  The rest of him is beautifully grey, and he has a sweet, loving nature.  He was burying himself under the cage blanket, and the other cats simply slept through his shenanigans.  Took all of my willpower to not open that cage and hide him under my coat and walk into the sunset with him!  But I know one thing; these folks will do right by Whitefoot, and all the cats they work with.  I also witnessed Rusty, a small pale orange cat leaving for his furrever home (see his photo on my 2/16 post), and another brother and sister duo found their humans too.  Very heartwarming!

Another kitty who found a furrever home is Elliott, who joins William of Mass Destruction.  A wonderful blog that I've been reading for years; go take a look, and say hello to the two boys and their sister Caroline.

Please send some purrs to Amber and Sugar Bear; their people P and M are worried.  Relocated to Florida a few years ago, these sweet kitties are in quiet retirement.

Sugar Bear

Amber

Both are feeling unwell, so send your kind thoughts to these lovely butterscotch kitties.  Those white muzzles are just the cutest!

Cat Impression

Grumpy Angel

Little Angel is doing a pretty good Grumpy Cat impression, don't you think?  Check out Grumpy Cats to see what I mean!

P.S. Please send purrs to Amber in Florida; she's been to the veterinarian a few times and  test results on her jaw will be in on Friday.  They thought it was an infection after a tooth extraction, but the x-rays may be showing something else.  Stay healthy, Amber, and let your mom hug and snuggle you!  Sending you warm fuzzies from Michigan.