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?

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.)

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.)

Scruffy Pulls a Fast One

Every time we think we've got Scruffy's actions down he surprises us. And this past weekend was no exception. Scruffers had another appointment with the vet and for the first time ever he didn't willingly enter the kitty box. I heard Heather try to entice him and then finally she picked him up and tried to push him in. Then I heard her groan when he ran out past her. (Atta boy, Scruffers!)

Then Craig tried to stuff him in the box with the same exact result. It was all pretty funny to listen to. Especially because Craig and Heather were getting a little stressed about making it to the vet on time. Then I overheard Heather try to push him into the box and Scruffers splayed out every limb to keep from entering it - just like a cartoon character. Somehow they got him there, but it was a new side of Scruffy Gray we had never seen before.

But the best kitty surprise came later. Heather and Craig were so worried about getting Scruffers to the vet on time that they left a bag of tasty tuna treats on the floor. That evening, Heather looked on the floor and found the (now empty) bag of treats. "Hmm," she wondered, "I thought there were more treats in there." Then she inspected the bag and found teeth marks everywhere. Scruffers had ripped open the bag in multiple places and devoured the contents.

Now every time he doesn't respond to us instead of worrying that Scruffers is sick, maybe we should really think "What is that boy up to? What is he plotting now?"

Scruffers - maybe someday we'll be friends and you can show me how to distract Heather and Craig so I can have an entire bag of tuna treats or maybe freshly grilled tuna steaks....

Scruffy and the Vet

Is Scruffy sick? On Monday he went to the vet (better you than me, ol' pal!) and when he returned Heather was all teary-eyed. Yes, he's an older kitty with a missing tooth and a bum leg and arthritis in his back or hips. Sure, Heather and Craig knew that when they brought him home from the shelter.

But the top of his eyes seem to be showing some weird sign that made the vet nervous. Nervous enough that Heather noticed the vet trying to pull herself together before telling Heather what she saw. Maybe Scruffy has something called FIP (feline infectious peritonitis). And maybe he'll get really sick and I'll never get to meet him.

We won't know for sure till he gets really sick. The vet that I normally see called this morning and explained to Heather that the test results came back as a "maybe". How helpful is that? And now the vet says that I can't meet Scruffy for another month. A month! Do you know how long that is in a kitty life? Forever!

All I know is that Heather works in her office all day with the door closed so I can't see what she and Scruffy are doing. They could be playing board games together and leaving me out. I am not happy with this situation.

And when I came down with conjunctivitis Monday night Heather had a panic attack. She was sure I had whatever old Scruffers has and forced me to the emergency vet that night. Ugh! I don't what she's complaining about - lack of sleep, lots of money, blah blah blah. Come on, I'm the one who got the anal probe - twice! And believe me, the tuna treat she gave me when I came home did not make up for that treatment.

TGIF - Oh, Please!

The day just didn't start out well. Craig and Heather were stressed with a ton of work and completely ignored me. Fine. I'm ok playing on my own. I went to my room to take a nice mid-morning nap on my bed and was rudely woken up by Craig. Let's get this right - you're too busy to play with me when I'm awake, but when I'm napping you want to grab me and wrap me under the covers? I finally got away after giving Craig a good talking to and a paw to the face.

Then Heather was late feeding me lunch. Again. Sigh. Don't these people get it? My lunch is at noon. 12 p.m. How hard is that to understand? Heather knows exactly when it's 5 p.m. to leave work, but noon seems to be a difficult concept for her - and Craig.

After work (right at 5 o'clock) Heather decided we should go for a walk and enjoy the day. After we struggled with the harness (please don't let her get it on me - shoot!) we set off to the next door neighbor's house. Heather wanted to talk, like always, and left me to meet their 9 year old cat, Whiskers. She was off leash while I was stuck letting her sniff me trapped in a ridiculous harness. I ran away and tried to get back to the house but Heather had the nerve to pick me up and bring me back to the neighbors. Did I mention that the neighborhood neglected dog stood and barked at me while Whiskers laughed at my harness? I desperately tried to run home but Heather stopped me every time. Finally, Heather let me go home, but she realized that I had wiggled my head out of the harness. I had to slink home with the harness stuck around my middle like I was a stinky ferret. Heather was so mad she didn't even give me a tuna treat. I was ridiculed by the neighborhood animals and she wouldn't even give me a stupid treat.

After Heather and Craig had dinner Heather had the audacity to bring out the vacuum cleaner. On a Friday night! And then to top it off, she put some sticky thing on all my favorite steps so I can't play with the stairs.

TGIF? No, way. I think I'll go back to bed and wait for Saturday.

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.