we're on a movie-makin' kick

here's one of nitro.

she thinks she did better this time at matching up the end of the music with the end of the video.

mom's first movie project

scene: She lies back in the recliner, and before long ed levitates his 23 lbs onto Her chest. *whump*

*jeez, ed--take it easy! i only got two lungs, and they don't work too good all ready!*

with his head in the crook of Her neck on the left side, right paw over Her left shoulder, left paw over the right shoulder, he kneads Her hair and purrs like an idling truck. finally the purrs diminish, and he extends his right front and rear paws to the side like pneumatic braces, pushing himself just enough to roll himself over Her side and into the space between Her body and Her arm along the arm of the chair. he begins to snore lightly. heavily. lights out! *zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz*

this is this is Her furry first attempt, so please be kind in your assessments, and remember it's hard to operate a camera without looking through the viewer, and with your non-dominant, arthritic hand holding it up in the air!

see what i have to put up with?

it always happens this way. i just want to settle down with Him and watch some nice pictures on the big box, and i then have to constantly fend off cocoa! i get no respect.

(why did She laugh so loud when i typed that?)

and the winners are . . . (drum roll, please)

#1 - Éclair
#2 - Meezers
#3 - HOT(M)BC
Honorable Mention - Catzee
Special Mention - Beau (for sheer quantity. unfortunately, after the judging began)
Poetry Award - Grr, Midnight, & Cocoa (totally COOL limerick)

and for you doubters out there who wondered about the validity of having a boss, a QA guy, and a bookkeeper as judges, we herewith list their submissions:

boss: (unprintable, but hysterically funny)

QA guy: Cat said, "I knew the Lord would provide!" Mouse said, "Ohhhhh, I shoulda listened to that preacher!!" (mom's comment: if the jews got manna in the desert, did their cats get mice-a?)

bookkeeper: Cat: "up 6 . . . up 7 . . . up 8 . . . up 9 . . . " Mouse: "Cat, just get yourself a regular medicine ball to exercise with--i'm gettin' seasick!"

bookkeeper's second submission: Mouse: "Cat, tell me again why we want to be in the Guinness Book of World Records?????"

our mom: Cat: "Hey, this juggling thing really does get easier the more you do it . . ." Mouse (looking right and left): "Moe? Larry? Where'dyas go????? Guys?"

our boy: Cat: "Wahoo! it's raining mice!" Mouse: "D*mn wind gust . . . "

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR PLAYING!! please stay tuned for the next non-contest; we'll see if we can come up with some stickers for your pages, at least!

talk about a pile o'kitties . . .

what a stunning sand sculpture!! you can see more sculptures (but not a single one as kittified) by clicking here. this one didn't win a prize, though. sadly, it collapsed before the judging.

the voting begins . . .

OK, a completely independent panel of judges (mom's boss, the QA manager, and the bookkeeper--all of whom know "funny" when they see it) has been tasked with deciding on the winner of our non-contest. we'll keep you posted . . .

Luna's visit to the vet (translation)

Sue asked for it, here it is:

Mama says that I have comported myself like a perfect lady. The vet gave me antibiotics, and also a spray for my fleas and some medicines to use in the house. He says that with lots of caresses and care from Mama and Papa, I will be healthy in a month.

(under picture) Here are my medications. Although they taste bad, like a good “gatorrista” (must be dialect for some kinda kitty, maybe brave kitty?), I will take them in order to get well very quickly and play with all my friends.

Thanks for all the welcoming greetings. I never thought I had so many kitty friends.

and here's Luna's blogspot. you need to check out the chairs at her vet's office!!

peeyes: don't forget our "caption non-contest", below!

NEW: Two-fold Caption Non-Contest

WARNING - TOO INTENSE FOR RATTIES & BUNS - RATED "C" FOR CATS ONLY!!

well, not really a "contest" in the sense that you get a prize--'cause we can't afford a prize right now--but you DO get braggin' rights!! so:


What is the kitty saying? What is the mousie thinking?
(Note: they don't have to be having a conversation--in other words, the two phrases don't have to match each other.)

LUNA IS HOME & SAFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOD IS GOOD!!! Y'all remember the little Spanish kitty who got losted by some dopey bean calling himself a vet? Well, here's mom's translation of today's post by Luna's mom:

Surprise! Look who we found! Someone who saw the announcement about Luna in a magazine called us to come see a cat who was hanging around some garbage cans, and when we got there--SURPRISE! It was our little Luna, very scared, and (there were) a lot of other street cats around there, too. She was very skinny, with fleas and a sore on her nose, but thanks to God and all your prayers, she is with us now. Tomorrow, the Veterinarian will see her (of course, not that irresponsible person who lost her). I, myself, will take her and leave her (Luna) with her (the Vet) until the visit is over, and carry her back home. Thanks to Saint Francis for protecting her and Saint Anthony for finding her. THANKS TO EVERYONE!! [Sniff!!] Now all we want is to be with her and spoil her!

tee-hee!

ed sez:

our She is very nervous. She changed the litter boxes over two hours ago, and nobody's used 'em yet! not even nitro, who straw-bossed the whole operation, an' he's been known to use one while She's pouring in the new stuff. so this is really wigging Her out. we just decided to drive Her crazy in a new way and not use 'em for a while. *smirk*

They went to a wedding yesterday. They got in His big red metal box and were gone all morning and all afternoon. They got home JUST in time to feed us on schedule. we were gettin' sorta worried! the weather was furry, furry nice, so it was held outdoors in a gazeebo. (that's an outdoor house with no walls, if we understood His splanation right. not a house without walls, izzit?)

anyway, the lady and man, their mommas and daddies, some friends, and a guy in a black nightgown all went into the gazeebo. the black-robe man asked the two people if they wanted to get married, and then he said they were. then they hadda sign papers, and our He and She signed them. wonder if that means They're married to them too? gonna be kinda crowded here, if so! but They didn't bring them home with them, so probably not.

it's a lazy, gloomy, cool day here, and They even put on long-legs pelts today. now He is "putting up hay", but She calls it mowing the grass. She is putting their substitute pelts in a big box, and after a while, takes them out and puts them in another, noisier box. we don't get that, but She's alla time checking to see that we don't explore them. says that kitties don't like those machines. how's She know? is She a kitty? it's mean not to share. after all, look how much She uses them! She wouldn't do it if She didn't like it, would She?

at that wedding, the momma of the lady who got married was taking movie pictures with a different kind of camera than what we's got. She wants one now, so She can take movies of us and put titles and such on them, 'cause she has learned to do that. but He says it'll be a cold day in hell before They get one. should i tell Her that we read on Max the Psychokitty's blog that satan goes ice-skating? that'd mean it was pretty cold there! ;-)

anyway, hope you are all well, and your beans are cuddly!

some beans is GOOD!

clicky here for the story of some boy scouts who helped a kitty. it's a furry nice thing to read, and a furry good idea that could maybe help somekitty you know, someday!

we're bored

bored, bored, bored. our beans never do nuthin' worth blogging about. what's a kitty to do?

we starts getting restive and hungry around 4:30 in the morning, so we talk, sing and thump on the door until He gets up, stumbling and muttering. She won't leave crunchies out in the open at night, 'cause fat ed will glom onto them all, and get even MORE jy-MUNDUS. He makes that koffee stuff and doles out our food. afters, He washes up, scrapes His face fur, changes pelts, and goes to the job at 6:00. He tells us to be good kitties, and to guard the house. well, duh! we're always good (for something) and if someone comes in, we'll watch 'em close to see if they have any stinky goodness!

when He's gone, it's pretty quiet, unless xing came out of her "suite" before He left. then we chases her and knocks stuff around, and it gets very asitin' for a while; but for some reason, she don't like it much. (her "suite" is the two rooms in the center of the house that The Boy used to live in. she hides in there most nights with the doors closed, 'cause otherwise the beans come out really mad and hollerin' when we chase her around and make her howl.) They just don't understand having fun. maybe THAT's why They're so dull.

our She likes to sleep a little later, so at 6:45 we hears the black box on the headboard start talkin'. usually, She talks back all grumpy and whacks it a good one. we wait a little more, an' eventually She staggers out to peer at the floor in case there's something She wouldn't want to step on. (an' don't think it's only us that drags stuff outside Their door. the d*gs leave their sheep chew-hoofs there, too, and if they're not spit-icky, they're dry and sharp!)

it takes Her 'way longer to navigate the gettin'-up ritual, as ed posted about a couple weeks ago. then She plays with each of us, pets xena, and makes a peanut butter sammich for breakfast. we all beg (successfully). at 7:30, She goes to the job, and we lays around, napping and looking at each other the whole day. sometimes a bird flies past or a squirrel sits on the carport, but that's it. nuthin' to blog about. and we don't gots no toys, 'cause cocoa and xena eats 'em all. blaaaahhhhhhhhhhh.

what's this "job" thing, anyway? wouldn't They rather stay home and take naps with us and amuse us? we're VERY nappable and amusable, and we'll trade lotsa head bumps and purrs for amusement. it's a furry favorable exchange rate just now! They can't possibly understand how important this is; dull humans. dull. dull. dull.

we're bored. bored. bored.

just 'cause it tickled our fancy . . .

what on earth is this kitty thinking?
(and don't ask where our fancies are; we're not telling!)

The original Vita-Mineral Mix from 3 years ago

Mom found it on an old hard drive!!

1 ½ cup yeast powder (any food-grade yeast—brewer’s, tarula, or flaked)
½ c kelp powder or granules
1 c lecithin granules
1 c wheat germ—TOASTED!!
1 c bran (wheat, oats, rye)
½ c dolomite or bone meal (dolomite’s easier to find)

mix together and store in covered coffee can or similar container. REFRIGERATE!!! add 2 tsp of mix to each small 6.5 oz can ( I just stir 1 tsp into moist food morning & evening). three times a week, give one drop of vitamin E and add ½ tsp of cod liver oil.

some health care tips for kitties

nels sez:

mom sez to tell ya, we has noticed that some kitties in the catosphere have admitted to a few health problems. when spottycat-that-was no longer had uncle eeker to groom her, and got too old to do a good job of it herself, she began having matts. mom gave her the powder listed on this page and it did wonders. her fur grew back in, became glossy again, she didn't have dander, and didn't matt anymore. it took several months, of course, for all this to be accomplished, but at least she didn't have to spend her last four years being constantly annoyed by people trying to cut out matts. those darn things really hurt--they are like dreadlocks. they twist and pull on our skin, and that's why we don't like pettin's there very much.

it's the furry furst one on the page, Anitra Frazier's Vita-Mineral Mix. beans can get the stuff in the health food store, or maybe even in larger regular food stores. mom's pretty sure she also bought raw wheat germ, toasted it in a low oven until it smelled good, then stirred it and cooked it a little more, and added that to the mix. YOU MUST TOAST THE WHEAT GERM, 'CAUSE IT'S TOXIC OTHERWISE!!! this newer recipe doesn't add it. but you can, if you want; it can't hurt AS LONG AS IT'S GOOD AND TOASTED!!!!!.

it doesn't take long to do, and it's easy to just sprinkle on wet food or mix with a little water and pour on crunchies. you makes a bunch at a time, and can keep it sealed up tight in a clean ol' coffee can in the fridge! the dose of the mix is 1-2 tsp per kitty per day.

chaotic cat says "Hummy microwave heats digestive bran and then rubs it into my coat to clean me instead of putting me in yucky water ... wonder if this will also help with longer haired cats too?" can't think of any reason why not, unless they don't like being rubbed or brushed.

if you hafta cut matts, mom sez, grasp the matt at the base (closest to the skin, so you don't pull on it while working) and cut from the edge farthest away from the skin down towards the body. you gotta have a mellow cat, sharp scissors, and do this with incredible care and lotsa patience. do this several times, making a sorta fringe. that breaks apart the matt and lessens the tension, so it's easier to cut off down at the skin edge. this method doesn't pull on the skin, like the so-called "matt cutters". OUCH!

poor rocky's got pee problems, and maybe he and any of you other cats out there with that tendency might benefit from dr. pitcairn's powder - it has vitamin c in it, and ofurr healthy things!

we wishes all our kitty furriends good health so we can keep playing together for a long, long time! purrs & kitty-kisses to you all!

kolar kitty, redux

jake, of jake & bathsheba, made this suggestion a couple of days ago in a comment on the story of the kolar cat, KC: "Maybe the company should rescue another kitty since they're good for the customers."

well, here's the story on that:

after KC went to nanet's, boss offered to get mom another kitty from the home-grown stock at his house, or take her to the shelter to get one, or whatever she wanted. but she said she just couldn't do it anymore. losing KC was SO traumatic, she didn't know what would happen to her brain if it happened again with another kitty.

and since nanet had gone to a different workplace, that meant there would be only one "traffic cop" (mom) to constantly remind a group of so-called "grown-ups" to (1) be sure the doors were closed behind them, (2) to not stand in the doorway holding open the doors while talking (boss's d*g, bullet, got run over in the street in front of work when a customer did that), (3) stop scaring the kitty, (4) stop teasing the kitty, (5) etc., etc.

while she loved & adored little KC, and enjoyed her company so much while she was with them, those were also the most psychologically wearing two years of mom's life, and just couldn't bear to do it any more. besides, what would be the odds that any other kitty they got would have the perfect temperament that KC did for being a shop cat? so, sadly, no more cats at kolar.

(however, one of the repair team brings his d*g, buck, in with him when he comes to work now. that makes the one grump who didn't like cats happy, and the rest of us cat lovers like him, too. buck was thrown away just like KC, but now has a wonderful furrever home with his daddy, monty.)

kitty herd size poll results

here are the results of our previous poll, with 38 kitties responding:

15.8%
1
31.6%
2
26.3%
3
13.2%
4
5.3%
5
5.3%
6
0.0%
7
2.6%
8+

so we can see that moderate size families are just about the norm. or as "norm" as cat households get . . . =^;-)^=

party sammiches

mom sez:
we're tryin' to bring up those raggamuffin kits of ours to be perlite and socially acceptable, so we're sending along these sammiches when they teleport in for the festivities at skeeeeezix's tomorrow.

hope yas like 'em! enjoy, and drink responsibly!!

our She is just silly

edmund sez:

y'know, She has this picture as her screensaver, both at work and at home.


criminentalies! why not a picture of us?? or one of us, at least? or one each, alternating weeks? what a sappy-lookin' guy. She just sighs and giggles whenever She sees it, then goes around smiling for a while, like after She sees skeezix's birthday hat picture. we don't mind that at all; HE'S a great guy, and at least he's a real cat--what's the big whoop about senor pussycat?

burns my tailfeathersfur every time i think about it. do YOUR beans make the "oooooooo ahhhhhhhh so cute" *giggle* noises for this guy? can anykitty know what goes on in their heads?

Look! we are honorary catizens of Hot(m)BC!!!

We are just so PROUD! Thank you, MomRobyn, Sanjee, Boni Maroni,
Mini, Gree and Pepi!!