Weekly Postings

can we do a weekly post? let's see. firstly, i'm writing this from my smartphones, hence the poor capitalization and lack of exclamation points. the kids have moved to yet another house. this is their third new place since moving to a new country. they have dealt with a mini heat wave, new smells, new cats and keeping the family safe from crows. last week irwin saw a crow hopping across the dining room skylight. it was quite a thrill. then he saw a seagull on the deck, which was a first. at one point, both irwin and bindi were stlaking crows on the roof next door from the safety of the kitchen counter.

currently they are preparing for a new family member. we are expecting our first human baby in late october. they have been assured that they are the original kids and will alays be loved and cared for. i will spend my mat leave hugging and cuddling them before the new kitten comes.

Happy Birthday to Irwin!

Irwin's tenth birthday was Monday, June 13! Ten years ago I gazed upon a litter of kittens in my friend's apartment in San Diego. Before he was officially named Irwin, we called him Cowpoke since he looked like a little cow with his black and white spots.

I remember carrying him home in my hands, this tiny little ball of fluff, while I had a cast on my leg. We spent the first few summer days together in the living room. He had his own carrier, a bowl ready for him and loving aunts to spoil him with love and toys.

Digital cameras were an expensive luxury at the time. I took as many pictures with film as possible. Many of them were too blurry, a problem I've had with all my babies so far!

My roomate and I agreed to name him Irwin, after Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. He was given a gift of a crocodile to snuggle with!

In his first few weeks on this planet he made a huge change in my life. Truly, from the moment he was born, my life got better. My roommate and I had many male friends, but Irwin hated them all! We were his ladies and no other male was good enough for his mom! When I met my future husband, I told him that if Irwin didn't approve of him, there was no future. Sure enough, on our first date he picked up that little kitten and Irwin started purring! Irwin is a wonderful judge of character!

In his ten years, he has raised two other cats. Months later I rescued his little sister, another black and white kitten from the same queen, Libby. (I gave Libby's dad money to get her spayed so she would stop having so many kittens!) When I brought her home, Irwin took to her in a moment and started caring for her. Bindi would try to nurse on Irwin, and he let her try!

As I write this entry, these two little bundles of love are snuggled to my left. So much love!

Years later we rescued a tiny kitten who would have died on his own. His eyes had just opened, and his ears hadn't even popped up. Irwin knew exactly how to care for this little orange ball of fluff. Irwin, the male cat, is one of the best mothers in the world!

So, my little kitten, I love you with all my heart and look forward to a long and happy life with you, your dad and your little siblings!

Gus: My little brother

People think that when you move away, even after ten years, you don't care about those critters that you shared your life with.

Not me.

We adopted Gus in 1998. We met him at a FOCAS adoption center in a PetSmart in Maryland. This four year old cat needed a home, and we needed help to heal. Mom put her hand in his cage and he nuzzled his head under her hand. It was a sign from our beloved Nicky that this boy would take care of us.

A week later we went back to adopt him. A cute little tortie kitten almost came home instead, but I knew that THIS was the boy for us. Mom always says that I was his champion.

When we brought him home he was very scared. His cries sounded like a baby kitten. He hid behind dishes in the microwave cabinet.

I don't remember how long it took us to realize that we were a family, but it happened.




Gus lounging on the heater, Winter 2010


Gus brought with him a few odd behaviours that we had never dealt with before. He had problems with his eyes, his ears, his hips and his skin. To be honest, he was a funny looking cat! He was this moth-eaten, bat eared, bow legged cat with a funny eye, but he was the jewel in our family.

Izzy never warmed up to him, but Gus didn't let that stop him!

He loved to play with pom poms that he pulled off of the shades.

Last month, Gus left us for the other side.

It's been too much for me to deal with and I've not written about it because of how much it still hurts.

When I was home for the holidays I knew that I was saying goodbye to my sweet little Izzy, but Gus, well, I thought I'd see him again.

I never got to say goodbye.

He looked up, said goodnight to my mother and went to sleep.

I know, I hope, that Katie has greeted him and brought him into her home. I have this image of Katie sitting at the head of the table where all those who have gone before me gather. They take care of each other, tell stories of their lives with us and they wait for us to join them.

I miss my little buddy.

Helping Animals Helps People

http://drupal.animalrefugekansai.org/?q=en/node/11


Here is a link to an animal shelter that will be taking in the animals displaced by the tsunami in Japan. Many humans are unable to keep their pets with them in evacuation shelters, so this is a way to help the animals and their human compantions.

I will keep looking for links to update this entry.

Golgi and Irwin and the Floor of Destiny!

This is a great little video I put together of Golgi and Irwin playing together.

Enjoy!

Bindi Sue: Princess of the Universe

Some cats are momma cats and some cats are baby cats.

Some cats, like Irwin, are both baby kittens and big mommas.

Bindi Sue, however, is a baby girl.

Her favourite things? Her red felted mouse full of organic catnip (she's an eco friendly princess) and cupcakes. She loves her big brother to no end. As soon as any male friend enters our apartment, she starts to flirt with him. She tends to ignore the ladies, unless they give her treats.

Her first night with her family was spent in her dad's armpit in San Diego back in October 2001.

I'll write more about her and her magical paw that she likes to show off, an example can be seen below of this behaviour.

Here is a sweet picture of her in Victoria. I used some photo editing software to enhance her glowing beauty!

Isabella Torbet

Before I adopted my three kids, my mom and I adopted Isabella from an animal shelter in Montgomery County.

She was well loved and enjoyed her life with her big brother Nicholas, and was happy to sit and purr on my mom's lap.

She left us for the next realm.

See you on the other side, baby girl.