Today is Our 7th Blogoversary!

 

Darby hatted by the late JudiBug in 2010

Hard to believe that we have been blogging for seven years (eight if you count Mom's old natural pet care blog Cats and Dogs Naturally). Mom never got her act together to do a blogoversary post before this! Imagine!!!

Angel Chica's 20th Birthday celebration in 2011.

A lot has happened during that time - holidays, Gotcha Days, computer crashes, even losing our blog to hackers for weeks before we got it back. We also gained two new kitties, Callie and Mr. Kitty and lost seven of our beloved cats who left for the Rainbow Bridge. Plus, our neighbor cat, Jack, who we featured on the blog often, disappeared without a trace in Nov. 2015.

Mom's first video attempt in 2012 with Angel Lily, Only and Smidge.

If you can't see it here go to our Youtube channel here.

We made so many friends, some who are still blogging and others who have moved on to other things. We appreciate all our blog pals, old and new, being there and supporting us in difficult times and celebrating with us in happy times. Even though we don't blog as much as we used to, we wouldn't still be here blogging if it weren't for all of you! You guys rock!

Woody playing in the water bowl 2013.

 To thank you, we would like to offer some fun quizzes with prizes for the first to answer correctly in the comments! If you have followed us for a bit these questions will be pretty easy. The answers and the winners will be posted Monday Feb. 22  . Ready?

 To win Prize #1 - What is the name of our cat who was born deaf?

This prize includes a leather mouse, cat treats, a nip trout and Creative Cats coloring book by Marjorie Sarnat for your human plus other goodies.

To win Prize #2 - How many cats did we originally have when we began the blog in 2009?

This one includes cat treats, toys and a set of 6 cat notecards by local artist Debbie Littledeer for your bean plus other goodies.

To win Prize #3 - Most of our cats were formerly what?

Along with cat treats and toys, a book by Japanese poet Takashi Hiraide The Guest Cat and other assorted goodies

We hope to continue to blog, making more memories and friends in the coming years.  Thank you for being a part of our lives. We love you all!

Tabitha posing for our Easter post 2014

Rosa as a watercolor for Caturday Art in 2015

Let's end this blogoversary post by reposting below our very first blog post with Angel Ivy in front of the heater on a cold February day in 2009.

Cold Blustery Day

Ivy is sitting right in front of the space heater and not budging. The wind is howling, blowing leaves by the windows. The cats are feisty and running around fussing with each other. At least we didn't get any snow, just a few flurries.

Mr. Kitty's Scary Mancat Story and a Georgie Update

 The warm weather is here so we don't have the windows open anymore for fresh air but Aunt Cheri lets us cats go on the back porch from early evening on.  I enjoy this and stretch out, scratching on the wood of the porch.

Then my next job is introoder alert.  This is very important.  My Mom told Aunt Cheri that I would chase everything and anything that came into my yard back in my old house.  I am fearless.

 While I was on the porch this day, a big black dog came into the yard.  The other kitties all ran inside the house but I stayed and hissed and growled at the thing.  No one messes with me.

Auntie heard me growling so came to make me come inside.  "Do I haveta?" I pleaded.  She wouldn't listen to me.  Inside I went with the doors locked.  Auntie kept looking out the window where all the cats were now looking safely inside.

Then...she saw it.  It wasn't a dog after all.  It was a black bear!!  Auntie figured out it must have been just outside the door of the house maybe heading for the trash can.  When I hissed and growled, he ran up the embankment.  Bears are afraid of bobcats and mountain lions so my cat sounds scared him off.  Auntie had noticed the trellis for the climbing veggies in the garden was moving back and forth even when there was no wind.  That was when he bear ran by!

 Now that we were all indoors, Auntie Cheri ran to get her camera and took this photo of the bear.  It was getting dark and all you could see was his light brown snout against the dark woods.  Then Auntie yelled and banged on the screen to scare him away!  He lumbered slowly into the forest.

I got praised and told how good I was at my job as snoopervisor of the house and yard.  I was pretty proud of myself.  Auntie is hoping the bear does not come back again.  He won't, cuz I am here to guard everyone!

P.S.  We have a short update on Georgie...she is home, eating (tuna only but at least eating) and acting more and more like herself.  She is not a docile cat (except when she is sick) and is pretty fiesty if you try and hold her.  Two nights ago while the beans were feeding her with a syringe via her feeding tube, she jumped down off the table and ran down the hall with the syringe still in the tube!!!  Horrors!! Auntie was screaming and running after her.

Georgie seemed OK but Auntie took her to the ER vet to make sure the tube didn't come out.  It didn't - whew!  Now they wrap her in a towel when they feed her - better safe than sorry.  Georgie goes back on Tuesday to her internal medicine specialist to have a recheck.

Mr. Kitty on Mancat Monday

Me on the back porch

 I guess this is my day for the blog so my Mom and Dad can see how I am doing with Auntie Cheri and Uncle Don.  So far so good.  I had a few hissing spats with Sweetpea and Callie but other than that no problem.

Being snoopervised by Minnie

I had my own room initially but that was pretty boring so I figured how to get out and meet the other cats.  At first I was a bit overwhelmed by how many there are.  But I am OK about that now.  I inspected every inch of this new place and settled right in.

 

I like to hang out with Uncle Don best, maybe because he traveled with me from  New England to North Carolina where I am now.  I follow him from room to room and sit next to him.  He give me lots of loves and pets.  When I hear his voice, I come running out of my hidy spot to sit with him.

My hidy spot in Auntie's office

It is not so bad here- they have lots of catnip toys laying around. I love to play with them and get a good bunny kick going.  I get to sit in the window seats and watch the critters and birds outside - they have a lot of things here we didn't have at my old place...copperheads, bears, coyotes, bobcats, hawks, foxes.  I guess I am better off being an indoor only cat here.

Welcome Mr. Kitty

Taken on his first night.

First off I want to apologize for my absence from the blog since I posted about Lily's passing.  I have not had it in me to even go visit your blogs to thank you for your kind comments, cards and emails.  This one was particularly hard and I think am still in denial.  I do appreciate all of your expressions of sympathy so very much.

Handsome Mr. Kitty

One thing that will take my mind off of this loss is that we have a new kitty with us. Let me start from the beginning.... my oldest friend from childhood has been going through a difficult time.  Her husband had to have a liver transplant recently (some of you know about this from Facebook).  The doctors told Deb that their two beloved senior cats would not be able to stay in her home with her husband when he came home as he will be on immunosuppression drugs for the rest of his life. She asked me to help find them a home.

I posted all over Facebook about the Maine Coon called Mr. Kitty and the sweet tortie named Squeaks.  Unfortunately it is difficult at best to find homes for 15 year old cats.  Since no one had contacted me, I told Deb I would take them.  My husband was in agreement and we made plans for him to drive up to New England from North Carolina to get them.

A few days before Don left on this trip, Deb let me know that Squeaks had passed in her sleep.  She had been very distraught about her human dad being away in the hospital for so long and her human brother had also left for boot camp at the same time.  As one blog friend said, Squeaks most likely had a "delicate constitution." I think the changes in her home took its toll on her and she slipped away.

RIP Squeaks

We still wanted Mr. Kitty so Don drove up and back over the past weekend.  Don was able to enjoy some delicious seafood and visit with friends while he was there.  After a bittersweet parting from his mom, Mr. Kitty made his way to North Carolina with Don without any problems.

Enjoying the nip scratcher from Auntie Peel

He is a sweet gentle soul with an easy laid back temperament.  He loves to be with people but it will take time for him to accept the other cats and them him.  He has his own room for now and we let him out with us when the other cats are napping.  He is a slippery one and and escaped his room a few times to run and inspect the house.  So far all his interactions with the others have been just curious.  He already goes to the door of his room when he wants back in.  For his age, he is doing quite well.

A little nipped out!

I am looking forward to letting him host the blog in the weeks to come.  He is quite a character and will keep us on our toes for sure.  Please welcome Mr. Kitty!