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<channel>
<title>Severian's Monologues</title>
<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues</link>
<description>Catster diary for the cat Severian </description>
<language>en</language>
<copyright>Copyright 2013 by Severian  &amp; Catster</copyright>
<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 06:17:02 PDT</pubDate>
<generator>Catster Pet-o-matic Gennie - http://www.catster.com</generator>
<ttl>360</ttl>

	<item>
		<title>On parole!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/819584</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:55:09 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/819584</guid>
		<description>Mom's schedule is all mixed up this week, 'cause she's been rising at 4:30 a.m. to get to the city b ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom's schedule is all mixed up this week, 'cause she's been rising at 4:30 a.m. to get to the city by 7 a.m. for some software training. Too bad for her. She usually starts work at noon, and her body clock is all haywire. She hasn't been getting enough sleep and now she has a sinus infection.

But it's been great for me!! Mom lets me out of my crate in the dark pre-dawn hours and feeds us all, cleans the litter box and makes Dad's lunch, and then gets ready for work. She leaves me out of my crate because Dad is supposed to put me back in when he leaves for work later. 

But Dad hasn't remembered to do that, not even once! So I've been lounging with the fursibs all day long. Happily, there have been no inappropriate peeing episodes so far. 

But Mom is not convinced of a cure. Tonight, when she got home, I stood at the door of the crate and meowed to get in. When I did, I went directly to the litter box and was there for so long that she thought that we'd all had a beer party in  her absence.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>I'm so happy today!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/807677</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 6 Dec 2012 06:18:46 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/807677</guid>
		<description>I'm Catster's Cat of the Day, and I have a wonderful new pic for my page, thanks to Manytoes and fam ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I'm Catster's Cat of the Day, and I have a wonderful new pic for my page, thanks to Manytoes and family! And I got a special breakfast of roast chicken! Mom was saving it for her lunch sandwich, but decided I deserved it. Thanks, Catster!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Now that I'm 13...</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/805692</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 19 Nov 2012 20:09:21 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/805692</guid>
		<description>I intend to get a learner's permit, because it won't be long before I'm bugging the 'rents for the c ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I intend to get a learner's permit, because it won't be long before I'm bugging the 'rents for the car keys.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Living in a crate, the update</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/793962</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 20 Aug 2012 19:57:23 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/793962</guid>
		<description>Friends, you may recall that after a final unacceptable episode of my peeing on the furniture, my hu ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Friends, you may recall that after a final unacceptable episode of my peeing on the furniture, my humans decided to confine me to a dog crate when they could not personally supervise me. I get out for an hour or so in the morning until the humans go to work, and then Dad lets me out when he gets home from work around 6 or 7, and I'm free (though confined to the kitchen and family room) until the human bedtime around midnight.

Finally, I got what I always wanted. My very own litter box, shared with no other cat. Mom always knows when I need it. I sit outside the cage and meow until she lets me in. And when I'm done, I meow to get back out. 

See, all they needed to do all those years was lock up all the other cats. If they had, they'd still have their rugs and stuff. 

Anyway, this isn't so bad. I can sleep in the little cubby at the bottom of the cat perch without Vicki bothering me. I get my own food dish and water dish, and I don't have to wolf my treats down because I know they'll still be there later if I want to save them.

I recommend this to other humans who have "litter-box problem" kitties.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My humble prose gets a nod from the Diary Chick</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/786025</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 25 Jun 2012 06:40:59 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/786025</guid>
		<description>I'm kinda surprised she liked that one, but maybe the algorithm is set for long posts? Anyway, thank ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I'm kinda surprised she liked that one, but maybe the algorithm is set for long posts? Anyway, thanks, D.C., and to my friends who messaged me with congrats. Love you all!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>In the doghouse. For real.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/785785</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 23 Jun 2012 13:55:41 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/785785</guid>
		<description>I think I peed outside the box once too often, my friends. Last week Mom came home from work, and wa ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I think I peed outside the box once too often, my friends. Last week Mom came home from work, and was greeted by an all-too-familiar smell as soon as she walked in the front door. Yup, I peed on the living room couch. And also on one of the living-room chairs.

Fortunately, all the household furniture is slip-covered and the furniture itself is wrapped in plastic under the slipcovers. So this time she didn't have to throw out expensive furniture. But she has had to do that before, along with every rug that she ever owned. And the Roomba, which I peed on. And several computer keyboards. And one of Dad's expensive textbooks. And once she had to re-print their tax returns because I baptized them while they were on her desk. (She says she can sort of understand that one.) And she has mopped up more "puddles" on the floor than she cares to count.

Extensive vet work-ups show no physical problem, and Mom has tried everything else to solve this longstanding problem.  Behavioral therapy. Anti-anxiety medication. Pheremones. Nothing has worked. 

So this time she went out and bought a large dog crate. Big enough for a carpeted cat perch, a litter box, some toys and my food and water dishes. I live there now whenever I can't be personally supervised by Mom or Dad.

It could be worse, I guess. I get out in the morning to eat with my sibs and sit on a human lap while they drink coffee and read the paper. I get out again at night to sit in the family room with the rest of the family. 

But I have to sleep in my cage. And I have to be in there all day when the humans are at work. I don't like it. At all.

For two days, my fursibs stayed downstairs with me in solidarity. But Bear and Vicki caved eventually and started going upstairs to sleep in the bed with Mom and Dad. Jasper stays downstairs, but always in the family room. 

Mom says this is better than a full-time cage at a no-kill shelter, which was the other alternative. She doesn't want to give me up. But she can't afford new furniture, either. 

Sigh.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Sparkly chompers</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/772339</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 27 Mar 2012 06:49:51 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/772339</guid>
		<description>Yesterday was awful. Mom put me in my carrier and took me to the vet. I don't know what hit me, but  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Yesterday was awful. Mom put me in my carrier and took me to the vet. I don't know what hit me, but when I woke up my mouth was all sore and I was unsteady on my feet. I had to wait there for hours until Dad came to get me.

But my teeth are all white and pearly now! And the vet didn't steal any, thank goodness. I counted them all twice and they're all still there.

And I got some yummy baby food for dinner last night and breakfast this morning!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Back from the vet's</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/770975</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 18 Mar 2012 12:43:52 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/770975</guid>
		<description>That wasn't much fun.  My titer from last year showed that my antibodies for distemper were low, so  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ That wasn't much fun.  My titer from last year showed that my antibodies for distemper were low, so I had to get a booster. The vet vampires took some new blood this time. Don't know the results yet. The vet will call with those on Monday. 

The good news is that I hadn't lost as much weight as Mom thought -- only an ounce (our digital scale must be off). So maybe the thyroid is OK. The vet also said my heart sounded good -- he couldn't hear the murmur the other vet heard last year -- but he ordered the cardiomyopathy test anyway, because the lab was giving it away free if other bloodwork was being done. (Usually it's $100.) 

And if the blood tests come back OK, I need to get my teeth cleaned. Darn. that will mean another trip to the vet.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Getting unfashionably thin</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/769859</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 11 Mar 2012 15:09:11 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/769859</guid>
		<description>Looks like it's time for another vet visit. I've lost nearly half a pound in the last couple of mont ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Looks like it's time for another vet visit. I've lost nearly half a pound in the last couple of months, even though my eating habits haven't changed (I've always been a slow nibbler, not a wolf-it-down type, but I usually manage to clean my plate eventually.)

Mom thinks I may have hyperthyroidism. So it's off to the doc this week. It's also time to get the ticker checked out. The last time I was there, the doc detected a slight murmur.

Would appreciate any spare purrs you have stashed away.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Lovebug tag</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/729603</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 24 Jul 2011 09:51:18 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/729603</guid>
		<description>1. Meow! Are you a noisy kitty or a quiet kitty?
I meow to let the peeps know I want to be held on  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ 1. Meow! Are you a noisy kitty or a quiet kitty?
I meow to let the peeps know I want to be held on their laps, but otherwise I don't say much.

2. Litterbox! Cover your business or let some other kitty cover?
I can do that for myself, thank you very much.

3. Happy! Favorite Daily Routine?
Sleeping on top of Mom at night.

4. Hiss! Least Favorite Routine?
Can't think of any routine that I don't like. I hate vet visits, but that's not really routine.

5. Ding-Dong! What do you think about visitors to your house?
I hate visitors! I beat Vicki to the bedroom closet every time.

6. Friends! Do you like other animals?
Only my family. And my Catster friends, but I probably would hide in the closet if they actually appeared at my house.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Joy and sorrow</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/723249</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 26 May 2011 11:35:08 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/723249</guid>
		<description>Imagine my surprise when I learned I was a diary pick today! I will get lots of extra treats for tha ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Imagine my surprise when I learned I was a diary pick today! I will get lots of extra treats for that, and I can lord it over my fursibs all day. Yay!

But then I learned that a dear friend, Indiana, was suddenly called to the Bridge. That made me very, very sad. I'm an old furt, but Indy wasn't even 3 yet. 

Please keep his mom and his sisfur Kitty Pryde in your purrayers.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My heart mumbles</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/722696</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 21 May 2011 08:48:44 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/722696</guid>
		<description>We got the lab blood results back and they are all normal. But the vet said she heard a little mumbl ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ We got the lab blood results back and they are all normal. But the vet said she heard a little mumble in my heart. So they did another test. I'm supposed to score under 100, but I scored 134. You would think that a higher score is a good thing, but apparently this game is kind of like golf -- the lower the score, the better. 

Anyway, the vet said that's not so bad a score, but we need to keep an eye on it. Eye on what? You can't see a mumble! Anyway, if my score is any higher in three months, I will get an echocardiogram. I don't know what that is, but I hope it's tasty. 

Thank you to everybody who sent good wishes after my last diary entry. Mom thinks I am suffering from a broken heart, which is why it's mumbling now. But I am getting better. I am eating better and not crying so much. And today I am hanging out on the screened porch with the other furkids, enjoying the first sunshine we have seen in more than a week.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>So sad my peeps think I'm sick</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/722583</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 19 May 2011 22:11:35 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/722583</guid>
		<description>My peeps took me to the vet today, because I'm acting sort of weird. I'm not eating much, and when I ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ My peeps took me to the vet today, because I'm acting sort of weird. I'm not eating much, and when I do eat I take a loooooong time. Also I'm even needier and clingier than usual. I cry to be picked up. 
And a couple of times in the last few weeks I have peed where I shouldn't have.

The vet couldn't find anything wrong with me. She thinks I may be depressed because of my sisfur Onyx going to the Bridge. The vet doesn't know how to make me get better from that. Mom prescribed extra cuddles. Hope it works. 'Specially since I peed on her favorite purse.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My peeps forgot my birthday!!!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/700131</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 19 Nov 2010 07:01:19 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/700131</guid>
		<description>Thank goodness Mr. Sam was alert at the bridge. Otherwise I wouldn't have gotten so much as an extra ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Thank goodness Mr. Sam was alert at the bridge. Otherwise I wouldn't have gotten so much as an extra cuddle, let alone any special treats or toys. 

My peeps have been so preoccupied with my sisfur's ailment that they have been NEGLECTING me! 

(No, we aren't, Sev. You got an hour of solitary lap time just last night. But, OK, we did forget your birthday.)

Anyway, thanks for the present, Sam. It's nice to know SOMEBODY cares.

(Oh, stop being so dramatic, Sev. I'll bring home a new toy for you.)

Add a freeze-dried chicken treat and a Fancy Feast tilapia appetizer to that and I'll consider forgiving you.

(Done.)

OK, then. You're forgiven.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Still healthy. Take that, Jazz.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/680031</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 2 Jul 2010 20:56:49 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/680031</guid>
		<description>I am in perfect health. Just verified with the vet. Perfect weight, lower-than-typical heart beat (e ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I am in perfect health. Just verified with the vet. Perfect weight, lower-than-typical heart beat (even in the vet's office), teeth in great condition, blood work all normal, yada yada yada. Mom says it's a good thing vets don't evaluate mental health.

But it's no surprise that I'm in perfect health. I have health insurance. It's kind of like carrying an umbrella when the sun is shining.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The vampire stole my blood and lost it!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/676022</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 7 Jun 2010 07:34:27 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/676022</guid>
		<description>Grrrr!! Pffft!! Hiss!!!!

The vampire vet stuck me THREE TIMES to get enough blood to send off for ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Grrrr!! Pffft!! Hiss!!!!

The vampire vet stuck me THREE TIMES to get enough blood to send off for a distemper titer as well as the usual tests, and then the laboratory LOST it!!!

Now I have to have it all done again. Mom is not pleased. And SHE wasn't the one who got stuck.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Still laid back, after all these years</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/674350</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 29 May 2010 17:19:15 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/674350</guid>
		<description>I went in for my semiannual checkup, which usually ends up with me flopped on my back on the exam ta ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I went in for my semiannual checkup, which usually ends up with me flopped on my back on the exam table, asking for tummy rubs. Well, it still ended up that way, and the vet again exclaimed at my extreme laid-backiness (my heart rate was 130, as opposed to the 180 she usually sees). 

She had to stab me three times to get enough blood for testing, though. I don't do anything very fast, including bleed. 

But when she peered into my eyes, she said I had a cataract in the right one. A little cataract. (And all this time I thought I was a pretty big cat act.) She's going to watch it. Maybe it won't grow, maybe it will.

Dad had a cataract removed. It seems cats can have this done, too. But Dad says maybe it's not a big deal for me because I don't see color anyway, and I don't drive at night. 

Only because he won't give me the keys.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>A poem for my Grammy</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/667175</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:20:29 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/667175</guid>
		<description>Grammy, I'm sorry you had to go,
Because I loved you so much, you know.
You tickled my paws, you s ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Grammy, I'm sorry you had to go,
Because I loved you so much, you know.
You tickled my paws, you scratched my tummy,
You  brought me toys and treats so yummy.
I know that humans and pets all die,
But we'll meet again, I know, bye and bye.

I thought I'd go first to the Bridge of the Rainbow,
But you beat me there, and because that's so,
You must practice all your tickles and scratches
With all those other wonderful catses* 
And when you look up one day and see me,
We'll be together for all eternity.

*poetic license]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Grammy went to the bridge</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/667076</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 17 Apr 2010 22:46:34 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/667076</guid>
		<description>I hope my brother Patch was there to greet Grammy when she went to the bridge Saturday night. She ne ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I hope my brother Patch was there to greet Grammy when she went to the bridge Saturday night. She never had any pets of her own, but liked to play with us when she visited. 

I will miss my Grammy very much.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Purrs for Grammy, please?</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/665715</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 9 Apr 2010 20:45:54 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/665715</guid>
		<description>I'm kind of a picky cat when it comes to humans. I don't dislike any, but I only warm up to a few. B ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I'm kind of a picky cat when it comes to humans. I don't dislike any, but I only warm up to a few. Besides Mom & Dad, my favorite is Grammy, Dad's mama. I don't mind that she always forgets I don't like my feet touched. She remembers when I bite her, ever so gently. I don't even mind that she can't remember my name and calls me Zeb. When she comes over, I always run downstairs to see her. She knows how to talk to a cat, even though she never had one.

But Grammy hasn't been over for a week, and Mom says it's 'cause she's in the hospital. Some vet thing, I guess, but no vet ever kept any of us for a whole week.

So I think she could use some purrs, if you have any to spare.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Have I found happiness?</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/660444</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:31:27 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/660444</guid>
		<description>All my life I've been a needy kind of cat. The one who needs incessant attention. The one who acts o ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ All my life I've been a needy kind of cat. The one who needs incessant attention. The one who acts out when he isn't happy with the home situation (like, we moved, or there's a strange cat in the neighborhood who looks at me through the window). 

I have a history of peeing on rugs and sometimes things that aren't rugs but look like them. Like the Roomba. Or my daddy's computer case.  Sometimes it was so bad that Mom and Dad put me on anti-anxiety drugs. They didn't like that because it kind of made me a zombie, and really it didn't help all that much with my antisocial behavior. 

I thought I was a frustrated czar. Always there was a cat ahead of me -- older, bigger, stronger, smarter. I thought I would be happy if I were king. 

But y'know what? I'm not king, and maybe I really never wanted to be. My brother Bear is the top cat now, and the pressure is off. Mom and Dad say I have never been more calm and loving. I let my sister Vicki sleep on top of me in my favorite bed. I actually play with Bear. I groom Jasper (I've given him so much trouble that he isn't sure he wants to groom me, but give it time).

I think I've been depressed for a long time, and my sister Vicki has brought out the best in me. She likes me. She likes to play with me, but she also likes to cuddle with me. She licks my ears. She doesn't threaten me. She is a very good sister, and I apologize for hissing at her and trying to pee on her when she first appeared. (Well, she did look kind of like a rug).]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>How did this happen?</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/656465</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 20 Feb 2010 14:31:09 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/656465</guid>
		<description>&quot;A wise man fights to win, but he is twice a fool who has no plan for possible defeat.&quot; (Louis L'Amo ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ "A wise man fights to win, but he is twice a fool who has no plan for possible defeat." (Louis L'Amour)

Oh, man, I've been reading the wrong books. Why didn't I pick up "The Art of War"? I was ready for the showdown with that Nordic wimp. He's been dodging me for weeks, and I figured one more smacky-paw challenge would be enough to cement my superior household position.

But when he turned around and rose up on his haunches with his paws in the air, he looked like a g-g-g-g-grizzly bear! And that hiss sounded like the winds screaming through the branches of Yggdrasil! I was beat, and I knew it.

Well, I am not alone in my defeat. Jasper has also been dethroned. Funny that he doesn't seem to care all that much. He came over and gave me a head wash. Well, if he can take it, so can I. Actually, I feel a little less anxious now. My sweet sister Vicki says she still thinks I'm the swellest cat in the house. Perhaps I will now devote myself to being her obedient and loving brother.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>I hate being the middle child</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/655110</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 13 Feb 2010 12:58:14 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/655110</guid>
		<description>You know, it was kind of working out here as my elder sibs, Jasper and Onyx, got longer in the tooth ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ You know, it was kind of working out here as my elder sibs, Jasper and Onyx, got longer in the tooth. Or fewer in the tooth, as the case may be. I was never able to dislodge Jasper as alpha cat -- still can't, in fact -- but we sort of worked out a coalition government. I figured I'd outlast him, and Onyx doesn't have much interest in politics, so I'd finally get to be top cat.

But now we have these newbies. Victoria is definitely not a threat. What a girly-girl! But Bear ... now Bear is a real game-changer. I mean, he's only 10 months old and he already outweighs me by five pounds. 

So far he doesn't seem to have the fire in the belly to be king of the mountain. When I offer a challenge -- a little right hook, a little up-on-the-hind-legs razzle-dazzle -- he thinks I want to play. He throws himself on his back, puts up his paws and gives me this "Yeh! Let's wrestle!" look. What a dope.

Sigh. Why is my life so complicated?]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>I want to be loved</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/652448</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 1 Feb 2010 20:57:45 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Severian  ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/1065725/diary/Severians_monologues/652448</guid>
		<description>I know I'm easy to look at,  but I'm kind of an anxious cat. When people see me, they say stuff like ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I know I'm easy to look at,  but I'm kind of an anxious cat. When people see me, they say stuff like "Oh, how sleek!" and "Oh, look at those gorgeous green eyes!" But two minutes later,  my gregarious elder brother Jasper comes in and makes the full circuit, checking out every guest in turn and giving a head butt or an ankle rub. That guy knows how to work a room. He should run for president. He never fails to come out of the room with a treat.

Then my new siblings, the long-haired darlings, enter and swish around with those big floofy tails and all the pink monkeys practically fall over themselves, leaning over and making ridiculous little baby sounds.  Well, OK. They are cute.  I'll give them that.  So is elder sister Onyx, with her huge eyes and round head and little short legs and tail.  I dunno. She's sort of like E.T. Something about her makes people want to cuddle her, although to be honest she doesn't much like cuddling.

You know who likes cuddling? Me. I love to be cuddled. I could live my life in the arms of some devoted human who would give up working and mowing the lawn and all that stuff just to carry me around.  Mom bought an infant sling for me on eBay as a joke and I adored it.  Oh, to be next to Mom's warm heart all day long....

I really want to be loved. I'm not saying that I'm not loved at all. They do their best. Mom has to type her entries to Catster with one hand because I'm lying on the other one in front of her monitor.  Dad doesn't roll over in bed at night because he knows I'm  sleeping on top of him and he doesn't want to disturb me. They even gave up having any carpets or rugs in the house because I have this compulsion to pee on rugs. Or anything that looks like a rug. I destroyed the Roomba. I anointed Mom's new leather work tote bag just this Christmas.

And all those people who admire my sleek black fur and green eyes think I must be a little devil.  I wonder, would I have more fun as a blond?]]></content:encoded>
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