I'm Ready for My Close-Up

Someone said it's time for the Caturday Art Blog Hop.  Oh yeah, it was Athena, Cat Goddess.  She's such a gorgeous girl, Cheerio is quite smitten with her.  (We tell him he doesn't stand a chance with a classy lady like her, but he doesn't give up too easily...)

Anyway, here's my portrait, with a little help from Snapseed:

Do you want to join the blog hop, too?  Here's how:

Wish Me Luck! (Purrs Appreciated)

So, here I am again, sitting in the waiting room of the V-E-T.  I knew something was up this morning.  Mommy was trying to act nonchalant, but she was obviously gathering up some of my things and bringing in the carrier from the garage. 

She says that we may get some really good news today.  Last month, I came here and spent the day to have a glucose curve.  That means the people monitor me all day and take my blood every hour or so to see how I respond to my food and insulin injections.  Well, after that time, they told Mommy she could cut back on how much insulin she was giving me.  They said to come back today, to have another curve done.  And, they said if I'm doing even better this time, I may be able to stop the injections all together.  Apparently, sometimes kitties with diabetes can go into remission, and their body starts making its own insulin again.  Hopefully, that's what's happening with me.

I don't like having to spend the whole day in the hospital, away from my familiar things.  But Mommy says it's for my own good, so I'll be a trooper for today.  Keep your paws crossed for good results from my blood tests!

Room For One

Ah, a sun puddle, a heat vent, and a corner all to myself behind the tv stand.  What more could a kitty ask for?

Cheerio:  Hey, Daffy, can I join you back there?

Daffodil:  Ummmm... Let me get back to you on that.  Like, maybe next week.

Cheerio:  Okay, I'll just be waiting right here.  Sure wish I could tell time...

Santa Paws Reviews

We enjoy reading the product review on other blogs, so we thought we would review our gifts that Santa Paws brought us for Christmas.  Now that we're well into January, we've had time to thoroughly try them all out.  We don't really agree on most of them, so we will each give our own opinion.

*Please note: we did not receive any compensation for reviewing these products.  We're just giving our own honest opinions about stuff we got for Christmas.*

Teaser Wand 

This was supposed to be Cheerio's present, but quickly became Daffy's purrsonal property.

Cheerio - Even though this was in a bag with my name on it, this was obviously not for me.  As soon as I saw it come out, I was terrified!  This thing wants to get me.  I will have nothing to do with it.

Daffodil - This is the best thing I have seen for a long time.  I liked the feather and ball that came on it, but I LOVE the ribbons that Mommy added.  Apparently, it's really easy to trade out the attachments.  This is fun enough to get me up and moving around like a kitten.

Chloe - This toy is interesting, but the big kitty likes it a lot so I will let her have it.  I do not want to mess with her!

You can find the teaser wand and attachment here:
http://www.petco.com/product/118014/Petco-EZ-Snap-Lattice-Ball-Cat-Teaser.aspx and http://www.petco.com/product/119049/Petco-EZ-Snap-Curly-Ribbons-Cat-Teaser-Refill.aspx


Cat's Meow(TM)

Oooooh... As Seen on TV!  This must be good!

Daffodil - It took me about 2 seconds to see that this is a toy designed to trick baby kitties.  I'm not easily tricked, so I'm not interested.

Chloe - This is a great toy!  I could play it for hours if Mommy would let me.  But she always turns it off and says something about the "batteries," whatever those are.  Apparently it uses three big ones.  The only other downside is that Cheerio chewed the little red mousy tail down to a nub on the first day we got this toy.  You would think they would make it a little more "chew-resistant".

Cheerio - It's amazing!  There's a little mouse that runs around and around, changing directions unexpectedly under the blanket.  How do they do that?  How come the mousy doesn't run away?  I don't know how it works, but I know I LOVE it!

Here's the website for this toy, but you can find it at Wal-Mart and other stores, too:
https://www.getcatsmeow.com/


Laser Light

*Note - we are going to have to teach the humans to hold the phone the other way when taking video.  It's so hard to get them to understand!

Chloe - This red light makes me go crazy!  I just want to chase it, grab it, and make it stop moving.  Mommy likes for me to play it because she says its good "exercise" for me. 

Cheerio - This is the best thing ever.  The little red spot goes everywhere!  I love when it goes way up the wall and I can jump to smack it.

Daffodil - I don't know what those kids are talking about.  I don't see any little red spot...


Bunches of Mice, Balls, and Catnip Toys!

Daffodil - Eh, they're okay.

Chloe - These are good for a few minutes of paw-hockey, but it gets a little old.

Cheerio - Old???  These never get old!  Especially the glittery ones.  The only thing that slows me down from playing with these constantly is that they somehow all go under the couch within about 5 minutes of playing.

Here's ones that are similar to what we got.  (We think every pack may be a little different.):
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hartz-Just-For-Cats-Cat-Toys-Value-Pack-13ct-Cats/20864327


Chloe's Purple Sweater

Chloe - Unlike another kitty around here (ahem, Cheerio), I actually like to dress up.  I love the sequin heart design on this sweater, and the material is so soft and cozy.  The only complaint I have is that the sizing must be wrong.  Mommy says it's a small for doggies, but it doesn't quite fasten on me.  I know I am definitely not medium doggy sized, so someone must have made a mistake.  Maybe this one is an extra-small with the wrong label...  That must be it.


Daffy's Cuddle Kitty

Daffodil - I wasn't quite sure about this when I first saw it.  Why did I get a stuffed kitty, I wondered?  But this isn't like other stuffed animals.  The material inside is very comfy, and it can be microwaved to make it warm and cozy.  I like to sleep with my head raised a little, anyway, and this kitty helps me relax and rest well.

You can find your own cuddle kitty here:
http://www.petco.com/product/112231/Petstages-Kitty-Cuddle-Pal-Heated-Mat.aspx


Catnip "Caves"

Daffodil - Eh, I sniffed this a couple of times, but even though it clearly says "catnip" on the package, it doesn't smell like catnip.

Chloe - I don't know what to do with this bag.  It's not really big enough to crawl inside of, and it's too thick to make a nice rattling noise when you jump on it.  Maybe Mommy can use it to carry home some kitty toys...

Cheerio - The tabby kitty on the package looks very happy with this product.  This tabby cat is not so happy.  I think I'll go chase that mousy that's running under the blanket again.


Well, there you have it...  Our unbiased opinions about our Santa Paws gifts.  You don't think any of our negative remarks will affect our haul next Christmas, do you?  Maybe we shouldn't publish this one...  You know, just in case the Big Guy reads our blog...

Resolutions for the New Year

We've been hearing a lot about people making resolutions for the new year, and once we found out what that meant, we decided to make a few of our own.  So our list won't get too long, we'll each do three.

Daffy's Resolutions:
#1 - Play more.  I may be going on 16 but I can still show these kids how it's done.

#2 - Tolerate Cheerio occassionally.  Hey, I'm not saying I'm going to give him kisses every day, but I'll try to lay the smack down on him a little less frequently.

#3 - Get more beauty sleep.  It takes a lot to look this good!

Chloe's Resolutions:
#1 - Help Mom with her work.  I'm super-good at grading papers.  I always know just the right ones to lay on at the right time.

#2 - Help with the dishes.  I'm not quite sure what to do with them, but I know where they are.

#3 - Tolerate Cheerio more.  That's a big sacrifice.  Really.

Cheerios Resolutions:

#2 - Get more presents.  Or just present boxes.  I like boxes.

#10 - Help more around the house.  Especially if ladders, or electricity, or ladders and electricity are involved.  Or basically anything dangerous. 

#5 - Travel more.  I'm pretty sure I've figured out a way to tag along on trips unnoticed.

#3 - Get more booty sleep.  No Daffy, I'm not copying yours.  Mine is "booty sleep" because my booty is over my head.

Note from Daffodil and Chloe:  We think Cheerio's first resolution should be to learn how to count to 3!!!

A Visit to the Doctor

Here's how my day started:  Mom brought the travel carrier in from the garage and I took off as fast as my 15-year old legs could carry me.  I tried to hide behind the chair, but didn't quite make it there before she nabbed me.  So, here I am, caged like some kind of animal...

Behind bars - so humiliating!

Of course, I knew where we were going.  The only place I ever go is to the doctor.  I used to really hate it, but I go so often now that I'm getting used to it.  And, the people there are not that bad.  I like that they have two separate doors for kitties and doggies so I don't have to see any of the barking species when I go.

A very welcoming front door.

The waiting room is all about kitties, and Mommy always shows me pictures from cat magazines while we wait.  I, of course, turn my head away as if I'm offended that she would look at any other cat besides me. 

Nice atmosphere in the waiting room.

We were called back to an exam room, and the vet tech asked Mom a bunch of questions.  I never can figure out why they don't just ask me.  I'm pretty sure I'm more knowledgeable of my own eating and litter box habits than she is.  I guess it's a human thing.

I don't really feel like coming out, I just got comfortable.

When the doctor came, she drew some blood from my arm and tested it.  She said that even though I've been eating special food, there's still too much of something called glucose in my blood.  She showed Mom how to give me a shot that I'll need twice a day, and said for me to keep eating my special food.  I'll need to go back in about a week and stay all day long, so they can see how my levels change throughout the day.  

After getting all of our supplies, we were ready to go back home.  When we got there, Chloe and Cheerio had figured out that I was gone, and thought they had total freedom.  Who knows what they had been up to, but you could see mischief all over their silly little faces.

As soon as Mom sat my carrier down and opened the door, I bolted out of there.  Chloe and Cheerio decided to explore the carrier.  They think it's a toy.  If only they knew...

Oops - The Cat Was Almost Let Out of the Bag!

The Cat Was Nearly Out of the Bag Kitty Cube

Take this as a warning, kitties...  You have to be careful when you're sneaking around using the humans' computers.  Sometimes it gets back to them.

Thank goodness our human has some memory issues, or we could have been caught.

You see, we've been doing this blog and following others for about a month now, without raising any suspicions.  We even got bold enough to enter a few contests on the really great blogs that we like to read.  Well, let me give you some advice.  If you're trying to keep your internet activities on the D-L, be sure to get your own email address.  We put the human's email on our entries and then she got notices that we had won two different contests.

We heard her mumbling to herself "I don't remember entering any contests..."  Just as we were trying to come up with a good cover (our best idea was aliens), she said "Oh well, I guess I must have entered them.  How else could I have won?"  Whew.  That was close.

What did we win, you may be asking?  Absolutely, cat-tastic stuff, that's what!

First, we won the Gourmet Cat Food Giveaway from Hill's on the Pawsitively Pets blog (an excellent blog to follow, btw).  The prize is a gift basket of dry food, wet food, and treats made by Hill's Science Diet.  It's supposed to be better for our kitty tummies to get all of our nutrition from the same brand, instead of mixing it up too much.  We can't wait to try these yummy treats!

We also won a beautiful ornament for the Christmas tree from the Fancy Feast Feastivities 2013 contest on the Adventures of a Suburban Kitty blog. (You really should follow Pumpkin's blog if you don't already.  That is one insightful kitty!)  We know the ornament will look so nice on our tree.  Maybe we can get the human mom to hang it low where we can see it best.

So now it's time to just sit back and wait for our packages of goodies to arrive!

Thank Goodness Our Cover Wasn't Blown!

Can I Get A Little Privacy Around Here?

So Mommy said I needed a bath today.  I don't mind baths so much, really.  I used to throw a hissy fit - complete with the hissing, scratching, climbing and crying.  But, honestly, I can't keep myself as clean as I would like to anymore and I don't like to be dirty.  Also, I kind of like the way warm water feels when Mommy pours it over my achy joints.  So bath time is actually going pretty well until HE shows up.  That Cheerio does not understand about privacy.  Actually, there are very few things that Cheerio does understand.

Cheerio was walking back and forth on the edge of the tub, checking out everything.  He wanted to know what was going on, even though he has had a bath before.  How does he not understand?  I'm knee-deep in water and bubbles because I'm taking a bath.  A bath is a private situation.  Not a spectator event!

What are you looking at, kid?

That's ok.  I'll take care of you once I get dry...

Throwback Thursday

Well, I guess I'm the only kitty around here old enough to even have a "throwback" day.  This is me at about 4 weeks old, back in April of 1998.  I knew how to strut my stuff, even at such an early age.  Sorry about the quality.  My human granny took it on a Polaroid to send to my mom to show her how much I was growing.  Mom had seen me when I was just born, but lived about 4 hours away so she didn't get to see me that much until I was ready to leave my litter.

I was in a litter of four, and our kitty mom was a black and white tuxedo cat.  I had a sister that was also a calico, though not nearly as pretty as me.  She was mostly white with just some calico places here and there.  I also had two brothers that were yellow tabbies, like Cheerio.  My human mom says she picked me right away because of my beautiful colors, and how symmetrical my face is.  She has a thing about symmetry and balance.  I think she's a little OCD...

Even though we were a litter of outside cats, granny let me come in the house and even gave me my first litter box so I would be ready to live with mommy.  This picture is of one of the many times I was strutting past the glass door, showing everyone that I was on the inside and they weren't.  Do I feel bad about it?  Not really.  I was and still am a special girl.

Introductions

Daffodil 

 The Dominant Kitty - and don't forget it!

Gender: Female

Color: Calico

DOB: 3/7/98

I don't let my advanced age and health conditions keep me from showing those other two who's in charge around here.  Even though I have laryngeal paralysis (which makes my breathing difficult), hyperthyroidism, and diabetes I will still lay the smackdown on any kitty that touches my belongings or tries to get too much attention from the humans.  Speaking of the humans, I've been with them as long as I can remember.  My people-mom picked me out from my litter when my eyes weren't even open, then took me home as soon as I was ready to leave my litter.  When I was two years old, she had my little human brother.  I didn't like him very much - he was way too noisy - but I felt obligated to watch over him.  I grew to tolerate him, and over time came to love him.  While he and mom were at school all day (mom's a teacher) I didn't have much to keep my mind or body active.  Mom kept trying to tell me that she was going to bring home siblings for me, but I didn't understand what she meant until THEY came.  As soon as that Cheerio's paws touched MY FLOOR, I wanted to eat him up.  And Chloe, she knew better than to come anywhere near me, and still does.  But Cheerio won't give up.  He has tried to rub against me, and play with me, and cuddle with me so persistently that I sometimes let him get away with it.  You know, just to throw him a bone once in a while.

Chloe

The Pretty Princess

Gender: Female

Color:  Black & White

DOB: 5/29/12?   Adopted: 12/29/12

I don't remember much of my life before Mommy rescued me from the shelter.  I was shy and scared and hanging out in the back of that cage they had me in.  I was so far back, no one seemed to notice me.  When my Mommy walked by, I came out of hiding and she saw me.  She took me out and petted me, and said I was going home with her soon.  I was so happy to know I was getting away from there.  Did you know that the food and the potty are right beside each other???  I was so appalled, I would hardly use either.  When I came to my forever home, I had my own room to hang out in for a while to get used to the house.  Mommy said there was a big kitty that I would need to watch out for, and she was right.  As soon as I started exploring the house, I found Cheerio, a little yellow boy who just wants to play all the time, and Daffy, the big calico girl who runs the house.  I've grown pretty close to Cheerio, but I still walk a wide path around Daffy.  All I really care about is being brushed and petted anyway.  I have to keep myself looking pretty.  I even let Mommy do my nails, unlike Cheerio and Daffy who fight against nail trims.  I really don't like it when the people are gone, maybe it makes me remember being left at the shelter...  Whenever they are home, I have to be right with them at all times.  I sit on top of anything Mommy is doing - her laptop, papers she is grading, laundry she is folding, whatever.  And I always go to bed with my human parents.  I wait politely while they get ready for bed, then hop up to Mommy's side as soon as I hear the "click" of her lamp and the light goes out.

Cheerio 

The Clueless Kitty

Gender: Male

Color: Yellow Tabby

DOB:  7/29/12?  Adopted: 12/29/12

Cheerio is a free kitten.  Yeah, I refer to myself in the third person.  Get used to it.  Like I said, Cheerio is a free kitten.  He doesn't belong to anyone.  He just lets these people feed him and clean up after him, but he's planing his escape.  Cheerio remembers being at the shelter, sitting in a tiny cage, clawing at everyone that passed and meowing like crazy.  For some reason, no one really went for that.  Then the maid came in (Chloe and Daffy call her mom, but I call her the maid).  She saw me and said I was so cute and that I could go to her house.  Cheerio saw this as his chance for escape!  Well, she said I had to have a little operation and couldn't go to her house just yet, but she would come back in a few days.  I still don't see what's so special about their house that I had to have that surgery!  Anyway, the maid came back to get Cheerio and he's been living with her family ever since.  They put Cheerio in his own room for a few days, which did not go well.  I would cry so much that my human brother would stay in my room for hours, maybe doing his homework or just playing with me.  When the time was finally up so I could explore the house I didn't waste any time.  I wanted to see everything at once and figure out how I was going to escape.  Everyone tells me to stay away from the big calico kitty but I don't understand why.  She loves playing with me.  Every time I go near her she tells me to "eat floor" and pushes my head down under her paw.  That's our little game.  Cheerio has made it outside quite a few times, but always gets caught by the people.  He's always on the lookout for his next chance.