Shadow Cat ~ Wicked Willow

Shadow cat Willow loves to find the sunbeam.

"Let us be honest; most of us rather like our cats to have a streak of wickedness. I should not feel quite easy in the company of any cat that walked around the house with a saintly expression." ~ Beverly Nichols

Willow loves to find the sunlight in shadows and hide or sit, half in and half out of light. She is a wicked cat... dominant.. bossy.. and yet angelic when she gazes up into your eyes. She barges in on any other cat who is eating or getting a pat on the head. In fact, now that they all love a little wet food in the evening, I sit and guard the old lady, Chloe as she eats. She eats slowly and Willow gulps hers down. Thank goodness I still have the clout as head honcho of their world.. all I have to do is point at Willow as she starts to sneak up on Chloe and she stops, stares and when she realizes that I will not blink.. she backs off. Of course this means I have to spend ten to fifteen minutes in the eating area simply sitting in a chair... alert at all times. It is at this time I am grateful for the Kindle.

In other news, Picasa and the usually simply "Blog This" button to send my pictures to Blogger is somehow broken... defunct... not doing what it says it is doing and generally acting all looney-toon on me. This was supposed to be a post for Shadow Shot Sunday, but the pictures I thought I uploaded simply disappeared. I see that at least two others have posted on the Picasa forum that they have the same problem.. now, if only a Google employee will see the problem and FIX IT!!!!!

It has been a group of "those" days in a row. I took Mom in for an outpatient procedure... an iron infusion, since she seems to be unable to absorb iron. She was in the middle of a flare up of gout that her primary physician didn't catch on her last labs... her uric acid was very elevated and her office did not pass on our call nor did they call back. So her nephrologist reluctantly gave her medication to decrease the uric acid but on Friday her foot was still in the stages of progression with increased swelling, pain, warmth and redness that was branching out across her foot and up her leg. This was very worrisome to me.. so when her blood pressure spiked before the iron infusion and she began having chest pain and they cancelled the procedure and wanted her to go to the ER, I was not too upset... I really wanted them to check that foot. I know her blood pressure does this when she is concerned about IV's and in pain and after I looked at her nitroglycerine pump and saw that it expired in October 2009.. well, the foot was my prime concern. I must say that Chesapeake hospital was very efficient... she didn't have to wait in the lobby when we got to the ER and they did an EKG, drew cardiac enzymes, did a chest x-ray and an ultrasound of the vessels in that leg and foot within a half an hour. There were no clots in that leg... major relief. We spent the rest of the day in the ER and then they kept her in observation overnight. Her cardiologist came to see her in observation and decided not to stress her with the stress test with her gout flared up and such. A bit of morphine IV relieved the pain in her foot and that chronic pain in her back that has been really bad lately and I brought her home on Saturday morning.

So, now I have to somehow balance a gout diet with a diabetic diet and most things are diametrically opposed... low protein, high complex carbs for gout... high protein, low carbs for diabetes. There must be a happy medium in there somewhere. The biggest problem and the biggest asset to help both the diabetes and the gout is good old H2O... water. I got 64 oz down her yesterday... and all the time she complained and fought and said she was nauseated from it and she just couldn't swallow it and... well, the foot is getting better. If anyone has ideas of how to get the required water down her every day without devoting all my time to .... "drink water", "is the glass empty yet", "we haven't gotten the required amount down yet", "do you WANT to go on dialysis?"... well, let me know.

That is why I have been out of pocket.... oh, yes.... and it froze last night... temps down to 28℉. We even got a little sleet when the rain first started and folks just north of us received almost a half an inch of snow. And here I thought spring had sprung. I sure do hope they get the Picasa blog this thing fixed and soon.

(end of post)
Cats on Tuesday

Lady Willow: Cat In Repose

Reporter(me,whispering):"Here she is, the princess of slouch,
in a most undignified position; taking another nap in typical style."
(Click photos to enlarge)

"Uh! Oh! The diva awakes! Those eyes, that look....
but does she move, does she respond to requests to move,
does she understand that this is a chair for my own repose?"

"No! Look,she simply makes herself more comfortable,
expanding her immense form to fill the chair completely;
then dismisses me with a wink of her eye!

"Cats were put into the world to disprove the dogma that all things were created to serve man." ~ Paul Gray

Lady Willow loves to recline in sweet repose.... anywhere she likes and does not like to be told anything contrary to what she believes true. She does not tolerate anyone... human or cat...that gets in her way. I must say, however, with humans at least she is civil about it and does not have the personality to hiss and spit and slap at my hand when disturbed. She is more bossy with the other cats and they seem to know that you never disturb a sleeping diva, if you want to keep all your fur that is. Still, that wink bothers me. What was she thinking, really?

Perhaps she was dreaming of the cats at Cats on Tuesday. Willow, are you going to join Rhett on the Friday's Ark and at the Carnival of the Cats, hosted this Sunday by Artsy Catsy? Yes? OK!

(end of post)

Miss Chloe: The Grande Dame of Culture and Civility

Miss Chloe enjoys the finer things in life...an opera perhaps?
(Click picture to enlarge)

"No tame animal has lost less of its native dignity or maintained more of its ancient reserve." ~ William Conway

Miss Chloe is almost 16 years old. She has been a faithful and loving companion since arriving in our home when she was but 8 weeks old. Always reserved, impeccably groomed and with unswerving attention to detail in her appearance and the placement of both tail and feet, she is the "Grand Dame of Culture and Civility". Even when bombarded with the chaos of wrestling kittens, the mournful meowing of a cat with questionable sanity (Rhett) and the grumpy growling of her failing aged sister...she maintains her dignity and poise.

One must always make time in one's day for a long, nap in the sun.

These days, she is very thin and walks a bit stiffly and her appetite wanes. She has a more select palate and has to be gently prodded to finish her food. She has mild kidney failure at this point but won't touch the special diet.. so she gets what she wants.. Fancy Feast Turkey and Giblets feast.. ground more finely so it will set well on her stomach. I think she misses snuggling up with her sister Clover, who passed away last October and she is more restless while in the house, walking all around the rooms and back to the door. Now she prefers the soft bean bag chair next to the heater in the garage... I think she feels safe here. And even though her legs are a bit stiff and her body aging, she still maintains that dignified air of royalty........long live Queen Chloe.

Miss Chloe gets to visit today over at Cats on Tuesday. She is old and frail, but she still likes to see the kitties she has grown to know these last few years on Friday's Ark and at the Carnival of the Cats. The carnival is hosted by No Cats Allowed this week.

(end of post)

Miss Scarlett: Just Staring

Miss Scarlett: Checking out the tub. (Click picture to enlarge)

"Cat Rule #7:
Always accompany guests to the bathroom. It is not necessary to do anything. Just sit and stare." ~ Unknown

"Looks like I caught you, Scarlett. What are you up to now? You do know that I used that shower just about an hour ago, so the tub is still wet! Would you like to take a bath? No? Well, then, could you please get out of the tub and.... well, leave the room? You know how YOU hate having someone watch you when nature calls you to the litterbox! So, go on... move... scat... SIGH...ok...you may stay.... just PLEASE STOP STARING!

Better yet, why don't you go on over to Gattina's and see who is at Cats on Tuesday? It has been so long, they've probably forgotten who you are. Don't scare anyone with those eyes though!"

Update 3/27/09: Miss Scarlett had a diva attack... minus the green ball gown. She doesn't see why she can't visit the other cats at Friday's Ark... especially since everyone loves a party! And the Carnival of the Cats this week is at Three Tabby Cats in Vienna. Vienna... isn't that where Uncle Stephen lives?

(end of post)

Wide-bodied Willow

Miss Willow, trying to relax..."GO AWAY!"

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea." ~ Unknown

The cats know something is going on; boxes have appeared everywhere and their quiet living room is rapidly filling up with huge boxes full of stuff for the garage sale. The dining room has been turned topsy-turvy and the grandpa has been using this smelly stuff to refinish part of the hutch and a heat lamp and lots of newspapers on the floor. Poor Willow has to get under the table to spread out and lounge on her back... and the table is almost out to the front door!

All the extra tension and suspense has been hard... six, usually well-mannered kitties who come from all areas of the house when called with a simple "shoo-shoo time", now run and hide. This started on July 4th, perhaps they were totally spooked by the bangs and cracks of the firecrackers and the cherry bombs that people were setting off in the neighborhood. Now they are all afraid to go to their sunroom sleeping area and it is a hunt for the last stragglers every night!

Even Willow, with her laid back attitude has been affected although you would not know it from this pose. She has an alternate strategy... instead of hiding under a chair or behind the sofa or in a garage sale box... she goes into Maggie's covered litter box in the laundry room, not to do her business, but simply to sit and stare out the opening with that defiant look on her face that says, "I dare you to come get me."

Hopefully they will all behave when they get to the new place. One thing is for sure... they will have plenty of space to spread out and relax in the sunbeams!

Miss Willow is caught posing this week for Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina and shows her tummy for Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff.

(end of post)

Cats on Tuesday

"As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows, cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human kind." ~ Cleveland Amory

Miss Chloe: "I think I'll take a nap now. This cat tree level is empty and the sun is just right! Oh, no! I hear the lady coming and she has that black thing with the bright blinking red light on it and she caught me with my head hanging down; not quite ready for that snooze.... What's that?"

"You want me to roll over? Why? Oh. (Perhaps I should just ignore her, but then she'd probably just come over here and roll me over herself.... ) Meow! Don't you have enough pictures of me? Why don't you go bother that monster Willow, or better yet, the barking thing? Oh, all right!"

"There, is that better.... guess so, that black thing is clicking and flashing and the red light is really annoying! This is really cutting into my nap time... I am on a tight schedule here, soon it will be snacking time and I really can't miss my beauty sleep or my snacks! I think she is going for my tummy! How degrading! The one day I decide to sun my tummy and she snaps the picture for that Tummy Tuesday thing."

"Ok now, I have been patient and let you snap away and rolled over on request and looked into the camera, even with the flashy red thing so now.... enough is enough! You really need to shut that thing off or go bother someone else..........

"I've really got to snuggle down and get into my nap.... I am so.... behind........... schedule..... zzzzzzzzzz."

Miss Chloe graciously poses this week for Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina and shows her tummy for Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff. (end of post)

Overstuffed!

"In a cat's eyes, all things belong to cats." ~ English Proverb

Miss Clover hardly ever shows her tummy, preferring to sleep curled up in a tight ball. She has no qualms, however, about sleeping on someone or something else's tummy. This little Care Bear was a gift for Nyssa's 21st birthday as a commemoration of her first birthday party. I was going to wrap it and just left for a few seconds to find the paper and gift bag and a card. I returned to find this... a sleeping cat propped up on the teddy tummy. This is as close to a "tummy tuesday shot" as Miss Clover will ever get. Sorry about the cat hair, Nyssa!

Meanwhile........

"Cats are absolute individuals, with their own ideas about everything, including the people they own." ~ John Dingham

A little sleeping ladybug has appeared on the back of the loveseat. I wonder how long it will take the felines to notice. Shh! Here comes Mr. Rhett....

Rhett: "Hmm. What's this?! It almost looks like a sleeping human... it has a hand and a face but it doesn't smell like a human. It isn't moving."

"And what is this back here? It's red and there are spots! AND A BIG HUMP ON ITS BACK! It must have something bad, perhaps something contagious! How else would it get that hump?

"MOM! Get this thing off the sleeping area! I think a ladybug and a baby got stuck in one of those teleport chambers and got joined together accidentally! Don't you remember?! Like that man in that scary movie.... The Fly and all his nails and teeth fell out and he grew this awful stubble stuff all over his body and he was grotesque.... Do you supposed that is what happened? Do you think? Hey! Mom! Do you think that's what made the ladybug hump on this baby doll?" (Pause... quiet... Rhett pokes the ladybug monster with his paw and I hear a soft "huff 'n puff" ..... "It's a doll... a weird ladybug baby doll") "Mom?! ..... Never mind."

Miss Clover and "Blabber mouth" Rhett share the love of stuffed animals this week at Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina and Miss Clover finds tummy comfort for Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff.

Rhett: "Mom! I heard that Miss Willow was going to Friday's Ark! Can I go too? Please!" "Oh, OK..... May I go too? Hmmm... well, OK, if Clover has to come with me...mumble..mumble." "If I take Clover, may I go to the Carnival of the Cats too?"....."Purr... she said yes!"

(end of post)

Sunlight And Shadows

Miss Chloe: Sleepy sunbather.
(Click picture for larger view)

"There are people who reshape the world by force or argument, but the cat just lies there, dozing, and the world quietly reshapes itself to suit his comfort and convenience." ~ Allen and Ivy Dodd

Miss Chloe is usually the prim and proper cat with all paws tucked in and tail wrapped around her body. She often sleeps sitting up or curled in a tight ball. One exception to this pattern is her love of the sun. She will stretch out on her side in a sunbeam and warm her tummy, then turn and warm her back, moving her whole body ever so slightly with the changing light and shadows. If I disturb her slumber and feel that soft belly, I feel that deep warmth trapped in her fur. This is complete and total relaxation... I envy her.

One of my cousin Bob's cats... possibly Mama Cat!

I noticed that in photographs I took of my cousin's cats recently, their eyes were usually open and actively looking at the camera or a bird or something! In comparison, my cats often have their eyes shut.... as in sleeping. Bob's cats were rarely still, always getting into trouble and curious about everything! I snapped pictures so fast and really couldn't tell most of them apart. The Mama cat is gray and though her kittens are grown, she takes care to make sure she knows exactly where they are all the time... A mother's love can be seen in her eyes!

Miss Chloe and Mama Cat share the stage this week at Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina and Chloe shows her aging tummy for Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff. These girls will also be hanging out at Friday's Ark hosted by the Modulator and on Sunday will travel to the fun filled Carnival of the Cats; hosted by TBIFOC. (end of post)

Mr. Rhett Takes Center Stage

"The cat, like the genius, draws into itself as into a shell except in the atmosphere of congeniality, and this is the secret of its remarkable and elusive personality." ~ Ida M. Mellen, American writer

On a hot day, Mr. Rhett shows a little tummy.
(Click pictures for larger view)

Mr. Rhett is feeling left out. His lady friend, Sophie appears to have forgotten him. His sister, Scarlett has recovered from her surgery and has gained three pounds while her fur coat has become silky and smooth and lighter in color. She is a picture of health. She also gets special food and attention and he tends to sulk. His grandma has been gone for two weeks having her knee replaced and his grandpa has spent a lot of time at the hospital and rehab center with her. His mom (that would be me) has been carrying on like a crazy woman with house hunts and taking care of other things around here. I would also be the one who gives more attention to Scarlett. And the girl Nyssa is off doing research for her Geology Honors Program and being a summer RA. No wonder he feels left out!

He asked if I would tell you some of his better attributes... besides the fact that the camera loves him... that is obvious! So...

Mr. Rhett has a strong profile.

Mr. Rhett is steadfast and strong as seen in his profile. He is ALWAYS there to greet you at the door with meows and head butts to let you know you are missed. He ALWAYS wants to make sure you are not cold and does this by snuggling up next to you in the recliner or by perching on your lap in bed or by curling up on your feet at the computer. Rhett is ALWAYS a bearer of gifts... sometimes he doest steal them from the drawers, especially socks, but he always leaves them near your feet. True he recycles presents, gives them over and over... especially the soft balls, but it is the thought that counts.

Mr. Rhett often has something to say.

Mr. Rhett is polite. He always speaks when spoken to and in a soft voice. He will, however, speak his mind more forcefully if he feel his point is extremely important and will punctuate his conversation with paw pats on the arm or leg or whatever body part he can stretch himself up to reach. This is most often associated with the opening of a can of stinky goodness. On occasion, he thinks he is a dog and lets loose with a low growl. He doesn't sing like Clover, but he does enjoy live piano music and sits with the performer, lending moral support!

A sensitive soul.

Mr. Rhett has a sensitive soul. He feels for the downtrodden and the picked on and will fling himself into the middle of an altercation at a moments notice. Unfortunately, this most often results in an escalation of hostilities but he does try to be a peacemaker. Rhett understands the hard times and knows loss as his mother died when he was only five weeks old. He comforts his humans in their times of pain and makes every girl and woman he meets feel like the "only woman in the world". Mr. Rhett really is as suave as his counterpart, Clark Gable. And yes, the camera loves him.

Rhett deserves the full attention this week at Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina and shows his tummy for Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff. (end of post)

A Cousin's Cat....Er, Cats!

Mama gives a glimpse of her svelte tummy.
Wouldn't it be nice to get our figures back like this after pregnancy?
(Click pictures for larger view)

"No matter how much cats fight, there always seems to be plenty of kittens." ~ Abraham Lincoln

Last Friday, I drove my parents from Virginia Beach, Virginia to Fort Wayne, Indiana.... 14 hours and back on Monday. A family gathering to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of another uncle and aunt. What does this have to do with cats? Plenty... plenty of cats, that is.

My cousin Kenny found several kittens in the woods behind his house in Atlanta and gave two of them to his brother, Bob who lived in Fort Wayne. One gray kitten with amber eyes, although only six months old, had already been roaming romantically one too many times. She arrived at her new home in the family way. Bob thought she was just getting fat although his dad and sister, Karen, told him differently. Two weeks later he was proud papa to four kittens. His parents took one but three still remain, making his grand total "five". Now months later, while he says he is trying to give them away, it is clear that they have all captured his heart.

Mama cat. I think she has another name but everyone called her "Mama".

Three of Bob's cats are gray and two are black. All have deep amber eyes. "Mama" still keeps track of her kittens, even though they are independent. All of these cats are truly only one step away from the wild. Yet, they all choose to stay inside the home with Bob. They still get into more trouble than any dog and nothing is safe... sunglasses migrate from the table to the couch, large comforters in plastic bags are knocked off the highest shelf in the closet, food bags are chewed, kitchen sponges shreaded and water glasses knocked over; all in the same day! I can honestly say that the activity level of these five cats is such that my crew of six appear to be comatose, when compared.

As for "Mama" she will be off to Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina and shows her tummy for Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff.
Mama will board Friday's Ark on Friday over at the Modulator. On Sunday, she will be introduced to the Carnival of the Cats, hosted this week by Justin's Random Thoughts. See you there! (end of post)

Seven Random Things & A Tummy

Willow's tummy is up for this sleep session.
(Click pictures for larger view)

"One must love a cat on its own terms." ~ Paul Gray

Wow! It is Tuesday and time for Cats on Tuesday and Tummy Tuesday; and to top it all off the cats have been tagged to do the "Seven Random Things" Meme. They are supposed to write it on their own blog but they really don't have one. With seven cats, we humans would NEVER get computer time and anyway... their spelling is atrocious! So I have chosen one, yes just one cat for this round and will share seven random things about her. Some of these may be secrets she didn't intend to share or things she thinks I am unaware of... but I have the "MOM" thing going on. By the way, we were tagged my Just Sharlene and meeyauw. Actually I think I have been tagged by meeyauw and the cats by Just Sharlene. OK. We are going to combine them.

First Lady Wilhelmina Abigail.... (cat)... seven things about Willow.

1. We sometimes call her Willowbean, no reason in particular.
2. She loves to sleep tummy side up but when she sleeps curled in a ball it is difficult to tell which end is which. (see picture above)
3. She loves to watch things fall. When I moved the grandfather clock I found fifteen elastic hair bands, two plastic spiral toys, three ping pong balls, one sponge ball, two suede mice, and a red pipe cleaner under it. The clock had only one open area to push all these things into and it was against the wall. Willow would sit on the edge of the loft, push the items off, watch them fall, then run down and push them under the clock. I had wondered why she sat up there looking down so much!
4. She can open the end table drawer with her paw to fish out pipe cleaners.
5. She weighs almost 18 pounds.
6. She has a brother, Nickolas, who lives with us too, but they never sleep together like most sibling cats.
7. She likes to be rubbed at the base of her tail... most cats do not.

And now for my seven random things......

Willow often is lost in thought.... right!

What? You thought I would post a picture of myself? Psshaw! That would disrupt the internet matrix beyond repair... you'll just have to deal with these tidbits:

1. In my 16 years of education... up to and including college... I attended seven different schools while living in six different houses in five states. This made for a great medical school application. I'm surprised they believed it! My dad was not in the military, but in the ministry.
2. I was attacked by a billy goat when I was around two and it left a long scrape on my back, but the scar faded.
3. I was able to avoid two piano recitals... one because I had the measles and the second because we moved one week before the program. Alas, I did not get out of the third.>
4. I devised toothpick splints for a baby chick with deformed feet. It worked and he was able to walk. Mom gave him to one of her school children but the child's mother accidentally dropped an iron on it's head and the poor thing did not survive. So much for my delicate splint work and special care.
5. For a year my parents traveled around the south in a revival ministry. We pulled and lived in an Air Stream trailer. I went to church every night. On the trip between churches Mom would entertain me by playing a game. She would tap out the rhythm of various hymns and I would guess. No music, just the beat. Today, I can still identify many of the old church hymns simply by hearing the rhythm tapped out.
6. I graduated from high school and started college when I was seventeen.
7. I graduated from college on a Monday and got married the next day. (Not one of my better decisions.)

Now I am suppose to tag seven people but I know this is a really busy time of year so I will make this voluntary. If you would like to offer up seven new and random things about yourself, just do it! Then leave a comment here so that everyone else can find them on your blog too!

As for Willow she will be off to Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina. Miss Chloe presents a grand tummy for Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff. (end of post)

In The Beginning......

"To gain the friendship of a cat is a difficult thing. The cat is a philosophical, methodical, quiet animal, tenacious of its own habits, fond of order and cleanliness, and it does not lightly confer its friendship. If you are worthy of its affection, a cat will be your friend, but never your slave. He keeps his free will, though he loves, and he will not do for you what he thinks is unreasonable. But if he once gives himself to you it is with absolute confidence and affection." ~ Theophile Gautier

"The girl" (Nyssa) and Cassi. 1986
(Click pictures for larger view)

....there were cats in our home. Nyssa spent her first night at home with three Siamese cats. Shamroc and Ramie looked at her, sniffed her, turned noses up and walked away to find their usual sleeping spots. To them she was just another human and as long as she didn't occupy the warm tile over the hot water line or the round bowl bed in the corner of the living room, they were fine with it. Besides, it didn't look as if she were capable of stepping on tails and pulling ears yet.

Cassi, however, had a problem. Actually, Nyssa, Cassi and I all had problems. Nyssa was hungry and I was determined to provide all the nourishment she needed without the help of formulas and bottles. My problem was that this was an unrealistic expectation at best and turned out to be totally impossible over the long run; but this was something I didn't know at the time. Cassi's problem was one of tender and sensitive ears, inner ears. Cassi's ears could discriminate between singing voices on the radio and records from those of a real, live, singing voice in the room; and her ears did not like a real, live, singing voice! Actually, she couldn't abide live singing, whistling or..... CRYING!

Nyssa was hungry, so we sat in the living room in my fabulous rocker, a soft pillow to support her and she nursed. We rocked and she nursed and it was all so idyllic and marvelous and the bonding was going on... except for one thing. Nyssa was still hungry and she cried. OH! NO! Cassi heard the hungry cry and she ran to investigate, sitting on the floor at my feet just looking at Nyssa, then me, then back again. When her ears could stand no more, Cassi stood on her back legs, braced one paw on the pillow and swatted my hand.... "DO SOMETHING!!! MAKE IT STOP!!" I tried, and we nursed some more but the hungry cry wouldn't quit! So, Cassi gently reached her paw to this miniature human and gently tapped Nyssa on the head... a soft pat as if to comfort her. When that didn't work, Cassi cried; a plaintive "meow".

And thus began our long first night at home, an eight hour attempt to satisfy both a hungry newborn and a small kitty with a hypersensitivity to the crying sound. All night.. I rocked... Nyssa would cry... Cassi would "mew".... rock...cry..."mew"! Early the next morning, after consulting with the OB/Gyn and finding several cases of formula on the front porch (courtesy of her godparents), Nyssa drank eight ounces of formula and her crying stopped. Then Cassi was happy, Nyssa was happy and Mom was happy.... and we all slept... for eight hours straight!

Miss Chloe shows her tummy at the request of "the girl." (Present day)

Fortunately, Nyssa and Cassi became fast friends until Cassi left us at age 17. Perhaps this early interaction with our feline friends encouraged her love for animals that exists still today. There has always been a cat sleeping at the foot of her bed... at least one; always a couple enjoying her piano practice or helping her with homework and always two or three waiting to greet her when we returned home in the evening.

Miss Clover giving "the girl" a kiss.

Miss Willow and "the girl" relax.

Miss Clover and "the girl", a meeting of the noses.

Yes, there have always been cats to cuddle and coddle; and they have given comfort and companionship in return, far greater than that we give them.

"The girl" and her cats are going to visit Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina. Miss Chloe presents a grand tummy for Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff. "The girl's" baby tummy, on the other hand, is showing but just a peek. (end of post)