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          Kitty, the blog animal         April 30, 2003

The weatherman has promised two days of clear skies, and for Kitty that means that the birds will be out celebrating and letting their guard down.   Kitty sent away for franchise information, and she has been busy greasing the palms of our city fathers, so if Kitty can get it past PITA, our town may be next in line for one of the new Flying-Sushi outlets.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 29, 2003

So, Kitty is now relaxing in her own personal kitchen cabinet, a.k.a.: her feeding station; and this has been a busy day, but for now, everything is in it's place, and by her example, we should savor the moment.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 28, 2003

Kitty says I won't find any zipper, and she has no intention of fitting into a human scene.  Back in the '60's we'd say "she has her own bag, man..."

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 27, 2003

My neighbor was telling me about a similar looking kitty she shared while in college, remarking that it was just like a little person.
So I've got some more checking to do, but Kitty could actually be in disguise, and just maybe she really is a little person inside of a cat suit.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 26, 2003

The more I spoil Kitty the happier she becomes, so it's a winning system for at least one of us.   Kitty has been taking a class in woodcarving, and she just brought home her new project; an oval placque inscribed with the motto; don't try to fix the system if the system isn't broken.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 25, 2003

Kitty thinks she is being subtle, but I recognize her tactics.   Kitty kindly requests that I get-it-in-gear so she can finally get her little piece of corn.

          We're celebrating 4 months of Kitty Blog.   Whoopie!
          Kitty, the blog animal         April 24, 2003

"Come on Kitty, lets pick you up and go for a walk"   Indoors is familar territory, but if her purring is any indication, she really enjoys our little house tours.   Don gets a chance to put on his Tour Guide cap, and she gets to re-discover familiar rooms at a new and taller perspective.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 23, 2003

Kitty and I found four ears of corn for a dollar; small in size, but a fine treat.   Kitty must have corn in her blood.   Perhaps a lineage stretching from the Aztecs or Myans, or perhaps a more recent life as a farm cat in Iowa.   I think it's time to ask Kitty where she has been...

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 22, 2003

I'd never do a M. Jackson and hang her out over a balcony, but Kitty loves an occasional upside-down pick up.   I support her shoulders so I don't wreck her back, but after a moment she gives a deep downward stretch, and suddenly we have an upside-down kitty guitar.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 21, 2003

Kitty and I both had corn for breakfast.   Mine was cooked, and her's was raw, or as close to raw as you can get from frozen corn-on-the-cob.   Fresh corn should be improving in quality and coming down in price soon, and although Kitty seems perfectly satisfied with frozen, she really goes bananas for fresh.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 20, 2003

Kitty spent the first three years of her life with two dogs, so I think what we have here is a dog spirit, with cross-functionality as a cat.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 19, 2003

Here it is, a beautiful Saturday afternoon and Kitty is in the middle of a sleep marathon.   I'd like to think that she is dreaming about catching mice and birds, but it's fairly evident that absolutely zilch is stirring within her pretty little fast-asleep head.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 18, 2003

I was admonishing Kitty that if she wasn't going to be good, I had the ability to spread dreadful parenthetical comments about her, right here, within her own organization.   Kitty doesn't think much of the idea, and I should probably be ashamed of myself for attempting such silly and crude psychological tactics on her.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 17, 2003

Evidently, Kitty has different purposes for making a couch out of Don's lap. Usually I am merly a place to sit. Or my lap can become a throne for our ruler, Ms Kitty. But she climbed on a few minutes ago, and I think she might be looking for a bit of reassurance.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 16, 2003

Kitty hasn't caught a mouse [that I know about] for quite a while. She tried to sneak one into the bathroom, but I opened the front door and ordered her out.  When she tried to bring the mouse in a second time, I again showed her out, but this time I locked her little cat door.  On her way out I mentioned that food always tastes better in the great-of-outdoors.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 15, 2003

Maybe the rules have changed, but I remember that it was a very good idea to get out of the boss's chair when he/she entered the room.
If the rules have NOT changed, that could indicate that our Ms Kitty has assumed the top managerial role around here...

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 14, 2003

"I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille..."
Six new Kitty photos

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 13, 2003

Kitty camps at my feet until there is some sign of life, then moves forward and lays across my upper arm.   My lower arm is free to bend at the elbow, which means that Kitty can get her first pets of the day.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 12, 2003

Kitty said to check the calendar, and yup, it actually IS National Sit on Don's Lap Day.  And all morning I had been erroneously thinking that it was National Steal Don's Chair Day...

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 11, 2003

Kitty has surrendered the occupation of my lap and has chosen a spot close to my right arm.  Every so often, when she needs more pats and strokes, she'll give my arm a soft tap.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 10, 2003

Kitty has another nine days until her next flea treatment, but I saw her scratching around her neck, so we got out the old flea comb and found two of the little buggers, and it gave us a chance to remember all the quality-time we used to spend together combing for fleas.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 9, 2003

Kitty knows that being an office paperweight is an entry level position, but earlier I had to give her a mean-spirited NO to get her off my lap.   She was sulking, and muttering that she was going to have a talk with the shop-steward.   Actually I could be in big trouble because the duely elected shop-steward is someone named Ms Kitty, who looks a lot like someone we know.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 8, 2003

So here I am, on my stool because Kitty has been sleeping on my chair, but now she is awake and wants to somehow climb onto my lap, which, because I'm sitting on a stool, doesn't exist.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 7, 2003

A slap and pox on Michael Jackson for blighting the fearless sport Kitty and I frequently indulge in:  the picking up of the Kitty, upside down.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 6, 2003

Kitty progresses through five modes of sleep; [1] dimmed, [2] switched off, [3] unplugged, [4] totally disconnected, and [5] a collection notice from the power company.   She is in mode 4 right now, and has commandeered my chair.   I know from experience not to disturb her.   It's inconvenient, but I'll have to use a stool until she wakes up.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 5, 2003

Kitty is a valiant jumper, and her success rate is well over 99 percent, but not perfect.   Kitty really flubbed a landing and ended up scraping and jamming her left leg against a table edge.   Visions of having to take poor Kitty to the vet flashed across my mind, but a few minutes later she was walking, so I was greatly relieved that she hadn't broken or dislocated her leg.   She seems fine now, 22 hours later, but just after the incident she definitely didn't want me touching it or getting too sympathetic.   May all of Kitty's future landings be successful...

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 4, 2003

Kitty and I took some more Kitty photos yesterday, and we got some really nice shots.   I am thoroughly convinced that Kitty is one cute cat.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 3, 2003

Kitty has the very special privilege of receiving Whiskas in her feeding station, which is the shelf of a kitchen cabinet.   Whiskas is manufactured in a variety of interesting shapes, and everything is very crunchy, except for the rectangular shaped pieces, which have a softer crunch.  
We have a routine where I dole out Kitty a small pile, then give her one sample piece; a piece with the softer crunch.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 2, 2003

Kitty knows I'm having Chicken and Corn Chowder for breakfast, but she has too much self-respect to beg like a dog.
The equasion is simple; the logical thing to do is to take a nap.

          Kitty, the blog animal         April 1, 2003

As an April Fools Day present, Kitty installed the GOO Distortion Applet.
Click here to check it out   Audience participation required.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 31, 2003

Kitty and I went down to uniformsRus, and yes, they did have a uniform in Kitty's size, but unfortunately, they were out of the model with the tail-hole, so we had to cut our own.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 30, 2003

Kitty came home from Saturday Little-League yesterday saying she needed the official uniform, just like the other Kats on the team.   They have the word SCRAPPERS emblazoned on their jerseys.   I suggested to Kitty that we could just stencil the word SCRAPPERS on the back of her tuxedo, and I wouldn't have to shell out for the official uniform.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 29, 2003

I asked Kitty if she wasn't going to be late for Saturday Little-League baseball practice, and she said she was running a bit late because she was STILL waiting for lunch.   I told her I was running a bit late myself so she would have to hold on for just a while longer.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 28, 2003

click for 6 pix of Kitty on a sunny day
Kitty is able to play and lurk in springtime grasses again...

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 27, 2003

Kitty has had ten thousand years of domestication, but she is still some kind of wild animal when the occasion calls.   If she is laying on her back and her eyes get big and round, she is prepared to strike.   I should have taken better heed of her warning.
I was showing Kitty my scratches this morning and got absolutely no sympathy.   Trying to put a guilt-trip on her doesn't work either...

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 26, 2003

Kitty has been taking a method acting class at the local junior college.
This morning she was expressing her creative talents as a rooster.   And not just a run-of-the-mill cock-a-doodle-doo, but this is a rooster who can take the word "hello" and turn it into a song with her own subtle inflections and amazing harmonic warblings:  hàe-ö-hwe-róe-õw

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 25, 2003

Imidacloprid,   1-[(6-Chloro-3-pryidinyl) methyl]-N-nitro-2-imidazolidinimine...9.1% is the chemical name of ADVANTAGE®.
From what I'm reading, it seems to have a much lower toxicity than pyrethrin and those awful flea collars. Imidacloprid is able to be sold without a prescription, and you don't have to visit a vet. Kitty got hers via the internet at www.fleasmart.com.

In the 1970's when many of us were trying hard to be 100% organic and natural with pest control, pet collars made of eucalyptus seed-pods were "in".   I often took care of a friend's dog, Ada, who's daily flea repellant regimin consisted of not only her eucalyptus collar, but also a clove of raw garlic mashed up with a little organic peanut butter.  To this day, when have a peanut butter sandwich I taste garlic.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 24, 2003

Yippieee... a fine lot of fresh corn has arrived.   It probably came from southern Mexico, but it looks like some really fine ears.   Kitty knows her ears, and I know it was 2 for $1, which isn't bad for this time of the year. It's amazing how just a little piece of raw corn can make her so happy...

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 23, 2003

Since Kitty's flea treatment on the 19th I've noticed a remarkable improvement in her attitude and overall happiness. She's back to her old good natured self. And not a flea in sight...

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 22, 2003

I was telling Kitty that I was in charge around here, and she was NOT going to get a piece of corn at two a.m.
So then she asked if I had all the ingredients for a Waldorf Salad, and we had a good laugh.   [ reference: "The Americans", Faulty Towers ]

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 21, 2003

Kitty's has a linoleum playground; my bathroom, where she can roll around with her simple toys. The 3/4" gap at the bottom of the door provides a great game of batting her toy under the door, then running around to the other side to bat it back under. Then she'll search fervently under the door and bat it out to the side. Everything makes neat sounds, and I think she purposely trips her foot over the spring doorstop, just to hear it go twang.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 20, 2003

I asked Kitty if she had any deep thoughts for today.
She replied, "look into my eyes and you will see peace".

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 19, 2003

It's not that Kitty and I don't enjoy the quality time of our flea combing sessions, but watch out fleas, your battleground is about to be liberated with a chemcal agent of mass destruction; Imidacloprid,  a.k.a.: 1-[(6-Chloro-3-pryidinyl) methyl]-N-nitro-2-imidazolidinimine...9.1%

Here at Kittyland we recently took delivery of the chemical agent ADVANTAGE®. Those zealot fleas are going to be gonners within the next 12 hours. I had this all covertly planned. Kitty just got an application on her skin between the shoulder blades, and she didn't even figure out what I was up to. I didn't want to put a nasty chemical on her, but I think she'll be o.k., and I know she is going to be a lot happier without those nasty little bastards.   When I get ready to go out the door this morning I'm going to set off a flea bomb and lock Kitty outside for the day.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 18, 2003

Kitty wants to look good when she hits the beach, but when I saw it I warned her that this new and smaller bikini was going to reveal her tan lines.   So, now she is out there on my front porch nude sunbathing, and I've really got to put a stop to this.   I guess that up until the age of about five this sort of thing is o.k., but this is really embarrasing for the neighbors, and especially me.  Put a sock on it, Kitty...

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 17, 2003

Getting Kitty past airport security is probably going to be problematic... She has sixteen razor sharp claws, plus an array of flesh ripping teeth. She is fearless, and not afraid to battle at the drop of a hat.
I was carefully explaining to Kitty that they'd probably want her to travel inside of a pet-carrier, but jeez!!, she let out a blood curdling yell, "Forget it! I am not going to travel in a cage".

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 16, 2003

What Kitty needs is a vacation.   She's a natural for the Hula Dance so I think I'll get her a ticket to Honolulu or Maui.
Kitty has a serious case of cabin fever.   Normally she would be out stalking her prey in the tall grasses on the hillside, but it's cold and wet outside.   She is performing the duties of an office paperweight right now.   She has been "86'd" off my lap for the seventeenth time this morning, and from the looks she has been giving me, she is not a very happy camper.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 15, 2003

Yesterday Kitty was in a pissy mood, and I admit it was my fault, but I had things to do which did not include Kitty.   At about 2pm she got into a pot of chilli that I had left uncovered on the stove - my fault, silly me - and I'll tell you, I had to boil the hell out of that chilli to assure myself that the imaginary salivary contaminants my little beast carries had been rendered sterile.   She knows she isn't allowed on the stove.
I think we need to spend a little more time on our realtionship...

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 14, 2003

Earlier it was drizzling and outside the window was Kitty sitting in her favorite bird stalking position, getting wet, but no birds. I went out and coaxed her in out of the drizzle, and of course we did the obligatory drying off of the Kitty.
Later I spotted some birds tantalizingly close in the bushes outside. As a friendly jesture I pointed them out to Kitty. She couldn't have cared less.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 13, 2003

Someone should tell me not to feed Kitty people-food, but I know she loves asparagus, so she got a little taste last night. She also loves raw potato, and of course she is queen-of-corn.   Hmmm... Corn Queen.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 12, 2003

Well, I brought home a microphone, plugged it in, and tried it out, and as we used to say when I was a kid, "I really faked her out".
I gave her a penny for her thoughts: "Who is this other Don?". "Maybe this other Don has a softer lap." "Maybe this other Don will be able to spoil me even more?"

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 11, 2003

As far as I know, no American Baseball League player has been able to catch a pitch with his teeth. Kitty, a female, could show them a few things. We use wadded up Post-It notes and Kitty will take a swing at them and seldom misses. Two points for Don if he catches her fly-ball; two points for Kitty if it's a good hit and Don misses it; one point for Kitty if it lands in the sink; and if it lands in the crack between the counter and refrigerator, the inning is over.
Best part is when Kitty sings the National Anthem before the game.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 10, 2003

I still have to get that microphone, but Kitty is pretty much back to normal. She just got her little piece of corn, and she gave me a little song-and-dance while she was waiting...

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 9, 2003

Kitty has been so busy just being a cat that she may have forgotten about stardom.   Her poster of Ed McMahon fell down last night and she hasn't pinned it back up.  She drank tap water this morning instead of Perrier.   I just heard "call me a cab", when she would normally shout, "call me a limo!".   Hopefully it's back to reality for Kitty.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 8, 2003

I'd rather Kitty use e-mail instead of the phone, but I was so curious about her conversation that I picked up the extention and found her making managerial arangements with Jack Osborne.   And I thought Kitty and I had an understanding about who was going to manage her "career".
And, jeezz, nothing is in "the can" yet.   I mentioned "demo tape" to Kitty and she replied; "demo, dummo, don't know..."
Jack Osborne, ...jeezz

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 7, 2003

I think there is some place to connect a microphone to this computer to be able to record sounds.   I've got a new career in mind for Kitty.   With a little judicious editing I think I can really make Kitty sing.   Kitty is going to be a star!   Move over Britney...

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 6, 2003

I shouldn't be too upset with Kitty; she just wants to spend some quality time with Don before she has to go back to sleep.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 5, 2003

Dogs respond to commands, but cats treat commands as suggestions. That may be why I'm having so much trouble teaching Kitty to repeat words. But without coaxing, kitty will often say "ra-ra" just before she jumps up into her feeding station. This morning she was very pleased, and I got a three sylable "ra-ra-ra".  Message received and understood, Kits...

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 4, 2003

It's good to see Kitty enjoying a soak of the warm afternoon sun.
Her fur glistens.   The new growth of grasses and weeds shine also.
Farmers in the northern hemisphere are making plans for new plantings of corn.   Kitty has already placed her order.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 3, 2003

I need to learn more about the different cat breeds, but unofficially, Kitty is a tuxedo cat.   Always dressed and ready for a party.

So, I was sitting there eating my fast food tacos near an abandoned stretch of north Marin railroad tracks, when I noticed another little black and white tuxedo cat scouting the tracks for something to eat.   Poor thing; obviously without a Don to help with the meals.   And not quite as filled out and healthy looking as my Kitty.   But probably a lot less spoiled.

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 2, 2003

        Kitty, the blog animal         March 1, 2003

Last evening Kitty was in the middle of devouring her little piece of thawed corn when she noticed a moth on the outside of the window in need of immediate attention.   And all of this time I mistakenly thought corn was her favorite food.   Turn on the porchlight and dinner is served.

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