Kitty, the blog animal         October 9, 2003

Kitty's last flea treatment [Advantage®] was over two months ago, so I snuck up on her today while she was napping.   I was in the process of dividing her hair so I could take aim at her skin, but she figured out what was happening, hightailed it outside, and  took cover in the weeds.

          Kitty, the blog animal         October 8, 2003

The horn-like structure of Kitty's ear is called the pinna, and gets its amazing 180 degree rotation from 30 muscles -- 27 more than people.   We lowly humans only get to wiggle our ears at parties, and many people think it's impossible, but really, it isn't.   Kitty, rotating her ear.

          Kitty, the blog animal         October 7, 2003

Some evenings Kitty and I like to get technical and theorize about electromagnetic radiation.   If her whiskers were made conductive, it really wouldn't take much circuitry to resonate them for broadcasting.   Sort of like rabbit's ears, only better...   Tune into Kitty's whiskers.

          Kitty, the blog animal         October 6, 2003

Having spent her first four years living with dogs, some dog-like qualities were bound to rub off.   But thankfully, only some of the better dog-like qualities stuck.   Kitty loves companionship, but she has mastered the art of letting go and not worrying.  Here's Kitty, on the inside, or outside?

          Kitty, the blog animal         October 5, 2003

Kitty has always had exceptionally long eyebrows and whiskers, and of course, that's how she got her real name of Whiskers.   But for some reason she never uses that name.   Maybe it just doesn't sound cuddly enough...   Here's two very artistic examples of Kitty's whiskers.

          Kitty, the blog animal         October 4, 2003

You'll have to use your imagination a bit, but Kitty's rear leg, when viewed at just the right angle, strangely resembles a turkey.

          Kitty, the blog animal         October 3, 2003

Kitty ignored her morning corn and went outside.   I was curious, so I followed her out and found her stalking birds.   I tried not to blow her cover, but she didn't catch any.   A while later she returned for her corn.

          Kitty, the blog animal         October 2, 2003

This time it's only a yawn, but Kitty definitely has the proper equipment to slice and dice.   Kitty asked when they would be making the next sequel of Jaws, and I didn't have the heart to tell her "hopefully never".
But here's Kitty dramatic interpretation of a vicious sharptoothed shark.

          Kitty, the blog animal         October 1, 2003

I still can't figure out what runs through her pretty little head, but she seems to be pretty darned happy.   When life gets dull she naps,
but when the eventual bird falls by, she swings into action...

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 30, 2003

Kitty doesn't worry about job security, but that's because she wrote her own job description.   The fine-print allows her to work when the mood strikes, and of course, the emphasis is on being as adorable as possible.
Here's Kitty, ready for work, and about as adorable as she gets.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 29, 2003

A tasty blade of wild grass, still green this late in the season, is likely to get tracked down with the same skill and focus normally reserved for her more elusive prey.   Kitty, zeroing in on a blade of late-summer grass.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 28, 2003

With such deeply dreamy and soft eyes, it's easy to forget about her razor-sharp claws, piercing fangs, and devil-may-care attitude.
Here's Kitty,  demonstrating those deeply dreamy and soft eyes.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 27, 2003

At Kittyland, running out of corn is roughly equivalent to a power outage.   But Friday morning it happened, and although I tried to reassure Kitty that I wouldn't forget to bring some home, I felt like some kind of bad parent.   This is Kitty on my arrival, waiting for her corn.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 26, 2003

It's only a few pictures scotch-taped to the back of Kitty's kitchen cabinet door, but to Kitty, it's her gallery, and she is the curator.   Kitty's gallery

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 25, 2003

Yesterday Kitty and I got to play musical chairs.   Kitty had capitalized my swivel chair, so as usual, I got my stool.   A few minutes later I noticed that Kitty wanted to get on my lap, so she did, and then we both switched back to the swivel chair.   There could be a meaningful lesson here...

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 24, 2003

Ask Kitty what she hates most, and she will say it's our vaccuum-from-hell, so I always wait until she goes out to plug that ghoulish-devil in.   Today I thought she had gone out, but actually she was hiding in her new spot behind the bedspread.   Inevitably, the vaccuum got closer and closer, then suddenly she came busting out like a misguided rocket, which managed to scare the holy-bejeebers out of us.   Sorry Kitty...

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 23, 2003

Kitty took up residence of my office chair, making it clear that it wouldn't be surrendered without a dangerous fight.   So I went and got my stool, and now we're sitting side-by-side.   Kitty is pretty damn proud of herself. Here's Kitty, taking a ride on the spinning office chair.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 22, 2003

Being in-focus and being out-of-focus may only have to do with optics and movement, but Kitty has labelled it in her portfolio as method acting.
Today, Kitty gives us a choice.   Here is a blurry and out-of-focus photo of Kitty.   And here is another, a sharp and in-focus photo of Kitty.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 21, 2003

Generally, Kitty has no interest in the greasy and acidic people-food at Kittyland, but the smell of bean-with-bacon-soup is guaranteed to get her salivating.   A miniscule sample of people-food is quite enough, but this certainly is no substitute for the flavorful innards of a gourmet-mouse. Spiders are delicious too, and later she might graze on grass and weeds so she can up-chuck the mess, then think about doing it all over again.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 20, 2003

Recently another cat, a grey and white beauty, has been trying to puncture the territorial boundaries of the neighborhood.   Kitty is keeping tabs on the situation, and it must be a standoff, because so far they haven't had a fight.   The "other" cat has no fear of me, but yesterday I rather unkindly told it to "beat it", but that cat is another master of "the looks", so I got scoffed and sneered at, scorned, disparaged, depraised, pooh-poohed, ripped, roasted, run-down, belittled, and minimized.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 19, 2003

I served Kitty a piece of corn yesterday, rather too quickly I'm afraid.   I was thinking how sweet it was for Kitty to join me on the couch, but later I discovered that Kitty still hadn't laid a tooth on her corn.   She had been holding out for our special house-brand love sauce.   Finally, she got it.

She won't do the dishes, but here's a pix of Kitty, cleaning up a bit...

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 18, 2003

Kitty's life is so uncomplicated that one might think she would get bored.   But that furry little head keeps busy sorting out aspects of cat-life that we humans have no concept of, nor the ability to comprehend.   Fortunately, cats accept us with love and great kindness, despite our shortcomings.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 17, 2003

A few years ago, shortly after I had just "adopted" Kitty, I was describing Kitty to my friend, Suzanne, who at the time was studying to be a vet, and also was doing volunteer work at the S.F. S.P.C.A. and the S.F. Zoo.
Her diagnosis was; "What you've got there is a Tuxedo cat !".
Here's a picture of Kitty, dressed and ready for the party.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 16, 2003

Kitty has overcome a life-long battle with shyness, and has been working as a docent here at Kittyland, giving "nickel" tours on the weekends.   Before the crowds arrive you'll most likely find her waiting at the doorway in the capacity of a door-animal, silently going over her presentation...   Take a look at Kitty, gathering courage,  serving as our door-animal.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 15, 2003

I suppose there are just as many types of kitty-cats as there are varieties of hot sauce, but the major problem with our Kitty brand is keeping that pesky tail in the bottle.   Take a look at Kitty, striking a pose for the label.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 14, 2003

Kitty has her own ideas about how her meals should be served, and she expects me to dish out an extra, slow, dollop of pomp-and-circumstance.
Our Ceremony of Food Offerings takes time and must not be rushed.   Kitty always orders the special Love Sauce...   It's thick stuff, and they put it in narrow neck catsup bottles so delivery is slow, but it's tasty.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 13, 2003

This cat knows how to relax...   but Kitty doesn't allow flash photography, so I missed a photo of her plopped-out-upside-down-and-backwards.
She seemed to be sailing through some distant nebula, which as we know, is a very long journey.   Might just as well get comfortable for the trip...

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 12, 2003

Kitty has no other choice than to do a lot of listening, but she can also express herself with words.   "k's" and "b's" aren't easy for her, so her "kibble" sounds like "rah-rah".   "Wow" comes more naturally, and the number of "wows" she strings together indicates just how "wowed" she is.   A string of three "wows" had been her maximum pleasure, until yesterday, when she gave me four.   Our little Kitty seems to be a very happy cat.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 11, 2003

Our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of those who had their lives so cruely impacted two years ago.   Our species is endangered.   Labelling we humans as savage beasts is much too complimentary.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 10, 2003

Kitty continues to enjoy the seclusion of her swell new hiding place, and she reminded me of my youth, when I would put a blanket over the card-table, and for a while I had my own little hideout.   Today, very carefully, I peeked; and yes, it's still the same comfortable seculsion as I remember.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 9, 2003

Kitty discovered a swell new hiding place behind our oversized bedspread, and if I hadn't noticed an unusual lump, I wouldn't have known she was hiding there...   It's only natural that Kitty would enjoy a bit of privacy and seclusion.   She was born to be a meditator.   And yes, this is the spot .

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 8, 2003

So now it's football season, and Kitty's team, the Scrappers, is pumped-up and chomping-at-the-bit.   They have a league winning record, and they train heavily on a special defensive tactic; where they throw themselves onto their backs in front of their opponents.   The other team gets suckered into thinking that they are just being soft and cuddly, but it's just a set-up to spring on them with flailing claws and razor sharp teeth.
Get a load of Kitty in her defensive position; cuddly, but dangerous.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 7, 2003

I should try to catalog all of Kitty's moodish expressions as a research project in an effort to interpret what they all mean.   Her aloof-and-regal pose translates as she-knows-I-know-what-she-wants.   That particular expression, #25, saves her from the indignity of having to beg.
Here is Kitty being meek-and-hungry, her moodish expression #44.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 6, 2003

Nobody could possibly be more fastidious than our Kitty, the neat-freak.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 5, 2003

We used to have some rules at Kittyland about no corn after midnight, but Kitty says it's still early in Hawaii, so we're having a luau.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 4, 2003

The main problem with taking photos of Kitty is that my camera, on maximum zoom, needs to be about 4 feet away from the subject to be in focus, ...but Kitty wants to be right at my side, or at least within petting range.   Often I have to give up, forget the camera, and just play with her for a while.   Her favorite game is to roll around in the dirt and then get me to brush her off.   It took some distraction, but I did manange to snap two new pictures of Kitty, looking skywards.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 3, 2003

I wish she hadn't, but Kitty brought a mouse into the house at 5:15AM, but promptly lost it behind a large immovable bed.   Usually I end up flushing out the mouse for her, and Kitty always takes credit, but that's o.k.
The amazing thing is that she is able to catch mice in the dark, but since cats only require only one-sixth of the light needed for human vision, she has a definite advantage.   Kitty's elliptical slit-like pupil enables it to open wider than a round human pupil, but there are other factors; such as having a proportionally larger eye.   Her cornea is more curved, which allows greater edge sharpness.   The anterior chamber is larger, which allows more light to reach the retina, but she also has the Tapetum Lucidum, which acts as a mirror behind the retina to reflect light back at light sensor cells.   Cats also have a greater percentage of Rods to help with night-time vision, and they have a greater concentration of receptor cells along a broad horizontal band in the center of the eye which help discern sideways movement.   Take a look at Kitty's eye.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 2, 2003

Kitty is being a good sport about it, but this most recent batch of corn-on-the-cob has definitely gone past its prime.   And it shouldn't be difficult to find fresh corn this time of year, but our local supermarkets seem to be hit-and-miss in the freshness department.   Thursday is Farmer's Market day, so I'll see if we can find some better pickins.
An easy way to judge corn is how much resistance it's core gives a knife.   Plumpness and juciness can be determined visually, but Kitty evaluates sweetness and flavor by taste, reporting with wows and flips.

          Kitty, the blog animal         September 1, 2003

Kitty has arrived for a serious morning visit.   Her one and only desire is to sleep on the lap of her big monkey-like creature, and she is not here to fool around.   It's time to get some sticky adhesive bonding going at the molecular level.   Her tanks of quality time are low.   Fill'er-up with super.

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a glow in her eye