DDP!

Thank you for the DDP honor today, Catster! I need to make my secretary (Mom) update my diary more often - hee, hee. This is a nice late birthday present. Thanks also to my Catster friends for the pawmails, messages and rosettes, and to Big Harry of the Olde Furts group for my DDP pic!

Mom gave me some of my favorite Whiskas Temptations treats to celebrate and now I'm going to take a snooze in my new bed!

My Birthday

I want to thank everyone who sent me rosettes, gifts and messages for my birthday yesterday, and a special thank you to my friend Dusty the Puppycat for my cool birthday pic! We appreciate all our thoughtful friends here on Catster. Mom and I will try to thank everyone individually later this week when she has more time. We just got back today from visiting Grandma for the Thanksgiving weekend.

I had a great day. Mom bought me a new cat bed, and I got my favorite treat - fish! I got some turkey on Thanksgiving, so I'm feeling extra spoiled. It's good to be a cat!

Love Bug Tag!

I got tagged by the “Love Bug” (my friend Pacer). To play Love Bug tag with me, just copy the 6 questions below and answer them in your diary, then tag another furiend to play!

1. Meow! Are you a noisy kitty or a quiet kitty?

I can be very vocal when I want Mom's attention or want to be fed. I often sit in the hallway and yowl pitifully when she's on the computer, because she's not paying attention to ME!

2. Litterbox! Cover your business or let some other kitty cover?

I always cover my business - in fact, I take so long to cover my poop Mom sometimes says I'm "digging to China." I also scatter the litter on the rug in front of my box. If I didn't have a covered box I could scatter a lot more - hee, hee.

3. Happy! Favorite Daily Routine?

Snuggling with Mom on her lap. We love our "lap time"!

4. Hiss! Least Favorite Routine?

When Mom goes to work in the morning and leaves me home alone all day.

5. Ding-Dong! What do you think about visitors to your house?

When the doorbell rings or there's a knock I usually run into the other room, but I almost always come back out to greet the person and check them out. I love attention from anyone!

6. Friends! Do you like other animals?

I'm an only cat so I don't get to spend much time around other animals. But when Mom and I visit Grandma I get to see her cat, Domino. He doesn't like me very much, but except for an occasional hiss or swat at each other, we usually leave each other alone.

Now I'm tagging my friend Ishtar (#597601)!

The History of Memorial Day

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860s tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen. Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays).

http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

A New Game of Tag!

I've been tagged by my friend Milo (#1111843)! I list five of the most annoying things my human does, then tag five friends to do the same and put it in their diaries. This will be fun!

1. Playing/working on the computer instead of giving me her full attention.
2. Not cleaning my litter box or changing my water on time.
3. Interrupting me when I'm trying to shred the sofa (and on top of that, saying NO! really loud).
4. Being really slow to wake up at 3:00 a.m. when I'm ready for my early breakfast. Sometimes I have to slap her on the side of head two or three times and whine pitifully for several minutes.
5. Not letting me walk around on the kitchen counter and investigate things. She has the nerve to pick me up and put me back on the floor!

Now I'm tagging these five friends:

Arrow #635173
Angel #410352
Baxter #1134922
Athena #358568
Preston #1023629

Thank You For a Pawsome Week (Two Weeks Actually)!

Mom and I want to say a big THANK YOU! to everyone who sent rosettes, stars, gifts, messages and friend requests during my time as Cat of the Week, and thank you again to Catster for choosing me! What a pawsome time I had, especially since I got to enjoy it for an extra week! I feel so lucky to have so many wonderful friends here.

We're in the process of sending individual responses, but it will take a few days, since I have to let my secretary (Mom) go to her regular job, too. So please don't think we've forgotten you if you haven't received a thank you rosette yet - we'll do our best to get to everyone ASAP!

Mom and I wish everyone at Catster a very Happy New Year!

Purrs,
Felix

Cat of the Week - Wow!

I can't believe I'm Catster's Cat of the Week! Mom and I got the e-mail a few hours after we got back home from visiting Grandma. What a pawsome surprise! Thank you so much, Catster, and thank you to everyone for the rosettes, gifts, messages and friend requests. A special thanks to my good friend Dusty the Puppycat for the COTW plaque! Mom and I will try to send individual messages to all of you later this week.

Mom has given me extra treats and attention today and of course I expect to be spoiled rotten for this whole week. What's that you say, Mom? I'm spoiled rotten all the time? Hee, hee.

Purrs,
Felix

Wow, I'm a DDP!

Mom couldn't believe it when she checked her e-mail at work and saw the message from Catster that I'm a DDP today! Thank you, diary lady (or diary computer - MOL)! This is a nice belated birthday gift. Thanks to all my friends for the rosettes, gifts and comments! I celebrated this evening with extra treats and some fish. Mom had fried catfish and shared it with me - yum!

Purrs,
Felix

Thank You For The Birthday Wishes!

Mom and I would like to thank all my Catster friends who sent me rosettes, gifts and messages wishing me a Happy Birthday! I had a fun day and enjoyed getting some special treats! Mom also got me some new catnip toys that were an early birthday gift. Of course, being remembered by all of you made it even more special! We apologize for being a bit late with my thank yous - Mom has had a busy week and hasn't had a lot of time on Catster till today.

Special thanks to these friends who sent rosettes and gifts:

Jason Hopper
Athena
Felix "Honey Angel"
Briana
Squirrel & Kitcat
Mr. Sam
The Divine Miss Jenna Pooh (who sent a huge birthday cake!)
Da Tabbies O Trout Town
Mr. Nigel
Twix & Preston
Baby Girl & Baxter
Scooter, SooLing, Lola, Beepers, & Ashlynne
Adam Dylan, Eve Layla, Puddin Keket, Puff Amenti, Pumpkin Sanura & Little One
Oliver, William, Lily, Eddie, Megan, Foggy, & Lewis
Sassy & Pepper
Orkey, Arrow, Zephyr, Tara & Bunty
Tyson, Faithe, Fred, Tazi Moto, Mai Ming, Simba, & Mista
Chai, Little Bit, Sugar Bear, Eve, & Misty
Riley & Skippy
Arty, Sashay, & Rockefeller
Jubilee, Skeeter, & Spike

Purrs,
Felix

Good News!

Ever since I was diagnosed with diabetes back in July, Mom's had a tough time keeping me regulated (keeping my blood sugar down). The first month I did fine, then after that I had good days and bad days - Mom and my vet, Dr. Mel, were both frustrated. Adjusting my insulin dose didn't help much. I was also getting grumpy and stressed out from all the vet visits.

About a month ago, Dr. Mel consulted with a specialist about me, and they suggested a change in my diet, to a high protein canned food. Mom was skeptical, because I've always been really finicky about canned - I'll only eat certain kinds. She was willing to try, though, because she had read that wet food was better than dry, especially for diabetic cats. Guess what - I liked it! Mom was shocked, but really happy. I'm now eating 100% canned food, no more dry. The vet had Mom stop the insulin last week to see how I did, and a couple of blood sugar tests this past week have come back normal. I'm feeling great, too, better than I have for several months - been running around, playing like a kitten. The really good news? Dr. Mel says I'm in remission, and don't need insulin - hooray! Mom and I are so happy, and because our Catster friends have been so helpful and supportive, we wanted to be sure to share it here!