Cast of Characters:
Sammy - 6-month-old female kitten
Mommy - MUCH older female human
After Mommy has rested a bit, she goes back into the kitchen to finish

When my partner and I go on vacation, we find ourselves rather
saddened at the lack of feline abuse.
No little paws walking around on us at night.  No warm spots left by
felines.  No furry footwarmers.  No cuddling weight on our chests.

I'm just catching up, I'm gone for 3 days and y'all post over 600
messages! Anyhow, thanks for all those who have offered to help with
Bridget's plane ticket, I'm happy to announce we have enough money to
buy it. I just emailed her asking to confirm the dates, as soon as she

Some of you may remember that I was worried earlier this year because
the docs discovered I have thickened skin around the neck and shoulders.
 The biopsy in July (my skin was actually 9 millimetres thick in the
neck!) showed that the collagen strands are thicker than usual and

The townhouse next door recently acquired a new kitten.  She is a gray
stripy with little black foot pads and blue eyes.  Absolutely
adorable!  Well, Saturday I had gone to the grocery store and had
about 15 bags to unload from the car.  I left the garage door open and

Until yesterday Waffles was resplendent in sleek black fur - her summer coat.
Yesterday, without warning, she went into fluff mode - full winter plumage with
big fluffy black fur. How does she do this instantaneously??? Obviously the
Mothership is involved somehow!

This morning we caught the mother cat. She is now in the cage with her
kittens. They are now laying against their mother. The tiger kitten was
purring when we first put the mother in with them. Last night DH was petting
the kittens and this morning I was petting them. We think ...

What in the world is happening to Tin?viel? She has always been the kind of
shy cat: "Yes, I like you very much, but don't you ever try to touch me
before I have laid down on top of the scratching post. No way!" But that was
before we moved out of the flat we used to live in.

I was reminded of the discussion here about mangos when I saw the post
below on another newsgroup.
--
Joy

I consider myself to be a good meowmy.  I provide good food and LOTS of
toys any kitten would be glad to have.  And, don't get me wrong, she
seems to appreciate all my goodwill offerings of balls in tracks, and
stuff toys to rabbit kick and ballies with rattle sounds in them and ...

I really shouldn't call this an "update".  I'm still sort of in limbo.  The
manager of 'Charlotte' was supposed to call me Sunday afternoon.  She
didn't, so a hour before they closed I called and was told she was with a
customer.  I didn't hear back from her that day.

More and more, I see Buster in the house when I get home, and Senyah
telling me "He's been here all day."
More and more, Buster chooses to sleep in our bed, rather than find a
good place outside.

The tops of Chessie's toes are like the finest velvet - she doesn't much
like having her toes touched but if I pet them very, very gently, I can get
away with it :)    She does like tummy tickles and will lie stretched out
full length on my arm while I rub her tummy and tell her ...

See
www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=6728768&s
ection=news
"Mice-infested Bulgarian region seeks Pied Piper

I've been trying out different types of litter lately to find something
both I and the cats will like. I used to use shredded newspaper, but it
seems that Frank may get the sniffles from the paper - maybe a reaction
to the ink. Anyways, I bought yet another brand of litter the ...