Sunday in the Sun

I am the guard kitty, reporting for duty. My first afternoon job is to patrol the house. I must make sure Heather and Craig are safe here. I walk across the deck slowly, looking for signs of danger (and snacks!). I can smell Scruffy Gray's scent from his visit here. Must continue my search. The coast is clear. Time to move on to the front yard - see what danger lurks there.


(Note: Please do your best to ignore the leash.)





I am a lion, out on a hunt. The sun shining on my back, the breeze carrying scents of possible prey. I crouch down in the grass, hiding so my prey will not see me. Must walk as low to the ground as possible. Slinking along the tall grass, tail flickering in anticipation, searching for my dinner.

I sniff the breeze for signs of birds and insects and potential BBQs. Sigh, nothing. I slowly walk across the grass, feeling the clovers tickle my belly. I crouch and LEAP! Darn! Missed the honey bee again! But wait - is that a grasshopper hiding in the grass? I will find him...

Aah, yesterday was a little piece of heaven! I played outside for 4 hours! Four! It's the most I've ever been outside. Sunny, 60 degrees, what more could I ask for (besides a month straight of that perfect weather)? Ohh, I know, a belly rub and lunch! (Was that supposed to be a rhetorical question?)

Yesh! - It's a Play Day!

Yesh! It's the weekend! Not that my work load is any different, mind you, but things change around the house. Heather spent the afternoon making orange and chocolate liqueurs and meatball soup while I watched and sniffed the kitchen floor to see what treats had landed there.

And after we woke up from our afternoon naps we noticed that the rain had ended and the sky had cleared. Yesh! Time for a walk! Heather put my in the dreaded harness and leash (UGH! This is SO embarrassing!) and we walked around the neighborhood. The house across the street has a nice heather plant that I had to check out plus a bunch of really large rocks I needed to sniff and walk on. I also made it past a family with small children unscathed and that made my day.

Yes, if you must know, I am still recovering from the "twins incident." Last week these 7 year old girls kept picking me up and squeezing me and fighting over me. I tried to escape to Heather but she thought it was no big deal and she proceeded to let the girls drag me into the house, where they chased me upstairs and tried to pull me out from under the bed. It was horrible! I didn't talk to Heather all day after that. I still get shaky thinking about it.

So tonight when I saw a group of people that included two small children, I stared Heather down and she got the hint. She placed me on her shoulder and protected me from them. It still gave me quite a scare. We were at the same place (the mailbox) where the twins had been. I can't help it if it made me shake. How was I to know these kids wouldn't come after me too? Luckily, Heather kept me safe and calmed me down.

And now I've had my dinner and I'm ready for my evening nap. Tomorrow's another play day for us!

The Imminent Return of Scruffy Gray

I've been looking out the window, trying to catch sight of Scruffy Gray. I know, I know, he's not here. But I can't stop thinking about him. Probably because Heather and Craig keep talking about him.

Tuesday after Craig left Heather made a call to the Skagit Valley Humane Society and then suddenly got into her car and took off. When she came back a few hours later she had a bag of cat food in one hand (perfect timing 'cause it's past my dinnertime again!) and in the other one was a book titled Cat vs. Cat. Uh oh. I know where this is going. Sigh.

"Tuesday?", you ask. "Isn't it Friday?" Well, yes, but sometimes when something happens I am not happy about I don't always want to talk about it right away. Haven't you ever had that happen to you? And hey - didn't I ask you all to find a home for Scruffy Gray?

I, Giuseppe Gattino, am the house kitty. Scruffy Gray, well, he doesn't really belong here. But it sure looks like Craig and Heather think differently. (I overheard them talking at the dinner table. I pretended I was checking out the kitchen, but I was really trying to listen in.) Craig was less than pleased to find out that Heather filled out the adoption papers for Scruffy without consulting him first. Ahem, how about consulting with me - the house kitty?

It turns out that Scruffy is suffering from an upper respiratory infection at the shelter. His eyes are all icky and he's sneezing and sniffling a lot. I looked up UPIs online and one of the common causes is stress. OK, that makes me feel bad. I can't imagine how I'd feel if I were left at a shelter and forced to live with all those other loud cats and dogs. And then getting sick on top of being stressed and lonely and forced to live in an unsnuggly cage.

Well, if all goes well with his medication and if Scruffy is FIV-, he could be here in 10 days 'or so'. I guess I have some time to think this over. I still don't like it, but maybe he won't be that bad.

Springtime!

The sun came up (after breakfast, of course) and it was strong. Spring has come! Finally! At 8 a.m. I couldn't take it any longer and stood at the front door. Meow! Meow! Hello! It's time for me to go outside! I know what's out there. Yesterday there was a squirrel I wanted to chase, not to mention those tasty-looking robins. And yesterday Heather let me chase a honey bee that kept flying around the heather plants. Think of all the fun waiting for me out there! I had to go - and right now!

Heather got the message and brought out the dreaded harness. No! I ran away. I want to play outside like other kitties! Alas, it was not to be. Sigh. I finally consented to the stupid harness and leash and went outside with Craig. Hopefully the other cats won't see me like this and make fun of me.

We walked around the neighborhood and then I got to play in the yard. I sniffed the plants, took a few bites of the tastier ones, and walked around. It was pretty cold out there - Craig had to wear his fleece jacket - but it was perfect for my thick coat.

Aah! What a great spring morning! I deserve a long nap after all that!

Will the Real Giuseppe Gattino Please Stand Up?

Rumor has it there has been some questioning of who writes this blog so I want to set the record straight.

I, Giuseppe Gattino, the house kitty, am the author of this blog. I know there will be a few who cannot believe that a house kitty could be that smart, and all I can say to you is: don't underestimate the intelligence of a kitty. And to those of you who say it's impossible and that kitties have 'pea' brains, I pity your small-mindedness. You have no idea what goes on in our furry little heads.

Us house kitties have mastered our owners. We let them think they take care of us, providing us with food and shelter and love. And it's true. We enjoy this pampered lifestyle and we wouldn't do anything to jeopardize it. But do you know what we do while you're at work? Or at 3 a.m.? Of course not! And it's going to stay that way.

(Photo: Caught in the act! Giuseppe typing madly away.)

Visiting Scruffy Gray

So the photo isn't of Scruffy in his new home. It's hard to take a good photo of a kitty stuck in a cage. But there he is - Scruffy Gray. Remember the homeless kitty that showed up on my deck last week?

Heather went to the Humane Society of Skagit Valley yesterday for a volunteer orientation. And to visit Scruffy Gray. How do I know? When she came home she smelled like him. I was not happy. I sniffed her and then ignored her for a long time so she'd get the hint. But here's what she told me about her visit when I was finally ready to listen:

"I was in the middle of the building tour when I walked past Scruffy Gray's cage. I called out to him and I swear he remembered me. He walked over to the bars and placed his head against the door so I could scratch behind his ears. We had to move on so I could only offer him scritchies for a minute.

After the tour (and after my friends adopted a kitty) I came back over to his cage, but Scruffy wouldn't look at me. He didn't even move his ears to acknowledge that he heard me. He hadn't touched his bowl of canned soft food and he was crouched in the back corner of the cage with his eyes shut tight. He looked unhappy. Depressed and frightened, I imagine.

I grabbed a kitty brush and opened his cage door to brush him. I touched the brush softly against his fur and he immediately responded. Scruffy walked over to greet me and rubbed his head against the brush and my hand. I brushed and petted him for about 10 minutes. At that point he noticed that there was food in his bowl and he decided to devour it.

Then Craig showed up and walked over to greet Scruffy Gray. Scruffy got up to say 'hi' and let Craig pet him for a long time. He gave Craig several love nips to show him how much he appreciated the attention. We took Scruffy to a back room to see how he'd interact with another kitty, but the two didn't hit it off. I tried to pick Scruffy up to take him back to his cage and he hissed loudly. I was nervous that he'd bite so I made Craig take him back. We said our goodbyes and left Scruffy in the back of the cage, with his eyes clenched shut just like I found him."

Of course, now that they have visited Scruffy Gray, the question is - will they bring him here to take over my house? I don't know if he'll even play with me. They say he's 9 years old and missing teeth. And Craig and Heather think he's got some problems (maybe arthritis?) because he can't jump at all. Darn it, I am the house kitty. Come on, can't one of you take Scruffy Gray and give him a home?

Revenge is Sweet (and tastes like basil)

Which plant looks the saddest? Ok, besides all of them. Heather is not much of a gardener. But she's also not that bright, either. Case in point: Last night she and Craig left the house at 5:50 p.m. and she didn't feed me dinner. Do you need a reminder? My dinner is at 6 p.m. Not 7:30 p.m. or "whenever we get home." No, 6 p.m. And it wasn't like they had an emergency. They left to go running. How easy would it have been to take one minute and feed me dinner? Jeez!

7:30 p.m. Boy was I mad! I had to teach her a lesson. So I jumped onto the counter and I walked over to the plants on the sill. Then I bit off the leaves of Heather's basil plant. Ha! See if you make that stinky pesto now! But then, I heard the noise - the garage door opener. Shoot! I couldn't let them find me on the counter. Heather would spray me with that awful water bottle!

And that led to my grand finale. In my haste to get off the counter I knocked the plants into the sink with a loud crash. The noise made me jump and I landed on a pile of clean dishes. Aah! A couple of them started to fall onto me and I scrambled out of their way so they wouldn't knock me over. I think I released fur all over them (don't worry, I just gave myself a bath).

The next thing I knew Craig had run into the house at Heather's urging. He looked around and saw me (looking perfectly innocent, I must say) and scooped me into his arms. We walked out to the garage and I listened quietly while Craig chastised Heather. "You freaked me out. A crash. It was nothing. I don't know what you heard but there's no problem. Stop freaking me out. I thought something was really wrong." Thank goodness the innocent look stayed on my face the whole time.

Heather insisted she heard a crash (damn her!) and the three of us walked into the kitchen (uh-oh, here it comes) and that's when they saw it. The plants in the sink. Dishes all over the counter. And fur everywhere.

How did I manage to stay out of trouble? Guilt. They felt so bad that they hadn't fed me in advance that they gave me a short warning and then Heather urged Craig to feed me dinner immediately. All's well that ends well! Though maybe not for the basil plant.

The Other Giuseppe Gattino

Have you ever found out that someone else has your exact same name? Do you wonder what they look like? How they act? If there's any resemblance to you because they share your name?

I was poking around on the web (Heather was busy working, so she didn't notice I was using her computer) and I thought, "Why not google myself?" Come on, everyone's done it! Haven't you ever looked to see if you exist on the web? So I googled me: Giuseppe Gattino. And look what I found! Another Italian! Of course, he's got a lot less hair than I do. But seriously, look at him.

We share the same serious expression - that's my exact look when I see a bug flying in the house! A complete focus of attention. And do you know what else we share? A love of games! The other Giuseppe was the head of media relations for the winter Olympic games in Torino. I love organizing games too! I like to play chase and soccer and hide-and-seek and devil-kitty. I like taking my favorite toy upstairs when Craig and Heather are sleeping and leave it out on the bathroom floor. That way when they wake up they know I'm ready for them to throw it around for me. See? I'm a game organizer too!

And I love the Olympics! I remember last summer when Craig and Heather took me over to the neighbor's house and we watched a girls' beach volleyball game in the summer Olympics. I was so excited watching the ball fly around the screen that I jumped at the T.V. and dug my kitty nails into the T.V. stand to catch the ball. Aah! The memories!

You know what else is kind of a weird coincidence about me and Giuseppe? The Winter Olympics are coming here next year! OK, they'll be in B.C. but that's only 60 miles from here. Is that strange or what? Maybe he'll be coming over with the Italians. Il mondo e piccolo!

What Time is Dinner-o?

Hello! What's a kitty have to do to get some dinner-o around here? And what do you mean "Get off the table"? Can't you see? My hind legs are clearly on the chair which means I am NOT on the table. I am on the chair. Jeez. Some people!


Today did not go as planned. I managed to wake up Heather by 6 a.m. (my breakfast time!) since Craig wasn't home. Normally he feeds me in the morning so Heather can sleep in. Today I dragged Heather out of bed and she fed me double what I normally get. So, yeah, I was feeling pretty lucky. And then - out of nowhere - she grabbed her car keys and vanished. And left me alone in the house all day. And she left me without lunch to boot! I was pretty unhappy with her, I'll tell you.


I meant to let her have it when she got home. I stood by the side door and meowed as pitifully as I could when I heard her car pull into the garage. I had to make her feel guilty for leaving me all day. But then she walked in (looking exhausted) and immediately fed me dinner-o and played chase with me all over the house. OK, I was forced to purr. What can I say? I love chase!


Oh, and while she was gone I checked out the Humane Society of Skagit Valley but there was no sign of Scruffy Gray. I know, Heather said it would take about a week to get him listed, but I was hoping that maybe, just maybe, the timing would work out and I'd see his picture. I hope he's OK over there. Just think about it - all those kitties to deal with and all that barking from those noisy dogs. It would be enough to make the fur stand up on my back. Well, Scruffy Gray, if you're out there, I'm thinking about you. Snuggle tight! You'll get a home soon!

What's on my List Today?

What a gray and nasty day outside. It's raining pretty hard and the birds have all disappeared from my view. There's no one walking by so there's almost no reason to stare out the window. It's a perfect day to stay home and snuggle. Oh, right. I'm not allowed to go anywhere (at least not without that stupid harness and leash on) so I guess every day is a good day to stay home and snuggle.

Heather is doing taxes and grumbling quite loudly (Hello - I'm writing! Keep the grumbling down to a low volume, 'k?). So what's a kitty to do on a gray, blah day like this?

The 'to-do' list! I am doing my part to help Heather with her weekend list. First I helped her sort and put the laundry away. I like to create tunnels under the pile of clean clothes to help the sorting process. And then I jump on top of the pile to keep it in line.

Heather promised I could help her make the bed after lunch. I love making the bed! I like to herd the sheets and bite them when they don't settle into the right spot. And then I hide under the blankets and attack anything that moves. Sometimes it's Heather's hand, but she loves the game too. And I don't bite her hard.

Right now I'm letting Heather know what parts of the house need to be cleaned. Don't worry about this sink - I licked it clean for you! But my kitty box is another story...

I Miss You, Scruffy Gray

I know, I know. I said I didn't want to share my home. But something happened. I heard Craig and Heather leave for the Humane Society and yet I still couldn't believe Scruffy Gray left.

I spent all afternoon staring out the sliding glass door waiting to catch a glimpse of Scruffy snuggled in a ball on the deck. And every once in a while the wind would blow and I would rush over, swearing I saw his face staring back at me. But he wasn't there.

Then Heather would walk over to the garage and I would race to the door so I could look out and see if Scruffy was OK. But he wasn't there. I sat and guarded the door to the garage, but it was out of habit. There was no kitty on the other side.

Sigh. I miss you Scruffy Gray. I hope you're OK at your temporary home. May you feel warm and loved by the people at the shelter. May the food taste good and the bed be snuggly. May a good family find you and take you home.

This Kitty Needs a Home!

Do you remember that strip from Mutt's Shelter Stories? It's a famous strip at our house because Heather clipped it out of the newspaper some years back and hung it on the fridge to entice Craig to let her adopt a kitty. Craig noticed the strip and they quoted it many times over the next few years, every time Heather made another kitty plea.

Well, somehow Heather convinced Craig last summer that their new house should have a kitty (me!). And since then Craig has gone off the deep end becoming a kitty rescuer. And, if you've been following my posts, you'd know by now that Scruffy Gray has adopted our home. And by now you can probably guess that Heather and Craig have talked about (gasp!) keeping Scruffy Gray. Luckily for me, they have come to their senses. I am the house kitty. Sorry, Scruffy Gray but I rule the roost.

While Scruffy Gray can't stay here with me, I do want him to find a home. He's an adult kitty, litter box trained, and very snuggly. He wants to be petted and loved and he's very calm. He's just missing one thing - a good home. Every kitty should have a home. A warm, snuggly fleece bed, a person to rub his belly, and a bowl of food to call his own.

Won't someone please adopt my friend, Scruffy Gray ? Take your owner to the Humane Society of Skagit Valley and meet my special kitty friend. If he's not your cup of tea, don't worry, there are plenty of other kitties waiting to meet you too!

Support the Kitties!

Here's your chance! Show your support for your local Humane Society and help find all those kitties a home:

On the far left is Syrea, who definitely needs rescuing! "Help - the furry man won't let me down!" Her owner had to surrender her before leaving to serve in Iraq.

And on Syrea's right is Sabrina, an adult kitty who was abandoned when her family "couldn't afford to care for her." How is that possible? We just need food, water, a warm bed and love. Who can't afford a little love?

So, how can you help? How about attending an event like this for starters:

8th Annual Music for the Animals Event
Saturday, March 28, 2009 - Silent Auction begins at 6:00pm, Music at 7:00pm

Join us for the 8th annual Music for the Animal Event hosted by the Old Liberty Theater in the Seasons Coffee House in Ridgefield, WA. All proceeds of this all-volunteer run auction and concert event go towards helping the animals at the Humane Society for Southwest Washington.
$10.00 for adults
$5.00 for children under 12

Tickets available at:
Humane Society for Southwest Washington, 360.693.4746
Seasons Coffee House, Ridgefield, WA, 360.887.7260
Purchase at the Door!

Go out there and support the kitties! I'd go out there too but I'm not allowed outside.

The Return of Scruffy Gray

All right. I admit it. Maybe Scruffy Gray is homeless. Last night, immediately after I finished my last post, Craig yelled for me to get off the computer and come downstairs. I tore down the stairs and ran straight to the sliding glass door. Standing on the other side of the screen was Scruffy Gray.

It was 9 p.m. and 32 degrees outside. Craig said he flipped on the side light and he heard Scruffy scramble out from beneath the deck and run to the door.

Heather took some kibble outside to entice Scruffy back into the garage. He didn't need much enticing. Heather shook the plate of kibble once from behind the house and Scruffy ran over and beat her to the garage.

It got down to 26 degrees last night so I'm sure Scruffy appreciated being in the (relatively) warm garage instead of under the cold, damp deck. Craig took me out to check on him last night and he did look scruffy and hungry. He scarfed every last piece of dry kibble. Vacuum cleaner kitty.

I guarded the door to the garage and listened for any signs that Scruffy needed help. OK, it wasn't completely altruistic. I did get a tuna treat for being so good. What can I say? I know how to work it.

Scruffy walked back and forth between Heather and Craig this morning purring them a loud thank you for letting him stay again. Will he hang around long enough today so Heather and Craig can take him to the shelter or will he take off and return before bed? Maybe Scruffy likes his freedom. Maybe he's a barn kitty. Maybe he'll take over our garage.

Benvenuto to My B&B

Last night Scruffy Gray slept in a kitty carrier in our garage. I tried to go out and meet him, but Craig and Heather wouldn't let me out there. While the door leading out to the garage was open I snuck a quick peek and saw him - all snuggled in my carrier with a wool blanket under him and another covering the carrier to keep him warm. And I spotted another bowl of food and water.

This morning Scruffy Gray got up and wandered off. Craig and Heather opened the garage door to see what he would do and he wandered outside and away.

I don't think he was a stray. I think he took advantage of Craig and Heather by sweet talking them into a free dinner and lodging chez moi. A casa mia.

Oh well. I still got my chopped lamp dish for dinner while our house guest had dry kibble. I guess that counts for something.

Scruffy Gray

He finally disappeared but of course my owners had to go outside and search for him. Let him go! It's not like he lives here. If the cat wants to leave, let him go already! Hello? What am I - chopped liver? Hmm, that sounds pretty tasty right now...

Heather and Craig went to the garage and started making a big racket. Who knows what they were up to since they won't let me out there to investigate. Then I spotted them out on the deck looking around and shaking more Meow Mix. Who would run to that? Fresh tuna, sure, but dry sawdust?

I heard him and found myself trying to get my owners' attention. Hey, guys - listen! I think I heard him under the deck! Craig looked and voila! Why am I helping him? I guess it's because he's a homeless kitty. And it's winter and brutally cold outside. Wouldn't you want someone to take care of you if you were homeless, injured, cold and hungry?

Scruffy Gray is now in the garage. I heard Heather and Craig line my carrier with a warm wool blanket and place another blanket on top - just like the lady at the local animal shelter told them to. They put out food and water and a makeshift litterbox from an old shoebox. I hope he stays warm tonight. Snuggle tight, Scruffy Gray.

Lunchtime Surprise

Here it is 12:30 already and Heather and Craig have yet to remember to feed me lunch. In my attempts to get their attention, I glanced out the sliding glass door and there it was - another kitty. What is that cat doing on my property? Doesn't he know I live here? He was lying on the deck out in the sun, but curled up tight in a little ball to keep warm. Snuggled up against my house.

Craig decided to check out what I was staring at. "Look - a cat! He must be so cold!" The next thing I knew Heather was putting on her jacket and taking food and water - MY food - out to the deck. The cat jumped up and ran towards her and planted his face on the pile of Meow Mix. OK, he had to be hungry because there is no reason to get that excited over some dry kibble. He wolfed it all down and then went after the small crumbs that had fallen between the wood slats.

I took a closer look at him and saw his gray fur was dirty. And it looked like he was recovering from a fight. His ear had a small tear and the fur on his back was just starting to grow back in. And was it my imagination or was he limping a little? Craig and Heather started discussing an abrasion on his back and when my daddy touched his back a big clump of fur fell out.

How could I be angry? Those two are great - they really pamper me. If I were a lonely, homeless cat in 34 degree weather I would search out people like mine too. I just hope they don't let him in. This is still my house. I sat in front of the sliding glass door and watched over him as he curled back in a tight little ball and tried to stay warm.