Ayla Again, an I Gotta Write It Fer Her!

Ayla:

The Big Thin thinks I m SO weerd! I spend time wif Skeetr lernin letters an werds, lernin sniff buts plitely, drop hed to Skeetr, ofer ta snugel, tawk lots. But wana fit in. LC don like me much, but isn whapy. Id like beter if she whapt me thn let me snugel.

We wer al onna bed at sam time to-smorning an dat made Big Thin hapy! He gotta scratch us alla once! No flashie thin tho…

He did takk cool pitchers of me latr. Sory, I lernin werds fast as can.

Skeeter here: Good try, Ayla, but too hard to read. Oh good grief, I’m doin the best I can, but Ayla is so young… I gotta help her fer awhile! Id rather jus be left alone to sleep, but, well, she IS awful cute and wants my attention (which is very flatterin)… So, I will.




The first cute thing is that Ayla managed to bat a fuzzyball right inta the curtain and it stayed there! I’m envius! I never managed that even when I did useta play wif toys an even LC says she nefer did either… Maybe it’s a Meezer trick. She hits those fuzzies a lot harder than we did!









Here is a close up picture. It really is stuck in there. Not that awful statically lectricity or nothin. The Big Thing laffed and said “swish – 3 points” (?)









Then she did more showin off onna condo. She really LIKES that thing. Runs up an down it alla time. She efen gets onna top level then sorta slides down levels like water. I mean, I like sleepin on 1 level or another an I like lookin out the window sometimes, but I don’t “oozy” down them like she does. LC never gets on the thing, so I suppose it is good it is bein used. The Big Thing says it is like watchin a fish go down a slow waterfall.



Nother picture of cuteness... Notice her tail isnt lazy-draped over the edge? But helded over the edge! That's like all elegant and classy.











She is lovin the cube tent a lot.











Must be a kitten thing. I climbed in there a coupla times but wasn’t all that excited. If I wanna be covered up, I prefer bein unner the blankies wif The Big Thing to warm me up and give scritches. I think she is jus lurkin in there to learn how to pounce us when we walk past… She HAS got this game goin of tappin my tailtip as she runs past. She allus runs. Evrywhere alla time. I’m frazzled. If The Big Thing hadnt brought her inna cave I think I would eat her! But she smells too much like The Big Thing. (*sigh*) Did I mention how cute” she is? 



I’m also conflicted by how much she wants ta be friends. She does alla right things: sniffin nosies, rubbin chins, offerin her head fer licks, droppin onher back an showin her tummy, leavin my foodbowl alone, coverin up her litter real good. Shes practicaly perfect (grr)…

OK, back to her great pictures… She “lolls” great. I gotta member how to "loll". Dang its hard. I'm too "Mancatty". Maybee LC can loll.

She is SO cute stickin her head barely outta the cube tent…

I wanna whap her BIG TIME, but I jus cant… So I’ll keep teachin her Big Thing werds and stuff an watch her run aroun at top speed bangin inta furniture an stuff.

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LC and The Birdie

The Big Thing here:

Regarding the previous post by LC about how excited she was to catch a bird (I just noticed it), I thought I should say a few things...

I didn't teach Skeeter and LC to catch live animals. They both came to me as indoor-raised kittens and I didn't expect that they had learned to hunt. But I don't actively discourage them from it either. They seem to have self-taught... They are healthy cats with instincts for finding live food. Skeeter specializes in various rodents and young bunnies; LC has an obsession with frogs and small fish.

Neither has had much luck with birds, though in his younger days, Skeeter could jump astonishingly high and snagged himself a bird about 5 feet off the ground while I watched. I suppose between the 2 of them, they manage about one bird per year.

I feed birds and enjoy their activity around the 3 bird feeders in the back yard. The feeders are close enough to small and large trees to give the birds plenty of safe perches (but far enough away so that the squirrels can't jump onto the feeders).

When I set up my first bird feeder, there was 1 pair of cardinals and maybe 2 pairs of house finches visiting the 1 black oil sunflower seed feeder. Later, I added 2 thistle seed feeders and a pair of goldfinches visited those.

Today, 20 years later, there are 7 pairs of cardinals, a couple dozen house finches, and various sundry other birds (many of which I had never seen the first month of feeding. There are about 6 pairs of goldfinches at the thistle feeders and the seed-bearing perennial plants in the garden.

I consider this to be a fair gain for the birds. I have seen more birds taken by hawks than by Skeeter and LC. In fact, I have seen more birds meet their end crashing into the deck door than by either the hawks or the cats. When the deck door birds are clearly dead, I let Skeeter and LC have them (hey, free food and some real excitement for them). Most of the birds they ever eat were already dead. Just like when I hear a mousetrap snap, they get the mouse to play with and eat (they don't get dead ones of unknown time).

There are clearly more birds around my yard than before I set up the feeders. I've found more nests year-by-year than before. This Fall, I found more nests in the trees in my own yard than ever before. If Skeeter and LC pick off a bird per year between them, the birds are still better off overall. I can deal with that.

So when Skeeter or LC DO manage to catch the odd bird so very seldom (and always bring it back to show me), I will praise them for being good hunters, even play with the birds a bit (as they seem to expect), and bring the dead birds to the lawn for them to fully enjoy (playing and eating).

It's not like I can do anything for the dead birds. On those very rare ocassions when the bird they have grabbed is still alive, I gently make them let it go and give them some special treats and attention in recompense. If the bird survives, good. If not, they will find it again the next day anyway.

I like it when they catch and eat small rodents. There are too many *@!% moles and voles in my yard. I don't mind when LC catches frogs (the frogs jump into the ponds when I approach and scare the goldfish down, so I seldom get to see my fish) and the swamp across the street has endless acres of happy frog places in it, safe from LC. I don't mind when Skeeter catches baby bunnies (they eat my garden and there seems to be an unending supply of bunnies in the area). So I'm not going to get upset when one of gets a bird. It's the way predators are. They catch and kill other live creatures. I eat meat, too...

They're cats, doing cat-things. If I wasn't pleased with "catness", I wouldn't have cats. I am even obliquely proud of them when they (as relatively unskilled domesticated hunters) manage to do something as difficult as to catch a wild flying bird. So long as it is VERY occasional...

So, while I recognize there is an "ick" or "oh no" factor involved (quite understandable), I cannot get myself to blame Skeeter and LC (and probably Ayla in the future) from getting the odd careless bird every now and then.

Nature is just like that. When I see a nature show of a lioness chasing an antelope or something, I'm always rooting for the lioness... I like antelopes, but lionesses have to eat too.

I Got A Birdie Today!

LC: I was SO excited! It has been ever so long since I caught one... Like about the hot time before the last hot time!



I wanted to bring it in ta show The Big Thing but he wouldnt let me. But it was OK cause he came out instead. He tole me what a good hunter I am...





After playin wif it a little more, I took it back to the lawn an played wif it some more.







Then I realized I was very hungry all of a sudden-like.

Contests...

We have 4 contestses running!

1. Contest #1 - Think of a good middle name fer Skeeter Spencer.






2. Contest #2 - Think of a good middle name fer LC Spencer.









3. Contest #3 - Guess when our 500th post will be (date/time). Deadline Jan 27, Midnight.

4. Contest#4 - Guess when we will have our 20,000th visitor! Date/time, of course. Deadline Jan 30, Midnight.

We will hide our statcounter bar when it gets close to 20,000.

Prizes are pouches of treats (an maybe some toys at our discretion). An we will post yer picture and links.

One guess per household, we don't wanna set single kitties at a disadvantage... ;)



[Edited to add: Contests are closed. #4 winner is undetermined yet but will be announced when the 20,000th vistitor is noticed.

Ayla Discovers the Kitty Condo!

LC and Sketer (specially) ben teachin me talkin stuf. I tryin lern fast. An they tellin me what Big Thin says too. I lern "yes" an "no" an "prity kitty" an "play?" an stufs already. I love hearin "play" cause Big Thin tosses balls an fluffies and bouncies an skittery thins! But it is hard, so Skeeter sed he would tell stuf for me I lern better. He nice unless I try to share foodbowl...

Skeeter here. helpin Ayla talk, typin fer her, in spite off feelin a little frazzled by all the action of her (sigh). But here is watcha she been up too:



Good ta curl in…











Lookin ofer te edge way up high…











Turnin the room upside down…











Starin at the ceilin so far away (but closer)…











Watchin Skeeter an LC down onna floor…











Ooh a little cave!











Holes ta crawl through…











Things ta catch…











Bat around…














Plan a Pounce…












POUNCE!













CAPTURE!













See, I knocked it way off left…











Jus spinnin around inna little cave.

Gettin Closer to Eatin Together!

Day by day...

We all ate in the same room briefly (FOR THE FIRST TIME). And in combinations.

That's better than before. An we were all eatin Merrick 'New England Boil" in the same room at the same time, but LC wandered away when the camera came out). She was eatin with us, but she happened ta walk away just as the picture was took.





We move around from bowl to bowl. Skeeter forces that, but he means no harm.

















They went chasin treats ...

Sunday Cat Food Review

Fancy Feast Medley Wild Salmon

Top 2 ingredients: Fish Broth/Salmon
Toothiness: Bits
Yum: 4 Paws!
Oils: None - 2 Paws
Premixed: No mixing required - Ready to scoop! 4 Paws
Sauce: Cream
Smell: Great - 4 Paws
Total Paws Up: 4 Paws

Quotes: "Cleaned the bowls!" "Loved it"

Added later: We just had our first taste of Merrick's "New England Boil" fer dinner. Loved it. To be reviewed next Sunday...

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Holy Tuna Fish!

The Big Thing went out the scarey front door to get the noospaper an do "outta cave stuff" earlier an almost fell over some boxes there! He lifted then inta the cave (an almost bent some bones they were so heavy). Our Merrick's cat food arrived! He hunted them so good, they just appeared onna doorstep! Seriously, we've peeked outta the front door before an nefer saw food there.

We haven't tried any yet. They were too cold from bein outside all alone, and we haf a few cans of reglar stuf to eat anyway. But they are here an we wanna try them soon. The good noos is that they come highly recommendeded from some kitties. The bad noos is that, if we dont like it, we is gonna be eatin it fer a long time!



We got 6 months of the stuff! Wow, look atit all! The picture doesnt show the cans all good, but they got neat names on them. Like "Grammy's Pot Pie", an "Southern Delight" an "Cowboy Cookout", so they oughta taste great! The cans efen got PICTURES of the stuff inside 'em. It was so cool seeing little shrimpsies an catfish an chickies an sardines, and alla other cool tastey-soundin-stuffs. There are efen "crawfish" an "mackrels" (we dont think we haf efer tasted those before)!

We also gotta lotta Fancy Feast stuffs. An haffa them are those neat Florentine Medleys ones we like so much. 3 months worth at least! Those are our breakfasts... An he is even gonna get the flavors not on the doorstep from the Wal-Mart huntin place. Another 3 months worth, so we are all set til like late Summer! There are more cans inna boxes...

He picked us all up so we could see it onna pantry shelfs. We seen a lotta food before, but Ayla had nefer seen so much at once. She meowed seferal times in happiness an pawed at the cans...

PhotoHunt - "Old Fashioned"

OLD-FASHIONED



This pewter stuff is rather "OLD-FASHIONED". I don't even have any idea HOW old it is. But it has been in the family for "a while". Can you imagine drinking out of metal that gets a patina on it? Anyway, they are 5 drinking cups, a pitcher, and a tray. Personally? I like them better with the age on them rather than all sparkly shiny. Um, have to admit it is easier to keep them this way, too. ;)

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Friday's Feast

Appetizer
How many times per day do you usually laugh?

Inwardly, 100’s (usually at The Big Thing but sometimes at each other). Outwardly, never.

Soup
What do your sunglasses look like?

We don’t wear them. But if we did mine (Skeeter’s) would be cool Aviator style and mine (LC’s) would be practical. Ayla does’t know anything about sunglasses yet, but her’s would probabl be pink, star-shaped an sparkly (she’s jus a kitten).

Salad
You win a free trip to anywhere on your continent, but you have to travel by train. Where do you go?

Um, is there a pedigreed mouse show somewhere? We’d travel far to be able to sneak around backstage at one… Or maybe a “new cat toy” expo…

Main Course
Name one thing you consider a great quality about living in your town/city.

Undergroun electrical lines (our power almos nefer goes out). And maybe that we have a deas end street, so it nice an quiet most of the time.

Dessert
If the sky could be another color, what color do you think would look best?

Red would be neat. We could see that real good! The Big Thing says the sky is light blue, an we just don’t see that at all… Looking up just looks kinna blank and real light gray.

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Sefen Random an Weerd Things

Dr Tweety tagged us for the 7 random things meme. Thank you Dr!

Might as well make them about Ayla! She is both weerd an random...

1. She hoards toys. Ennything The Big Thing tosses ta her, she bats it aroun and then carries it off to the guest bedroom (her special room).

2. She will chase anythin. Rattly, nippy, fuzzy, she doesn't care. She efen tried playin with a chunky pieca metal! She dragged a whole wand toy inta her room an hid it!

3. She is liking sittin where WE usually sit. LC is annoyed, but Skeeter thinks it is a sign of admiration.

4. She wants to share food bowls. Yuck! We're not used ta THAT! We hiss. We're gettin used ta her but that's one thing not OK.

5. She crawls up on The Big Thing's shoulder. That's weerd. We like laps or close-by sittin.

6. She eats ANYTHING! Good tastey food, bad tastey food. Jus ANYTHING... We are callin her "Hungry Hungry Hippo"!

7. She thinks the litterbox is a play area. She scratches around for whole minutes, digs "stuff" up, buries it again, uses the box, then plays init more. Then runs off like a crazed mouse. Icky!

We're passin this meme on to PB&J...

My Exciting Thursday - 13 pictures!

Hwo - I Ayla. Had a hapy dy. Cant tak much yt. The Bg Thin wil say fr me...

The Big Thing here: Ayla has been here for a week, and she has had some exciting times already. She spent the first few days in her own room getting used to sounds and smells. When she first came out, Skeeter and LC hissed at her a bit (and she bravely - if foolishly - hissed back). She didn't get whapped for that, cause Skeeter and LC are kind of easygoing (OK, maybe LC is a bit more less-easygoing than Skeeter). Mostly they just tried to avoid Ayla.

Easier said than done, though. Ayla can come tearing around any corner at any time. Skeeter touched noses with her first, but LC has also now. There was even some cheek-rubbing and butt-sniffing today at breakfast (I am encouraging Ayla to come out to the kitchen for her food now).

But Ayla has had a pretty exciting few days with new stuff, so I am presenting her first Thursday Thirteen as told to me by her when she was sittin up on my shoulder purring her heart out!



1. I got up on the big soft chair. I could smell LC all on it, so I sat there sniffin her scent and rubbing on those spots. I only ever knew my kitty-momma before, so this is all different-smelling!



2. I sat right where LC does. That should show her that I respect her good taste in places to sit.



3. I found a hidey-place that Skeeter and LC don't use. There was no scent of them on the soft towel that was on the bottom of it, anyway. It was in my special room before, but I didn't sit in it then.



4. Much better place to sit when it is in the active rooms. I like watchin Skeeter and LC walking past. They stop and sniff, but they don't complain bout me being in it.



5. The Big Thing found all the toys I had stashed under the bed. Now I got to find them all and collect them again. They're for playing with at night quietly when everyone else is asleep.



6. The Big Thing brought out a new "old" toy from when LC was a kitten. I've been chasin rattly balls around the house, but this one stays in place and doesn't get lost!



7. I pawed the moving ball a lot! It was fun cause it kept changing directions.



8. How does this work? It stopped moving!



9. Apparently, The Big Thing makes it move at first. Please make it move again...



10. LC knows how to make it move! She knocked it all around. She said "that's how it's done. You move it yourself".



11. Skeeter thought LC was taking it from me, and told her to leave me play with it. Skeeter is very protective, but I don't think LC meant any harm. She was just showing me how it worked. So I made sure to touch noses with her afterward and purred at her. And Skeeter. I want them both to be my friends.



12. Oops, I stood up suddenly in the middle of having my picture taken on the easy chair. My mistake. The Big Thing says I should learn to stay still when the camera is aimed at me. That way I get good pictures of me to show!



13. I run around a lot. It makes Skeeter nervous, so he hopped up on a chair to watch me. I can't help it. I feel like I'm going to explode if I don't run around a lot.

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Ayla Is Startin To Climb

LC:

Well, Ayla has gotten up offa the floor an started to climb on stuff.

Shes gotten up on the table a few times, up onna windowsill, the back of a easy chair (MY FAVORITE SPOT – GRR), the guest room beds, an on the wine cooler box.



Shes too fast to get pictures most times, but we got some of her onna wine cooler cause she stopped to sniff around.



Then she noticed there was a higher ledge...



An something ta sniff up there.







She seems to like the bottom rack of the fishie tank stand. Probly cause she can reach down through the gaps. The fishies are in a temporary tank while The Big Thing builds sides for this stand (wait til she discovers fishies)!