I lost my mother and gained a brother and sister

It's Stella. On Oct. 4, my Momcat, who was a feral cat living outside here, showed up with two big kittens, apparently born around Aug. 15. After Nov. 1, we never saw Momcat again. We think she might have been pregnant and went off and died during the delivery. We are all so broken up about losing her. She had ten kittens in two years and was a great mother to all of us.

The two kittens who were weaned stayed around outside. We made a cat shelter for them in a rubber tub and a way they could get under the trailer. But on Wed., 11/21, the weather was getting so terrible that my person had to bring them inside. They love it in here--being warm and lots of food, what's not to love?! For the time being they are being kept in the bedroom, which they are wrecking, and sleeping in a big dog cage at night and when my person has to go to work. She took them to the vet on Friday and they are cleared of most diseases and have had their shots. BigBoy weighed 4.7 pounds and is 14 weeks old! Hence his name. BigGirl is more like our mom, and weighs 3.7 pounds, which is not exactly tiny for that age. Both are tabby and white and very thickly furred. They are definitely plushy cats like me.

Delyte and I hated this at first, but I have been playing with them [and stealing their food ] Delyte hates them.

My person doesn't feel that she can keep them. There is not enough of her to pay attention to 4 cats, and we are only allowed two where we live. Plus our male person is allergic to cats and 4 cats is just too much fur. We want to find a good home for them, preferably together, where they can be warm fat house cats like me. My person will deliver them any reasonable distance from here. They don't mind being in the car at all.

If we can't find homes for them soon, we may have to take them to Treehouse in Chicago, 350 miles away. None of the no-kill shelters around here are accepting kittens, and the local humane society is currently euthanizing all new arrivals. Too many of my family has died--my Momcat and five of my brothers and sisters--and we don't want that to happen to these guys. They are the last of Momcat's breed. They have the same dad as me, so they are my full siblings.

Purrs to you all! So this has been quite an impressive Thanksgiving!

I been tagged!

I've been tagged by both Neferkitty and Little Bit! So let me combine it into one list and one set of tags:

1. I recently had two more siblings be born. My Momcat showed up with two kittens whose fathers are obviously the same as me. Don't know whether they are boys or girls yet--they are too active and scary to see!

2. I recently got over having a heart murmur. It showed up all of a sudden in February and now it’s gone. I never had any symptoms from it.

3. I am getting a little bored of the game of retrieving the plastic tags. My new one is putting them under the refrigerator or the dishwasher and then begging my person to get them out again. She gets them out from under the dishwasher but boy is she going to be surprised when she gets a new fridge!

4. I know how to open the outside door unless it is perfectly latched, and I try all the time, so we are not allowed to look out the door for long without close supervision. Delyte thinks I am a pain because he loves to look out the door.

5. I really enjoy sleeping on the bed, even if I have to share it with Delyte. But we don’t touch, so that’s all right.

6. I don’t like canned cat food very much. My favorite is dry cat food, the cheaper the better. Which probably accounts for my roundish figure…

7. I love playing games on the Forum, but my typist doesn’t want me to stay up that late and she is tired since she has to work all the time. But she misses helping me with the games!

So now I tag:

Cole, my plushy buddy

Catsy, the tough old guy

Wednesday, the beautiful black one

Puglsey, another beautiful black one, her brother

Mouse, with his interesting ears,

Aldo, the wise and caring one

AND

Willow Moth!

Purrs to all!

I had a big adventure!!!

It's Stella. I had a big adventure yesterday, and took Delyte along with me. I figured out how to open the screen door. I won't tell how! My person went to close the inside door because she was hot and wanted to turn up the AC, and the screen door was open! And both cats were outside! Delyte, the big wimp, was just dithering away on the deck right by the door, and as soon as she opened the door he obediently ran in. I was running around in the yard, however, and I would not allow myself to be caught, running around in circles and making my poor crippled person chase me around. Finally I let her catch me and take me inside. That was fun! But now she won't even let us look out through the screen door at all, even after she checks to see that the door is latched. So no more meowing at my Momcat and Brothercat through the screen. I hope she will forget soon, though.

[Stella's person here: She forgets that it is too hot to have the door open anymore anyway, but I hope I can figure out how she did it before cooler weather gets here. She's awfully smart and Delyte can add a lot of weight as leverage, so if they work as a team, we may have to wire the door shut!]

I been tagged!

It's Stella. Hazel Lucy tagged Delyte in this new game where you give 7 facts about yourself and then tag 7 friends. Delyte doesn't have a diary and doesn't want one--the old grump--so he proxy tagged me.

Seven things about me:

1. I know both my mother and father--they both live outside and I see them often.

2. I am not afraid of the vacuum!

3. I have a lot of toys, but my favorite is a Beanie Baby stuffed antelope with a bell in it. My person calls it "Mr. Moose" since antelope is hard to say.

4. I taught my person to play fetch with me--she throws things and I bring them back. She never thought of trying it with me, since she has never had a pet who would do that, even her dog.

5. I have a secret vice that drives my person nuts--I like to jump up and hang on the curtains. Since I weigh about 12 pounds, it's pretty hard on the curtains.

6. I don't really care that much about people food, including ice cream. Delyte usually gets most of it. And I don't really like wet cat food.

AND

7. A big one: I am supposed to have a heart murmur, but my person hasn't been able to follow up on it, and I have no symptoms. They hope I will grow out of it.

My friends to tag are: Mitsouko, Neferkitty, Smudge, Cole, Mawse, Aldo & Zorilla! I might not get to you until tomorrow, though. My person has to take her person to the hospital early for a test.

Happy Easter, every paw!

It's Stella. I am sorry that it has been so long since I last wrote. My person who provides the "fingers" for this has been working and she hasn't been feeling well. I have also created a new game that involves throwing things and retrieving them, so every minute she is here I want her to play. Aren't I a clever kitty?!

Happy Easter every one of you!!! Especially those of you on the Bridge and there are a lot of you! It's been a sad couple of months for Catster, with so many great cats passing on, and then discovering that the reason that some of them passed on was their cat food.

Our senator, Dick Durbin, is the one who called for the hearings on Tuesday, and we are so proud of him for doing it, particularly as the Purina headquarters are in St. Louis which is right across the river; so many people who work there live in Illinois. He's a great senator, and makes me proud to be a Democat! [And our other senator isn't too shabby either!]

We got Catster Plus and have been so happy to go around and give all our friends pretty flowers and butterflies aqnd rainbows! So much fun! Our person is too busy to do much else with it right now, but maybe someday we'll get fancy backgrounds and new pictures.

Next Sunday is my birthday [or close enough] I will be 1 year old! My person says she hopes this means that I will be too old to climb the curtains, at least, so she can get new ones as I have clawed these to pieces. My person has one present at least for me and she is trying to think of what foods to have for me. I am not a big people food cat like Delyte, so it's hard. Right now she's thinking about bacon, chicken meat and a bit of those sweet cookies from the grocery store.

Delyte's birthday is coming up in two more weeks and the food part is easy for him, but he doesn't play with much so presents are hard.

We think that my Momcat had kittens but we don't know if they survived--it's been terribly cold here. She is not around much so we hope that means that she is caring for them. We couldn't see any sign that she was nursing but she is thick and fluffy like me. It'll be at least three weeks before we might see the kittens. If we don't see the kittens my person is going to try again to catch Momcat and get her fixed and Brothercat too. There's probably no hope that either of them could ever be pets but it is too hard on them getting in terrible fights and having too many kittens who die.

One good thing about it being cold outside--there are lots of birds on the feeder. One bad thing--I don't get to go outside on my leash until it gets warm again. I went out during the last warm spell and I was scared but it was interesting. Delyte wants to go, too. We might be able to persuade our person to put the big show cage outside so we can be outside and not run away.

So happy Easter every one of you, big paws and little, and have a good holiday and pray for all the kitties who have left us, especially the kitties in Jacksonville, FL--such a horrible tragedy. Purrs and gentle headbonks to all, especially those who are sick and need to get better! Wish I could give everyone a pretty rose or butterfly!

The white stuff is awful!

It's Stella. Well, if you look at my page you will see me having my first, primal experience with that white stuff outside. And I hated it!!!!! As you can see, I am tearing down the door to get back in! My mother wasn't around to cheer me on, and I had to be on that yucky harness, so it was not fun at all. Even I felt it was too cold, and I got the plushy coat to protect me.

My person told me that tonight when she and her person were coming back from the movies they saw a big, beautiful fox by the side of the road! We have seen them around here occasionally [there is a national park next to where we live] but they are so shy that we don't see them very often. We see and hear the coyotes much more, especially when it gets warmer, and of course there are the possums and raccoons that Delyte encountered when he was hiding outside two summers ago. One of the possums is huge, much bigger than even a coon cat, so it must be quite old.

I am being terribly bad lately. The birds coming to the bird feeder excite me, and I am tearing up the window, the curtains and the curtain rod trying to get at them! They seem to know that I cannot get them and even perch right on the edge of the window and stick their tiny little tongues out at me. Ohh, the indignity

Well, I know all you kitties know how that makes me feel!

And I have been unhappy because my person has been gone a lot. She goes out every day or so and stays for 7 hours! She leaves me food and water and everything, but there is no one here but that great lump, Delyte, and he sleeps from the minute she leaves until she comes back. The only good thing is that our man person comes by during the day to have lunch and he usually feeds us big hunks of whatever he is eating, and he is on this great diet where he eats chicken and fish and sardines, which are WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!

But I still miss having my person around. She tries to pet me a lot when she is home, and the other night we watched the dog show together with me on the blanket at the end of the sofa pawing at the cute little fast moving things on the screen. [I heard they are dogs but they were little and didn't smell or chase me.] I haven't really watched TV in months, although I used to watch it all the time when I was a little kitty. We also watched the meercats on Friday but I didn't stay. I know she still loves me but I am used to having her around all the time. She says that she misses us too and can't wait until she can stay home all the time again, but it's so far away right now.

We were all so depressed by the number of kitties who went to the Bridge this week--it was a terrible week in Catster, from the very young dying to the very old, both quietly and violently. My person was in tears almost every time she turned on the computer and Delyte and I were so sad for her and for all the people whose cats were no longer there for them to hug and play with. No matter how nice the Bridge is, I will miss my person and even Delyte, and going outside and seeing the birds and the white flakes and the little lights in the summer time, and especially being cuddled by my person. Are there people on the Bridge to cuddle you, or do you have to wait until your person goes to the Bridge herself? There are lots of kitties and a dog and other animals who loved my person there, and her mother and aunt and grandmother who are gone but love kitties, but I hope I do't have to wait too long to see my person when I get to the Bridge so we won't have to be apart.

I hope I won't be going to the Bridge for a long while, despite my heart murmur, and since my person is not doing very well herself with her health, we might be going to the Bridge together. We both want to do a lot more cuddling and lots of nice things and some travel before we go, that is for sure.

Hope all of you kitties can keep warm and happy and close to the people you love, because that is what holds the whole thing together, Love to my person and to the man person, who loves me even though he is allergic to me, and to seeing them in love and cuddling and being together.

My person says that I am a hippie, but no matter how much weight gain I've done, I still love them, thin or fat!!!!

I'm well and we're busy!

It's Stella. First of all, I would like to thank all of the many, many Catsters who purred for me while I had a bladder infection! I got better in super fast time and I am sure it is due to all the purring. I have been purring along too for all of the kitties on Hazel Lucy's list and any others that have come up. We're a great purr engine!

I am back to my usual wild energy, throwing myself at the windows to get those flying things that are right outside but I can never get. No curtain is safe in this house! Plus I have been thrashing around with Delyte, chasing him and being chased and stealing his food and watching him steal mine.

It's been real cold here and sometimes at night I feel like I have to go and get in bed with my person and her electric blanket. We have our own electric pads and bed, but she wishes we would sleep with her. However as soon as she discovers I am there, I am outta there, and I won't stay if she puts me there no matter how cold it is. I have my honor as a cat to uphold.

Although I have been busy chatting with my friends and purring for the sick, my writing is going to have to be curtailed a little. My person who types all of this is getting a job and won't be home for most of the day, so she won't have as much time to log on and let me visit. I will be thinking of everyone and I will try to write when I can, but even if I am not online, I am thinking of you all and purring madly. I guess since she won't be home during the day I can purr a lot more for you guys. Delyte remembers what it was like when she was gone all the time, and says it is not too good, but we can sleep more.

See you all soon as I can. Many purrs and gentle headbonks to you all!

Better and better!

It's Stella. I am feeling much better than I did last weekend, and I can finally use the pan without sitting for ten minutes or more. I had never been really sick before so I overacted dramatically so my person would make me better, and she did. Although those icky pills are no fun, but I manage to catch her fingers every time so she has a sore spot on her finger.

My person says that I saw snow on Monday morning for the first time, but it was so light that I didn't really notice it. They say it will snow again on Sunday so she is going to try again, and this time I will try to see it from outside. Last time my person was in her nightgown and we couldn't go outside.

We think my fur mommie is starting another bunch of kittens again but my person has not been able to catch her to take her to the vet. The tomcats keep getting in the hav-a-heart before her. My person tried grabbing her and putting her in the carrier but didn't make it, and now Mommie is really scary and keeps away from people. Looks like I will have some black hallf-siblings.

Hope you all are having a good 2007, and that all of the lost cats return and the sick ones recover. Yay Tiny Crazy and Morgan!!!! Purrs for everycat!!!!

Feeling a little better!

It's Stella. I had my second dose of antibiotics today and my person gave me an extra big syringe of water and I drank another bunch from the drops, so I am feeling a little better. Still spending a lot of time squatting on my pan, but I don't think I am making drips as much. I am becoming a lot more cuddly to both of my people. I know my person isn't trying to hurt me when she gives me pills or takes me to the vet but I hate it. It was awfully scary there because there were a lot of big barking dogs. They said I was very good and didn't fight anything. My person had a cat named Peri who had constant kidney and bladder problems and who was not really welcome at the vets. She couldn't be there without her person and couldn't be boarded because she was too mean. I am not like that!

My person is really worried about me because I got this bladder infection so early in my life--I am only 9 months old and am totally inside all the time. Then also the vet said there was something wrong with my heart and I might die sooner from that. My heart feels fine to me. I was just playing "herd of thundering wildebeasts" on Thursday before I got sick, and we did four circuits of the house. I could do more but Delyte won't.

I want to thank everyone who wrote to us, caring about my illnesses and giving us advice. You are a great bunch of cats and people! I am purring for all of the cats that Hazel Ann has on her list, especially the babies like me, but also for the oldies like Delyte. No kitty should be sick and in pain; it's so sad.

A whole new year!!!!!!!!

It's Stella. I hope all kitties on Catster had a wonderful Christmas! I had a great one, but it was my first one so I have nothing to compare it with. I had LOTS of wrapping paper to play with, a huge pile in the living room including neat stuff that tore into pieces and crinkly stuff. Then we had turkey--a big bird that was bigger than me. Actually, we have had turkey every day since then, so it's a continuing present. Today our person is cooking up all the bones and stuff to make soup and she promises us we can have a little more of the cooked stuff, although some of it goes to my mom and brother outside.

I have been pretty good [ ... hides her face a little ... ] but I did dump a plant on Christmas and made a big mess. But I have not done anything with any of the decorations for a while, so I am a good cat!

I have been getting into my person's bed and cuddling every morning at dawn, but she won't get up to feed us, so I just cuddle and purr loudly for while and then go back to playing.

I hear there is a new year coming and my person warns me that there might be some loud noises at night tomorrow night, so Delyte might hide but I'm not afraid. It's going to be my first whole year!

Have a great new year, all you guys on Catsters and your families and doggies, especially all you "plushy" kitties out there--you know who you are!

----- ~^..^~ Stella

[& =^..^= Delyte
[ & @:-) Shelley]