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LIGHTS! CAMERA!

SMILE! LOOK THIS WAY! NO, LOOK AT ME! OPEN YOUR EYES! Snap! Click! STUNNING, KEISHA! NOW GIVE ME A POUT! Snap! Click! PURRFECT!
Contact sheet of my photo shoot.
In honor of my Gotcha Day, TW decided to do a photo shoot on my old cat tree. She also decided she wasn't going to use the flash so I'd stay. This was tricky because we don't get much light from outside, especially at 4 pm when she decided to do this shoot. In fact, she had to use the new tree as a tripod of sorts to hold the camera steady. The first 3 pictures came really well—read: in focus— but then I got jumpy and finally turned away. Session over! She also took a few movies that I'll be uploading to YouTube later in the week. One features Pop in a prominent role.

Speaking of movies, I'd like to thank Glogirly and Katie for the pawsome video they made for my Gotcha Day. FOUR Stunning Keishas! Can you stand it? Of course you can.

Since I like inneractive toys, the peeps gave me two wand toys and a catnip smousey made entirely of catnip. Clooney got a catnip ball that he loved and that inspired TW. Needless to say, I didn't even sniff it. I also got some classy tuna and TW broke her heart and gave me some of the Silvervine.

UPDATE: TIGGER FROM CAT HAVEN HAS FOUND HIS FUREVER HOME! Let's see if all 6 cats I wrote about will get adopted this month. Cat Haven currently has found homes for 57 cats just this month! Pop hopes the beans down in Louisiana aren't cooking them with their catfish cos that's a lot of adoptions.

IT'S MY 6TH GOTCHA DAY

I've got some great news that some of you may have seen. Max, Tigger's brofur, from Cat Haven has a furever home! Now it's time to eat some tuna, open some presents and PAWTEEEE!


This picture is from my first photo shoot in my new home.

Equal Opportunity Employers

That's what these kitties are. They don't care if you're young/old, fat/thin, black/white/yellow/green. You just need a couple of simple qualifications. You need to promise to love, cherish and feed them, as well as clean their litter boxes and offer some play/exercise time. I couldn't just pick one so I'm letting a few of the kits at Cat Haven in Baton Rouge tell you about themselves and their reasons for needing a furever home, with a caring staff to put the loving on them. All this week, I'm featuring some of the kits who aren't as fortunate as I am. Sunday will start my 7th year as queen of my condo. It's a small condo, but I have 2 cat trees—3 if you count my small perch— plus all the food I can eat and a Pop who dotes on me like crazy. Let's meet the kits. I'm gonna start with Harley because he reminds me of my main squeeze Spitty the Kitty.

"Hai! I'm Harley and I'm 8 years old. I'm a DSH mix cat who can't wait to find your lap. I am the ultimate lap cat. Don't worry about me hurting you when I make biscuits in your lap because I don't have claws. I was adopted then returned last August due to some health issues. I'm phone to urinary tract infections and constipation so I'm considered a special needs cat. If you're willing to take a chance on me, I will love you furever!!!!"

"Hi! Is this mic on? Testing … My name is Lucky and I'd like to tell you a little bit about myself. I'm about 9 months old and I'm a VIDEO star. You can see for yourselves how sweet and loveable I am and how truly floofy my tail is. I travelled home inside the car engine of a Cat Haven foster parent. I certainly chose my vehicle well! Now I am safe and loved. I am shy at first, but I like all of the attention I have gotten from my foster family and I enjoy cuddling with people and my foster siblings. YOU would be the lucky one if you adopt me."
Click on the picture and you can see Max too!
"Greetings to all my new furrends! I'm Tigger and I'm happy to meet you. My brother, Max, and I were adopted together as kittens. Our dad is a proud Marine! Unfortunately duty called and he had to go away. His sister took us in and has loved us like crazy. Here's the bad news: they have an elderly diabetic cat who became stressed when we moved in so Cat Haven took both of us in. We're 3 years old and are both large guys, with declawed front feet. We are sooooo sweet and loveable and ready for a new home. We'd love to be adopted together, but if you just want one of us, that okay, too, I guess."

"My name is Fergie and I'm 11 years ago. I'm a senior. Thank you for your time. This is my sad story. I was lost and starving. In fact, I was so dehydrated, I could barely even stand up! Thankfully, I found 2 nice neighbors who fed me DOG food and fattened me up and cared for me. I lived under one of their decks for a few months. Neither could keep me. One was severely allergic and the other had dogs who aren't fond of kittehs. I have been told I'm super-sweet. I have a very quiet meow, but a loud purr. I love to rub up against your legs and climb in your lap. I am looking for a safe indoor home. I'm done with life on the streets."

I have to do one more cos I need a tuxie.

"Yo! What's up CK? How we all doing? I'm a young grey and white DSH girl and my name is Cricket. I was found as a stray with my newborn babies and a nice family took us in. They were already caring for a kitty with health problems and so they couldn't keep us. Luckily Cat Haven has taken us in and I'm nursing my babies in a foster home until they're weaned and I'm rady for a home of my own. Put out the word that Cricket is looking for the furever home! Thank you, efferybody."

For more information or to meet any of these furrends, Cat Haven can be reached at 225-636-2680. They're in Baton Rouge, LA. For $100, you can sponsor one of the kitties, if you can't adopt or don't live in the area. Tell me that's not a good deal! According to their Facebook page, they have had 51 adoptions already this month! SCORE! Best of luck to all these kittehs. Please spread the word!

UPDATE: TIGGER'S BROFUR MAX HAS A FUREVER HOME!!! HE'S BEEN ADOPTED AND WILL SPEND MY GOTCHA DAY IN A LOVING HOME OF HIS OWN!!

Wednesday Word of the Day—Adopt

Sunday is my 6th Gotcha Day so instead of rehashing the story of how I hired my staff, I'm highlighting some kits, who are still looking for their furever homes and future employees. If you missed my three-part Gotcha story, you can find it here, here, and here.

I'm going to innerduce you to my furrend, Catera, from the Sunshine State of Florida. She shares one of my mottos. I think she bears a striking resemblance to MaggieTKat, don't you? Tell us a little about yourself, Catera.

"Giggle* Thanks Cathy Keisha. Since CK is the world's most stunning cat, I'm easily the most beautiful! So there! I said it! My name is Catera and I'm a 3-year-old spayed female Turkish Angora mix. As I already mentioned—but it bears repeating—I'm beautiful, with exceptional coloring. I think I have tortitude! The picture really doesn't do me justice! *Giggle* My motto is "It's all about Me;" and because of that, I would prefer to be your only kitty. I want all the attention—not that I'm high maintenance or anything. I'm not. Please put the word out that I'm here in warm, sunny Florida. My foster home is nice; but I'd so LOVE to have a furever home, with humans to dote on just me. If you think you like me, please give me a call at the phone number below. Thank you and God bless."
If you know anyone who's looking for an only cat and they're interested in Catera, contact Brookes Legacy Animal Rescue. You can also reach them by phone at 239--434-7480 or email Admin@BrookesLegacyAnimalRescue.org. They are a 501(c)3 volunteer-only foster home based rescue in Naples, FL.

Meet TigerLilly

In honor of my Gotcha Day, which is coming up on Sunday, I've decided to feature some kits, who are still locked behind bars at their local shelter. Please stop by and say hello to them.

Raise a Niptini for TigerLilly. This handsome fellow is a chocolatey brown Maine Coon/Domestic Long Hair Mix, from my old rescue, Companion Animal Placement, in Hoboken, NJ. He's neutered, up to date on his shots and house trained. He's gonna tell you a little something about himself.

"Hi! I'm TigerLilly. I don't know quite how I wound up with such a feminine name but I'm glad to be indoors, even if it's in jail. My furrend, CK, can tell you how lame these guys are in naming us rescues. Anyway, I'm about 10 years old and they found me after the people I thought were my furever family left me behind when they moved out of our apartment. Can you imagine that! And I thought they loved me too! I'm not sure what I did that made them leave me behind.  Moving on, I like other cats and I get along with dogs as well. My purrsonality is mellow—you can say I'm sweet. I get along with everybody. I'm pet # 12382460 on PetFinder.com. Thanks for your time. I hope some other family will give me a furever home, that actually IS furever."

Yes, TigerLilly is right about the name thing. Can you imagine they called me Kittee! When I was sprung, CAP begged my peeps to change it. I'm sure TigerLilly will get a nice macho name when he gets paroled also.

If you or anyone you know might be interested in this sweet boy, you can email munchie329@aol.com for an adoption application and give TigerLilly a second chance to find happinese.

The Cat is INNOCENT!

Once again, the cat is being excused of doing something she didn't do. The Woman says I'm a sloppy eater and she presents Exhibit A. I ax you, do you see a mess? I don't. She says I even get my food all over the wall! She's losing the few marbles she had.
Exhibit A: You're killing me, Woman. You did it, not me.
I answer that she throws the food at me instead of neatly spooning it into my dish. Besides, I counter, how do I know you ever clean my placemat. Dealing a low blow, TW presents Exhibit B, my placement in the early morning.
Exhibit B: Yes, and … Is there a point to this?
Lookit how neatly I'm scarfing my food down.
I am not a messy eater! Hear me, Woman!

And, Game On!


Newsday Tuesday


DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR QUOTES
Yesterday we celebrated the life of the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Pop was even off from work. In honor of Dr. King—and because this is an animal blog—I've found some quotes, dealing with animal rights. Dr. King's son and his wife, in her later years, were even vegans. Without further ado, let's hear from Dr. King.

"Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflect on our soul when we look the other way."

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

"One day the absurdity of the almost universal human belief in the slavery of other animals will be palpable. We shall then have discovered our souls and become worthier of sharing this planet with them."

"Cowardice asks the question 'Is it safe?', expediency asks the question 'Is it politic?', vanity asks the question 'Is it popular?'. But conscience asks the question 'Is it right?' and there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because one's conscience tells one that it is right."

BYE BYE NILES
My new setup! You can see my pathetic nip plant
near the curtain.
Uncle Vince and the peeps dragged Niles off, kicking and screaming on Sunday. He must've gotten the hint that they were evicting him when the peeps stopped feeding him earlier in the week. After they sent him on his way, Uncle Vince helped Pop assemble my new Jungle Gym and Claw Workout Center. Then my Super Uncle got our WiFi up and running again AND got TW connected to Skype. This super human can do it all. He's not actually a blood relative but he loves us like one and we love him. There should be a lot more humans like him in that he's willing to lend a hand to older peeps who need one. If it wasn't for that teeny tiny human living with him, I'd think about going to live with him.

Oh, the peeps also reconfigured my old cat tree so that's it's TALLER! I had the sisal on the top tier so worn that my claws were sliding off  (which is why they were replacing it). They switched that post with the one that I never scratched on and it's like new again, plus its taller. Of course, they joked about sending the new one back since my old one was now set for another 2-3 years of heavy-duty climbing and working my nails.

I LOVE my new Jungle Gym! OMC! The news just gets better and better. The peeps are apparently letting me keep the old one so now my furniture takes up the whole wall by the window. SCREEE! I can—and do—jump from one to the other. I even discovered that I like scratching the carpet on the legs of the Gym. The peeps were worried there wouldn't be enough sisal for me to work my claws on. In fact, I was running and jumping and was so excited that first day I played on it that I frew up—not once—twice! TW always needs something to be upset about. Now she's fretting cos the carpet on the Gym has a "chemical, new carpet smell." I honestly don't smell a thing. She tried to put a wooly "condom" over the top perch, but then I wouldn't sit on it. I like my new perch, even if it smells a bit funky. Did I mention that I've drawn blood three times when TW tried playing with me and the Gym? The legs and the bottom perch make excellent hiding spots in which to mount an ambush.
Don't I look stunning checking out the new perch. I think I like it!
THE FIRST #BLOGPAWTY
My official badge
How many of you attended the first #Blogpawty on Twitter last Caturday night? This mini-pawty was sponsored by the Blogpaws community, as the first of many themed pawties throughout the year. It brings the blogging community together with the Twitter anipals with the goal of having fun and raising money/awareness for animal charities. Among the prizes given out were 3 passes for Blogpaws 2013 in Salt Lake City, UT on June 21-23. I had the distinct honor of being one of the DJs, along with ParkerSKat. To celebrate, I put on my diamond encrusted headphones. I was glad I did because the DJ booth was top notch. We had a large turnout and a lot of fun. I made new furrends on both Twitter and here on my blog. I can't wait until the next one!

GO GIANTS!
My team, the NY Giants, beat the defending champion Green Bay Packers on Sunday! WooHoo! My main squeeze, Spitty the Kitty—who needs no innerduction—and I have made a wager on this Sunday's game between HIS SF 49ers and MY NY Giants. As some of you know, this is how my relationship with Buzz Lucas got hot and heavy and he became the love of my life. We wagered on a baseball playoff series, in which the NY Yankees beat the LA/Anaheim Angels and he had to send me noms. If SF wins, Spitty is gonna send me 49ers swag and I have to post a picture of me with the swag on my blog. If my team wins, he has to do the same. There's only one problem—TW is a 49ers' fan so she wins either way. In fact—gasp—it's better for her if I LOSE because then she doesn't have to spend $$ and SHE gets some of HER team's swag! She used to OWN a Niners' jersey! If you notice, these subheads are even in 9ers, color! Do you kitties believe that?! This brings me to …

TW WANTS A BLOG
With the encouragement of all my so-called furrends, who liked her drivel, er "poetry" that I allowed her to post a few weeks back, TW is seriously thinking about her own blog. I spend waaaayyyyy too much time talking about her and her likes on this blog, which would lead you to think I'm in FAVOR of this. Ix-nay on her blog. She doesn't post enough for me as it is. If SHE had her own blog, she'd forget she even has a cat! I bet after she stole all my followers, she'd SHUT THIS BLOG DOWN! Yes, furrends, I bet she would. As it is, she's spent the past 2 weeks wracking her pea-size brain to come up with a title for this "blog." I've got some titles for her. How about "The World's Whiniest Woman" or "World's Crankiest Human." I bet all she'll do is whine and complain about her sucky her life is cos the neighbor's kids run up and down the hall screaming and the local stores rip her off. I told her I'd plug it once—and only once. I'm warning her, though. If she uses her blog to bad-mouth this little kiitteh, I'll have that blog taken down. Maybe you can come up with a title for her blog.

Blog the Change 4 Animals


All through the year, we keep our eyes peeled for some good stories to blog about. Then, the morning of Blog the Change, TW goes crazy trying to find them to put a blog together that makes sense. This time, I made her start in early January. It's long, but I tried to keep it inneresting.

Did you know that according to law, little furry family members are not considered family members at all? Believe it or not, kitties, we are considered PROPERTY! Gasp! Meow! Pop's TV is property; TW's records and tapes are property. I'm their adopted daughter. I'm right there on their Census form as "daughter." Well, now there's a lawsuit in New York that axs "do puppies have souls?" The question of whether pets are property HAD to be axed, but I just get the feeling that this suit was brought about for all the wrong reasons. Hear me out.

In a civil suit, dog "owner" Elena Zakharova states that pets are living creatures that feel love and pain and should NOT be considered property. She's wants compensation for vet bills, which will surpass $8,000, from an upper East Side pet store that sold her a pup with bum knees and trick hips. I have a couple of questions for Elena: haven't you ever heard of animal rescues and shelters? Why, with all the shelter animals, were you buying a pup in a pet store to begin with? Don't you know those animals sold in pet stores are from puppy mills and most of them are sickly? and finally, Don't you read newspapers or online blogs about pet store animals? If dogs aren't property, they shouldn't be "impulse buys."

Zakharova also wants compensation for the dog's pain and suffering damage, comparing her to a 7-year-old child that slipped and fell. It requests "humanity for Umka (the dog's name) and that she be considered a living soul that feels pain, and that her pain and suffering is recognized by the state and considered as damages to her."

New York State has a "Puppy Lemon Law" that lets buyers return a sick animal within 14 days because of the proliferation of shady puppy mills that churn out "purebred" dogs with heart and joint problems. I think they should go further and BAN pet stores from selling puppy mill dogs and cats altogether.

Umka, a year-old Brussel Griffon was bred by a puppy mill.
Little Umka, whom Elena bought when she was 2 months old for $1,650, didn't show signs of a problem until months later. Even after her surgery, the suit reads "Umka suffers a disorder causing her pain, her legs hurt, she cried when she is in pain, she drags herself along with her front paws, she cannot run like other puppies. She should not have been sired by dogs with genetic disorders." Duh! That poor, innocent widdle poochie! If you ax me, Umka should take her "pain and suffering" money and run away to an owner who can get her better vet care. She deserves the money, not Zakharova.

If the judge won't recognize Umka's suffering, Zakharova's lawyer will argue the dog should be subject to the Uniform Commercial Code that gives a buyer four years to return a "defective product." Now you're really skating on thin ice, lady. This living, breathing soul is now a "defective product"? Would this human actually return her daughter? I'll give you—and her—one guess how long it'll take the pet store to murder poor Umka.

From reading this article, it would appear that Zakharova loves her money—and fame, more than her adopted daughter. It's not Umka's fault she's not well, but she needs love just the same. Someday, with the right veterinary care, she may live a normal life.

We know she certainly didn't do her due diligence on Raising Rover, the pet store she bought Umka at or she would've seen that it's one of 11 swanky "pet boutiques" buying animals from Midwestern puppy mills with horrific records of animal cruelty. She probably just passed the pet store and fell in love with Umka; so she took out the credit card and took her home. Maybe, there should be a waiting period, like buying a gun. Then the impulsive buyer would be able to check out the store and see if they'd be better off either looking at shelter dogs or deciding they really didn't want a dog that badly.

The point in Zakharova's favor is that the ultimate goal of the lawsuit is to increase the penalties on pet stores so they stop selling animals from unhealthy breeders. I say let's BAN pet stores from selling these pets. Fines aren't going to deter them from making their profit.

BONUS STORY1

Good news! We all need good news after reading about Umka.

Bones, a 90-pound pit bull, suspected of being an accomplice to murder, is getting a second leash on life. The Lexus Project, a Long Island-based animal legal defense group has been granted legal ownership. After he's sprung from the Animal Care & Control shelter, he'll be transferred outside NY to a well-regarded behaviorist experienced in working with troubled dogs.

After thousands of Facebook fans pleaded online for Bones' release and the Lexus Product was ready to go to court, Manhattan prosecutors decided that Bones was no longer needed as evidence to a murder allegedly committed by his owner in which bite marks were found on the victim. Rich Rosenthal and Robin Mitttasch, who run Lexus Project, obtained Bones' guardainship. Bones is just one of the dogs Lexus Project has defended since 2009.

This appears to be a project worth knowing more about. Wonder if they can work their magic and get Lennox in Ireland freed?

BONUS STORY 2

Sissi inside her  homemade
birthing box
With the winter now finally taking hold of this country, I thought I'd share with you Holistic Vet Stacey Joy Hershman's advice on how to build an outdoor shelter for stray or feral cats you may be feeding. When the peeps owned a house, they'd worry about those strays once the weather got colder and would place insulated cardboard or wooden boxes on the porch for them.

Dr. Hershman says "Buy inexpensive large plastic storage containers which come as big as three feet long by two feet wide and deep. Cut at least an 8-inch-square hole in lower corner of the lid as an entrance and exit. Buy 2-inch-thick foam insulation to cut into sections and attach to the outside of the container with industrial-strengh silicone glue. Place straw or old blankets inside and microwavable heating pads, which can stay warm for as long as eight hours. Also, there are safe, waterproof, electric heating pads available for animals."

She also advises "Educate your neighbors to fix their cats because overpopulation is a HUGE problem in the U.S., and millions of animals are killed 'daily' due to careless pet owners and lack of homes. Never buy cats; adopt from local shelters and cat rescues, and volunteer or donate supplies or money to support them."

Great advice!

Wednesday Word of the Day—High

Hiiii, Kitties! Yes, I guess I am pretty high! And not on the nip, either. The cats who came before us got stoned on nip, but it's now passé. Or, maybe you're like me, and nip never really did it for you. I can take or leave it.

The newest, hippest high for cool cats is a gold powder called, oddly enough, Silver Vine. It's off the hinges, na mean? And, after I say my piece, I'll hook you up, just like Spitty hooked me up. You won't have to hang in an alley waiting on your connection.

Think anyone will recognize me in this getup?
About a month ago, Spitty set me up with some of the Silver Vine powder that Whisppy sent him from Malaysia. My head perked up when I read about this contraband on his blog. If there's a new way to get high, this stoner cat is all for it. I inquired and he replied by sending me some of his stash. Bless his little kitteh soul.

Silver Vine, otherwise known as Cat powder, for those not in the know, is described thusly on Wikipedia
Silver Vine has long been known to elicit euphoric response in cats. It is the most popular cat treat in Asia, particularly in Japan and China. The reaction to Silver Vine is similar to the catnip response, but appears to be more intense. Typical behaviors include rolling, chin and cheek rubbing, drooling, and licking. The effect usually lasts between 5 and 30 minutes and cats will usually visit Silver Vine again after about 20–30 minutes.
Even though Spitty said his human totally checked into this Silver Vine stuff, TW was scared to let me try it after reading about his first encounter with it. She hid it amid the mess on the coffee table, I found it and was rubbing on the envelope. She hid it amid the mess of her dressed. I found it and was rubbing on the envelope. Yes, kitties, it is so strong and intoxicating that I could feel it's effects through an envelope AND a glassine bag. I was desperate to get at this high.

TW finally relented—you think SHE never got stoned in her day—and put some of the divine powder on her finger and rubbed it on a blue washcloth, per the instructions from Spitty's human. At first, I couldn't figure out where the scent was coming from. I kept looking at the envelope in TW's paw. She couldn't get me to look at the washcloth. Then I smelled it. OMC! I was tripping big-time!. My reaction was documented in this video, which is a little dark cos Pop dropped the washcloth in the hallway.


Could you tell how euphoric I felt? I felt like I had a neon sign over my head that kept flashing STONED! STONED! over and over. I wasn't contented with my little innerduction. I jumped back on the messy dresser; and, even though she had removed it, I started rummaging through everything. I needed a fix—badly.

OK, here's the hook-up part. For any of you kitties who want to turn on, you can now—looks both ways for the man and whispers—buy Silver Line Powder on Amazon.com for $7 for 8 bags or $6 for 4 oz. They also have a few other makes but supplies on all are limited since I treated my furrends at #Nipclub on New Year's Eve. Use it sparingly—but often.

Gotta find where that stuff is hidden. Gotta feel that Silver Vine rush.

Easy Like Sunday

Great Giants playoff victory this afternoon! 24-2 and they did all the scoring for both teams. I feel like today is a holiday because Manning didn't embarrass us. For once, he didn't throw like a girl. Next up is the Packers. That ain't gonna be easy so now I'll contentedly do my best easy.

So … tired … after … football … game. Zzzzz
Oh, I'd be remiss if I didn't tell my fans about what happened around midnight Friday night/Saturday morn. I was so upset after I was forced to let TW publish that drivel she calls "poetry" that I allegedly took it out on Pop and "mauled" his furry foot as he climbed into bed.  Game, pretty good job, if I do say so myself. ♫I love you, Pop. Didn't I lay my head of your shoulder this morning?♩Uh, just for the record, none of you saw this. Remember, what goes on in this blog, stays on this blog.
Not pictured is the gouge on the sole of his foot or the cut between the toes.
Coming Wedneday: my long awaited experiment with Silvervine Powder.

You cleaned the box??

OK, so I lost a bet. TW DID remember to clean my litter box. I think she did it on purpose. Now I have to let TW use my blog for her evil purposes. She has decided to—gasp!—share one of her poems from the stone age. (Damn, I thought I hid those things where she'd NEVER find them!) Mariodacat's M had expressed interest on Twitter last year in seeing some of TW's poetry. She will now learn why I hid those poems so well that it took TW an entire year to find them. The Woman was going through her dippy hippy—or is that hippy dippy?—period and needed a miracle to pass high school English. She couldn't parse sentences or conjugate verbs, so she wrote "poetry." (Heh heh! I put quotes around it because it's still my blog.) I give it a D. Without further ado, I give you TW! (You can have her, if you want, but you're gonna have to support her. HAH!)
See, I'm asleep already. Wake me when she's through. Zzzzzzz …
Thanks, CK, I think. I wrote this in the early '70s. (No, CK, that would be the 1970's, not the 1870s). When I re-read it today, it took on new meaning after hearing all the news about the Christmas morning fire in Stamford, CT, that killed 5 people, including three little girls.

A CHILD GROWS

Burning embers fall on the charred grass
But me—i see beauty.
There once stood a house
full of little children
playing, laughing, running
But those children grew up
Why must i—shall i—grow up?

The trees heard the whispering
of the flames already surrendering
to the men in yellow and the flow of their liquid
They once were children too
Laughing, growing, dreaming
But the world—did it make their young dreams come true?

[i'm forever asking questions
whenever the planet's silence is broken
It happens a lot—but maybe not enough
True love may move mountains
but until now, i've tried to not believe it.]

Once a playhouse whose rooms were alive;
a fireplace that went unconquered
For once it warmed—then it grew like
the children who basked in it's glow
It's enthusiasm soon was extinguished.
As i grow, will mine also vanish? the child asks herself.

© by The Woman

Is it over yet? BTW, this was the only time I ever laid in this $100 bed.
You wanna make this a monthly feature? Over your dead body, woman! Ahem! *relaxes arched back and tail returns to normal size*

CK back in da house! Do I have any followers left? Time to wake up! Helllllluuuuuu … (to be continued)

Wednesday Word of the Day—Red

Is it still Wednesday? Just barely. TW has barely made the deadline.

Hey, Woman, can you see there's something wrong with this photo? Whatta you mean, you love it? It's … it's RED and I live in a BLUE state! You'd think she invented the nip mouse. That's how giddy she was! Time to call the old eye doctor, maybe even the head doctor.

This is the original untouched photo
The photo above has NOT been Photoshopped. I repeat, it has NOT been Photoshopped. I'd like to say it's TW being artsy-fartsy, but nooooo, it's TW being, well, TW.  Not to mention TW being inept at photography. She THINKS it's a piece of high art. Move over, Scavullo! Move over Annie Leibovitz and Lynn Goldsmith. Can you tell I'm mocking her? TW just discovered the Macro setting on her camera so she decided to try it out. Maybe she thought "macro" meant red in some kind of secret language. I was laying on the kitchen chair. Don't ax me–or her—how she did it, but she got "Stunning Red Cat."

When I realized she was dead serious about publishing it, I decided to try to improve upon it. First I changed the color and you can almost tell it's me. Then, to be funny, I flopped it.


Finally I decided to change it to a black and white and—viola—we discover, it's actually in focus. Albeit a little dark, but that's alright—well, kind of. When she finally gets one in focus, she adds some kind of red flare or filter. That woman is jealous of my Stunningness and she'll go to any length to sabotage my photos. Anyone would KILL to have a subject such as myself, but not TW. I need a new photographer. Someone call Leibovitz and Goldsmith. Stat.

CK wins Liebster Award


It's official! The World's Most Stunning Cat has been awarded the esteemed Liebster Award. I believe Liebster translate roughly to Sweetheart. Yes, this cat certainly IS a sweetheart. The cats at Furrsonality, who presented this award to me know what a sweetheart I am. You should go over and visit them. They've been blogging for about 2 years and only have 30 followers so I encourage you to visit and follow them.

For the next great bloggers—and sweethearts—who receive this blog, your rules are simple. After you pass them on, please swallow all the evidence.

  1. Link back to me because I'm the blogger who gave you the award.
  2. Put the award on your blog.
  3. Choose 5 other blogs with less than 200 followers to pass the award on to.
  4. Let those bloggers know by leaving a comment on their blog. "Tag, you're it," doesn't count.
Sounds easy, doesn't it.

I love all my furrends and want them to have a lot of followers; but, unfortunately, some of my furrends don't have time to blog frequently and comment. The new recipients of the Liebster Award—can I have fanfare?—are:

CrazyFusa
CrazyFusa—a purrsonal furrend of myself and TW. Please go over and tell him to blog more. I don't hold it against him that his peeps are Devil Ray fans.
My homey MaggieTKat and Kruse Kats is another purrsonal furrend. Their Mom is German and I know she's gonna beat TW over the head when she sees I gave her this award. No, honestly, they're good peeps. I love Parker and Maggie to death.
A Coonhound's Tales is written by my furrend Prudence. Her Mom drove TW to Blogpaws last year and they shared a room with Maggie's Mom. From what I hear, they were the Giggle Sisters.
Pearl Cat and Her Family. I doesn't list how many followers she has but I know that a lot of you don't know her. She's a good cat to know because she grows PAWSOME catnip. Whoa!
This last blog isn't a cat blog. The Best Me That I Can Be is written by my soul sista, Michelle. She's a way cool person, who isn't afraid to bare her soul.

Concatulations one and all. Gotta go now and spread the word to these guys. HAH!

BONUS:
Click to biggify so you can print it out.


All New 2012 New Year's Revolutions

Maybe Calvin is perfect, my peeps are not.
2012 is here! This year, instead of watching the ball drop in Times Square on TV, we did something different. We watched the festivities at Liberty Square on LiveStream. It was definitely more exciting because we never knew when the police were gonna start bashing heads. Liberty Square, for those who don't know, is NYC's Zuccotti Park, where the Occupy Wall Street encampment used to be. Their #OccupyNewYearsEve gave new meaning to New Year's revolutions.

With 2012 here, I've come up with some revolutions for the peeps. This year, they better follow them because they're testing this ghetto kitteh's patience big-time.

Peek a boo
Pop: NO MORE ACCIDENTS OF ANY KIND! NO BROKEN BONES! NO BROKEN HEADS! NO EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS! You will spend more time playing with the kitteh. I know you work all day but instead of spending the evening relaxing in front of some boring DVD, you can be relaxing AND HAVING FUN with CK. I'm getting up in age and won't be here forever so show me the love now. Remember to buy that pillow top mattress. It's very important that I sleep in comfort. I AM a celebrity.

AND NO MORE PICS OF MY PAWS!
TW: GET A JOB! Then in your spare time, keep my pictures up to date on the computer so I can use them in my blog. It's ridiculous that you've taken over 2000 photos of me—of which about 200 are in focus—and you've only made about 50 of them into lo-res images. My furrends are sick of looking at the same photos every day. As a bonus, you can learn to use the camera so more of my photos are in focus. No emergency room visits for you either. Keep my food cabinet overstocked and my litter box CLEAN.

You'll also go on that diet because I don't need you bouncing off the furniture. If you ever sat on top of me, I'd be a goner. I don't want to think about it. You should be able to see your feet so you'll know when you're about the kick me or step on my toys. You already broke the squeaky mouse that I got for Christmas because you don't look where you're stepping. WHAT? I don't care that I didn't like it! That's not the point here! The point is that you're ALWAYS stepping on my toys and it had better STOP. I'll spell it out: you stepped on it; you broke it; you replace it!

Don't scrimp on the catnip. I know you're hiding the good stuff I got for Christmas from Tiny Pearl Cat. Hand it over. Don't get so shrill when I bite/gouge/attack you. I have your best interests in mind. I demand that you let me sleep in MY bed with you until Pop gets the pillow top. I'll not be denied or you can forget about getting sleep 'cos I have a very loud voice.

In addition, you'll post to my blog no less than 4 times a week and they will be funny, endearing posts—not filler. You'll let me comment on more than 10 blogs a day so others will comment on my blog. Whatta you mean, where are you gonna find the time if you're working? Others find the time. I'll just pretend you never said that, woman. You'll let me enter contests so the world can embrace my stunningness. The new Stunning Keisha boutique on Zazzle will be an instant success. Just everyone will be wearing me on their clothing.
Madonna & Angelina Jolie in CK wear!
You both hereby resolve to play with me at least 2 hours a day and feed me 3 times a day the foods I like and don't scrimp on the table scraps. NOTHING is more important to you than ME. You'll use the FURminator every other day to keep me soft. Did I mention THE LITTER BOX IS TO BE KEPT CLEAN! I don't mean 3 hours after I use it; I mean IMMEDIATELY. It doesn't need time to GEL. It'll scoop just fine.

You should also absolve to throw out some of YOUR things for a change. It's always "which of CK's toys and possessions can we give away to charity?" when it should be "Let me get rid of some of my useless junk that I haven't looked at since I unpacked it 8 years ago so we can fit more of CK's belongings."

One last thing, when is that #*%*&#((@ tree leaving? Niles has overstayed his welcome! I need my new Cat Gym and Teeth Workout Center assembled so I can keep my trim, athletic body (the teeth) in shape.