Adios Mamacita (2004-2018)

Last week x-rays at the vet showed a large abdominal mass and fluids in Mamcita's tummy.  She had been off her food and vomiting more. It was most likely lymphoma but with her still being so feral any further testing and treatment was not an option.  We had to sedate her to handle her for anything - medications, putting her in the carrier.

Rosa was with her all last night and morning today.

We pampered Mamacita for this past week with catnip, milk, anything she would eat, telling her how much we loved her and how special she was. She spent her last night curled up with her daughter Rosa who seemed to know something was going on.  This morning we let Mamacita go at home.  She was sitting on my lap with Don next to us.  Both of us surrounded her with Reiki light and love as the vet gave the final injection. It was peaceful and easy.  Before we buried her, we laid Mamacita's body on the floor in a blue blanket for the other cats especially Rosa to see and knowledge.

Five month old Mamacita

I had contacted an animal communicator a few days ago to find out how Mamacita felt about this turn of events.  Mamacita , the communicator told me, was very independent, strong willed and always had to be in control.  She preferred to let this illness take it's natural course and trusted me to not let her suffer.  Mamacita was so appreciative of us letting her be who she was during the years we had her.  She was glad we respected her boundaries.

Left to right Mamacita, Rosa and Manny

What can I say about this sweet, stubborn and determined girl?  She came to us as a tiny young five month old mother with two kittens.  (Rosa and Manny who passed in 2006.) I trapped all three cats when I saw that the kittens had terrible URI's. We treated the kittens and got them all spayed and neutered.  Shortly after this procedure, Mamacita lost the use of her front legs.  If you picked her up they would dangle down.  She would slide on her belly on the floor propelling herself forward with her back legs. We were devastated but already had planned on keeping her and her kittens.

After many vet visits to find out the cause of this  paralysis, we went to our holistic vet as a last ditch attempt to help Mamacita.  Dr Maggie gave her a homeopathic remedy and within a few hours Mamacita showed movement in her front legs.  We increased the dose and she was able to move the legs in an awkward  walk. eventually she was able to walk almost normally.  As she aged her gait was a bit stiff in the morning but improved as the day went on.  We gave her CBD powder for the stiffness and it helped.

Mamacita loved boxes, napping kitty piles with Rosa and Angel Joey.  She was quite the hunter and loved to chase spiders, ants and moths.

The sitting on screen porch or next to an open window brought joy to her days.  She was not a lap cat but on rare occasions, she would slowly situate herself on my lap or sit with tow paws on my leg next to me.  If I moved too fast, she was gone.

Being a plus sized girl, Mamacita had a cute habit of hooking her claws on the back of the chair before she groomed herself to keep from rolling over when she was reaching to her  tummy and below!

She allowed us to pet her eventually but only when and where she picked.  If friends came to visit, Mamacita disappeared. She was the cat most people never saw. 

She was a devoted Mom to Rosa and they were inseparable.  I have saved some blankets with Mamacita's scent on them for Rosa.

She loved to roll on Don's smelly sneakers!

She had a special place in our lives and we will always remember her.  She is buried on our land next to Mr Kitty with the catnip and treats she loved so much.  A bouquet of wildflowers graces the grave.  Say hi to Manny and Joey dear girl.  We will see you all soon.

Winning Monday

Me checking out the goodies

Callie here posting today.  To quote Charlie Sheen...winning...Monday is here.  We have the winners of our blogoversary post and we are showing off our prizes for winning Ellen's blog 15 and Meowing's Valentine give-away - all handmade - a nip flavored mat to nap on, two nip toys and an eyeglass case for Mom.

Us first...the kitties were very surprised that they got a fun package in the mail from Ellen and her furry gang. I noticed the goodies right away and went over to inspect them.  The catnip toy caught my fancy and off I went, batting it all over the kitchen and living room floors.  Mom tried to get a picture but I was just a blur!

Mr. Kitty with the nip toy

Mr. Kitty pounced on the other catnip toy.  He was snockered in no time.  Rolling on the mat and even sucking the mat - have some control, boy!

Even quiet Mamacita come out from her nap nook to check out the mat. She was a bit more subdued than Mr Kitty but enjoyed it nevertheless.  Mom liked her eyeglass case too.  Thank you Ellen - we love our prizes!

Mamacita on the mat

Now for the winners of our blogoversary post - drum roll.....for Prize #1  - a cat coloring book for the human and cats toys and treats - the winner is none other than Ellen of 15 and Meowing and no this was not  fixed! Just a lucky coincidence! The question was who is our deaf cat - Al or Albert is the answer.

No one got the answer quite correct to question #2 - how many cats did we have when we first began blogging.  But Jackie and Flynn of  Our Life with Flynn (and Angel Eric) guessed the closest with 18. If you didn't know the answer, you would have had to look at all the photos on the side bar, subtracted the kitties from before, then the seven who went to the Bridge since 2009 and added two for Callie and Mr Kitty who joined us in later years - and that equals 20.  We had 20 cats when Mom started up the blog.  Years ago when people asked how many cats we had, Pop would mumble the answer - he was a bit embarrassed at first but most people we met had even more!  The prize for the question was  cat note cards, toys and treats.

And for the final question - most of our cats were formerly what? Isabel, a Google + follower, guessed wild (or feral) and was the first to guess that. The prize of a book about cats, and assorted cat treats and toys will be sent to her. 

Thank you for coming to our blogoversary and for being our friends.  Mom says she will try to post more often.  Her big 60th birthday is coming up next week - it is also the 3rd anniversary of Angel Chica's passing. I am sure we will post for that so see ya then!

Mamacita for Black and White Sunday

Wishing everyone a wonderful Memorial Day weekend for those in the states.  Mom is feeling much better so she should be back to visiting this week.  Thanks for the purrs for her.

Black and White Sunday is  sponsored by 

Dachshund Nola and Sugar, the Golden Retriever (the first two slots in the blog hop below.)

Join in!

All Hallow's Eve's Eve

Vampire Cat Tabitha

Another blast from our Halloween past!  Some years Mom would use online programs to do our Halloween costumes rather than try to fight with us to get and keep costumes on!.  As you can see, these are way scarier than us wearing something silly like a witch hat!

Mamacita locked inside the crystal ball!

Al made to look like a ghost!

P.S. If you guessed that Woody was a "quarterback" you were right.  Get it - a quarter on his back!  Come back on Thurs for the big Halloween post with this years real costumes!  And some local  spooky decorations too. Even Mom is dressing up - her pic will be posted later when she gets ready for work!

Mom Monday - The Winners

Sweet Yoko napping.

Yoko here today.  We are knackered from partying all weekend! I hope you all had a wonderful time at my party.  And I hope that Moms everywhere had a great day yesterday too!  Thank you so very much for coming. I loved having you all here  I am resting up today from all the excitement over the weekend.

Darling Lily and mother of all the whitesters except Al!

Since our Mom's Day was focused on me, we want to make today's photos about our cat Moms - Lily and Mamacita as well as announce the winners of the party guessing games.

On Friday we asked who said this - "Growing old is not for sissies".  The answer is Bette Davis and Cat's Cats was the first one to guess correctly so her gang will get a hand knit mouse (or two) as their prize.

Mamacita is Rosa's cat Mom!

On Saturday we explained what kind of tabby I am - a very pretty unusual one. (**smile**)  The answer is a "ticked" tabby! Socks from Alasandra, the Cats and Dogs won this prize - a copy of book The Dalai Lama's Cat by David Michie.  Congrats to them!

Sunday we asked how old I was when my baby blue eyes turned the gorgeous green they are now.  When I was adopted from the animal shelter in Florida, they told my beans that I was a bit over 6 weeks old.  Exactly two weeks later, my eyes turned from blue to green. So the answer is 8 weeks and 3 days.  Ginger Jasper came the closest to this with his guess of 2 months and 5 days.  Congrats to them on the cute cat ornament!

Mom will contact each of the winners for their address if she does not have them on hand.  Thanks so much for playing and we hope you like your prizes!

We will be back later this week after a few days off with another tell all posts about Lily or Mamacita.  Come back by then!

Mamacita on Monday

It is me Mamacita today.  When Mom got her new blog header lots of peeps asked why we only posted about some cats and many never got to be on here so this week we will feature the shyer ones like me.  I am a plus sized girl and will be 8 this year. I am still pretty wild but like to be out and about - just don't make any fast moves or try to pick me up. Then it is hasta la vista baby!  I like to sit on the chair in the living room with my daughter Rosa and hang out.  She is the other lump behind me.

 I also like to sleep with my chin on the arm of the chair and kinda watch TV with Pop. 

I love boxes and hidy spots.  Spiders and ants are very fun to watch but I can't resist them.  I end up stomping them and eating them......yum!  I will pester Mom into letting me be back on here soon. See ya next time.

Midnight Monday with Mamacita

It's a tight squeeze but I got in the cat tree!

I am house panther Mamacita hosting the blog today.  Mom asked me to talk about Best Friend's Animal Society's Back in Black 2 - the second annual month long effort to showcase black dogs and cat in shelters and to get them adopted!

Black pets have a harder time to find new homes. Because many people adopt from online photos it hurts us  cuz we don't show up well in photos.  Ask Mom.  She tries so hard to take my picture and not many come out showing me in my best light. I have stunning eyes but they never seem to show up in my photos.  But I do have some very endearing qualities....

I love my ESS and often fall asleep on it.  I like the way it fits my portly shape.  For some reason I like to lay with my front paws up on something and this works fine.

I love my pal Joey.  He is a super snuggler and lets me use him for a pillow anytime I want.  I also have a habit of getting all excited and running in front of Mom when she is rushing to get ready for work.  She keeps saying "Look out, look out" for me to get out of the way so she won't step on me.  I think I thought that was my name at first cuz she yells it so much.  But I know it's not.

I am a plus sized girl, as you can see here.  I love to eat but I also like to scoop out a piece of dry food and bat it around on the floor.  That's fun!  It drives Mom nuts cuz she always steps on the food and crunches it to pieces.

I like to play with nip toys, boxes, the red lazer dot...just about anything.  I even like wrassling...with my daughter Rosa.  We look like two sumo wrestlers when we go at it on the floor.  Thump, thump, bang!  Rosa is my best buddy and you will hear from her later this week.

I am kinda shy too being a feral so I don't like to be picked up but will get up on the sofa or bed and sit next to Mom.  Sometimes I even get on her lap...but not too often.

I hope this shows how even feral black cats can be fun to have around the house.  Every house needs a panther!!!  Adopt black pets!!!  They deserve a chance too.

Oh and P.S.  Thanks for coming to the party for Yoko.  She was thrilled and had the time of her life!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

It's me Joey showing off all the Christmas cards us cats got this year from our dear blogging friends.  Waaaay more than Mom and Pop got!

Sweetpea checks out the gifts.

 The holiday season is one of many surprises...not just cards but gifts under the tree and some even with our names on them!

Whatcha doin' Mom?

Mom has that flashy box out all the time, surprising us when we least expect it!.  

 Mom please, some privacy!!!!

Every morning we surprise Mom by leaving ornaments on the floor under the tree.  We like to redecorate the tree daily!

Mamacita making sure no one opened her gift yet.

We hope your holiday is filled with lots of wonderful surprises.  Wishing you all a Merry Christmas from our house to yours!  We will be taking a break for a few days.  See ya next week.

Photo Hunt - Surprise

Camera Critters

We're Off to See the Wizard....

Help! It's me, Mamacita, trapped inside the Wicked Witch's crystal ball!  The Witch and her her Flying Monkey will keep me in here forever!

I know the Wizard of Oz is not a Halloween movie but wasn't the part at the Witch's Castle scary?  When Mom was a kid she would hide when that part came on!  For work, a couple of Halloween's ago Mom and her friend Sallie dressed up as a flying monkey and the Wicked Witch respectively.   Mom made a great flying monkey and even had wings altho they don't show up in the pics too well.  Sallie's witch was scary! Pretty cool huh?

Mom on left and Sallie on right.

Now for some Wizard of Oz trivia.....

Did you know that Margaret Hamilton's portrayal of the Wickedest Witch of the West was so frightening that most of her scenes were edited out?  We only see the softer side of her witch!!!  Yikes!!!!

Did you know that the head winged monkey was named Nikko after the Japanese town that is home to the shrine for Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil?

Did you know that the crystal ball in the movie was also used as a prop in the movie The Mask of Fu Manchu and Chandu the Magician.  The 25" diameter ball sold at auction in May 2011 for $126,500!

Did you know that Hamilton's green make-up was copper oxide and was poisonous?  Since it took hours to put on, Hamilton had to be very careful not to ingest it while eating.  She mainly lived on a liquid diet while in make-up.

Did you know what words the castle guards are chanting in the scene with the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion watching from the rocks?  Some people think they say things like "Allwe own, we owe her."  Mom thought they were saying "Or-e-o, oreo."  Actually, she was close.  They say "O-ee-ya! Eoh-ah!"

Here is the scary clip from the movie.  Sit back (or run and hide) and enjoy. (f you can't see it below, click here.)