New Trick!

Who says you can't teach old humans new tricks?  The MomPerson has been walking on the treadmill every morning, complaining about gaining six pounds.  I don't blame her.  That's a LOT, like almost a whole Bonnie Kate. So when she heads for the treadmill, I do this until she gives me a treat to move:

"Hi, MomPerson! Me?  Oh, I'm just hanging out here. No special reason."

She's gotten lots better and just giving in and handing over the treats instead of coaxing, begging and fussing for five minutes first. Good girl, MomPerson, good girl!  Who's a good human, hmmm?

Elmer: Happy New Year!

It's Chinese New Year.  It's supposed to be the year of the dragon.  That's some kind of big lizard. I think it should be the Year of the Elmer Cat.  In fact, all years should be the Year of the Elmer Cat.

Have I mentioned my name is Elmer?

The MomPerson says she wanted to call me Arthur like King Arthur  but that I'm really more of an Elmer and that looks can be deceiving.

I don't know what that means.

She didn't use my whole name, though, which is Elmer-Leave-Bonnie-Alone, but the MomPerson says that doesn't matter because I never answer to anything anyway, except for the pop of a catfood can. Or the sound of a door opening.  I'm big enough that occasionally I can push my way out while she's trying to close the door-- she says I'm like a little fuzzy mac truck.

I don't know what that means.

For some reason, MomPerson doesn't like for me to be outside in the front. She lets me out back, but there's a fence there.  The fence doesn't seem to stop my sister Flora or Freddie, but I don't know how they manage to get out.  MomPerson says she'd like to keep it that way.  I see that front porch cat BeeGee out there, and that orange cat JJ and that big orange cat who looks like Melon but all orange and fluffy out there, and I see birds, and. . . . I forgot what I was saying.  Oh, the MomPerson won't let ME out front.  Something about "doesn't have the sense God gave lint."

I don't know what that means.

I'm a big help around the house.   I keep all the food bowls cleaned out and help keep the bathroom floor clean by turning over the water bowls.  The MomPerson isn't big on mopping and this encourages her. She has to get that water up somehow!  I think I was grown before I saw her do that, and I thought it was some new game.  She said some interesting words when I tried to catch the mop. Then she allowed that I was a great excuse NOT to mop and cheered up immediately.  Hence the water bowls.  I actually like to pick up water in my paw and lick it up from there.

Anyway, here I am being a big help as usual.  The MomPerson wants to stick bottles on a post so I'm working on emptying them for her.  *hic*

"A bit dry for my taste.  And citrus. Grass would be better. "

"These are sweet, light, fruity. Very nice for you, but I'd like something with a fresh catnip nose, perhaps with undertones of chicken and a hint of salmon."

Christmas presents!!

We had company for Christmas. We weren't sure about extra humans, but these seemed capable of petting and one even discovered how to free deli turkey from the cold box, so they turned out to be A-okay.  They also brought something with them to go in our back yard.

Not one but TWO new scratching posts!! Wow!  Are these thoughtful humans or what??  We're not sure about the bottles, but we were too polite to say anything.  Oh, and we're supposed to call them "bottle trees"  not scratching posts.   Suurre they are (wink, wink, nudge, nudge), yep, they're "bottle trees" all right.

"Here, birdie, birdie, birdie!"

You Just Can't Get Good Help These Days!

MomPerson who allegedly is keeping up our blog has just been SOOOOO unreliable.  Here we've been, posing for photos until we're exhausted and has she posted anything?  NO. So we hereby resolve to make her post something at least once a week or else we'll do it ourselves.

"What do you mean, this isn't a touch screen computer??"

They survived!

"Ashley sits here and pets me.  I like Ashley!"

Yes, the cats managed to survive while I was on vacation with Scotty & Lou.  Kay came twice a day to feed and Ashley came once a day to sit and read and pet.  Ashley reports Melon was very impressed by her ability to sit quietly and not move for long periods of time.  He likes that in a person.  The kittens _-they're now five years old, I suppose I should stop referring to them as "kittens"-- were skittish as I expected.  What I did not expect was that Ellen and Flora would indeed take up with Ashley. She reported that she was in the kitchen and decided she'd give Fred a treat:  deli turkey.  As soon as she opened the fridge door, it was as if Ellen and Flora had a revelation:  "SHE can produce turkey too!  What a human!!" They were devoted to her after that, as was Nuit.

"Yeah, you're swell.  Can I go out now??!"

Kay had a Sally Field moment when Fred suddenly did his Fred thing and leaped on her shoulders.  Her thought was, "He likes me!  He really likes me!"

Thank you, ladies, for taking such fabulous care of my fur-kids!!

BeeGee update

Poor Beege. . . he really started to trust me a bit. I borrowed a trap from the Washington County Animal Defense League (a very fine organization, by the way) to trap him.  I realized I also needed a new cat carrier so I got one of those and left it near his feeding station for a couple of days so he could get used to it. Believe it or not, I was able to entice him part way inside the carrier, then gave him a push and in he went.  All went well from there:  he was taken to the Margaret B. Mitchell Spay and Neuter Clinic where he was neutered and given a rabies and distemper shot.  Sigrid of the WCADL was kind enough to keep him a few days before I took him back. (I'm in your debt, Sigrid!)   I was very worried at first because he refused to eat.  After a couple of days, he did eat but wouldn't interact with Sigrid.  I picked him up and turned him loose at the house.  He vanished for a day, then cautiously began returning.  For some reason, he's a bit suspicious of me now.  I wonder why. . . .

"Make one false move and I'm outta here!

That's wearing off a bit, though, as he is getting meals regularly.  He's been watching Fred and he is starting to twine about my legs just a bit, but he's not sure how to do it exactly.  And I'm not sure what he wants from it-- he's usually been fed already. Multiple times.

"What do I want?  I dunno, what do you have?"

He is beginning to challenge Fred and Flora a bit, and he really doesn't like JJ, who drops over for a snack.  We'll see how this goes.

If you want to make the acquaintance of the fine folks at the WCADL, visit their website!

Animal Defense League of Washington County

And another tip of the hat to the wonderful people at The Margaret B. Mitchell Spay and Neuter Clinic!  It's a wonderful organization.  Ms. Mitchell was an animal lover who really made a huge contribution for the good of our companion animals.  I see her the memorial for her White One at the Glenwood Pet Cemetery when I go visit the kitties I have there.

I think I know why. . .

the flowers in my planter have not done well this year.

"  So do you come here often?"