Like Kittysville

Dirty is as dirty does

2012-01-16T11:26:00.000-06:00

Cats are obsessed with rolling in dirt. Seen in the late afternoon sun are (clockwise from top left) Homer, Betty, Amy, Buzz, Betty, Olga.

This ritual is followed by going inside and shedding the accumulated dirt onto clean bedding and upholstery.

If you knew Suzy

2012-01-02T12:16:00.014-06:00

New Year's morning I got up to the sound of water running in the bathroom. Did I leave the bathtub faucet dripping for Alvin to drink? No, it was former feral Suzy peeing in the toilet! She was perched on the seat (like these photos found online), but she jumped down and ran right out of the bathroom.I have never tried to potty-train my kitties, and have never seen them do anything in the toilet but drink. So I consider this a new year's omen of mind-blowing things to come in 2012.
Suzy is a wild-n-crazy girl, full of unexpected comedic turns. This video of Suzy in the yard is accompanied by a 1925 song about her:

Suzy has a perfect reputation
No one ever saw her on a spree
Nobody knows where Suzy goes
Nobody knows but me
If you knew Suzy like I know Suzy
Oh! Oh! Oh, what a girl

The Joan Crawford filter

2011-12-19T14:47:00.004-06:00

I've learned to watch TV through the filter of a kitty lying on me.Now I'm starting to find meaning in these kitty silhouettes.These images of Hooch's ear tips perfectly complement her movie star alter ego, Joan Crawford.

Betty Galore

2011-12-10T10:39:00.007-06:00

She's making the world a betty-er place to be.In the sink:In the kitchen window:In the wheelbarrow:In the tree:In the alley:

What's new, pushy cat?

2011-11-30T10:26:00.004-06:00

Puppy (left) and Hooch are opposite but equal -- he is smotheringly sweet, she is bossy and sour. They are constantly invading each other's space, double-parking on top of one another. Neither of them seems to mind; they enjoy the squeeze play.

Kitchen for kitties

2011-11-17T09:12:00.006-06:00

In winter my house is more crowded than ever with cats, so I've added sleeping quarters in the kitchen. That's Liesl on the fridge and Roger on the range-top loft.My recently renovated kitchen has a folksy streamline theme. I did all the work myself, even making new door moldings and corner shelves. Below, Hooch drinks from the sink while former feral Buzz eats from a vintage lazy susan. The kitty door leads to the back porch.The countertops are real linoleum, and the floors are original pine.

Got milk?

2011-11-07T13:43:00.004-06:00

My kitties are dairy queens -- they get lactose-free milk as a regular treat. Instead of a milk mustache, they get a milk chin. Seen sporting tiny milk goatees are Amy (hanging out) and Homer (gazing up).

Ready Betty

2011-10-29T18:21:00.008-05:00

My new trike totes FedEx boxes, cat food, and thrift shop finds. So how much longer must Betty wait for her Saturday ride to town?

Slipcovers are here

2011-10-23T09:03:00.007-05:00

My kitty beds finally got a wardrobe. Slipcovers are now available -- they're washable, dryable, customizable, and interchangeable. See the Moderncat post here. Betty was the star of the slipcover photo shoot, but only under duress. I woke her up from a nap for this photo:And here I heisted her while she was licking her lips after a snack:Betty is so over being a kitty bed supermodel:

Roger the Codger

2011-10-17T16:04:00.003-05:00

This photo is like a portrait of Roger's melancholy soul.Though I usually refer to Roger as a grumpy old man, he has lately been mama's sweet baby boy. He's still limping from a nasty abscessed cat bite on his shoulder. (Though Roger is neutered, he always picks fights, so he must have been axe-ing for it.)

Alvin adores autumn

2011-10-09T09:54:00.002-05:00

All the kitties are energized by fall weather, but no one is more ecstatic than Alvin. He was so hot under his hair this summer.

Seeing a pattern

2011-09-30T08:43:00.004-05:00

When I lay out fabric and patterns, kitties can't wait to participate.Shown here are pattern weights Hooch and Olga. The tricky part for me is to dodge swishing tails while cutting.

No mow

2011-09-22T18:27:00.002-05:00

Kitties love to lie in tall grass. And I am happy to oblige them by not mowing our backyard savannah.Ida (left) and Sailor chill out in their private grass nests.

A gray display on a tray

2011-09-17T09:13:00.005-05:00

New feral girl Amy likes to spread out.This spayed girl looks just like Waldo (below inset), except Waldo is long and lanky and likes people, and Amy is short and small and scared of people.

All-star benchwarmers

2011-09-10T15:07:00.012-05:00

My homemade benches are like Lego blocks for backyard kitty lounging. Below are Daisy's tail end (left) and a sleepy-eyed Homer.Below is Sailor when he still had his chocolate back stripe.Be not deceived by Betty's alluring smile; the jaws of a beast lurk within (la Bete = the beast).Below is Gus, my eldest feral, the most charming boy I cannot touch.

Betty Turntree

2011-09-04T12:27:00.003-05:00

Betty Turntree is botanically related to Helen Twelvetrees and Dolly Tree -- screen queens of an earlier era.

ChocoCat

2011-08-28T10:04:00.006-05:00

Sailor used to have a dark chocolate bar down his back, as seen in these photos with Wally three months ago.But a Siamese cat's coloring is always changing, and now Sailor has a mini moon pie on each hip. He is probably darkening to an allover Fudgsicle tone.Sailor himself, like chocolate, is an irresistibly sweet and addictive kitty.

Left, right, together

2011-08-20T12:27:00.007-05:00

Tabby Olga is still in sync with her grown son, Jesse (tabby/white).Jesse is obsessively in love with Olga; Olga is obsessively in love with me. I complete the triangle by being obsessively in love with Jesse.

She does windows

2011-08-11T19:34:00.008-05:00

I love the top ventilation of double-hung windows. Hooch agrees.

Extreme sleep

2011-08-03T11:18:00.004-05:00

A year ago Homer offered guidance on how to sleep. Since then he's done a lot more sleeping, and he now offers an advanced course in "somnambulastics."

In vs. out

2011-07-28T12:33:00.001-05:00

It's a law of physics: the inside cat wants out, and the outside cat wants in.This conundrum is not resolved by opening the door. That only creates confusion, inertia, and the changing of minds.

A fine romance, my good fellow

2011-07-24T17:56:00.004-05:00

The hot buddy love between Siamese teen guy Sailor and tabby he-man Homer has cooled off -- to quote Cole Porter -- like yesterday's mashed potatoes.Sailor's confidence and popularity have soared as he's matured, leaving him little time for Homer. Not that Homer seems to mind. As long as Homer gets to beat the stuffin's out of Sailor now and then, Homer thinks this is a fine romance.

Mr. Kitty Wigs at home

2011-07-18T11:37:00.002-05:00

This kitty's mom, the genius behind Kitty Wigs and Subversive Cross Stitch, took these recent photos of Boone in his Like Kittysville bed. I was glad to learn that Boone's images from the book Glamourpuss are now available as boxed cards, postcards and ecards.His mom says Boone is still loving his kitty bed after nearly three years. It seems to me that this notorious narcoleptic is naturally predisposed toward swank lounges with velvet bachelor-pad accoutrements.

Betty on high

2011-07-13T17:27:00.008-05:00

As Betty took the ladder to the top of the shed, she smelled something bad. The kind of bad that forced her lips ajar until the smell had cleared.The rainwater barrel Betty's lying on is bone dry. It's been a whole year since it rained here, but that's fine with Betty. Thunderstorms wreak havoc on her already electric nerves.

Waldo the doorman

2011-07-07T12:45:00.007-05:00

I've never seen a cat get such a thrill out of a swinging door. Wally even sleeps against the door so he can play with it when it opens.

Kitty door, kiddie door

2011-07-02T10:41:00.005-05:00

A little cat humor from the charmingly droll TV show Leave It To Beaver (1958):Mr. "Corny" Cornelius (driving, above): I'll never forget the time the missus and I left little Jimmy John alone. He was 8 or 9 at the time. We had one of those doors cut in the kitchen door for the cat to come in and out. Sure enough, when we got back, there was little Jimmy John with his head caught in it.
June Cleaver: Was he hurt?
Corny: Oh no, just a little frightened, that's all. But the cat was very upset.

Misdemeanor man

2011-06-28T12:53:00.006-05:00

Gus is committing a common petty crime: blocking access.We have five fence holes, two open windows and one kitty door which allow every cat -- resident, stray or feral -- unencumbered access to the premises. This access is tricky to enforce, however, because a blocker cat will always invoke his right to unencumbered loitering.

Rooftop gnome

2011-06-21T11:08:00.008-05:00

I took these photos of Gidget in the early morning. I've been getting up before daybreak to hang out with the kitties when they're most energetic -- when temperatures are frigid, down in the 70s.Over a year ago Alvin posed for photos in this same spot: http://likekittysville.blogspot.com/2010/03/alvins-sky-lodge.html

Stackable cats

2011-06-15T11:48:00.003-05:00

Us cats are literally stacked on top of each other in front of the air conditioning vents. Those are Homer's feet atop Wally's head.

Smitty's fabulous new life

2011-06-07T09:16:00.011-05:00

Smitty has a wonderful new home in a cool downtown loft. His new mom is a chiropractor, and he has a Siamese older sister named Gwen. His new "grandmother" left this very dear message:

Please know you placed Smitty into a loving home. The young woman that adopted Smitty, I know for a fact, is REMARKABLE AND AWESOME. She comes from a long line of cat-loving caregivers. I know because I am her MOM. My home is the kingdom of three cats: Samantha, Spook and Socks. We are thrilled to welcome him into our family!!! He will be loved and very well cared for by his extended family.

Like Smittysville

2011-05-29T19:39:00.004-05:00

My itty bitty kitty, Smitty, has had a busy week. He was rehomed only to bounce right back again. The people who adopted him complained, "he cries too much and scratched our toddler." I was thrilled to hear this, because I didn't feel 100% good about these people when I let them have Smitty. (Below is Smitty with his big buddy Wally.)
Conducting the kitty adoption process totally sucks. I'm ineffective at screening and interviewing people because I'm so emotionally involved. And the field of applicants ain't exactly the prime pickins of cat-oriented humanity. (Below is Smitty with big kitten Sky.)I will keep Smitty on craigslist, however, so that someone remarkable can find him. Smitty absorbs most of my attention, and my older kitties suffer -- they deserve more attention than they get anyway.

Meezers R Us

2011-05-24T16:36:00.008-05:00

While the new kitten eats, Alvin looks at me with exasperated disbelief. "Another cat yet. How original."Yesterday a teen girl knocked on my door with this Siamese kitten in her arms. She found him abandoned at the neighborhood park. I took him in to foster because he should be easy to rehome.My other meezer kids are Sailor (below left) with his buddy boy Sky, who is still feral.Sky's sibling Dutch (below), who seemed so male, has turned out to be a girl. I love her brown tabby points. She's still feral too.

Wally the chill king

2011-05-18T15:09:00.002-05:00

Waldo is seen here napping amid the debris of my kitchen renovation, which is finally almost complete.The photo below shows key elements of my fresh new retro '40s kitchen, which soon will be unveiled here, complete with kitties on the countertop.

Centerfold spread

2011-05-08T21:25:00.004-05:00

Our playmate of the month is Sailor. His hobbies include yoga, social networking, personal hygiene and applied entomology.

Sailor laps it up

2011-05-02T10:03:00.005-05:00

Siamese kitten Sailor is now officially a former feral. He has finally let me rub him and he likes it, a lot. Especially head scratchies and belly rubs. He and grey tabby Homer are still best buddies.

Matched pairs

2011-04-27T11:03:00.007-05:00

Betty looks remarkably calm considering that feral bad boy Jerry is just behind her.Puppy, who's been wallowing in dirt, and kitten Ida are unrelated but so alike. They're both lovey pushy lap hogs. (That's my lap.)

The fab four

2011-04-23T13:34:00.010-05:00

Siblings Hugo, Flip, Cleo and Ida are so lucky to be growing up together. (Their mom Pegeen comes around at night.) You can see Ida's shaved belly from her spay surgery -- she's on the far right.My Easter wish is that everyone who wants to adopt a cat will instead get a family of cats. Though cats are hardcore individualists, they have magnificent fun in groups. Bring home one of the many many mom-and-kitten litters who've been dumped at your local shelter!

Kitsch and cats

2011-04-17T09:26:00.002-05:00

I'm overhauling my 1944 kitchen, and the kitties as usual are very paws-on with the process. Siamese kitten Sailor oversees the messy sink while Roger stocks the kitchen shelves. I can't wait to show some "after" photos of the finished kitchen in a few weeks.

We too are trees

2011-04-09T13:00:00.008-05:00

I'm grieving trees. The new owners of the house across the street cut down two beautiful tall old Italian cypress trees and two shade trees. It was senseless and horrific.Trees are rare here on the arid plains, and in my old neighborhood the trees have survived for decades against the odds.

I won't even cut down the dead tree in my back yard. Linus (above) climbed it this week -- it's the first tree he ever noticed. He's my toothless wonder, a 7-year-old FIV survivor and ultra love Puppy.

Seen in the same tree are Flip (top branch) and lookalike tuxedo boy Jerry, who is a new feral.

Sailor's playlist: love songs for Homer

2011-03-31T09:57:00.004-05:00

Close to You (The Carpenters):Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me (Rocky Horror Picture Show):Two of a Kind (Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer):Mean to Me (Billie Holiday):Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (Show Boat):

Flying cat-shaped particles

2011-03-25T05:34:00.004-05:00

One minute earlier reveals the reason for Natalie's sudden propulsion: the uncomfortable proximity of Waldo. Also seen are black Linus and tabby girl Cricket. (Click photos to enlarge.)

Homer's little stalker

2011-03-17T10:41:00.004-05:00

Siamese kitten Sailor is so excited! He has a new BFF! It's Homer!It started with naps together. Then Sailor began following Homer around. Now it's late-night wrestling bouts. I only wish Homer didn't seem so bored with all this adoration.

Wally World

2011-03-14T20:56:00.004-05:00

It looks like Waldo (Wally) is here to stay. His hurt foot has healed. He's in love with the yard and kitty door. He is one happy camper.The tabby next to Waldo is another new kitty, Cricket. She was feral but became tame within a few months. Cricket now pretty much rules the bed.

Flipping out

2011-03-09T14:50:00.002-06:00

At first it was hard not calling him Madge -- his name when I thought he was a girl. But now he's such a Flip. His nicknames include Flipper, Flip the Dip, and Dippity Do. (That's Betty in the background above.)He won't have those cute little two-tone danglies in back much longer. His siblings Hugo and Ida have already been neutered, and Flip and Cleo are next.

Where's Waldo been?

2011-03-05T09:17:00.006-06:00

New kid Waldo appeared in my yard this week with a hurt front foot. He's a lap cat, a bed hog, and a total sweetheart, even to other cats.I've got Waldo on craigslist but don't expect his owner to turn up. It's a joy to be able to comfort him after whatever traumas got him here, unlike the many ferals I can't hold and reassure.

Hugo Boss and Sailor Moon

2011-02-24T08:26:00.005-06:00

Sailor is the only kitten without siblings, so he is grateful when a big man on campus like Hugo includes him in games. They are playing here with an exposed dead tree root.Hugo is the grey one; Sailor is Siamese with a stripe down his back.

Over the lips and under the tongue

2011-02-17T08:31:00.002-06:00

This film clip of a cat lapping milk is from a 1940 Oscar-winning short, Quicker'n a Wink.
I made this video the lazy way, by photographing the TV screen.

iGidget connections

2011-02-13T16:12:00.004-06:00

left footsie > ethernet
right footsie > USB

Two-eyed Sailor

2011-02-09T11:10:00.004-06:00

He's no longer a one-eyed Sailor -- his injured eye has healed and opened up. Only his eyelashes have yet to grow back in.Sailor is still an untouchable semi-feral, but he watches with wide-eyed curiosity when I rub the other kitties, like he has a secret crush on me. I sure am sending him valentine vibes.

Queen Pegeen

2011-02-06T11:57:00.004-06:00

Ever since mama Pegeen weaned her kittens months ago, she has been downright mean to them, refusing to let them get near her. But she has finally mellowed (being spayed helped) and her kittens are thrilled to cuddle with her again. The happiest kitten is Flip (the former Madge) who was heartbroken over his mom's earlier rejection.In the photos, the Russian blue is Pegeen, the longhair is Hugo, the black is Cleo, and the tuxedo is Flip.

Cirque du Betty

2011-01-31T08:35:00.000-06:00

Betty simply refuses to be surpassed when it comes to outrageous poses.

Stella by sunlight

2011-01-27T16:21:00.002-06:00

Just when I thought I had seen every imaginable kitty position on this bed, Stella of Arlington, Texas, tops them all. Stella's mom says, "I had been working at my desk and literally turned around and there she was, as if she were on some beach somewhere after several margaritas! She just loves that bed!"

Back up Betty's tree

2011-01-23T10:14:00.005-06:00

This tree (this branch, in fact) is Betty's favorite performance space. When other cats climb her tree, she gets jealous and has to upstage them with her acrobatic antics.

Sister, sister

2011-01-17T09:38:00.003-06:00

Seeing Ida and Cleo in this embrace made me start humming the White Christmas sisters duet, "Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister ..."

Moderncat in our garage

2011-01-11T12:10:00.004-06:00

I'm so pleased that my scrappy garage shelves caught the eye of Moderncat. Today, with our temperatures in the teens, the garage is occupied only by a few hardcore feral cats, mainly Dutch and Sky, below. (Every other cat has taken cover in the house, where we're stacked on top of each other, bickering over the warmest spots.)Feral kittens Dutch and Sky, above, are sons of tabby Francine, the still-feral sister of my dear departed Pierre. (Yes, I am the worst trapper-neuterer on record, having failed to trap Francine long ago -- she's been trap-shy ever since I caught her accidentally as a kitten while trying to trap her mom.)Above are Sailor and Dutch. Sailor (a boy, a bit older, and still feral) splits his time among indoors, outdoors, and under the house. I so wish Dutch and Sky would come inside, but they go where their mom goes, and even in this weather Francine won't come in the house.

Pecan roll

2011-01-08T12:50:00.006-06:00

Among the found outdoor objects the kittens drag in through the kitty door, pecans from our trees are a favorite toy. This shipping tube, which contained linoleum for our new kitchen countertops, became a play chute for the kittens to chase a pecan through. It's a noisy but popular game, day and night.

Hello Sailor

2011-01-03T11:47:00.010-06:00

This feral Siamese older kitten (I'm calling her Sailor for now) has been living in the garage, keeping her distance from me, but sneaking in the kitty door at night. Yesterday morning I woke to find her curled up on a rug in front of the heater, just a few feet away from my bed! She won't let me get close enough to take good photos of her injured eye, but she is happily exploring the house. And her gentle presence in the chair didn't even bother Gidget.

Son-mama pajama party

2010-12-29T18:17:00.007-06:00

Long-time couple Olga and son Jesse (in back) are joined by Homer and his newly tame mom Suzy.Suzy was spayed while Homer was still a kitten, but she has remained feral until recently, when she suddenly wanted me to pet her. Now she's a total cuddler. She's actually more my buddy than Homer's.Below are Homer and Suzy a year ago, when they were both feral and living in a closet.

Christmas is a healthy kitty

2010-12-24T17:46:00.004-06:00

Madge has been on medication for a serious upper respiratory infection, but I knew she was feeling better when she posed pertly in this box of peanuts.Now my only problem with Madge is identity -- it turns out Madge is a boy. Maybe I should call him Peanut.

Slap happy

2010-12-20T08:42:00.002-06:00

Madge and Hugo do slappy boxing while Daisy issues her commentary in the background.

Easy Alvin

2010-12-15T13:53:00.003-06:00

Alvin strikes this pose all the time, and it always breaks me up. Something about his cool nonchalance despite that smotheringly fluffy neck ruff. He reminds me of my favorite lolcat:

DIY climbable Christmas tree

2010-12-10T16:20:00.003-06:00

A mod tree I made is featured on moderncat. It's not for sale, but the DIY instructions are online.

Grassy Gidget

2010-12-04T10:32:00.004-06:00

Gidget rolls in dirt daily, but she likes to top her dirt off with a crunchy coating of dried grass.

Dirty Betty

2010-11-29T18:03:00.005-06:00

Rolling in dirt is my cats' favorite outdoor activity.Betty got herself dusted up and then floated like a brown cloud into my lap.

Swivel-action ears

2010-11-22T11:52:00.002-06:00

Homer's ears remind me of turn signals. Antennae. Origami. A donkey.

Ida Clare

2010-11-17T06:40:00.003-06:00

I declare. Ida Clare plays slip-n-slide on our white plastic photo background. The video gets suspenseful when her claw is hung on the string, but it turns out fine.

Junior varsity modeling squad

2010-11-13T09:36:00.001-06:00

Teammates Cleo, Hugo and Ida practice their kitty bed modeling moves. Pro coach Cosmo gives tips from the sidelines.

Marvelicious

2010-11-09T11:04:00.006-06:00

Man-about-town Marvin still visits daily, but it's been ages since he was here for a kitty bed photo shoot. He's still a marvelicious model. Just give that boy a pink mouse and watch him go.I found out that Marvin has a home. My former neighbor kids Hope and Taylor met Marvin's people, who live about half a block from me.

Homer the horse

2010-11-04T19:34:00.007-05:00

He's all lanky legs, galloping loudly through the house. When I pick him up, he's stiff and gangly as a colt. His fur feels coarse and wiry.He runs roughshod over the kittens when playing with them. Outside he lurches at every passing insect, and actually tries to chase ... grass. Let's face it: Homer is a total hayseed. If he was a Damon Runyon character, he'd be Homer the Horse.But Homer adores me, and that makes me feel like a million bucks. I'm just a doll what is stuck on a grey-tabby guy.

Our new garage shelves

2010-10-30T20:59:00.003-05:00

I finally finished building my scrappy shelves in the garage. The kitty climbing steps are denoted by folded green fabric (and Natalie).The climbing tower is really clunky, but I hope it will ease some of the feral kitty traffic and squabbling when the food bowls are put under the tower.I like how the diagonal kitty steps along the wall help shape the storage spaces above and below.

Upsy Daisy

2010-10-28T09:06:00.002-05:00

As the weather gets colder, Daisy makes like a solar panel, absorbing the maximum available sunshine. She even gets exposure where the sun don't shine.

Madge and Hugo

2010-10-25T17:09:00.006-05:00

Hugo looks like a 60% greyscale version of his tuxedo sister Madge. And he's about 20% bigger than his sisters. They all have short hair except Hugo, who has huggy-bear medium-long fur.

Ida and Cleo

2010-10-22T12:34:00.005-05:00

Physically these sisters are almost indistinguishable. But Ida's soft expression (below) reveals her mellow, loverly nature. She's like a wise older cat in a kitten's body.Cleo (below) still hasn't forgiven me for putting meds down her throat, but now she is 100% healthy, a rambunctious wild child.

Munchkinland

2010-10-17T20:28:00.007-05:00

As usual, everything has changed with the feral kittens. They haven't left for almost a week -- lulling me into thinking they're here to stay. Ida sleeps in my lap. Cleo, who once purred while I rubbed her belly, now hates me because I gave her oral antibiotics. Hugo (below) lets me rub him only while I give him treats. Madge (below) loves the lumber piles in the back yard. The kittens don't much mind the noise of my power tools in the garage, where I'm halfway done building shelves and kitty lofts.

Fall rummage

2010-10-11T13:00:00.008-05:00

I emptied the garage (something that hasn't been done to that musty shed in 60 years) to build shelves for my scrap lumber collection.The temporary junk piles in the back yard make fine kitty entertainment. Roger, Betty and Olga check it out.The new garage shelves, to be made of these wood scraps, will be feral-oriented, with a series of cat steps to the rafters and even a sort of spiral kitty staircase.

Kitten drama-rama

2010-10-08T13:18:00.006-05:00

Living with a family of feral kittens is not for the faint of heart -- and my heart gets fainter as we go along.One kitten, Heather, has disappeared, leaving four. Two sick kittens have been to the vet. Mom Pegeen has been spayed. They've all moved into the house, but leave and return every few days like transients -- except Cleo (formerly Andy).Cleo is black, the runt of the litter, and now a tame sweetheart. She resists following her mom around the neighborhood like her siblings. She's the only one who knows this is home.

Peanut butter and jelly

2010-10-04T14:45:00.003-05:00

I picked up this 1970s board game in the freebie bin at an estate sale. Liesl immediately took over the center sandwich position.

All quiet next door

2010-09-28T20:43:00.009-05:00

They moved away a month ago -- my cat-loving neighbors Taylor and Hope, ages 9 and 11. Their family left around the same time my feral kittens arrived, so I've been focusing on the kittens instead of missing Hope and Taylor. But I loved those girls.

They had a wacky yet sophisticated sense of humor. They were so tuned in to my cats' personalities, and the cats loved hanging out with the girls. We laughed hard and had such creative fun playing with the kitties during the short year they lived next door.Taylor had a silly compulsion to squeeze into small spaces (above). She insisted on crawling into my oversize cat carrier. She also inserted herself into the rolled-up white plastic sheeting I use as a backdrop for kitty bed photo shoots. She looks like a cigarette.The contrasting expressions (above) of Hope and my cat Daisy are so true to form -- Hope's dear sweetness and Daisy's haughty disdain.

Locally grown organic kitten toy

2010-09-22T13:16:00.008-05:00

It's the oldest game known to kittendom: playing with mother's tail.How does mom Pegeen feel about it? It's cheaper than day care.

Frylock

2010-09-19T14:36:00.007-05:00

Even with the new kittens, Homer is still my heart-throb. In addition to his other nicknames -- Oklahomer, HomeFries, SuperFry -- Homer has joined the Aqua Teen Hunger Force as the feline Frylock.Homer appreciates the Shakespearean reference to Shylock. So literary and yet so greasy.

I love Lucy

2010-09-13T19:44:00.004-05:00

My mother, a dear cat person who has been stuck for years living with one mean psychotic cat, has a new rescue kitty, Lucy. It seems that Lucy hitched a ride home with my parents from a restaurant parking lot, riding behind the car's front grill!Lucy is remarkable in other ways too -- she has light orange tabby points and pale aqua eyes. My mom's older witchy cat has been astoundingly accepting of Lucy, enjoying the chance to dominate another cat, letting the kid entertain her, and even partaking in light games of chase.

Quintuplets are home

2010-09-08T09:27:00.005-05:00

All five kittens are now present and accounted for. Heather finally showed up this morning.We hope this concludes our family drama of the missing kittens and their tearful homecoming. Shown here are the players with featured roles -- Hugo (grey/white) and Heather (grey tortie).

4 out of 5 kittens are back

2010-09-07T09:28:00.009-05:00

I awoke today to a Christmas-morning like joy -- three kittens had returned! Feral mom Pegeen then showed up with a fourth kitten following at her heels. Now I'm anxiously waiting for Pegeen to come back with the last kitten, Heather. I have no idea what's up with all this coming and going. I'm just so happy they're home.Above, kitten Madge is fascinated by Cosmo, who's trying to play down his own frisky fascination with the kittens.

Kitten change of address

2010-09-06T10:28:00.009-05:00

Feral mom Pegeen has moved her kittens away from here. It's very sad and mysterious to me. Yesterday morning I got up to find four of the five kittens gone, but Pegeen and big boy Hugo still here. Pegeen then disappeared all day, and Hugo felt so lost. I searched the neighborhood and every nook and cranny close to home, but no sign of them. Last night Pegeen returned to eat, and Hugo and I followed her with a flashlight when she left. She went out to the alley, over one house, down the driveway, and across the next street, where she disappeared between two houses. I scrambled over two fences to keep up with her (fortunately that house was vacant), and shone the flashlight so that Hugo could see her and stay with her.She probably moved the kittens to get them away from the unneutered male cats who come through our backyard to eat. She kept vigilant watch over the kittens, so much that I worried how she ever got any sleep. The kittens were born under my house and had moved to my backyard garage. They bounced around the yard and slept in the bed I set up for them outside the garage door.I wonder why Pegeen left Hugo behind. I wonder if the kittens have a food supply and a safe place to play. Now I may never get Pegeen spayed, and her kittens will remain feral and unneutered as well. They were in my life for less than three weeks, and I didn't have time or space for them, and my other cats are so relieved to see them gone, but I miss the little munchkins. I just keep crying. I don't understand. I can't believe they're gone. I hope they're OK.

Itty bitty kitty committee

2010-08-30T13:25:00.013-05:00

We have five kittens. I feel guilty and overwhelmed. Guilty for preaching trap-neuter-return of feral cats and failing to do it right myself. Overwhelmed at having five new cats in one fell swoop.

Feral mom Pegeen has given up trying to wean these monsters:Hugo is the biggest and most shy:Ida (Lupino) and Andy are almost indistinguishable, except that Ida lets me touch her:Heather is probably a girl. Most tortoiseshells are:And the baby is Madge:The reaction of my other cats has been mixed:
40% disgusted/reviled
10% freaked out/paranoid
10% fiendishly intrigued
40% whatever/what else is new?

Group portrait with benches

2010-08-24T22:08:00.008-05:00

I made these 14 benches from old discarded wood left over after I rebuilt my fence. The benches are perfectly proportioned for me and the cats. I rearrange them all the time, all over the yard.The kitties-in-the-round are, clockwise from center bottom: Natalie, Linus, Olga (face and paw only), Gidget, Daisy (back only), Alvin, and Betty.Gidget (left) and Betty prefer the top bench.

Here comes Choo Choo

2010-08-19T13:48:00.007-05:00

Meet my stray, Patchouli (Choo Choo, or Chooch). I've been feeding her since I bought this house 3 years ago. She is friendly and spayed, so she must have been someone's pet before they abandoned her.Chooch has a phobia of being inside the house -- she'd probably been forced to be an outside cat. Every winter I carry her inside, but she's miserable and angry and just wants out. But lately she has finally made a change -- she's been coming in the house regularly and staying for hours at a time, even lounging with me on the bed!

The case of the missing stripes

2010-08-15T14:24:00.003-05:00

Has anyone seen Homer's stripes? He had them a few months ago.As Homer's hair shed this summer, his shoulders and back became more solid grey. Silly boy -- lost the stripes right off his back.

Have some candy

2010-08-10T09:13:00.001-05:00

We're a piece of Daily Candy today.

Too many models

2010-08-07T13:56:00.006-05:00

Betty had lots of company while she modeled this kitty bed. Gidget hammed it up in front while Olga stalked from behind.Betty's poses are fabulous, but I wound up using a photo of Olga on the bed. (Betty's spots are just too much for this floral pattern!)

Still life with tomatoes

2010-08-04T11:39:00.009-05:00

The kitties love our tomato "forest" -- tall metal cages overflowing with tomato plants. What the cats don't get is my obsession with this sticky, sweet, tangy colorful fruit.

Puppy poses with Celebrity tomatoes. Jesse is in the background.Alvin does a prim white-glove pose, with Juliet tomatoes (a paste/roma variety) in the background.Cosmo complements the cream of the crop, a Green Zebra heirloom tomato.

How to sleep

2010-07-28T19:36:00.005-05:00

Let Homer be your guide.

Embraceable you

2010-07-21T11:14:00.001-05:00

Homer and Alvin love no-holds-barred wrestling.

Amazons in a box

2010-07-17T11:17:00.006-05:00

The items I ordered from Amazon were eligible for Free Super Tortie Shipping. And I have the super torties to show for it. That's Natalie above and Liesl below. (Honey West isn't a tortoiseshell, but she has an ocelot named Bruce!)

Naming kitty names

2010-07-11T13:57:00.013-05:00

I've finally added labels to all my past blog posts -- see list at left. Each kitty's name is now referenced and cross-referenced for your reference. The list is embarrassingly long, but many of these kitties are either infrequent visitors or no longer with us.

In fact, to stay ahead of demand I maintain a list of future kitty names waiting for the right kitty personality to appear and claim them. Here are some names I can't wait to use:Notes on the above:
- When I lived in west Los Angeles, I found that everything had Beverly or Monica in its name. Great sister names.
- Quilty is the Peter Sellers character in Lolita. Ideal for a calico or multipersonality cat.
- Composer Hoagy Carmichael, guitarist Django Reinhardt, choreographer Busby Berkeley, comedian Flip Wilson.
- Minnie (as in Pearl) was my childhood nickname.

Gus the lounge king

2010-07-05T18:16:00.003-05:00

Take a load off, Gus. Let your hair down. Spread out. Cool your heels.It's been 5 years since I trapped and neutered Gus. He's still feral, but a delightful and easygoing cat. The only thing that gets him uptight is when I try to touch him.

Jesse and Homer

2010-07-01T17:26:00.006-05:00

Despite the sweltering summer heat, Jesse cuddles up as close as he can get to his belly-up buddy Homer.Homer is one of those rare cats who seems to bring out the best in other kitties. He has befriended shy Jesse, gently teaching him to frolic and wrestle with someone other than mama Olga. This has boosted Jesse's self-confidence and made Jesse more boldly affectionate with me too.

Queen of the jungle

2010-06-25T12:27:00.005-05:00

Betty Bob is working on tricks for her Tarzan tree act. She can practically swing around a branch by her back legs. My friend Hope calls her "Bob, Bob, Bob of the Jungle."

Gidget's misadventure

2010-06-20T11:18:00.006-05:00

Gidget was missing for over two days, but my 11-year-old friend Hope heard Gidget's voice in a neighbor's backyard shed and rescued her. Gidget was OK but skinnier (she needed to lose some weight anyway).Here Gidget sleeps it off with 9-year-old Taylor (Hope's sister) who likes to curl up on this credenza with the kitty cushions.

Cosmo's modeling mishap

2010-06-15T14:44:00.008-05:00

He's not even tame yet, but feral Cosmo is already a kitty bed model. After pulling off a daring lean-back pose, he took this scary spill.But with the help of a Jake & Micah catnip fortune cookie, he quickly recovered his happy-go-lucky poise.