Kittens!

I don't know how old Sophie is, but she is now playing, playing, playing. Santino appreciates this greatly, and knows it's safe to "attack" her whenever he feels the urge. I have to admit, I hover over them, ready to break it up quickly. Of course, I don't think I am neurotic......It's just that Sophie outweighs Santino by many pounds.

A friend mentioned that when they got a dog, her cat began fainting. Nothing was found. So I wondered if what happened to Miki was not two kittens.....The stress of it, the change in activity level and my dividing my attention four-ways. Still, the vet urged bloodwork and x-rays. The part of me who thought the vet an alarmist who needs to make money, and the part of me who is head over heels in love with her cats had an argument.......Now I feel both a bit stupid and relieved. Vet said it's likely an allergy to the kitten food Miki ate.


I think it's more about an "allergy" to sharing my attention with two kittens. I could never have forgiven myself, though, if I had not done the blood panel and x-rays and something really serious was wrong.














Miki watches the whole thing with interest.





I think a "Halt" was called by mutual consent

Life in Round Rock, Texas

Miki in his most favorite pose. If I were in bed, he would most likely be next to me, as he was last night. He was sick....We were up most of the night. He had dry heaves. The vet couldn't figure it out, so gave him fluids and an anti-nausea injection. I asked for drugs, too, but was turned down. I do not remember getting this worried when my children were little! Now I even worry when Santino is afraid of the camera. I don't think I have a life.:-) Going for a nap now.


Santino stalking one mouse while Sophie plays with another.


Finally, I captured his royal fuzziness!:-)
Santino playing. He is so adorable!

The Scoop

If you love and have indoor cats, you are bound to be interested in getting the scoop about scoops, I figure. (You just got to love English. Just think how smart you must be if you learned to speak it!)

I know you appreciate the fact that I am showing you the scoop before I used it. Rudy didn't see anything special about it, but let me explain. I paid 12.99 for this state of the art thing! I've been wondering whether it's really worth that much money ever since I saw it online at http://www.vetventures.com/ from where I've been ordering filters from for the cats' Drinkwell fountain.
I was delighted to find this less expensive source for the charcoal filters, but have been tempted by their other products.

Do NOT buy their brush set for cleaning the fountain. A toothbrush is much better! But, if you like clean litter boxes, and want to have to replace the entire contents of litter much less often, this scoop is a good thing. I had an additional motivator: I have four bed cats! I got grossed out when I thought about them walking on top of the tiny bits of feces in the box, left behind by the best of "regular" scoops ...and then getting into my bed. Anyone who lives with animals and some men, can't be too prissy about hygiene, but I definitely have my limits.

This scoop is LARGE. I don't know what the heck to do with it in between cleanings. Supposedly the scoop was designed by veterinarians, and I'm guessing male ones or surely a storage caddy would have been made available.

Everyone Is Happy

Miki and Rudy seldom bother to get out of bed for their evening snack, so Sophie and Santino share a can. I no longer need to place individual dishes in different parts of the kitchen for them. They have astonished me by their happy sharing.

Today, Sophie fell asleep in the living room, but normally all four are on my bed for their long afternoon nap. After one week, it's as if Santino has always been here. Last night Miki invited him to play, and Santino chased him. All three cats like him.

Last night, Santino had Bed-making 101, and he caught on immediately. At my house, no bed is ever well made without at least one cat IN it. :-) I didn't let him stay under the fitted sheet as I didn't want to scare him, but he thought the rest was great fun. Under my watchful eyes, Rudy "attacked" him through the sheets, and I played peek-a-boo. For a moment I saw myself playing with them as if an onlooker, and thought how splendid that I get to indulge myself this way! Lucky me. Lucky kitties.

Do Cats Talk?

The first two evenings when I gave Santino wet food, he very clearly said "Oh wow wow wow wow", repeating it two additional times so there was no mistaking it. This was said while digging into his food. I have a new cell phone with which I can take a video complete with sound....only those first two evenings I was too groggy to document my talking baby. I figured I had plenty of time. Can one spoil a cat in just two days? Does it only take two days before a dish of smelly kitty food to oneself is no longer worth a "oh wow, wow wow wow"? It happened here. He doesn't even comment if I share my chicken.

Let me tell you, I believe those funny videos now. I thought they had been 'doctored'. As to the question about whether cats talk.....of course, they do, but mimicking human speech, not often..I missed a unique opportunity to record it.

I've always been better at knowing what cats mean than I am with understanding people. Words confuse me. My daughters tell me I take things too literally. I am better when I can observe body language. If I tune out words, and only pay attention to body language, I am much smarter. I guess that's why I find cats easier to understand than I do people. :-) We have an easy relationship because I also don't expect cats to understand me or to care if they do. Now, why can't I do that with people?

My Happy Family

Santino learns quickly! He no longer invades the others' personal space, so today there has been no growling and hissing.....meaning that I have not been on high alert. It isn't that I feared his getting hurt, but I did not want him bullied or scared.

As of today, he has made himself fully at home, no longer cries if he "loses" me, and has explored and claimed every square inch of his home. There is absolutely no hope for his not being spoiled rotten, as he is cuddly and loving. I keep it to a minimum while the other "kids" are watching, but he and I are kissy-faced most of the time.:-) I am in heaven!

Today the five of us took a nap together. Yes, all four kitties were on the bed with me. It was a lovely afternoon.

Squirrel Hunting

Die, you Beenie Baby!

Things Are ]]]]]]]

Well, Santino wrote his first heading, if not the entire blog post.:-) Pretty smart for a 19 week kitten, huh?

Everything is coming along nicely here, except I am a bit sleep deprived. Santino is not sleeping through the night, yet, and insists I hold and stroke him. Of course, I am more than happy to do that, but I really would prefer not getting up at 4 AM. I have a feline baby.

Rudy has already engaged Santino in play.....I love that sound of little elephants running!!!! Miki is pretending this isn't happening, and I don't understand what Sophie is doing. She looked like she was making play overtures this afternoon, but then reached out to swat him. Perhaps, she doesn't know herself what to do with this cute little guy?

Baby Santino Arrives Home

I post these pictures of Santino on his first day in his new home with apologies to Virginia Tosch, his breeder, to whom I dared suggest she needed to get a better camera. The photos she had sent me did not come close to doing his good looks justice. Now here are mine, shot with my fancy Nikon, and they, too, do not capture Santino in all his glory. This little guy is FAST! He is much too fast for today's digital cameras.

He looks like a sweet, goofy little guy in the photos....and, in a way, he is that, too. But, he is much more. He is a magnificent Balinese....I was astonished by how good looking he is when I saw him for the first time yesterday.

Later, after the long trip home, I was astonished by his sweetness. He came to me full of love and ready to give me his all....his love and his trust.....without hesitation. Yes, I have been loved by two Balinese before him and so know that the breed is extraordinarily loving, but Santino takes it even a step or two beyond. Can you tell I am crazy in love already?

My Joy

Only those lucky few (these cats are rare) who have been lucky enough to share life with a Balinese have any idea of the extent of my joy at having this cute little boy coming to live with us tomorrow.

My heart turns somersaults just seeing his photos! My two previous Balinese were my babies, although babies with a great deal of wisdom. I know this sounds strange, but there were many times I suspected they might have been God's angels sent to fill my heart with love.

This little guy is flying in from D.C. tomorrow, and I am driving down to Houston to pick him up there. I even have a friend going down with me to keep me from speeding, getting lost, or combusting with excitement. I have named him Santino....after his gorgeous beribboned chocolate point daddy.

Two ladies who know me only in cyberspace have made this possible. I can appreciate that this was not real easy for them, as it becomes difficult to trust people after years of being a breeder.
And, as I said before, Balinese are not cats who are independent. They need, and deserve, a lot of attention and a lot of love...which they return ten-fold.

Thank you, Virginia and Kris, and thank you, Margaret, for keeping me grounded to and from Houston tomorrow.

Cats are soooo dramatic!!

Is this a pic of the state of the economy? Just had to show you this....cats are real drama queens and kings!!!

Easter

Since most of us have forgotten what Easter is really about, I am assuming no one will be offended by these incredibly cute pictures!

After a gloriously spiritually refreshing day yesterday at the Lady Bird Wildflower Center with a new friend, I am spending today doing art. And, right in keeping with our blog here, I am creating a cat doll.

Back tomorrow with either my cat doll photo or the photo of my little Santino that his present mom is taking today. I'm picking up Santino in Houston on Wednesday!!! Yippeee! Another Balinese!

Settled Down

Miki













Rudy













Every now and then, there is a shrill loud shriek from Rudy as Sophie (Have you ever seen anyone look more innocent?) has jumped him, but overall, things are calm and peaceful here. For the past two nights, Miki has not howled, and this morning I woke up with my boys glued to the side of my head. How wonderful it is to wake up to purring! Sophie was not in sight, but jumped on the bed when I called "Sophie, come save me!" She settled in at my feet. I found myself wondering what it would be like to have a dog, and was picturing the different breeds sitting on the floor by my bed, quietly...of course...., not panting, whimpering, or slobbering. DELETE!

So accustomed to chaos, and unaccustomed to peace, I have to shake things up, it seems. I was a bit startled by an e-mail a bit later. Santino is arriving next week! NEXT WEEK? So soon? And, so we will start all over.

Rescued Cat Becomes Princess

Well, I've always said, "Give me a good dog and I'll turn him into a spoiled child" and also "Give me any stray cat, and I will make it Royalty."

Sophie has cleaned herself up and has found the best toys and the best places to sleep. Oh, she
tries to discourage others from playing with her favorite toys by stashing them right in the center under my king sized bed. She still is afraid of me, though, we are making progress. Last night she let me hold her tail (which is really fat, not just hairy fluff) and while I distracted her with the only wand toy I hid from her (the others she stashed under the bed where they are not reachable), I scratched her behind the ears. She purred and turned her head so I could reach under her chin. It lasted for maybe a minute, and then she remembered she was afraid of me.
And, even this would not be possible without my putting Rescue Remedy in the kitties water, and spraying Feliway (phermones) on strategic corners of rub-against furniture.

By the way, Princess Sophie scoots her hind end along the floor......anal glands? I don't want to traumatize her with the vet. Any advice?