My daddy is doing some better now...

I just wanted to let all our Catster furriends know my daddy is feeling a little better now and hopefully he will be able to help me cat-chup on reading my pawmail.

Daddy began feeling ill a couple of days before Christmas, so we posted a diary entry letting our furriends know we might be away from Catster for an extended period. I like to be able to reply to the pawmails and presents I receive from my furriends here, in a timely manner.

Unfortunately, daddy's medical issues may often cause us to be away from our furriends here for a significant period of time.

We hope everyone's New Year will be a pawsome one!

Munchkin (and her daddy)

A little something for thought, on the day before Christmas- Eve...

As we are all living entities created by the Maker of All Things (by whatever name you may refer to the Maker), I would like to offer a thought to consider before Christmas Eve & Day for all Catster kitties and their families.

Please consider what is written in the following Scriptures:

Matthew 25, verse 40
Hebrews 13, verse 2

So many of you here have gone above and beyond to help those kitties who were orphaned, helpless, deliberately abandoned, or cruelly treated by their former owners. In doing so...have you not helped the "least" among us?

Could it also be the kitty you take in; give food & shelter to; and a love they may have never truly known...be that "angel" of whom you are not aware (re: Hebrews 13, verse 2)?

In closing, please know that my daddy and I will be away from the Catster site for an extended period (related to my daddy's medical treatment), but we sincerely hope each of you will enjoy a Happy, blessed Holiday Season and New Year!

With lots of love and purrs to all!

Munchkin (and her daddy)

As Christmas Eve & Day draw nigh...

At this most special time of year, my daddy and I would like to wish all Catster kitties & your families a Happy Holiday Season, filled with lots of special treats, laptime naps, extra play time, and most importantly...the love of family!

Each moment we have to share with one another is a blessing. Let not a day pass without conveying that love! Remember also, the many kitties who are hurting; who have not a warm, safe place to call their furrever home; those who will never know what it means to have a family to love...and be loved & cherished by.

Best wishes to all!

Munchkin

A somewhat rough couple of days...

One of my furriends, Puff Amenti, seems to be feeling ill and the vet isn't sure just what the problem is. I certainly hope it isn't too serious and Puff will soon be feeling better! I decided to send Puff a special little present (the lighted candle) as a reminder of always being in our thoughts & prayers.

My daddy hasn't been doing so well these past couple of days. He's had to spend much of time in bed due to severe nausea and bouts of "barf-a-rama." Like the loyal, loving kitty I am...I will stay curled up right beside him to keep an eye on him!

It saddens me when he goes through these episodes, as he isn't able to play with me, and I know it's a struggle for him just to be able to stay up long enough to ensure my water bowl gets changed out and the litter box cleaned as well.

He's had to llive with these complications ever since his two surgeries several years ago. But, he manages to keep going somehow.

Lots of purrs to everyone!

Munchkin xo

The passing of a dear furriend...

I learned today that one of my furriends, Adam Dylan, passed away during my 7-month absence from the Catster Community. His diary indicated he fought hard and long against an illness which knows no bounds in pets or people.

I noticed his page had no Angel Wings, so I sent him a set to use when he "flies-in" to check up on his mommy, furry family and friends still here.

To all my furriends here, I would say, cherish each moment you have with your family! Never forget how much all your purrs, leg rubs, and curl-up naps on your mommy or daddy's lap means to them! For we each have only today; tomorrow has not yet come.

In all the span of eternity, we are here but such a short time. To all the mommies and daddies, I say likewise.
Have you hugged your kitty today?

With much love and purrs!

Munchkin xo

Furriends, furriends, and more furriends!

My, oh my, but I've been getting so many furriend requests since returning to the Catster Community! Using my acute kitty senses, I discovered my furriend, Serena, has been busy up at the Rainbow Ridge letting all her other furriends know about me!

I wanted to send her a little something special, but unfortunately the gift shop on the site here is not working. (i.e. it won't load for some reason). I paw-mailed the Catster staff about it yesterday, but haven't heard anything yet.

Oh well...guess I'll go curl up beside daddy and kitty-nap for a while!

Lots of purrs & behind-the-ear scratches everyone!

Munchkin

In the first 24 hours...

Following a 7 month hiatus, Munchkin and her daddy are once again back on the Catster website. During our first 24 hours of being back, we have not only heard from and linked-up with some of our old friends like RIver, Simone & Tabatha, but have made some new ones as well!

Of course...since daddy is better at using the computer keyboard than I am...I just let HIM do all the correspondence work...while I (as Queen of the House)...SUPERVISE! Oh well, time to return to looking at all the pretty furry faces here!

Munchkin

I'm baaacckk!

Yes...it's true, Munchkin is back now and once again a part of the Catster Community!

My daddy and I were really saddened that our circumstances back in March necessitated our having to bid farewell to everyone. It hasn't been easy for my daddy, but things seem to have improved a little...so after much purring, I convinced daddy to put me back on the Catster site.

Since our departure, I turned 5 years old in June, and have now been living with daddy in my furrever home for just over 5 years. My latest vet visit on September 1st, (which I hate), went well. My weight is holding steady at just over 13 lbs and the vet didn't find any health issues.

Hopefully, things here will improve even more and my daddy won't have to discontinue our Catster community membership again!

Lots of purrs and love to everyone!

Munchkin (and her Daddy)

Munchkin's humble beginnings

Munchkin was found orphaned in the Newport News (Virginia) Shipyard at 3 weeks of age. The kind, elderly gentleman who rescued her, foster-cared for her in his home until she came to live in her “furr-ever” home with me at 13 weeks of age on September 26, 2006.

(Incidentally, I obtained Munchkin without having even seen her first). Initially, she appeared to be a typical gray-colored, domestic short-haired tabby. It soon became evident that she was anything BUT that! (See the age-progression photos of Munchkin).

The first clue was her “meow”, which was a weak, trilling, sound unlike anything I’d ever heard before. Her demonstrated extremely-fast learning ability was also a surprise. By 9 months of age, Munchkin’s fur had significantly lengthened. After doing some research on-line, I determined she was a Maine Coon cat. All of her physical, intellectual, and behavioral traits exactly matched those given for the Maine Coon.

She now weighs a little over 13 lbs and is generally a laid-back kitty and rather independent. Although, she usually is not “clingy”, Munchkin does like to climb up on my lap at least once a day for a little personal grooming. She has learned to associate certain words & short word phrases (2 – 4 words) as meaning certain things.

In addition, she recognizes 3 different hand gestures (with no words being spoken by me) as meaning to either, (1) – stop where she is & sit down, (2) – stop & go back quickly, or (3) – to come over to me.

Munchkin is generally very cautious whenever someone comes to the house. She will go to the bedroom and observe my interaction with the person and then re-enter the living room once she perceives either, there is no threat, I call to her, or make the hand gesture for her to join me.

As the “Queen of the house”, she enjoys the 5 large bowls of different name-brand dry kitty foods I leave out for her to choose from 24/7 (she is a nibbler…preferring to eat just a little food several times a day). A large bowl of cool water with an ice cube in it (which gets changed completely out at least once each day), provides her with a refreshing drink whenever she desires.

In addition, a couple of home-made “treat-dispensing” containers (made using two old medication bottles) provide her with the Friskies, moist, chicken-flavored morsel treats she loves - anytime, day or night. (It only took about a minute to show her how to use her paw to roll the container over so the treats will pop out)!

Munchkin also likes for me to fix some of her treats to eat at the same time I sit down to eat something. (Interestingly enough, in my on-line research, I discovered the desire to eat with their owners is another characteristic of Maine Coons).

Munchkin’s senses are extraordinary. On a number of occasions she has been curled up beside me at night in the bedroom, when she will suddenly jerk her head upright, looking in the direction of the doorway. Then, she immediately jumps down off the bed, goes trotting off toward the source of some sound she has heard. Invariably, within a minute I will hear her scratching at the floor.

Upon going to check on her I have found she’s caught a very tiny spider (that occasionally gets into the house). Apparently the critter emits some kind of sound well outside my hearing range, but NOT Munchkin’s! On a couple of occasions when the critter is high up on a wall or the roof, she will sit staring up where the spider is and continue meowing until I come to her and catch the critter.

Munchkin has shown herself to be a very loyal, loving, kitty who always wants to be as close to me as possible. There is no way to place a dollar-value on the unconditional love and companionship she gives me. Every time I see the way she looks at me, I am reminded of how her life nearly ended before it began!