Kitty, the blog animal         August 30, 2003

I don't know exactly, but Kitty is about ten years old now.   To figure a cats age in human years, add 4 years to 29 for every year in excess of 3 years of age.   For example, Kitty is 10, so that's (7 x 4) + 29 = 57.   I figured it all out on paper for Kitty, but she doesn't seem terribly enthusiastic about being a year older than me.   I tried to reassure Kitty by telling her that as they pass, the years just get sweeter...

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 29, 2003

Oh, the conquest...   Kitty had just finished a late night pile of Kibble when I recognized a familiar, but subtle look of desire.   And her subtlety is deceiving; because I know it, and Kitty knows it, and Kitty knows that I know it.   The object of her desire is a new batch of sweet and juicy corn.   Desire gives way to bliss.   It just doesn't get any better than this.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 28, 2003

Kittyland is in need of a serious vaccuuming, but that would scare the bejeebers out of Kitty, so I'll have to wait until she is outside.   I need to be in the mood to vaccuum too, but I must first coordinate with Kitty.
Kitty's own personal grooming is constant, unrushed, and meticulous.
If cleanliness is rewarded with godliness  she qualifies for sainthood.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 27, 2003

Kitty's normal summer routine is to stay outside a good two hours after sunset, then return to the house for drinks, light refreshments, and play.   This is the time of the day when Kitty is most alive.   What fun...
It's the perfect time to claw the couch.   Then it's on to an impromptu game of get and gnaw the pencil.   At Kittyland, these are Olympic events, but she uses her own rules.   Rule #l:  Kitty always wins.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 26, 2003

Another word Kitty knows is hello.   One version sounds like me-wou and is used for casual greetings.   Her other hel-ló-o has an accent and tonal rise on the middle syllable.   Loosely translated, this hel-ló-o means come here and feed-me.   The hungry echo of our dark kitchen lends a dramatic effect to her resounding performance.   Kitty shall be fed.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 25, 2003

Sure, she can caress the refrigerator door sweetly; or she can climb into her feeding station and use mental telepathy; but she has learned the most efficient way to order-up a meal is just to call out the special two-syllable word she has assigned to the general concept of food.   In kittyspeak, rah-rah means either kibble or corn.   Occasionally, if Kitty is very excited about being fed she will add another syllable; rah-rah-rah.

But the word we have had the most fun with is yes.   In Kittyspeak yes sounds like now, so we go through a routine where I ask her when she wants her corn.   Kitty interprets the question as if she wants corn, and replies with an eager now.   We are easily amused...
 

          Celebrating 8 months of Kitty Blog.   Whoopie!   Tell a friend.
          Kitty, the blog animal         August 24, 2003

Kitty was asking me about her roots, and I thought one way we could trace her ancestry would be to search for the origin of corn.
Scientists think that corn originated in Peru, Bolivia and Equador.  Others believe that corn originated in southern Mexico and Central America.
And in view of Kitty's proclivity for the siesta, Kitty's lineage may indeed stretch back to these ancient civilizations.   Her bloodlines may have been eating corn for eons.   Take a look at Kitty, enjoying her ration of corn.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 23, 2003

Cute, beautiful, admirable, alluring, angelic, appealing, beauteous, bewitching, charming, classy, comely, dazzling, delicate, delightful, divine, elegant, enticing, excellent, exquisite, fair, fascinating, fine, foxy, good-looking, gorgeous, graceful, grand, handsome, ideal, lovely, magnificent, marvelous, nice, pleasing, pretty, pulchritudinous, radiant, ravishing, refined, resplendent, shapely, sightly, splendid, statuesque, stunning, sublime, superb, symmetrical, taking, well-formed, and wonderful.
And to these I would add easy-on-the-eyes.   These qualities must be an awesome responsibility for Kitty to maintain, but it comes naturally to her.   Kitty just can't help herself from being so darned cute.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 22, 2003

The eyes and ears of Kitty are constantly vigilant.   Each foreign sound is evaluated for threat potential.   Take a look at the eyes and ears of Kitty.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 21, 2003

Illuminated in sunlight, Kitty's black fur glows a beautiful reddish-brown. Perhaps the black is just a very concentrated brown.  Or perhaps she has both black and brown hairs and the brown dominates in sunlight.   At this point it is a mystery.  Take a look at Kitty's mysterious fur in sunlight.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 20, 2003

Somehow, Kitty has absorbed that trouble abounds, and much is not right with humanity.   And what we have here is a very concerned Kitty.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 19, 2003

At a distance it's just a standard fur coat, but up close it's full of bold and flowing designs.   Whiskers become stark trees.  Blackness and whiteness transform into a dark frothy sea.   Today's exhibit is Kitty's artistic fur.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 18, 2003

Kitty woke up, stretched, ate some kibble, and is now in the middle of her first nap of the day.  I checked, and the only thing on her schedule today, besides bouncing pests and munching corn, is a warm afternoon sunbath.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 17, 2003

A guaranteed way to piss-off Kitty is to relocate her off my chair so I can sit down.   She would rather I get a stool; then we can sit side-by-side.   She's my little spell-checker, but I've never trusted her punctuation.
Her main job around here is being as adorable as is possible.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 16, 2003

Kitty got to chase a trespassing cat out of the yard yesterday, and I've never seen Kitty run so fast, but fortunately the other cat was just a bit faster, so no fight ensued.   Kitty returned and stood guard for a few minutes in the spot the invading cat had been sitting.   Later, I gave Kitty some major reassurance that she would always be number one.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 15, 2003

Kitty couldn't be happier than when I get to spend some quality time with her outside.   We play with sticks, and roll around in the dirt together.   Occasionally I must suffer a painful love bite, but for a moment it gives her a feeling of dominance.   Her last Valentines card read; you're mine.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 14, 2003

Kitty has my number, and with just one mewou she can dial-up a serving of kibble.  I've never known if I should just leave a big bottomless bowl of kibble out, or just feed her when she asks for it.   In any event, she is in no danger of starvation.  There is no famine or seasonal shortage in the Fields-of-Whiskas.  I think she knows that she is a very lucky cat.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 13, 2003

In the '50s and early '60s a popular parallel parking aide was the curb whisker.   On a cat, the scientific name is vibrissae, but to Kitty they are just whiskers; thicker than ordinary hairs, but with roots set deeply in a generous supply of ultra-sensitive nerve endings.   Fasten seat belts.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 12, 2003

This morning Kitty is just a lump, of love...

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 11, 2003

Kitty has swooped in to take posession of my lap and right arm, and this will last for several minutes until she loses her head-rest or she starts sliding off or falling through.   I'll get a nudge if I forget to pet her.
Going back to before I had Kitty, if you had predicted that in the future I would be doting over the whims of a cat, I wouldn't have thought it possible.   But Kitty thinks it's definitely possible.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 10, 2003

Try as I may, I just can't get Kitty to laugh.  She ignores my funny-faces and my silly sound-effects.  Trying to get her to look in the mirror just doesn't work.  But I am often reminded of just what a silly cat this Kitty is. Sometimes she really cracks me up.  Take a look at Kitty's funny tongue.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 9, 2003

I need to teach Kitty that there are better ways to wake me than to punctuate, perforate, capitalize, and prod my bald-spot with her razor-sharp claws.   And even with my blood-curdling screams, she has no remorse, no compassion, and no regrets.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 8, 2003

Kitty loves being served her morning corn in her outdoor dining area, and she seems to love a picnic as much as we humans do.   But we must follow the same protocol that we do indoors; which means that Kitty demands a proper ration of strokes and reassuring words as an appetizer. Today her t-shirt reads; food without love is just food.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 7, 2003

I gave Kitty a pencil and pad of paper and told her to jot down anything on her mind.  And when I checked several minutes later, the pad was still blank, but she had changed into her tune in, turn on, and drop out t-shirt.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 6, 2003

Kitty's motto is form follows function, and she probably really doesn't care what she looks like, but she knows that four legs beat two; sharp teeth are better than dull; and nothing said is dramatically wiser than something...
Here's Kitty, manipulated about ten different ways by the computer.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 5, 2003

Out west in earthquake country, scientific seismic equipment is obsolete.   Earthquake prediction now relies on observing the unusual behavior of animals, both wild and domestic, and of course, Kitty is a qualified and card-carrying member of the Feline Prediction Team.   Yesterday morning Kitty started bouncing off the walls and running around, playing, and generally freaking out to such an extent that I thought for sure we might get a little shaker, but nothing happened.  Just a normal Kitty freak-out...

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 4, 2003

Check out Kitty in the re-organized la Galerie de Kitty.   It's time to revisit Kitty, the cutie,  and Kitty of the jungle,  and Kitty, being a cat.
All 15 have previously appeared.   A very blurry Kitty is our favorite.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 3, 2003

Kitty prefers these nose-poses over yesterdays nose-pose.
Here is her snout, shown in a more complimentary manner...

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 2, 2003

Kitty, as she eyeballs and sniffs out her world...   It is curious that Kitty's nose, at a certain profile, looks very similar to that of a rat.   The wonderful, but rather eccentric lady who gave me Kitty was about 99.9 percent sure Kitty was the reincarnation of Cookie-The-Rat, a pet rat her family treasured before Kitty arrived.   On several occasions I rat-sat Cookie-The-Rat, so, if Kitty actually is the reincarnation of Cookie-The-Rat, I will assume that her spirit is comfortable here at Kittyland.

          Kitty, the blog animal         August 1, 2003

Kitty has discovered that if she rolls around in the dirt, I will brush her off as best I can.   Then she will flop down and roll around some more, and I will brush her off again, and again.   Kitty really digs the attention.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 31, 2003

Kitty refuses to participate in the hustle-and-bustle of this human silliness. And it is obvious that she is not burdened down by the thought process.   Even though she does pick-on some lower forms of life, her god is peace.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 30, 2003

Rocks and trees generally remain still and cooperative for the camera,
but Kitty, when awake, is usually a real motion and focus challenge.
This gruesome, and slightly out-of-focus photo is from our local theatre rehearsal of "Jaws", showing a savage attack on a piece of corn.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 29, 2003

Picking Kitty up; upside-down, is a rousing Kittyland event.   The technique is to approach head-on, pick her up head down and butt up, press her back into my chest, and pin her rear legs under one arm while carefully supporting her forequarters.   Gradually and carefully, lessening support allows her to do a deep downward stretch.   She seems to love it.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 28, 2003

Kitty has a switch she can flip to change between animal and vegetable. Most of the time she has it set to the "v" position, but right now it is in "a", so it is probably time to break out the corn and get on with breakfast.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 27, 2003

The resident photographer has been trying out a new close-up lens on Kitty's eye and nose,  but snapping her teeth is going to be dangerous.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 26, 2003

I finally found the opportunity to sneak up on Kitty and apply her flea treatment.   Either Kitty didn't know what had hit her, or maybe, by now, she knows that the treatment is in her own best interest and has resigned herself to wearing such a horrible smelling chemical.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 25, 2003

Kitty will probably be more cautious the next time she sees me with a garden hose.   It was an honest mistake, but she got a pretty good shower.   While I was drying her off she decided that what I needed was a measured bite to the inside forearm.   Once again, Kitty is in control...

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 24, 2003

I was reading an article about the sleep behavior of cats, and I've learned that only opossums and bats sleep more than cats.   The word of the day is: crepuscular, meaning "active at dawn and dusk".   The prey of a cat is crepuscular, and just by being at the scene of the crime, cats could be said to be crepuscular as well.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 23, 2003

Kitty has a trusted plan:   "If it worked yesterday, lets try it again today". Her calendar is blank.   No auditions, no press conferences, no pesky groopies ringing the doorbell.   Hopefully, no calls from Larry King.
Looks like a purrrfect day of suspended animation...

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 22, 2003

Whiskas arrives in a variety of shapes, but the rectangular pieces; both dark and light, have cruncy shells and soft centers.   Kitty prefers the hard and crunch pieces, but just to be contrary, I usually offer her a hand-delivered soft centered sample, like they do down at See's Chocolates.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 21, 2003

Kitty is taking her first nap of the day in her own little private clubhouse.   Don't tell the landlord, but she has converted one of my kitchen cabinets into her own little personal kibble feeding station.   She can go from munching her kibble to a flat-out snooze without having to travel...

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 20, 2003

I will spare you the photo I took of Kitty and her mouse catch of the day.
But here is a great photo of Kitty absorbed within a colorful background.
Then, abandon all photographic sensibility:  click for a very fuzzy Kitty.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 19, 2003

The moth got away, but the fuzzy food rodeo will continue; on the spur of the moment, as the need arises, or as the opportunity presents itself.   No fuzzy or fluttering insect is safe.   Kitty is on top of the food-chain.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 18, 2003

Kitty is taking a flop in the garden.   The Dog Days of Summer are here.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 17, 2003

I had almost forgotten that Kitty loves string-beans, and it's fun to see her so enthusiastic and exuberant.   Hopefully the string-bean advisory board will be more receptive to the possibility of Kitty being their spokescat than the silly old and unimaginative corn advisory board.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 16, 2003

A stray sound breaks the silence.   Kitty recalculates, and if the sound is of no importance, life, secured by her vigilance, may proceed.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 15, 2003

Life for Kitty is a big experiment with time, space, and movement.   She really hasn't been the same since she got the Salvador Dali book for Christmas.   Yesterday the camera was ready when on the spur of the moment she performed  The Leaping Kitty Clock.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 14, 2003

But I would be remiss if I didn't mention the other dog in Kitty's earlier life, Jedda-The-Wonderdog.   Kitty and Jedda got along famously, and you might even see them exchange little grooming kisses.   For a while, the distance between Jedda's ribs and the ground was just the right height for Kitty to scrape under, providing a back scratch for Kitty and a belly scratch for Jedda.   Human warriors could learn from such peaceful cooperation.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 13, 2003

Before Kitty moved in at Kittyland, a big silly hound-dog had the bad habit of stealing her food, so poor Kitty was originally skinny and undersized, but she has made a remarkable recovery and is now fully cured.   But that must have been pretty darned traumatic for her.   All is better now...

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 12, 2003

Giving handouts of people-food is probably not very smart, but Kitty has proclaimed that Campbell's Tomato Soup is "mmm-mmm-goood".   Our Golden Roma tomatoes here at Kittyland should be flourishing soon, so when they're ready, I'll have to give Kitty a taste of real tomato soup.
Feelings will be injured if she prefers Campbell's over my recipe.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 11, 2003

I was warning Kitty that if she slept a full 20 hours a day she wouldn't have time for her five hour nap.   I explained that if she tries to squeeze it all in, she'll be about a day behind at the end of the month.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 10, 2003

Oddly enough, Kitty passed up corn-on-the-cob in favor of her Whiskas, and I'm sure the folks at Whiskas put a lot of research into all the neat kibble shapes and savory flavors, but I checked the bag, and this might explain it: the first ingredient listed is ground yellow corn.   Yumm...

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 9, 2003

Kitty loves story-time, and we've found 62 great kitty yarns on the internet, written by Bill Hall, a bona-fide professional writer, [which is something you won't find at KittyBlog].   You'll find this fine collection of Mr. Hall's stories at: http://www.pkmeco.com/billhall   Kitty and I just finished reading Who will look after the dogs in heaven?, and next we're going to read I can't speak Cat, and cats don't speak Human.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 8, 2003

Kitty knows that acoustically, our bathroom is similar to the Mormon Tabernacle, but after tripping over her bongos and drum set in the middle of the night, the novelty is wearing thin, so everything except our voices is going back to the music store.   We used to sing such rousing duets together, without instruments.   Kitty would start softly, and I would come in one phrase later just a little bit louder, and then on the next phrase she would pick it up a notch, etcetera...

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 7, 2003

Kitty knows how to say kibble, but she absolutely refuses to speak when coaxed.   And I'm sure she understands what I want her to do, so I'm guessing that speaking on command is simply beneath her dignity.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 6, 2003

Kitty is on the prowl.   She has been lurking in the weeds again, and although her jungle is only imaginary, she is cautious, cunning, and sly.
Kitty, of the jungle

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 5, 2003

Kitty was the life of the party, and here's photographic proof:
a very blurry Kitty

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 4, 2003

And of course, we serve a lot of corn at Kittyland on the 4th of July...
Kitty, eating corn on the 4th. of July

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 3, 2003

Our little black-and-white alarm clock rang her bells and blew her whistles. And all of that for just a few pieces of kibble.  Now the only natural thing for her to do is to take a nap and wait for corn-time.

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 2, 2003

It must be a wonderful existence.  Kitty spent yesterday on manual-focus, in a blur of her own fuzzy devices.   Kitty, out of focus, in the weeds

          Kitty, the blog animal         July 1, 2003

Quite a while ago, Kitty decided to turn the lower shelf in one of my kitchen cabinets into a kibble cafe.   And there are other times, like now, when she uses it as a high hangout.   Her T-shirt reads Just Do It.

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this is Kitty