The Day I found Catster

There is a saying that is "you can't teach an old dog new tricks," I beg to differ.

Although I am an older cat, I have found that I learn something new each day. And today, I am proud to say, I learned how to find other brilliant felines. I'll admit typing is difficult but my human is always willing to help. As a professional cat, I am always striving to keep my skills top-notch.

I am a newspaper cat. I write a weeky newspaper column, that is actually published! I am thrilled to share with readers my view of the world around me.

And who knows perhaps I will inspire an old dog, or an old cat, or an old human - to learn something new. And the world can only improve if we all learn from each other.

Thirsty Thursday

I am a connoisseur of fine water. I enjoy a full bowl of fresh, clean water. I enjoy trying to sip from a left over coffee mug and I'll admit, I have, on rare occassion enjoyed the T-bowl after a flush.

Today I sat staring at my water bowl with floaty, puffy food in it. Just waiting for one of the girls to notice. I just sat there staring.

They kept right on ignoring me.

Thursdays are thirsty days.

By now it has been nearly three hours and still the puffy, floaty food stares back at me. Taunting me. Daring me to drink, knowing full well I will not.

I, weak with thirst, go to my human, nudge her leg, arch my back and in no uncertain terms demand my water be replenished this instant.

Perhaps it is because she is getting up anyway, perhaps it is because she can read my cat mind, but in any instance, she empties the nasty puffy, floaty food-water and sets in it's place a nice cool, clean bowl of fresh water. Along with a quick neck rub.

My thirst is quenched.

Solitary Sunday

Weekends in our community are quiet. My view is from the glass front door, I sit and watch the feet walk by. Sunday it's heels and skirts that woosh by. There is a church on the block. I love the mothers who hurry their little ones, as the little ones pull at their dress clothes, and poke at the door because they see me. Smile. And run back to catch up still fussing with the clothes they wear but once a week.

Sundays are lay in the sun days. Enjoy the heat and the peace days. Sundays are perfect for a fat cat like me.

But Monday is even better. Except I have to figure out what this week's newspaper column should be about. I'm leaning towards the special bond between children and animals. Why is it that kids see what those old two legged beings miss?

It could be the lower vantage point. I know from where I'm sitting life looks pretty good.

Sunshine temptation

South Dakota is known for its harsh winters, not that this year has been unbearable. But still when spring is on the way, the sun feels warmer. Today, for the first time in years, I walked towards the outside. I didn't go outside, but I walked toward it.
For those of you who have been getting to know me, you know I used to be a country cat. I lived that life. I weathered the frigid cold, I enjoyed scratching the tree trunks. But I also remember the pain, I was hurt pretty bad on a fence (my humans think) when I explored too far from home. And another cat picked on me. Inside was much safer, much calmer, much more comfortable.
Now that I'm a city cat, I don't really think about going out in the concrete jungle. I know that the trees are there. But I have my cardboard scratching toy, and a nice couch. I don't understand why the humans are bothered when I add texture to their furnishings.
Yet today, I went towards the outside, but I didn't go out there. My humans just watched me, as I couriously sniffed the ground, the door, the air. I love the sunshine and my blue dog bed pillow. I don't want to go anywhere right now.

I'd like to thank...

I'd like to thank my feline friends, for without you I would not be here.

That is how I'd like to start my speach when I win the award for the "Purritzer Prize."

I really feel I'm on my way, as "Todd's Tales" was one of today's featured diaries and it will be displayed all day on our Diary Central page! What an honor. I hope I can meet more friends this way.

But my goal is the Purritzer Prize. The Purritzer Prize is an American award regarded as the highest national honor in print journalism, literary achievements, and musical composition. My newspaper column, also titled "Todd's Tales" , has been published in The Lennox Independent (www.lennoxnews.com) for five weeks now has been well recieved.

I know our newspaper is not a daily paper, I know it is not the largest in circulation but it is perhaps, in my opinion, the best local weekly newspaper around. Just think, with "Todd's Tales" now in print, cats have the opportunity to teach humans so much. And let's face it, they need our help fellow felines.

My favorite toys

Yesterday was great, I was able to play with my favorite toy: a human baby. My girls at the office are all mothers, and sometimes, they bring their children for me to play with. Yesterday it was one year old, Eli. He is walking and he loves to sit on my lap. I don't like that much at all. I prefer to climb on his lap.

I have never scratched a baby, so my humans let me play with them a lot. Eli and I rolled around on my big blue dog bed. He hugged me and I gave him his own coat of fur. His mom complained about that, but Eli loved it. He even kissed my head. When Eli would leave, I would follow him. When I would leave, he would follow me.

It's great to be loved.

Weekend warrior

As a working cat, I have certain expectations to meet. One is to stand gaurd at the office. As a cat, I pride myself on being observant, fast, strong, light on my feet, well maybe not light on my feet, I mean at 25 pounds, these feet are not exactly light.

But I have a certain presence, a cat with charisma if you will. The girls at office say it all the time.

During weekend hours, in between naps and writing, I pace the office floor. I jump upon the chairs and demand that any unwanted critter show themselves and face the consequence of being an inhabitant of my domain.

This weekend, it 's quiet. In the past I have had to deal with a cricket, a moth, a bee, a hornet, a mouse and a bat.

I will not deny I take a certain pleasure in asserting my superiority. This weekend I attend to the dust bunnies only, but it's good practice for the next great pounce.

I might be a hero

When my girls at the office have their kids here, I feel so loved.

Kelli has twin boys that are first graders. I lived at their house when they were just babies, so I know them well. When they were only one and a half they would try to ride me like a horse. I didn't care for that much. But now, they watch Tom and Jerry in the back of the office and I climb up unto their laps, making sure to sit by each one for several minutes, so no one feels left out. They stroke my beautiful black hair and I give them a nice coat of fur on their clothes, so they'll be able to remember I was with them.

They were talking about me while they were here, I enjoyed listening to them so much.

One said, "I wonder how Todd is so fast?"
His brother answered, "It's because he has springs in his legs."
"Yeah," the first one agreed, "He's got to be the fastest cat in the whole world!"

I purred proudly and remembered why I love human children.

Human doubt

In my position here at the office I get to meet a lot of wonderful people. Just yesterday some customers stopped in and this woman was so nice to me. She took time to stroke my beautiful black hair, and visit with me.

The others with her were nice too, but one young man looked at my coffee mug. Well, it's not my coffee mug, but it features my picture. This picture is the one where I am licking my lips in anticipation for some great tasting cat food.

He studied the coffee mug and finally asked my humans, "Is that his real tongue or is it Photoshop-ed in there?"

My human replied, "It’s his real tongue. He’s a very photogenic cat."

The man put the mug down and looked over at me. I was walking about these new human's legs, paying close attention to the nice woman who enjoyed petting me.

He still didn't believe.

Even when it’s right there to see.

It’s no wonder that humans struggle to believe in what they don't see.

Cats on the other hand trust their inner cat voice and pay no attention to the doubts that plague humans.

Today I am glad to be cat. Celebrate your cat calmness and soak up some sunshine in the window sill. That’s where I’m headed.

Drip Drop Saturday

It began as an ordinary day.

A drip drop, listen to the rain, smell the new grass kind of day. But in my nappy-day-dream state of mind I discovered that the rain drops are quite intelligent.

I'll admit, I was bored and still half asleep, but I kid you not, the rain drop I was chasing down the glass front door...

it would zig and zag and travel up and down, around, over and under, and all I could do was watch in a most hypnotic trance.