Lunch time!

The little guys are growing like weeds.
Very cute weeds!

The Perils of Age

The oldest of our cats, and by far the greatest hunter of them all, has gone deaf!

Mushin, 16 years old and going strong.

We only noticed this last week, and I'm not sure how long ago it happened, but in retrospect she has been staying a little closer to us around the house.

Her nose still is spot on, though, and she comes pretty quickly when there is a fresh meal on the table!

Of course, since she can't hear her own meow, it has gotten a good bit louder, and definitely gets our attention.

She came to live with us at about 2 months old and has one of the best stories of any of our cats, past or present.
At the time, my future wife and I had just moved in together with 4 cats -- 2 that came with me, and 2 that came with her.

This little calico rode in the under-carriage of our neighbor's car almost 5 miles from the university campus, through traffic & then out a windy country road! Our neighbor had seen her in the parking lot, but thought she had scampered off. It was quite the surprise to see her pop out from under the car on the arrival home!

For a few days, she hid under the duplex we were in, and we left food out for her. She definitely had not been around people, and was very skittish.

Luckily, however, she was quite fond of our oldest cat, Solomon, an orange and white male whose story will be forthcoming. She followed him around for a week or so, letting him take care of her outside, and eating food with him nearby.

When I came home one day and saw her asleep in the grass beside the deck, I took the risk of sneaking up on her... I managed to get her by the scruff of the neck to bring her inside, setting her up in her own space with all the kitten essentials. And to this day she hates to be picked up.. I can't imagine why! =)

Over the years, she has brought home rabbits, mice, bats, and even flying squirrels. Even after having her canines removed some years ago because of damage, she still was able to hunt pretty well, and often brought home extras for any foster kittens we had at the time!

For quite a while, she would bring a mouse in, and if I caught it, I'd put in the bath tub for her to eat at her leisure without fear of it escaping. It was quite a bit like the Roman Coliseum, and it didn't take long for her to take them there herself, after announcing her catch so that we knew how skilled she was.

Now that she's deaf, she can't hear BlackJack growl at her when she rubs up against him, so she just gets closer and licks his ears. And he has no idea what to do about it!

With winter is coming on, she climbs into bed with us each night and lays on or between us, enjoying the attention, and bathing whichever cat happens to also be there.

It has bee a joy having her in our lives, and I suspect her wild diet over the years has left her healthy enough to keep on going!

Her name, Mushin, is a Japanese word, often translated as "no mind", a state of tranquility where action flows naturally without thought. Anyone who ever watched her hunt knows that is definitely her name.

What the cat does all night

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

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From The Joy of Tech:

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Des chatons s'amusent avec le papier toilette - Video

What a let down.

They say you hurt the ones you love.
Well, I've been hurt.
I have a mouse in the kitchen...

And I have nine cats.
So, yeah, I've been hurt.

Catcam Fritz

My name is Fritz and I live at 23 Cat Street. My mistress is an artist, and now it's my turn to show what I can do. Since September 2007 we've owned a Mr-Lee-Catcam — bought as a kit and assembled by Thomi and DuD.

Check out Fritz's gallery to see all of the places he's been around town!

In charge

I'll decide what we watch today, thank you very much!
Maybe that songbird special on Animal Planet...

One hungry cat!

That is one starvin' little guy!

Such a good little helper.

The warm, clean laundry has no chance to escape now!

Just cute cats

From slideshare.net

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Excuse me sir..

I'll need to see your license & registration.

Steel Cage Matchup!

Cyrano

As I've thought more about Cyrano over the last day or so, I realize that he was ready to go and had been letting us know in his own way. Over the last few weeks, we had been seeing less & less of him as he stayed by himself, usually in a nice warm spot in the closet.

J mentioned on Monday morning (just after he had died) that she had dreamed about him, & that he had seemed like his old self. I find that comforting, & I hope that he didn't feel that we were making him stay longer than he wanted by giving him special diets, fluids, etc. to keep his strength up.

The tag from his collar is on my key chain next to his best friend's Solomon's, & though I miss them both, I'm happy to know that they're able to cuddle & give each other baths again like they used to.
I'll have to find a picture of them together to post.

For Cyrano

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

My feline masseuse and good buddy Cyrano has been sick for a few months now with CRF (Chronic Renal Failure), and we lost him Sunday night.
The part that hurts is that we didn't find him until this morning. Apparently, on Sunday when the weather was nice, he got into my wife's car through the sunroof, and I didn't see him when the weather turned and I closed it!
As cold as it got on Sunday night, I'm sure he just fell asleep and didn't wake up. At least I hope so -- it would break my heart to think that he was trying to get out and couldn't!
We started looking for him Sunday evening, & by last night had pretty well figured out that he had gone off somewhere to die.
Then this morning as she was getting into her car, I could see him underneath and behind the passenger seat; J's very upset, because that means he was in there yesterday when she went to work! But he's always been hard to find because of his dark coat, & we used to call him the stealth kitty :)
But I know he's getting a nice bath from his buddy Solomon again at the rainbow bridge after being apart from him for too long.

Hard Times

I realized last night how concerned I am becoming about Cyrano as he continues to lose weight. He's almost 10 now - as old as Solomon was when he left us...
But I'm sure he will know what's best for him.

party night

They must have been hard at it while we were asleep last night. I awoke to find one mouse running around the bathtub, where apparently he had been put to be used as a snack later, and the wings and feathers of at least one bird all around the living room and kitchen!
You'd think we don't feed them at all. I do wonder, though, if the Calico isn't trying to be nice by bringing in food for Blackjack. He is too young to hunt on his own, after all, and has already consumed at least one mouse!