Getting Into a Routine of Catch & Release!

Dad and I are getting our routine down pat. Which is good because Mom says she realizes that somewhere in this big house; there's a mouse nest! Yes, yes I caught ANOTHER tiny mouse last night! Dad took it outside to the alley way, Mom gave me potatoes, my brothers licked me all over, and it was awesome. I was still bouncing with excitement this morning at fetch time... That makes one larger mouse, two smalls & one of unknown size caught in the last couple weeks. And might I add that 3 of the 4 of those were caught by ME! Whoo hooo! I am the greatest mouser of them all!!!!

Sparkman Caught & Ate Another Mouse!

I caught another mouse last night, AND ATE IT! Mom and Dad are shocked! They just found me sniffing the few drops of remains, chirping, rolling, and purring on the floor in the bathroom. I showed them how ferocious I was by bunny kicking the bathroom mat too. Rawr! I'm not telling them anything else about it. As Mom was looking at it, she couldn't help but wonder "How many mice do these cats catch that we know nothing about?!" Good question, Mom! I'm not telling! Purrrrrs!

I caught a mouse! I caught a mouse!!!

I caught a mouse! In the house!!! It was the middle of the night. I've been stalking that mouse for a week or more. It was under the fridge. I sat on my little chair by the stove and waited and waited. It finally poked it's nose out at the wrong time! So I finally nabbed it! But I never really learned how to kill mice. So when I caught that little tiny guy, I kinda had to run all over the house howling in hopes somebody would wake up and help me dispose of it in some manner. My brothers were all sleeping. My parents were both sleeping. I heard Mom and Dad in the bedroom rolling around talking. (Did they want me to bring it in the bed room?!) I brought it to the bathroom where I play with all my fetch mice. Dad came in, didn't even see the tiny mouse in my mouth in the dark. He thought I wanted attention and the faucet turned on. He told Mom to pet and water me while he checked my food dish for socks or other things I usually hunt for.

Mom tried to reach down and pet me, but I swatted her hand away (with no claws out. I am a gentleman cat.). I didn't want her to get mouse koodies! She immediately called Dad back, knowing what I had. I pranced around showing them how I'd swatted it, and how I'd grabbed it up in my chompers! They praised me and petted me and coo-ed over what a great hunter I was... Then I looked down and the mouse was GONE! (So was Dad and the bathroom carpet, come to think of it.) Mom kept telling me what a great cat I was, so I didn't worry too much.

Then Purrseus and Captain FINALLY wandered into the bathroom. They sniffed around where the mouse had been and licked my face all over. Yes, yes: in cat world the scent and flavor of mouse breath tell the whole story.

Then Mom came back into the room (she'd left?! When!?!) and she gave me a whole pile of potato pieces! Oh, boy oh boy! WAY better tasting than mouse meat any day. Then Dad came back over, smelling like he'd gone outside (Did the mouse follow him outside?! Cool!).

I am the mighty mouse hunter! Bwa ha ha!

Oooo! CAKES!

I'm in sugar shock over all these cakes! Oh, friends you are so so dear to me & my family! I know in my limited summer free time; I'll probably not get around to each of you to say thank you; but THANK YOU! I love you all too! Purrrrrrrs!

I'm off to eat a cake or two or three... purrrrs!

(Those are potato cakes, right?!)

Sparkman Laughing at PurrC's New Haircut

I just can't stop laughing! Purrseus got a hair cut! Whoever heard of a cat getting a hair cut?! I overheard Mom telling a friend about it... He went to the vet's for loose stool a few weeks ago and the vet offered having him trimmed in his tail region for sanitary purposes. (Is that a delicate enough way to say he was wearing poo at the vet's office?!) When the vet went on to examine his tummy and paws, she found plant pieces, raspberry leaves, burdock seeds, all sorts of things in his fur. So they offered not just to trim him in places; but to give him a full "Lion Cut!"

PurrC came home yesterday and at first I was hissing at him because he smelled like the vet's office... But then I realized he was missing pounds and pounds of fluff. And wow is he full of energy now. In this heat, he'd taken to melting on the table all day and hiding in the shade when we went outside. Now though; he's bounding and bouncing all over the house like a kitten! And outside, he was the last one to come in. Mom had to drag him in, hissing and rearing for more outside sunny play time! Whoaaaa! I mean he looks hilarious; but I want a hair cut now!

Sparkman's Garden Review...

It's HOT out! And Mom finally had to water plants again (didn't have to for a while after that big rain storm!). I was so hot outside that I just rolled around in the damp pavement under the deck plants. Ahhh cool shade and water vapor! Captain Morgan just collapsed in a melodramatic whimper and Mom had to carry him inside. (Black fur in the sun is not fun for him!)

There's a chipmunk living under the porch and one under the deck stairs and then there's still that one in the plants by the garage that Purrseus caught (and released) last week... So we have a very busy jobs outside. Purrseus spends most of his time just stalking prey. Moose even got off his leash today to climb under the porch and try for a chippie. (Mom and Dad were NOT happy with him after that one.)

Mom gave me an equally important prey job; she's been tying my leash up near the garden so I can eat the little white moths that want to eat the veggie plants! (Like the cabbage, bok choi & kohlrabi) It's sure fun. But Mom says she has to keep an eye on where she stakes my leash so I can't quite reach potato plants. She says I shouldn't, but those potato plants smell soooo good! I just rub my nose in the greenery and purr. And then there's the baby potatoes. If I dig a little in the dirt there around the potato plants, I can dig up these marble and pea sized potatoes to nom on! Mom says it's a bad idea cause I might eat a green one... Oh, Mom!

Purrs and happy summer sun, everykitty!

We are okay!

We are all fine and dry! Since Duluth (where we live) is being declared a federal emergency (flooding), I thought I'd better let everybody know we are just fine. Most of the bad scary stuff is on the other side of town from us. We do have a new water feature in our sun room. Mom says it's our indoor waterfall!

Captain Morgan ran all over the house screaming "We be takin' on water! The ship be sinkin'!" Purrseus ran around purring at the puddles and rivers in the basement. Moose hasn't noticed anything weird going on, and is merrily bathing himself... And me? I'm TERRIFIED! Captain screaming had my hackles up, and now there's a dehumidifier going in the sun room. I'm just all whimpers and twitches... I need more potatoes.

Sparkman holds a conversation with himself.

Mom took a bath. And sometimes when Mom or Dad go into that self torture chamber; I just can't stand it. I sit on the side of the tub and SCREAM at them! Sometimes Mom can't get a word in edgewise, I'm so upset and howl/screaming. I mean, it's HORRIBLE! Water EVERYWHERE!

This time she grabbed up her magic little box thing [cell phone] and messed with it while I yelled at her. Then she did something with that magic box thing and it was telling me all of it's problems! They're the same as mine! But of course it didn't sound like me. I'm way more manly and intelligent sounding than that... But me and the box had a good long howl/scream with each other. And then I purred at it and tried to comfort it by rubbing my face on it, giving it kitten kisses. Then my brother PurrC came chirping into the room. He jumped over to sit by me and lick my forehead. He's a good brother. He comes when I sound distressed and tries to help with whatever I'm doing.

Then we both sat there and tried to fish Mom out of the water. Why does she DO that?! Humans are so strange.

Catnip BED!

It sure is rough being the cutest tiniest orangist cat in the house. It's exhausting. And sometimes, I just need to escape and lounge... This morning I insisted that Mom take me outside and to the catnip bed. The people who lived in our house before us apparently had a raised bed JUST for catnip! It's great. I just go out there and lounge and bury my nose in a green sprig of 'nip. The other guys try and join me, but I'm a crab when I'm on catnip. I kinda swat and hiss at people. "MY catnip!" So Mom usually puts me over there for a while, then switches me out for one of my brothers and then another brother... It's a pretty happening place, the catnip bed. And I literally use it for a bed. Sweet 'nip dreams!!! Purrrrrrs!

My Mom Came Back!

My staycation is over! Mom came home!!! I totally thought she'd gotten lost out there and that we hadn't microchipped her, and Dad wasn't putting up "lost Mom" signs nor checking the local shelters.... Dad was here for most of the last three weeks, but we all know that Mom is the greatest. She lets me sleep on her pillow, she plays fetch with me in the morning, she gives the good neck scratches, and she's the one who doles out the potatoes. I do love a good long staycation, but that was ridiculously long. I'm napping on her suit case so she can't leave ever again... How much purring does it take to convince Mom never to leave ever again!?!