We Have An Announcement

As Senior Cat, of course it is my happy duty, and honor, to announce the important events in our family's lives.

Our Mom is now the Space News correspondent for the Examiner.com, a chain of newspapers and an online news publication. She spent lots of time in the space program down at Kennedy Space Center, and she loves space.

You can read Mom here:

http://www.examiner.com/x-504-Space-News-Examiner

This, of course, means that she will be working even harder, and spending more time at the computer. I already often have to remind her to go to bed at night. I foresee that I will have to keep a closer eye on her work schedule, and make sure that she takes appropriate breaks and naps.

The naps are especially important. I make sure that I cuddle up with her. Young Owain Glendower is, of course, in charge of play time. But I have the responsibility for ensuring that she gets enough rest and also that this household continues to operate in a seemly manner.

We are very proud of our Mom. Of course, this new job means that we will have to put up with more Jerry Lee Lewis and that kind of music. When Mom is writing non-fiction, she tends to like that old "rock 'n roll" music.

Owain dances with her around the living room. Mind you, I'm not opposed to it, as the tunes are quite sprightly. However, we must face the fact that this kind of music is not, shall we say, in the same class with Chopin, Holtz, and other composers. Those are more my cup of tea--or bag of catnip, shall we say.

Nonetheless, these gyrations and something called "Great Balls O' Fire" seem to make her happy and energetic. So of course some of it is good for her.

As you can see, I have a wide range of diverse duties and responsibilities. Although my Mom believes I was a butler in a stately English manor home in a prior life, I do not believe this to be so. Frankly, I've heard Mom talk about English history, and some of the behaviors exhibited would not be suitable for my home.

Maintaining a smoothly-run, comfortable, and culturally uplifting home and lifestyle is an important job. I hope that there are youngsters out there who will consider this as a career. The world needs more careful home management, if you ask me.

Please visit my mom's new column. She does an exemplary job.

As always, on duty,
Hoppy,
Senior Cat p.s. we still miss WinWin Mom still cries now and then. It isn't the same without her royal Duchess-ness.

Just Saying Hello

Ahem. As you no doubt could see from the entries in our doggie diaries, it's been a very hectic, and sometimes very trying, time here. We still miss WinWin, our German Shepherd.

I'm making sure that Mom gets a lot of cuddles. I like to get in bed with her right up by her head. That way I can purr to her and also listen to her breathing. That's very nice.

Young Owain Glendower is growing up very nicely. He goes and gets Mom if there is a catty problem. Then she will send him out to break up any fights.

Of course, I don't get involved in that sort of thing. I am, after all, Hoppy, Senior Cat. But our fractious young Freddie, and rowdy Roddy, plus this stray character Mom feeds, sometimes get into growling and yowling matches.

Mom made a very good decision when she picked Owain out to come live with us. Now she says that when the time is right, she'll get another German Shepherd for us.

I like that idea.

Remember, young ones, love your humans. And everyone, please remember that decorum is always appreciated.

Hoppy,
Senior Cat

Announcement of New Family Members

I am Hoppy, Senior Cat. It is my duty, and privilege, to announce that we have a new member of our family.

His name is Owain Glendower, and he is a smart and sassy two-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi. He came to us from Texas, from the rescue group Corgis n Critters.

Owain is quite the young scamp. He loves to play ball. In fact, Mom says that sometimes Owain thinks the world is set to one channel: all Owain, playing ball, all the time!

We are all busy teaching him things. At first, he tried to get a little bit snotty with WinWin, our German Shepherd. Of course, WinWin, being the sweet lady that she is, just walked away with a horrified look on her face and let Mom deal with it.

Mom dealt with it and now Owain plays well with WinWin. Let me assure you, we do not allow improper or reprehensible behavior in our home. We do have standards, you see, and quite good ones.

So far, Owain is doing well. He seems to be an exemplary addition to our family. Mom says he still has things to learn, but that they will take awhile.

Mom says that he will have his own diary on Dogster soon. I assume it may take him a little while to catch up on computer skills, but that is only normal for a youngster.

Mom seems quite taken by him. I will, of course, have to keep an eye on things to ensure that treats and pets are fairly distributed, with seniority figured in, as is only right.

I remain, faithfully,
Hoppy,
Senior Cat

The Chair Controversy

This is Hoppy, Senior Cat. And I would like to address the chair controversy.

If you read WinWin's diary for today, you probably know by now that she seems to worry about whether or not I get up and give Mom her office chair.

Ahem. I'm Senior Cat. Although I love Mom, still and all, that chair is just right, the way the seat slopes to the tall back. And she put a towel on it so that we wouldn't get cat hair all over it, especially the back. Of course it got pulled down to make it even softer on the chair seat.

Of course I understand that this is Mom's office chair. But I think Mom tends to work too much, and sometimes too long at one sitting. So I do what I can by keeping the chair occupied.

It's a subtle thing, you see.

As far as my not getting up when Mom comes in and says she wants the chair, well, we need to consider all the elements. First of all, I was there first. And second, I think it's only right that I give Mom time to reconsider whether or not she really wants to get back at the computer right then.

I also have a plan. I think Mom needs a nice new chair, maybe one of those kinds with a massager built into it. Then she could put the current chair over to the side, near her. And I'd have that chair whenever I wanted it.

In fact, that way, I could have two chairs to choose from, although I suspect that I would not prefer to have my chair vibrating around me. So the massager part could be all Mom's.

I'm beaming thoughts to her about going and getting a new chair.

It's all about management, you see. Subtle. Determined.

I understand that dear WinWin, as a German Shepherd, is very serious about things, and she thinks that things should be done in a certain way. She also seems to think that when Mom speaks, everyone should hop to (pardon the phrase), right then.

Sometimes, discretion is advised. One should always be cooperative, of course, and gracious. But responding to suggestions from Mom, and also conveying one's own thoughts, is a very subtle art, and one that isn't done quickly.

We also need to consider the setting, as it were. If it's very late at night, and, as Senior Cat, I'm ready to curl up, it's a bit awkward if Mom insists on staying in her office chair.

It's perfectly appropriate for me to sit on the computer tower, and to meow and discuss things with her. Just as it's perfectly appropriate for me to stand up at the edge of her antique desk, paw at the computer cords and things, and then pat Mom as I continue to impress upon her the need to let me go to bed in that chair when I'm ready.

I see no need for her to have that chair after midnight. Appalling, really. And yes, I really like to snuggle in bed with Mom. Unfortunately, so do the other cats. And so the spot you get in bed depends on who gets there first. Unfortunately, I haven't yet been able to impress upon them the fact that as Senior Cat, I should have first pick, even if they were there first. As I'm very gracious, I'm not about to start (shudder) a cat fight.

If they can't get the social clues, then it's up to Mom to provide that instruction. But somehow, she just seems to be more concerned about just moving people so she can get the spot she wants. I want Mom to be comfortable and to have the best of everything, but I think that sorting out the bed would go much easier if, as Senior Cat, I got first pick.

When you have a multi-cat household, there's a lot involved in sorting things out. I regret to share this with you, but sometimes Roddy gets downright testy. He was a feral tomcat until he got to know Mom and fell in love with her, so he didn't have the benefit of our upbringing. Still and all, I eschew the kinds of "alleycat" behavior that can arise in these little disputes.

Hence, the office chair. It's very clear that it's a one-cat chair. Occasionally, I do find other cats in the chair, but I just let it pass because I know that when Mom is busy doing things, everyone sooner or later follows her to see what's up (especially if they think cookies are involved). Then I get my chair back.

There. Now you can see that I've laid all this out nicely. The chair, which serves both Mom and I, is something that can be worked out sensibly, as long as they listen to me.

I really am going to encourage Mom even more to get that new chair. She'd be a lot more comfortable, and the massager thingies would help her a lot.

And then the other chair would be free.

So, that takes care of that. Any questions?

I notice that WinWin has decided to give herself a title. That's nice, and I hope Mom will take a picture of her in a tiara. She's lovely, and that would look very very sweet.

However, as far as titles go, here's really all that is needed:

Hoppy, Senior Cat

Yummy Treats from Alaska! Aug. 11, 2006

Purrrrrrr.

Aunt LaVerne (her picture is on Winnie's page) is home from her vacation.

Of course she brought presents.

I knew she would. I'm her favorite. :)

Boy, do we have good natural, special treats. And I got first dibs!

Mom says I have to share them, though. Hmmmph. I'll make sure I ask for them when the other cats aren't around. I was the only cat in the kitchen when Mom opened the bag today. Let's just say that I'm not dumb.

I am, after all, Hoppy. And I'm Senior Cat, and I'm Aunt LaVerne's favorite. I knew she'd bring me something really really good again, just like before.

And, OK, I can share, a little. Because I'm Senior Cat and I have responsibilities.

Hoppy

August 5,2006

My name is Hoppy. My brother Freddie and I were somehow misplaced--I can't imagine that anyone would have LEFT us, shudder!--in a winter snow storm. A friend of my Mom's found us, and couldn't keep us. So she brought us over to my Mom's house.

Although I don't like to admit it, we were quite the little street hoodlums for awhile. Especially my brother, Freddie. He went to the Rainbow Bridge a few years ago, but Mom's book title refers to his poem, and Mom's singer friend Arigon Starr drew Freddie--in his leather jacket and all!--for the cover.

He was flashier, I have to admit that. But I'm, well, some say stubborn. Others say arrogant. I just know what I'm worth, and how my world should work.

Our Mom is great. I love to snuggle up with her. I also like petting her cheek when she pets me.

Because I'm Senior Cat, I make sure that I let her know if I think anything at all can be improved. I'm especially concerned to make sure that we have LOTS of food in our big feeder. And that I get to go in and out when I want to, RIGHT NOW.

Mostly, I like staying indoors. Sometimes, if the weather is nice, I like lounging around my back yard.

I decided this would be a good day to start my diary because our Aunt LaVerne is coming home from Alaska next week!

Aunt LaVerne likes all of us, but I'M HER FAVORITE. And she already told Mom she was bringing home special treats for me.

I'm Senior Cat, and I'm HOPPY. And Aunt LaVerne's favorite, too! :)