Woo!

And Wow! No Way! Me???! Huh?

Is it possible? Me, a DDP? Again?!

My goodness, my Catster buddies are gonna get tired of seeing me and my big ol' face on the Diaries page.

However, I AM honored and humbled to be chosen in the company of such other great kitties... it means a lot to me, it really does.


In More News...

My mommy switched my food. It's something called "Weight Management EVO" and I love, love, LOVE it! Woo! I didn't even hesitate from chomping into it; heck, if anything, I love it ever more than regular EVO! Woo! Woo! Nom, nom, nom! I like it so much my mommy is going to buy me a toy that will dispense it out s-l-o-w-l-y. Don't know why, she should be happy I relish eating, right? Don't you agree?! Silly ol' Mommy.

And In Related News...

I've rediscovered the best kitty video of all time (to me), The Purrfect DVD is what it's called. Back when I first got it, I was all about watching the fishies swim to and fro in their tank. Well, now I'm all about SQUIRRELS! Woo! I LOVE them! I attack that screen when I see SQUIRRELS! When they run offscreen, I stick my large, furry paw on the sides of the television trying to get at those long tailed cuties! I even chitter! I will play with my TV buddies for over an hour each time, my only timeouts are to get a quick drink of water.

(Mom's note: Finney has lately decided it's more fun to watch Da Bird, cellophane on a string, feathered balls, fake mousies being thrown than to chase after them and has become more and more complacent instead of active. The only thing that seemed to get him moving is the sound of a cat food can being opened. I've been doing everything I can to find something to motivate him a little. And yes, I know Raggies are very docile, laid back, non-rambunctious sweet kitties. And I love him that way. I just want to keep him healthy.)

My mommy puts my DVD on each morning and evening, calling it "exercize". I pretty sure that means "Fun!" Woo! She says something about keeping me around a long, long time (huh? where does she think I'm gonna go??!) and she wants to help me go from Fatty Finnegan into Skinny Finney. Yeah. Like THAT'S ever gonna happen. And besides, what kind of goofy nickname is Skinny Finney for a large-boned, fluffy cat like me?!

Life is good. Oh yes, indeed, it is so very good. Woo!

Purrrrrrrs.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

My goodness, what surprise it was to wake up and see I was chosen to be a Daily Diary Pick. Made me happy - it's nice to know I'm not forgotten.

So thank you very much Catster Diary Person! And thank you to Buddie and family for their sweet note, to my always wonderful Uncle Wally and his mommy for the forever giftie and the beautiful Kimi attached to it :-), to my friends Tony, Anna, and the rest of their loving family for the blue ribbon and sweet thoughts behind it. AND thank you to the beautiful Miss Sky who sent me lips (heehee) and kissies.

I love you all so much. How lucky I am to have such great friends whom I wouldn't have met if it weren't for Catster.

Happy Purrrrrrrrrs.

Food and Catster, Catster and Food

Well Dear Diary,

I know I haven't been exactly faithful keeping you up-to-date.

All is well here in Finneyville. I am happy, healthy, and, ummm, husky which happens to be a nice word for those of us who are kinda chunky. Big boned? Super duper fluffy? Ahem. More to love? My mommy keeps saying something about "a diet" whatever that is. Just as long as it doesn't interfere with my everyday life, especially my very favorite time of the day: DINNER!!! I sure do love to eat!! Woohoo!! Anyway...

Seems like so much has changed since the last time I wrote. Catster isn't the same and as much as I thought Cathugger was going to be the place to be and be seen, I haven't been able to really enjoy that site the way I did/do Catster. And Catster is sort of a ghost town anymore. I see lots of kitties and their owners on Facebook, but I'd feel kinda silly posting my not-exactly-exciting exploits on my mommy's page...

What's a kitty to do??

So, guess I'm writing now just to say hey to whomever is still around and let you all know I still think about you and check on everyone now and then. Catster will always be extra special to us, how wonderful and supportive you all were when I was so sick, my mommy doesn't know what she would have done without you.

I love all of you guys (and gals). And always will. That's a promise.

And with that thought, my mind drifts onto another true love: it's once again time for me to go stand where my fresh bowl of newly opened canned food is due to appear at any minute now! (I hope. I hope!) Dinner! Yum!

Purrrrrrrrs.

Love is Love is Love

It's been a long, long time since I wrote in my diary - shame on me (and shame on my typist!).

Life has been very, very good to me. For the most part.

I am as healthy and happy as a kitty can be... and I'm also the most forgetful/trusting/naive kitty you'll ever meet.

For example, I always run to greet Spencer the dog when he comes home from work, trying to give him a headbonk and a grooming too if he's still enough. I am all about spreading love, love, and more love. However, the critters I reside with don't appreciate it; you should hear Spencer "ARF!" when I'm trying my hardest to be nice to him. Or Hanni-girl HISS when I get within ten feet of her.

And yes, Hanni-girl is back. My human sister graduated from Penn State and will be living here with us for a year before going on to grad/dental school. That means her cat, Hanni-girl, is here too. She now spends most of her time around Opie, Spencer, and I hissing and batting us out of her way. She's a girl who knows what she wants and makes sure we all know about it.

All the same, I've tried repeatedly to cozy up to her - unsuccessfully so far. She definitely doesn't like me. Or Opie. Or Spencer. Or any humans except for her mommy. I think instead of being called the quaint name of Hanni-girl, we should just call her Miss Hiss.

Opie is still Opie. He still loves to chew on me, and I still basically let him. But right now, he loves having Miss Hiss chase him around (even though if he comes too close to her she lets out a blood-curdling "MROWWWWWWW!" making him run in the other direction). But there are more and more tender moments between us - he grooms me (usually before chewing, but and then, you gotta take what you get) and sometimes lets me groom him. They might be itsy bitsy baby steps, but they are at least going in the right direction!

I still love all my people, heck, I love ALL people! Step right up, headbonks all around! And when I'm with my mommy, well, that's when I'm the most lovable; we're members of the Mutual Admiration Society. My daddy thinks we're nutty, but that's okay. Love is love is love.

And that is my world such as it is. It's full of goodness and love. Which is the way it should be.

Contented Purrrrrrrrs.

Headline Mews

Here's what's happening...

While I'm still not defending myself against Opie's twice daily attacks (much to my mommy's dismay), I have become very mighty and brave when it comes to something that makes Opie run for his life (and disappear for hours): the vacuum! (See my new video.) I'm quite content being in the same room as it is - as long as it doesn't come too close. And when it does, what do I do? I 'put up my dukes' and give it a WAP. Or two. Or three. If that doesn't work, then I'll hightail it to the other side of the room - that silly contraption will never part me from my mommy! Not now. Not ever! Heck, I kinda LIKE the darned thing - it gives me a welcome reprieve from being Ogre Opie's chew toy.


In other breaking news...

Tomorrow is my big day for I'm going to be three years old.

Yep, that's right. Me, three. Who'da thunk it? Certainly not those vets who told my mommy my only chance of living - after eating that horrible toxic kitten food - was to endure a kidney transplant. Ha! Take a good look at me now!

I'm thriving.

I'm almost full-grown (Raggies stop growing at four years), and am a very easy-going, happy-go-lucky kitty. And whether it's one-on-one or with a large group, you'll find me there socializing/hanging/just contentedly being me for I just love people.

And whether I'm being a mischievous boy (I still like sneaking up on the counter tops) or a sweetie pie and unabashed Mama's boy, I'm almost as thankful as my mom to have reached this new benchmark in my life.

Who knows what this new year-to-be will bring... Hopefully nothing but the happiest of mews.

From one of the happiest of kitties.

Me.

Purrrrrrrs.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words, Of Course

Well, I can't speak words, of course. That would be sheer silliness, wouldn't it?

I have my very own way of getting my thoughts across, thank you very much. I am a champion headbonker, I am with my mommy every single moment she's here at home, I sleep at the bottom of her bed every night, I help her with all her housework, I patiently wait for her to come home from work crying as I see or hear her for the first time in hours... it's no secret around here I am a Mama's boy who will do whatever I can to please my mommy.

Anyway...

My mommy recently received a bouquet of her very favorite flowers with a Mylar balloon attached to it (from her daughter who now lives in LA). She LOVED them, but had to keep moving them as Opie and I found the balloon and it's attached string captivating.

The flowers eventually wilted, of course. Leaving the balloon in all it's glory.

My mommy got a piece of crackly plastic and tied it to the bottom of the balloon. What fun! Opie and I had a grand time jumping up, batting at the string and crackly plastic trying to catch it and bring it down to play with, making Mommy laugh and laugh. But then the phone rang and Mommy left us momentarily to answer it... and wouldn't you know it, that's just when I caught the crackly plastic thingie. Of course! So what did I do??

Why, I marched right into the kitchen where my mommy was talking, proudly holding said crackly plastic thingie in my mouth with the balloon bouncing in the air behind me. I didn't let go of it, not me. And I sat right in front of her so she'd see what a good hunter I am!

Mommy looked back and forth at me and the balloon - which was covered in hearts and the words "I Love You" - and said "Can you be any more precious?" (Mom's note: It was a Kodak moment and I left my camera at the store. :-/)

And of course she got down on her hands and knees to give me a kiss.
Which caused me to let go of my catch. Of course.

Giving Opie, the opportunist, his chance at the crinkly thingie. Of course.

The things we kitties do to impress our humans, eh?

Oh well, I think mine knows I love her.

Of course.

The Four-Lettered Word

I woke up early this morning to the most beautiful sight of pure sunlight pouring into our bedroom. As I often do, I crept up to Mommy's head to give her a great big BONK to wake her up and enjoy the wonderful First Day of Spring with me!

Mommy woke up, gave me my lovins (and gave some to the pup Spencer as well), and as she sat up, she looked out the window and cried out, "Are you kidding me?!!! Are you KIDDING me?!!!!"

Huh?

I thought it looked like a pretty morning, with the sunlight so brightly bouncing off the snow.

Snow?

Yep. Snow.

Mommy says "Snow" is a four-lettered word.

Our winter this year has been astoundingly white. Living in the northwest corner of Pennsylvania, we live in what is so tenderly called "The Snowbelt". And as we live south of Erie, PA (which has had 141 inches of snow and counting), we get to enjoy the fun of "lake effect" snow. What that means is we get roughly twice as much snow as the city of Erie proper, give or take a couple feet. (Yes, feet.) Our unofficial total of snowfall here is 302 inches or roughly 25 feet.

We who choose to live in Erie County, Pennsylvania tend to refer to ourselves as being hardy people because that sounds better than crazy idiots.

Snow. On the first day of Spring.

At least it really reflects that glorious springtime sunshine?

Right Mommy?

Mommy?

Cheer up Mommy!

Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs.

Yays and Nays

As it's been a long, LONG time since I've written (it's getting increasingly hard to pin my typist down), I thought I'd briefly catagorize my life's latest happenings into yays and nays.

--------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------

Yay - Hanni-Girl is back at school (Penn State) with her mom - she's not here to hiss at me anymore!

Nay - I'm back to being Opie's chew toy.

---------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------

Yay - There is always snow falling outside my windows; I live in a snow globe!

Nay - The snow has piled so very high I can no longer see the bird feeder and it's hungry diners. (Note: we live south of Erie, PA in the snowbelt. It's estimated we have received over 240 inches of snow as of January 31st!)

-------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------

Yay - Hanni Girl is back at school!

Nay - There is none of her yummy Evo for me to eat, only my prescription food.

--------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------

Yay - All this coldness has made my already fluffy coat even thicker and more luxurious.

Nay - I now have to be brushed daily.

-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------

Yay - I might be able to go off of my prescription food soon!

Nay - I have to go back to the V-E-T-S for bloodwork.

---------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------

Yay - I have lost a little weight! My vet will be pleased.

Nay - All because there is no more yummy Evo for me to munch on.

----------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

Yay - I received a wonderful, comfortable sofa bed from my uncle, Angel Wally.

Nay - Spencer, the dog, thinks it's his.

---------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------

Yay - I received a sweet card from my bestie, Magoo!

Yay - I feel great!!

Double Yay - Life is Good!!!

Triple Yay - This diary entry is finished!!!!

'N there ain't no Nays about it!

----------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------

Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrs.

If You Can't Find A Brotherly Kitty At Home...

... then it really is time to look elsewhere.

I live with Opie and Hanni-Girl, two kitties that belong to my human siblings. If that makes sense.

Anyway, Opie has disliked me from the first time he laid eyes on me. Hanni-Girl dislikes EVERYONE aside of Her Human Mommy.

I don't really understand why they don't like me, I'm an agreeable sort of fellow who really wants nothing more than to love and be loved in return.

That just doesn't happen around here with my furry siblings. Ever.

So, I decided I'd have to look elsewhere (aside of Catster of course where we all know the friendliest kitties hang out).

My mommy read how Uncle Wally sponsored a kitty at Best Friends, and sweet Muppet's tale of Best Friends and all the good they do. Best Friends is an online organization who takes in sick, injured, or homeless kitties (and other animals) and either finds homes for them or lets them reside in their sanctuary for the rest of their lives.

It was here that we stumbled upon a dear kitty named "Big Snow". His coloring was what we first noticed, but it was his description that captured our hearts...

... "Big Snow would use the litter box if he could! But he can't. He was stepped on by a horse, and can never be a continent cat again. What's worse, his family tossed him out for it. But now he's at Best Friends, where there's a special room for cats with his problem. It's called the Incontinental Suite, and Big Snow loves it there so much that he's appointed himself "head comforter". When new cats arrive, sad and lonely because they too have lost their homes to incontinence, Big Snow is always the first to snuggle up to them. He still has a slightly twisted paw from the horse accident, but that doesn't stop him from inviting the newcomers to play!"

He sounds like the sweetest kitty in the world, doesn't he?

What an unbelievable organization Best Friends is to take in and care for these precious animals.

So we have sponsored him! Big Snow is "our kitty".

My mommy said it's her early Christmas present to me. (She also said it's a present for herself as well, it made her so happy to sponsor him.)

So now I have a new friend whom I love and admire to pieces.

And love CAN be bought. It's the feeling of doing so that is priceless.

Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs.

Uncle Wally

Once Upon A Time....

.... in a magical world called Catsterland there lived a special, loving kitty named Wally.

No ordinary cat was he. He took ailing kitties under his loving paw and gave their mommies a shoulder to lean on. He showed us all how to battle on courageously with our illnesses with humor, grace, and most importantly of all - Paw Power.

It was one year ago today that my beloved Uncle Wally went to The Bridge where he looks down upon us all with the same love and concern he did when he was here on Earth.

He has shown me that Love truly is Forever.

My beautiful Auntie Sophie asked me if I'd light a candle for him in his memory on the special page she started.

Please join my Aunt Sophie and I in honoring my sweet Uncle Wally by lighting a candle for him.

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=en g&gi=Wally

And Uncle Wally, please know you are always going to be near and dear to my heart.

Because I love you.

And always will.

Purrrrrrs.