Aby-a-Day – March 31: Morning routine (Hipstamatic Monday)

Here is a typical morning with Jacoby.

He is often the first thing I see upon awakening.

Not a bad thing to wake up to at all.

Some stretching and scratching…

…and a little rubbing and purring…

…and we’re off to the bathroom.

I say Jake is not a jumper, and here’s a perfect example. Instead of just leaping to the vanity, he takes this route: Toilet…

…to the litter box cabinet…

…and then the sink. He always goes this way.

“Okay, Mom…now what?”

It’s always a challenge to get ready with Jake helping.

Abys in Need: 3 Abys in Las Vegas and an Update on Jasmine in LA

I got this email late last night:

“My Aunt in Las Vegas is at a point now where she is making end of life decisions. Leaving her home of 40 years and unable to care for her cats is the hardest part of her transition.

She has 3 Abyssinians about 14 years old. These babies have been pampered and adored all these years. They have had regular vet visits, teeth cleaning, and are amazing loving girls.

My Aunt cries constantly about the babies and we must find a loving home in the Vegas area. All 3 don’t necessarily need to be together, but of course it would be nice. The two Ginger (red, I assume) girls are very connected. The blue/rust baby is more of a loner. I am in Arizona and would appreciate any help you can lend. Please, please help.”

If you can help, please contact Sharon Wells at 928-358-5437. I don’t have any photos of these three.

An update was posted on Jasmine, the older Aby in Southern California with bad teeth who was dumped in a high-kill shelter, today in the Abyssinian Foster Network group on Facebook: “Update on our foster aby, Jasmine. She had surgery to remove 7 broken & infected teeth along with several abcesses & a cancerous mass. She is so very sweet and is enjoying everyday. SCAR is following up on a suggestion to take her to a veterinarian school for treatment.”

She looks happier already!

Aby-a-Day – March 30: You’ll never 비 alone again…

In human culture, the bathroom is generally a place of solitude and privacy.

In Aby culture, not so much.

To Abys, the bathroom is a place of companionship and supervision.

And, by all means, invite your friends!

The more, the merrier!

That door was actually closed, but not latched, when I went in there…

…obviously, I am not allowed to be in the bathroom by myself.

(The Korean word “비” is pronounced either “Be” or “Pee”…the ㅂ character is both a B and P sound – it means rain, so the pun only works untranslated.)

Aby-a-Day – March 29: “Bird” (Saturday Photo Hunt)

This week’s Photo Hunt subject is “Bird.”

Among the toys that our friend Sanna sent from Finland was this catnip bird. It’s very firmly stuffed and a marvelous shape.

Of course, Jacoby loves it.

He especially loves rubbing his head on it!

So much so that he gets a little carried away with the rubbing. Jake, the bird’s on the other side!

Jake’s not the only one who likes the bird, though.

Tessie and Angel like it, too. But of course, Angel was a little shy about taking the bird from Tessie.

So I took her and the bird into the middle room for a little alone time.

Someone’s in the catbird seat!

Aby-a-Day – We have a winner! (Fashion Friday)

There were a few entries in the “What should Jake Wear?” contest. I have to admit, many of the suggested outfits were awesome…so awesome, in fact, that Jacoby already has them!

Bluemoonalone commented, “I would like to see him dressed as a Biker with a leather jacket, little boots and a Biker hat..He would be so cool..”

Maaike thought he would look “dapper” in something our friend Julie made (and Toki modeled)…but of course, Jake already has a top hat she made!

Lori said, “I could also see Jake as a doctor complete with white jacket, stethoscope, prescription pad, and so forth. ‘Tell me where it hurts!'” And Brenda wanted to see Jake as Peter Pan…but ever since Peter Pan was portrayed on Once Upon a Time, well…Pan scares me!

Kim suggested a red onesie…which Jake doesn’t already have, but she already ordered – and received – one of their Aby shirts! So, who wins the Abyssinian Cat Star T-Shirt from Poutine Press?

Saritarian commented, “Since Jake is a stoic leader whose curiosity for the world knows no bounds, I would love to see him dressed up as George Washington in Leutze’s painting ‘Washington Crossing the Delaware.’ I *know* he could pull it off perfectly!” And that not only cracked me up (literally, I started giggling out loud when I read it), but I had to see what it looked like, so…congratulations, Saritarian! Shoot me an email and I’ll get you hooked up with Simon and Sarah.

Aby-a-Day – March 27: Heavenly Angel

It didn’t take Angel long to investigate the wall-mounted cat tree.

She may not have been the first to go to the top…

…but she was no less intrepid than those who had gone before.

She just waited for all the excitement to die down before she started her exploration.

She went straight up to the top and surveyed her territory.

The problem was that annoying little brother Jacoby had to come up, too, and see what she was doing.

And so did big sister Tessie.

This is the sort of situation Angel hates…being stuck between the two of them. She kept her eye on the pair of them, though.

Of course, Jake just wanted to play…

…and Angel doesn’t.

 

It’s not every cat who can take a hissing in the face in his stride, but Jake knows when to back off (usually).

 

“I wasn’t doing anything! Honest!”

A truce is finally reached, and everyone enjoys their own shelf in relative peace.

Aby-a-Day – March 26: Wordless Wednesday (Closet Case)

Abys in Need: Leviathan in Kansas City, MO

Hold onto your Kleenex…this one is super sad:

My story is as follows:

I have beautiful female Abyssinian cat named “Leviathan” meaning the Sea Beast. She was named by my son who loves Moby Dick, the novel.

She is blue with peachish markings. She is approximately 12 years old and weighs approximately 7 lbs. We have owned her for 7 years. She has front claws. She is extremely affectionate, extremely. She is an indoor cat who uses a litter box. She only goes outside on screened porch, fully protected.

She would obviously be good for a home with no pets to avoid additional stress. I assume all pet owners who really want their pets to go to a great home would want this for their love of their life. We did previously own a large yellow outdoor tabby who came in the house about 25 percent of the time. We also owned a soft coated wheaten terrier. She did adjust and get along with them both. Both pets were in our home when we rescued her. Both our other pets died in 2010. Therefore, she has been our only pet for 4 years.

We rescued her from a Humane Society in Missouri. It was a no-kill shelter. However, I do not desire to return her to this shelter. If you want me to go into the facts, I will but suffice it to say, she had been in a cage for about 6 months with little human interaction. She was highly unhealthy (obese), not exercised, under great distress from this shelter with about 150 cats. Therefore, I really cannot humanely return her there.

The facts of my family are similar to others in the economic crisis of our time. I am an attorney who was laid off 2 years go, ran out of unemployment, house went into foreclosure, now selling my home and moving in to a bedroom of a friends home. My friend has 4 dogs and 2 goats. The dogs include an English Bull Mastiff that is over 200 lbs. Therefore, it would be highly stressful and an inappropriate home for her.

I do not want to give up my beautiful baby but I cannot take her to my new bedroom and lock her up there. I am destitute also so cannot afford her appropriate care. This is a devastating situation for me and my 3 teenage sons. I have been forced also to give back custody of the boys to their father due to severe economic conditions.

The sooner, the better on placement. She is becoming stressed with all the people going in and out of the house for repairs, packing and showings.

Regards, Jill

If you can help Jill and Lev, please contact Jill by email at jillsusangalbreath@yahoo.com or by calling 913-963-4074. Let’s help these two!

Aby-a-Day – March 25: “Bloom where you’re planted” (Cartoon Tuesday)

Based on actual events.

Granted, none of our lot actually freaked out and hid, but the non-Abys had a definite adjustment period the Abys didn’t seem to need. A couple of weeks ago, Maaike commented that “Jake [is] a real ‘bloom where you’re planted’ kind of guy…” which I really loved, not just because it’s so accurate but when people who’ve never met Jacoby in person can assess his personality like that, I’ve got to be doing something right!

(Click cartoon to embiggen, or you can view all cartoons in Slideshow mode on Flickr.)

Aby-a-Day – March 24: Hey, I’m sleeping here! (Hipstamatic Monday)

When I take the laundry out of the dryer, I pile it all onto the bed so I can fold it and put it away.

I did this one Sunday afternoon, and then while I was folding, I noticed a little red head buried under the clothes and towels.

Angel had been sleeping on the bed under the covers and I didn’t see her…so I’d dumped the laundry right on top of her!

She gave me such a look.

“Sigh…don’t mind me. Brain the size of a planet, why should anyone pay any attention to me? Life, don’t talk to me about life…”

She didn’t move, though. She stayed right there under the covers, under the laundry. She seems to be braver in the new apartment; the old Angel would have run away when all the clothes buried her.

Before I’d come along, Angel had been sleeping under the covers with her head on my pillow. I’d never seen her do that before, either.

She actually stayed there for most of the afternoon.

She’s been doing a lot of new and different things since we moved. I think the new territory agrees with her!

Remember to enter the “What Should Jake Wear?” contest to win an Aby T-shirt from Poutine Press!

Don’t forget to enter the contest to win an Abyssinian Cat Star T-shirt from Poutine Press! You have until this Wednesday, and so far, there’s only one entry, so it’s still anyone’s game!

As for what Jacoby should wear, well…Watching Frozen, it struck me how much like Jake the hero Saami character, Kristoff, is…so I sketched him dressed in Kristoff’s costume.

(The name Jouko comes from the Finngenerator, which tells you your Finnish name; it’s short for Joukahainen, who is the rival of Väinämöinen in the Kalevala.)

Aby-a-Day – March 23: Soaring to new heights

The new part finally arrived and we were able to finish the last wall-mounted cat tree box! Jacoby could not wait for it to be built.

Here he is waiting impatiently with the drill/screwdriver.

“How am I supposed to get up here?”

“This is where the new shelf should go, Dad!”

Finally, the last shelf is up!

Jake and Tessie wasted no time climbing to the very top.

But when Jake got the to the uppermost box, he didn’t want to stop climbing.

So he didn’t.

He just kept going, and ventured out onto the ventilation duct…

…boldly going where no cat has gone before.

We’re going to need to put some sort of grippy material on that duct if he wants to go up there on a regular basis, though. It’s rounded and, I’m sure, very slippery with nothing for even grabby Aby hands to hold onto.

I’d have to say that the wall-mounted cat trees are definitely a raging success! Jake and Tessie approve!

Aby-a-Day – March 22: “Focus” (Saturday Photo Hunt)

This week’s Photo Hunt subject is “Focus.”

Sadly, some of the best photos I take of Jacoby aren’t in focus.

Like these of him helping me put things in the new cupboards. It’s mostly my fault, because I prefer not to use the flash on my camera so I shoot using available light. Jake just happens to move a lot.

I keep the out of focus photos to use as references when I’m drawing cartoons, or because maybe I can do something with them in Photoshop to improve them. For example, take this miraculous one of Jake and Angel together (together!) on the cart. Oh, if only it were in focus!

But a little Photoshop and it becomes something wonderful. Not a photograph, exactly, but definitely improved.

Aby-a-Day – March 21: What Should Jacoby Wear? – A Contest! (Fashion Friday)

Here is Jacoby modelling his new braided leather tag collar with the gold metallic knots and his Arja’s Art Finnish harness made of soft metallic copper leather.

Don’t they look well together, Jake asks.

Remember my post last week about Poutine Press’ fabulous Aby T-shirt? Well, Simon and Sarah have graciously offered to send an Aby Star T-shirt to one lucky reader!

They’re shipping first from Montreal, and then from Boston, so they’ll take a week or two, but if you are the winner you can select your size, so that’s worth the wait! All you have do to win this amazing shirt is…(drumroll please)…describe an outfit you would like to see Jake wear someday. Illustrations are welcome. The outfit that amuses and inspires me the most will win!

Deadline for entries is next Wednesday, March 26. Good luck and have fun!

Aby-a-Day – March 20: Sunshine Supergirl

Our new apartment has three things that cats love: morning sun, wide windowsills and cushions in the windows.

Angel is taking full advantage!

She is a regular sunflower, turning to face the sun.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so contented.

The windowseats are a great place to sit and watch the world go by for both humans and felines…but they seem to be first come, first served, and Angel isn’t sharing!

Aby-a-Day – March 19: Wordless Wednesday (Movers gonna move)

Aby-a-Day – March 18: “Harmony seldom makes a headline” (Cartoon Tuesday)

By now, you’ve most likely heard about Lux, the 22lb Oregon cat who attacked his family and prompted them to call 911 from behind a locked bedroom door.

It’s a crazy story, and of there’s just so much we don’t know about the situation beyond what the humans involved are telling reporters. Lux doesn’t seem to be giving many interviews, but cats don’t generally “go ballistic” unless they’re provoked.

To me, however, the most absurd thing about this whole thing is the “transcript” of the 911 call:

“Raaaaaarrrrrrr”? Really?

And then there’s the media calling Lux the attack cat a “Himalayan” when he’s clearly a black and white longhair. I’m sure Himalayan breeders the world over are just thrilled about their cats getting a false reputation of being an “aggressive” breed. And despite the fact that several photos of Lux have been widely circulated in the media and online, he’s still being called a Himalayan. That kind of negative press can take a lot to overcome.

Of course, when an Abyssinian gets media attention, it’s usually because they’re just being Abyssinians. And fortunately for everyone, they’re not really the violent type.

Edit: Guess what!? Jackson Galaxy will be going to Portland to visit Lux and the humans, and it will be featured on an upcoming episode of “My Cat From Hell!”

(Click cartoon to embiggen, or you can view all cartoons in Slideshow mode on Flickr.)

Aby-a-Day – March 17: When Irish Eye Are Smiling (Hipstamatic Monday)

Jacoby wasn’t the only Aby in the house who watched the Boston St. Patrick’s Day parade from the windows of our apartment.

After a while, Jake retired to the bedroom where he lounged comfortably while keeping an eye on the action.

The view from the bedroom wasn’t as good as from the living room since it was mainly the staging area…

…but there was still a lot to see.

And Jake definitely enjoyed himself, watching the parade while sprawled in the sun on our mattress. Look at his smile!

Angel was also watching the parade from a perch in the art room.

Right now, the art room is a pile of plastic bins with cat beds on top of them since we’re still waiting for the closet doors to be installed and the final painting to be done.

The tunnel bed is currently on top of a stack of these bins and Angel has adopted it as her own.

Angel had an excellent vantage from which to observe the parade.

She’s never been able to see the parade before, so I’m sure she found it fascinating.

This was a random collection of Star Wars characters, including Darth Vader (standing in the back of the pickup truck in the intersection), Jedi knights, Rebel Alliance fighters, and Jawas. What they had to do with St. Patrick’s Day is anyone’s guess.

Jake isn’t the only Aby who can smile, as it turns out!

(Title courtesy of KittyCatOnline…because she thought of it and I didn’t!)

Update: Playful rescue Abys in NSW, Australia

Phyll, the woman who adopted the two rescued Aby brothers in Australia, posted a new video of them playing (yes, playing!) this weekend on the Facebook Aby group.

Odin and Loki (they have names, now, too!) seem to be having a lot of fun with this donut toy. Poor lads, it looks as though they haven’t had much play in their lives.

They are also so polite when they play! They take turns and everything. I’m sure that will change as they become more settled. And according to Phyll, they do seem to actually be brothers: “The vet puts them at the same age, and given the mutilations to their ears, and the fact they were found together and are inseparable, would have to say they are brothers. But, their coats are so different. Odin has a beautiful soft, silky coat which is improving all the time and Odin’s coat is quite course but also getting more of a shine to it. If not full brothers, they are definitely brothers from different mothers :-)”

Oh, if only this pair could talk and tell us what they’ve been through!

Aby-a-Day – March 16: St. Paddy Parade Party

Unlike past years, we didn’t have to go outside to see the 2014 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in South Boston.

That’s because our new apartment faces out onto West Broadway, the starting point of the parade.

Jacoby was able to watch the whole parade from the comfort of his own window!

He still dressed for the occasion, though.

And there was a lot for a cat to watch out there, too…

…like horses…

…dogs…

…sparkly green floats…

…giant inflatable leprechauns…

…and, uh…these guys.

I think Jake enjoyed the parade much more from on high than he did when we went down into the street!