Wordy Wednesday Challenge 2011

We picked out one word to describe each of us kitties posted here today. Many thanks to Ann of Zoolatry and Judi of Sammy and Andy's Place for their great graphics!

Senior cat Chica here and my word in CAN TANKEROUS cuz I can be one crabby bossy lady when I want to be.  Not with my Mom of course but if any of the other youngster kitties mess with me, I will growl, mumble, grumble and whap some sense into them. In my younger days, Mom used to call me "Queen of Mean" after the famous cuttthroat hotel magnate Leona Helmsley! Stay outta my way and you'll be fine.

"Heyyy...how you doin'?" I am Joey and as you can see from my heavy lidded come hither look I am the ladies mancat of this group, a regular Valentino. My word is PARAMOUR. Nothing I like better than a snuggle and a snooze with one of my ladies next to me. It doesn't matter if they belong to another. I'll take a little lovin' any day anyway. No ladycat is safe with me around! Um, excuse me...time for some more amore!

Mom thinks I am a SILLY goose but cute. I love lots and lots of attention and I just love Mom to bits. I run around her feet when she talks to me and get so excited I nip her but just little soft love nips. I don't just love Mom tho. I love to eat and run to everyone's plate to see if they got something better. Mom doesn't have to clean any plates cuz I do that for her. If Mom is petting someone else, I jump up and get in the middle of it too. I don't think I am needy - I just have lots and lots of love to give. If that is being silly, then that is fine with me.

I think ya gonna haveta move over Joey cuz I am the young mancat on the scene - me Woody. "If you're lookin' for trouble I'll accommodate ya." The ladies love my swaggering walk, my dance moves and the way I forcefully slam cabinet doors. The petticoats call me BANG BANG! (wink wink) "Whoa, take 'er easy there. Pilgrim" Don't get all riled up Joey. I think there are enough ladies to share!

It's me Albert, the wild child of this bunch and my word is CHEEKY adj. - cheek·i·er, cheek·i·est

Impertinently bold; impudent and saucy. That's me. I am brash and nervy and go where no cats dare. As my namesake Albert Einstein once said "I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." I am a bold and daring adventurer and nothing intimidates me. I climb clothes drying racks and balance precariously. Hall trees hold no danger for me. I love exploring and get into all sorts of things. Mom's tried to discipline me with squirt guns, time -outs but it doesn't stop me. I am my own mancat and answer to no one.

Al enjoying the view!

I am Two Spot and I am a TRAVELIN' man! "Up with the sun, gone with the wind." Zip, zip, whoosh whoosh. I am on the move all the time! I ain't gettin' tied down. Got things to do and places to go. I will always stop for some loving but not for long. Always runnin' when things get too crazy. Having' fun on the run...see ya! Gotta keep movin'!

We only did a few of us cuz it woulda been a lotta work for Judi and Ann but this was fun.  We can't wait to see what everyone else picked for their word!  Please visit the Cat Blogosphere for more words posts.

We apologize for Mom being late to visit ya'll this week - she has been going car shopping with Pop.  They have been told their vehicle is on it's very last legs and must find a new one ASAP!  So days she is shopping and nights working.  She will be freed up later this week to get to blogging.

Please come back on Thursday for our St Patrick's Day and Darby's 11th Gotcha Day Party!  Wear your green!

Mancat Memories

These are old pics of our Albert when he was just a few months old. He loved to find the oddest places to nap - now he is a bit bigger and can't figure out why he doesn't fit anymore!

Thanks to all of you who stopped by for Ivy's Gotcha Day celebration. Hope you all had a good time! We appreciate each and every one of you!

Flashback Floofy Friday!

Al here - this is me when I was just a kitten - all of five years ago. I love to get inside pots, pans, baskets, bowls. For some reason, Mom put flowers in this neat basket...so I just pulled some out and sat on top of the rest of them.

Hope you enjoyed my floof too - Mom thought I looked a bit like a mad scientist with my furs all over the place - so I got named after Albert Einstein - Al for short. Our vet couldn't remember Al so she calls me Einstein - she is the only one who does tho!

Thanks for stopping by! We are taking part in Camera Critters today so do go by there and see more lovely animals of all sorts!

Blue Mancat Monday

We are playing Blue Monday today on Mancat Monday. For some reason Albert's got a blueish color in these pictures - maybe the reflection of the snow outside.





We just got power back last night after three days of outage from a snow/sleet and ice storm. The world outside looked like a scene from Narnia! You can see the tree tops bowed under the weight of the ice and snow.



The sun finally came out after the third day and the ice glistened on the trees.



For more blue photos visit Blue Monday.

Albert on Wordless Wednesday

Click here for more Wordless Wednesday posts!

Mouse Alert!

We hear some rustling in the leaves...wonder what it is?

Ooooh, a little mouse is running in front of the screen! Where did he go? Which way did he go? I think we lost him...oh no.

Hey Al - you are looking the wrong way pal! He's over here.

We watched the little mouse for most of the day. Too bad he never came inside where we could play with him. Happy Tuesday.

For more cat stories visit Cats on Tuesday.

Don't Miss our Give - away!

To continue to celebrate Albert's 5th Gotcha Day, which was Oct 22, Mom is giving away a free year's subscription to Cat Fancy Magazine - all you have to do is to leave a comment telling us that you want in on a chance for a free cat magazine. Mom's computer has not been working so she is extending the drawing until Sunday Nov. 1 when she will randomly pick a winner. Good luck everyone.!

Fatigued Friday!

Al, our special boy - too pooped to pop today!

Two Spot crashed in a basket.

After Al's big Gotcha Day party on Thursday, we are all hung over and full of ham and pizza, ice cream and cake! We are all napping today so see ya on Saturday! Thanks for coming to party with us.

Mamacita and Rosa sleeping it off.

Joey and Yoko in their favorite spot.

Give - away!
To continue to celebrate Albert's 5th Gotcha Day, Mom is giving away a free year's subscription to Cat Fancy Magazine - all you have to do is to leave a comment telling us that you want in on a chance for a free cat magazine and on Monday October 26 she will randomly pick a winner. Good luck everyone.!

Albert's 5th Gotcha Day!

Welcome one and all to Al's 5th Gotcha Day celebration! We have quite a spread for ya'll - pizza, ham, tiny sandwiches, plus lots of cake and ice cream for dessert! Dig in and have fun!! 

It has been five, sometimes long years, since Mom found Al by the side of the road when he was a tiny kitten. (Read Al's life story.) Life with a deaf cat can be challenging to say the least. Al is a very sweet, cuddly, mischievous and endearing with people but with other cats he can be unpredictable and sometimes mean. Mostly we think the bullying is just him not knowing what is being said when we growl or talk to him. He just doesn't get our verbal messages and plows right in where most cats would head for cover!








He was a tiny guy five years ago that somehow managed to get himself into the darnedest places to nap. Now he is a large handsome mancat with stunning blue eyes. We are very happy to have him in our cat family - Pop especially has a soft spot for big Al. Make sure you scroll down to the end of the post ---Mom is giving away a neat gift for cat lovers!




Take this quizz and find out how much you know about deaf cats......

What’s Your Deaf-Cat IQ?
Test your knowledge about the needs of these special kitties.
By Erika Sorocco of the Cat Channel

Owners of deaf cats need to put in a little extra time and provide some special care for their feline companions. Take this quiz to find out how much you know about deaf cats, and the simple ways that help you and kitty adjust to the handicap.
1. When approaching a deaf cat, you should:
a. Sneak up behind her
b. Pat her lightly
c. Approach her from the front
d. Run toward her

2. Cats most prone to deafness are:
a. Tabbies with green eyes
b. Black and white with yellow eyes
c. Persians with blue eyes
d. White with blue eyes

3. The best way to keep track of a deaf cat is by:
a. Keeping her on a leash
b. Confining her to one room
c. Putting a bell on her collar
d. Following her wherever she goes

4. The most effective way to train a deaf cat is by using:
a. Toys
b. Affection
c. Treats
d. Anger

5. When playing with a deaf cat, the best toys are:
a. Feathers
b. Laser pointers
c. String
d. Balls

6. Deaf cats use which one of their senses the most?
a. Smell
b. Taste
c. Touch
d. Sight

7. What type of test would have to be conducted to see whether a cat is deaf or not?
a. FIV
b. ELISA test
c. BAER test
d. FeLV

8. When introducing a deaf cat to children you should:
a. Allow the children to grab the cat roughly
b. Inform the children of the cat’s situation
c. Leave the children alone with the cat
d. Let the children tease the cat

9. A deaf cat that is suddenly awakened may:
a. Purr
b. Lick your hand
c. Meow
d. Bite or hiss

10. Cats who are deaf:
a. Should be put to sleep
b. Lead miserable lives
c. Can lead happy, healthy, normal lives
d. Are mistreated

11. The best way to awaken a deaf cat that is sleeping is by:
a. Tapping a wall or stomping your feet
b. Petting her
c. Blowing on her fur
d. Picking her up

12. When interacting with other animals, a deaf cat should:
a. Be left unsupervised
b. Not be allowed to interact with other animals
c. Be supervised
d. Interact only with other cats

13. A deaf cat should:
a. Be allowed to live outdoors
b. Be kept indoors at all times
c. Be confined to one room
d. Be allowed to roam wherever they please

14. What emotion is often mistaken for aggression in deaf cats?
a. Fear
b. Jealousy
c. Stress
d. Guilt

15. Training a deaf cat is:
a. Impossible
b. Difficult
c. Possible depending on the circumstances
d. Simple with a little dedication and repetition

16. Separation anxiety is higher in deaf cats.
a. Maybe
b. It depends on the cat
c. Not at all
d. Absolutely

17. Informal sign language:
a. Can be learned by deaf cats
b. Is only useful to deaf humans
c. Can’t be learned by deaf cats
d. Doesn’t work for cats

18. Working with a deaf cat is:
a. Easy
b. Challenging
c. In-between
d. Hard

19. Deafness:
a. Only occurs in white cats with blue eyes
b. Can happen to any cat at any age
c. Is caused by old age
d. Only occurs in female cats

20. Deaf cats are:
a. Louder than hearing cats
b. Quieter than hearing cats
c. Completely silent
d. More talkative than hearing cats



Answer Key
1. C
2. D
3. C
4. C
5. B
6. A
7. C
8. B
9. D
10. C
11. A
12. C
13. B
14. A
15. D
16. C
17. A
18. B
19. B
20. A

If you scored:
1-5 Points - Good job. Keep on studying. Don’t despair, simply pick up a few books and fill your mind with every deaf-cat fact you can find!

5-10 Points - Congrats! You’re almost there! 11-15 Points - Give yourself a pat on the back – You’re on your way to becoming a deaf-cat expert.

16-20 Points - You’re the cats meow! There’s no question about it, when it comes to deaf cats, you know it all!

Erika Sorocco is a freelance writer living in Southern California . Her work has appeared in numerous publications both nationally and internationally.




Give - away!

To celebrate Albert's special day, Mom is giving away a free year's subscription to Cat Fancy Magazine - all you have to do is so leave a comment telling us that you are interested in the magazine and on Monday October 26 she will randomly pick a winner. Good luck everyone and thanks for stopping by!

Kitten Memories of Al on Caturday

Mom was looking through some old photos and found these of Albert. Al (our soon to be five, blue-eyed deaf cat)has always been very funny about the spots he likes to nap in and finds the most quirky eclectic places to hang out. We had a shop and soup take out restaurant with a full commercial kitchen when he was a kitten. When we were closed he was allowed into the kitchen and we never knew where we would find him - usually sound asleep!









For more great critter photos click on this -



For more pet photos check out http://wingsandpaws.blogspot.com/ or click on the photo in the sidebar!

Bully Al

Albert, my dear deaf cat, is acting up again...being a bully to the other cats. We moved him in with the other white cats since he seemed to get along with them best. But...two tabbies are in there with him - Tabitha and Woody - and Al is focusing on them now.

I have tried to discipline Al by time outs, squirting with water - he was not fazed. I tried flower remedies and even drugs but that didn't work either.

I think it is mostly him not relating to other cats and not knowing how to play with them. I even spoke to an animal communicator and she said Al has such weird thoughts in his head about everything. He would not talk to her. She said he wants to do everything his way.

He has better days than others so hopefully this phase will pass. Tabitha works around him and stays away from him. Woody only comes out when Al sleeps. Not the best situation but the cats seem to be adjusting.

Lately Al has been sitting just inside the interior glass door looking out the door. Unfortunately this is where the cat door is to get inside. Most of the others will go in anyway but some see Al and won't go past him. We have made a few snug warm cubby holes for the ones left outside in the covered porch to be comfy for the night if they won't go inside. Let's hope he simmers down soon this time.