Prints of a Cat

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T21:38:00.001-08:00

Here's wishing all my animal friends have a....

warm heater to sleep next to....

a soft fluffy warm blanket to nap on....

a cushy human bed to curl up on....

and a soft squishy human to cuddle with.

Best wishes to you all! Merry Christmas!

~Prints the Cat

Time for a Bath?

2011-12-01T15:04:00.000-08:00

Mom was drawing a bath. I heard her say multiple times over the past few weeks "He sure is dirty!" I wondered who she was talking about. Me? Little sister was still fully dressed, so it wasn't little sis who was taking a bath. I have never taken a people-bath before. Have you?

Then I realized it was little sister's pet Spotty the Giraffe who was taking a bath.

He seemed to enjoy it. He was even smiling.

But then he disappeared under the water. Mom said to be sure to tell you all that even though it looks like and felt like she was drowning him, she was NOT drowning him.

See. Spotty is okay.

He rinsed off with clean water with help from little sis. He was even playing with the letters of the alphabet. Spotty sure is one smart giraffe. I hope I can be that smart one day.

All clean!

Even though the bath looked refreshing, I am glad I self-bathe. For now I can go back to my catnap and relax. I don't have to worry about Mom dunking me into the people-tub.

Feelin' Fine Thanks to JB

2011-11-17T16:00:00.001-08:00

Oh boy! Hello. What's this? I just woke from my cat nap. It looks like a present from Jelly Bean the Cat! She's got taste. Look at this fine wrapping paper she chose that has dogs and cats on it. And it came with a ribbon, too! I love my wrapping paper present! It came all the way from Switzerland!

Oh wait? You say there's more??? What a fine pillow this is with kitties and mice and paw prints on it. Ohhhhh, this is reallllly nice..... a cat nip pillow!

Most the pictures Mom took of me are of my head in motion.
I just could not get enough of this fine quality catnip. Ohhhhh.....

The Swiss definitely know how to make fine catnip.

Whoa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now
I feel good, I knew that I would
So good, so good, I got you
So good, so good, I got you
So good, so good, I got you
HEY!!

Oops, my head fell off the pillow.

Time for a little bitey with my new present. I am not usually this frisky, but today I am!

Sitting on this wrapping paper, I feel close to JB.

JB is the bestest!

Oh, but wait, there's more??? JB knows how much my little sister loves cats. My little sister's first word was CAT! I repeat, my little sister's first word was CAT and not Mama nor Dada. JB sent little sis a Swiss children's book. The story is about a kitty named Pitschi who wishes she were something other than a kitten. She tries to act like different animals, but in the end, Pitschi is very happy to be a cat. The story is delightful and heartwarming.

JB and Co., we love our presents! Danke schön!

I have a question for you, JB.

Do you think the cats in Switzerland pronounce Meow
the same way we do in the US?

Miau!

Keeping Warm

2011-11-06T08:42:00.000-08:00

This week has been much colder. Mom finally decided to switch out little sister's clothes for the new winter season. Of course, being a C A T, I assisted her :-) Ahhhh, this is such a nice warm snuggly cozy place to park myself for my afternoon snooze. I might even say for a simple cat like me, with all the fleece clothes in this drawer, this is quite the luxurious spot...

Lady Bug

2011-10-27T20:40:00.001-07:00

This morning I was taking a snooze on what I thought was my new red and black pillow that Mom was secretly saving for me. The luxurious fleece exterior with the warm puffy filling that's inside of it... ohhhh, so comfy.

But then Mom came in, picked me up gently, took my new pillow away, replaced it with an old fleece jacket and plopped me down on that. Hmpf. How rude of her! She said something about how the red and black "pillow" was my little sister's lady bug costume.

Well, okay Mom. Little sister does look cute in it, but may I have it after Halloween is over? Please?

Best Friends with PapaCat

2011-07-24T16:02:00.001-07:00

PapaCat is my best friend. Need I say more?

Annoying, Part 2

2011-07-19T16:43:00.001-07:00

Do you have any idea why Mom would say I'm annoying?

Woe is Me

2011-07-19T16:37:00.001-07:00

My Mom came home from work one day last week. As soon as she walked in the door, PapaCat told Mom about my shenanigans. Earlier, PapaCat took me outside for some fresh air. He turned around to do something, and when he turned back to me, I was in a patch of poison ivy (or poison oak)! So Mom did not pet me for 3 days, other than try to wash me down with a paper towel. At least, rather than kick me off the bed at night, she put a sheet on the bed so the poison ivy oils would be on the sheet and not the blankets, hopefully. PapaCat doesn't seem to react to poison ivy or poison oak, and neither do I, so I got lots of hugs from PapaCat. :-) I love PapaCat. He's the bestest!

My Soul Mate

2011-05-14T20:44:00.001-07:00

Here's a photo of me with Papa Cat.

He's my soul mate. It makes me so happy to have adopted him.
He fills that happy place in my heart.

Me? Annoying?

2011-03-13T21:01:00.000-07:00

I heard Dad say loud and clear "He is so annoying." I wonder who he's talking about.

He's working on some computer issue, so I think he's frustrated. I can help him feel better by keeping his lap warm, don't you think?

Dad went to open the computer to check out why it wasn't behaving. When he turned around to sit back down, I was sitting in his chair :-)

Paintings

2011-01-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

Look at what my Mom found when she went out. A child drew these of their cats. Mom says they were cute, so she took a photo of them so I could see them when she got home.

In really faint faded letters, the painting below says "I am thankful for my cats" and then each cat's name is written beside the cat.

While I am quite pleased a child had the inspiration to paint their beloved cats, I am slightly miffed as to why two of the cats are green and blue! Are any of you blogging cats green or blue?

Purring Machine

2011-01-08T20:32:00.000-08:00

My Mom has been acting weird lately. She keeps snuggling with me when I am sleeping. Even when there is no audible sound coming from me, when she massages my head and then puts her ear to my body and says I have a little purring motor inside me. If you've never put your ear to your kitty's body while you are giving head massages, my Mom recommends you do this next time your kitty is sleeping. You won't be disappointed.

p.s. This is my 100th post! Holy cats.... WOW!

p.p.s. Katnip Lounge says that all her kitties' purrs are different. Neato!

Yappy Howliday

2010-12-25T09:42:00.001-08:00

Here's wishing all my friends a WARM Holiday Season!

Hide and Seek

2010-12-22T21:30:00.000-08:00

Betcha can't find me!

I Do

2010-11-13T20:57:00.001-08:00

I, Prints the Cat, take you, the Cooked Chicken, to be my lawfully edible chicken, to have and to eat from this day forward, until you are in my tummy. Thank you. Bon Appetite.

Hi Cat???

2010-10-21T15:59:00.000-07:00

Hi Friendz! My apologies for being MIA, but my secretary (aka Mom) has been pretty busy lately. Seems my parents came home with a new 15 month old critter, a hairless critter actually! While she takes up more of my parents time, I am happy to report that her FIRST English words are "Hi Cat", though I am disappointed I have been relegated to "Cat". I do have a name, ya know. She knows I am Prince but just doesn't know how to say it yet. (I will call myself Prince instead of Prints for this important post, so you remember my status in this household.) First thing in the morning she looks for me, says "Hi Cat" and then waves to me. She sure likes me. When my family plays together, I sit right in the middle of it all and the new little person likes to try to pet me. So far everything has been going well!

Here are some of my new toys, though I am just not sure what to do with them, so I indulge the new little person and let her play with them.

At first the new little person was terrified of stuffed animals. Well, who wouldn't be. They aren't real like the rest of us, eh? Anyhow, Mom was really disappointed and afraid the little person wouldn't come around, but she finally did. YAY! Here she is with Spotty the Giraffe.

By the way, she can say Spotty and knows who he is, but she doesn't know how to say Daddy or Mommy yet! At least she knows how to say "Hi Cat" and I get some kind of recognition, unlike my parents. Tee hee!

Dog Cookies?

2010-07-15T19:49:00.000-07:00

Dog cookies? For me?

These cookies were baked by Teddy and Sierra's Mom. Thank you for the dog cookies, Auntie Mimi! Mom says they are excellent! Trust me, she has nibbled on them already. She nibbles on all homemade dog treats!
:-)

My Mom went to an Eskie Meet in Napa Valley. She had a great time. Great friends, great scenery, great food, great weather! You can see pictures on Casper D Dog's blog and Teddy's blog.

Saving Victor Jr.

2010-06-13T09:21:00.001-07:00

The other night we caught one mouse outside and one mouse in our garage. Last night, however, we caught little Victor Jr., but he was still alive in the trap!

My parents feared this would happen one day. These traps are meant for a quick death (and hopefully humane) to rats, and not for little wee mousies (or wee little rats).

So when my parents saw little Victor Jr in the trap this morning, still trying frantically to escape, my parents freed him, after all, he was not injured badly. We think it was his tail that was caught. The only problem with this is he is still going to grow up to be either a big rat or a big mousie and hang out on my property! There is good and bad to everything, always a catch-22.

Here is a video of my parents freeing Victor Jr.!

Another Visitor in My Yard

2010-06-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

It's never quiet in my yard anymore. We've got rats, mice, and dogs!

Happy the Eskie came to visit my yard. Not sure I like her too much. She barks a lot and always wants to play. Can't a cat get some rest around here?

Rats Play Tricks

2010-06-11T11:09:00.000-07:00

Here's an update on our rodent issue.

Two days ago we caught a BIG Papa Victor rat and one small mousie.

However yesterday, the rats played a trick on us! They ate the bait but didn't set off the two traps! With the 3rd trap, it went off but the trap was empty. These are some smart rats we're dealing with.

If only Mom would let me be the mouser, I'd take care of the problem. Sigh.

Good News and Bad News

2010-06-09T08:53:00.001-07:00

The good news is last night at 11pm, we caught Victor Rat #3. The bad news is there sure are a lot of rats. The other bad news (or is this good news) is in the morning when Dad went to dispose of the rat, the trap and rat were gone. Is it good news or bad news that it seems some larger menancing critter disposed of the trap for us?

The other news is we also caught a mouse and Mom disposed of it this morning and reset the traps.

I am confused what is good news and what is bad news.

Victor Strikes Again

2010-06-08T10:40:00.001-07:00

Victor struck again. And lost. The trap actually set off early evening yesterday, but no critter was found so Mom reset the trap again. Then during the middle of the night, Mom heard the trap go off. This rat is a grey color. The other was a mix of brown and black and grey, kind of like me! Will have to figure out a better way to trap all the rats. It'll get expensive with using two traps per day! Mom could just use me as a mouser, but she vetoed that idea.

The Thrill of Victory!

2010-06-07T20:51:00.001-07:00

There I was, at my patio window, when SHAZAAM! We caught Victor the Rat! I was so excited, I threw up! All these months of being patient finally paid off! But uh oh, not only did Mom clean up the heavy rat, she had to also clean up my carpet!

Despite our victory this afternoon (ewwww... turns out they come out during the DAYTIME!), the smaller mouse traps that we set last night seemed to have WALKED AWAY while the two rat traps were set off but empty.

Hmmmm, seems my house has an outdoor rodent issue, likely because the area in the canyon the rodents live in was being worked on recently. I wonder why my parents won't let me outside on my own to investigate?

Pee. S. Mom only took this photo of Victor because she figured she might need it in the future for identification purposes... in case we need to call in an exterminator.

Phyllis is Adopting a Cat!

2010-06-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

Hi Phyllis,
This is Prints the Cat. I am thrilled that you have decided adopting a kitty is the right thing for your family. It's a great idea to go to the shelter to become familiar with kitties, but also know that a kitty will act differently in a shelter vs in their new home. Since you aren't a cat-person yet, you might be like my Mom when my parents first adopted me. Mom wasn't sure what to do with me and would furrow her brows often at me. But she came to love me, even though she knows my favorite person is my Dad, hence my blog. Best of luck when you find your new addition to your family. Be sure you also check if there are any foster kitties in foster homes. The foster parents will have a good idea about each foster cat's personality and maybe you'll be able to find a good match!

A Note to Phyllis

2010-05-26T20:45:00.000-07:00

Edited: Phyllis, check out my comment.

This is a note to Phyllis who asked about getting a cat even if though they are eskie people.... I don't have a contact email address to write you back at, so I'm posting here instead.

Hi Phyllis,

This is Prints' Mom. (aka Prince's Mom) Thank you for your comment. I am very sorry to hear about your eskie that passed away recently. Our eskie, Hana, passed away last November. As you've read, we adopted Prints about a week later. I was very skeptical, as I have never been a cat person before. But my husband had cats (and a dog) growing up and he really wanted to get a little furry creature for our home.

Getting a cat was a big change for me, in interesting ways.

- Instead of looking down, I had to learn to look up, like on the kitchen counter! Or on our dresser! But now I'm quite used to it and when I see Prints sitting curled up on the floor, I wonder... what is he doing way down there? He should be up on the table!

- Water. Cats like running water and will drink from the faucet! It's quite cute when Prints comes running to drink water.

- Litter box. This is quite interesting. Prints knew exactly what to do in his litter box! Hooray! Cats don't need any training on this matter, at least Prints didn't.

- Independent. We've been quite busy the past year. It's actually been great that Prints is independent like most cats are. But, he is also very loving and enjoys attention. He likes to sleep on my husband! But, as for when we go out, it's nice not to have to worry about leaving a cat at home. With a dog, they always want to go on a car ride with you and I always would feel horrible about leaving Hana at home. She loved going out with us and I hated to disappoint her when we couldn't take her with us.

- I am a cat person now (and a dog person still). When I see the pics and read stories on the cat blogs, I think... ohhhh, what a cute cat. If you had told me 8 months ago that I'd be Ooooing and Ahhhhing over cats, I would have told you you were crazy. But, well, I really like cats now.

- Some people may not know this, but now they will. I even tried to adopt a 2nd cat! It unfortunately didn't work out between the two cats, so we had to find a new home for the 2nd cat. But, wow, it really turned out that I love cats!

- Yes, I do long for another eskie. And we will get another eskie when the time is right. At this time, we are just too busy in our lives to take in a puppy, do the training, etc. But, we are in touch with a lot of eskie people (The Eskie Board - http://forum.eskie.net - please visit us there and introduce yourself!) and am fortunate I can visit with friend's eskies throughout the year. We still think about Hana all the time. Tonight, we decided to take a walk down the street to see the airplanes in the sky. This is the VERY FIRST TIME we have done this without Hana. We used to do this walk with her, to the end of the street to see the airplanes, then we'd all turn around and walk back home. It's been 7 months since we did this, since she passed away. It didn't feel right without her :-(

I think it is a good idea for you to get a cat if you want the familiar pitter patter of little critter paws in the house. Kitties are less work, and that works for us at this time. I love our little Mr. Prince Peepers. He is a great cat! We are lucky to have found him!

Phyllis, I have one question for you.... how come your husband is thinking of getting a cat rather than a dog (eskie)?

~ Prints' Mom

Balloons for Me?

2010-05-04T16:21:00.000-07:00

Dad says these balloons are for me. But it's not my birthday.
So, I am confused. What are they for?

Dad says they're "not working." What's not working?
Dad's got me stumped! My parents are just too silly.

Birdie

2010-04-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

My Secretary (aka Mom) has been very busy lately. But she managed to attend the NorCal Eskie Meet! It's a meet of CELs (crazy eskie ladies) from the Eskie Board. She got to meet Comet and BLU's girl for the 2nd time. But alas that is another story, an embarrassing one actually, of my Mom's behavior. This is MY blog and I get to blog about ME.

My Angel sister's cousins, Yukon and Kiska, had their Mom hand deliver a present all the way from Alaska to my Mom, for me, at the Eskie Meet. That's some service, isn't it?!! They gave me a big birdie. I quite enjoyed playing with him! Thank you Auntie Soraya and Uncle Lee! Playing birdie is FUN!

You will see I am quite the lazy bones. I enjoy playing but remain seated through out the play session. I find I can accomplish everything I need to while seated.

I gotcha birdie, so there!

I'm not gonna let you get away! Oh no you don't!

Ahhhh, you're not getting away from me if I can help it! Come back here, YOU!

Hmmmm, I know you're behind me. Don't think that I don't know because I DO KNOW!!

Haha, gotcha again!

Mom! What are you doing????

Thank You for Voting for ERU

2010-04-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

I want to take this time to thank everyone who has been helping to vote in the Shelter Challenge for Eskie Rescuers United in Connecticut. Your help has been amazing! Thank you! We still have 9 more days to go. ERU is still #1 for Connecticut, however the 2nd place shelter has been edging closer and closer each day to us. For two days in a row, they received 3x more votes than we did. Boo. So, please keep voting for ERU!!! We are SO close to winning the $1,000! My Angel Sister Hana the Dog was an Eskie, so my family has a fondness for eskies.

click on this link: The Animal Rescue Site
enter eskie for the shelter
enter CT (Connecticut) for the state
when "Eskie Rescuers United" from Colchester, CT shows up, click the "Vote" button
you'll be prompted to enter in a text word that matches the picture, then click "Confirm Vote"

Please vote daily and use multiple internet browsers! Thank you!

I Love the Outdoors

2010-04-10T21:03:00.000-07:00

This week my parents have been busy with my grandpa so they haven't had much time to devote to me. Boo. But I did get to go outside one day this week. Mom got the harness and leash out and I ran over to her! This was the first time I ran to my harness and leash and the first time I walked myself out the door all by myself. Mom says it's good training. Is she talking about me training her OR her training me?

I love to munch on the giant garden buffet.

And I always like to sit in the bark. Ironic, isn't it?

When the sun is out, I rub around on the concrete.

Remember photos add 10 pounds.

Mom's Whisker Collection

2010-04-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

Mom has a collection of very fine cat whiskers.

When my sister Hana the Dog passed away, Mom saved a lock of Hana's fur. What she missed were Hana's whiskers. In all of the 9 years that Hana lived, Mom never saw one of Hana's whiskers that had fallen off.

So when I adopted my Mom and she found one of my whiskers on the pillow one day, Mom decided to start a Prints the Cat Whisker collection.

Hmmm, peculiar or endearing? Or perhaps good training?

Dad's Closet is Wonderful!!!

2010-03-31T21:23:00.000-07:00

I found the bestest cozy seat in the whole house! It's in my absolute favorite person's closet, Dad's closet. He's got this wonderful pillow on the shelf that smells like him and I'm surrounded by all his clothes. It's the next best thing to cuddling on his lap!

In Memory of Hana, Please Help the Eskies in Shelters - We Are So Close to Winning

2010-03-29T12:56:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU to everyone who has been voting for Eskie Rescuers United (ERU in Connecticut) in the Shelter Challenge. With so many people's help, we've gone from 3rd place to 1st place, but our percents are starting to slip. There's only half a month more of voting, and I'm hoping that you will vote another time today, to help us secure our first place lead and so we don't slip anymore. Our eskie shelter will win a grant of $1,000 if we have the most votes on April 18th. We are SOOO close to winning. Please help us secure the lead! It is free to do. No registration required. Just click a few links.

click on this link: The Animal Rescue Site
enter eskie for the shelter
enter CT (Connecticut) for the state
when "Eskie Rescuers United" from Colchester, CT shows up, click the "Vote" button
you'll be prompted to enter in a text word that matches the picture, then click "Confirm Vote"

Thank you so much for all your help! We are so close to winning. If anything, please do it in memory of my Angel Eskie Sister, Hana the Dog.

p.s. You can vote DAILY, from multiple internet browsers (IE, Firefox, Safari, Opera, etc.

Lazy Afternoon

2010-03-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

Are YOU looking at ME? Yes, I'm relaxing on the kitchen table. Ironic the evil spray bottle of water is next to me. My Mom is successfully trained to find me on kitchen counters, on chairs, on computer desks, on the bar counter, in cabinets, on the bedroom closet shelf, and in window sills! With a dog, she would look "down", but with a cat, she now looks "up." She says having a cat is different than having a dog.

I'm gonna take a snooze on the very edge of this kitchen table!

Unique or Ordinary Fur

2010-03-24T21:07:00.001-07:00

Mom took a close-up photo of my fur. Mom was looking at each strand of fur. Below is a picture of my shoulder. The fur close to my skin is black. Then the middle layer is tan and it's like an undercoat. The next layer is a bit of brown. And the very top layer is a fleck of gold, just on the tippy tip tip. Mom says a lot of people would pay good money for a dye job like this. I'm lucky my color is natural. I was born beautiful.

Here's another shot of me. This time it's of the black stripe down my back. You can see my natural flecked highlights on the tips along the side of my body.

And here's a picture of the whole ME!

Is my fur color unique or ordinary? What type do I have, if there is a word for it? Am I a ticked (agouti) tabby because I have bands of various color on each strand of fur? Likely a mackeral ticked tabby? Since I'm not in touch with my birth parents, I'm not able to ask them. Can you help me out? Please take a look at my other blog pics and you'll see I have the "M" on my forehead and spots on my belly and stripes on my body, too.

Edited: I found this but still am not quite sure what I am: "Both the mackerel tabby and the classic tabby have stripes and bars on the legs and tail and the classic "M" (or fleur-de-lys) marking on the forehead and the belly is usually spotted. The background colour is an agouti pattern, meaning that each individual hair has several bands of colour along its length. The foreground colour is the solid colour (non-agouti) of the markings."

I Am Not a Traitor

2010-03-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

You all know how Mom's been training to become my cat masseuse so she can become my favorite. The other day Mom was trying to work on her computer. I must have sat between her and her keyboard at least 8 times that day because I was purring for a Cat Massage. She could barely even do her work because I kept interrupting her. She says she "created a monster!"

Well, when Dad heard about it, instead of coming to my defense about her "monster" comment, he immediately accused me of being a traitor and betraying him!

I am not a traitor! And I proved that to him when I went to use him as my personal pillow. He's still my favorite. There's no denying it, even when he labels me as a traitor.

But, I do plan to keep my Mom. She's pretty good. She gives the best cat massages while Dad makes the best human pillow! Boy, I'm sure a good trainer!

Undermining Dad

2010-03-17T21:51:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna tell you a secret. Shhhh..... step closer so I can whisker it to you...

Dad caught wind of Mom's plan to become my favorite. He doesn't want to be undermined by Mom. Last night, when Mom and Dad sat on either side of me, he was really worried I'd choose Mom's lap and not his. He's determined to stay my favorite, so he's gonna learn Mom's new cat massage technique. He whiskered to me in confidence "We guys need to stick together!!" Today, he didn't wait for me to jump into his lap. Instead, he immediately scooped me up and sat me in his lap... he said that was so he could get bonus points.

Hee hee, this people training is going so much better than I thought it would! I've got my parents competing against each other for my affection and it benefits me all around! I've got them wrapped around my paw! What they don't realize is there's plenty of me to go around!

The Art of a Good Cat Massage

2010-03-16T17:58:00.000-07:00

My Mom has been training hard to become my favorite person. She started reading a book called "Cat Speak" so she can communicate with me better.

In the book, she learned about cat massage as a way to "bond better with your cat." She isn't sure if the "bonding" is working, but you can see for yourself from these pics that it's a pretty darn good massage!

Gotta get the top of the head... then she'll
get my "M" on my forehead next...

Ohhh, the neck.... that's it Mom, right there...

Must not forget the cheeks...

Ah yes, the other side of my neck....

And now the back of my head..... don't forget the ears please....

I feel so relaxed.....

Mom has massaged my whole head (including cheeks, chin, and the "M" on my forehead), ears, and neck. I'm immensely enjoying it so she just keeps continuing with that approach.

For those of you who are training your humans, here's the massage training guide. It's all nonscientific, but something tells me that won't matter to you.

Peek-a-Boo Nose

2010-03-15T20:37:00.000-07:00

My nose says peek-a-boo to you!

Big Little Man

2010-03-13T16:18:00.000-08:00

I used to be called "the Little Man" but after visiting the dentist, I have stepped up a notch. Papa told me to be brave and stand up for myself at the dentist's office and I did. I hissed and hissed and hissed so much and fought back the technician with all my strength that with all the commotion, they weren't able to insert the anesthesia via an injection. Instead, they went on to Plan #2 and "burritoed" me in a towel and gassed me! Vets don't just gas anyone, you know. I was special. And now I've earned the title "Big Little Man."

p.s. We're in the middle of changing my blog's template and colors, so you might see things changing on you.

New Banner by Zoolatry

2010-03-13T14:27:00.000-08:00

Wowie Zowie! Did you noticed the new banner on my blog? Maggy and Zoey from Zoolatry surprised me with a beautiful banner! That was super sweet of them and their Mom! Their Mom is so creative and artsy. I really like the theme of "prints" with the book, don't you? Thank you, Ann! Mao, mao!

Famous Friends Friday by Zoolatry

2010-03-10T20:29:00.000-08:00

Last Friday my new friends, Maggy and Zoey, helped me to become famous. Yes, yes, I know I would have become famous this coming April when I am featured in my local shelter's newsletter, but Maggy and Zoey speeded up my famousness! If you could become famous a month early, you'd do it too, right?

Maggy and Zoey are from Zoolatry. Their Mom is an artist and she does wonderful magical things with pictures! She gathered up many of my prints (pun intended.... get it, Prints?) and put together a beautiful collage of me, Prints the Cat! I hope you stop by their Zoolatry blog to see the collage and let them know you visited! Maybe I can use the collage as my business card! The featured photos show how versatile I am in my poses. Whew, being famous is hard work! I am all tuckered out!

I am so flattered and honored Maggy and Zoey included me in their Friends Friday post! Yay! Thank you new friends, Maggy and Zoey!

I also want to let you know about their Collectibles Zoolatry blog. Please visit their 2nd blog that has their gallery of artistic photos. I was so intrigued by their Mom's beautiful works of art that I looked at all the posts from when their Mom first stared the blog. There are some very creative pieces of artwork. How wonderful it must be to be an artist!

My Territory!

2010-03-08T12:45:00.000-08:00

Last evening, over the roar of the TV, my parents heard a racket coming from the other room. They said it sounded like I was being tortured by some machinery, like a garbage disposal, because I was making these horrible screeching noises! Panicked, they flew to find out where the sounds were coming from. There they found me, practically bouncing off the patio window, continuing to make these weird cat sounds, while my tail was "fluffed" out. Clearly something outside caught my attention. Upon long inspection from the inside looking out, my parents finally found the source of my frustration. It was a C A T in MY territory! Dad took a flashlight and shined the light in the cat's face and the cat took off... in the direction to go past my patio window and then he ran out of sight. I ran in the same direction in the house but could not find the culprit who was mocking me.

After a while, I finally calmed down. My parents are certain that if I were an outdoor cat, I would be minced meat for large cats that prowl my neighborhood. They are glad I am protected by being indoors. Yeah, I am a wimp but I am safe and healthy. I am glad my parents don't listen to me when I get so caught up in wanting to go outside without my leash. That's good training when they have the basic foundation of cat knowledge that I've so generously provided to help educate them, and then they build upon it to think for themselves, and come up with the right decision for our family.

A Serious Break in the Rain

2010-03-03T21:13:00.000-08:00

Since we had a break in the rain on Sunday, it was a good time for an outdoor adventure. I take my job exploring the great outdoors SERIOUSLY.

I discovered a SERIOUSLY large kitty grass buffet.

I met a very SERIOUS wabbit on my walk. He didn't blink an eye.

This room has a multitude of different scents. It's SERIOUSLY overwhelming!

This is an enormous room with no walls or ceilings. I could be a SERIOUS explorer if given the chance.

I spotted a tall tree that I was interested in exploring further. But then Mom said "Prints, we SERIOUSLY need to go back inside NOW!"

Top Dog

2010-03-02T17:10:00.000-08:00

You're gonna LOVE this! This is the Snausages Man Pulls Sled Race which took place today in Alaska! A reversal of roles, as Life with Dogs say. Hmmm, what is that saying? "A picture is worth a thousand words."

On your mark, get set, GO!!!

Do you see who's in charge? Look closely.

Who's the boss now??!!!

They are all winners!

~ Photos by Al Grillo ~
~ Permission from Danielle Paleafico for me to post the pics ~

Here's an entertaining article about the race. http://www.adn.com/2010/03/02/1164386/dogs-become-drivers-in-publicity.html

Hee hee, Dogs Rule (and Cats, too)!!

Home Sweet Home

2010-02-28T18:25:00.000-08:00

I Love Milk... Mao Mao Mao

2010-02-24T20:09:00.000-08:00

Every time the magic food box door opens, I'm there!

May I have some milk, please?

It's not a lot but that's okay.

Mao, mao, mao! Quick Mom! Gimme, gimme, gimme!

Yum!

Fascinating

2010-02-24T19:55:00.000-08:00

Such a fascinating machine. Does this paper dispenser dispense milk too? And salmon treats? Maybe if I just make a wish....

Bright Spot

2010-02-22T20:54:00.000-08:00

Sometimes my parents have a bad day. When they see me, I cheer them up. They tell me "Prints, you are the bright spot in our lives." Mao, mao, mao. I'm glad I make them happy.

I Surrender!!!!

2010-02-20T20:12:00.001-08:00

Actually, I take that back. I am irresistible so it's my parents who I've TRAINED to surrender to me!

The Visit

2010-02-20T08:20:00.000-08:00

I didn't have the greatest of days a week ago Saturday for two reasons.

1. I was put in a C R A T E, then set atop the dining room table.

2. While I was in said C R A T E, lo-and-behold, a big white fluffy dog appeared right there in my dining room. This was THE Casper D Dog that I had been hearing about all week. My parents said he was gonna visit on Saturday and I can attest that he did visit.

My parents were surprised I made a low growl and not a hiss. Which is better? A growl or a hiss? Other than the growl, for the most part, I was pretty silent.

One of the first sentences out of Casper's Mum was how I was BIGGER than she expected. Is that a compliment?

When I was sent back upstairs to my main room, my parents were pleased that I seemed content and undisturbed at knowing a dog was downstairs. I didn't hold any grudges because I am a good cat, however I'm still gonna send my parents to the library to get a Training 101 book on Cat Behavior so they can understand me better. They keep telling me that I'm gonna have to get used to white fluffy dogs sooner or later, but they assured me they love me and I have a permanent home with them.

Because it was Valentine's Day, even though I am a cat and Casper is a dog, I presented Casper with a bag of sweet potato fry doggie treats. I have heard Casper is a sweet potato addict.

Casper's got that Elvis grin going on for him.

Casper sure is fluffy these days!

And Casper gave us a beautiful tapestry rolling bag with lots of cats on it. It can be used for shopping or for traveling.

See how small it can fold up and put into a suitcase? When my parents go on travel, all the cat souvenirs for me can go into it for the return trip home!

My parents love their new cat carrying bag! I am starting to think my parents are becoming CAT PEOPLE! That goes to show how well of a trainer I am.

Almost Famous

2010-02-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

I just found out that the shelter where I adopted my parents from wants to interview me for their newsletter on "happy stories." I am so excited! I am almost famous! Hopefully I am a good interviewee so they choose my story for the newsletter. Cross your paws! Brian, I know you know how exciting this is for me. "Adopt Cats! We deserve it!"

Soul Mates

2010-02-15T22:15:00.001-08:00

I am blessed to have found my soul mate. My Dad is my soul mate. I love him to pieces. Every chance I get, I try to sit on his lap. I've said it before and I'll say it again: My Dad is my favorite person!

P.S. Remember the camera adds on 10 pounds. I have actually lost weight since adopting my family.

My Barkday and Welcome Tegan!

2010-02-11T19:10:00.000-08:00

Yappy Barkday to Me! Barkday? Yes, BARKday! I did not come with a birth certificate, so my parents gave me Angel Hana the Dog's Barkday. My barkday was February 5th, last Friday, and they said I turned 6 years old. Mom and Dad didn't celebrate with me on the actual date, but they did buy me some CatSip the next day and I got to partake in that. YUM!

I LOVE MILK!

For my Barkday, my good friends Tegan the Eskie and Gromit T. Cat sent me a Barkday card! I don't remember, but I think this was my very first Barkday card in all of my 6 years, so it's extra special to me. THANK YOU, TEGAN and GROMIT!

Such a cute little doggie on the card.

Look, Tegan and Gromit even wrote a message. They have great penmanship despite not having opposable thumbs.

This leads to a formal introduction of Tegan and her brand new dog blog! Check it out! This is Tegan. She looks very fashionable in her ribbon necklace!

Tegan had a tough start in life. Her first set of parents abused her by keeping her chained to the fence. They didn't keep tabs on the situation so Tegan became pregnant, then she was abandoned at a kill shelter! Fortunately Heart Bandits, a rescue for American Eskimos, came along and took Tegan under their wing. Tegan gave birth to 6 puppies when she herself was still a puppy. Despite being abused, she took great care of all her puppies. What a great Mom Tegan was. Today Tegan has been adopted into a loving family and has a brother named Gromit T. Cat.

Please give Tegan a big welcome at her new blog! Her blog is very fancy!

Thanks, Tegan and Gromit, for the Barkday card!

Enjoying My Walkies

2010-02-04T09:14:00.000-08:00

These walkies aren't so bad after all. I am navigating the backyard with more enthusiasm and going longer distances.

I still crouch sometimes, after all, a bird could come swoop me up, like how a bird swooped an eskie (Kevin) up in the movie "The Proposal."

I just keep my eyes wide open.

See, I walked all the way over to the fence and gate. What's that on the ground in the corner? Is that a MOUSE TRAP?

I don't have to hide under my parents' wings anymore. I'm also able to be in the middle of the yard and not up against a wall.

Last time we went on a backyard walk, I walked over to the patio when the walk was over, and then stood in the doorway of the patio door. I couldn't decide if I wanted in or out!

For Goodness Sakes, Get Me a Decent Leash!

2010-02-01T22:11:00.001-08:00

Mom, if you're gonna take a picture of me on a backyard walkie, for goodness sakes, get me a decent leash! This is SOOO embarrassing! I don't care if this is Hana's puppy leash. I need a brand new leash of my own, one that isn't coming undone.

Sigh....

But on to more important matters! Thank you for all your votes for Eskie Rescuers United! You helped to bump ERU from 3rd place to 2nd place! You cats and dogs are amazing! The power of the PAW!

Relaxing and A Request

2010-01-28T11:53:00.001-08:00

Mom managed to take a photo of me sleeping on my new handmade pillow in the bay window, with my kitty grass right beside me. What a life, eh? Like I said, the training is going well!

I have a small request. We don't normally ask for things like this, but our good eskie friends, Snowball and Snoopy (and Jen their Human) who is involved with Eskie Rescuers United (ERU) needs some votes for her shelter. They are 3rd on the Connecticut list right now and we hope to help them bump up to 1st. If you have time, please go to:

The Animal Rescue Site
click on the right side purple tab "Shelter Challenge"
enter eskie for the shelter
enter CT for the state
when "Eskie Rescuers United" from Colchester, CT shows up, click the "Vote" button
you'll be prompted to enter in a text word that matches the picture, then click "Confirm Vote"
you're allowed to vote once a day, but I'd just be thankful if you voted this one time.

Thank you!

Barkday Prezzies from Jasmine the Eskie

2010-01-25T21:14:00.000-08:00

Yay, my "barkday" present arrived from Jasmine the Eskie! I am friends with many eskies because my Angel Sister is Hana the Dog and Hana was an eskie. I adopted my new family on November 14, 2009, didn't come with a birth certificate, but the vet estimates my age to be 5 years old. In honor of my sister, Hana, my parents gave me the same birthday as Hana's. So, I will turn a big 6 years old on February 5, 2010!

Let's open this present up!

My nose tells me this smells yummy! They are salmon treats!

Even when Mom takes the presents out of the box, I still want to sniff the salmon treats.

In addition to the freeze dried salmon treats, there are 2 cartons of Whiskas CatMilk Plus, 1 package of Temptations natural yellow fin tuna treats, 1 package of Temptations creamy dairy flavor treats (only 2 calories each, says the package... do I need to lose weight?), a 3 pack of "weeble wobble" roly poly mice, and a 4 pack of soft colorful balls! Hope I didn't miss anything.

Wow, that's a lot of loot from Jasmine!! This is a great sampler barkday present because my parents are STILL in CAT training. Jasmine is a smart Eskie and knows what cats like.

These Temptations look pretty awesome.

Wanna play roly poly mouse, Mom? (by the way, the hole in my head is filling in a bit. There's a little scabby next to the hole which is about to fall off. Otherwise, my hole is getting better each day.)

Remember that photos add an extra 10 pounds. I have actually lost weight since I adopted my new family.

I'm getting a bit hyper now... I'm really into playing mouse!

Mom is only going to let me try one new treat at a time just so she can make sure I'm not allergic to any one item. Is that smart? Some of my smarts have been escaping from the hole in my head, so I guess I gotta trust my Mom.

Dad said the first treat to try was gonna be the Whiskas CatMilk. He really loves feeding me milk because he knows how much I love milk.... I always say "Mao mao mao mao" when he gets the people milk out, but he says I have to kick the habit and lay off people milk. Jasmine's timing is excellent for me to try the Whiskas Cat Milk now! Mom didn't get a video of Dad feeding me the new Cat Milk, but I really wolfed it down! We will have to get a video later.

Here's a video of me checking out the package. I am so interested in the salmon treats!

This video is of me playing with the roly poly mouse! This is fun! It's a shame my Mom doesn't have 3 hands else this video would be of better quality.

Jasmine, you are the bestest dog friend ever! Thank you for the barkday gifts! We will hopefully be able to post more videos of me sampling the new treats and playing with all my new toys. I think Mom is going to get me a nice toy box so I can put all my toys in them.

Training Success and a Traveling Pillow

2010-01-23T11:42:00.000-08:00

It's certainly been a busy, but rewarding, two months training my new humans. I think they've finally "got it!"

Most people just stick the vacuum cleaner as far as it'll go under the bed, crossing their fingers they are getting all the dust and dirt out, but not my parents. I have them well trained. Last week my parents cleaned UNDER the bed by COMPLETELY REMOVING THE MATTRESS so they could get at ALL the dirt and dust they have missed all these years. I give my parents 4 paws UP!

Here is the "before" pic... look at all that dust I was choking on!

Sorry, I was so excited they were cleaning that I forgot to take the "after" picture.

And here's another example of training success. My Mom AND DAD, went to the fabric store and look what they came back with. Fabric for ME! Mom made another bed for me. And she did this on her HOLIDAY from work (Martin Luther King Day). I've got the best Mom!

I have to snoopervise.

It's pretty good... very thick and warm. She used the best batting to go in the pillow.

Mom wanted there to be "walls" but instead she accidentally made "flat walls." She was going to fix it, but I told her I was happy with her work and didn't want her to exhaust herself. Even if her sewing skills aren't the best, she still is a really good Mom!

Here I'm just testing it out:

My new pillow blanket goes in the bay window in the kitchen, therefore my pillow is GREEN to match the outside foliage... Not only do I get a great bird's eye view, but I get to observe the outside in COMFORT AND STYLE!

Even though my pillow is supposed to be in the bay window, Mom moves it around for me so I can use it when I visit other places in the house. I guess it's a Traveling Pillow!

My New Best Friend

2010-01-19T17:39:00.000-08:00

I sidled up to my new best friend yesterday!

I sat by him for a long long time. Then I decided to lie down next to him, my body against my new friend. Mom came and turned him off, and moved him a few inches away from me. She also noticed I was just about to rub my head up against him. After she moved him, I went to sit next to him again, and then she moved him AGAIN. Parents! I'm just trying to make a nice warm new friend with him.

p.s. My parents are avidly observing and monitoring the hole in my head. If the appearance gets worse or it does not heal up, it will be off to the V E T later this week! Dad thinks he had been giving me too much people milk lately, and that this is an allergic reaction. He knows he is not supposed to give me people milk. Maybe he will give me special cat milk then, once I get a few strands of fur back on my bald spot. I sure hope my hole grows closed so I can get special cat milk.

Hole in My Sweater, Hole in My Head

2010-01-17T18:57:00.000-08:00

Hm. Why do I have a hole in my head? Can someone offer an explanation on my bald spot? My parents are worried about me. Help. This hole came rather suddenly, almost overnight it seems. My parents are constantly petting me on my head or kissing me on my head, and today they discovered the hole, so they are fairly certain this came about suddenly. Today my poopie was half solid and half yucky, if that helps any. Otherwise, things have been hunky dorky. No flea/tick meds either this week.

Hope nothing is wrong with me. What do you think? Is it common? This morning my parents saw a bunch of fur on the carpet. They now think the fur came from my head, perhaps.

World's Best Cat Litter

2010-01-14T07:35:00.001-08:00

The mail man must like me. He delivered this free box of World's Best Cat Litter (WBCL) addressed to ME, Prints the Cat. I have Jelly Bean to thank. She contacted Drew at WBCL and requested he send me a free package, pronto, to try. JB told Drew that I am brand new at my adopted home and that my parents are in cat training and are deciding which type of cat litter is the best to use.

On day 1, since my parents were caught unaware, we tried the cheap litter which cost like $2, but it does not clump and is very dusty. Cough, cough, cough. If it does not clump, then my waste stays in the box. Yuck. My parents learned very quickly that is not the type of litter to buy.

For test number 2, it didn't take my parents long to learn that clumping litter is the best thing in the world! But, they got various brands of clay litter and they were all dusty. I guess we got the scented type because the scent is extra overwhelming. People were starting to ask my parents if they were wearing cat litter perfume.

But this week, we opened up the World's Best Cat Litter and it is pawesome!

JB cautioned us that maybe we should gradually switch over by mixing my current litter with the new World's Best Cat Litter. JB wasn't sure if I'd like it because of the unique corn scent and the different texture. So, we first put in a layer of the clay litter.

Then we put in the World's Best Cat Litter which is CORN based. My mom immediately took to it because it was DUST FREE! Yay for dust free litter. Who wants a cloud of dust in their face when they are pottying? Not me!

Here I am inspecting the new corn based litter.

After Mom put the roof back on my litter box, I peed in it that evening. I am happy to further report that I've used my new World's Best Cat Litter multiple times already!!!

Here's a few facts about World's Best Cat Litter:

it is the ONLY litter made from whole-kernel corn. That means the naturally microporous structure traps nasty ammonia order, not that my pee stinks like ammonia. I pride myself on being thoroughly clean on the inside and out!
it clumps the quickest! Moisture does not seep or sink to the bottom. No cat parent wants to discover their cat has torn the plastic liner and pee has seeped through to the bottom and down into the plastic. This won't happen with WBCL.
made from all-natural ingredients! It is totally safe for cats and the whole family. There's no silica dust to breathe in. No more holding your breath and passing out while you pee.
it is 100% biodegradable and isn't mined, drilled or artifically produced. Yay, go green!
they say WBCL can last up to 2-3 times longer than other clumping litters because the special quick clumping on contact keeps the rest of the litter dry. Then you save time and money. I am a busy cat. What cat isn't? My time is precious and yours is, too.

Thanks, JB and Drew at World's Best Cat Litter! It was smart of WBCL to send me a package to try. They must have been really confident a FREE bag will go a long way with customer service, especially since it's the best litter there is, being DUST FREE, green, and all.

p.s. WOWIE ZOWIE! Lookie... I am FAMOUS! I've already been tweeted about on the WBCL Twitter and I'm also on their WBCL Facebook!

Superior Scribbler Award with Emphasis in Training Humans

2010-01-12T18:54:00.000-08:00

My new friends at Brian's Home honored me with the Superior Scribbler Award for my excellent skills at Training Humans. I am so humbled by this award, as I am a beginner cat blogger and have so much to learn from all my new cat friends. Thank you Brian, the beautiful Sascha, Gracie, Zoe, and Dolly!

For those of you who are new to my blog, I will recap some training categories my humans have recently worked on since I adopted them in November 2009.

1. Litter box - Upgrade quality and quantity

My first litter box was nothing fancy. To express my outrage, I flung litter outside the box.

My parents then bought me TWO new litter boxes. Note I live in a ONE cat household. My parents check the box very often and dispose of the waste before you could say "boo." That's good service!

2. Clean glass windows and window sills

Before I came into the picture, my parents didn't clean the windows and sills. How embarrassing. They have now cleaned off the areas I frequent. That's a step in the right direction.

3. Pillows and beds - show some effort

My parents have learned that cushy round beds may be cute and easy to buy, but as you see below, this bed is EMPTY:

And this is the bed my Mom made by hand. I am pleased when she puts in more effort and caters to my needs.

4. The Outdoors

My parents know that sometimes the outdoor elements can be harmful. In my neighborhood there are raccoons, ticks, scorpions, turkeys, and other cats, just to name a few of the wildlife. There are also animals that howl during the evenings and they sure sound close by. My parents realize the gravity of this issue of curiosity (curiosity killed the cat?) and wanting to explore the outdoors which can be dangerous at times.

So, even though it isn't easy, I accompany my parents outside and put them on a leash!

5. The Importance of a Dust Free Environment

Cough, choke, cough. Need I say more? My parents have gotten their act together now. What would become of their house, if it wasn't for me?

6. Garden Buffet

The lady is now used to thinking about my needs and wants. That is how it should be. This training is going quite well when you have reached this point and you know you are well on your way to success.

My Mom planted a garden buffet for me! It took about 12 days for her to tend to the garden to produce the bountiful grass which is supposed to help cat digestion. I nibble on it when it pleases me.

7. Laps

My parents are now accustomed to me sleeping and sitting on them when it suits me. They, by themselves, are quite useful, even if we did not have success with items 1 through 6 above.

So in summary, Brian, thank you for the award! It has been a long and hard road, but my parents have gone from being "dog people" to "cat people" in a matter of two months training. This is better than anycat could have imagined!

I will keep these two people of mine. :-)

------------------

As with every award, there are some rules that need to be followed:
1. Each Superior Scribbler (SS) must pass the Award on to 5 deserving blogger friends.
2. Each SS must link the author and name of the blog from whom he/she received the award.
3. Each SS must display the award on his/her blog and link to the post which explains the award.
4. Each SS is asked to visit the post which explains the award and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List.
5. Each SS must post these rules on his/her blog.

We are passing the award on to:

1. Jelly Bean at JB's Small World and JB's Big World - JB and crew keep us well entertained between all the cats in their household and it is fun learning about other critters in the big world. JB was also instrumental in helping my Mom come around to liking cats.
2. Joplin and Hendrix at DIY Catcare - They have been successful at having their person (Laura) do all the blogging for them! We should all be so lucky.
3. Princess Isis at Princess Isis of course - the photographs Isis' sister displays on the blog are awesome!
4. Teddy Bear at Teddy's Tales - such a great daily blogger and he even sometimes allows his sister, Sierra, to have a say in matters.
5. Siku Marie at White Dog Diary - she, and her parents, have such good hearts and remind us to always be thankful for what we have.

Eating My Garden Buffet Bar

2010-01-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

Mom said it was finally time to harvest and eat my garden buffet. Today is day 12.

I first inspected the goods.

Then I chowed down!

Here's a video of me munching away. Mom hopes I enjoyed it. We will let you know if I went back for seconds later... and whether garden buffets agree with me! But, so far so good!

Favorite Person

2010-01-07T19:57:00.001-08:00

Do you have a favorite person? My favorite person is my Dad! I love to sit on him and nuzzle with him! My Mom thinks she is not my favorite because she is the one who clips my nails and I don't like having my nails clipped. Even so, I think I will keep her.

American Eskimo and Animal Shrine

2010-01-06T20:24:00.001-08:00

We happen to have a mini temple to eskies and other animals. If you look at this photo below, you will see LOTS of pictures of eskies and a few cats, some reindeer, a lhasa apso, a polar bear, and a teddy bear. There are even 3 pictures of human critters.

Food offerings are made to all the critters in the altar. Sometimes my parents eat the food offerings, but then my mom restocks. I bet there is no other household that has food sacrifices to critters like my household does. :-) My mom and dad are definitely a special bunch. 8-)

p.s. Thank you to everyone who sent us holiday cards! This photo is a bit outdated. We have a few other holiday cards that are missing from this photo.

See How My Garden Buffet Grows, Day 8

2010-01-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

Gromit T. Cat and Duffy, have your Moms bought you your garden buffet yet? My Mom purchased mine at Pet Food Express, which is a west coast pet supply store.

My indoor buffet is coming along very nicely. My Mom showed it to me today. It looks yummy! But she says I still have to wait for it to grow more before I can eat my buffet.

You think the garden looks good? Wait until you see the roots! It's all very impressive to me.

Mom says that at some point she might have to transplant my garden into a larger container, especially if the roots keep growing and start to come out of the pretty container, which would kind of be a shame because the container looks so decorative. But, she also says she will(1) wait to see if I enjoy eating the garden buffet; and (2) if my buffet makes me throw up. But it is supposed to aid in digestion and help prevent hairballs.

p.s. For those of you who are interested, my kitty garden was $9.99 at Pet Food Express. They are also sold on Amazon. There are vendors on there that do free super saver shipping on purchases of $25 or more.

Blankets

2010-01-04T20:10:00.000-08:00

My Mom made a paw print fleece tie blanket. But she says it's for her, not me. That's not nice. I was even helping her make it. See?

This is the finished product. How dare she tease me this way when it's not for me.

She even made this other tie fleece blanket, and it's got DOGS on the material! I wonder what that's supposed to mean. Doesn't she like cats? Doesn't she like me? Anyone want to trade Moms?

Mom here: Princey, you forgot that I made you your own fleece blanket when we first adopted you. You sleep on it ALL the time. How could you forget? And I even take pictures of you sleeping on the blanket, not doing a single thing. That's love!

It's me, Prince again. Mom is right. I forgot about the fleece blanket she made me. I LOVE the blanket! I sleep where it sleeps! I guess I'll keep my Mom.

Day 6 of My Garden

2010-01-04T20:09:00.001-08:00

Look at all those sprouts!

The Importance of a Dust Free Environment

2010-01-03T16:58:00.001-08:00

My mom is still in cat training. It is wearing my patience. A few weeks ago she learned the important of clean window sills. NOW I am teaching her the importance of cleaning under the big bed. My mom is not a good duster. She will do anything such as cleaning the big people litterbox, but neglects to dust under the big people bed. Cough - choke - cough! It's filthy under here!

And you know what? It's a catch-22. I can't win because if she cleaned under the big people bed, then she brings out that big torture device called the carpet eater, which I despise. It darn near gave me a heart attack the other night when she turned it on 2 feet away from me when I was under the bed but she didn't know I was right there in the same room! I skee-daddled outta there faster than you can say "Boo!"

My Mom has a lot to learn regarding cat housekeeping.

Second Walk

2010-01-02T14:51:00.000-08:00

I am not a fan of being outdoors yet. Can you tell?

Day 3.5 of My Garden

2010-01-02T14:45:00.000-08:00

Yay, I got sprouts!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

2010-01-01T10:05:00.000-08:00

May the new year bring good health and happiness to everyone around the world!

Thankful

2009-12-31T16:02:00.001-08:00

I am grateful that in 2009, I was adopted by my new family. I have a nice home and parents who love me and take care of me. We are still adapting to one another and learning about each other. They are actually still in cat training but have really come a long way. I like my new parents most the time. Here I am when I decided to sit in their laps just the other day. Hm, I think that was the day when I started calling them "My Parents." Some of you caught that reference! :-)

2009 brought lots of sadness to my parents. It was a bad year for them. One thing is we lost my sister, Hana the Dog, due to cancer. She was taken away from us too soon. We will always always remember her. She will never be forgotten. She was the best dog in the whole world.

Let 2010 be a year of good health and happiness, to all of you.

Day Two of My Garden

2009-12-31T15:46:00.001-08:00

No sprouts yet. Boo.

My Garden Buffet Bar

2009-12-30T22:51:00.000-08:00

My Mom returned the expensive Wellness canned cat food that I snubbed my nose at. Then she saw a kitty buffet bar at the store. Her friend told her that her cat, Callicoon, loves her buffet bar and that it aids in digestion. My Mom is unsure if the grass will make me throw up because in her experience dogs throw up after eating grass. But, she has decided to let me give it a try.

The box is pretty.

I guess I can't just help myself to the buffet yet. It takes some work to prepare.

I am helping my Mom prepare the buffet bar. It takes 6 days before my garden sprouts.

Look at all these parts. Thank goodness I have my Mom to help me prepare the garden buffet.

Pretty seeds. We labeled the dishes so that we know what's what.

Here is DAY ONE of the buffet bar. No sprouts yet. :-(

Present from Siku

2009-12-29T18:08:00.001-08:00

I received a Chrissmoussy present from Siku Marie. Siku Marie and her parents are such wonderful people. They have already done so much with donating in memory of my Angel Sister Hana the Dog to the National Canine Cancer Foundation, not just once, but TWICE! We received a wonderful book called "Tails of Devotion" from the National Canine Cancer Foundation, on behalf of Siku. And Siku's parents also donated to Heart Bandits in honor of Hana as well. And now they have sent me Chrissmoussy presents! Siku and her parents are so thoughtful and generous. They have very kind hearts.

Here is the present from Siku!

This is me sniffing the present. I like the wrapping because it doubles as a toy!

Trim Treats? Is Siku trying to tell me I need to lose weight? Oh boy, Cat Nip! My parents will lace my scratcher with cat nip for me.

Here I am eating the Trim Treats. Yum!! I was given 3 treats and I ate all 3!!! I give the treats 4 paws UP!

My parents have yet to buy me treats. Can you believe that? I guess after I snubbed the expensive and so called best cat food my parents purchased, they are leery of purchasing new things for me. Thank goodness for Siku! Thank you Siku Marie and Auntie Sue and Uncle Steve! You're the best!

p.s. Did anyone notice my new reference?

Outback SURVIVOR U.S.A. - I Survived!!!

2009-12-24T16:21:00.001-08:00

Teddy Bear's Mom applied to be on Survivor. Let it be known, I did NOT apply for this assignment. For goodness sakes, I am an INDOOR cat, used to being served like a Prince. However, the cat gods deemed it mandatory for me to go out into the big bad wilderness where I had to protect myself against the elements of nature that I am SOOOOO NOT USED TO. Fortunately I was not made to forage for food or shelter. Whew!

Here I am on the start of my journey in the room without a ceiling, moving along stealthfully in my "danger crouch."

Paws are crossed there isn't a bad guy around this corner, like a hawk.

What do I do now? I'm way out of my safe zone.

I keep my eyes wide open, in case danger lurks. Oh please oh please, NO challenges for me. Just let me get through the day in one piece. That's all I ask for. Is that too much to ask?

Back to my shelter. LET ME IN! NOW!!!

Whew.... safely home. Those were the 2 most challenging minutes of my life.

I need some comfort food.

What a day. If that outing was my Christmas present, I'm not looking forward to my birthday.

Thank You For Fighting Cancer

2009-12-23T17:49:00.000-08:00

I wish to thank Siku and her family in their fight against canine cancer. 92 dogs, cats, and people commented on Siku's blog to wish her a happy barkday and to rally together to support finding a cure against this terrible disease that took the life of my dog sister, Hana the Dog, too soon in her life, just one month ago. There are too many fluffies whose lives have been stolen by this evil disease.

Thank you for all your support. And thank you, Siku, for your $50 donation to Canine Cancer Research Awareness. You have already done so much for us and we are truly blessed to know you. The world is a better place because of people like you.

This is my Angel Sister, Hana the Dog:

Hana the Dog ~ Photo taken June 2009

Fighting Cancer in Memory of Hana the Dog

2009-12-22T09:34:00.000-08:00

I have an Angel Sister. Her name is Hana the Dog. She passed away last month on November 6, 2009, at the young age of 9 years old. She had an aggressive cancer in her heart. It was shocking and very sudden. The lady and man are still grieving over losing Hana.

In honor of Hana the Dog, Siku has generously offered to donate 50 cents for every comment left on her blog, to the Canine Cancer Research Awareness group, in lieu of having her 5th barkday party today. What a wonderful gift Siku has asked for. Her family is very thoughtful and generous. We are blessed to know them.

So, please, everydog and cat, visit Siku's blog today and wish her a happy birthday and show your support so we may one day beat cancer.

Thank you.

~Prints the Cat

Serious Business

2009-12-21T20:16:00.000-08:00

The lady says I get this very serious look on my face when I'm doing my business. She says she has never seen a more serious look before. I say "Peeing IS very serious business."

Cheap Date

2009-12-19T19:22:00.001-08:00

I'm a pretty cheap date! Give me a crinkled ball of paper and I'm set!

Housekeeper in Training

2009-12-16T20:14:00.001-08:00

As you have now deduced by reading my blog, the lady I adopted has never been adopted by a cat before. It has been over a month, but she is still in cat training. Recently she discovered the importance of clean window sills.

She had been neglecting the window sills. Only cleans them once every two or three years, if even that "often" and I am being generous here because I don't want the lady to feel bad. I actually found a window sill that she seems to have never cleaned the entire SEVEN YEARS she has lived in this house! I am embarrassed to have her as the lady of the house! What a mess! I wonder why the "alarm" sign in the window didn't alert her to her dusty window sills. Sigh.

Anyhow, yesterday evening, the lady finally cleaned the window sill with a vacuum cleaner and a wet rag. It was just one window sill, but it's a start.

This bay window (see below photo) is much harder to clean. Even the man has trouble cleaning it because it extends so far out and their arms and the vacuum cleaner have trouble reaching and doing the job. The lady and man also don't want to sit on the counter and put weight on it for fear it will break. I guess I will just have to live with a dusty bay window for now.

p.s. About my last post (Toilet Flushing). I finally made a poopie yesterday! The lady was ecstatic! I didn't really flush it too well, but at least something came out. She was very relieved, however she doesn't know why I am forgetting to flush every once in a while.

Toilet Flushing, I Forgot - To Worry Or Not

2009-12-15T08:28:00.001-08:00

This morning I forgot to flush the toilet. The lady and man are worried I'm not feeling well, plus I didn't poop yesterday. Ever since I moved in with my new family, I have been flushing the toilet regularly and pooping regularly. This is the very first time I forgot to flush.

Thursday evening - I got new litter, so the toilet is still pretty clean (says the lady.) The man and lady clean the pieces out every time they see I made a present for them, so they do this on a daily basis, if not hourly.
Sunday evening, Canned food - They put some new (EXPENSIVE) canned food into my food bowl. I didn't touch it. I'm not food oriented though, even though I'm on the chubby side. Normally I only eat kibble. Canned food is supposed to be special.
Sunday evening, flea product - The lady applied some flea product on me. She has used this on me before, without incident.
Monday - They left the canned food in my food bowl, with the kibble, but I didn't eat much of the kibble on Monday and still didn't eat the canned food. They removed the canned food from my bowl in the afternoon.
Monday evening - The lady wasn't watching where she was going. I was sitting right by her. She whacked me by accident. But I was okay because when she got the toy ribbon out, to make up with me, I started playing with the ribbon immediately.
Tuesday morning (today) - Still haven't eaten much kibble but it's only 8am. Usually I might eat a tiny bit when the people are sleeping during the night, but the lady says she thinks I didn't touch the kibble.

I haven't pooped since sometime on Sunday, and I was really regular before. How many hours does it take for food to make it through a cat's body? If I haven't eaten much, I guess nothing will come out. For dogs, the lady knows it takes about 48 hours for food to get from one end and out the other end. Hopefully I'll poop today, after eating some kibble.

Do you think the combination of -- (1) flea product, (2) new canned food sitting in my bowl, (3) not eating much Monday, and (4) getting bumped by the lady -- contribute to my forgetting to flush? Does the lady have anything to worry about? Does she need to wash my bowl out to get rid of the canned food smell that might still be in the bowl? Just how finicky are us cat? The lady wants to know! Is she being neurotic?

Comfy Cat

2009-12-14T20:30:00.000-08:00

When the man's chest is unavailable to sleep on, I have other places I can nap at. As a matter of fact, I have a whole slew of places. What is the most unusual place you take naps? I think it's time to educate the lady on what kinds of nooks and crannies and unusual places you sleep. Then she will know what to expect!

When the lady sees me like this, she says "Oh the life of a cat!" :-)

Discovery!

2009-12-12T18:32:00.001-08:00

What a wonderful discovery I have made! A heater just for me.

The lady sure is still in training. She has finally realized that I like to keep really really warm.

Betcha Can't Find Me

2009-12-10T18:44:00.001-08:00

Can you spot me?

Pillow

2009-12-09T21:10:00.001-08:00

The man is good for something. He makes a good pillow. I like to sleep on his chest while we watch the light show on the magic box. In the middle of the night, I like to sleep on his back. I am sure he appreciates how useful he can be. I think I will keep him.

Boo!

2009-12-08T07:42:00.000-08:00

Last evening the weather forecast was for super cold temperatures. The lady was looking for some towels to wrap around the outdoor water pipes. Haha. While she was hunting for towels on one side of the cabinet, I snuck in through the other side. Suddenly she saw movement in the cabinet. Haha, that was ME! Clearly, I am still training the lady.

Sorry, my jewels are shown in this first pic. Oh, the lady still doesn't know what equipment I have down there. It's all mysterious to her. She doesn't know what's what. Silly lady. She needs to check out a cat anatomy book.

Hide and Seek

2009-12-06T17:25:00.000-08:00

Hansel told my lady that cats will manage to find every nook and cranny, and no matter how hard the humans try to prevent cats from jumping on a shelf or cabinet or counter, no place is immune. I proved this to the lady when I found a nice little spot on the cabinet where the stereo and TV stuff reside. The man is wondering when I went behind the equipment, if I unplugged anything. The lady is calling me Ai Yai Yai again.

To Line or Not To Line... That is the Question

2009-12-06T17:17:00.000-08:00

The other day I posted about my litter box. I asked if people noticed if anything was wrong with my litter box. The lady now has realized that maybe she was okay in the first place. Silly lady. She is still learning about cats, that's for sure.

When my new people adopted me, they went into the shelter, came out with me, and had no cat supplies. They were, to say the least... UNprepared. So, they bought some litter and put it in a plastic box. Then when the lady was talking to her coworker, and the man was talking to his coworker, they both learned about LINERS. So they rushed out and bought a box of liners.

But now, after receiving some of your comments and after talking further with some humans, they have learned that some people choose not to use liners. They say their cats tear the liners up. So far I have not torn up any liners, and I do still have claws. The lady is pleased with my liter box habits so far.

Personal Assistant

2009-12-05T18:50:00.000-08:00

This is how I help the lady when she is working...

... which brings me to a question I have for all you cats out there. Do you also do a face plant into your pillow when you are sleeping?

Two Paws Up for Da Bird

2009-12-01T19:08:00.001-08:00

This is a continuation of my post from yesterday. Jelly Bean sent me presents, two of her favorite toys. Today's post highlights the 2nd present. The 1st present is showcased in yesterday's post.

JB and Crew loves Da Bird fishing feather toy! She told me her family goes nuts for it and will even do flips in the air for Da Bird. It makes whirly noises which sounds like birds. Pretty neat toy if ya ask me.

JB and Crew are obviously more athletic than I am though. Like the laser toy, toys will come to me, so why should I go chasing after a toy? I can have fun while remaining stationary in my seat, with my paws reaching and stretching successfully at the flying toy. I do a good job playing while remaining somewhat immobile. I should win an award for that.

Here I am checking out the feathers.

See how well I can reach!

See, I am somewhat athletic. I changed seats.

I'm gonna get you Mr. Feather! Grrrr!!!

Success!! Haha, I win!!

Thank you, JB! With these neat toys you sent, I'm teaching my new family how to play!

Present from Jelly Bean

2009-11-30T20:50:00.000-08:00

JB has welcomed me into the Cat Blogging world by sending me presents. Whoo hoo! My first present! And, my first package in the US Postal Mail, addressed to me, Prints the Cat.

This is me before opening up my present. See how sleepy I am? I'm trying to get in a cat nap!

And here are pics of me opening the present. It's a catnip banana toy and a feather catcher! The lady and man have never had either of these toys, so I had to teach them how to play with them.

I will first show pics of me playing with the banana catnip toy. I could smell the catnip from across the room; it was so strong! The toy store sure knows how to bottle up catnip in a banana.

The was the first time the people saw me playing with a stuffie of sorts.

Ohhhh, I feel soooo good!!!! Meow! I'm in catecstasy! I'm in rapturous delight!

That sure woke me from my slumber.... and in a really good way! Thank you JB! I love my new toys!!! Thank you for the welcome! Tomorrow the lady is going to let me play with the feather toy and we will take pictures of me, Prints the Cat! (well, I still don't have a permanent name, but the people are working on it.)

Thank You, Hansel

2009-11-29T21:14:00.000-08:00

Hansel, I want to give a BIG Thank You to you for introducing me to the Cat Blogosphere! Every cat (and dog) has given me such a warm welcome! I have so much to learn about the cat blogging world and my new people probably will have lots of questions to ask of all you cats.

Lesson Number Two

2009-11-22T10:31:00.000-08:00

Does anyone see anything wrong with this litter box set up? Perhaps something is missing from my litter box? My new people have a lot to learn.

Lesson Number One

2009-11-22T10:28:00.000-08:00

CATS ARE NOCTURAL

This is what my lady learned from her friends recently. My lady's response was "Well, that explains things now."

Counter Surfing

2009-11-21T09:57:00.000-08:00

The lady is still getting used to me. Right now she shakes her head at me when she spies me on the counter or bar or desk. I wonder if my new name is "ay yai yai." She says that when she sees me counter surfing.

But, I am training her well. We are making lots of progress.

A Cat Formerly Known as Prince

2009-11-21T09:47:00.000-08:00

I have been sitting in laps since I got to my new home. I purred and rubbed my head against anyone who would stop and take notice of me. But now that I am acclimating and exploring my new home, I'm not as affectionate anymore. The lady and man think I scammed them! The lady has started to call me by a new name, Scammers.

Threats

2009-11-20T09:29:00.000-08:00

The lady threatened to take back my new fancy scratcher, so I have decided to humor her and play on it.

Prints vs. Prince

2009-11-19T09:52:00.000-08:00

The people have been calling me Prints, instead of Prince. It makes no difference to me. I don't respond to either.