That's Entertainment???

Hallo, Effurrybody!

If you haven't guessed already, it is I, Trixie, Queen of the Black Panfurs and Alpha Cat Extraordinaire, reporting.

I must tell you, kitties (and other anipals) - Mummy has let this "Hostess with the Mostest" business go to her head! 
Mummy says that now We have a nice big appurtment, We can do lots more "entertaining". That's what She calls inviting all sorts of Intruders into Our Home! Do you think She consulted Us befurrhand?
Think again!

Do you know what She did last week? She invited over all her friends from her Caterwauling Club to celebrate the lighting of the eighth and final Hanukkah candle with her. It's lucky not all of them could come, because that would have meant thirty people invading Our Home! As it was, there were about twenty, including two human kittens belonging to one of Her friends! 

Mummy shut Us up in the bedroom while the Intruders were here. It's lucky She didn't shut Us up in Our Own Room, because the bedroom is much bigger and has more places to hide - which was just as well, because She brought in some of her friends to see Us, during the evening. We know She is furry proud of Us and likes to show Us off, and her friends literally begged to be purr-mitted to meet Us, but We are not exhibits in a Mewseum or a Zoo!!!

Anyway, when Mummy brought her friends in, Shimshi was the only one to cooperate. He was sitting on the bed and he let a couple of the girls stroke and pet him. Such vanity! But they complained afterwards that he didn't purr at all!
Caspurr spent the entire evening under the bed, right in the corner, and wouldn't come out at all till everyone had left. And I had already found myself a cosy spot on the highest shelf in the wardrobe, from which I refused to budge.

I tell you, kitties, if that's "entertainment", you can keep it! We prefurr Peace and Quiet. We do not like havoc and noise and so on - unless it's of Our Own Making, of course (mol). We like to have Our furriends round to visit and We love throwing Our own pawties.

Speaking of which, We hope you all enjoyed the Holidays - both those of you who celebrate Hanukkah and those of you who celebrate Chrissmouse.

In case Mummy doesn't find the time to help Us blog again before January 1st, We would like to wish all our anipals A Happy New Year.

Time To Remember...

Hallo, Effurrybody!

Mummy has the Sads today, because it is exactly three years since Precious Pixie flew away to the Bridge. 

Mummy likes to commemorate her beloved furbabies on their yahrzeit (although, strictly speaking, the commemoration should be on the Hebrew date, and it would have fallen last Friday, the third day of Hanukkah. It was a Friday the day Pixie flew away too, the  third day of Hanukkah...)

Mummy says it's furry impawtant that We Three should know about the wonderful kitties who came before Us, so We can uphold their Legacy.

We do this by looking at pictures of the Departed Kitties and listening to Mummy telling Us stories about Them.

This is Pixie when She was a furry little kitty:

As She grew up, She became a Most Noble Feline.

See what an aristocratic profile She had:

Of course, even though She was always Elegant and Ladylike, She still loved to run about and play, but She was generally a quiet, well-behaved Pussycat. She even used to let Mummy dress Her up for Purim.

And She hated it when Mummy went out. She used to look so wistful that Mummy often wondered if She shouldn't stay home with her furbabies. But in those days, Mummy had to go to work effurry day...

When that happened, Pixie used to curl up and go to sleep in Mummy's Her Bed, until Mummy came home. Here, you can see Possum as well. It's not clear whether He was watching over Pixie here, or waiting to pounce on Her...

Now Pixie is an Angel, playing with Possum and all her other Fur-riends who have gone before, waiting for Mummy at the Bridge, and watching over all of Us:

She must miss Mummy, furry much - as much as Mummy misses Her - but She is in the Care of the Great Cat in the Sky now, who will keep Her safe until it is time for Her and Mummy to meet again.

No-vember

Hallo, Effurryone!

It is I, Caspurr the Tigger Tabby!

It has become horribly cold. As Trixie told you the week befurr last, the Good Weather couldn't last - and it didn't! Now, there are lots of grey clouds and it's dark and miserable. And there's lots and lots of skywater. 

But Mummy says it will be good for her new Sick Lemons! Yes, Kitties! She bought lots more of them, all in different colours.  And We are protecting them from the Birdies who would sit on them and squash them, if We were not there to scare them away.

Look, see! Here I am, protecting the Sick Lemons!

Besides the Sick Lemons, Mummy bought loads and loads of other plants for her window-boxes and for her own entrance porch - but she still hasn't fixed up a catio or a Whiffles-Balcony for Us, although at least She leaves the windows open and We can sit and enjoy the window-boxes and the fresh air whenever We want.

At present, however, We don't want, because of the cold and the skywater. We don't like No-vember. However, at least Mummy has decorated Our Room with some furry nice art work. She has hung copies of some famous pictures on the walls. 

Would you like to see?

 

Trixie has studied Art and she says this style of painting is known as "Impurrsionism".  

Shimshi says that if you biggify the top picture, you can see that the smaller of the two kitties looks a bit like him. I don't see it, do you? However, Shimshi is convinced that one of his furr-fathers was the model for this painting.

Speaking of the cheeky birdies who would damage or even EAT Mummy's window-box plants, the other day, a Pigeon mistook the bathroom window for a dovecot and flew inside. It's still not certain who was more alarmed, Mummy or the Pigeon! Anyway, it managed to find its way out again quickly enough, but now, Mummy's afraid to open the bathroom window more than a few centimetres.

We made Mummy effur so happy these past few weeks by playing together nicely (most of the time). We even curled up all three of Us on the bed and let her take our picture together.

She was so pleased with this picture that She decided to make it Our New Profile Picture.

We must go now, dear anipals and pester remind Mummy it's time for Lunch. Before We do so, We would like to wish those of you who celebrate it, a furry enjoyable and happy Thanksgiving!

xoxoxox

Caspurr the Tigger Tabby, Trixie the Black Panfur and The Mighty Shimshon (Shimshi for short)

Black Panfur Gotcha Day

Hallo, Effurrybody!

It is Me again, Trixie the Black Panfur!

Today is a furry special day for Me, because two years ago today, on November 12th, 2012, Mummy and I found each other.

I entered Mummy's Life at a furry sad time, when She was mourning the departure of the beautiful Possum to the Rainbow Bridge (see last blog) and She wasn't sure She was quite ready to let a new kitty into Her Life, but She told the v-e-t She would take a look at Me and see how We get on, so my Foster Mummy brought me round and the rest, as they say, is History - or rather,  it is My Story (mol).

Look how tiny I was when I furrst arrived:

Still, I was bigger than either Caspurr or Shimshi when they furrst invaded intruded entered Mummy's and My lives. I was already three months old.

Now Caspurr is much fatter bigger than Me and Shimshi is almost as big as Me. 

Speaking of Shimshi, I have decided to take a more active paw in his Education, because if I leave it all to Caspurr, there is no telling how the Baby Mancat will turn out. For starters, I have been giving him some tips on how to catnap elegantly, as befits a creature who is, unquestionably, the Highest Pinnacle of Creation - namely, a Feline.

Thus:

                            

A propos Catnapping, Shimshi and Caspurr have enrolled in an elective course I am giving at the Feline University of Jerusalem, where I have recently been made a Purrfessor: Synchronised Sleeping Techniques (SST). This is a relatively new field of study about which I shall be writing at greater length in a future post (possibly as early as next week).

I have no time to write more at present, as I must go and have another catnap so as to be completely rested for my Gotcha Day Pawty at 8pm this evening, Israel Time. I hope to see all of you there, despite the short notice. If the pleasure of seeing Me is not a sufficient attraction, I can tell you that here in Israel, we are experiencing unseasonably warm weather, temperatures in the low to mid-20s Celsius and lots of sunshine. Even the nights aren't all that cold - certainly not in comparison with what I've been reading about where a lot of you are living. They say that will all change at the weekend, so you'd all better teleport over to my pawty tonight and enjoy it while you can (mol). Mummy will be safely Out Of The Way, as She has a rehearsal with her Caterwauling Club this evening, so we can get up to lots of Evil Mischief, like we did last time She went out caterwauling:

Till tonight then, Dear Anipals!

Trixie, Queen of the Black Panfurs, Alpha Cat Extraordinaire

Two Years On

Hallo, Effurrybuddies!

It's Me here, the Mighty Shimshon (Shimshi for short).

We wanted to write to you yesterday, but Mummy was feeling furry sad and not in the mood for turning on the computer thingy. She was sad because yesterday, it was exactly two years since Possum, Who Came Before, flew away to the Bridge.

I didn't understand what the Bridge was, until my Big Sisfur Trixie explained it to me. Now I understand why Mummy was so sad.

Trixie and Caspurr told me that Mummy likes to post pictures of Possum, on his Jahrzeit, so we helped her pick out some of the nicest. I have to say, he was a furry handsome Mancat.  Mummy must have a thing about handsome Mancats. That's why She chose Me (and Caspurr, of course) to keep her company after Possum went away. Of course, Trixie is furry pretty too - but she's a girl.

Anyway, here are the pictures we have picked out in Possum's memory.



This is Possum the day he furrst came to live with Mummy. He was a bit bigger than I was, when I furrst arrived on Mummy's door-step.

And here he is, on the arm-rest of the armchair, one of his favourite perches.

And here he is with his little sisfur, Pixie. She, too, now lives at the Bridge.

This is Possum with his toys friends Felix the Cat, Edward the Bear (aka Teddy) and Snowy the Seal. They are still with Us and now We, Trixie, Caspurr and I, play with them.

In this next picture, Possum is about twelve years old young. That seems effur so old to Me, but Mummy says he was in his Prime. It was another five years before he felt he had to leave for the Bridge.
Mummy especially loves this picture because it shows Possum's adorable pink paws. (My paws are mostly pink too, but this post is about Possum, not about Me.)

And here he is, playing with Mummy's sandals. I also love playing with Mummy's sandals (mol).

And here, finally, is one of Mummy's favourite pictures, taken about seven weeks before Possum decided to fly away to the Bridge. He is asking to be snorgled (or "sproggled", as Mummy calls it).

Of course Mummy couldn't resist such a request. 

Trixie and Caspurr and I are furry sorry We neffur had a chance to meet Possum, but at least We get to see these nice pictures of him and hopefully, some of you who possibly remember him, will be able to tell Us some more about him - and Pixie also.

Now we will light a candle in Possum's memory and snuggle up next to Mummy, with comforting purrs.

Those Pesky Birdies!

Greetings, Effurryone!

It's Me here, Caspurr the Tigger-Tabby King!
It's my turn to give all our anipals an update on Life in the New Palace (no, that's not a typo...mol)

Trixie has already told you all that We are impatiently waiting for Mummy to fix up a catio for Us. But we are beginning to lose Hope, because She won't let Us out of the front door at all. She says it's too easy for Us there to jump up and over the gate and out into the street. But We did think She'd be a bit quicker in prepurring the Whiffles Balcony She promised Us. In the meantime, effurrytime one of Us manages to get out onto the big window-sill in the living-room, she gets into a Tizzy, and makes Us come back in!

She's afraid We may over-reach Ourselves trying to catch a birdie, and fall!
Has She fur-gotten that We are Cats, for Heaven's Sake???

Today, She shut Us all in the bedroom while her cleaning-lady was here, because Shimshi kept trying to catch the floor-mop, but She was sorry for that afterwards, because while We were Incarcerated (isn't that a lovely big word? We've just learnt it today!), some really cheeky birdie came and did a Whoopsie on the window of her study! Did you effur hear of such chutzpah?

If We had been at liberty, We would have scared that pesky birdie away!

I have to go now and help snoopervise while Mummy prepares the Shabbat evening meal. After her Big Success at Rosh Hashana, She really got a taste for entertaining, so, for this evening, She has invited Grandpa and Step-Grandma round for a festive meal, together with her brother, who is visiting here from England. You remember our human uncle, don't you, kitties? He's the one who isn't really a cat-purrson. Trixie and I failed to convert him. We shall see if Shimshi has any better luck.

So furr-well for now, anipals. Shabbat Shalom. Have a lovely weekend.

Settling In

Hallo again, Effurybody!

It's been an age, hasn't it? But We were so busy helping Mummy to unpack and get things organised in Our New Home, We've had no time for blogging.

Furrst of all, I must tell you, the Move was rather traumatic - especially for Caspurr and for Mummy. While the packers were finishing up the packing on Moving Day, Mummy shut Us up on the balcony with plenty of food and water and two litter boxes, so as to be Out of the Way. But then, She left us all alone in the empty apartment while She went with the movers to the new apartment, because She had decided - after consultation with the V-E-T - that it would be less stressful for Us to be able to roam freely for a few hours in a familiar place (albeit empty) than to be shut up in a cat carrier in the new place, with the movers  dumping boxes and packing cases effurywhere. Because the new flat didn't yet have interior doors, so she couldn't shut Us in one room till they had gone (the new doors were supposed to be installed two days later, but, in fact, they didn't arrive till Thursday, five days after the Big Move).

After a few hours, She came back for Us, but Caspurr was so stressed-out, he scratched Mummy really badly and took refuge on top of the highest kitchen cabinet. So Mummy took Us  (Me and Shimshi) to the New Flat and then went back for Caspurr.

Caspurr told Me later that even then, he wouldn't have come down, only Step-Grandma got a long stick and POKED him with it, so he jumped down and ran into what used to be the bedroom. And then Mummy went in after him with the PTU and closed the door behind her so he couldn't escape. And she was crying and effurything and She BEGGED him to get into the Carrier, otherwise She'd have to leave him there - so he finally dashed into it, probably reckoning it was the only safe place. And then She brought him here, to the New Flat and released him and he dashed into the room with the most boxes and hid himself away for several days, only coming out at night to eat.

Mummy was terribly upset. What's more, the wound on her arm where Caspurr had scratched her got all swollen and red and She had to treat it with antibiotic cream!

It's been almost three weeks now since We came to live in Our New Home and We are gradually getting used to it. Shimshi took to it like a duck to water. I (Trixie, Alpha-Kitty Extraordinaire), have been working effur so hard to help Mummy, and so, too, have Shimshi and (to a lesser extent) Caspurr (who prefurrs to sleep). We have to snoopervise the opening of each and every box, investigate the contents and - since Mummy is using the opportunity to throw away a lot of what She calls "junk" - make sure She doesn't accidentally throw away something of real impawtance.

There have been some changes in Our Lifestyle. For example, there's much more room and I feel, at last, that I have My Own Space - even though Caspurr and Shimshi try to encroach on it sometimes. But knowing that Caspurr was so spooked by The Move, while I was not, has given Me the confidence to stand up for My Rights. I have also decided to allow Shimshi to play with Me sometimes - and even to share the sofa with Me, as long as he understands that I have first claim on any sun-puddles that become available.

I have to say, a lot of what Mummy promised Us has yet to materialise. Our whiffles-balcony, for example and our catio. Mummy seems to think it's more impawtant to get the rest of the flat in order first, because She's hosting the Whole Family (12 people) for the festive Rosh Hashana evening meal this Wednesday. Can you imagine that?!

But Mummy says that All Good Things are worth waiting for, so We have decided to allow her a little leeway on this.

We may not have time to blog again before Rosh Hashana, so, just in case, We shall take the opportunity now to wish you all Shana Tova, a Happy New Year, full of Blessings, Purrs and Love.

Sitting On Packing Cases

Kitties! Woofies! Anipals!

The time has come! Tomorrow is the Big Day! We are effur so excited!

Yes, the long-awaited event has arrived! Tomorrow, We are moving to Our New Home.

Effurything is at sixes and sevens. Packing cases effurywhere (and made of lovely, scratchable cardboard - heh, heh, heh)!

We wanted to help Mummy by snoopervising the packers, but She shut Caspurr and Shimshi on the balcony and Me, Queen Trixie the Alpha-Panfur, in the bedroom, to make sure (so She said) that no-one accidentally trod on Us.

We haven't time to write much now, because Mummy is going to turn off the Computer Machine and go to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a furry, furry long day, she says. 

She also says it might be a few days before We can tell you about the New Flat, because she'll have to wait for the (In)humans from the Cable Company to connect her up to the Internet.

So we will just wish you a Good Week and leave you with a few pictures of Us, mewsing on the Fun of Packing Up One's Old Home...

The Birthday Girl

Hallo, Effurrybody!

This is Me again, Queen Trixie, Alpha-Kitty Extraordinaire.

Today is my Birthday! I am two years old today!

Mummy gave Me a new pink mousie. You can see the mousie in this picture. Caspurr immediately jumped up onto the window-sill and tried to steal my mousie, but Mummy shooed him away. 

I spent most of the day in my new hidey-hole, under the armchair in the living room. I have clawed away at the cloth covering underneath, so now, I can climb inside and nobody can find me. Well, at least, they can find Me - but Caspurr is too fat to get under the armchair, because he eats far too much and with Shimshi, all it takes is a fierce hiss or two to get rid of him.

Mummy gave me Fancy Feast for breakfast and again for supper - turkey slices in gravy. I love the gravy.

Mummy has been doing her best to make sure I have Quality Time with her, and a place which is all Mine, where Caspurr and Shimshi can't bother Me. I am the only one allowed to sit with her in the study when She's working at her Computer Machine. I like to sit on the back of her chair, or on the printer.

Kitties - and other Anipals - instead of having My Birthday Pawty today, in the middle of the week, we have decided to postpone it till Shabbat, at 5.30 pm. It's going to be a Birthday Picnic in the Enchanted Wood. Your Teleporter Tunnels, and other Transportation Devices have been programmed with the coordinates, so we shall be looking forward to seeing you.

********

In Other News - Shimshi was kit-napped and taken to the V-E-T today to have his shots. He went quite quietly but he told Us later that he hadn't enjoyed the taxi ride at all. In fact, he was quite subdued for several hours after he got home. I felt almost sorry for him, but at least it meant that he wasn't pestering Me all the time to play with him.

OK, Effurrybody! It's time for Mummy to go to bed. It's only half past ten, but She has to get up early tomorrow to meet the contractor who is doing the renovations in Our New Home, to which We hope to move at the end of the month. So Good Night, Dear Anipals. 

Looking forward to seeing you all at my pawty.

Trixie the Black Panfur

Shimshi To The Rescue - Twice!

Hallo again, Effurybody!

It's Me here, Trixie the Black Panfur, Alpha-Cat Extraordinaire.

Mummy brought her little nieces round for a short visit, to meet my little brofur, Shimshi. It didn't bother Me, as I was ensconced on top of the highest kitchen cupboard. Caspurr ran under the bed as soon as the three intruders walked through the door. He doesn't like having to confront so many strangers at once.

Well, Mummy's nieces (our Human cousins) just loved Shimshi, and of course, Shimshi loved all the attention, but one of the twins lay on the bed and tried to purr-suade Caspurr to come out. Something must have spooked him because he just shot out from his hiding place, raced into the kitchen and disappeared.

After the intruders visitors had gone, Mummy started looking for Caspurr, but he was nowhere to be found. Mummy went all around the appurtment, calling for him, but to no avail. She even asked Me and Shimshi if we could help find him, but We didn't know where he was either. Eventually, she decided he would come out when he was ready and decided to go and have a shower. But Shimshi wasn't ready to give up and went on looking for his Big Brofur.

Just as Mummy was preparing to have her shower, Shimshi came running to her and then ran away and back again , and away again and it was clear to Mummy that he wanted Her to follow him. So she did and She couldn't understand why he was sniffing at something under the fridge. So she knelt down on the floor and looked under the fridge - and there was Caspurr, crying in distress! Mummy hadn't thought to look there before, because She was sure Caspurr was much too fat, portly, big to get under the fridge. He must have got in from the back, where there is a wider opening and now he was in a panic and didn't know how to get out again.

Mummy didn't know how to get him out either. Then She had an idea. She asked Shimshi to show Caspurr how to get out of that tight spot. She moved the fridge out, and Shimshi went round the back and crawled in next to Caspurr. But Caspurr still didn't come out, so Shimshi went right in there next to him, to encourage him. And then he must have talked to Caspurr, and shown him the way out, because at long last, Caspurr turned round and came out the same way he had got in, and hid out again under the bed. 

Then, Shimshi decided that Under The Fridge was a fun place to hide out so he went back in, till Mummy tempted him out with some noms. And once Shimshi was out, She began to push the fridge back into place - till She heard squealing and She looked and saw Shimshi squished between the fridge and the wall, miaowing furry loudly. She quickly moved the fridge to release him - he wasn't  really squished - and he ran off to find Caspurr and make sure his Big Brofur was okay.

Shimshi is a real Pest sometimes, but I've got to hand it to him this time. He rescued Caspurr, not once but twice today. Once, when he found him - when nobody else could do so. And then again, when he showed him the way out of a furry, furry tight spot.

Good for Shimshi (purrs)!

Bath-time Frolics

Hallo again, Effurrybuddies!

Yes, it's Me - the Mighty Shimshon (Shimshi for short)!
I've learned such a lot since Trixie and Caspurr last let me talk to you.
For example, I've learned what fun baths and sinks are.

It was Trixie who first gave me the hint. She prefers the sink, but the bath is much bigger and I thought it would be more fun. I even jumped in there when Mummy turned the shower on. Usually, she shuts us in the bedroom when she has a shower because the bathroom door doesn't close properly, but this time, I sneaked in behind the washing machine.

But oh! kitties! I had such a shock.
Not because of the water from the shower - that was fun.
But kitties! what happened to Mummy's fur?

At last I understand why Mummy has to wear "clothes". How ever can she bear the shame?

Now I'm afraid, kitties! I'm scared! Truly scared!

Will I lose all my fur too one day?

The Learning Curve

Hallo, Effurryone!

Trixie and I (Caspurr the Tigger-Tabby) have been teaching Little Shimshi lots of new things this week. At the same time, we had to learn a few new things ourselves - such as what to do when the nasty, scary sirens go off, to warn of an attack of boomies. Our Human rushes down to the Bomb Shelter but She hasn't time to look for Us first, because She only has a minute and a half to get there and We, of course, are never all together in the same place when the siren goes off.

She says that's another one of Murphy's Laws. Who is this Murphy. anyway? He seems to have an awful lot of funny laws.

Anyway, we have been lucky, Mummy says, that we only had the Boomie Warning in Jerusalem three times, since all This Business started. (We have tried to find out what "This Business" is, kitties, but all We know is that there are Bad Humans shooting at Us.)  Mummy speaks on the phone effurry day to her auntie in Ashkelon, which is a city by the seaside, down south. Mummy's auntie says they have boomie attacks there effurry day, even several times a day!

So, to get back to the Things We Have Had to Learn, Mummy says that when the Boomie Warning goes off, we must take shelter somewhere safe, away from windows and not in the bathroom, and definitely not on the balcony, so as not to be hit by flying fragments of glass or ceramics, if a boomie should happen to fall nearby or on the roof.
We think that under the bed, or inside the wardrobe, cushioned by all Mummy's clothes, seems the best option...

Love and kissies to you all, dear anipals and please keep purring that We and Mummy will be safe from the boomies.

Shabbat Shalom

The J-Cats xoxoxox

Big Boomies

Hallo, Effurrybody!

It's Me here, Trixie the Alpha Kitty/Black Panfur.

There have been furry strange occurrences this past week! Twice, we heard frightening, wailing sirens, making a horrible noise, and before we could emerge from our hidey-holes to investigate, Mummy rushed out of the house, locked the door and didn't come back for at least ten minutes. And while She was away, we heard nasty, loud boomies!

We often hear boomies, when there are celebrations in the Arab village across the road, and then we can see pretty coloured lights in the sky, which Mummy says are called "fireworks". And She says there's no need to be scared of the fireworks (as if we would be scared of anything!) because they can't hurt Us. But these boomies were louder and there were no pretty colours this time.  And afterwards, on Fursbook, We saw that the boomies were caused by Bad Humans shooting rockets at Us.

Mummy was only away for about ten minutes at the most, and when She came back,  I rushed to greet her, to make sure She was okay. Shimshi slept through it all.

And Caspurr, as usual, took all the excitement in his stride.

We totally understand if Mummy was frightened of the boomies, but We think that, instead of running off to the Bomb Shelter, with all the neighbours, She should have stayed here with Us and allowed Us to protect her.

Don't you agree, kitties?

A Few Words from the Newest J-Cat

Hallo, Effurrybuddies!

My name is Shimshon but effurryone calls me Shimshi!

I don't remember much about my early life, before I came to live here with my Human Mummy. I had a kitty-mama once, but she didn't want me and refused to feed me :-(
My Human Mummy says that's not because my kitty-mama didn't love me, but because she was furry young herself and she didn't have enough milk for me and my brofur, so she chose the one who she thought was most likely to grow up.
I was furry frightened when she left me, I didn't know who would look after me, but then a Human lady scooped me up and brought me here, to my Human Mummy, who promised to take care of me.

I remember one night, about a week after I came here, I got furry, furry sick and Mummy held me in her arms for a long, long time, till I started to feel a bit better. And then she gave me my name, the Mighty Shimshon - but that's much too long to say, so they all call me Shimshi.

It's nice here. I have plenty to eat and drink and toys to play with.
And I have a Big Sisfur and a Big Brofur too!

Big Brofur is called Caspurr. He's COOL! He lets me play with him and he's taught me to wrestle and he doesn't mind if I curl up next to him when he goes to sleep.

I don't think Big Sisfur Trixie likes me furry much though. She won't play with me and she hisses at me a lot. But then, she hisses at Caspurr as well. 
Maybe she just doesn't like boy-kitties. But sometimes, she comes up and sniffs at me, and lets me play "Catch" for about one minute, before hissing me away again. I don't understand it. She has such funny moods. Are all girl-cats like that, I wonder?

Oh-oh-oh! Mummy is just getting lunch ready! Gotta go! Bye for now! See you all later!

Roll Out the Red Carpet

Furr-iends! Kitties! Anipals!

It is with mixed feelings great pleasure that We announce the Official Adoption of Shimshon the Mighty (aka Shimshi) to Our Happy Family. From today, this is his Furever Home.

Yes, it's O-fish-ull.

Shimshi is now a J-Cat.

I have to tell you that Caspurr is taking his duties as a Big Brofur furry, furry seriously! He has been teaching Shimshi the secrets of wrestling - at which Shimshi has proved himself a fast learner.

Naturally, I myself am snoopervising, as this is Caspurr's fursst teaching assignment. I am keeping a close watch on what goes on and drawing Mummy's attention whenever the Boys get too boisterous (mol).

I have to make certain that Shimshi also learns the impawtance of taking a Nap between each activity. Sometime, furry little kitties are apt to forget this. 

I am still rather stressed by this new turn of events and it isn't made any easier by Mummy getting upset just because I peed on the sofa and on the bed once or twice. I didn't mean to pee on her too, it just happened...

However, to get back to Shimshi - as Alpha Cat and Queen of this Household (as well as of all Jerusalem, Israel and the entire Middle East), I have decided to be gracious and to throw a Welcome Pawty for the newest J-Cat tomorrow afternoon (Shabbat) at 6pm Israel time. It is furry, furry hot, so there will be cooling Catmint Juleps, micecream and other such treats, suitable for such weather.

We are looking forward to seeing you all.

Shabbat Shalom!

Trixie the Black Panfur.

In the Twinkling of an Eye

Hallo, Effurrybody!

It is I, Trixie the Splendiferous. It falls to Me to keep all our anipals posted about what is going on in Our House. Caspurr is too busy playing with Intruder Kitty Shimshi. 

Kitties, I am furry, furry concerned about developments on that front. Caspurr and the new kitty are getting along fine, but the Silly Baby seems to prefurr Caspurr's company to mine. Kitties, I just know Shimshi is going to be a furry BIG mancat when he grows up - you can tell by the size of his paws - and I'm afraid he and Caspurr will start ganging up on Me. It's bad enough now, with just Caspurr to deal with. As I have mentioned before, effurry time I find myself a comfortable perch and make it my own, Caspurr comes along and pushes Me aside. I was nice to him when he was a little baby kitten and I taught him effurrything I knew about Cathood, and look how he has repaid Me! Now I'm afraid it's going to be the same story with Shimshi and I'll find Myself pushed around and bullied by both of them!

But I won't think about that now. I am going to concentrate on Happy Things! Kitties, tonight is a special night. It's the festival of Shavuot. Mummy told Us that there is a legend about the night of Shavuot. At midnight, for just a split second, the heavens part and you can see the Great Cat in the Sky and all his angels. And then you can make a wish and the Great Cat in the Sky will grant your heart's desire. But you have to be quick. If you blink, you might miss it. It's all over in the twinkling of an eye. Mummy thinks that's why, year after year, she has stayed awake, hoping to see the Miracle, but she has never succeeded in doing so.

But We Cats have a distinct advantage over Humans in that area, don't We, kitties? Who is better equipped to sit and stare at the sky for ages, without blinking?

Chag Sameach (Happy Holiday) to you all!

An Eventful Weekend

Kitties (and other Anipals)!

It has been such a hectic weekend! 

As you all know, We have been tem-purr-rarily banned from the Balcony, because of Intruder Kitty. Well, on Shabbat, Mummy decided  (on the advice of the nice Lady V-e-t) to let Us start getting acquainted with the Invader. So She let Us come and say Hallo, one at a time. As you can imagine, Caspurr just sat and stared at him and didn't care much one way or the other, but I (Trixie) was much more cautious and kept my distance. After all - who knows what he might have? Fleas (though Mummy said that was already dealt with)? Ringworm (the v-e-t said our own immune systems are strong enough to resist it now, if the Intruder has it)? Lice (Mummy has seen no sign of it). Worms (very probably)?

After a furry, furry short meeting, We were again banished from the Balcony. Mummy went to have her Shabbat nap and in the early evening, went to check up on Intruder Kitty and found him unconscious!!! His eyes were closed, he hardly seemed to be breathing and Mummy could get no reaction from him.

In a panic, she called the v-e-t's Emergency Number but the v-e-t said that Mummy must remember they had discussed Fading Kitten Syndrome (Mummy says She has no such memory) and that the kitten had already received antibiotics (a low dosage) as a preventative measure (in case the fleas had transmitted a virus to the little kitty). The only thing Mummy could do, said the v-e-t (who Mummy thought sounded less sympathetic than She had expected) was to keep the kitty warm - and pray.

Mummy was terribly upset and she phoned Step-Grandma (you remember, kitties, that it was Step-Grandma who had talked Mummy into fostering Intruder Kitty in the first place), but she, too, was not all that sympathetic and told Mummy to remember that, when all's said and done, it was still "only a cat"!!!

So Mummy wrapped the little kitty in a thick towel and sat there, not even getting up to go to the bathroom, just cradling him in her arms like a baby and massaging his chest and tummy once in a while. And she prayed aloud to the Great Cat in the Sky not to let him die. And she said We should purr for Intruder Kitty also, so We did - because even though We didn't want to share Our Home with another kitty, that doesn't mean We wanted him to fly away to the Bridge.

After a couple of hours or so, the little kitty raised his head and struggled to turn over on his tummy. And Mummy realised that he would find it easier to breathe that way so She let him have his way. But the kitty still didn't open his eyes and his breathing was still very shallow.

So Mummy prayed harder than ever, and We came over to Mummy because We saw how upset She was, and We wanted to comfort her.

And then, kitties, after another half hour or so, Mummy put the little kitty, still wrapped up in the towel, down on the sofa, because She said She just had to go to the bathroom and She made US go back into her bedroom, because She was afraid to leave him and Us alone together (as if We couldn't be trusted!!!). And when She came out of the bathroom, She let Us back out of the bedroom and We came to look at poor little Intruder Kitty.

Then Mummy sat down on the sofa and picked up the little kitty in her arms and do you know what happened then, kitties?

The little kitty opened his eyes. And he tried to struggle out of Mummy's arms. So Mummy put him down on the sofa again and he struggled to his feet. And he began to try climbing up the cushion at the side of the sofa! And then he started miaowing furry loudly. Mummy couldn't think what he wanted at first, but then she thought maybe she'd offer him some food. (Caspurr says that was his idea - but that's because Food is always Caspurr's first thought in any situation. He's such a Greedy Kitty).

Anyway, Mummy offered the food (a mixture of dry kibbles, softened in water, and some special kitten diet moist food) to the little kitty and he wolfed it down as if he was starving! And then he went over to his water bowl and drank some water.

And then he went and slept for a bit and later, he woke up and ate some more, and when Mummy finally went to bed way past midnight, she thought the Crisis was over. And on Sunday morning (yesterday), Intruder Kitty acted like nothing had happened!!! But Mummy still can't feel easy in her mind, because She has been reading about FKS on the Internet and it seems it can strike kittens up to 9 weeks old, with no warning, even when they have previously seemed to be doing fine. (Intruder Kitty is 5 and a half weeks old). She says she won't feel safe for another few weeks yet.

The next day (yesterday), Mummy decided that Intruder Kitty was such a brave little fighter, that he deserved a hero's name, so she decided to call him after Samson in the Bible (Shimshon, in Hebrew - or Shimshi, for short).

So that seems to be it, kitties! We're stuck with him! If Mummy has given him a name, that means he's here for good. We don't want him to die, so We are just going to have to make the best of it.

And I (Trixie the Splendiferous) am going to have to make sure he knows his place and that I am the Alpha Cat around here!!!