I thought this was funny: Jacoby and his plushie mini-me cuddling on the bed while the sheets were being washed.
I wonder if Jake knows that the plushie is meant to represent him?
Actually, I kind of wonder what cats think about all the stuffed kitties we have in general. Do they know they’re supposed to look like them?
He certainly has a fondness for the little guy.
Jake was certainly cozy with his plushie likeness.
They make quite the team, don’t they?
Jacoby and I have been visiting the Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Hospital at Boston Medical Center alternate weeks from our visits at Tufts.
It’s a little different from Tufts in that we visit patients on three different floors. So during a normal visit, we move around a lot.
Jake takes it all in stride, of course.
He loves spending time with the patients.
This patient was trying to get Jake to go on his shoulders. It didn’t work, but that wasn’t the patient’s fault; Jake just really is not a shoulder cat.
Jake really seems to enjoy just hanging out with his friends at the hospital. It’s really awesome to watch.
You may remember my post the other day about Buttercup, the 14 year old Aby who was dumped in a high-kill shelter in San Bernadino.
Well, thanks to Pat, we have an update. It’s not all good news, unfortunately: although she’s been rescued by Southern California Aby Rescue, she has a tumour and she’s also in renal failure. Isn’t that horrid? Whoever her humans were, they dumped her because she was old and sick. Isn’t that just like that open letter to the former owners of that dog Cocoa that’s going around the internet? Ugh.
Buttercup has received much notariety after being turned into a Southern California Shelter. A compassionate volunteer from Southern California Siamese Rescue have worked tirelessly to help SCAR pull her from the shelter and keep her from being put down. She is now out of the shelter and was immediately taken to a veterinarian. She has a tumor that ruptured some time ago that has spread and she is also in renal failure. Buttercup will be taken into permanent foster and every effort will be made to make her comfortable and give her the love she so deserves. Sometimes it takes a village to save an Abyssinian and Buttercup has proven this to all of us. She certainly has a lesson to teach us. It is not over and we will keep you posted with photos (at right) and her progress.
Friday, 9/27/13 – Buttercup is safe in her foster home and enjoyed her grooming session. Her mats are now gone and she feels much better.
If you want to help SCAR with medical costs of Buttercup, or any of the other many Abys that they take in, donations can be sent by check to:
SCAR
PO Box 57
Whittier, CA 90608
This week’s Photo Hunt subject is “Global.”
Jacoby and Gun-Hee are already international Abys – they were born in Canada – but Gun-Hee was even more international than Jake is. Gun-Hee’s mother, Marica Bright Amber of Pellburn, was born in Denmark! Most of Gun-Hee’s immediate maternal ancestors were Scandinavian or European; his grandparents, great grandparents and great-great grandparents came from Denmark, Finland, Germany, Holland and the US.
Then he was Canadian and American on his father Scar’s side (as, of course, is Jake – Jake’s mother, Catalina, was born in New York State, and she’s American back at least three generations).
Gun-Hee was quite the global kitten!
It’s always interesting to kick the old family tree and see what you discover, isn’t it?
Jacoby has been my kitten since three days after he was born.
I remember when I found out that he’d been born. Sherry called me up on a cold mid-April afternoon, April 17th while I was walking home from work. Scar, Gun-Hee and Jake’s father, had died the month before when he managed to get out and was hit by a car. This time, Sherry had happier news: Catalina had just surprised Sherry with a litter of three kittens that Tuesday!
The litter, two boys and a girl, was a surprise because Sherry didn’t think that last mating between Scar and Catalina had “taken” and he died before she could try again. Also, Catalina didn’t really show until about a week or so before she gave birth. So, posthumously, Scar added three kittens to his legacy.
And one of the boys was to be mine.
I often tell Jake that he was “born to be my kitten” because, well, in a way he was. As soon as Sherry knew there were two boys, she picked one out for me and chose the other one for herself. The one she kept, of course, was Johnny Dillinger, whose fathered several litters himself to carry on the family name.
Sherry took all these photos and sent them to me before Jake arrived on August 1st.
You can tell that, even then, he was a bold little character!
He knew he was a special kitten, too. I’m sure of it. Just look at his face!
Earlier this week, Hauspanther shared a marvelously catified loft apartment. It’s a wonder example of what you can do with shelves and catwalks, even in a small space (this apartment is only 650 square feet)!
Of course, Hauspanther posts about catified living spaces all the time…but this time, the cats who get to play with all these fantastic furnishings are Abys! Someday, we’re going to catify our apartment for the cats…
We’ve had a Foodie’s Urban Market up the street from our building for a couple of months now, but I hadn’t had a chance to check it out until recently.
It’s a little pricey (think Whole Foods pricey), but they specialise in both exotic imported food and locally produced items, which makes it quite a lot of fun to shop.
I splurged a bit and got Buffalo burgers, a fantastic NY strip steak, Brie and Roquefort cheese from France…
(which Jacoby was very interested in)
…extra-sharp Cheddar from Australia, shaved Parmesan from Italy, Cape Cod Ice Cream, Pumpkin ravioli and a packet of freeze-dried duck treats from Polka Dog Bakery.
They have a photo of the “Make Way for Ducklings” statue in Boston Common on the label, so you know they’re local; they’re made in South Boston. And despite the “dog” in their name, the ingredients are just duck liver, potato flour and honey, so I figured they’d be good for kitties, too.
Jacoby certainly agreed with that!
He really liked them!
Angel liked them, too.
She just wasn’t as grabby about it.
Instead, she ate her share at a polite distance.
I don’t know if PolkaDog actually makes any treats specifically for cats, but they might want to consider it. They’re certainly a hit in our house!
Oh, boy…it’s a good thing today is Wordless Wednesday…
“Rusty is 3½ years old. He is a ruddy male, neutered & microchipped. He is in excellent health and up to date on all his shots and wellness visits. He is VERY sweet and friendly with humans, just not other cats. I think he needs to be “top cat” in a home. He loves to rub his face on his humans and likes to sit on my husband’s shoulders.
[Dona] can be contacted by email or at my phones:
Home – (908) 232-6797
Cell – (908) 230-5742
Okay, I said I wasn’t going to say anything, but…HE’S 3½ YEARS OLD!!! That’s only a year younger than Jacoby!
AND HE HAS A STROLLER!
Rawr.
Good thing this is Wordless Wednesday…or I’d have some choice ones for these “humans”…This is from the Facebook Aby Rescue group, so I’m afraid I don’t know more than what is here.
“BUTTERCUP IS 14 YEARS OLD AND SUDDENLY HOMELESS. She was dumped by her family today, Tues., 9/24, at the MEGA-DEADLY San Bernardino City Shelter. They said she is, according to her kennel card, “not friendly,” yet Maria, a total stranger, pet her, held her, and examined her with no issues at all. Buttercup is in terrible condition – underweight with mats all over her back, nails that aren’t trimmed, and most troubling of all a mass on her abdomen (see video #2). Despite overwhelming sadness Buttercup is sweet and gentle. After Maria pointed out the mass to shelter employees (whose job it is to find those things), Buttercup was taken to the vet. I put a hold on her (though I can NOT rescue her) to make sure her life doesn’t end scared and alone at the shelter vet. If she has to be PTS I want it to be with someone by her side who cares. I don’t know what the vet’s findings will be but Buttercup won’t be available for rescue or adoption until she returns to the shelter. Please share with all your cat people and anyone who has a heart and wants to help seniors and animals in terrible need. NOTE: I will be away from the computer for most of Wed., 9/25. Please don’t wait for me to answer questions or make arrangements. Please call the shelter directly and do what you can to save Buttercup. Thanks.
Buttercup VIDEO #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXtXZ0bk2Wg
Buttercup VIDEO #2 (this video is somewhat graphic): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0O42xrSbcY
Buttercup VIDEO #3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5ruLxG02tU
BUTTERCUP – ID #A454389
My name is Buttercup and I am an unaltered female, brown tabby Abyssinian. Shelter staff think I am about 14 years old. I have been at the shelter since Sep 24, 2013.
For more information about the adoption process,
click here: San Bernadino Animal Control. Note that the last adoption will start at 4:30 pm.
San Bernardino City Shelter – Phone: 909-384-1304
Address: 333 Chandler Place, San Bernardino, CA 92408″
OMG those eyes. I hope someone rescues this poor girl! As you wish…
I’ve never actually seen cats play with a ball of yarn. Although, come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a ball of yarn. It seems to always come in skeins…and those don’t look fun to play with at all.
And yes, Angel is the one knitting because she’s a girl. Totally sexist, I admit…but let’s face it, Jake would suck at knitting.
(Click cartoon to embiggen, or you can view all cartoons in Slideshow mode on Flickr.)
Here’s a devoted girl who will need a new forever home soon.
Topaz will be homeless at end of month. Her human is going back to England. Topaz’s human is an older woman in her upper 80’s who is not healthy and has a little dementia. Her nephew is taking her home and putting her in a nursing home where there are no pets allowed (even if there wasn’t a quarantine for animals imported into the UK).
Topaz’s last physical exam was good. She’s a little chunky for her breed since she is on dry food only, and she needs dental work but her bloodwork seems good (waiting to hear back). She was so calm at vet. Don’t think she’s ever been around another cat.
I don’t know how old Topaz is. If you are interested in giving this lovely lady a new home, please contact Bunny Hofberg by email.
Taking the Commuter Rail with Jacoby is always more fun than taking it by myself.
He just sits so nicely on the seat next to me.
Except, of course, when he looks out the window at the passing scenery.
Jake’s such a good traveling companion.
If Jacoby seems to get the lion’s share of the the attention in this blog, there’s a reason for that…
…he actively seeks it out!
Angel, on the other hand, isn’t all that interested in getting into everything and running to get in the middle of the shot when I’m taking photos.
Quite the contrary, in fact. You get the feeling that Angel would rather the camera not be pointed in her direction!
So over the weekend I pestered her and took a ton of photos. Like this super close-up of her cute little pink toesies.
And this one, of her little pink nosey.
And this one, of her strong white whisker…ies.
“Okay. You’re done here.”
This week’s Photo Hunt subject is “Rousing.”
Jacoby hates it when we sleep in on Saturdays.
Hates it.
So, when he thinks I’ve had enough sleeping, he comes to rouse me.
“C’mon, Mom, get up!!” But what I don’t understand is why he wakes me up. My husband is the one who feeds them in the morning! I do the dinner shift.
And, when you think about it, it’s pretty rude for someone who sleeps 16 hours a day to decide when someone’s had enough sleep, don’t you?
As you saw yesterday, Angel’s pirate costume has become refined over the almost five years she’s lived with us.
(We don’t even talk about her first Halloween outfit, which was just a Pirate Kitty T-Shirt…)
Her first pirate hat was nothing special, either.
It was just a silly little hat with dreadlocks attached from Petco.
But as you can tell by the kitty skull-and-crossbones, it was a pirate hat specifically made for cats.
She actually no longer has that first hat. When I was modifying her current hat, I poached that part and glued it onto the new one. The rest of the hat may not have been that great, but that kitty crossbones is still awesome!
So, today, as you may or may not know, is Talk Like a Pirate Day.
Even though she’s got the perfect kit and can pull it off better than most…
…I think it’s a holiday that Angel could bloody well do wi’out, ye scalliwags.
Oh! It looks as though the pirate kitty is displeased!
“A few nights in the brig’ll teach ye to not mess wi’ the Dread Pirate Angel!”
Gun-Hee and Jacoby have a lot in common, and with Gun-Hee’s birthday, I always remember the silly things he used to do.
This happened…to me. And I want to thank our friend Sierra the Aby for modelling the perfect stink-face!
(Click cartoon to embiggen, or you can view all cartoons in Slideshow mode on Flickr.)
Today would have been Gun-Hee’s 7th birthday.
He only got to have one of those birthdays with us, but he got balloons! Happy birthday, little boy!
The Daily Abyssinian...and Singapura 