Snowball's 8th Gotcha Day - Nov. 2

Thank you for stopping by my Gotcha Day - it has been a hectic weekend with Halloween, Callie's Gotcha Day and then mine.  Glad Mom did not forget me like she has in the past.  So many of us - so many days to remember.  I know she means well.

I have enjoyed living with the beans and other whitesters, (except Al).  (To read more about how I got gotted click here.)  I love boxes and nap in them whenever I can.  I am a portly guy but have lost weight and do not have anymore UTI's.  That's a relief cuz I almost didn't make it one time!

My best buddy in the whole world (besides Pop) is Norm even tho I do swat and wrassle with him from time to time.  We are always together and enjoy each others company.  

I hope you enjoyed these tidbits about me.  Now time to party - just a simple fare of tuna pizza and for dessert, nip.  Hope you enjoy our spread.  Thanks for your friendship and support.

Our computer connection is iffy due to the snow and wind we are getting  - Mom is trying her best to return visit everyone but she gets cut off before she can leave a comment sometimes.  She will get there.  One more thing - don't forget Nov 4 is Blog Blast 4 Peace!.   Please join us!

Nov 1 - Callie's First Gotcha Day

It is my first Gotcha Day and I doubt I have ever had one before.  Mom found me in the parking lot at night when she got off work.  I knew a good Mom when I saw her and ran up to her meowing like crazy.  She couldn't resist even tho she knew Pop would blow his stack at another cat.  But I won him over too. and here I am a year later.

I love it here and have settled right in.  I love kibbles but they don't feed dry foo so I have to beg for some.  I like to sit on the eating counter overlooking the sink and stare - usually it works and I get kibbles in my bowl.

If that doesn't work, then I run ahead of the beans to the room they are going and sit next to the bowl in there with a pitiful expression on my cute face.  That's gets them every time.  Mom calls me her begging Buddha Cat - I always sit next to an empty bowl.

I look good and feel good now - I was thin and had all kinds of worms initially - yuck.  Probably from living outside.  Mom did track down my original owner and she gave me up cuz she had an older cat who picked on me all the time.  The lady who took me must have left me behind when she moved out west cuz Mom found me months later in the same area but no one knew how to contact her.

I avoid other cats and stay to myself but love Mom and Pop.  The others don't bother me but I guess I am just  scared cuz I got picked on in my old home. I am not a lap cat but love to sit next to the beans and will go ask to be petted if I feel like I want some lovin'.  I even sleep on the bed with them - way down on the foot so I don't bother Pop.   I guess three is the charm for me - I love my forever home.

Please help yourself to our nip apps - raw nip, nip treats and a nip 'nana for each of you! Have fun and thanks for coming to my party.  Don't forget that Snowball is having his party on Sunday!  A lot of partying here!

P.S. we are supposed to get snow on Sat.  so if your comments don't get posted, our power went off.  We hope that doesn't happen cuz I want to enjoy my first party!

Happy Halloween!

Lily goes punk!

Happy Halloween to one and all.!  Mom only posted one post for this week even tho this is her favorite holiday.  Just too much going on along with two Gotcha Days coming up on Nov 1 and 2!  Busy busy busy!

Without further ado, we would like to announce the 2014 Halloween costumes - Lily and Sweetpea.

Sweetpea doing her impression of a lazy chef.

And for the skittish whitesters who will NOT let Mom put a costume on the we have some tongue in cheek costumes with Two Spot and Smidge modeling.

Two Spot as quarterback (hehehe)

Smidge going as an Identity Thief

  We posted this before on previous Halloween's but this is a house that Mom drives by on her way to work - they go all out from Halloween until St Pat's, changing the color of the lights and theme with each month!

We thank you for stopping by and hope you will come back for both Gotcha Days - Callie's on Nov 1 for her first  one with us and Snowball's on Nov 2.  Have a fun, spooky All Hallow's Eve!

P.S. We have a winner for the goodie bag given away for the commenter who guessed first who Al was named after on his Gotcha day post - Caren and Cody! (Mom will get your address)

Albert's 10th Gotcha/Birth Day!

First off - Mom has not had a party for me since 2009! How bad is that?  She can't keep up with all our special days never mind the humans.  Since she doesn't know exactly when I was was born, this is a combo celebration for my Gotcha Day which is this date and my Brthday which probably was two months before this, guessing my age from my size.

Me as a young kitty

Ten years back, Mom found me by the side of the road.  At first glance, she thought I was a white plastic bag but then realized I was a tiny kitten.  She turned her car around and came back to scoop me up before anything happened to me.  As you can see I am a stunning all white long haired mancat with Paul Newman blue eyes.  That means I am deaf - most, if not all white cats with blue eyes are deaf since it is genetic.

Life as a deaf cat can be fine but Mom also thinks I did not have much quality time with my cat mom and siblings - I don't react to the other cats well at all.   I am clueless when it comes to reading the signals  that cats say or do to tell me what is going on or about to happen.  I think some of this is that I get scared when bumped into unexpectedly or get startled in any way by the other cats.  I am not a mean cat but I am ready to defend myself if I think I am threatened.  Being around the others makes me nervous and jumpy.  I like being alone or with the humans better.  I guess that makes me a high maintenance cat.

I can be goofy and silly too.

Mom and Pop love me just the same and have gone all out to make sure I am cared for and have a safe place to be, even if it means I have to be separated from the other cats or supervised by the them when I am with other cats.  I have my own room with two levels and a cool array of shelves to walk on high above the ground.  Pop is building me a special cat walk to allow me to go into another room but still stay up high on a wide shelf so I can come and go without running into the other cats.  As homes go, I think I have a pretty good one in spite of all my little quirks.

Anyhow...let's get this party going...there is ham with cream cheese, shrimps, catnip cream shakes for the older crowd and cake for all.  Help yourself!

We have a surprise gift  for the first one to guess the answer to this question -  

What famous person am I named after?  (Hint ...he had wild white hair also).

Thanks for coming to my party! I am so glad to have met all of you!

National Feral Cat Day - Oct 16

Snowball as a feral kitten, living outside.

Today is National Feral Cat Day, hosted by Alley Cat Allies.  Since our house is full of rescued feral cats - this is a very appropriate holiday for us.  Let's start at the beginning for those who don't know us.

When Mom and Pop bought their farmhouse back in 1999, in the mountains of western North Carolina, they  unwittingly acquired  a colony of feral cats who had been living in the woods behind the house. Many of the kittens were not healthy and Mom was very upset.  She called the local Humane Society and got the typical reaction when she mentioned ferals - "We can trap them and kill them for you.." 

The first shelter made of straw bales covered with plastic and lines with straw.

Horrified at their reaction to feral cats, Mom looked for other humane options and found Alley Cat Allies online.  They sent her brochures and helped her figure out how to trap them, find a vet to do discount spay and neuters and build a shelter for them to be warm and safe while living outdoors. Mom and Pop TNR'd  about 20 something of us with the help of the neighborhood vet.  That's a lot of cats!  TNR works and we had a great life in their yard with food, love and shelter.

The shelter evolved to an insulated kitchen cabinet.  Pop added a second level and porch to it.

Many years later, those left of this colony are now living the Life of Riley - indoors with love, food, medical care and a warm place to spend their lives.  Things are different now thanks to Alley Cat Allies.  They provided education and tools to care for ferals and now many organizations across the nation are working to care for feral cats.  So, if you need help to care for a colony of cats near you - please contact Alley cat Allies or a local feral cat organization.

This is the screen porch on the shelter for the younger ones.   The older ferals are inside with Mom and Pop.

 

Snowball and Pop in a love session.

P.S.  We would like to invite you all to our Al's 10th Gotcha Day on Oct 21.  Since CB doesn't post special days anymore, we wanted to let you know before hand!  Mark your calendar.  It will be fun!