Bring on the new year - and the catnip

As 2009 wraps up, I guess it's time to think about 2010. And I suppose there's no better time than the present to make my new year's resolutions.

I resolve to play as hard as I can and have as much fun as I want whenever the mood strikes. Even if it's 4 a.m.

I resolve to love my humans and my kitty brother.

I resolve to get as much sleep as I can because nothing is worse than feeling tired all day.

Yeah, that pretty much sums up my days. Not a lot of changes to make for me.

Wait - what did you ask? "Will I stay up late and watch the ball drop?" Hmm, I always like to get up as soon as Craig and Heather go to bed, so of course I'll be up to ring in the new year. But watch a ball drop? Nah. I might sit in one place and stare out the window for hours, but the idea of watching a giant ball in Times Square slowly descend on the tv screen sounds incredibly boring. I'd rather dance on the kitchen table.

Happy New Year!

A Christmas wish come true

Scruffers and I like to take turns sleeping under the Christmas tree. Of course, when Scruffers is under the tree Heather and Craig "ooh" and "aah" about what an adorable kitty he is. But when I am under the tree Heather pulls out the squirt bottle ready to aim when I taste test the needles.

Of course, when I am under the tree I like to mark the area with my pheromones by rubbing my face against the tree. I'm not really eating the needles; I know they were made in China (by small children). But Scruffers, he's different. When he gets under the tree he stares off into space for a while (usually till he starts snoring and we wake him up with our laughter). Then he gets settled in and takes a long nap.

What is that little guy thinking? Here's what we have decided: Scruffy is still feeling thankful that his wish came true. Remember, just a year ago he was living on the streets in the snow and freezing temperatures, barely getting enough food to survive. And then one day we took him and and nursed him back to health. And now here he is - living indoors, with two square meals every day, two down comforters to sleep on, a fleece snuggle bed, a kitty friend (me!), and two warm laps to choose from. If Christmas is about being thankful for what we have, then Scruffy Gray is celebrating Christmas more than all of us. Merry Christmas, little guy!

Christmas rush and treats for Santa

I know, I know, it's been a long time since I've written to you. Well, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to not keep in touch. I have no excuse except that it's Christmastime and this time of the year I feel the time pinch.

Come on, you have to understand all the things I have to get done. Help Craig and Heather with their Christmas cards (check) - ok, I admit it. I contracted that out to Scruffers. That's why some of them are so late. He's a little slow at cards.

Why? Well, first of all, he spends more time napping than me because he's pretty old. (Sorry, Scruffs, but it's true.) And he's just slow. Between the arthritis in his hind legs and back and the overly-flexible front leg, he has a hard time getting around. And then he spends a lot of time just staring out into space. That eats up a lot of card-writing time too.

Where was I? Gift wrapping (check) - I think. I always love helping wrap presents: chasing the wrapping paper so it stays in line and batting at the tape dispenser. Hanging of the Christmas ornaments and decorations (check). That was fun too. I like to check to make sure the tree is still fresh, but every time I try and taste the needles I get sprayed with the squirt bottle. And sniff the presents (check). Scruffers and I take turns doing that. And sleep under the Christmas tree (check).

See how busy I am? No wonder I don't have time to play! Now, if you excuse me, I have to go bake some tuna treats for Santa. I hope he likes them!

Sweet Dreams!

Sleep tight, little Scruffers! I have noticed that in this super cold weather you've been spending all your free time curled up on one of the down comforters in the house. I'll let you have them 'cause as a Maine Coon, I'm pretty toasty all the time. In fact, I keep begging Heather and Craig to take me outside on the leash but they seem to think it's too cold to go outside.

Gee whiz! Hello! I'm made for this weather! Well, except for the frosted grass. I didn't like how that felt on my little indoor paws. I kept trying to pick one up and shake it off but then I'd have to set it down to do the next one and it seemed, well, never ending. But I did get an awfully tasty tuna treat for letting Heather rub my paws down when we got back inside. And that's what it's all about now, isn't it?

Huddled around the fireplace

Brr, is it ever cold! The heater keeps clicking on and I can feel the chill in the air. Last night we all huddled around the fireplace trying to keep warm and watching the outdoor thermometer drop down to 30 degrees. It was an exceptionally good night to snuggle!

While we were huddled together, I noticed Scruffy got lost in his thoughts by the Christmas tree. He seemed to be remembering the hard times when he struggled to survive out in these miserably cold temperatures.

We're glad you're with us now, Scruffers! Just stop hissing at me, ok? I just want to play!

Where's the Virginia?

After eight days of Heather's mother visiting us, we all assumed she was here to stay for good. Well, heck, if you've seen her unpack her car and fill up the guest room, you would think she had moved in for good!

Scruffy will have one less lap to sleep on. And I will have one less human to avoid when I'm not feeling snuggly (which is most of the day, according to some.)

I know what will happen: Heather will scrub the house and get it back in order just in time for Virginia to come back and visit for Christmas! We're counting down the days!

Don't forget, Virginia - we love catnip presents!

(Photo: Giuseppe Gattino showing his incredible desire to be snuggled by Virginia.)

Feeling thankful for all I have

This is the perfect week to begin a season of feeling thankful for what we have. As an indoor kitty, I have been sheltered and naive to what could happen to me if I were living on the streets.

In the seven months that Scruffers has lived with us, he has taught me a lot about how other animals have to survive fending for themselves. So here's what I'm thankful for:

• My humans - Craig and Heather
• This warm house with many good snuggle spots (and views of the swans and geese)
• My bowl, which is replenished with tasty food twice a day (sometimes requires a lot of meowing to get it filled)
• My kitty brother Scruffy Gray
• My snuggle bed
• My dingle ball
• Belly rubs
• Catnip
• Tasty tuna treats

(Photo: Scruffy Gray enjoys a moment of catnip-induced euphoria in his new home.)

It's the weekend before Thanksgiving and you know what that means, don't you? It's a weekend of Heather cleaning the house for her parents' arrival.

Plus, between now and Thanksgiving the house is going to continuously smell like chicken and turkey! Maybe I can convince Heather to buy some salmon to cook up too...

I can't wait to help Heather out!
My favorite duties:

• Helping make the bed
• Supervising the cleaning of the kitty boxes
• Sniffing the chicken to make sure it's ready to go into the homemade chicken stew (you'd better let me try a sliver!)
• Glaring at the vacuum cleaner when it interrupts my nap
• Making sure the house is bug-free (I like to catch and eat them all!)

Time to get to work! I'd better start by checking on that chicken that's making the house smell so good!

Notes from the snuggle bed

The day started out sunny. I stared out the window in the morning to watch the snow geese play in the lake by my house and enjoyed the quiet. Hmm, quiet? - that means the main road's been closed!

Yup, November brings plenty of rain, which translates as flooding opportunity. The snow geese love the rain because it offers them more ponds to play in when the fields flood. And we love it because the road closes by our house and the traffic noise is lowered significantly. And it gives Heather and Craig a quiet road to run on to check out the snow geese. It's a "win win" situation as you humans would say.

Well, even though the road closed, the noise level has increased because we're in the midst of another wind storm. Time for me to crawl into my snuggle bed and listen to the wind howl while I enjoy a little cat nap. It's another good day to be an indoor kitty!

Must be November

That's right, November is here! It came on quite suddenly, with the usual incredibly loud wind storms and the never-ending northwest rain pelting the windows. Of course, none of that matters to me 'cause I live indoors.

But my favorite part about November is when the snow geese start coming back. I can hear them flying over the house in the morning to head to the wetland mitigation lake below. And then they fly overhead again at dinner time. They're starting to gather here in large numbers and will soon be very vocal. It's music to my kitty ears!

I love to stare at the snow geese and listen to them fly over the house, but when I see how big they are I am thankful I'm an indoor kitty. Right Scruffers?

Ok, gotta run. Snuggle season has begun and I have to claim my spot on the sofa.

King County waives adoption fees for shelter animals

King County is waiving fees on all pets in its shelters and in foster care, officials have announced.

Dogs, puppies and kittens previously cost $75 to adopt, and adult cats were $35, according to the county. While there still will be a charge for a pet license, the change is part of an effort to find pets safe homes as flood season begins.

When the county adopts out animals, vaccinations, including rabies, are included. A list of adoptable pets is at www.kingcounty.gov/pets.

County Executive Kurt Triplett announced in late September his intent to move pets out of the county's Kent shelter by Nov. 1 because the building could be flooded this winter due to damage to the Howard Hanson Dam.

At that time, Triplett also said King County would stop providing shelter and animal-control services to cities by the middle of next year as part of an effort to close a budget gap.

While the county has identified a few sites for a temporary shelter, it hasn't closed a deal yet, Christine Lange, a county spokeswoman, said last week.

"We're very close to having plans finalized, and the animals will be out of the shelter well in advance of a flood event," Lange said.

The county's Kent shelter on Oct. 19 stopped accepting pets given up by owners, she said. Last week, the shelter had 310 animals, county records show. There were 523 more animals, mostly cats, in foster care.

Is it your turn to rescue a kitty? I hope so.

(Photo courtesy of www.petfinder.com)

Cat gets H1N1: Furry housemates may have flu risk, too

Oh no! What if I wake up and look like this? Please don't let me get the swine flu!

By The Washington Post and The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Does the swine-flu pandemic pose a threat to your pet? Yes, according to a new report from the American Veterinary Medical Association.

A cat in Iowa tested positive for the H1N1 virus, state officials confirmed Wednesday, "marking the first time a cat has been diagnosed with this strain of influenza," the association said.

The 13-year-old domestic short-haired kitty was treated last week at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ames and recovered, officials said. The virus also has been confirmed in two ferrets — one in Oregon and the other in Nebraska — but they died.

"We've known certainly it's possible this could happen," said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) spokesman Tom Skinner. "This may be the first instance where we have documentation that transmission occurred involving cats or dogs."

The veterinarian who treated the cat, Dr. Brett Sponseller, said two of the three people in the cat's Iowa home had flu-like symptoms before the cat became ill. The case was confirmed at Iowa State and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Other influenza strains have been known to cross species, but Sponseller cautioned against drawing too many conclusions from the cat, including whether other pets also could get the swine flu: "It's well documented in influenza in general, but this is the first highly suspected case of H1N1 going from humans into a cat."

The indoor cat was lethargic, had a loss of appetite and appeared to have trouble breathing after it became infected, Sponseller said. Its owners declined to comment.

Officials said pet owners should take the same precautions against spreading swine flu to pets as they would with humans.

Getting children vaccinated for swine flu also can help prevent the illness from spreading to pets. There is no swine-flu vaccine for pets.

Dr. Ann Garvey, Iowa's state health veterinarian, said it is not known how sick pets could get from swine flu. "Because we haven't seen that many cases, it's difficult to give a blanket assessment on how sick it can make an animal," she said.

Officials also stressed there is no evidence swine flu can be passed from pets to people. "But it's so early in the game we don't know how it's going to behave," said Michael San Filippo, spokesman for the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Oh, Scruffy - trick or treat!

What's that noise? I swear I just heard Heather walk upstairs with a clean kitty box. I'd better go check it out.

Yup, there's fresh kitty litter in my freshly scrubbed box. But, here's my favorite part - I beat Scruffers to the inspection of his box. And his box has been scrubbed clean too.

I look around to see if he's coming. Nope. I quickly jump into his box and lie down. I love to rub my scent in all over his box so he can't get away from me! Might as well tinkle a little too so he really knows I was here. He he he!

(Photo: Giuseppe Gattino looking around for a sign of Scruffers.)

Who wants to start with some worms?

Halloween was so much fun! I thought it was ging to be an annoying evening but after being cranky all week, Heather adjusted her attitude and we had a blast!

First I helped her decorate the outside of the house. We added fake spiderwebs sporting fake spiders and old campaign signs redecorated with messages such as "danger ahead!" and "beware!" leading up to the house.

Then the fun began! Heather made (and I supervised) a dinner plate to scare off the children. It sported worms (ramen noodles soaked in soy sauce), bugs (cooked white beans) and hearts of bad children (chicken hearts). And then I helped her as she changed into her super-scary Halloween costume. She painted her nails black and ringed her eyes with this hideous neon green eyeshadow. Next she put on black pants and a black shirt and then covered them with a long black dress that looks like one of those coats Iranian women have to wear in public. Heather then put this awful looking red mask over her head and tucked it into the Iranian coat. Scruffy took one look at her and hid behind the couch!

OK, talking about Scruffers, notice that he thought that worms, bugs and the hearts of bad children would make a tasty meal. He attempted to eat it a few times! Scruffers - wouldn't you rather have that nice soft kitty food Heather feeds us?

The doorbell rang and Heather got to test out her costume. She opened the door and - the first child cried. And the second. And the third one ran away and had to be brough back by his brother. Heather ended up taking off her mask for all the smaller children and only offered the optional worm meal to the older kids. My favorite was when she asked the 11-year old girls (all dressed up as sexy cheerleaders, yuck!) if they wanted to try some worms. They actually screamed! Scruffers and I were on the ground rolling with laughter! Only one kid wanted to taste a chicken heart but Heather had to take the plate away and explain that they were raw. Come on kid, chocolates or a chicken heart. It shouldn't be a difficult decision!

It was a dark and stormy night...

It feels like Halloween, doesn't it? I'm sitting on my throne (not in the bathroom, silly - up on the fleece blanket on the dresser) and all I can hear is the wind whipping around. The trees are creaking, leaves are flying everywhere, and I can hear the wind rush into our fireplace. It's an exceptionally good night to be an indoor kitty.

Of course, I don't know what it looks like outside because Heather closed all the blinds, but if I could see outside, this is what I would imagine - a dark and spooky. What a perfect way to usher in Halloween!

(Photo taken from Eddie Soloway's website. Eddie, I don't know who you are but you sure know how to capture a spooky looking evening!)

Who wants dinner-o?

Aah, dinner-o, one of my favorite meals of the day! And tonight was a special treat! Where do I begin?

Heather chose not to feed us before she left for yoga. We knew she'd be back after dinnertime but she decided that feeding us on time wasn't a priority. So we waited. And waited. And the next thing you know it's 7:45 and Heather's just coming home. And with groceries in her hand to boot. OK, it was bad enough she left us to go to yoga, but then she went shopping afterwards. Sheesh!

Heather raced in the door and fed us pretty quickly. Scruffers and I were too busy having our nightly feeding frenzy contest to be mad at her. Then Scruffers made Heather take his bowl upstairs (like every freakin' night) so he could finish dinner in peace. So far, all's normal.

Heather sits down at the diniing room table to eat her dinner and that's when the fun begins. Scruffers comes back downstairs and sits in front of my tunnel and begins retching. As he and Heather are facing each other. Imagine: Heather sitting at the table with a bite of food in her mouth watching Scruffers retch and regurgitate his dinner all over my tunnel and all over the living room carpet. She was horrified. Then to top it off, Scruffers had to wipe his mouth off on the tunnel to get the last bit of saliva and slop that was hanging from his lips. Ugh! I swear Heather turned green.

She tried to finish dinner and calmly waited for Scruffers to eat the slop off the floor and from inside the tunnel before she started cleaning. It definitely wasn't her night.

Maybe next time you'll feed us before yoga, eh?

We're thinking of you, Cynthia

Our kitty friend Cynthia goes in for surgery today for a double mastectomy. Yikes! I know Cynthia from my young days - she and Dave raised me from the time I was born till I was old enough to come live with Craig and Heather. She also took great care of me last Christmas.

Scruffers fell in love with Cynthia the moment he met her. While he was still nervous about being touched outside of his safety zone (Heather's office) he one day met Cynthia at the front door and proceeded to jump into her lap and purr while she gave him a full body rub. Here he is (left) keeping Cynthia from getting beyond the front entry way.

Get well soon, Cynthia! We both miss you!

Shtinky Puddin' must be so upset!

Did you see the news? Shtinky Puddin' - don't look; it's not pretty. It's time for you to save the tigers!

Experts: Tigers fast dying out despite campaigns

The world's tiger population is declining fast despite efforts to save them, and new strategies are urgently needed to keep the species from dying out, international wildlife experts said Tuesday.

An estimated 3,500 to 4,000 tigers now roam the world's forests, down from the more than 100,000 estimated at the beginning of the 20th century. All the remaining tigers are in Asia.

Taken from an article by BINAJ GURUBACHARYA - Associated Press Writer

BINSAR BAKKARA / AP: A newborn Sumatran tiger cub is seen near the paws of its mother at a zoo in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. There are thought to be only around 250 Sumatran tigers left in the wild.

Welcome to the Rainy Season

It looks like my days of going outside on the leash are over for now. Fall is here and so is the rain. And the gray. Heather was excited for the beginning of the fall rainy season but who knows why. She said she was sick of training but the good weather made her want to continue training so she wanted the good weather to hurry up and go away. Uh, can't you just take a break from training when the weather's nice? Guess not. Maybe that's why you got injured, Miss "I can't take a day off and miss a day of the best summer we've had in forever."

OK, so I live with a weird-o. Two of them. Craig was ready for the rain too because he's sick of being on the road and hiking all the time for his next book project. And talk about injured! Mister "I'll just take more painkiller so I can continue researching this backpacking book." Why can't you guys just see the sunny weather and enjoy it from inside like I do? Take a long nap in the sun, watch the reflection of the sun hitting my name tag and chase it around the living room until I find a bug to stalk.

I like sunny days. Why anyone would wish for this wet, gloomy weather is beyond me. Hot chocolate season, puleaze! Kitties can't have chocolate. The only thing to look forward to is the return of the tundra and trumpeter swans and the snow geese.Thank goodness I do live inside, though, 'cause those things are HUGE.

Happy Thanksgiving to Canadians and Scruffy Gray

I talked with Scruffy Gray this morning and he told me he wanted to celebrate a late Canadian Thanksgiving since it's too early to celebrate it here. "Why?" I asked him and here's what he had to say.

Scruffers: "The weather is turning cold and rainy and every time I look outside I remember how miserable I was last year. Living outside in the cold, the pouring rain, fending for myself, with no one to care for me. And here I am, inside a warm, dry house, with a soft fleece bed to nap on, a new kitty friend (that's you, Giuseppe Gattino!), great humans who love me, and two delicious meals served to me every day. I am forever grateful that I was rescued and given another chance at life."

Wow. Sometimes I'm so busy playing, napping, getting petted and making sure I get fed on time that I forget how lucky I am. Thanks for the reminder, Scruffers!

Leave Us Alone

That's right, I don't want to be bugged today. I still feel sub-optimal after yesterday's visit to the vet. What did I get? Two shots, a blood draw and an oral injection? Something like that. All I know is that it was a terrifying experience. Sure, yeah, the vet's a great woman - she even knew that I preferred to ride on her right shoulder! But still, who wants to go to the doc and be treated like a pin cushion?

And afterwards I came home and had the shivers all day and later threw up my dinner. I'm still trying to sleep it off. I hope I feel better soon.

Then, to top it off, Craig left for who knows where so he can't take care of me. AND Scruffy was super stressed out for who-knows-what reason (who really knows what goes on in that odd little head of his?) and he regurgitated his breakfast and his dinner.

What's the difference between regurgitation and vomiting, you ask? Well, for us kitties, the difference lies in whether we can still eat it again. Scruffy ate his mess on the carpet and I just stared at mine with mild interest (though I was far more interested in watching Heather scrub the carpet clean).

Lump

What could the lump be in the couch? Could it be Giuseppe singing a classic song from the Presidents of the United States of America?

Or could it be Giuseppe hiding from the world?

I would guess option B if I were you. Especially 'cause that song is funny only if you hear it once in a blue moon. But afterwards you'll find it in your head for weeks and that always annoys me. Who wants a dumb song like that floating around in their head for weeks on end? Not me. I'd rather find myself singing "Peaches".

Now, where was I? Oh yeah, why I'm hiding. Everybody needs a time out once in a while and today's my day. Today we find out of Virginia stays with us for another week or if she is able to go home. The anticipation is killing me. I think I'll hide till I find out.

There's something about that hat

I don't know what it is but I can't stay away from Craig's Green Trails hat. Craig will come back from a hiking trip and set his hat on top of his backpack and the next thing you know the scent lures me in. I sniff the air and all I can smell is his awesome hat.

I have to check it out. First I walk over to casually inspect his backpack. Then I see the hat, waiting for me. I jump up and stealthily grab the hat! I inhale deeply and the aroma overpowers me. I take the hat with my teeth and drop it on the living room floor. Then I rub my head all over it. And roll around on it. And the next thing you know I've been rolling and sniffing for long enough that Heather and Craig are standing over me, laughing. I gulp and try to regain my composure. How could I look so silly? I try to ignore that hat but there's something about it that tickles my nose.

(Photo: Giuseppe Gattino enjoying the Green Trails hat.)

Don't Bug Me!

You know what I love about fall? OK, besides the fact that Craig and Heather are actually home on weekends...



What I really love about fall is that the bugs are trying to move indoors. And I love tasty bugs! They're almost as good as tuna treats.


That's right, funny-looking, big, flying bug - I'll get you. I'll watch you fly in circles around the light and I'll make make funny little chirping noises at you while I wait for you to tire out. And as soon as you get to my jumping level - smack! I'll bat you around over and over until my stomach growls and then I'll have you as a snack. I can't wait!


(Giuseppe Gattino spots a funny-looking big flying bug in the house.)

Dueling Naps

You've got to love Friday afternoons. They're purrrfect days to nap!

The contest is on - ready, set, nap! Whoever gets up last wins!

(Photo: Giuseppe Gattino and Scruffy Gray take over the living room.)

the Virginia Saga

Where do I begin? Craig and Heather disappeared for the week and left Heather's mom, Virginia, in their place. She was supposed to stay at the house, feed us and play with us. But a few hours after they left, Virginia fell in the neighborhood and broke her arm.

She ended up in the ER and then had to have surgery on her arm yesterday. So here we are taking care of Virginia. Scruffy's been cleaning the house and I've been running around trying to entertain her and keep her spirits up.

Of course, we are counting down the minutes till Heather and Craig return... Get better soon, Virginia! And Craig and Heather - come back soon!!!

(Photo: Virginia enjoying her tour at the Aplets and Coplets factory in Cashmere.)

Mutts Turns 15!

Can you believe it? Fifteen years of Mutts! Of course, I, Giuseppe Gattino, have only been around for one year so fifteen sounds super old to a young, spry kitty like me.

I love wintertime when Heather and I curl up on the couch and we read Mutts comic books. I love Shtinky Puddin' the best but Crabby is pretty funny too. Check out Mutts Comics and the cast of characters at www.muttscomics.com

Congratulations, Patrick McDowell! And thank you for your help in finding me my home! The strip above is what started it all.

The Banana Bread Caper

I've returned, which means, of course, that Craig has left for another trip. On the bad side, I always miss Craig desperately when he's away. He gives me the best 4 a.m. belly rubs a kitty could ever wish for.

But, on the up side, I get to use my computer again! For those of you who didn't hear, Craig's computer passed away last week and Craig has been borrowing mine (OK, Heather's), which has left me without a means to post.

(Photo: The evidence, just waiting to be eaten.)

So where do I start? well, really, Friday was the most exciting day so I'll start there. Oh, did Heather ever get into trouble that day! Someone gave Heather a slice of homemade banana bread and Heather left it on the dining room table. Come on, you can't leave food on the table and think that a curious kitty (or two) won't check it out. So Heather was upstairs in her office, hard at work, when Craig came upstairs to yell at her. "Why did you leave plastic wrap on the living rooms floor? I can't believe you were eating in the living room!" (A big no-no in this house.) I hid quietly, hoping no one would notice me. He then went on about how there was a piece of half eaten banana bread lying on the table. At some point, they realized that it was me, but Heather still took the brunt of the blame. I would have finished the bread, but it was right after breakfast and I was still full.

Then, Heather was quietly eating lunch and Craig came into the kitchen to chastise her for leaving raspberry stains all over the counter. (A local farmer had just dropped by a bunch of raspberries and they were still sitting in a cardboard box on the counter.) But the stains continued onto the windowsill - and they were in the shape of paw prints! And there were a few smashed berries in the box. Heather and Craig both got a good laugh out of that, at least once Craig realized that Scruffers had not tracked raspberries onto the carpet. (Don't forget Scruffers - no food in the living room!)

So Friday was a lively day at my house! OK, I'd catch you up more, but it's time for my midday nap.

Giuseppe Gets his Groove Back

Darn it. I just can't get any work done today. In case you were wondering why I haven't been writing, well, I'll explain. Sigh.

Craig was gone for most of last week and that always puts Scruffers and I in a funk. We get worried. We're kitties. We need stability, routine. We kitties thrive on routine. And then on top of that Heather suddenly disappeared on Saturday with packed bags. And we didn't know what was going to happen. (Remember how we love routine?) So we were too depressed to do much of anything Saturday and Sunday. We just slept and waited for them to come home. And waited...

And then they finally returned late Sunday night and that's when we got our groove back: "Yay! They didn't abandon us!" And Monday morning I was full of piss and vinegar and ready to write and that's when Craig announced that his computer crashed. And he needed to use mine. So I've got my groove back and I'm all raring to write and now I have no computer. (Right now I'm using Heather's work computer while she's away at lunch.) So I guess I'll have to spend the day playing with Scruffers.

It's a tough life - forced to play. Well, shoot. Someone's gotta do it! Watch out Scruffers - ready or not, here I come!

(Photo: Yay! Craig's home! - Shot by kitty lover Karen Sykes.)

Total Kitty Makeover

Heather's favorite column in fitness magazines is the Total Makeover with the before and after photos of people who have transformed their lives. So, let's focus on someone who has been completely transformed in the short time he has lived at my house: Scruffers!





Here he is in the "before" shot: matted fur that was 'icky' to touch, eyes half-closed due to a chronic eye infection, and while not visible to the untrained eye, a very malnourished and weak kitty.





Now for the transformed Scruffers: A healthy kitty who has happily taken over my spot on the love seat in the living room. Since he's napping in this photo, you may not be able to see that his eye infection has completely vanished. The contented smile is a sign of how happy he is to receive two square meals a day and a kitty friend (me!) who keeps him on his toes.

I admit it, I was a little hesitant to invite Scruffers into my house, but watching him open up and learn to love us and his new home has been amazing. And I love having someone to play with every morning. He chases me around the house and sometimes we have swatting contests (until a pre-caffeinated Craig starts to raise his voice at us for making too much noise). It's all in good fun, Craig!

Giuseppe in the Mail

Can you see it? It's me, Giuseppe Gattino, on a U.S. postal stamp! Scruffy and I were having fun one day at work and we ordered a bunch of these. We also surprised Craig with a set of stamps featuring Scruffers lying on Craig while he was napping on the couch. Scruffers mailed those to Craig separately with a note thanking Craig for rescuing him. I admit it, it was a pretty cool thing for him to do.

Are we becoming buddies? Well, sometimes. When Scruffers is in a good mood I like to make him chase me around the house. Of course, when I try to chase him around he gets nervous and has a hissy fit. And he's so darn old I swear all he wants to do is sleep. Take today, for example. We slept all day yesterday while Craig and Heather were out hiking. So today I'm full of energy and all I want to do is run laps around the house. But Scruffers, no. He slept all day yesterday and now all he wants to do is nap all day today too. So I have to run over to Heather and tag her on the leg and make her come chase me. It's just not the same as having a kitty friend.

We're almost touching!

I've been waiting for months to become friends with Scruffers. I know he's a really cool cat - Heather and Craig wouldn't have brought him home if they didn't think he was a great kitty. But he's been so darn nervous around me and it's driving me crazy!

Why won't he let me meet him and get it over with? We have been getting closer. We play together sometimes (I let him chase me around until he hisses and freaks me out). And in the mornings he sometimes lets me hang out close to him.

Here we are today in the dining room. Scruffers was ripping apart the catnip plant and I took the opportunity to see how close I could get to him before he freaked out. Here's how close I got. Of course, this photo was taken seconds before he hissed and scared me off, but that's life! I'll just keep trying!

Don't worry, Scruffers, we'll be friends soon!

(Photo: Giuseppe Gattino trying to greet Scruffers.)

It's a tough job, but someone had to do it

Heather looked so stressed today at work that I decided to help her out. I know, it was really thoughtful - what can I say? I'm a good guy.

I spied her in the living room getting a mailing ready to send out. She looked so methodical - counting out a bunch of brochures and lining everything up into super-organized piles. Then she took a little break and went upstairs.

It was my chance! I knew Heather wouldn't let me help out if I asked, so I decided to intervene: I jumped on all the piles to mix them up so they'd look fun! I took a running start and jumped into the middle of the piles and slid all the way to the other side of the room. I repeated it many times because, heck, it was a lot of fun!

I waited expectantly for Heather to survey my handiwork. When she came downstairs she took one look at the chaos and burst out laughing. See! I knew I could destress her! I added a few more jumping-slide moves so Heather could see me in action.

(Photo: Me, helping out like a good kitty.)

Where can we go where it will be cooler?

I'm ready for a vacation from summer. Yes, I realize the warm weather has only been back for a few days, but you must understand - I'm a Maine Coon. We don't do so well in the heat.

Today it registered 86 at my house, even though the local paper said it was only going to hit 79 degrees. Hmm, someone must not being doing his job... Maybe the meteorologist is on vacation too!

And tomorrow it may be as warm as 86 degrees. So what will that mean at my house? 90? And it's not as though the thermometer is in the sun. No sirree, it is in the shade all day. So no, as a matter of fact, I am not looking forward to tomorrow.

Wish me luck! And pray Heather doesn't try to wrap me in another stupid wet towel again.

But That's MY Spot

Guess who? Yes, that would be Scruffy Gray sitting in my special spot on my favorite loveseat. I came downstairs and there he was, taking over my space. And then I noticed he had scratched on my scratching post and drank water from my water dish. Sheesh!

Don't worry. I already got him back. Yesterday when he was out of his room, I peed in his kitty box. Take that, little guy!

I Love a Rainy Night

Remember that song? Eddie Rabbit. I know, it was produced a few decades before I was born (I am only one year old) but I must have been listening to "kafe 104.3" too much in my spare time.

Anyway, after the miserable heat spell we had now we're below average temperature. It's 64 degrees outside right now. And raining. And you know what? I love it. It's so refreshing to see the tree frogs bounce along in the grass and to spend the day inside hanging out with Heather and Craig. 'Cause it's not like they're outside playing in this weather.

So yeah, I like this weather. It makes everyone stay at home and I like that. I can't wait till winter. (I am a Maine Coon, you know! We like the cold!) We can snuggle around the fireplace and I can sniff everyone's hot chocolate. Just the four of us. That's right. I've accepted that you're here to stay, Scruffers.

Modelling in bed

My modelling shot. What do you think? Very demure. This pic is my favorite for the week.

Now that the weather has cooled down I can hang out in my fleecy snuggle bed again. Except not right now because Heather threw it in the wash. Now I have to claim it as mine all over again by rubbing my scent and fur all over it. I don't know why she wanted to wash my bed; it was perfect!

Kittens in the Oven?

What's wrong with people? I thought our little house was crowded with 2 humans and 2 kitties, but this house must have been hell. Just imagine the stench. This news piece from the Seattle Times is hideously disturbing....

40 cats seized in filthy house in Snohomish County
Forty cats and kittens are in quarantine at the Everett Animal Shelter after being seized in filthy conditions from a house north of Lynnwood on Friday night.
Snohomish County emergency medical technicians responded to a 911 call in the 11700 block of Center Road and found the resident, who needed care. But they also found animals living amid feces and urine. The smell was so overpowering that Snohomish County Animal Control officers donned protective suits with ventilators to enter the house and seize the animals.
Vicki Lubrin, Snohomish County Animal Control manager, said six dead kittens were found wrapped in paper towels inside the oven; bodies of two other kittens and one adult cat were found decomposing elsewhere in the house. Seven animals had to be euthanized.

This makes me want to hide under the bed and forget that people like this exist in the world. I hope those rescued kitties turn out O.K.

TGIF

It's Friday and it's so much cooler! Thank goodness! I couldn't have taken much more of that stifling heat. And neither could Scruffers.

It's back to a normal summer temp but things in the house are not completely normal. Heather kept all the doors open to every room during the heat wave and it has continued. I finally get to hang out with Scruffers any time I want! The only thing stopping us is him.

He'll figure out that I'm fun to play with one of these days...

Cranky-Spanky

OK, I've just about had it with the heat - and with Craig and Heather. Yes, I'm cranky-spanky. But dealing with the 100 degree+ temperature outside and Heather chasing me around trying to suffocate me with a wet towel did not make me very happy. Not to mention Scruffy's attitude.

Here's how it started. Last week the temp warmed up and Heather realized she couldn't close her office door or she and Scruffers would suffer in the heat. So slowly but surely, Scruffy has had to deal with an open door. I came in to visit and meet him many times those first few days, but now I really don't care what Scruffy does.

So, yesterday: it was supposed to be hot - maybe even hit 97. It was 87 degrees in Seattle at 8:30 in the morning. The fans were turned on and Craig fretted to no end about my well-being. He researched online how to cool off kitties and he found some website that recommended getting a cold, wet towel and wrapping your kitty in it. OK, I don't know about you but that idea sounds cruel. Every time I get wrapped like a kitty burrito in a towel it's to get medicine shoved down my throat or in my eye. And let's not forget that cats don't like to be wet! Hello! And then there's my claustrophobia. Whoever wrote that was a certified idiot.

But no, Heather and Craig had to try it. I had to put up with it 4 times yesterday. If only I had pulled a Scruffy. He took one look at the towel and hissed and swatted at Craig so he only had to deal with it once. Heather didn't dare get scratched.

Then, on top of it all, Scruffy had to find a cool spot to hang out, and where did he choose? Obviously not anywhere downstairs where it was cooler because he's still scared stiff of the evil ceiling fan. And Heather was not about to turn it off to accommodate him. So he ended up lying down in front of the entry to my kitty box room on the tile. So I couldn't go to the bathroom until Heather figured it out and moved my kitty box.

The absolutely worst part about yesterday? It reached 92 degrees inside the house and didn't drop under 90 until 9 p.m. Miserable! At 10:30 last night it was 84 degrees outside. Finally cool enough for me to run around and chase bugs in the yard, but not fun to be inside. I woke up this morning and it was still 86 degrees in Heather and Craig's room.

Heat Wave Continues

It's so hot even the stuffed animals are wilting in the heat. Current temperature (according to the Burlington regional airport) is 97 degrees.

Ugh! Need I say more? My brain is so fried I can't come up with anything more to say even if I wanted to.

Please, Mother Nature, turn down the oven!

Do NOT Touch

Do NOT rub Scruffer's belly. He can't stand this heat wave more than me, the long-haired kitty.

He is hiding under the far corner of the guest bed to make sure no one gets any dumb ideas - such as disturbing him.

I learned my lesson already today... I slowly sauntered over to meet him and he slowly hissed at me. Too hot to move quickly.

Heat Wave 2009

Why is it so hot? Does Mother Nature have something against me? I am a long-haired kitty. I can't handle this type of weather.

Don't talk to me. Or touch me. I am unsnuggable right now.

Office Assistant Hard at Work

Scruffers: "Oooh, was that the phone? Too bad I can't get it from here... I guess I'll let Heather do all the work today."

(Photo: Scruffers in the middle of his daily 6-hour catnap.)

Where are you going?

Why is Heather packing? Is she planning on leaving me? I saw her last night - stuff spread out all over the living room floor (obviously Craig's out of town because he'd never go for that!) and packing list in hand.

I kind of wish I were Scruffy today because Scruffers is oblivious to it all. He's stuck in the office and can't see Heather packing up to leave us. OK, maybe I don't want to be Scruffs - do you know how hot it was in that office yesterday? Not to mention I am much better looking, younger and livelier.

But that's besides the point. Really, it's quite unnerving to think that Heather might take off when Craig's gone. Who will feed us? Who will rub my belly at 4 a.m.? Who will make sure it doesn't get too hot in the house?

Maybe if I unpack her stuff while she's not looking she will get the hint and stay home...

Who is Chartreuse?

What? You haven't met Chartreuse yet? He's one of the guys who lives here at the house. He met Heather and Craig years ago when they stopped by McDonald's. Chartreuse wanted to escape (to0 many small children) and Heather agreed to let him move in. Below is our conversation.

Giuseppe: I saw on your tag you were made in China. What was it like there?

Chartreuse: Hot, crowded, and full of young children in the factory where I was born. I was happy to be packaged and shipped to the U.S. to start a new life.

Giuseppe: How did you get the name Chartreuse?

Chartreuse: (Laughs) Funny story... Heather and Craig named me based on my color. But neither of them knew that Chartreuse was a green color, not a variation of fuchsia. I had the name for a few years before someone told me. Heather offered to rename me, but Chartreuse is a part of my identity. I am Chartreuse - no matter what color I am.

Giuseppe: What do you like to do for fun?

Chartreuse: I really like to hike. One of the advantages to being tiny is that I pack easily and I can fit anywhere in a backpack. One of my favorite trips was touring SE Oregon (Steens Mountain) and Nevada's Great Basin National Park with Craig, Heather, Doug and Beanie a few years ago. Hiking to the top of Wheeler Peak was amazing! Do you know what it's like for a tiny bear to look out at 13,000 feet? Pretty spectacular, I tell you.

Giuseppe: Do you have any plans this summer?

Chartreuse: I hope to get some backpacking in and maybe do the Clear Lake Triathlon with Heather. Wish us luck!

Don't forget to vote!

My new poll! I know, I'm shameless - vote for me! Giuseppe Gattino!

Scenes from a Busy Work Day

Giuseppe: Must knead and purr, knead and purr...

Scruffers practices interacting with clients during his on-the-job training.