New Reader App

We are trying a new reader app (Inoreader.com).  We won't get it all right at first (there are lots of choices to make) but it imported our current list from Feedly OK and seems promising.  We sent a test comment to one cat that we couldnt before recently, and it seems to have worked.  

We will try to learn more about it soon...

Happy Monday!

AYLA:  And look!  The window is open and the screen is back in place after years.  I can do  sniffies...

Womancat Wensday And Thanks

AYLA:   

As Princess and Senior Member of The Mews, I speak on behalf of all of us when I thank so many kitties and beins for all the good wishes and advice about Marley's FIV+ diagnosis!  We know the purrs/prayers/thoughts will help him and lift his spirits.  He was really bummed to be told he has a Problem.  

The Vet gave TBT a summary paper about FIV.  He looked up stuff on the computer, too.  But it is the practical experience in so many of your comments that encourages us about his future.  We are going forward on the hope that he will never actually suffer consequences from it.  But we will watch his health carefully.  

For a disease that seems to strike only 1-5% of cats (and those mostly ferals and fighters), there sure seem to be a lot of them that are mostly indoors cats in our community!  Also, TBT may have Marley retested soon with an eye toward "false-positive".  TBT says he will go through Marley's medical records.  He is old enough to have been vaccinated against FIV before the vaccine was discontinued in North America.

You are all wunnerful!  😍

Tuesday Answering Questions Time

We (The Mews and I) love questions in comments on both blogs and by email.  They let us know what we aren't explaining, didn't know of, or didn't think of.  They let us know what you are thinking.  Even better, it gives us something to post about other than showing The Mews napping every day, LOL/MOL!

*  Jackie of Memories of Eric and Flynn asked about Lori's size relative to Laz.  It's tricky and mostly a camera-angle thing.  Laz arrived here at 8.8 lbs at 3.5 years old.  He has dropped to 8.4 over 2+ years.  Mostly because 1) he can run around outside here, 2) he has Lori to run around with inside here, and 3) he is kind of a fussy eater.  

Regarding the last, he wants kibbles.  I think Stinky Goodness is better for him, but sometimes he won't eat any unless I sprinkle some kibbles or freeze-dried chicken on top (and he has taught Lori that bad habit).  Sometimes I tell him "eat or don't".  He usually wins.  I don't know why (because I'm not the hungry one).  But his weight has settled on 8.4 lbs.

Lori arrived at about 4 lbs, 15 months ago.  But she is a regular vacuum-cleaner of an eater.  Well, she was a healthy growing girlcat.  She weighed 8.2 last week.  So she and Laz are about the same weight now.  But weight can be deceiving.  Laz is a lean cat.  He is 1/2 Siamese, and I've never met a fat Siamese.  Lori is a Tonkinese.  And while Tonkies are basically Siamese and Burmese, they are "dense".  No, not stupid; "muscular".  So her weight doesn't quite relate to size like it does with Laz.  

With Laz, weight is size.  With Lori, you can get fooled a bit.  Trying to hold her is like trying to wrassle a boa constrictor.  As much as she loves me, she doesn't like to be picked up.  She and Marley are both "paws on the floor" types.  So with both, imagine a soccer ball of muscle...

But she looks smaller than Laz.   It fools me too sometimes.  I think she curls up tighter than Laz does.  That's my best guess, and I'll stay with it.

* Megan mentioned "Lori doesn't need any toys, Marley - she's got Laz!"  True.  They run around, wrassle, and run more.  They are playmates to the highest degree and the most active pair of cats I've ever had the joy to share space with.  But there is a difference in toys.  The only toy Laz likes is a wand type and the only thing he wants of that is to chew on the string.  OK, he sometimes chews on soft toys like bananas.

Lori will chase any toy.  Like Iza, she loves rattley-mice.  And she will leap at anything I toss over her (she is very bird-reactive).  But springs are her favorites.  They bounce and roll (mousies?).  I usually keep a few in my pockets.  You should see the laser-focussed-eyes when I start to wave one around!  She especially loves it when I toss one down the stairs.  Iza was like that, too.  Both charged wildly down the stairs after them.  Maybe it's a Tonkie thing.

But Megan has the Laz/Lori thing right.  They are each others' toys in a way.  Each will stalk and ambush the other in a way they don't relate to simple toys.  Hallway "stampede of elephants" hardly describes it.  Often, in bed, I will cover my face with a hand because they would be fully-willing to run right across my eyes.  I sometimes wonder how much they understand that each other is "another cat" and not prey or some amazing toy.

But each post should have a picture...

Laz and Lori settling down after a good house-chase...  And, yeah, he sure looks bigger!  

 

Replies To Comments

AYLA:  OK, I'll take over for this.  I have more experience...  And I don't post all that often, so it is a good opportunity...

The Lone Star Cats:  "I'd stay in where it's warm - I got no interest in being out in da cold!"  

I agree, it got down to 8F last night which is really cold fer a domestic furry.  TBT brushes our furs often an that means less of it.  Less furs means colder.  He let Laz and Lori sniff the air through a crack in the door and they backed off.  Marley could tell it was too cold just by a nose on the door.  I didn't even consider it...  These old bones can't deal with 20, never mind 8.

Zoolatry:  "Mmm, well now, your Daddy was a once upon a time New Englander, so he could get you some "galoshes hip-waders", a big bright yellow raincoat (heavy sweater underneath) ... a rain bonnet, tied underneath your cute chinny-chin chin of course ...

TBT would wear sensible stuff like that, but we won't even wear collars.  You should see the heavy stuff he wears just to go get the mail and fill the birdy-feeders!  Iffen it had been daytime, he might have let Laz out.  Because Laz has enough sense to run back inside when the wheathers are bad.  Lori runs seeking shelter.  Bad idea.

Mickey's Musings:  "We had rain yesterday too and some wild wind!

I did not want to d=go out in that!
I suspect that you would not like rain on your furs either!"

Lori allows some rain.  But cold rain gets tiresome fast.  So TBT kept her inside.

Megan:  "Is that some mistletoe you're sitting under Lori?"  No, but it it served well enough.  Laz grooms me often.  And I vicy versa-like to do too.

Cathy Keisha:  "Who's that reflection cat I see outside? Is it getting wet?

Probably not.  TBT was confusured about that picture too, but he thought he saw a cat behind the reflection and almost went to see if he could put a foodbowl out the door.  But I told him it wasn't really there.  I see things better than he does sometimes.

Zoolatry:  "Merry Christmas, Mark ... (that has to be an art rendering of Lori ...)"

The cat decorating a Chrissymouse Tree with mousies came from a card we received many years ago.  TBT just had to keep the image, of course.  However, it is the inspiration of our own Mews Tree.

TBT bought a new bag of rattley mice an we gathered around to paw at the places he should put them.  It was a wunnerful decorating experience.  I personally didn't get involved when Laz was there, but I suggested some places after the other Mews left for 2nd Dinner!

Megan:  "Oooh ah - dead mousies on the tree. Did TBT do that at your house?"

We have vague ideas about "dead mousies".  We think they just get tired of playing.  But see above about mousie-decorations.

  -------

Now, about our Chrissiemouse Day gifts:  We got more cards than we expected (not on the card list this year).  We thank one and all for email and snail mail cards.  They were set up on the table

They will be attached to the inside of the front door soon so we can see them when we walk to the stairs to the litterboxes.  But for today, they take over the dining table in thanks...

We have so much stuff (toys, treats, etc) that we dared not ask for more this year.  Sandy Claws might have asked why we wanted more.  So we didn't.  We'll save that for next year maybe.  MOL!

But our Auntie Susie sent us some treats anyway.  We are gonna get FAT trying to eat all the goodies!

We will hope all of you had a great Chrissymouse Day, got things you wanted, and had Special Treats on the Special Day.

Werdy Wensday

TBT HERE:   It seems time to answer a few questions.  So here we go...

Summer mentioned (about the mirror kitty) that That looks like fun! Sparkle hated mirror kitty. I think she is pretty!  We thought she meant Ayla's mirror kitty at first.  Then realized she meant her own mirror-kitty.  Yes, Summer, your mirror-kitty is beautiful!  As you are.

Memories Of Eric And Flynn mentioned The boys had ping pong balls in the bath which they used to bat around. We soon learned to take them out at night!  

We did ping-pong balls in the tub too.  Same results.  The sink made it much quieter though.

The J-Cats said “my brothers mostly go there when there are dishes with tasty food remnants there, waiting to be washed up.”

I just drown all the dishes at night and put them in the dishwasher the next morning when I’m lazy.  The Mews don’t get to lick them much.  I use a lot of spices and I’m never sure about what spices are safe for them.

Several readers were concerned about Laz falling 12’ from the deck.  Well, he lands better than I did from the ladder and on 4 feet.  He is fearless.  He willing jumped off the deck to chase a squirrel a day before.

Neither event bothered him in the slightest.

“Easy Like Sunday” had many people happy.  I was happy too.  It was a rare event.  The good news is that Ayla is asserting herself.  And I am beginning to thing that Laz mostly just wants to play but hasn’t learned how with Ayla.  

Things seem calm again.  When Laz gets too close, she hisses.  Lately, he backs away after that.  They will never be friends, but maybe he is learning not to be so aggressive.  Laz and Marley get along great!

And yes, food is soothing to all…

Many commenters asked about “mousies” vs “voles”.  The Mews consider ALL of them “mousies” in the generic sense.  The distinctions are minor (small, furry, grabbable, and pouncable).  But I learned about some differences I had NOT understood before.  

https://cavebearslair.blogspot.com/2021/04/mice-voles-moles-and-shrews-oh-my.html

On Twofur Tuesday, several people mentioned the warm laundry or the bloo towel in the drawer.  I do not mind cat fur on my clothes.  After years, cat fur is part of my life.  Though I do sometimes put a towel over the underwear drawer when I offer it for cat-naps.  Cat fur on the outside of my clothes is just such a routine part of my life, LOL!  I don’t even TRY to avoid it anymore.

Happy Tuesday

We just have to say we are thrilled to be able to comment on blogs again!  

 

We used Firefox for years and then we couldn't leave comments.  We switched to Safari and that worked a year.  We update the apps of course.

Then Safari stopped letting us comment to most sites.   We went back to Firefox yesserday and it let us comment to ALL our friends!  We are SO THRILLED!  

We sure hope that lasts for a while...

 

 

Caturday Saturday

We sometimes have problems getting comments to publish.  So we started copying each one before trying ta post in case it dint get through and sending it to Notes (with Dad's help of course - we have our limits).   We are sure the problem is here with us, not our friends blogs.  It isn't always the same ones.  And it isn't always whether it is a blogspot, wordpress, or owned site.  It baffles us and Dad...

So we are trying something new.  Here is a list of the blogs and the comments we wanted to send to but failed.  Partly so you all know we tried, and partly because we can't stand it when our clever or sympathetic comments don't reach our dear friends.

A few showed up hours later an we deleted the from the list below...  We are never sure.  So "just in case"...

Ducky - That was a great-lookin meal!  We trust she cut out a bit of the steak center for you (rawer).  That shrimp looked a bit spicy.  TBT usually cuts off a small portion of his meat (UNSPICED) and cooks that separately for us.  It is nice ta be able ta eat some of the good meats we can smell.  He says "We are all housemates here and housemates share".

In return, sometimes we bring him a mousie.  Granted, he likes ta go eat it privately on the front steps where we can't see, but he always comes back inside licking his lips, so we know we are contributing…

Lone Star Cats - We see you are all wearing red in anticipation of National Wear Red Day!  Good planning...  Good planning for Valentine's Day too.

Ramblingon - Carbs are GOOD (when they are fresh veggies and fruits).  I go easy on the starchy ones like pasta and potatoes though.  Not enough nutrients (though I have read that the main problem with potatoes is that people want to drown them in butter or gravy), LOL!

I make a dish with cubed beef, peppers and potatoes and the only add-on it gets is pan-juice (a little splash of dry sherry to de-glaze the skillet).

I make bread in a bread machine (easy-peasy).  But I use beer instead of water and add a lot on crushed onion and garlic, and a heaping tablespoon of oregano or Italian Seasoning mix.  Really deepens the flavor.  Friends and family (and the neighbor who helped while I was injured) all love it!

Rose - First encounters with snow can be weerd!  Laz had his fist couple days ago.  He had SEEN it before at his 2 previous homes (we assume) but had never been out in it.

He was NOT thrilled!  He kept shaking is paws when walking on it.  And when a paw finally sank in, he was done with it. We (Marley and Ayla) were WAITING for that.  MOL!

Zoolatry - Tails are wunnerful fer pictorial modesty.  And we love to sit on the computer keyboard and newspaper ta get attention focussed on US.  Where it should be!

   ------------

We and Dad hope to figure it all out when he feels better (and he is getting there).  HE says it is probbly "32/64 bit apps conflicts" (whatever THAT is - and don't ask US).  But we dont want some of our friends ta thing we are ignorin them!

Comments?

We have the uncomfortable feeling that we have been typing comments to our friends and they are not showing up in many sites.  If that is true, be assured we are trying. 

We see more and more blogs where the comments box asks for our name, email and address.  Some autofill with a letter or two but more don't lately (demanding we enter it all from scratch).  And one site demanded we clear our cookies and cache.

We dont unnerstand that stuff and will keep trying, hoping it is temporary.  But if you haven't been hearing from us, that might be why.

Meanwhile,  March 2017...

Marley on Mouse Patrol...   Patient, silent, looking for movement, listening for squeeks...

An Odd Surprise

TBT here:  I had a strange day yesterday.  I got up late and had to go visit the dentist for a 6 month checkup.  Everything is fine, but there is one tiny cavity that will be filled easily in 2 weeks.  I didn't eat before the visit.  And I didn't eat after.  I did some useful work around the yard and house.  And never got hungry.

Some days are like that.  And I wouldn't be posting this here (instead of on my personal blog) but it involves Skeeter.

I updated a few programs, and one tells me about blog visitors.  Don't worry, its nothing personal.  But it suggested that I had suddenly had some 1,000+ visitors.  Well, that happened many years ago and it turned out that some weerdos had gotten into really old Skeeter&LC posts and left ads in Chinese.  Took weeks to get rid of most of them and some are unremovable.

So, to look for new ads in old ones, I scrolled down my list of old posts and AT RANDOM, I  SWEAR, I landed on December 10, 2008.  Opened it.  Skeeter's Bridge Day...

I re-read the comments to that post for an hour.  And then the posts the next days.  It was hard, but sweet at the same time.  I still miss him so much after 11 years.  Ayla, Iza, and Marley have filled my life since he and LC went OTB.

I cried again reading the comments.   And so many friends.  Most don't blog anymore or have gone OTB themselves, or have changed blog names and I've lost track.  I clicked on a lot of the names to see if they were still blogging.  Well, back a few years when the "Prove You Are A Person" security started, I got annoyed and deleted some blogs from my Feedly list.  Stupid me...  I've been trying to find some of those bloggers lately and found most were unactive.

The list of bloggers who helped me through those dark days is very long.  And I was surprised at how many of you are still blogging.  Some I thought were "newer" were there then.  It was "enlightening".

Most wrote comments of support, some wrote poems, others encouraged me to pay attention to LC and Ayla.  All was so helpful to my grieving heart.  So I wanted to take time today to say "Thank You" to those of you who were there then.  And no disrespect to newer bloggers; you just weren't there then. 

Over the years, I still sometimes cry when I think of Skeeter (and LC).  But there is less pain when I do.  When I sometimes call Marley "Skeeter", it is just an accident of memory, not a wish he could be replaced with Skeeter. 

Skeeter was the first cat I had for so long from kittenhood to death.  That was profound.  Someone commented this year (I have the world's worst memory for names) that I shouldn't think in terms of "A" heartcat and she was right.  They are ALL "heartcats" now.  I could not choose among Ayla, Iza, or Marley for "heartcat" today. 

Ayla and I struggled together through 3 spay operations before it got done right.  And she HAS to greet me in the morning at eye level on the dresser or shoe rack.  Iza is so attached to me that she cries if we are both outside and she loses track of where I am.  So I always have an ear open.  And she is distressed if she isn't in the same room.  Marley is a lot like Skeeter.  But he wants to know where I am too.  Outside, he is MANCAT, Grim Reaper of mousies.  Inside, he wants my presence.

I cherish them all.  I know that someday, they too will leave.  And they will leave a huge hole in my heart when they do.  I have trouble imagining a time when one or all are gone.  They are my constant companions.  I talk to them and they talk back.  I speak basic "cat".

I tried to imagine my life without cats in it a few days ago.  I couldn't.  There will be cats in my life until they haul me off to the crematorium.  Or the hospice or nursing home, whichever happens first.  I understand them (a brave statement to make but one I am sure of).  They are not my "pets" or my "children".  They are my housemates and my friends.  Yeah, maybe they require more care than other housemates (but you should have seen SOME I had in apartments). 

Anyway, this, I suppose, is a post of joy to The Mews.  Long may they walk with tails high, use the litterboxes. cost more in food than I spend on myself, and gladden my life every day...

BTW, I never found any "chinese ads", so I don't know what Statcounter was telling me.

Easy Like Sunday

First a quick look at a typical Sunday.  Yeah, we know we used that picture recently, but consider it generic.

Because our real message today is that TBT thinks he has solved our commenting difficulties.

If you are on Firefox and getting Beta Version updates and have trouble leaving comments check out TBT's post HERE.  And it may be similar on other browsers.  He basically downloaded the older Regular version of Firefox and we can comment again.  But we thought it best ta leave all the details on TBT's blog.

Comment Failures

TBT here:  We are having trouble commenting on blogs.  Yes, I have mentioned it before, but it seems to be getting even worse.

I am getting to my wit's end about this.

In this past week, I have tried both Firefox and Safari.  That doesn't seem to help.  I have been ruthlessly cleaning my computer of old files (some small some large).  I have gone through and uninstalled old and unused applications.  I have used 2 different software programs that search for viruses, malware, and advertisement-oriented commercial cookies.  I defragmented the disk.  I searched for unauthorized incoming and outgoing traffic while I wasn't actively using the computer.

I am not having the slightest problem with the computer otherwise.  As far as I can tell, my Mac computer is operating perfectly.

Meanwhile, I have noticed that my number of comments (though not visitors) to Mark's Mews is dropping.  A year or 2 ago, I was getting 30 comments and 80 visitors per day.  It went to 20 comments and 30 visitors.  Lately, it is 10 comments and 20 visitors.

This could of course be for many reasons.  Fewer people visiting blogs, we are getting boring, or (what concerns me most) many of YOU are also not getting comments through and are not recognized as visiting.

I'm not sure what to do.  I have about 70 blogs on my reading list.  I try to visit everyone at least once a week (about a 1/3 every other day).  Tonight, of the first 10 I visited (and I always comment), only 2 comments showed up when I checked back an hour later.  And it wasn't that they were blogs that are moderated in real time (I moderate too, but only for comments 3 days or older).  And I get email acknowledgement of comments to be moderated.  And even THEN, I have been checking my blogger dashboard for comments waiting for moderation or considered spam.

The only thing I can think of to do next is to hook up my Windows 10 computer to the internet (it is currently a stand alone computer for "safe" use).  But that would mean updating 2 year's worth of software, buying anti-virus software (not currently needed since it is offline in all ways), and creating new bookmarks (since I wouldn't want to copy ANYTHING from the Mac "just in case").

So my questions are:

How many of you are having the same general problems with commenting?

Have you found a way to fix it?

Is it different on a Mac or a Windows?

What browser works best for you?

How would you feel if I emailed you (being unable to reliably leave comments directly)?

If we can't fix our commenting problems, would you still visit us?

Is the blogging world falling apart (is the comment-failure problem widespread or just me or a few of us).

There used to be streaming chat.  That faded away.  Then there were discussion boards (still working fine).  Blogs worked great until a couple years ago.

I'm never been on Facebook, Twitter, etc, and with the complaints I see, don't want to be.

So, anything anyone can suggest based on current experiences would sure be appreciated.

  ........................

I just learned something.  If you have "embedded" as a choice in your comment settings, it may be causing problems for visitors using a Mac.

Here's how you find out:

Go to your Settings selection and look for something like "Posts and Comments".

Under "Comments" you will see "Comments Location".  Next to that is a box with several choices like "embedded, full page, popup window, and hide".  If you have "embedded", I think that is what is stopping Apple Mac users!

If you change that setting to "popup window", I think that will fix things for we Mac users.

You can also look at the 2 settings below that; "Who Can Comment?" and "Comment Moderation".

The first is anyone, google accounts, and only members of this blog.  I suspect the last is a bad choice.  The first allows EVERYONE (and you might want to be careful).  The "google account" means most of us.  A friend set up a google account just to comment on blogs and so far as we can tell, means little beyond on that even if you don't like Google.

"Comment Moderation" decides how old a comment has to be before it requires you to personally allow the comment to be posted automatically.  I have my setting on 7 days.  That means comments from friends on old posts aren't likely to get ignored, but some of those scammers who post ads on really old posts get detected (usually).

I hate to ask friends to struggle through changes in their settings, but I think it is their settings that are keeping my posts from showing.  I THINK it is the "embedded" setting that is causing the problem.  It DOES seem to me that "embedded" comments (where the comments show immediately below the post) are the ones I have troubles with AND that the "pop up" comment windows always seem to work.

And only because Mac and Windows don't get along well.

SO, if anyone tries that, let me know and I will send a test comment to assure "Pop Up Windows" works.  It COULD solve a problem many of us have had AND it could result in more comments and visitors...

Hoping for good news...

Mark

Caturday Saturday - Comments and Questions

 Answers...

1.  Megan asked “which one of you was supposed to be snoopervising him when he hurt his back?”

We ARENT getting blamed fer THAT.   He did it all by hisself  outside when we were inside!  But we have piled around him in bed since then to add our warmth to his back.  We do what we can.

2.  @ Memories Of Eric And Flynn “I am glad TBT is starting to feel a bit better. It is lucky that he can still bend down even though he complains when he does it.
Being fed on the table would be interesting, and I can see that you would want it there all of the time.

He has learned ta do knee squats.  Or legs.  His body is a little different than ours.  But oh mousies!  We thought we had gained the table.  He is stubborn…

3.  Several friends commented about getting a new back from Amazon.  We found a good back brace but not anny new backs.  He is probly stuck with the one he has.

4.  William Kith & Kin said “Maybe you kids need to put him in a troll box and take him to the human fix-it place!”

We tried that.  We even got him in the car (his own PTU), but we couldn’t start it.  No thumbs.

5.  Pilch said “I highly recommend a turmeric supplement, it is an anti-inflammatory.

He looked into that.  He says he is better with ‘Ibuprofen’.  He is always on the edge of “gout”, and the Dr said he should use that stuff.

6.  Jan’s Funny Farm said “Ouch! Jan has been known to throw out her back too. We've never figured out how she finds it again, unless she buys a new one each time. We hope TBT finds his, or can afford a new one, so he can keep up with you guys again. Being your photographer is a very important job.”

We miss him taking our pictures.  DON’T TELL HIM THAT.  Its our secret.  We get more treats by complaining…

But, as we need ta end this on a good meow,  he is starting ta move better.  The bear grunt when he bends over to put our food bowls down seems less “gruntier” than on Monday.  So he probly won’t die and leave us trapped inside.  We DO worry about that sometimes.

Caturday Saturday

Responses to comments and questions...

1. Megan asked:  “Why oh why is TBT so slow with the foods? Perhaps a wee nip on his ankle would speed him along”.

There is a process.  First, because the cats don’t eat a whole can at once, there are leftovers of varying amounts and those are refrigerated.  So the cold can has to be warmed in a shallow tray of hot water for 5 minutes.  Then the proper amount for each cat must be spooned out carefully.  Marley gets the most (being the largest).  Ayla gets about 1/2 as much (being only 1.2 Marley’s weight.  Iza’s food has to be smeared around the edges of her bowl to slow down her eating rate or she “returns it”. 

Iza will eat as much food as she can get at, as fast as she can eat it, as often as she can get it.  I got her 3^rd-hand so I don’t know about her kittenhood.  But apparently she had some food-issues. 

I even have to give them all small amounts for the first meal of the day.  Iza can’t handle more than a spoonful the first meal, and if I give Marley a full amount, Iza noses in on it when I’m not looking.  Ayla gets a regular amount because she eats out of Iza’s reach. 

Marley and Ayla want to go outside right after that, so Iza gets a 2^nd spoonful 15-20 minutes later.  After that, everything seems OK.  Mealtimes can be a real dance around here!

2. Summer commented:  “That's interesting that all three of you have gotcha days in January”. 

It was mostly coincidence.  In December 2007, came across a local Siamese cat breeder, and mentioned that if she ever had a kitten that didn’t quite meet her selling standards, I might be interested.  As it turned out, she had female too small for breeding and her regular Queen had a litter on the way and she didn’t like having other cats in the house with newborns.  So I got Ayla in January 2008.

When Skeeter died in December 2008, Ayla was lonely (she loved Skeeter and LC was mourning him and not being friendly).  So I emailed the same breeder and she happened to have a Siamese female “with smudged colors” and wasn’t good breeding material.  So I took her.  That was Iza.  Well Iza was really a Tonkinese and her colors were proper for her, but the breeder didn’t realize that.  My thanks to the “A Tonk’s Tails” blog for telling me Iza was a Tonkie! 

But after a year, Ayla and Iza weren’t getting along well (Iza was twice her size, and a bit “assertive”), so I remembered that Skeeter had always been a peacemaker.  It seemed to me that Orange/White male cats had always been calm, so I searched for one.  The shelters always seemed to have brothers that had to go together, and that was exactly NOT the point.

This is a bit embarrassing, but I don’t recall who directed me to a CraigsList notice about an Orange/White male cat for adoption (please feel free to remind me so that I can keep that in my cat file, and thank you once again). 

I emailed the owner, and she sent a picture.  I fell in love with him.  She explained that Marley had been a Christmas gift from a friend, but it turned out she was allergic to cats.  She loved him dearly, but wanted the best possible home for him.

I had to work to get him, as he had been promised to a family.  I pointed out that I was retired and could give him attention all day.  I mentioned the large fenced-in back yard full of moles.  I told her about the high-quality food I gave my cats.  I sent her pictures of all the toys and scratchers. 

She suggested I come visit to see how he reacted to me.  I came.  She called “Marley”, and he walked right down the stairs.  I sat on the floor cross legged and he came right over and curled up on my lap.

That settled everything right there!  Marley went home with me, with his bag of Meow Mix, his litter box, and his one toy (a cloth fish with a Velcro strip that allowed you to stuff catnip in. 

Over the first few days, I mixed better food in with his Meow Mix, emptied the old-style clay in his litter box and bleached it (in case of parasites), and put real catnip in his fish (which I examined and discovered had never had any catnip in it.).  He arrived January 22. 

So Marley was 4^th-hand.  He was, apparently, born in a house as one of a litter of unwanted kittens, then spent time in a shelter, then spent a month in a house where the owner was allergic, then came here.  I’ll count that as 4.

I got Skeeter on Halloween 1992.  I got LC on Halloween 1993 deliberately.  Ayla, Iza and Marley came into my life at the same week of different years entirely by accident.

BTW, Ayla and Iza got their names from a series of books I loved (‘Clan Of The Cave Bear’).  Ayla was the main character, a Cro-magnon orphan, and Iza was the adopting Neanderthal mother.  I had intended a next cat to be named in the same style of the books, but when the lady said his name was “Marley”, I knew at once that “Marley” was exactly the right name. It just fit him perfectly.  “Marley” he was and “Marley” he stays.

Marley has lived up to my expectations.  From nearly his first days out of the adjustment room, he brought peace into the house.  Iza was larger than him, but accepted him as equal.  Ayla loved him.  They slept together after the 1^st week, ate together,  and ran around together.

3.  Many mentioned Ayla’s “Princess” poses, so I won’t list everyone.  But from the first day she was here, she had the royal “look”.  Not all Siamese do.  She sits upright with her ruff showing and her long tail curled around the front paws.  She eats daintily.  She draws but only “allows” attention.

She only wants to see me at eye-height.  If she is on the floor, she pulls away.  If she is “up”, she demands my attention.  We HAVE to be at least equal in height (and she likes it better if she is just a little above me) for her to feel comfortable.

She likes to walk off the bathroom windowsill and walk briefly around my shoulder, neck, and other shoulder before reclaiming her windowsill spot.

She lives almost entirely in the bedroom.  But if I open the deck door (however stealthily) I can count down from 8 and she is there at the door.  She is quite certain that I ONLY open the door JUST FOR HER!

Ayla is certain that I give only her the best food in the house.  She is certain that the Duck, Turkey, and Rabbit is ONLY for her.  That I give Marley and Iza cheap junk…  She eats in the bedroom, so what does SHE know?  I indulge her fantasies.  Who wants to upset a true Princess?

Ask more questions, and I’ll do this more often…

Monday Comment Replies

More replies to comments...

1.  Spitty said "Don't worry, Ayla dear. Iza's not home to annoy you today [Sunday].  Oh, and Lambie? I has jars and jars of the Gerber's. Chick-hen AND beefies. Take your choice--or I can open BOTH of them. XOXOXO"

Ayla replies:  Thank you Spitty.  Iza returned at dinnertime, unusually calm.  I credit her visit to you.  And the Gerbers.  But she won't tell me ANYTHING!  Sisters are supposed to tell "all".  Hmpff!

2.  Patzys Place said: "Ayla, you are looking especially beautiful today up there. You look like a cat show queen whether your eyes are open or not!

We was also noticing TBT’s book selections. He looks like a smart and well rounded dude with a lot of reference type books on that shelf. We wonder if he ever reads any fiction or sci-fi?"

Ayla replies:  Thank you.  I AM the Princess here and a regal pose is "de rigueur".  As to the books, TBT keeps the special stuff in the living room bookcases.  In the computer room, there are 3 more bookcases with about 60 shelf feet double stacked of sci-fi and fantasy books.  Mostly paperbacks, but some first edition hard books.  He actually re-reads a lot of them, so he CLAIMS it isn't just hoarding.  Oh, and he just mentioned to me that some are even "Ace Doubles" he bought 50+ years ago a dime each "used".

But he doesn't read anything called modern fiction.  Too real about weird Beins.   He says the news is bad enough...

3.  Pilch92 said:  "You do look regal up there. TBT needs to put a blankie up there for you." 

Ayla replies:  OMC, I never even thought to ask for that.  But now that you suggest it, I will.  A large bloo towel, folded up several times will do nicely.  A Princess MUST have "Royal Bloo".

4.  Megan said:  "Yes - he's got IZA on his mind and I'm sure that he has been distracted by his concern about what might be causing her behaviour. I do hope that it's resolved soon". 

Iza replies:  It is always good for TBT to have me in mind, but a vet visit makes me upset.  I didn't MEAN to fart right under his nose.  It just sort of came out.  I mean, it WAS right after dinner and you KNOW what they say about turkey...

What?  Oh, TBT says it wasn't that.  OK, I'm sorry I gnawed on the corn cob and threw it up all over the bed.  It wasn't THAT either?  You mean I can do those things?  Oh, not, OK.  

ACK, he is gonna drag me to the stabby place again, isnt he!  HELP!

Monday Comment Replies

We have had some comments lately we want to answer.  Whispering...

We discussed them a bit...

From places of comfort.

Many questions lately, and we sit down to answer them...

 Sitting discussing them...

So going backwards...

The Whiskeratti said:  "Maybe TBT can ask the local stores to carry or special order some foods for you."

TBT asked the Petco store guy about that.  He said he doesn't have control about what they send him.  And said "special orders" come to him the same way they come to us.

 Megan asked "As for being the perfect weight: wouldn't some suggest that Iza could slim down to a svelte 8.5 or 9lbs????"

Iza gets desperate under 9.5 lbs.  I got her down to that once and she started eating corncobs, bread, and licking pans on the stove.  10 lbs seems to be her minimum acceptable weight.  And I am wondering why I should care.  If she is happy at 10.5 lbs for her life, should I make her unhappy to get a couple more years?

Summer asked:  "So far my human has found more damaged cans at the pet store than she has had delivered here (of course, she leaves the dented ones on the shelf"

The local Petco Manager  says he removes all cans from the cases to assure that none are dented, and absorbs the cost.  That makes me want to support him.  But his suggestion that I come by each month to place a specific order he will try to fulfill "just for me" seems excessive.  I would have to visit nearly every 2 weeks.  That is a lot more than just having the stuff show up on the front steps once every 6 weeks.

Mr Puddy said:  "Ours are not Goldenrods but Ferns."

We have Japanese painted ferns in our yard spreading from just a few we planted years ago.  They are lovely.  TBT will be dividing them a lot and putting them in a front yard bed in November.  The deer dont eat them.

Katie Isabella said "TBT, please tell me about over wintering Cone Flowers. I just bought a tiny bit with just two blooms because I felt sorry for him. DRY as dust and drooping. So I have him fully water, in a sun place. Shall I keep him in a pot for winter or trey to dig a hole in this concrete-like ground?"

 We had to discuss this among ourselfs.  We decided that the best idea was to soak the pot in a bowl until it is entirely watered and then remove it to drain.  Then do the bowl thing every few days  until it goes dormant outside, then pull the little Coneflower out of the pot, dip it into a large bowl of water to loosen some of the bad soil away and then set it into a slightly larger pot with standard potting soil, and keep it it in a Eastern or Western window overwinter.  Not very wet but not very dry either.  A finger an inch deep should detect moisture but not be wet.  Next Spring, after last frost, set it outside in a sunny spot.  Hope that helps.

Patzys Place said "Great pics but we are laughing about the duct tape holding the planter together. You guys are not rednecks are you? Haha just kidding. Duct tape is essential to life as we know it. Right?"

We are center-left Progressives.  Duct tape is great, but it was a last resort.  The bottoms of those pots all split open after several years. We tried to cement the split parts together.  But no cement we tried worked.    Resin cement didn't work, epoxy didn't work.  Rubber contact cement didn't work.  Our idea now is to get a 12" wide board and cut 8" circles in it for the bowl parts to sit in.  Throw the support stands away.  Or drill 3 holes around the top lips and turn the upper parts into hanging planters.

 -----------------------

The hobbit feet got a lot of attention. The "retouch" feature in Preview helped a lot blending them onto my legs..  Spooked the Mews a bit though when I wore them.  Iza cared least; Marley hated them.  Ayla watched carefully, then decided there was no threat. 

Comment Friday

We are replying to comments today.  Well, we didn't have anny really weerd pictures for "Freaky Friday", and Friday isnt a theme day other than that, so we voted.  4-1 for comments.  Yes there is only 4 of us here, but TBT also asked the mailperson, and she voted "comments".  TBT voted against because it is complicated, but that's HIS problem...  4-1 wins...

1.  About the plate licking:

Megan said  "Except one of you seems to be hogging the plate. Not to mention names, though, Iza (!!!)."

 She got that right. Iza is a pig for gravy and plates.  It is hard ta get a tongue in edgewise around her.

2.  About the blurry paws:

The Swiss Cats said:  "We tried once to look at our paws through Momo's glasses, and they looked like this, MOL ! Purrs"

Brian said:  "Blurry paws means it is nap time!"

Cara n Crew said:  "Alien kitteh paw!"

 That all makes sense.  Looking through eyeglasses can mess up annything, when you can't make yer paws focus, it is probly time fer bed, and those might be alien paws copied over mine!  (Marley)

3.  The Thursday Squeezing got a lot of good comments:

The Celestial Kitties said "Just remember sweetie, you never really wanted to go under there anyway.."

ATCAD said "Chimera gets under Mommy's chiffarobe,"  We had to look that one up. We learned it was a place for female ladies to place clothes in and we got all embarrassed.  But a neat piece of furniture with drawers to nap in.


Meezer Mews said: "Maybe you need some grease??"  We are pretty sure Iza has enough grease, but it is inside her.  MOL!


4.  Marley Drinking Water:  Lots of comments there too.

Megan said "So, if he doesn't usually drink water, what does he drink instead? Orange juice??"
He gets his water from canned food, but also drinks from the pond outside.

The Swiss Cats said "Did you run out of whisky ? Purrs"
We think he is more a gin and tonic guy.  He sniffs TBTs Gin Buck every night but does not partake.

Mickey's Musing said "He is a sneak drinker is he"
He might be.  TBT sometimes hears lapping when Iza and Ayla is in bed. He might think it is HIS LITTLE SECRET time.


15 and Meowing said "That is funny. Maybe he needs a water fountain."
We have tried those.  Iza likes to knock them over, so that doesn't work here. 


Memories Of Eric And Flynn said "Eric and Flynn always drank a lot of water right from when they were kittens. Their favourite was from the bath tap or rainwater in a big dish outdoors."
Rainwater is good.  We all drink from clean puddles outside.

5.  The Bedtime Parade:

The Island Cats said "That's quite the routine you all have. Too bad there's no photographic evidence of the parade."

We have a little routine here.  We all follow TBT to the bedroom after the midnight meal and he opens the covers for anny of us who want to get covered at once.  THEN he remembers the camera is in the kitchen (where it is "normally" convenient)  and brings it to the bedroom for anny good sleepy pictures.   With it close at paw hand he gets night shots of us sometimes.

The parade is high on his TO GET list.  Of course, we won't cooperate NOW.   Thwarting TBT is a hobby of ours.

Hope you enjoyed our "replies to comments".

Answers To Comments

Once again, we answer some questions in your comments!

1.  Yesserday, we mentioned that we get more food when TBT stays up all night.  Megan asked "How does that work? If he's asleep, how can you get more foods?

Because it is nightime when he is awake.  In daytime, he is outside a lot and it is hard ta bother him.  It is either noisy equipment (and we are shut inside) or digging stuff we stay away from.  So we have to wait until he comes inside and he is all worn out an sits in a chair.  But when he is on the computer at night, we can walk all around him meowing fer food.  And we get it!

2.  Saturday, I was hiding in a box hoping for a pounce opportunity.

The Menagerie Mom asked "Oh, setting up an ambush can be so fun! You didn't have to wait long, did you, Ayla?'  Katie Isabella asked "Did some kitty come by?"

It was a total fail.  Marley and Iza were sleeping in the bedroom.  So TBT tossed in a milk ring, and I whapped that around fer a while. That helped...

3.  Freaky Friday was "A View From The Lap".  That got a lot of questions about where the treats were.

A.  Summer asked "But... where are the cat treats"?  Lone Star Cats dittoed that.  As did the Meezer Mews.  As did The Florida Furkids.

Well, when TBT sits down to dinner at the TV tray, he usually brings a couple dozen kibbles in a small bowl.  He tosses them around the room as he eats.  We LOVE chasing them as they bounce around oddly.  Sometimes, if we have just been fed Stinky Goodness, he tosses toys around instead.  But when he is done eating, the kibbles or toys are all gone.

B.  15&Meowing asked "What happened to Thursday's garden tour"?

Everything looked the same as last week, and we slept late.  So we skipped it.

4.  Womancat Wensday was about traffic on the deck rails.

A.  Mr Puddy said "Me think you are very smart to turn your face away while waiting for her to move.  Just in case.... Silent but violent".

Yeh, Iza farts.  We call them "SBDs (Silent But Deadly)".   You should hear her at night, her tummy rumbles and squeaks.  She doesn't hold her food well either (but weighs 10 pounds).  The vet can't find the problem.  He says her tummy is normal size, no blockages, no allergies, and TBT can't find a connection to any flavor or brand of food.  And we only get non-grain, non by-product Stinky Goodness.

B.  Others said to tap her back legs or push her out of the way.

Please, I (Ayla) am 6 lbs and Iza is 10.  And she is build like a brick!  I might as well try to actally shove a real brick...  The Vet allus says "Jeez, she is heavier than she looks".  Apparently, that is a Tonkie "thing".  LC was like that too, but a tuxie cobby cat.

C.  Meezer Mews said "Oh, dear, maybe TBT needs to widen that 'road' to more than one lane."

I (Alya) asked about that  and TBT said he wasn't going to put 18" wide tops on the deck rails.  He said wasps would love that for building nests under.  OK, I don't love wasps a whole lot.  So I just jump over her most of the time!  I might get a slight whap on the butt, but she keeps her claws in.  TBT says it is symbolic.

 -----------------

We love questions, keep them coming!

Freaky Friday

We gotta acknowledge a dedication to THOROUGH visiting like we never had before...  Ya know how when ya are behind visiting a friend, ya make sure to comment on the most recent post or even 2 posts?

Well we got comments on 14 posts yesserday from our friends at http://pipoandminkoandmrjackfreckles.blogspot.com/.

Oh Bast, that sure made our day wunnerful an exciting! Thank you guys fer a wunnerful evening full of reading happiness. 

A then we were so excited we ran outside ta run around in joy!

Answers To Comments

TBT here:  We got many questions about the "Twisted" box.  So here are some answers from Ayla...

Megan commented:  "Good application of the scientific method, Ayla. Your conclusion that Iza is the freak and the box has nothing to do with it is very credible"

Ayla:  Thank you Megan.  I AM the smartest feline in the house.  I do think very catlogically.

15 and Meowing commented:  "I guess you figured out that mystery. I hope Iza doesn't see this post. 

Ayla:  We have an agreement here that we all tell each other what we post.  So, of course, I DON'T tell IZA annything I post.  But she actually thinks I WILL, so she doesnt go looking at old posts.  MOL!

Flynn commented:  "Iza may not be too happy about you calling her freaky"

Ayla:  See above...  ;)

Brian commented:  "Hey Marley, you got a Twisted Sister"

Ayla:  Yes, but it isnt the boxs fault, she came that way.  And TBT says that the "Twisted" actally refers to "old twisted Zinfandel grapevines" that make a slightly different kind of wine than new vines.  Partcularly, "cheap but decent".  I sniffed the stuff once and almost bomited, but then HE doesnt like raw mice like US...

New Camera Comments

AYLA:

Well, we sure got some inneresting comments about the new camera.  So, since *I* posted about it, TBT said I should respond ta them.  That was earlier this afternoon, but I was takin a nap then.  But Im up now so...

First, the one thing the camera cant do is take a picture of itself, so here is what it looks like.




Summer said "that delayed flash thing means the camera was old, old old!".  Yeah, but the new one isn't much faster.

Megan said "As for her game of Retrieve - I have to ask: is she planning on morphing into a woofie any time soon?"  Well, Iza is a Tonkinese and they DO have some "woofie-ish" habits.  She follows TBT everywhere for example.  And retrieves tossed toys.  And sleeps next to him all night.  Its almost embarassing.  On the other paw, she gets a lot more scritchies, food, laptime, and toy-toss time, so mebbe she isnt quite as dumb as she seems.  NO, Im NOT jealous.  Much.  much...

The MeezerMews said "At least the old camera didn't die a traumatic death like meowmy's furst camera."  Ha-Ha, TBTs cameras all die horribly.  The previous one got pounded on a table until it died, the one before was left out in the rain, and the one before THAT we I pushed off the half-wall and down the stairs until it stopped working.

Punapippuri said "We have the problem with bad lighting indoors now and not much more light outside, so low light stuff is really important."  TBT learned today that he CAN force the camera ta flash, but it takes a couple menu steps to force that.  Which he finds annoying because sometimes he  WANTS light reflections and he doesnt remember instructions too good.

The Whiskeratti said "Mom mostly uses her smartphone camera to take pics of us. She also has a Nikon Coolpix with a neat pet photo setting - push the button and it takes three pics in a row of each shot". We dont have a smartphone.  Just the one-thing cordless phone.  But he did find neat features like "Burst" that takes endless pictures in a row, and stuff fer low-light, snow (he is still trying ta figure that one out), long exposure, etc.  This camera actually does quite a lot.  If you can remember how ta get to the features in the menu.  I figure TBT has a snowballs chance in heck of remembering how...

Flynn said "My mum wants to get a new point and shoot because there are black marks appearing in the photos".  We had pale white circles on the last camera.  TBT kept cleaning the lens until he realized they were only in some pictures but not in nearly identical others.  So it was some digital warp.  We hope this one doesn't do that.  But it would be nice if the camera didnt make all our floors look dirty (koff, koff)!

Brian said "New cameras take some time to learn".  Only if the user isnt as dumb as a duck.  TBT says "point and shoot" means "point and shoot, no menus".

Cara N Crew said "her new flashy box is red too for similar reasons yet she still manages to "mislay" it".  Yeah, I bet he goes "red-blind" real quick and wont be able ta find the new camera soon.  I even bet that even though he keeps it in his pocket from wake-up to bedtime, he manages ta lose it within a month.  It will be out in the toolshed or down in the basement and he will wander around aimlessly fer an hour looking fer it.  MOL!

Pilch said "I hope TBT was able to find a deal on the new camera with all the sales this time of year".  Of course not.  He bought it last week and has already seen it 50 green papers cheaper today (while getting the picture used above).  He has the timing talent of a broken clock...

Tonk's Tale said "Well, WE say that a new camera to show off your best side is TOP priority".  Well, I suppose iffen TBT HAS to take pictures of me us, they might as well be good ones...