New life!

So, I have a new place!

Until recently, I had lived with these really nice people from the Wild Cat Foundation. See, they took me out of the streets, spayed me and made sure I was healthy and well fed.

Then, one day this lady came and liked me (who wouldn't?). So I moved in with her and this other adult cat. I am still adapting and finding my way around. The human lady talks to me all the time but I'm not sure what she's saying. I think "Mabel" means food, maybe. Anyway, I'll have to teach her meowing.

...And the big adult cat is THE boss. She started to love me already, but yet has to hiss at me when I don't understand the territorial thing. I just say "ok, ma'am" and run.

Purrrrs

* Mabel *

The string and bell around my neck

Hello y'all!

MEOW! I've been in my new place for several weeks now. I sleep every night hugging my human.

The human lady and I were playing with a bell that was attached to a string. It was fun. But suddenly the string was around my neck. Now the bell sounds whenever I move. It itches. Well, no it doesn't itch but it's weird, I want to chew it. I ran all over the apartment trying to get it off; it didn't work. Big sis Amalia also has one but she doesn't seem to mind...

Talking about sis Amalia: she has gone from "who the heck are you and why are you touching my human!!" to "I still don't like you but let me sniff at you, hissssss!!" to "I tolerate you, I can play with you but don't stare!!!". Yes, it seems Amalia doesn't like me staring, at least that's what human lady thinks. I don't know....


* Mabel *

Doing things my way

Hello Y'All!

The human lady has been in the "outside" a lot lately. Sometimes she doesn't come home to sleep for a few days. The first time she did it, I was left in the bedroom with the door locked (outrageous!), and big sister Amalia was in the living room. Human lady said something about me stealing Amalia's food and not being ready to be alone together for more than a morning.

Well, the next time she left me in the bedroom I just couldn't take it. I opened the door. Yes, me, powerful Mabel. When she came back, I was ready at the door to greet her: "Purrrrrr I love you purrrrr welcome home purrrr... got any food?". Human was shocked and asked how I was able to open the bedroom door, but I'm not telling. And Amalia is keeping my secret.

Big sister loves me! She has been very serious (and scolds me from time to time) because you know she is the boss and needs to make sure things are in order, but she likes me =) I love jumping, flipping on the air, landing on my back and playing with Amalia's whiskers while she watches like "What are you doing?". He he he he.... I lay there and touch her whiskers with my paws, until Amalia shakes her head and then starts chasing me.

Amalia gives me nose kisses.... purrrrrr.... However she doesn't like sharing food. What I do is eat from my plate as fast as I can, then wait until Amalia leaves hers and then I lick whatever is left.


* Mabel *

Oops-I-did-it-again

Hello Y'All!

Human can't figure out how I open doors, he he

See, she left for a couple of days to visit family. I was inside the bedroom with the door closed, but when she came back I was there right at the apartment's entrance saying "welcome back!! got any food?"

Soooooo..... I managed to open the door, roam free and get Amalia more angry at me. It's because I am a food thief; I always rush to swallow my food and then run to Amalia's plate to get hers. She is obviously not happy about that, and... well... ahem.... she now hisses when I am close.

My human read the Cat vs. Cat book and apparently I have food anxiety problems. When Amalia and I are eating together, I don't chew but swallow directly and then go steal. It has caused me to vomit several times :(

Time out and re-introduction for me and Amalia has been declared. Human now locks the bedroom door when she goes to work every morning. That's until I learn how to pick the lock with my claws, ha ha ha meow purrr

* Mabel *

Who's your kitty?

Hello Y'All!

So I have been learning and getting to know my human. I have also tried playing with sister Amalia, but I think she doesn't understand the game.

One very important thing that Amalia taught me was to wake up human for breakfast. She showed me that I have to lick human's face, and then human gets up for food. So whenever I am hungry I approach human's face and say "purrrrrr purrrrrr ... I love you..... purrrr *lick, lick, lick* .... wake up and get food for me??"

Sometimes I don't get it right, and human says stuff I don't understand because I don't speak person language (something about "it's just 2am"). I think the problem is I don't apply enough pressure, so I try again: "purrrrrr purrrrrr *L-I-C-K-!* *L-L-L-I-C-K!* purrrr I love you.... get me food?" Then human says "ouch!" and I know she is awake.

When applying lots of pressure and licking all over her face doesn't work, I get impatient and do the obvious thing: get under the blankets, find a leg and then bite. It seems "OUCH!" is the sound persons make when they wake up.

It's a bite of love, human knows. But yet, it doesn't get me food... human wraps herself inside the blankets, and we start playing this game "let's find the smallest opening, get inside and bite human's leg!". It's fun, but not when I can't get in: I start whining, I admit it: "mmmmmgwwwaooooooo I love you! But I can't get in!!!! purrr mmmmgwwwaaaaaaoooo".

Anyway, the end is always the same. Human hugs me, kisses me, says "ok now it is 5am" and gets food. Who's your kitty?

* Mabel *

Special day, yummy breakfast

Hello Y'All!

There was this celebration this morning. I didn't pay much attention; I was desperately luring human to the food storage area.

The short human was in a good mood! She gave big sister Amalia an extra plate of food, and when I started whining "why not meeeeeeeeew??" shen then got me another bowl of milk. Yummy.

Then, Amalia and human were all cuddling and purring in the living room. I stayed back in the kitchen making sure there was no food left uneaten.

Sooooooo..... I came to live with this human on January 21st this year; it's been almost 5 months! I get along wonderfully with the human: I purr, she feeds. Excellent. And she is comfortable! I enjoy sleeping on her lap, her tummy, her warm neck, etc. And anything I do is "cute" in her opinion =)

Now, with my big sister.... is another story. I just don't understand Amalia very much. She gets mad at me often (and human gets upset about the hissing), but we are slowly getting the rules. Like now I know I am not supposed to get on the bed before big sis Amalia; she is the commander in chief. but... but... sometimes I like to challenge authority and that irritates her, he he

However, from time to time Amalia kisses me on the forehead. And now the three of us always cuddle on the couch to watch movies; Amalia lays down by human's tummy and I hug human's legs or neck (I love hugging)

* Mabel *

Nothing stops me

Hello Y'all!

So this morning the alarm sounds at 4.30am like usual. Human wakes up, I was snoring hugging her legs. I looked at her and just purred good morning.

Human was like "wow kitty, good morning, aren't you hungry?" and I said "nah, thank you".... Human was surprised, asked Amalia and she said "meeeeow, no food thanks I am ok"... Ha ha ha the human couldn't believe what was happening so she went to the kitchen. I followed and proudly showed that I had opened the cabinet and, well, we helped ourselves to food =^_^=

My person just said "oh kitty...." I know she is proud of me, right?

purrr

* Mabel *

Field trip

Hello Y'All,

Last monday after eating breakfast, human told me "make sure you go to the kitty bathroom because we are going out for a while".... She dressed up and stuff, and then put that harness thing on me. Then a long string was attached to my back, human opens the apartment door and says "com'on kitty let's go".

Well.............. I didn't care about the car ride (it moves too much! I ended up staying on human's lap), but hey human took me to this interesting place full of people. She calls it "office".

I evidently impressed everybody with my shiny coat and beautiful figure. Somebody said "you are my favorite pet", how cool huh?

I was a little cautious first, but then I got on my game. My human's office people are harmless; they let me get on their laps and even climb their chairs. Later I attended a "staff meeting", where I had the chance to sniff at everybody while they were sitting around a table and talking to each other.

But then at one point I sort of became disoriented and felt weird that nobody was talking to me, so I went "mmmme-e-e-e-e-o-o-o-o-w!!" ("somebody play with me!"). It worked! some of them started playing. Then I asked my human to hold me, I sat on her lap, purred and licked all over her face. The other humans were giggling.

What a nice place and people there!

* Mabel *

I sort of understand human now

Hello Y'All,

*sigh*.... I was so exhausted yesterday evening. You see, my human took me on another field trip to that place she calls "office".

What a long day. I had to meet and greet all these people, let them admire and touch my shiny hair, and purr thanks. I did a little bit of exploring as well. I was more comfortable this time, but still not so used to the noises and all.

The most common compliment was how well I behave, always next to my human and respectful. Human said "yes, this kitty doesn't chew cables like my other one" he he he!! there you have it, Amalia!

But wow, all this activity didn't let me take the usual naps. I stayed on human's lap most of the time, but the movement would wake me up plus the occasional visitors coming and saying "aaaaawwww kitty!!", petting me so I had to be polite and purr and lick their hands. I think I only had 6 hours of sleep out of all 9 hours we were there.

When we came back home in the evening, I was soooo tired! Went to bed immediately. Now I get why human is low on energy when coming back from work :p

On another note: I am beginning to learn human speech! I know I have to meow when she says "Tienes hambre? (are you hungry?)", and I think my name is Mabel....

Evacuation

Hurricane Gustav hit Louisiana in early September 2009. Human, Mabel and Amalia had to quickly pack and take their first road trip together...

** 30 min. driving **
- Human: Are you ok, kitties?
- Mabel: ? ? ? purr... meow...
- Amalia: MGWAO! MGWA-A-A-O!

** 2 hrs. driving **
- Mabel: .... (not sure what to do or say)
- Amalia: MMMME-E-E-E-OW! ("haven't I said I don't like car rides?!")

** 3 hrs. driving **
- Mabel: mmmeooow.... mmeow... MEOW! ("I don't like this, it moves too much!")
- Amalia: (takes some rest now that Mabel took over on the complaining)

** 4 hrs. driving **
- Mabel: (after complaining for the last hour, lays down and gets some rest)
- Amalia: MMMGWAO! MMGWAA-O-O-O-O-O! ("I am not talking to you after this!")
- Human: aaw sorry kitties....
- Amalia: (makes some noise.... human looks back and there she is: Amalia throwing up on the back seat... poor kitty left all breakfast there)
mmmmeeeeeeoooooooowwww

For the next 8 hours, Amalia and Mabel alternate: one kitty complaining (loudly) for an hour at a time...

** 12 hrs. driving **
- Mabel: meow... ("you know, maybe this is where we live now, in this moving thing")
- Amalia: mmgwaO. ("yeah maybe, whatever")
- Human: are you ok kitties?
- Amalia: *sigh* ("I'm not talking to you")

Either the kitties were too exhausted, or simply accepted the idea of being in the car for ever. With many roads closed and heavy traffic, the whole ride took 19 hours!

~ ~ ~ Wishing all Louisiana kitties and their families a safe time ~ ~ ~ ~