1-30-14

Posted on by Robyn

Jump to comments

Tuesday night, John Smith was adopted! Yay!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do y’all remember Starsky and Hutch? A lot of you weren’t reading way back then in 2010, so the quick story is that when they were 4 weeks old, they were tossed from a car, and rescued by the friend of another Challenger’s House foster mom. I took them, and then they went off to Indianapolis to live with Jennifer and her son Kiefer, and were renamed Percy and Jack. This is them, tiny little monkeys, not long after I got them:

Well, it’s been a few years, and as kittens do, Percy and Jack have grown up. I got these pictures of them from Jennifer!

Keeping warm? We are up here wondering how much longer this crap go on. Frozen frozen frozen. I am feeding birds like crazy (and a bunny under the deck) who prides himself on hopping around and teasing Jack and Percy!

Had to share what one of these crazy fools did – – and we are out to prove science wrong. Came home yesterday from work to the marshmallow bag laying in the middle of the kitchen (it was purchased less than 24hr prior). Looked around and there are marshmallows EVERYWHERE!! Jack (Starsky) has a sweet tooth. He nibbled and licked everyone of the loose marshmallows. Surprise since we didn’t think cats have taste buds for sweets? Then again – Jack is a lttle whacky anyway. He is the mooch in the house and wants to see what everyone is eating. Maybe that is why he is a stunning 17 pounds 4 ounces. Yeah, he will keep anyone warm on the coldest night.

But don’t fret. Percy weighs in at 17 pounds and spends his time watching bears and cats on TV. He just chooses not to eat the crap Jack begs for. He likes the finer things in life like cat treats and tuna.


Percy’s Burt Reynolds impression.

(Thanks for the great pictures, Jennifer!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the way, several people have asked how we’re doing, weather-wise. We’re located in Northern Alabama (close to the Tennessee line), and have really only gotten a dusting of snow. Actually “a dusting” is probably an exaggeration. There’s a danger of black ice on the roads, but other than that, we’re fine. It spat down snow for a little while on Tuesday, but nothing accumulated. Birmingham (which is a couple of hours south of us) got it much worse than we did.

I had no idea, when I bought a heavy winter coat from LL Bean for my trip to Wisconsin last February, that it was going to come in so handy at home! One of my jobs in the morning is to open the coop so that the sun will shine into it (the chickens will stand in the door of the coop and sunbathe on really cold days), and since the temperature has dropped so low (it’s been below freezing for a couple of days now), the water in the water dishes out there freezes pretty quickly. Fred fills their water bowls when he goes out there at 4:30, and then I go out anywhere between 7 and 8, and dump out the ice and refill them. Yesterday, I had to literally jump up and down on George and Gracie’s water dish to get the ice out.

(Most winters we don’t have to worry about the water freezing during the day. It might freeze overnight, but the days are usually warm enough that the water stays liquid.)

So we are just fine – I hope YOU guys are staying safe and warm!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Um….


“Hey,” says Mariette.


“Who the heck is THAT?!”


Ferdinand is unconcerned about the fact that there’s a strange kitten hanging out just a few feet away.


“Uh,” says Maria (on the right), “Have we MET?”


::sniff::sniff::SNIFF::SNIFF::


“Because you kinda LOOK familiar, but you don’t smell like any of my brothers!”


“Are you a stranger? Do I need to put on my Stranger Danger suit? Because I really just don’t have the energy for that.”


This is Dennis.


And he is BEYOOOOTIFUL.

Luckily, he also has a Shakespearean name, so I can just lump him right in with The Players. He’s not related to them (that we know of), but he was rescued by the same foster moms who rescued the Players, in the same general location. Though at first glance he looks just like the other brown tabbies, he really doesn’t. He’s got green eyes to their gold/brown eyes, and where they’re long and lanky, he’s shorter and huskier. He’s a couple of weeks younger than they are, too.

In a move that Fred and I call “MEET YER NEW PARTNER!”, I basically just put him in with the Players and hoped for the best. There were a few half-hearted hisses from a couple of them, but after a few hours, it’s like they forgot he was the new guy, and he was snuggled up to Maria.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


“Excuse me, lady, I am waiting for my Tommy. You go away now.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Previously
2013: “You know you wants to kiss me, lady.”
2012: Pet store kitties pics.
2011: No entry.
2010: No entry.
2009: Funny the things that will turn unfriendly cats into friendly ones, isn’t it?
2008: Those cats could not have cared less.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.

Comments

53 thoughts on “1-30-14”

  1. Hi Dennis! You sure are a cute little guy, you remind me of my my Old Man Atticus at that age.

    So. Yesterday I get to work, and I says “Self, why do you have ABBA running through your head? And how is it you remember the lyrics so well??”. Ever since I read that piece about how you mix up poor Ferdinand’s name with “Fernando”, I’ve had the ABBA tune running through my head.

    Aw, yay for John Smith!

      1. Extending yesterday’s discussion of an ABBA litter … names!

        (Mamma) Mia
        Chiquitita
        Andante (shorten to Dante if you like)
        Fernando
        Trooper

  4. Hurray for Jon Smith!!! Awwww…good to see Jack and Percy (Starsky and Hutch). I love that Jennifer has a bunny under her porch! 🙂 My kitties have a sweet tooth, also. (I think the scientists are wrong on that count.) Sidney loves marshmallows and caramel. The boy comes running when he hears the caramel wrapper being opened! Lola loves herself some orange juice and fruit smoothies!

    Dennis has a totally kissy face!!!!

    Now, in that photo, Stinkerbelle almost looks innocent!!!!

    1. I gave up fighting the bunny resident. I can’t win… lol
      This is the first winter we haven’t had a dog who kept the bunnies away in the past. At this point, I think he has a “friend”. I am already doing the math and I think the flower beds are doomed…

  5. Throwback Thursday thanks to Jennifer for sharing the all growed up Starsky & Hutch now Percy and Jack!!! They are beautiful! And, my Princess Shelley also has a sweet tooth! Her favorite??? Cotton Candy – yep, she LOVES it! She also loves marshmallows, as does my youngest, Lacey Grey. Hooray for John Smith (oops, almost typed Jon Snow!)… Now focusing speedy adoption thoughts on Tricki and Toto and Livia and Tony… focus… focus… Helloooooooo, Dennis – he may give Corbie a run for his money in the looks department – – Nope, not gonna happen, but he sure is a cutie. And it just needs to be said (again!) Stinkerbelle sure is a pretty girl. Such a sweet face – how could Tommy resist??? Just outside of St. Louis, Missouri, we’re getting more ‘wintry mix’ tomorrow with a possible ‘major winter storm’ already being predicted for next week… UGH! Just when the huge snowpiles from early January snow started diminishing. But, my grandma (wise woman!) always said that until those snow piles completely disappear, they’re ‘just a waitin’ for more snow… take that, meteorologists!

    2. I can attest to the fact that Jack and Percy have really grown into their bodies. They are huge, not fat, but huge. Hurt-your-back-picking-them-up huge. And they are lovers. And fools. I get an update everyday on what idiotic thing have have done. Love them.

  7. No snow in Texas, just cold. 19 degrees yesterday when I left for work. Dennis is just lovable. I am so glad the Players accepted him into their troupe! And oh, the eyes on Stinkerbelle!

  8. That Dennis is just so cute! Glad he was able to integrate so easily 🙂

    My cat Pandora has a sweet tooth- if I ever have a cookie (or other goody) and am eating it, she is right up there mooching, and she will make sure to clean up any crumbs. The other two cats aren’t the least bit interested, but she’s always been that way.

    Cold here, in Calgary, Canada. We had a couple of days of nice weather, but now it’s back to cold. -13C (colder still with windchill.) No idea what that is in F, but maybe around 0F? (shiver) I envy my cats, staying at home all day in the warmth.

    1. My calculator says 9F. Brrr! (Although you guys have way better washer fluid than we do, I envy you!)

  10. The official number of the day today is 4. The letter is F. So that is 4F as far as temp goes. It is cold and I am so done with it.

    I have not noticed Oreo liking sweets but she does enjoy a Cheese Puff every now and then.

    1. I think each cat is different. Some are junk food junkies, some are meat and potatoes, and some are veggie! LOL

      1. I have one who likes raw chicken bits, and her littermate/sister goes after my graham crackers, butter, cheese … just about anything I’m eating. So different, yet both so adorable.

        1. Josh (R.I.P) loved Hardees roast beef…but hated Arby’s. He would shake his paw at it and walk off. Made me never by Arby’s again. I figured he knew/could smell something I couldn’t! Trust your cat!

          1. I’m not sure what’s more precious, that he could tell the difference, or that you went to Hardees to satisfy him.

  11. DENNIS you are a cutie patootie! So glad the kittens accepted him so easily.

    Suggestion – put a pinch of sugar in the water bowls. It drops the temperature the water freezes at, and if they’re out in those kinds of temperatures, the calorie boost will do them good. (Tip courtesy of Alley Cat Allies.)

      1. Alley Cat Allies is a fount of great information for TNR, caring for outdoor cats and ferals, and advocacy. They work with the Atlantic City boardwalk cats, among others. (Their mailing list badgers people for money a lot, though. It’s annoying when you want to help and it’s not in the budget.)

  12. So cute to see “before” and “after” pictures. 🙂

    Welcome Dennis. We laugh around here – for all the advice we give about introducing cats and taking it slow….we do the same thing – look here and be nice to the new guy. He is a cutie.

    1. When there are more than 3, perhaps just tossing them in there IS the best idea. They may just not notice especially if they are the same color and pattern as some of the others. Perhaps they will just say, “Agnes, you put on a few pounds, girl!” OR “Mike, what have you been rolling in? You smell weird!!!” HAHAHAHAHA….

  13. Nice to see Dennis! He was the only one I didn’t see at the shelter on Saturday when I visted. Handsome little guy! I’m glad he’ll be with your gang to get socialized.

  14. Love the update and the Burt Reynolds pose! For those too young to understand the reference, just google Burt Reynolds Playboy centerfold to see the original-kinda NSFW, but tame.

  15. Awwww. Pretty pretty Dennis! the Playahs are lucky to add him to the troupe! 🙂

    Cold cold cold here in Atlanta – but our problem has been the the traffic. I work downtown and was one of the lucky ones who made it home Tue. night. I have many friends who didn’t and spent the night in their cars. We’re opening at 1 today and according to the traffic cams, it looks like they’ve cleared them off the freeways. So off to work I go.

    Update on Felix – still a lover, but the O2 still won’t accept him. Keeping them all separated still except for small short little meet and greets where they hiss/growl/snort and hide.

  16. Sorry, I’m back… had to share. Took my Lacey Grey to the vet for routine visit… She’s always been very vocal, but very much a ‘pomp and circumstance badass’ – all bark with no bite, but VERY theatrical in her rumblings… after just an introductory growl, the poor vet-tech-in-training left the room and came back in head to toe Kevlar and face shield. Fortunately, a more seasoned vet tech must’ve noticed and came in and called Lacey’s bluff – she briskly chided Lacey for being a drama queen, grabbed her by the scruff of the neck (NOT abusive or wrong, but correct, firm, and gentle at the same time), put her on the scale and there was no more of those shenanigans. Lacey was actually instantly sweet and docile. Hoping this is not misinterpreted by any readers and hoping my Lacey Grey does NOT in any way contribute to a change in career choices for the young tech in training … (hoping she reads this – yes I did share this site as my favorite and urged her to check it out.. as this was certainly LOVE and HISSES – Literally!!!)

  17. How funny that Percy watches bears on TV! I thought it was odd that bears, mostly bear cubs, are just about the only things Star will watch on TV! Sometimes cats, especially if kittens are mewing, but mostly bears and she wants to get them bad!
    Yay for John Smith’s adoption!
    “Meet yer new partner!” lol! Awesome that it worked! He certainly looks like he fits in

    2. We just happened to notice that Percy really liked watching some National Geographic show that had bears in it. Utterly enthralled by them. He will notice other animals on TV but not like the ears. Maybe since he is so huge – – he thinks he is part bear? So we bought his own bear nature DVD and now for our entertainment – – we put on “Bear Movie”. He loves it and watches.

    3. My dear departed Elliott loved to watch Nascar races. He was always trying to figure where the cars went as they raced off the screen. He was named after driver Bill Elliott so I guess he came by it naturally. 🙂

  18. Not surprised someone realized that John is a real prize. I can still see that easy going guy in doll’s clothes, having a tea party with a little girl.

    Percy and Jack are so fun, lazing around and watching rabbits torment them. It’s a good life.

    I’m trying to think of what play has a Dennis but am coming up blank. He’s very striking.

    Be thankful you missed the bad weather. Not even two inches and Atl was paralyzed. People on the freeway for 24 hours, kids stuck overnight on schoolbuses, ridiculous.

      1. It is ridiculous. Not even DC was that bad and we’re pretty notorious for silly snow games.

          1. Funny BECAUSE it’s so true. (Me, I’m considered Tier 1 essential personnel, I drive no matter WHAT, so meh on the BMT run).

  19. From Wikipedia list of Shakespearean characters: Dennis is a minor character – a servant to Oliver – in As You Like It.

  20. Crooked Acres Kitty Tea Time !!!!! That would be awesome !!!

    Dennis is so cute !! but who are kidding ! Have any of us met a kitty that wasn’t awesomely adorable ?!?!?

    I love when you get updates on former fosters !

  23. Finally got my snow late Tuesday night…after sitting home bored stiff all day Tuesday because the state jumped the gun closing offices. Then had yesterday off and a two hour delay this morning. It’s 39 degrees outside now, and most of the snow has melted. I suspect that’s it for us and snow this year!

    I look forward to seeing more of the Players (and Dennis, aka Mr. Second Act)! 🙂

  25. aww, Percy & Jack!! And the new guys!

    It was -23F. here the other night. And an enormous, puffed-out rabbit was under our bird feeder, eating sunflower seeds in the dark at 2 am.

Comments are closed.