It's Just Me

Maggie thinks that I am a cat like him. When he wants to say hello, he will walk up to me, turn around and show me his bum. He will then look over his shoulder and meowed at me as if to ask, "Mom, you had a good sniff yet? It's just me. Care to brush me some?"

Cats Love Wheatgrass

The guys fighting over grass

It seems that I've got a few who are surprised that cats eat grass. Well, don't be! Mrs W, a fantastic friend of mine who has dedicated her life to the cats, grows pots and pots of wheatgrass for her cats to chew on. Fivecats told me before that her Boy likes a particular species of grass that grows wild on open fields.

H, another good friend of mine, goes for walks to look for a special kind of plant that grows on the sandy soils beside tarmac roads. I've seen how her cat went gaga over it; Sniffing and chewing the roots, rubbing his face with the leaves and rolling on the floor in a state of daze. The happy cat was so intoxicated, he had drool dribbling down his chin all the way to his chest!

A few weeks ago, Mikan gave me a scare when he was hooked onto chewing the dried flowers. I guess it says that there's insufficient roughage in their current diet. Also, these guys are indoors 24/7 so a few of them derive pleasure from continuous snacking. I'm counting on the grass to give them an alternative something to chew on, hopefully my fat ones (Becksie, Princess, Maggie) can lose some weight!

Excerpt from http://messybeast.com/overweight.htm

OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE CATS
2004, Sarah Hartwell

"Owners don't like to see waste. Hence modern cat foods boast that they are "highly digestible". This is not true of the cat's natural prey which contains a degree of indigestible parts known as "animal roughage" and had vegetable matter in its gut. Historically, owners were encouraged to feed their cat small amounts of cooked vegetables with their meat to mimic animal roughage, but most modern owners have gotten out of this habit. Where modern cat foods do contain vegetable matter, it has usually been treated to make it digestible. Some foods boast that they are so digestible and efficient that they reduce the amount of faeces a cat passes. Although what goes into the litter tray seems like wasted money, it is necessary for intestinal health. Just like humans, cats are designed to deal with a certain amount of bulk. Adding that bulk back into the cat's diet can often prevent obesity. Owners need to understand that there is more to feeding a cat than dumping half a cup of kibble in its bowl."

More information on Cats and Wheatgrass:
Wheatgrass for Cats: Living Food for the Modern Housecats
Feline Grass-Eating

Becksie Complains

Becksi gave me a Top-10 list of things she doesn't like.

1. You don't brush me when I expect you to. I mean, the other cats will get their turn, right? Get them to wait instead.


2. You brush me way too long. Are you trying to say that I don't groom myself well enough? Ok, there are some spots on my back that looks unkempt, but it's just because I haven't had time today, nor for the past few months. Now, what do you mean I can't reach those spots?


3. You don't brush me enough. Since you know that there some places that I can't reach, can't you just do a decent job?


4. I'm sleeping on your lap and you moved. Cats need their sleep. Period.


5. You chase me out of the cupboard. I go in there because I think some of your clothes are really out-dated. That's why I throw them out on the floor and drag some under the bed. Yes, I sleep in there sometimes but it's only because I got tired sorting out your clothes. Fur on your clothes? Oh please.


6. I'm in the leaving room. Yes, the leaving room is the place you go to when you leave us to go to 'Work', wherever 'Work' is. It is worse when I'm in my basket and you bring me to the leaving room. That means we're going to 'SeeVet' and I hate going to 'SeeVet'. I meow all the the way there and back is so that you'll know I'm not pleased at all.


7. When Rain is outside. I can smell Rain from miles away. I start creeping around slowly because it just might find me. I know you hide Shishi and me in the basket with some towels, but it would be good if you can just make Rain go away.


8. When you clean our room with that vacuum thing. I hate it so much, I don't even know how it looks like. Under the bedsheets is where I seek solace.


9. You do not stay still when I want you to feed me grass. I like you to feed me because... Well, because I like to. And I knock it off your hands and hang on to your hands with my paws is because you don't seem to know what I want.


10. And do you really have to vacuum?

Becksie is such a complain queen.

Patch Smiles For The Camera

By request. :D

Patch the Mini Bull Terrier Visits

Unlike most other Bull Terriers, Patch has a general calmness around her that is either aloofness or umm, daftness. It was told that once, she casually jogged up to some cats, hoping to sniff some butts and perhaps play for a while. The rest was history and Patch has since learned to leave the kitty meows alone. Well, most of the time.

Anyhow, Patch came over to our place yesterday while the cats were all in the bedroom. I opened the bedroom door to find 6 tiny noses twitching anxiously behind the door. The guys sniffed the air cautiously, having no clue what it was but knowing the smell came from the direction of the living room. Guardedly, Mikan stepped around me, looked out of the room and saw this thing standing 10 feet away.

And boy was he spooked. The hair on Mikan's back stood and his tail puffed. Arching his back and flattening his ears, Mikan slowly turned sideways on his toes and glared.

And glared. And glared.

Patch, who was leashed to the front gate, watched silently from a distance. Curious at this funny puffy thing, she started to wag her kinked tail and decided to flash her most gracious smile just to show how friendly she was.

Now, back to Mikan. To have Patch smile at him was like having the Big Bad Wolf grimace menacingly at Little Red Riding Hood. And my, what big teeth you have. Just then, Patch leapt into the air, all excited and ready to go sniff butts.

Well, the jump put an abrupt end to the meet. Startled, Mikan hissed, turned and fled into the room. Behind him, the rest of the kitties scampered, leaving a bewildered Patch wondering why the party ended before it even got started.

Cutie Was Nice

Joy is seeing Cutie be nice to Maggie for a change.

Last night before bedtime, Cutie sat Sphnx-like on the floor, resting and watching the others settle down after their routine mad-dash around the room. Just then, Maggie walked past Queen Cutie and peered at her nervously. Cutie, however, was in mood for truce. She gave Maggie a slow blink and sent him on his way. No hissing, no slapping on the floor, no grr-grr-rr; Just plain old "Ok, you are friend" blink.

Maggie walked to the far end of the room, settled down and gave a sigh, perhaps in disbelief of his good fortune.

Of Cats & Naps

Read about Operation Cat Nap & the commendable work of the Singapore Cat Welfare Society.

On Making the Most Out of Your Life

What can a cat do in 2 minutes? Plenty, says Princess.

13:00:00 Play with Mousey. Play wildly like it's the first time you've ever laid your paws on this furry fellow.

13:01:05 Done. Hmm... Let's do some stalking next. Ohh, a ready target. *wiggles bum*

13:01:30 Target locked... Pounce! No wait, mom said I play too rough. Perhaps I'll lick her for a change.

13:02:00 Consider that done. What's next?

Introduction - Part V - Magneto

Name: Magneto / MagMag / Maggie

Also Known As: Brush Brush Cat

Date of Birth: 11th November 2003

Found Location:Under some staircase, NIE.

Status When Found: ~ 1 month old, together with Sam, Kaku, Frodo and Mystique. Hissing non-stop and extremely ravenous, being left on their own and having starved for at least a week.

Loves: Food, double servings please.

Creeping near Mikan's bowl to have a go at his food, for only Mikan is kind enough to share.

Brushing of course!

Hates: Strange people, which is basically everyone in the world except Mom and Auntie Angela.

MagMag has a queer relationship with QQ. The silly girl is still spitting and hissing at him after spending 2 years living in such close proximity. Mag used to retaliate, puffing up and jumping sideways to show that he was not afraid. Now, however, he avoids QQ's vehement stares as well as he can, makes detours within that small room around her and scoots whenever she attempts to show him who's boss.

However, being the gentle giant that he is, Mag tried to groom QQ gingerly when she had her back turned on him once. But alas, that loving act ended with Maggie speeding away when he took a glance and saw QQ's raised paw.

Reading With Cats

Today, the cats teach me how to read a book (well, a comic book) properly.

Princess: "How can you read if you keep flipping the pages like that? Do allow me hold it still for you. Oh no, I insist. "

QQ: "To hold a page down properly, sometimes you have to sit on it. And see how the boy and his tiger become alive when you move your head quickly like this? "

Waking Up With Cats

I was woken up by an early call this morning and after answering it, struggled back to bed to grab more sleep. Along the way, an obstacle course awaited. Becks called out loudly to me from the table, wanting attention and possibly food. Shishi weaved between my legs and made little jumps with her front feet off the ground to rub against my knees, making endearing 'mmm' and 'maa' sounds. Mikan ran ahead, jumped onto bed to wait for me and Maggie watched the commotion atop the cage, disinterested.

As I snuggled in under the covers, Mikan had left for his favourite spot under the bed. Becks crawled in with me and started to purr, lying contentedly on my chest. QQ came in soon after, asking for some pets. I stroked them groggily and Becks left a minute later, probably annoyed at having to share the attention. I felt someone stepped on my shins, then proceeded to lean heavily against the crook of my knee. There's only 1 cat who doesn't give two hoots about stepping on mommy - Princess. A quick peer confirmed the suspicion.

I drifted in and out of sleep and the kids took turns snuggling up. Finally, I decided to get up; There's no way that I would be able to rest properly with them moving around so much. Getting up, I saw Becks watching me from the other bed, blinking at me affectionately. Habitually, Mikan sidled up to coax me to sleep somemore.

What a wonderful way to start the day. =^.^=

Mikan's Secret

At first, it was just puzzling not to be able to find Mikan whenever he was out of our room. No matter how long I called for him, he would not respond, choosing only to reappear when he was done with whatever he was doing in secret. So, armed with the camera, I shadowed Mikan as he dashed out of the room on one occasion.

Acting nonchalant, the sneaky boy jogged around. "Hmmm... A futile attempt to shake loose of any surveillance," I thought to myself. Minutes later, confident that he is indeed alone, Mikan turned his attention on his unknowing target, whatever it was, and watched intently.

Mikan sat like that for a while and I started to wonder if my suspicions were unnecessary. Maybe Mikan had wanted to watch the telly? Just then, sneaky boy leapt up the cabinet and I quickly picked up my camera once more. What is he doing? Perhaps he had figured out how to turn the television on?

Wrong! His eyes were set on the bouquet of dried flowers all along!

I hurried to the supermarket to get fresh wheat grass.

Introduction - Part V - Shiro

Name: Shiro / ShiShi / Kushiro

Also Known As: Girlie Cat

Date of Birth: 1st July 2003

Found Location: Indescript neighbourhood park in Seletar.

Status When Found: 1 ~ 3 days old, together with Mikan and QQ, yelling at the top of her voice and crawling all over.

Loves: Anything girlish; ribbons, hairclips, furry stuff, and preferably white in color.

Sneaking out of the front gate to roll in dirt along the common corrridor.

Hates: Rainy days.

Shi has a bit of Siamese in her, telling from the color of her coat and that queer cross-eyed look. Lovely Shi is the first baby to open her eyes, 10 days after I found the brood.

Introduction - Part IV - Cutie Pie

Name: Cutie Pie / QQ

Also Known As: Silly Cat

Date of Birth: 1st July 2003

Found Location: Indescript neighbourhood park in Seletar.

Status When Found: 1 ~ 3 days old, together with Mikan.

Loves: Being stroked.

Catnip.

Watching litter bins getting cleaned and using it immediately thereafter.

Rolling in ecstasy in freshly disinfected litter bin.

Hates: Kitties who play too rough.

QQ took almost 2 weeks to learn to do her business in the kitty litter bin when the others took probably, say, 2 minutes. But she has fallen in love with the hooded litter bin eversince!

Introduction - Part III - Princess

Name: Princess / Purin Purin

Also Known As: Xiao Pang

Date of Birth: 1st July 2003

Found Location: Same indescript neighbourhood park in Seletar.

Status When Found: 1 ~ 3 days old, eyes shut. Lying beside Becks under the hot sun.

Loves: Being brushed.

Being carried.

Looking for small spaces to nap in.

Hates: When no one wants to play.

Princey got very ill when he was little. It started with infection of the naval which spreaded to his limbs and subsequently respiratory pneumonia. He was so sick then I had to separate him from the rest and made him his own "princess bed" (hence his name). The naughty peanut would fall asleep in my palms and wake up crying the moment I put him down in his bed. He just refused to be left on his own.

To top it off, being the naughty baby that he was, he refused to drink his milk nor take his medicine. Under the advice of a kind vet, I thinned out his medicine with milk and gave him a few drops a time constantly throughout the day.

He is now a plump little boy who plays too rough for his siblings' liking, probably because he was separated from the rest for quite some time and has not learnt to play appropriately. The infection he suffered from, however, had fused his carpus. (See: "Then" picture; Note his deformed front limbs.) That limited his flexibility of his limbs so while the others are scaling window grilles like King Kongs, Princey can only sit and watch forlornly.

See also his smallish right ear? Poor baby got nipped by a doggie on the day I found him. Though it drew no blood, his right ear has not developed properly since.

Introduction - Part II - Beckham

Name: Beckham / Becks / Becksie

Also Known As: Jealous Cat

Date of Birth: 1st July 2003

Found Location: Same indescript neighbourhood park in Seletar.

Status When Found: 1 ~ 3 days old, eyes shut. Becks was found 12 hours after Mikan, on the other side of the bush, lying under the hot sun.

Loves: Being brushed.

Squeezing to the head of the queue, whenever there is one.

Jumping into closets and refusing to come out while messing it up.

Hates: Being made to come out of closets, Being left on her own, Rainy days.

Introduction - Part I - Mikan

Name: Mikan / Minimikankankan

Also Known As: Big Brother

Date of Birth: 1st July 2003

Found Location: Indescript neighbourhood park in Seletar.

Status When Found: 1 ~ 3 days old, fast asleep under a bush.

Loves: Dipping his paws into water and flicking it everwhere. Known to have dropped toys into water dish on purpose. ("I'm not playing with water, mom! I'm just fishing them out!")

Lying down beside mommy the moment she wakes up to go to work and going to sleep in her arms immediately.

Used to love playing fetch but not anymore.

Hates: The Vacuum Cleaner.

Thank You

One night 3 years ago, I found 2 kittens crying for their mommy for over 9 hours in a school canteen. They are Buffy and Tux, now living happily with Three.

Come same year July, I chanced upon a nest of 5 kittens, yelling for food and warmth in the dead of the night under a bush. Mikan, Cutie-Pie, Princess, Shiro and Beckham now live with me and well, let's just say that I try to serve them to the best of my ability.

4 months later, I got another litter of 5; Their mommy taken away by the authorities. Sam and Akasha have been adopted by Three as well, I kept Magneto while Mystique and Frodo went to 2 other homes.

Since then, many other cats have entered my life. Some have left etching memories, some are just flitting imageries. Some are still here, some had just left me or were long gone.

That night 3 years ago, Buffy and Tuxie brought me into a priviledged world - where one is loved by cats. Thank you for letting me in.

How Cute More Can You Get?

QQ: Mom, look at me standing up!