Christmas in the Golden State

Well I'm back from California! Of course, I did my whiny thing for a few long minutes when we first hit the highway, then I settled down in my crate for a long nap. But that was only after my he-person opened the crate door so I could get out if I wanted. I didn't, but I might have.

I had so much fun exploring every room in the big mansion in California. This time I wasn't afraid to mingle with anyone who walked in the door and I mostly ignored the other black cats in the mirrors. But my main interest was in taste testing the potted plants. I constantly detoured towards the plants just so I could watch my people jump up and run after me. It's great fun to see them chasing after me, and I can sure tell you that one of them needs the exercise as much as I do.

I got weighed while in CA, and it seems that more than a pound has sneaked onto my body since the vet told my people I needed to lose a few ounces back in June. Uh-oh! Not good news when I go for my check-up next month. Getting exercise in an RV doesn't exactly make me giddy. I'm limited to running back and forth and jumping up on the bed, or up in the window. Nothing exciting about that! I do like to play with my toys, but I prefer doing it while lying down. Maybe I was just meant to be plump?

My newest Christmas toy was a ball that holds water, and has a plastic fish inside that moves around. I prefer it empty because it's easier to roll around, but frankly, chasing a ball is simply too strenuous for me. My folks have cut back on my food, and I'm much too hungry now to get excited about chasing anything, even my catnip-filled mice. By the way, my folks came home with about 8 pounds of chocolate. Guess who else will be needing to go on a diet!

It rained in California so I didn't get to go outside to graze on the grass, but back in AZ, the skies are absolutely gorgeous with warmish sunshine. Life is good. Purr-r-r-r. Maybe my people will put a photo of me (relaxing on the fireplace hearth) on my blog sometime soon.

Look Out California - Here I Come Again!

Hey, it's just fun, fun, fun around here. NOT! It has been raining for a couple of days, plus it is gray and dreary, so I can't lie on my back in the sunshine to get my daily dose of rays. On the plus side for my people, I haven't wanted to run outside. I can remember what it was like to be outside in the rain, and it's not for me. I'm afraid my people would just let me stay out there because they like the rain even less than I do! I don't think they would chase me down or even hold the door open for me in case I changed my mind.

I am heading for California again for Christmas. Can't wait to get over there and hunt down all those black cats that are hiding in my human auntie and uncle's house. They're gonna wish they had never seen the likes of me because I'm planning to really scare them this time. No surprises for me! I'll sneak up on those mirrored doors, then hiss and growl at those cats and see if they don't flee in terror.

I might be a sweet little kitty when it's time to eat, play, and sleep, but I can be a wild ape when the mood strikes. And I think my stinker factor will definitely go up when I get to California. I sure don't want any of those little buggars to come home with us!

Turkey Day, and no turkey for me? What's up with that?

Well Thanksgiving has come and gone, and I haven't gotten any turkey yet. You'd think my people would think of me on this day of thanks and bring me some leftover turkey. I did see a package of food come in, so I can only hope it holds some tidbits for me. I even brought my stuffed mouse to my he-person this morning and offered it to him, hoping he would get the hint that I would like a little gift, too. Make mine turkey, please and purr-r-r-r.

It has been raining here, so it's been dark and dreary, but today the sun in shining again and I'm anxious to get in a sunny window and soak up some rays. That and eat some leftover turkey.

I hope all you four-legged, furry friends and two-legged humans have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.

Oh boy, have you ever seen such a handsome cat? Yellow is my color, don't you think? I didn't get any yummy treats from the luau, but I did get this lovely yellow lei.

This Election Kept Me Up Late

Don't think I'm a chronic complainer, but I have to let you know that my people kept me up long past my bedtime last night watching election returns. They seem to find lots of reasons to keep me up late, then expect me to sleep late. Not likely! What's with these people? On top of keeping me up late for the results, then there was lots of celebrating because a black dude like me won the election.

So okay, I can appreciate that! I'll bet he's not near as handsome as me, though!

My people kept talking about how the country would right it's course now, and that maybe people can get jobs and not go hungry after he (the President) fixes things. Hey, I'm for that, too, because I don't want any little furry four-legged people like me to go hungry or freeze because their humans can't afford heat.

And I understand the new President was born and grew up in Hawaii. So besides both of us being black, we have something else in common (sort of). He grew up in Hawaii and my people have a picture of me wearing a Hawaiian lei. Doesn't that make me Hawaiian? Maybe they will put the picture on my blog so you can all see how handsome I look. They're kinda slow at putting my pictures up.

And I'll bet I would make a good president, too. I would make sure that all kitties have a continuous supply of kibbles and fishy food, and that all my furry friends have homes and families of their own for Christmas. And that I have lots of attention and toys to amuse me. Are you listening, Santa?

Chin Scratches and Kitty Dreams

Well it has been a busy few days as more and more of my people's friends find their way back to the valley. I've had lots of chin scratches and admiring looks from some of those folks. I'll just bet I'm the handsomest kitty they've ever seen? (she-person's note: In your dreams, Inky!)

Halloween is almost here, and my she-person told me I needed a false tail so I could stand in the window and look fierce. Next thing I know, she'll be sticking me next to one of them freaky pumpkins with a candle inside. Harumph!

My people bought me another toy to play with. This one has a bird on top with feathers, sitting in what looks kind of like a palm tree. If I slap it, the bird chirps several time, but frankly, I don't have enough energy to slap that dumb stuffed bird around, even if it is stuffed with catnip. It's much better to look out the window at the finch feeder, and make a running attack at the window screen when the birds light on it. I'm just sure that someday I'll be able to reach through the screen and grab me a mouthful of real feathers from a live bird.

And sometimes I get a real thrill. The other day I saw two lizards outside on the patio playing with each other, and went running towards the screen door so I could watch closely. Oh how I would have loved to give them a run for their money, but my she-person refused to open the door. Someday I'll figure out how to get the latch on that door open so I can chase birds, lizards, or any other wildlife. There are some black kitties running around in the park that I don't really care to chase because they stink to high heaven. They have white stripes down their backs. I heard some were captured and hauled away, so maybe I won't accidentally run into them if I get outside again.

(she-person's note: Again, in your dreams Inky! Face it bubba, you're an indoor kitty, now.)

My Great but Brief Escape

Well I got my little rear end in trouble again. No surprise there, huh?

A couple of nights ago my she-person stepped out the door and I dashed out right behind her and went flying off into the black of night. Usually when I go out, I stop and investigate the bushes, but this time I kept going just to show my people I could. My she-person didn't have shoes on, so I knew I had a head start on her. My he-person was on the computer, so that gave me enough time to put some distance between me and him.

They grabbed flashlights and came out looking and calling for me, but I just played it coy and didn't make a peep. Soon another camper they know (Sheree) joined them in the search while my she-person settled into a lounge chair on the patio to wait for my return. Hah, I thought I might make her spend the entire night outside, or at least until something scared me enough to run home!

Finally my he-person's flashlight found a darker spot against the dark background, and he knew it was me so he stomped his feet and I flew home. I had ventured about 3 sites up the hill from home. When we got inside, they fastened my collar around my neck (which I hate because it makes me itchy) so that if I run out again, at least I will have I.D. on. But now they won't let me near the door. It's just pitiful how I'm being treated. And I'm still not allowed in the bedroom at night until at least 6 A.M. - usually later.

Saturday night my people went to a luau, and wouldn't you know they come home with leis around their necks like they've been out partying or something. I could smell delicious food on their breaths when they waddled in. But to add insult to injury (injury being not getting a kitty bag of my own), my she-person wrapped her lei around my neck. Yuck! I couldn't turn my head without getting a mouthful of plastic lei. But they got pictures, which I'm sure will show up on my blogsite before long.

I must say, the bright yellow lei certainly stands out against my mighty handsome, buff self and contrasts nicely with my naturally, sleek dark fur! It brings out the lustrous beauty of my green eyes. I do believe I would make a perfect model for magazines. Purr-r-r-r.

Howling Winds Scare Me!

I just don't know how a sweet kitty like me can get into so much trouble . . .

First of all, the fact that I like to get up early has gotten me banished from the bedroom. My people have finally figured out how to fasten the door closed so I can't get in. The latch alone couldn't stop me, but now it's impossible to get the door open. I've tried banging against it, but those people ignore me.

Then when we had scary, howling winds last night, my she-person slept on the couch just to keep me company. But when I got really scared after the winds started rocking the motorhome, I got right in my she-person's face and howled, and she shoved me away. How could she do that to me?

Today, I'm having to get lots of beauty sleep because I was awake and worried all night long. The wind is howling again today, but at least my people are up and can protect me (I hope).

Life sure can be tough for a wee kitty, but when I get big as a panther I'll bet they'll pay attention to me. G-r-r-r.

So This is How Cats with Real Homes Live?

Well folks, I'm back from Hollywood and no, I didn't get discovered by Steven Spielberg for his next big movie about handsome, sexy cats! In fact, I didn't even get near Hollywood or Disneyland, where I had hoped to run into Mickey and Minnie.

As we left home, I yowled for about the first 15 minutes after my carrier was put into the car, but by the time we reached the freeway, I had curled up into a ball and was sound asleep. It wasn't at all bad to make the almost 400-mile trip in the car.

Then what I did mostly after arriving in California was hide in the bedroom. But then I did finally take a tour of my human "auntie" and "uncle's" fine home. You see, I don't remember ever being in a real house before, much less a HUGE house, so it was kind of scary to be confronted with all that space. Who knew what might be hiding behind one of the columns in the entry, or around the next corner. There were lots of corners. But what really confused me was finding other black kitties hiding all over the house.

The first one I saw was in our bedroon. I walked towards the mirrored closet doors and suddenly spotted a huge black kitty that looked an awful lot like me. What a shock! Who knew my twin lived in California? I jumped straight up in the air when I saw it, then after a while I crept up to it and found out it wasn't threatening at all. In fact, it just looked back stupidly at me!

Then when I ventured out of the room, I found a shadowy black cat in a curio cabinet in the living room. In fact, in almost every room, there were black cats jumping out at me as I walked by. There was one in the huge TV screen, and in every bedroom that had mirrored closet doors. I even saw one in the mirror over the vanity in the bathroom. Whoa!

I was just getting used to the plethora of cats and all that freedom when it was time to return to Arizona again. I gotta tell you, I could grow to love having a big home to romp in. I might could lose some weight running from the entry to the family room. But all those black cats had better watch out because next time I'll be prepared for them. I'll hiss at them and raise my back to scare them away.

Oh, I did misbehave the first morning there, when I decided to wake up my people the old-fashioned way at about 4:00 A.M. -- by jumping in the middle of them. I wanted to make sure they stayed awake for awhile and protected me from all the other cats. And the last night, I discovered the dangling drawer pulls on the dresser, and that I could make noise by sticking my paw under them and letting them flop back against the drawer. What fun! But on the trip home, I was good as gold (okay, brass) and slept most of the way.

I was one worn out pussy cat following a weekend of traveling and exploring a real house. When I got home I collapsed in front of the open door, flat on my back, with my front legs stretched out straight above my head. My she-person said I looked like a bear skin rug, and almost as big. Naw, I'm just a tired little old kitty cat.

Going to visit aunties and uncles in California was almost as much fun as Disneyland! I can't wait to go back if they'll have me.

Yippee! I'm Goin' to -- Disneyland?

Well here we are back in our old site in the RV park, and I immediately recognized the bushes and wanted out. So my she-person tied a long line to my leash, which was fastened to my harness--which we all know can't hold me for long. But I was content to sniff and chew on tasty blades of grass under the bushes next to the patio. After all, I've explored this area totally before when I was running loose and homeless, so there was no need to get particularly excited about it all.

Anyway, all of a sudden I guess I pulled a certain way, and there was my harness lying on the ground! I just sat there staring at it, dumbfounded. I didn't know if I was going to get in trouble or not. But suddenly my she-person spotted it lying on the ground and asked me if I wanted to go in. You bet I did! Well, not exactly go in, but at least get back to the safety of my doorsteps. I left skid marks as I made a beeline for the door. It's one thing to want to run free, and it's another to suddenly and unexpectedly find yourself free. Scary!

Tomorrow we're leaving for a few days and driving to California. Maybe the folks will take me to see Disneyland and I can meet Mickey and Minnie. I'll bet they would make fine dinner - er- companions. Yippee! Then I get to have my body stroked by all my human "aunties" and "uncles." Double yippee! I can hardly wait.

My cat carrier is already sitting on the floor inside and I've been checking it out, including going inside it and sniffing around. We'll just have to see how I react to being put in it and the door fastened, then riding in the backseat of the car for 350 or so miles. I'll bet I can make my people sorry they didn't leave me at home. . . g-r-r-r-r-r!

I'll write more about my California adventures when I return home. . .

The Great Outdoors

It's been a few days since I posted, but believe me, I haven't been idle! I can always find ways to get into heaps of trouble.

This morning, my she-person took me out on the leash and figured if I showed any inclination to walk, we'd walk. I didn't, so she fastened me to the arm of her chair while I moseyed around tasting the clumps of grass near the patio. But then, all of a sudden I realized that I know how to get out of my harness, and I did. I jumped backwards, got loose, and high-tailed it under the motorhome. When my people couldn't get me to come out, they banged on the side of the RV to scare me, then they squirted me with the water hose. Yikes!

That just about scared the shine off my fur!

There's not a harness made that will keep me from getting loose. And it's not like I want to get away from them. Not me. Do I have stupid written on my black brow? I think not! I know where my food comes from, and I don't intend to get too far from the pantry or the hands that feed me. But I would like to not be attached by the neck to a leash so that I can explore a little. Can't a cute, cuddly little boy like me have some freedom? Meow -w-w-w.

New Toys and Walks on the Leash

Oh boy! My he-person came home from the store bringing new toys for me. Of course, since I wasn't born yesterday, I know that it is important to look this particular gift horse in the mouth because when he comes bearing gifts, there's usually a catch. This time he brought a new feather toy and a long tube with holes at each end and one in the middle. I guess I'm supposed to tunnel through the tube, but there has to be a catch somewhere.

In the first place, the tunnel is made of fabric that cracks and crinkles when it's touched, so the noise kind of scared me at first. But I finally got brave and worked up the nerve to crawl through it, and what happens? Something attacks my behind and I can't turn around to fight it off! Grrr-r-r-r.

So now I know why he bought the feather toy -- so he could entice me into the tunnel, then attack me from behind with the feather. Humph! There's one thing he didn't count on, though. I'm so long when I'm stretched out that I can almost reach the far end while I've still got my back end out the other side. Now that I've smartened up, that makes it hard for my he-person to get me all the way inside the tunnel. Nah nah nah nah nah nah. I'm sure I will enjoy playing in the tunnel all by myself, but I do appreciate an audience that will laugh at me. Maybe I'll make up my own games with the tunnel.

My people have also started taking me out for walks again. We missed a few weeks while traveling, then when we got settled in here there were too many ants, and so spray was used all around the outside. Now it is good and dry, so my time has come to get trussed up in the harness and hauled out the door. We did this a couple of days ago, but I didn't get very far.

Last night it finally hit me how much fun this actually was, so I took a long hike. Of course, I was encouraged by my he-person pulling straight up on the leash so I couldn't lie down on the ground. My method of operation up to now has to been take two steps, lie down, chew on the grass, get up and take two more steps, and so on. So my walks were always short since it took me about 20 minutes to take half-a-dozen steps. But last night I walked in the grass and found out I really did enjoy being outdoors and walking. I even went across the road to another grassy area. Heck, I might want to do this every day! Purr-r-r-r.

Shady Sites, Wonderful Weather and Travel Plans

Well, we moved once again! One month in our site in Verde Valley, and my people weren't happy that there was no shade on the RV. They wanted a site up in the pine trees, which are way bigger than the deciduous trees and provide lots of shade.

It does get hot in V.V. every day before the clouds come in and cool it down. Sometimes that happens by 2:00 PM, but sometimes it gets up almost to 100 before the rain comes in about 4:00 or 5:00 PM. The air conditioner keeps it nice and cool inside, but I like my windows open so I can enjoy cool breezes, plus it's easier to see everything going on. I keep an eye on the neighbors who have a cute little dog. I met it a couple of days ago, but I was a little shy and only got within a couple of feet of it.

Now we're in a nice, shady spot and the windows and door can stay open until almost noon. We haven't had rain in a couple of days, so it has gotten up in the high nineties in mid-afternoon, but it's nice in this site and we always have really cool nights.

The rain should be back tomorrow. Yippee! I love the smell of the grass and trees after the rain. And now my people are thinking we might move again to the site where they were parked when I moved in with them. If only Dixie, the yellow lab can come back and park next door. I just love her and her people! They're the ones who rescued me one cold, dark night.

My people are threatening to haul my furry behind to California in a couple of weeks to meet all my human "aunts" and "uncles" who live there. We will be traveling by car instead of in the motorhome, so I'm not at all sure I will like that. I might raise a ruckus the whole way there to annoy my people.

Should I purr or growl?

Birthdays - When Is Mine?

Well I've certainly learned about a new reason to celebrate this week. My he-person had his birthday, and it appears that the focus of it is about eating good food. He came in reeking of something yummy two times this week, and I want to know, when will we celebrate my birthday?

I'm afraid mine will be skipped because my people don't know what day it was. That's because I was abandoned, and my old people didn't leave any information about me. I want a birthday, too!

What am I, pond scum?

I guess I'll have to figure out some way to let them know that they can pick a date. Maybe celebrate the day they took me in? After all, that's when my new life started. I can accept that as long as I get special treats and presents! I would be happy with some fish and those catnip-filled mice that they've got hidden from me and that I accidentally found one day.

Let's celebrate!!! Purr-r-r-r.

This Spot is All Mine!

Well, I've finally won at least one argument in our household. I've claimed one soft, comfy spot as all mine!

First of all, I tried to get comfortable in my peoples' chairs, but they would always run me out by almost sitting on top of me. I mean, sometimes I had to jump for my life if I didn't want to be squashed flat as a pancake. I don't want the sofa. I mean, if my people don't want to sit there, why should I? And the back of the sofa is only appealing when the window behind it is open. That is one place I like to stretch out on my back and let the cool breezes ruffle my fur. But make no mistake, I really prefer inconveniencing my people, and I've never seen them climb up on the back of the sofa to take a nap.

But I did happen to notice that sometimes my she-person puts her feet up on her footstool and sometimes she doesn't, so that's where I decided to claim MY space. Now, anytime I see her feet up on it, I put my front feet on it and squall at the top of my lungs until she has to notice me. And if for some unfathomable reason she doesn't understand or hear me, I climb up on the arm of her chair and squall in her ear. And yeah, I give a really piercing, loud meow when I want to get her attention. She jerks her feet off that stool so fast it makes my head swim, then I jump on it really fast and give her another snarky meow and dirty look to show her who is boss.

There's only one problem with my footstool. It is a glider stool that matches her glider rocker. Sometimes I wiggle around too much and accidentally get it swaying back and forth, then I roll off. I even managed to scratch my she-person one time because I was rolling around on it and went flying off the side next to her bare legs. As I stuck out my claws to try and get some traction before I hit the floor, I clawed her. Oops!

She didn't get mad at me, but she does steer clear when I'm relaxing on it now. Better not no one mess with me and my footstool.

Gourmet Treats that Crawl

Guess what? I just discovered a new gourmet treat. Best of all, I get to chase them down before I eat them. Fun and food! Who can ask for more? And no, these aren't those big black moths we had in Wyoming. They just weren't that tasty after one or two.

These little Arizona critters crawl in through the cracks. They're not that big, but my, are they tasty! Little ants have invaded the RV. They're not fire ants, but instead, just little ants that are apparently trying to get inside to enjoy the air conditioning. Who knew these tiny creatures could taste so good? And boy, are they fun to chase! My she-person says she might try them if they were chocolate-covered.

Under Attack in My Own RV

Last night I was feeling real "cool" because my people had bought me a Harley Davidson collar. Let me tell you, I look sharp! Only now my people have taken to calling me a "Harley Hog," and sometimes, "His Royal Plumpness." Really I'm not that plump! I've even lost a few ounces since my last visit to the vet when I got weighed.

But while I was actin' "cool" last night, struttin' around where I wasn't supposed to be, I found out there's still some scary things lurking in my motorhome that simply aren't safe. I jumped up on the overhead bed, where my people keep lots of extra supplies plus other goodies and a big fan, and was climbing around checking things out when suddenly something grabbed my back foot. I whirled around to try to get loose, then I took off flying across the bed, knockin' everything all over the place. and that sucker would not let go. I flew in front of the fan, which is a kinda' narrow spot, then tripped and fell onto a chair. As I hit the floor running, my people saw what had me and started howling with laughter.

It seems my people had one of those plastic bubble envelopes stored up top that is used for packing and shipping, and I had accidentally stepped on it and gotten my toenail caught in one of the bubbles! That thing was stuck to my foot and it would not come loose no matter what I did. I was sure some creature from outer space had hold of me because I had never seen such a thing before!

When my she-person could finally catch her breath from laughing, she bent down and pulled it off my foot. Still, I licked my foot over and over trying to erase all memory of the sheer terror. It took awhile to get over it, and although that bed had been one of my favorite places to sleep while it was cold outside, I'm not sure I'll ever jump up there again! I'm sure my people booby-trap some areas of the RV to keep me out...grrr-r-r-r.

To Play or Sleep? That is the Question.

Here I am doing one of my favorite things: batting the ball around this plastic disk. I put one foot into the disk and bat it one direction, then stick my other foot in to stop it and send it back the other direction. I like to recline to play so I don't use too much energy.











Trouble is, it's much too easy for me to fall asleep while I'm lying on my back playing ball! ZZZ-z-z-z...

Danger Lurks in Unexpected Places On the Road

I'm living the good life. Traveling was fun because I got to see new places and animals outside my window that I didn't know existed, but now the door is left open for part of the day and I can look out on green grass and enjoy the breezes. I'm back to spending lots of time on the dashboard, too, where I can watch for people and animals I know and keep an eye on those I don't.

Life on the road can be dangerous for a curious but clumsy kitty like me. My he-person has to keep the outdoor wooden steps just inside the door while traveling, and I've found that's a great place to climb on to get to countertops and other places I'm not supposed to go. I'm not a jumper, so usually these places are out of my reach, but I become a daredevil when the steps are inside. I decided the other day to climb to the top and jump down into the door well, which has two more steps down. That's four deep steps dropping into a spot that was a little tight for jumping anyway, and what with my lack of coordination, I turned a complete somersault through the air before reaching the bottom step. Of course my people nearly passed out from laughing about that!

I guess there's nothing more amusing than a handsome black kitty like me having unfortunate accidents. Grrr-r-r-r.

Back in Sunny Arizona

Aah! I'm back in Verde Valley, Arizona, and finding my groove. We got in late yesterday after a little problem on the Interstate just south of Flagstaff. We're driving down the one lane that was open due to construction when the engine suddenly died. No warning, but there we were with a line of traffic behind us. That's because my he-person drives the speed limit instead of 15-20 miles over like most people in AZ, but this time it wasn't good because he had to steer a dead RV between the construction cones to get into the closed lane.

We made it fine and our road service quickly had someone out to diagnose and repair the engine. Three hours later we finally hit the road again and arrived at the park about 5 P.M. The night before we had stayed in USA RV Park in Gallup, New Mexico, which was really nice. They even serve food cooked by a young culinary student. It sure smelled good, but no one offered me even one bite. Instead I had a choice between that canned, stinky stuff made for cats and the dry food, which isn't bad but it's no culinary delight. Believe me, back in January when my people took me in when I was starving, it tasted wonderful! Still, I sure would like to have a taste of a good grilled hamburger.

Now that we're back in V.V., I look out on a tree-shaded grassy spot, which I now realize is pretty special. It's hot, but not too hot for a furball like me. I even went outside for a couple of minutes today and checked it out. I'm back to my frisky self now. I've been a little draggy in the 6000-foot plus altitude that we've been camping in for the past month or more, but that's nothing to what my people were feeling as they tried to sightsee in places like Cripple Creek, Colorado and climb the hills around Colorado Springs. They're not getting any younger, and they're not as young as they were when they visited the Air Force Academy and Pikes Peak in 1970. Yeah, I'll bet they were pretty frisky back then, but now? No way!

Oh, and the camera that they always carried with them met a bad end in Cripple Creek when my he-person slid down a hill, using the camera as a crutch. He was able to save all but the last two photos that he took, so maybe there are some good ones of me that I can put on my blog.

Okay, gotta run now and see what mischief I can get into. Meow!

Western Skies and Raging Storms

I'm rethinking my opinion of the wide open spaces in the West. I'm a real scaredy cat when it comes to big western storms in huge western skies. We spent last night in Las Vegas, New Mexico in a state park on a lake off I-25. I was just lying there in the window minding my own business (which means watching the tent campers across the way, but that's a guard-cat's business, isn't it?) Anyway, all of a sudden the wind came howling across that lake along with some cold air and I flew out of that window like a wild ape. I like to have cried my eyes out to my she-person, but she just told me it was okay. So I cried my eyes out to my he-person, and he sympathized with me. Finally my she-person got up and closed the window so I would calm down since I wasn't going to shut up until that cold wind quit blowing through my RV.

Then today we're driving along I-40 in western New Mexico when all of a sudden a rain and hail storm descended on us. The windshield wipers were slapping back and forth trying to keep up with the deluge, but instead of going swish swish, the one on the driver's side was going ker-plunk, ker-plop, ker-plunk, ker-plop and swinging wildly in the air. He-person had to jump out in the hail to fix it, and found out that wasn't gonna happen. When he got back in he looked like a drowned rat. Now you must know how I feel about rats, but he looked too pitiful and wet to attack. He finally got back out and replaced the broken wiper with the passenger side wiper, which meant my she-person couldn't see out her side to back-seat drive. Bummer.

I went back to bed when we got started rolling again and that's where my she-person found me when they finally stopped. She called to me and I didn't come out, so she came back to the bedroom and found me sound asleep on my back with my front feet straight up in the air. Hey, that's the way I get my best sleep, especially when we're rockin' and rollin' down the road.

We should get back to Verde Valley tomorrow and I can hardly wait to see the place where I was found prowling the park in search of food and comfort. I have lots of friends there, although most of them won't be back until fall. Still, I can't wait to see who is there. Purr-r-r-r.

More Kitty Heaven in Southwestern Colorado

Wow! Hot diggity kitty! We're in Colorado Springs, Colorado and this place is stupendous! We're staying at the Air Force Academy campground, and it is like staying in the forest. We have bears and mountain lions here since this is a wildlife preserve in addition to being the West Point of the Air Force. I keep looking for bears or great big kitties, but so far no luck. I'm not allowed to go out for walks because I might attract something too big to handle.

So here I lie with my head on the camera bag. I've figured out that my people always carry the camera when they leave the motorhome, so I'm sticking close to it so maybe they'll remember to take me with them. Earlier I had my arm (er, leg) wrapped around the bag, but I figured they might snatch it away from me and run. This way, with my head propped up on it, maybe they won't be able to grab it and scram so easily.

Today they saw the Garden of the Gods and Seven Falls, and tomorrow they plan to take pictures of the Academy Chapel, which is supposed to be beautiful, then go out to eat somewhere. Now why can't I go with them? I mean I'm well behaved most of the time.

Well, I guess I'll just have to be thankful to be along for the ride and get to see all the wonderful sights through the windows of the RV. This ain't a bad way for a kitty to live.

Fireworks Galore!

Well it's another day, and here I am in Cheyenne, Wyoming in a nice site among trees and alongside a creek. Wow, there are some great places to see in this great country. It's hard to believe, but I've already traveled about 3000 miles since March.

We got quite the send-off from Gillette, Wyoming with a fireworks show the night before we pulled out. I'm quite sure the spectacular show was just for me. I wasn't scared at all. I sat watching the lights and listening to the pops and booms from behind the screen door, and even when my people walked away to get a closer view, I stayed right by the door. I didn't want to miss a thing! We were parked only a few rows from where the fireworks were launched.

I wonder if they'll give a light and noise show in my honor when we leave Cheyenne?

Hiding Out in the RV

I'm spittin' mad now, so I'm hiding out from my people.

I love to play, so I look for things lying around that I can amuse myself with. I just found a nice little cord tied into a bundle on top of the lamp table that looked like great fun, so I grabbed it and my he-person fussed at me just as I hit the floor with it in my mouth. He grabbed it away from me, so I decided to hide so maybe he'll worry about me and feel sorry for me.

I'll teach him to let me have my way! But don't worry, I'll show up for dinner. I'm not your average fool!

Oops, a rubber band just went flying through the air so I had better come out so I can play again. I think I forgot to mention that my he-person brought home a rubber-band shooter the other night, so he shoots them and I chase them. He got me in the rear end with a rubber band the other day and I jumped straight up in the air. He claims it was an accident, but I'm sure he just wanted to startle me. Still, I don't miss any opportunities to play.

Doesn't "Escapade" Mean Fun?

We arrived at an Escapade a couple of days ago in Gillette, Wyoming. I was all excited to get here 'cause I thought the word "escapade" meant fun and excitement. I was plannin' to don my boots and cowboy hat and kick up my heels, but so far I haven't seen anything to dress up for. Instead, my people have been out cavortin' and I've been locked here in the RV all day and half the night by myself. They don't even get home in time for my dinner!

They're too busy buyin' stuff and greetin' old friends and acquaintances to care about me. (Notice how I've dropped the "g" from my words since I've been out west? Hey, I'm down with this western speech.)

They've promised me that in a couple of days I will see some real excitement when the fireworks go off not too far from where we're parked. It had better not be scary - grrr-r-r-r!

UFOs in Montana?

Man, this Montana is something else. I just had the scare of my life when I looked out the window and saw a UFO lifting off the ground on the far side of the campground. I was certain the aliens had come for me so they could study my gorgeous, intelligent self. I didn't know where to hide!

The dome shaped UFO raised up off the ground a couple of feet and kinda' hovered there before it settled back down to earth. I was sure it was heading my way. Turns out, it was a dome-topped camping contraption that the person with it must have been lifting up from the far side. When a man finally walked out from behind it, I knew it must be a type of RV that I had never seen before. He was definitely taller than an alien would be (I think). Maybe the camping contraption is one of those puppy tents I've heard about.

I'm big and brave, but let me tell you I was just about scared spitless until the mystery was finally solved. Now I see there are two of the tents parked close to each other. What a scare I would have had if I had spotted both of them sitting there before I knew what they were. I would still be cowering behind something waiting for the aliens to come get me and haul me off.

You never know what you're going to see when you're an RVing kitty like me. My people take me to some strange places so it's no wonder that I don't like to walk too far from our RV. They even talk about the time they drove up to Area 51 in Nevada where they were spied on by highly visible cameras, microphones, and heat sensing devices before a guard in a truck pulled up behind them and gave them the once-over. When he drove up, my people were studying a sign that said "deadly force authorized beyond this point." In case you don't know, the government denies that Area 51 exists, but you've got to wonder why all the security if there's nothing there.

There might be aliens hovering just over the hill at Area 51, or even here for all anyone knows. I just know I don't want to go anywhere near Area 51. I'm afraid my beautiful, silky black fur would turn prematurely gray if I ever saw an alien or an armed guard!

Kitty Heaven is in Big Sky Country

Oh give me land lots of land under starry skies above . . .

Hot diggity dog, I'm finally in just such a place! On Thursday, the motorhome left Spokane headed for just outside Butte, Montana. Wow is this place beautiful! I can look out my window and see snow covered mountains and the pretty green valley we're parked in, and just across the fence are horses. Big beautiful horses.

There's lots of green grass here in the park, so I don't even mind getting hitched up in my harness and taking a walk. Well, my idea of a walk is to take a few steps, stop and chew on some grass or sniff the base of a picnic table, then lie down until I survey the area. I don't want any surprises that might scare me. And I don't get far from the RV before I'm tugging on the leash to head back home. I'm not stupid - I remember what it was like when I was homeless so I don't want to get too far from my home on wheels and not find my way back.

There's a beautiful gray and white kitty that comes calling. This one is friendly, unlike the one back in Washington that hissed and snarled at me. This one comes right up to the screen door to visit, and even though I growled at it the first time, it just sat there calmly gazing at me. Sweet . . .I think I'm in love. I excitedly run back and forth from the door to the shelf under the bedroom window so I can keep track of its movements. It gets to roam free so I think it may live in the house on the other side of the fence.

My people went out yesterday and came home smelling of food. They went for dinner to the Big Hole Crossing restaurant in Wisdom, Montana, which they had found several years ago. Judging from the scents they carried in, their food was divine. I don't see why I can't go with them to these places. I'll bet a little fellow as cute as me could get lots of handouts in a place like that. Apparently my people had quite a drive going there over some narrow back road that was full of potholes and went over the mountains. They saw snow right beside the road because they were so high up. They followed the Big Hole River back to avoid that rough, narrow road in the dark.

Then when they got to Wisdom, mosquitoes were so thick they couldn't begin to beat them off. A lot of them got in the car, so they were swatting them all the way back home. Right now the Big Hole valley is marshy because of all the snow melt-off, so mosquitoes have taken over for a couple of weeks. Some mosquitoes followed them into the restaurant, but the nice waitress put a citronella candle by their table to help keep the little nuisances at bay. By the way, big hole is what trappers called mountain valleys out west back in the early days, so that's why that valley is called Big Hole.

Earlier yesterday my people went into Butte for the farmer's market and returned with lots of produce. Guess that means there'll be plenty of salads around here. Maybe somebody around here will lose some weight. Just as long as they don't try to feed salads to me, even though I also need to lose a pound or two. My people now have taken to calling me Chunky Monkey. They're so clever with their pet names for me, I'll bet I could think of some doozies for them, too, if I could talk.

Well I've got to get busy checking out the windows. The weather is gorgeous and there's lots of activity here since a lot of people get out and walk their pets. Some of them are so-o-o cute (the pets, that is)! Got to keep track of them all. I'm in kitty heaven here. Purr-r-r-r.

I Have Pet Pals

Guess what--I have some pet pals. They are like pen pals, but they are pets like me who have signed up on Animal Attraction. My she-person signed me up at www.animalattraction.com, and you can sign up your pets there, too, and watch them get lots of virtual chin scratches and pet pal invitations. My page is at www.animalattraction.com/RVingwithinky.

When you sign up on Animal Attraction, the site gives your favorite animal organization $1.00, then each time you log onto your site, it gets another penny. That doesn't sound like much but my person found out about it through Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, which has received quite a bit of money overall from it. So my she-person chose Best Friends to receive any money generated by my site.

Check it out and you'll see some awfully cute animals there. I think I might be in love with some of those cuties. Gr-r-r-r-!

Oh Happy Day!

The weather is gorgeous and I'm suddenly as frisky as a tiny kitten. You see, for the last 3 months I have been much less active than I had been in Arizona. It just hasn't been that exciting because I couldn't look out open windows and doors or feel fresh air ruffling my fur, and when I looked through a window mostly all I saw was gray. Now I can enjoy fresh air again. My she-person (who is not a veterinarian or medically trained in any way) has diagnosed me with S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder). That's what people get when they live in parts of the world where they don't see the sunshine for months on end. Well maybe I do, or maybe I was just bored.

Yesterday was beautiful, and suddenly I was running and romping, hiding behind doors and jumping out at my people, and into all sorts of mischief. I would grab my mouse and fly through the motorhome, jump on the bed and bury it and then dig it out and run to the other end of the RV.

We're leaving here in a couple of days and I hope I see lots more nice weather in Montana and Wyoming. I deserve it. No kitty should have to be closed up inside to keep warm and dry with its only connection to the outside world through the glass of a closed window.

Purr-r-r-r.

Where Oh Where Is Summer?

Just when you think the weather can't get any worse - guess what? It does!

Last evening I just about jumped out of my skin when it sounded like we were being attacked with bombs. My people said my eyes got as big as saucers as I listened to the devastation raining down over my head. It hailed, and hailed, and hailed - ice balls as big as a quarter. The nuggets that slid off our awning formed a pile about two-feet deep. The ground was covered. Then it started raining again and washed most of the hail away. Today everything is covered with the little leaves that had just appeared on the trees. Oh, and the ice pile is still below our awning.

I should have known something was happening when my people looked out the window and remarked about the really, really ugly clouds heading our way, but what do I know about such things? I'm just a poor, innocent little boy kitty who doesn't know things like that. I sure am glad there was no hail when I was running loose in the RV park in Arizona. I would probably be dead by now, if not from getting hit by the ice nuggets, then from a heart attack.

My people picked me up last night and cuddled me while I was scared. At least I knew I had a safe home (well as safe as anything can be in this crazy place).

When it was finally over, I lay on my back and played with my ball that goes 'round and 'round in a plastic ring. I wasn't lazy - just too pooped to be actively involved with the game. Luckily my he-person bats the ball back to me so I don't have get up to move it around.

Just get me out of the Northwest and promise me that nothing scary like last night will ever happen again! I've seen enough ugly weather to last a lifetime. Isn't the reason we RV so that we can avoid nasty weather? G-r-r-r!

Freezing in the Frigid Northwest

You'll never guess what happened around here yesterday. It snowed! I mean, real cold white stuff coming down from the sky on June 10th. What is this trip coming to? Luckily, I didn't see it since it soon started raining real hard because it was up to a whopping 36 degrees. And my people are planning to haul my fantastic furry fanny to Montana and Wyoming???

Staying in an urban RV park is not my idea of a good time, anyway. It's like being in the parking lot at the mall (or Petsmart). My people take me out for walks, but there's only a wee bit of grass before I hit the concrete, and all the big RVs and trucks scare me spitless. Besides that, my he-person had to move the motorhome a few feet forward in our almost too short site so that the owners could come use heavy equipment to dig up their electrical lines because the neighbors were without power. So that meant we had to be without power, too, while they dug and it was really c-o-l-d because we couldn't use the furnace! The generator ran for awhile, but then it went on the fritz, too. Now it has to be fixed before it snows again. I couldn't even have my supper until the electricty came on because it gets warmed in the microwave. Growl-l-l.

I can't wait to get back to beautiful Arizona where the sun shines most the time. At least it doesn't rain every single day like it has since we've been here, and when it gets cold at night during the winter, the daylight sun warms it right up. Why oh why did we ever leave Arizona???

Petsmart? It's Definitely NOT Disneyland!

Well folks, I went to Petsmart yesterday and let me tell you, it is NOT Disneyland for pets. Well maybe for dogs, but not for kitties like me! If there was any fun to be had, I missed out.

My he-person brought my pet-carrier into the motorhome and since I hadn't seen it for awhile, I was curious about the new smells. So I poked my head inside, and just then my she-person quickly shoved me from behind. Before I knew it I was inside, the door was latched and I was headed for Petsmart.

I made a huge racket in the car, muh-rouwing as deeply and loudly as I could until my she-person sympathized with me by talking sweet. Then I gave a little bitty pitiful meow because I mistakenly thought she was sincere and would rescue me from the carrier. Heck no, she was just vocalizing and probably just mimicking me. Har-rumph!

When we walked into Petsmart, it was straight back to the dreaded scale. Wouldn't you know it--it was way, way off. It showed me being 12 lbs. 4 ozs, which is slightly overweight for a full-grown Manx kitty. So now the Petsmart people have insulted me, too, by insinuating that I was fat. Then my people decided to get me microchipped while we were there, which meant another exam like the one a few months ago.

This time I decided to play it cool and not make any trouble, even when the veterinary technician stuck the thermometer you-know-where. I only growled a little, and so quietly that it was barely audible. Then she made a comment about my paunchy belly. I still tried to be sweet, and when she picked me up and carried me over her shoulder into the treatment area, I was as good as could be. I could tell my people were holding their breath because they were afraid I might mutilate her after what she had just said and done.

While I was back there several people hemmed me in and shot two microchips into my back. I growled so loud my people heard me from the exam room where they were waiting. I sounded like a humongous tiger because I was furious! The technician had to get my carrier and put me in it to carry me back to the exam room after telling my people I was not too happy. No kidding? By this time I would have probably clawed her to pieces if she had picked me up to carry me in her arms.

They took me out to the front desk and the tech went to pick out a new harness for me, which fit, by the way. Finally my people took me home, then proceeded to laugh because I walk funny in my new harness. I did get to go out for a short stroll to show off my new duds, then my people finally took the harness off so I could walk natural again while I'm inside.

You can bet I got even with them. At 3:00 A.M. I created a major disturbance by playing with my ball and running up and down the hall. No one gets away with taking me to the vet, then poking fun at the way I walk after I get home. Just let me truss my people up like a turkey and see how funny they walk.

I guess I made such a big impression on the people at Petsmart that they called this morning to see how I was doing. They're probably hoping we leave this area before my people decide to make a another visit to a Petsmart.

I'm Goin' to Petsmart

I'm finally going to make a trip to Petsmart tomorrow. I've heard it's almost like Disneyland for pets without the scary rides. I'll have to report back on how much trouble I make when they try to stuff me into the cat carrier. The purpose of going is to get me weighed and buy me a harness that is big enough for my strong, muscular body, Maybe I can keep it together until I get a spiffy new outfit to stroll around in.

I'm waiting today for the weather to warm up enough to open the windows and door. Again, it's a rainy, cool day but the sun just came out so I'll be holding my breath until it warms up.

These urban RV parks don't do a thing for my outlook because they are too crowded. I need lots of green space so that little varmints will come poking around and I can watch them cavort in the grass and bushes. I'm not sure why anyone would bring their kids to town to camp but all I see around here are RVs stuffed full of kids, something we don't see much of in nicer, more rural settings. Wouldn't these kids like to run and romp like me?

In spite of it's city setting, this site appears to be a safe place to park until we're ready to roll again. My people parked here once a few years ago when they had their other kitty with them.

I can't wait to get to Montana and Wyoming where I can see cows and horses. Give me land lots of land with starry skies above... Until I report back on my trip to Petsmart, purr-r-r-r.

In Trouble Again!

Well I knew it couldn't last. I just couldn't be a good, sweet, loving kitty 24 hours a day, every day. I just had to try once again to get my people up before dawn.

You see, I had actually forced myself to adapt their schedule, even though it was never my desire to sleep until daylight. And I've been as good as gold. But today. Today! I just had to jump into the middle of them and make a nuisance of myself until they were fully awake. Oh, and mad. Did I mention that? They were almost rabid.

Who knows why I decided to wake them up long before daylight today. Maybe I was feeling neglected because they forgot to feed me my canned food. Oh yes, my dry food was plentiful, but they just plain old forgot about my good stuff. And maybe I didn't realize it until the middle of the night. Hey, I can't analyze myself to know what I was thinking.

Now I'm not speaking to my she-person because she swept me out of the blinds and onto the floor. Bah Humbug! I'm not even enjoying my view outdoors even though it is a beautiful day, and its all because my feelings have been double-hurt. So I'm still hiding in a corner, asleep. I'll bet they'll miss me after a while and feel sorry for me and feed me double tonight. They had better or there will be trouble!!! G-r-r-r-r-r.

There Are Cute Kids, Then There's ME

Here's another of those cute stories my people received in their email about kids and their versions of life. My people sure have some funny friends who send these things to them.

A kindergarten pupil told his teacher he'd found a cat, but it was dead.

"How do you know that the cat was dead?" she asked her pupil.

"Because I pissed in its ear and it didn't move," answered the child innocently.

You did WHAT ? ! ?" the teacher exclaimed in surprise.

"You know,"explained the boy, "I leaned over and went 'Pssst!' and it didn't move."

And speaking of cute kids, my people went to a school concert to watch their grandniece, Maddison, perform. Her kindergarten group walked out on stage and sang a number, then little Maddison stepped forward to a microphone and belted out the lead to the song "Down By the Bay." She would sing a verse, and the rest of the group would repeat it. Gee, we all knew she was awfully cute, but who knew she could so confidently stand in front of an auditorium full of strangers and sing in a clear, strong voice. I hear she was the hit of the evening. Wish I could have been there. You go girl!!!

I had a rough night, so I'm catching up on sleep today. My she-person kept bouncing around because she was uncomfortable, so as a result, and since I was snuggled next to her legs, I suffered all night long. A sweet little kitty-boy like me can't catch a break around here, so it's back to my favorite daytime spot on the dashboard! Nobody bothers me there . . . Z-z-z-z-z.

Robins and Grandmas and Sleeping Bags

That annoying little robin has been back tormenting me. I think it knows I can't get out, so it hops around chirping as loud as it can, right under my nose! Oh how I would love to get out and chase it. I couldn't hurt it because I don't have claws, but I'll bet I could grab a mouthful of tail feathers.

I met my grandma person yesterday, but she doesn't like animals so I didn't get near her. I only looked at her and she looked back at me. I've heard how she has never touched any of my peoples' past dogs or cats, even when they snuggled up right beside her. And I've heard how they tried to get her to love them by lying beside her and looking up adoringly at her.

I don't think she really doesn't like animals, I just think she's never had one of her own and is a little scared of them and me. Sad.

Besides the robin, my other trauma today was getting rolled up in a sleeping bag. My she-person wanted to make up the bed. Meanwhile, I had claimed my spot on the rolled out sleeping bag, so she decided to start rolling it up to encourage me to move. Only I didn't -- at least not right away. I just looked up at her and stayed put until she got impatient and rolled me right up in it. I promptly wiggled my way out and laid down on the top part that hadn't been rolled up yet.

Usually I enjoy lying on top of the rolled up bag in the sunshine, but this morning I felt lazy so I wasn't about to make it easy for her to roll it up. Besides, the sunshine was kinda puny this morning, so why bother.

Another day in the Evergreen State, another day of gray! Meow-w-w.

Oops! Yippee! The sun just peeked out. I'm heading for my post in front of the door where I can see what kind of critters might come out in the sunshine. Purr-r-r-r.

Too Big for My Harness

The temperature is in the 60s and the door is open so I can look out. Woo-hoo! This place may not be the greatest environment for wildlife, but a plump, yummy-looking robin just landed on our picnic table and chattered at me. I love it, but I sure wish I could get outside and chase it.

My people are once again threatening to take me to Petsmart so they can get me weighed and buy me a new harness since I promptly outgrew the first two they bought me. They want me to try them on so they can get one big enough to fasten around my girth.

Hey, how about getting me that cool looking cat walking jacket that I saw on the Internet? It looks way more like my style! And I'll bet it wouldn't have to go over my head, like the harness. I do hate to have my hair spiked up by having something shoved over my ears and head. I work too hard keeping it sleek, shiny and perfect.

Someone had the nerve to ask my people if they give me baths. Puh-leeze! I'd like to see them try that! I'm perfectly capable of giving myself all the baths I need!

By the way -- while my people are out of earshot, let me tell you a little secret about them. They love to eat as much as I do. When they've been out for awhile, they always, always come home reeking of food. And for all their complaining about my weight, I can tell you that one of them is not as svelte from behind as she could be! Maybe I ought to take her to Peoplesmart, if there is such a place, and get her weighed. Now that would be justice!

I'll just be hanging out until next time, watching for a warm sunny spot where I can sun myself. Meow-w-w.

Hello! Eastern Washington

After two days of traveling, we're finally in Eastern Washington. And guess what--it's raining!!! Can't a cuddly little kitty get away from all this rain? Could this be why they call Washington the Evergreen State. Should be the "Ever-Gray State" if they ask me!

The trip was mostly uneventful, and I hung out on the bed in the back of the motorhome where it was nice and cozy. Now I go there automatically when the motorhome starts up. It was very warm and sunny for the entire two-day trip.

We stopped in Moses Lake and my people met their friends who live there for dinner, then went to see their new home and their dog, Benji. Of course, I was left home to wonder whether I would ever see them again. After all, they had drug me for 200 miles that day and I didn't have a clue where I was, or whether they knew where we were. For all I knew they just drove and drove, then stopped in a strange place in the middle of nowhere. I don't want them go off and get lost somewhere, then not be able to get back home to me.

Now we're settled even further east in a park that has some grass (read that, about 3 feet of grass) and trees between units, but mostly, there is blacktop here. Still, I love to sit at the door and watch for birdies. At least that's what I did yesterday. Today it is cold and miserable, so I'm catching up on my beauty sleep on the upper bunk. I can hear the pitter-patter of the raindrops just above my head, so I'll be the first to know when it stops and can jump down and resume my usual play routine.

My people still have to download pictures of the wildlife in Tacoma, but as I've said before, it's hard to get good people who'll do what they're supposed to! So we'll see how long it takes them.

Until next time, snore-e-e-e.

Wildlife Sighting

I know I haven't posted in a few days, so this morning I gave my she-person one of those looks that says, "I need to let all my fans know about the exciting stuff what's going on." So she's typing while I dictate.

The exciting news is that I'm seeing more and more wild things outside my window. A great big crow flew in between our rig and the one next door and was pecking at the ground. I could just picture making a feast out of him. He's been back a few times now and sometimes he even lands on the picnic table. Then I saw a plump little robin hopping around on the ground. Now that's something I could get my teeth around, given half the chance.

Today a fat little squirrel sat up on its hind legs facing me. Golly, I'd love to chase it up a tree. I was busy daydreaming about what a lot of fun that would be, but then those two big fat waddling Canada geese came over honking their brains out and scared the squirrel away. Let me tell you, they kinda scared me, too. I jumped backwards when they came too close and stared towards my window. I don't need that kind of harrassment. When they walk away, I can picture myself chasing them. Just as long as I don't have to look them in the eye. They're just a little bit bigger than I would want to tackle head-on.

That's all for now. I'm still demanding that my people post pictures of the Canada geese on my blog, but they're kinda lazy so it may take awhile. Until next time, purr-r-r-r.

Abandoned Animals - A Serious Problem

I heard something on the TV news the other day that really, really upsets me. Apparently people are losing their homes all over the country and because of that, lots of pets are being abandoned. For some reason, people are taking all their stuff but leaving their animals behind. Maybe they can’t take their animals with them, and maybe some of them become homeless and have no money to eat much less feed their pets. But these people made a commitment and they’re just walking away from their responsibilities to their family pets as well as their loans. How can they do that? Why can’t they take their animals to an animal shelter or contact someone before they move out of their homes to take care of their four-legged family members?

In addition to cats and dogs, farm animals are being abandoned, too. Beautiful and proud horses are left to starve when they are left behind. I know what it is like to be hungry because someone abandoned me, but I was just a little kitty and it didn’t take as much to feed me as it does a horse, or a pig or goat. Plus I was awfully cute and people were bound to feel pity for me.

So what can you do to help these abandoned animals and pets? If you can adopt a homeless animal, please do. And if you can only give money to help animals, give to your local no-kill animal shelter.

Also, there’s an animal sanctuary in Southern Utah called Best Friends that rescues animals that have been seriously mistreated and abused (like Michael Vick’s dogs), or are seriously ill or injured and need lots of medical care, therapy, and rehabilitation. Those animals that can be rehabilitated are put up for adoption. Those that are beyond hope are given a lifetime of loving care, regardless of their problems. Best Friends welcomes volunteers to help out in addition to having a large paid staff of professionals in animal care. Animals live in their own sections with names like Dogtown, Horse Haven and Kittyville.

If you have an RV, Best Friends has a couple of beautiful RV sites at their sanctuary in Angel Canyon in Kanab, Utah, so you can stay there while you visit, plus there are several other nearby RV parks. RV stays in the Sanctuary sites are limited to 14 days. The Sanctuary also has eight guest cottages and additional cabins that can be rented. Members of Best Friends pay reduced rates.

This would make a great vacation for those who want to physically help out, especially families with kids, although children under five are not allowed to volunteer. The Sanctuary is close to several National Parks where you can go hiking, sightseeing, or boating amid breathtaking scenery like that in Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon and Lake Powell. They are why this area is called the Golden Circle of National Parks, plus the Vermillion Cliffs are nearby and the Grand Canyon is not that far away. The Sanctuary is about 4 hours from Las Vegas and 6 hours from either Phoenix or Salt Lake City.

I put a link to Best Friends on the right—or go here to learn about the Sanctuary: http://www.bestfriends.org/aboutus/,
or here to learn about accommodations: http://www.bestfriends.org/atthesanctuary/angelcanyon/visitorfaq.cfm.
Please, please check their site to learn about this amazing, life-saving, compassionate program.

Stuttering

My people got another of those hilarious emails that they love to read out loud. I thought my she-person was gonna bust a gut laughing. See what you think.

A teacher is explaining biology to her 4th grade students. 'Human beings are the only animals that stutter', she says.

A little girl raises her hand. 'I had a kitty-cat who stuttered', she volunteered.

The teacher, knowing how precious some of these stories could become, asked the girl to describe the incident.

'Well', she began, 'I was in the back yard with my kitty and the Rottweiler that lives next door got a running start and before we knew it, he jumped over the fence into our yard!'

'That must've been scary', said the teacher.

'It sure was', said the little girl. 'My kitty raised his back, went 'Fffff, Fffff, Fffff'...And before he could say 'Fiddlesticks', the Rottweiler ate him!'


Okay, the kitty wasn’t trying to say fiddlesticks, but my people would wash my mouth out with soap if I used the real word. Now what’s so funny about a kitty getting eaten by a dog?

Drunk on Life

The weirdest thing happened to me. A couple of nights ago I started staggering and wobbling like a drunk. And no, I hadn't been smoking any funny stuff or drinking exotic drinks.

The he-person had my feathers on a stick that I love to play with so much, and he held it and twirled it around and around above my head. Well silly me, I whirled around in a tight little circle about six times trying my darndest to catch the feathers until my head was spinning, too. Then all of a sudden I had to stop, but my eyes bugged out and my body kept swaying back and forth. I couldn't figure out what in a fat rat's tail was happening to me!

My people laughed until they were blue in the face, but I couldn't see what was so funny. Now I'm trying to think of a way to get even. Trust me, I'll get them eventually.

We've had a couple of days of good weather and the Canada geese have been extra noisy. I'll put a photo of them on my blog in a couple of days They honk so loud, they've been giving me fits! Between listening to them and keeping an eye out for the gray and white next door and the deer that keep parading behind the motorhome, I'm not getting many cat naps. But then, I don't need my beauty sleep as much as my people do. M-e-o-w-w-w!

Life is Good

Y'all, life is good. It basically revolves around eating, sleeping, checking out the windows for wildlife, and eating. No that's not a mistake--I meant to say eating twice. I just love to eat. My people are threatening to take me to Petsmart just so they can weigh me. I'm not sure either one of them can carry me in my crate. I'm getting as big as a panther -- g-r-r-r-r-r.

That will suit me. Better not no one mess with me then. And that gray and white next door had better not hiss at me anymore. Actually, I'm a lover, so I would probably lick anything to death that attacked me. My favorite time of the day is when I wake up and lie there until my people come stroke my neck and under my chin. Then I purr like a motorboat. I might even lick their noses if they lean in close enough.

Oops, did I say that's my favorite time of the day. I didn't mean it. My really, really favorite time is feeding time. Purr-r-r-r.

We're leaving here in a couple of weeks, and my attitude might change a little when we hit the road again. If I could, I would prevent that from happening. I like the routine better when we're not traveling, but my people promise this will only be a one-day trip, or maybe two. That had better be true. We'll see, growl-l-l-l.

Sun and Fish. Yum!

Hi y'all! The sun is shining and I just looked out the window and saw three deer right behind the motorhome. Wow, those are some big puppies! I'm not sure if I would run up to greet them or not, but no one's giving me the chance to go after them.

I stepped out on the patio yesterday, and the gray and white from next door hissed at me. I guess he (or she) is not going to be my friend, after all.

My she-person took off again on Saturday, but this time with the nieces. The sky was sunny, so they went to the Olympia farmer's market, then to Gig Harbor for lunch and shopping. I didn't miss her though because my he-person stayed home with me and fed me some kippered herring. Yum! My she-person won't let him and me eat it when she's home because she says it stinks. As soon as she walked in she turned on the heat, then threw open a window and door to let some fresh air in.

To me and my he-person, canned fish smells heavenly. I could eat it every day. Purr-r-r-r.

My People Take a Trip Again. I Stay Home Again!

It's another great day in the Great Northwest, and there's not too much going on in my castle. I chase the sunshine when it comes out early in the morning by finding a warm, sunny spot to stretch out in. Then I spend the rest of the day searching for just the right spot to catch a few rays. Most days, the sun doesn't stick around, so I have to try and grab one of my people's chairs to curl up in.

When we were in Arizona it was easy to find the sun, and I had my regular routine. I would climb up high in the eastern windows to catch the morning rays, then move to a side window for the middle of the day, then to the dashboard to show off my suntan to all the neighbors while I caught the warm sunshine that came through in late afternoon. It was postively yummy to toast my belly on the dash. I'm afraid my dark coloring will fade unless we start getting more sun up here in Washington.

My people took off again yesterday to somewhere by the name of Chimacum on the Olympic Penninsula. They've talked about wanting to go out there to visit one of their membership parks, and took off for the entire day like they didn't have any responsibilities back here at home. They dropped in unexpectedly on a fellow "Penwheel's" member (that's a group of writers who are also Escapees members). They only meant to stop and say a quick "Hi," but had a really nice visit with the Lahores for a couple of hours.

Now what I don't understand is: Why won't they let me out to visit my neighbors here in the park? Shouldn't I be able to drop in on the gray and white next door, or chase the Canada geese and squirrels?

Oh, I forgot, that's how I met my people in the first place, only I had been outside wandering the park for a couple of weeks by the time they took me in. I guess they think I might forget where I live again.

Till next time, purr-r-r-r.

Snow??? It's Almost May, For Goodness Sakes!

Let me tell you, I had quite a scare when I looked out the window Saturday morning. Remember last Saturday when it was almost 80 degrees? Well no more - that and the sunshine was for one day only. Try 34, and snowing. Snowing hard! It didn't really stick because it was above freezing, but not by much. Then next, it started sleeting, then the sun kinda peeked out, then it started snowing again.

My people weren't home, and when it looked like it was going to stick to the ground, I was afraid they wouldn't get back to feed me. But finally, it turned back to plain old stinkin' rain and they made it home okay.

This northern climate is not for me. Get me out of here!!! B-r-r-r-r-r and G-r-r-r-r-r!

The Spittin' Image of Inky

When one of those "redneck" emails arrived this morning, this image was in it. No, this is not me, but it sure looks like me - right down to the glare in its eyes. Obviously it doesn't like its carrier!

I wouldn't stand for being confined to a box. I would shred my people to pieces with my back claws while they were trying to put me in it, and if that didn't work, I would shred the box to bits.

People are just screwy sometimes! G-r-o-w-l-l-l

Chasing Feathers!

My favorite game: chasing the feathers on a stick. I can jump up and turn completely around in the air trying to catch them. Obviously, my people weren't fast enough to catch that in a photo. You just can't get good people these days!

Outsmarting My People

Another day in the Northwest, not much going on, and the weather is still dreary. My people headed out somewhere yesterday to try and get their watches repaired. Who needs watches? I know when it's time to get up and when it's time to go to bed, and I also know when it's time to eat. What else is there?

Oh, there's making eye contact with the grey and white next door. I try to keep him (or her) in sight, so I'm constantly running between windows to track the kitty's path. I kinda wish I could get out and play with it, but then I don't want to be left outside where it gets cold and wet. That kitty looks kinda scruffy, like it has been caught outside in one too many rainstorms. I did find out it has a home with the people next door, but was a stray that they've kinda adopted. At least they feed it and take it in at night.

While I do have people, they march to their own drummers. I've discovered that they have claimed the two best chairs in the place as their own, while they expect me to take the couch. And I've noticed they don't use that very often. What? Do they think I'm stupid and don't know that the chairs are more comfortable? So I've made it my mission to grab one of their chairs when they get up! It's so much fun to run and plop in one as soon as they get up.

Of course, I would much rather have a velvet throne, but lying in one of these chairs after they've been warmed by my people will have to do. It's hard to get good people for what I pay.

Purr-r-r-r.

A WARM, SUNNY DAY

Well, we finally had our day of spring on Saturday, and what a beautiful day it was, too. It was both warm and sunny! But my people left me all alone while they headed south for the day where it was even warmer. They only went about 80 miles to near Mossyrock, WA to visit friends, but the sun was very warm and they sat outside on the deck overlooking Mayfield Lake all day.

Meanwhile, poor little me stayed all alone here in the RV park. I did have the little gray and white stray(?) kitty next door to keep me occupied, plus the squirrel and geese. And my people brought me a new toy to play with when they finally got home. It's a plastic, round thing that has two balls inside that go 'round and 'round. Of course, I have to bat at the balls every once in a while to keep them going. I love it when my people get on the floor and play with me, batting the ball back in my direction. Their help preserves my energy.

I can't quite figure out the ball on top. There are three holes and I'm supposed to reach down inside and bat the ball, I guess, to make it go 'round and 'round. But I figure the holes are for my feet, so I put my two front feet in two of the holes and try to pick the ball out with my teeth. Then I can't get the ball to move at all with both my feet stuck in the holes. It's frustrating as all get-out. They obviously didn't design this game with me in mind!

I played with the new toy all night by myself. My people kept yelling at me. I'm sure they were cheering for me because I was entertaining myself in the middle of the night. so maybe I'll do this every night instead of climbing on them and up the blinds in the bedroom. If it turns out they're yelling for me to keep quiet, at least if I'm in the living area, they can't reach me to swat at me and I can ignore them. I mean, what are they going to do? Get out of their warm bed and come in here and make me stop? This is what kitty's do, isn't it?

Life is sure good . . . purr-r-r-r!

Oh boy! I've been told I'm walking on thin ice again! I've been up to my old tricks of trying to get my people up at the crack of dawn.

What's with these people that they can't adjust? I think they're getting a little cranky again because it has rained every day since last Thursday. They don't like it! They say daylight means when the sky goes from black to dark gray, and sunrise is when dark gray might, MIGHT turn to a barely lighter gray, but the rain never seems to stop. So what's the point of even getting out of bed? And oh yes, the sun does occasionally come out for a few minutes, and when it does they rush around so they can go out and do errands, then by the time they get ready to leave it's pouring again. My she-person even wore her hair in some scary little-orphan-Annie do a couple of days because it wasn't worth the effort to blow dry it.

Not my problem. I'm all warm and cozy, and my hair stays sleek, shiny, and dry. They say we'll be heading to Spokane about May 15, but definitely not before it quits snowing over there. I think they are just a little bit spoiled . . .

Until next time, m-e-o-w.