The Easter Miracle

So much to catch you up on! It's been crazy around here with all the caring for Scruffy Gray. Last week Scruffs went in for his annual (birthday!) exam and started immediately hissing at the vet. The vet (who is really a nice lady and didn't deserve this behavior at all!) offered to sedate Scruffers so they could give him a full exam uninterrupted and end with a spa day of bath, nail clipping and the shaving of his matted back fur.

Heather agreed and left Scruffers at the vet for the day. But later that afternoon the vet called to inform us of a big surprise: Scruffy Gray isn't a boy kitty, he's really a she! No wonder she's been in a bad mood most of the time she's lived her - we've been calling her by the wrong gender!

But then Scruffers came home and she was scared and hid for a day and a half. And when she walked her right front paw buckled under like she was missing a bone in her front leg. (It was very reminiscent of when Harry Potter had his bones removed from his arm by accident). Heather had to call the vet repeatedly over Easter weekend (poor vet!) to give her an update on Scruffy's status.

First the vet thought Scruffy suffered a stroke. But Sunday night (Easter) Scruffy remarkably returned to her normal self, as if she rose from the dead. But then Heather fed her another pain killer (for the arthritis pain in her back) on Monday and the weird behavior started all over again. Very PTSD-like. She hid for almost two days this time and was scared of everything.

So now we know it's a very rare reaction to the pain medication. Since then, Scruffers has returned to her normal self.

Except that he's a she.

Happy birthday, Scruffy Gray

Happy birthday Scruffy Gray! Now wait one second - Scruffy, don't you know how birthdays work? We're supposed to surprise you, not the other way around.

Do you want to hear Scruffy's big surprise? My brother is really a SISTER! No wonder he/she looks distressed all the time. We refer to her as Mr. Scruffy Gray. And Mr. Robust Snuggles. Yikes! And Craig calls her "my little guy."

Well, no more of that! Luckily, Scruffers is a great unisex name, so it's not a big deal. Not like a certain someone (who shall remain nameless to protect her identity) who named her kitty Candy and then found out it was a boy. And that poor cat was stuck with the name Candy his whole life. So, Scruffy, be thankful on this Good Friday that Heather (oops!!!) didn't name you 'Candy'. Think how distressed you'd feel then!

Breaking News!

OK, that was just to grab your attention. But this is a big deal, so I want everyone to know:

The Kitsap Humane Society is giving their kitty room a big upgrade! The new cattery allows the kitties to socialize and move around more. There's even a new ventilation system to disperse the ammonia aroma.

I just happened to stumble across the upgrade while I was helping Heather do research for work. We were searching for more information on the annual run the shelter puts on in and the news was on the front page of their site. The run, by the way, is on May 21st this year in Bremerton in case you're looking for an excuse to support the animals and get some exercise. Me, I'll just get Scruffy to chase me around the house!

(Photo: Mungo eagerly awaits your visit to the shelter.)

Read more: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/jan/26/cats-get-new-quarters-at-the-kitsap-humane/#ixzz1CGiRUWKn

Lending a helping hand - or paw, in this case!

Normally Scruffy Gray sleeps right through the afternoon, but for some reason, he decided to wake up and help with the grocery shopping today. Here he is inspecting the bags' contents to make sure Heather purchased quality goods.

We're such good little helpers!

Happy New Year!

Happy new year, humans! Now it's time to stop celebrating and get back to the routine.

Hope you made those new year's resolutions. Oh, you didn't? I can offer you a few...

• Love your kitties
• Make sure you stock your kitties toys with all new catnip
• Play with your kitties

Happy new year from Giuseppe and Scruffy!

Time to Recharge!

The holidays get pretty tiring with all the food and wine and family visits. Sometimes a kitty needs to remind his humans that it's time to take it easy.

"Hey, you. You're not going anywhere right now. Just lie here and relax."

Here's to a little R'n'R during the holidays!

Don't Forget About the Animals, Santa!

What do all good kitties do on Christmas eve? They sit tight in their little snuggle beds and wait for Santa, of course! We make sure we've written our letters to Santa making our Christmas requests and then we sit and wait.

What did you ask? What do kitties wish for on Christmas? I don't know about other kitties, but Scruffy and I, we talked it over in advance. And we asked Santa to give all the homeless animals a good family.

Scruffy purred when he heard what our human, Craig Romano, did. Oh, you didn't hear? Craig put up on his Hike of the Week site a hike at the N.O.A.H. Center. He's trying to do his part to alert humans how many animals need a home. We were only a little disappointed that he featured a dog, but we're trying to take the high road. No 3 a.m. belly rub from you, mister! OK, we're mostly trying to take the high road. Come on, we're not purr-fect either!

And Santa, if you're reading this, we could use a little more catnip!

Merry Christmas to all the animals!

Would you like me to inspect that for you?

Aah, the first eating fest has ended. Or the second if you count Halloween. Thanksgiving is over and now it's time to burn those calories (and a whole in the wallet) by shopping for Christmas presents!

What do kitties want for Christmas? Well, I, for one, like to play with cardboard boxes and wrapping paper and catnip. And, Scruffy, well he'd like to play with those things too but he's too arthritic to jump into boxes, so he'll just take extra catnip. On the floor where he can reach it.

Excuse me, I've got to see what arrived in the mail today. I am the package inspector!

(Giuseppe inspects a package to make sure it's safe.)

It's November already? How did that happen?

Whoa! How did November get here so quickly? One minute I was watching all the birds play outside and the next minute I'm listening to Heather make plans for Thanksgiving! Thank goodness I'm a kitty and time doesn't mean anything to me.

Here's to the beginning of the holiday season! Don't forget to schedule some extra time to stay home and snuggle with your kitties (OK, and doggies too). We sense how crazy busy the holiday season is and we want you to remember that we need love too. And, most importantly, petting your kitty/doggy helps you relax.

Bring on the holidays! Santa, if you're listening, this year I want all the kitties to find their forever homes.

Notes from under the bed

I thought all was right with the world. Craig had finished his hiking research for his upcoming backpacking guide and he promised to stay home for a little while. Heather had returned home after a week in Portland. And Scruffy and I were getting used to everything being normal again. Breakfast on time, all four of us hanging out in the living room reading the paper together in the morning, evening treats. The routine was just starting to get re-established.


(Above: Giuseppe inspecting Craig's sleeping bag, making sure it was going back to storage for the winter.)

That's when the ambush occurred. I was sitting downstairs, watching as the dreaded kitty carrier was brought into the house and the door was left enticingly open. Come on - it was obviously for Scruffy. I might be docile enough to let Craig and Heather cut my nails, but Scruffy tries to eat them alive. I know they pay the vet team to endure his attitude so they don't have to. So I had nothing to worry about. I was getting ready to watch Heather attempt to lure Scruffy into the carrier.

But then Heather leaned over (to kiss my goodbye, I was sure) and she picked me up and quickly shoved me into the kitty carrier. What??? When did she become quick as lightening? It must have been all that coffee she drank before breakfast. Dang it! And the next thing I knew I was in the back seat of her car being whisked away to the vet! AAAAH!

In case there was any doubt, I was a brave kitty. Contrary to the rumors, I did NOT drool like a St. Bernard and I did not shake with fear the entire time. And I did not wrap my body around Heather's neck in hopes that she'd save me from the vet. Nope. Do not believe a word of it. I will have to have a talk with Scruffy about those nasty rumors he's been spreading....

Everything will go back to normal, I'm sure it will. But for now, until I'm absolutely sure, I will be hiding under the bed. Just in case.