Oh, and that one of Dandelion sleeping in the ball track thingy reminds me of this classic from IBKC about a few years ago.
So so so CUTE. The pic of Dandelion in the ball track reminds me of this picture of Beulah from 2009 (even though she’s not sleeping and her little alien face looks more like Tony Picklehead than Dandelion) :
Can I make a suggestion? Ok, it’s a lot of work for you, but I would love it if you had tags for each permanent resident! I love Miz Poo, and I would love it if she had her own tag so I could stalk- I mean admire her.
I’ll begin tagging for the permanent residents from here on out (you can see tags at the top of the entry), but I don’t plan to go back and tag the older entries, so you can stalk in the future, but not the past, I guess. 🙂 (And it’s not really much work – though I do need to figure out how to make it so that a list of the tags show up in the sidebar.)
My Cuteoverload.com page-a-day calendar has as today’s picture a white kitten sitting in a canning jar and looking somewhat askance, with the caption, “From The Cute Farmer’s Almanac: Remember to put up a supply of kitties to see you through the winter.” I thought of you and Dandelion. 🙂
SO cute. And whenever I have kittens as small as the Weeds are, I always say I’m going to get out the gallon-size Mason jars and get some cute pictures of kittens in jars. I need to actually DO that one of these days!
Looks like Tony the Terrible is growing into his big head, no? What a cutie!
He is totally growing into his big ol’ head. He still kind of looks like a little BatRat, but I suspect that one day he’s going to be (mostly) normal-looking.
ROFL at ‘Ears of Fume’… that’s the Cat Body Language indicator that follows just after ‘Ears of Annoyance’ and just before ‘Ears of I CUT U’, right?
Exactly!
In the picture of the Weed in the track ball toy (Dandelion?) she looks a little like Yoda.
and
I was thinking more of a pekinese or chihuahua. She has unusual shape of her eyes.
I can see Yoda. I can’t see chihuahua, but I’ll need to gaze lovingly at her some more and maybe I’ll be able to see it!
I’m both intrigued and mildly repulsed by bats. One of my local flickr buddies took the most amazing photo of bats – in flight – during the daytime and I can’t stop looking at it.
That is a truly amazing picture – I had to “favorite” it, and have been back to look at it like 10 times!
One of the last times we went to Carlsbad Caverns, we decided to stay for the evening bat flight. This meant we’d be getting home REALLY late, and a wearying several-hour car ride in the pitch black, but it was worth it. The guide started the talk at the proper time – a few minutes before sundown – and explained what we were about to see, and what to do/not do. Then, as if by magic… nothing happened.
We waited for several more minutes, and more nothing continued to happen. The guide was just in the process of saying that at this particular time of the year, sometimes the bats come out a bit later, but there were definitely some bats still using the cavern as their home (I think he said they migrate later in the year??? Can that be right, or was I doing drugs again?) but since it was cooler, there were fewer bugs out and thus the bats might be a little lazy, when a few clusters flew out. It was quite unimpressive, and rather disappointing in fact.
We had nothing better to do so we hung out for a few more minutes and after about 10-15 minutes, I heard some noises and smelled something indescribable, and looked back toward the cave entrance – and here they came. Like a typhoon rain, like a waterfall, like – I don’t know, like about a half-million bats all coming out of a relatively small cave opening at once. It was AMAZING.
Of course, it wasn’t really “at once” – there had been a steady trickle of a few bats here, a few there for the past few minutes. But then all at once it was like an illustration in a kids’ movie – a little stream of bats, looking like nothing so much as a tendril of smoke, swelling and growing until it was a solid, seemingly never-ending wall of bats flying out. They poured out of the caverns in that almost-solid wall for about three or four minutes, then slowed down to a trickle, and then they were gone – except for what looked like a dark cloud off in the distance, moving more quickly than a cloud should move. As we drove home, we could still see the “cloud” of bats for quite some time – I was surprised that they stayed together that way as long as they did. The guide said that since it was so late in the season there weren’t as many as there usually were, but my brain cannot even encompass the numbers he was giving us (3-4 times as many as what we saw).
I was sort of prepared for the noise, the wings and the clicks – but the SMELL… oh my. Nothing else in the world smells like a flock of bats, I’ll tell you that.
If any of you bat-lovers live near or ever drive through the eastern New Mexico region during the summer months, I STRONGLY encourage you to make whatever detours necessary to see the bat flights. (Apparently they no longer allow photography or video of any sort in the ampitheater, though. When we went, it was just no flash photography.) I haven’t seen the morning flight, where they return back to the cave after a night of eating, but I’m sure it’s just as astonishing as the evening flight. There are some awesome videos on YouTube etc, but they’re not a patch on the real, up-close-and-stinky experience.
Also, one of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman, is a world-class bat trainer, you might not have known that. (c:
That is WAY too cool – and I can only imagine what a huge flock of bats must smell like. 🙂
Suggie – that first photo is Cosmo centerfold worthy!! And the second reminds me of Sean Connery….me-WOW!
and
Sean Connery…
“Hello the name is Butt, Sugar Butt.”
and
Hee! He needs a little catnip martini photo-shopped in his paw now! “Shaken, not purred…”
If I had any photoshop skills at all, I would have put a martini glass in his paw – but you’ll just have to imagine that! (Also, you guys crack me up!)
Dandelion’s second shot: “In the name of the Father…”
Ha – YES!
Is it just me, or does Purslane look like Miz Poo’s “mini me”?
They certainly both have some Tortie-tude going on!
Is that a big hanging scratchy mouse that Dandelion is playing with? Way cool. Details, please!
That IS a big hanging scratchy mouse that Dandelion is playing with. I got it from another foster mom a few years ago. It’s got a loop on the end so that you can hang it from a doorknob, but I actually put up a hook to hang it from so that the kittens wouldn’t rattle the door when they’re playing with it. The ears on the mouse make that crinkly noise, the end of the tail has a rattly ball in it, and there’s sisal for sharpening their claws.
Recently, Jean sent me a picture from Publix with a picture of the same kind of mouse in it. I didn’t recognize it in the picture as being the same thing, but after you asked about it in the comments the other day, I made a point of stopping at Publix yesterday. It is totally the same mouse, same company, everything.
So I bought a new one with the intention of putting the old one in the guest bedroom with the Pickles (Polly really liked to climb the mouse when they were in the foster room), but as soon as I put the old mouse on the floor and hung up the new mouse, Dandelion said “Hey, this is awesome!” and climbed up the new mouse. At the same time, Purslane said “THIS IS AWESOME!” and jumped on the one on the floor.
Anyway, it’s called the Pet Select Scratch, Rattle & Roll Cat Scratcher Mouse, and you can find it at Walmart. If you have a Publix near you (that’s a grocery store, for those of you who aren’t familiar with it), they’re located in the pet section. They’re about a foot long, more or less, and the kittens almost always think they’re awesome. I haven’t noticed the adults paying any attention to them, but they do have catnip in them.
I noticed Dandelion’s (and the others) eyes looking much better. Which got me to thinking… how’s Dandie’s hearing (sorry if asked already)? That’s the first thing I think about when I see an all white cat w/blue eyes.
As far as we can tell, she can hear just fine. There are times when I’m making noises to get her attention, and she doesn’t seem to hear me – but then, that’s true of ALL kittens, sometimes they’re just too busy to pay attention to the stupid humans. But most of the time, if I make a noise unexpectedly, she turns to look, so I think her hearing is fine.
Hope Isaac missed you guys.
We haven’t had a single drop of rain. We’re located about as far from the Alabama coast as you can get and still be in the state of Alabama (the Tennessee state line is about 15 minutes away), so the weather from Isaac went pretty much around us. We could have used some rain – but I’m not complaining!
I just love Petey’s silly little face. He’s a total lovebug, this one. Actually, all the Pickles are pretty big lovebugs.
Percy in the basket. They LOVE sleeping in that thing.
Polly, trying to run from Percy, who’s feeling a bit chomp-y.
Polly swings! She… misses and falls over backward!
Polly, pushing Percy out of the way.
The Terrible Picklehead is growing up!
Joe in the sun.
Check out the sharp little fangs on Polly.
Percy in the basket, Petey biting his tail, and Polly in the background, trying to stay clean.
Petey and the fangs (would be an excellent band name.)
Dandelion and Thistle, at it again.
“THAT’S RIGHT I SAID IT’S MY SCRATCHER!”
She is such a fluffmonster.
Defensive posture. “YOU COME OVER HERE DANDELION MESS YOU UP!”
Snacktime for the Weedlings.
Is it just me, or does Purslane always look like she’s sighing in resignation?
Dandelion’s not sure about this “petting” thing.
Are those some gorgeous blue eyes, or what?
Yesterday I loaded up the Weeds and took them to the vet for their Combo testing. They tested negative for Feline Leukemia (yay!), but positive for FIV (feline aids) (boo!). This wasn’t a big shock, because their mother had tested a faint positive for FIV. This isn’t the first time we’ve had a litter test positive for FIV – the Wonkas and the Bookworms initially tested positive, but over time seroconverted to negative. I have every reason to believe that the Weeds will also ultimately test negative. From what I’ve been able to find online, it’s extremely unusual for a mother to pass FIV on to her kittens.
(Regarding the Wonkas and Bookworms – they actually had the same mother, a feral cat who roamed near where Fred used to work. We were able to trap her after Fred brought the Bookworms home (Corbie’s a Bookworm, for those who don’t know), and she was not only FIV positive, she was very very sick, so I made the decision to have her euthanized.)
So after the testing, we made it almost all the way home before one of the girls pooped in the carrier, then all three of them tromped through it. The first thing I did when we got home was give each of them a quick bath (and Thistle got a second bath because before I could get her completely dry she took her wet feet and stomped them around in the litter box!). And oddly enough, after they’d been bathed and dried, I went back into the room with them about five minutes later, and they were all markedly friendlier than they’ve been up to this point. Not that they’ve been UNfriendly, but this was the first time Purslane ran right over and climbed into my lap.
Maybe they secretly like having baths!
Today’s Crooked Acres Cover Boy? Corbie The Beautiful, of course!
“Corbie too busy being beautiful to pay attention to the likes of you, lady.”
Talking to Elwood like I’m not even there giving him moony-eyed looks o’ love.
::ignore::
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Previously
2011: (LOONYFACE)
2010: Bolitar and Rhyme are off to the adoption center later today.
2009: This is how the kittens feel about Mondays.
2008: No entry.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: He just sat there and gave me this look like “I will never yawn for you again, so save it, woman.”, then started falling asleep while sitting up.
The picture of Dandelion as the “Fluffmonster” reminds me of one of your chickens 🙂
Ha – YES! She totally looks like our white Silkie!
Corbie reminds me of an actor during one of those staged paparazzi “shopping” trips (like on the Fug site). All, “yes I know you’re there but I will ignore you so I appear natural and like I always walk down the street dripping in designer goods”
He just needs an $8,000 messenger bag and $12,000 shoes – oh Robyn, why do you deny him so?
Hee! Who would have thought there’d be a Fug Girls reference at the L&H blog comments?! Love it. 🙂
My blog worlds collide! I’ve been reading the Fug girls almost since the beginning. 😉
I BOUGHT him all that stuff, but then he pooped on it! (Okay, I didn’t and he didn’t – but if I did, he might. 🙂 )
Great….some of these links were blocked via my work as “P0rn0gr@phy”. Lord, I hope I don’t lose my job….
I think it was the Carlsbad links….
It’s all Elayne’s fault, she’s a TOTAL pornographer! 🙂
My site did show up on a friend’s (work) firewall as “pornography” a few years ago. (I should probably send him an email and see how he’s doing…) We got a big kick out of that, because it’s so rare that I ever post any pictures at ALL, much less anything even remotely pornographic! I suspect it’s probably my ample use of a certain four-letter verb/adjective/noun/exclamative – but it only gave him that “blocked” message for a few weeks, IIRC. How odd that it would come up again, when I’ve almost stopped posting altogether!
(By the way, we’re not allowed to use the internet at work, but we are allowed to connect via wireless devices on our lunch or other breaks. I tried to come check in here the other day and was sad to learn that kittens and chickens and pigs (oh my) give your blog a “high-risk” status. Boo hiss. Guess I have to get my fix at home after all.
Robyn, do you and Fred ever get to take a vacation together with all your permanent animals? It must be hard to get away and have someone care for your indoor & outdoor animals. This may sound like a weird question but it comes from a suburban mom with only one cat the and occasional foster kittens. I sometime have a hard time finding care for one cat when we travel.
Robyn-I didn’t get a chance to post this in time for today’s round up of questions/comments so maybe you could put it in next week? Is there a place on the website (or can you list them yourself) where you have all the themes you’ve used in the past? It would be neat to see what you’ve used and also be able to suggest other themes without repeating some (and then feeling dumb).
Oh, boo for the FIV! But I’m right there with you in that I think they will re-test negative, too. That also means they will be with you for a bit longer than usual, so we’ll get to see these little girls grow into their wild floof!! (and hee hee, gotta love those poo paws!)
Picklehead, don’t grow up too fast, please!
Corbie has that “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful” look going on! 🙂
Fingers crossed for the Weeds. Can you tell us what the policy of the rescue is if the test remains positive? Fortunately more and more groups are realizing that FIV isn’t so bad, but every group is different. I had thought that maybe Dandelion’s eye color just hadn’t changed yet, but then saw her sisters so maybe she will get to keep those brilliant blue eyes!!!
In the past, it’s been shelter policy to euthanize FIV positive cats, but at this point, if these girls were to end up definitely FIV positive (which I really and truly think they won’t), I’d keep them here until we could find a home for them. There’s no room at the shelter to keep them sequestered.
The thing that has me thinking Dandelion will keep her blue eyes, is that there’s no color change around her pupils – in fact, the color right around her pupils seems to be an even darker blue.
boo for FIV.. I am actually a huge fan of giving Vitamin C to kitties with FIV/FELV.
and oh my gosh Dandelion’s eyes are brilliant
Vitamin C? What’s the dosage and how do you give it?
Details on the Vitamin C, pleeeeeease?
Little Miss Dandelion just looks so…Zen in her track.
LOL at the derpy shot of Polly falling over backwards. Sweet little clowns, aren’t they?
SO – today I’m in a “not fit for humanity” type o’ mood. so I came here to gaze at precious little fluffballs. Ahhh… and it got me thinking. Honestly – every town should have a place/center where you can come pay $10 an hour to watch baby animals playing, possibly cuddle some, snorgle bellies, sniff ears, etc. I feel certain if I could just snort some “Dandyline” (or love on JoeBob or tickle Mr. Pickleheads tummy, or, or, or…) I’d be much better fit for the day. 🙂
If I ever win the lottery I wanna have a place called “The Pettin’ Parlour” where you can come and hug EVERY cat if you want to.
I’ve often thought that I’d love to run a kitty cafe like they have in Japan! I know that when I’m having a bad day, even a few minutes in the room being climbed on by kittens is amazingly relaxing. 🙂
I have an all-white girl cat and she has blue eyes and she can hear just fine. Oh sure, she CHOOSES not to hear the word “no”, but if you whisper the word “food” she will come galloping in from wherever she is in the apartment…
Dandelion’s bright blue eyes give me hope that she will get herself some flame points.. but I’m not holding my breath any more. I think she’d have started to show them by now, no? How early did Charlene start showing her points?
Corbie has discovered that he truely IS the worlds most beautiful cat and no longer has to associate with commoners.. So sorry Robyn.
Yeah, I’m thinking she would have started showing them by now – but you never know, maybe she’ll up and surprise us. 🙂
oh, and you know in that series of Da Corbs man, he’s saying to Elwood – “Can you believe the papparazzi I have to deal with? Maybe if I ignore her she’ll go away.”
(oh and check your email)
HA – I love it!!!
Robyn – you can add the tag in your widgets. There should be one available called “Tag Cloud”. Just plop it in your sidebar wherever you want it. Easy Peasy.
I meant – You can add the tag CLOUD in your widgets.
Thanks Lanna!! 🙂
What a great post this is — then again, I could write that every other day.I love the way the Weeds’ tails are still tiny and carroty, and the tabbitudinal (and TRH) bliss the Pickles provide at every turn. The Suggie reprise is to be applauded, and Corbie is a studmeister. But today’s prize for most captivating kitty must go to that flufficular blue-eyed beauty Dandelion. As always, thanks, Robyn.
Dandelion’s eyes are gorgeous! When she’s available for adoption, I have no doubt that she’ll be snatched up in an instant.
Those trackball things make for good pictures: http://mello-cat.livejournal.com/80586.html
Crossing fingers on the FIV. We’ve had one test positive (came in as an adult). He was a sweetheart and did take a while to get adopted but eventually he found his person.
Robyn, I have suggested those pillow toys to you before (you asked what our favorite cat toys were). So I am not surprised you have some 🙂
That Corbie is just too good for us commoners anymore lol.
The Weeds’ eyes all look perfectly fine now — so pretty! But boo for the FIV! And you need to try giving them baths again in the next few days, to see how they really feel about them!
And Tony has lost the Dobby-look, which I guess is a good thing….