Issey Miyake

Today I found a local source for Issey's favorite food "Instinct" chicken by Nature's Way. He was delighted, but then after some hearty eating left it in favor of dry! He did take his first long nap since arriving here after......look. Sophie is still holding out, but allowed him to sleep this close. Perhaps because he knows she is a mama cat, Issey is particularly taken by her.

Issey and Rudy played within the first hour or so of our arrival here. Santino continued to object until yesterday when allowed some rough-housing. Oh, he isn't crazy about being climbed, but he tolerates it. I am loving it! Even being tired from not getting enough sleep, I am grateful to have my four. It doesn't keep me from missing Miki, but it puts my attention on life, not death....and that's a good thing. I do not understand people who insist on a "proper" mourning period. Joy does not negate sorrow. It stands beside it, and gradually wins center stage.






Issey has been everywhere in this house, except under the beds or any of the other furniture. He seems to prefer the little TV room.....oh, and the dining table chairs for sharpening his claws. I could swear the others are watching in amusement as I remove him and take him to the scratching post.

Compared to Santino as a kitten, Issey is a wild kid! Amazingly, there are a couple of things broken that survived even little monkey Rudy. I'm going to be more careful.

Santino and Issey's Family

Twice a day..breakfast and dinner...this is the scene at Virginia and Paul's house. Actually, the house belongs to the kitties, with Virginia and Paul their devoted servants. Many cat owners say this about their cats, but I have never seen it be more true than in this household! Every cat is treated as an individual, fed the food of his/her preference in the spot of preference!

Some of the kitties like to eat on the table in the sun room, some under the coffee table in the living room, some in the upstairs bedroom...even under the bed....and, as you can see, the rest eat in the kitchen.

I sat on the floor and happily watched. When Virginia said that Santino already was spoiled when he came to me, I assumed she was joking. After all, when there are twenty some cats, how spoiled can any single one of them be?

I couldn't have been more mistaken! These cats get spoiled! I feel a little bit sorry for Santino and Issey. :-)

A New Baby Adoption

My visit with Virginia and Paul and all the cats and kittens was wonderful! They are kind and gentle and completely devoted to their 20 cats who run the household. Their home is kitty heaven!

Even with this many cats, every one of them has the run of the house, and twice a day is served their preferred wet food. Virginia counts heads as the cats dine off their paper plates (placed down in the locations of their preferences....a couple of them being served under Virginia and Paul's bed) to make certain that everyone is eating. They call each one by his or her name; each one is an individual. I consider myself extremely lucky to now have two fur children from them.

I was amazed and delighted!

I always thought that my fur kids had the best home imaginable, and now I know that isn't true. Cats enjoy the company of others, and in a large family there is always someone to play, bathe, nuzzle or curl up with. No wonder my cats are happier than ever....I did not have enough of them!:-)

Making a decision as to who would go home with me was much more difficult than I anticipated. I wanted several!!!! And, several liked me....But, finally, 10 minutes before the required vet visit to get the necessary rabies injection and travel certificate I chose Santino's half brother who was absolutely gorgeous, and weighing in at over 9 pounds. That night we shut him in my bedroom so we wouldn't have to hunt before the early morning flight.....when "Tiny Tim" pushed his way in, and came into my arms. He had been my first choice all along, but he was too busy with his large family to pay me much attention. Now, however, he was curled up in my arms!

Virginia kindly told me she would part with him...He had been sleeping under the covers with her.... I could have kissed her! Tiny Tim traveled under the other kitty's paperwork. The airlines barely looked at it, and at the cat, not at all.

But, let me show you my new baby!!!! He is courageous.....and although incredibly cute, he is more elegant than his baby name of Tiny Tim. I'd had no intention of renaming him, but here he seemed to need a more "important" name. He is Issey Miyake, for the fashion designer. I will probably call him "Issey"











In flight....He was incredibly good in his carrier. When we arrived home, he said "Fine. Where are the guys to play with?" The guys weren't so certain, but it took Rudy only half an hour before he was racing through the house with the baby close behind!






















Precious!

Cats And Fashion

An artist friend, Susan Jones of Austin, created this silk wedding dress for her 6 ft. tall red-haired daughter....in spite of the fact that daughter and fiance' were flying to Las Vegas... alone....to be married in the Elvis Presley Chapel.

This dress had been in the making for 3 weeks, and the creator who allowed me and a friend to see it before it flew to Vegas in a special trunk. Are you wondering what took so long? What you see as red, gradually getting lighter as your eye travels up the dress, was airbrushed! For this, an airbrush and compressor had to be purchased as well as special airbrush textile paints. The airbrushing was done on the finished dress! (THAT alone would have made me crazy!)

The back of the dress is embellished with handmade flowers and the train consists of layers and layers of silk and tulle......and, guess what?

There are three cats in Susan's household......and I heard myself saying "In my next life, I want to come back as one of your cats." I saw the cats having a wonderful time, while Susan kept up a conversation with them. That was enough to impress me, but then I saw this:




This is "Brownie", who..I was told...was a very rare exotic breed :-), a cute name I unfortunately forgot.
The other kitty is Zipie. (The third cat was a little shyer)

And, what did this cat mom say when she saw two kitties playing in the train of the dress?

She said...in a soft, sweet and melodic voice: "They love the sound the layers make when they jump on the dress." Now....Brownie, don't do that.....Zippie, please get off that." And, she smiled a big beautiful smile...and, I would swear, so did the cats!

Changes

Blogger has changed their format just in the last few hours. Now I am allowed to download photos only from a website or from Picasa! And, all I want to do is download them from my picture file without fist transferring them to Picasa, I am going to step away from this and try again tomorrow. Maybe it's just a bad dream.

I'm flying up to DC Sunday to get a kitty!!!!! What an adventure!:-)

I really am looking forward to meeting Virginia and Paul

and the 21 cats and kittens. I hope they,

the cats, not Virginia and Paul, will all pile into bed with me!!

Sweet Pictures of Sweet Kitties

Oh, Rudy is around....but apparently in no mood for looking sweet and cute.  He knew Miki his entire life, and he is the most affected of the kitties.

I am looking forward to having one of Santino's relatives join us soon!!!  Because of the kindness of Virginia, Santino's breeder, and also my family and friends who have assured me that my cats will be taken care of if I should predecease them, I am receiving this wonderful gift of another fur child!!!! I am SO excited!!!!

Recovering

We are recovering from the loss of Miki.  Gradually, but. because I'm paying attention, Santino and Rudy are growing less needy, seeking out each other instead of solely me.  Rudy is visibly more relaxed, and Santino no longer begs for treats constantly.:-)

Unfortunately, even after a year, I do not know Sophie well enough to notice if she is affected at all. Everyone is back to eating a lot and Rudy has gained weight.  I guess him to be between 9 and a half and 10 #, fat for an Abyssinian.  He needs to run around a bit more!  Santino, I'm guessing is between 8 and 8 1/2....probably just right. Prince Fuzzy is shedding terribly with the warmer weather.  I could easily clone several more  from all the tufts of fluff everywhere...oh, and how I wish I COULD!  I am hoping to get a relative!  Three cats is not enough!!!! I promised myself all the animals I wanted during the time I knew that Jack was dying....and, to my surprise, I find that I am also wanting to live in a clean house, do a lot of art, and not trip over litter boxes!  But, FOUR is perfect!!! I would add a dog if there were a man here.:-) 

I miss Miki terribly.  He bossed me more than any of the others.  And, he pressed his body against mine every night when we went to sleep.  In the mornings I had Miki kissing me on one side and Santino on the other.  I catch myself looking for him....and then I remind myself how troubled he was since Zippy died.....and I hope that there really is a Rainbow Bridge and that he is happy.

I long for the day I see Rudy snuggled up with one of his "sibs".  He did occasionally lie down next to Miki.  Both Sophie and Santino would be happy to have him.