Herbie's Drive-In

Felinus Poopus Constipatus

2011-11-12T12:44:00.000-05:00

It's been quite awhile since I updated this blog and for that I am truly sorry. I'm not one to play the blame game (although whatever it is, in most cases, Tim did it! I'm sure of it!), but I really must blame my peeps this time. They've been working on a project of sorts which has left me without much time to play on the computer. Having said that, they feed me well, give me lots of love, great toys and my own window seat so I think it's best that I not complain too much.

Since my last update, a couple things of note have happened. The first, involves me, so it's the most important and the one I'm going to talk about now! The second, involves that project peeps have been working on which I'm going to talk about in my next blog post so...stay tuned. It's quite a shocker!

You want to put a tube where???

In August, as many of you know, I spent 3 days at the...erm...spa having 5 (yes 5!) of those trendy colonics! It all started one Wednesday evening when peeps got home from work. They noticed that my nose was extremely pink, I was a bit frantic and I was panting. Peeps were pretty scared b/c they thought maybe I was having another panic attack (although they couldn't figure out what had upset me) so they called the vet and she also thought maybe I was having another attack so she told peeps to rush me to the emergency hospital. So off we go! Poor peeps. I know the $$$$ were exploding in their heads. But, as they told me on the ride over - "Herbie, you're more important than any amount of money," but they did wonder why I couldn't get something simple (and inexpensive) like an upset stomach! :) So, we arrived at the hospital in a florish of frantic peeps and meowing travel case. The emergency vet actually met us at the door b/c our vet had called over to alert them that we were coming. Since everyone thought I was having another panic attack...which I almost died from last time...they were taking it very seriously. I was whisked back to the emergency area and after the vets had a look at me we found out the awful news. I was full of the poops! From one end of my intestine to the other was nothing but poops! It was obvious

Me with Felinus Poopus Constipatus

that I had a bad case of Felinus Poopus Constipatus...or, for those of you not versed in medical terminology...I was all stopped up!
So I had to stay at the hospital...I mean spa... for two nights while they tried to get everything moving. 5 colonics later and...erm...I was still full of poops! At one point the vet thought they might actually have to perform a small surgery to get the poops out, but peeps weren't willing to agree to that until everything else had been tried. So the next step was some medicine, given through a tube that went in my nose (and was stitched to my cheek! Pfftt!) and down my throat, that the vet felt had a good chance of working! And sure enough...12 hours later...the poops came out and I was as good as new! :) The only thing peeps have to say about the whole ordeal is that they MUCH preferred when my bowel movements were free! :)

A little thinner w/ stitch marks by my nose

The good life!

No one knows why I got so constipated. It can often be more common in overweight cats. I was on allergy medicne at that time as well so that might have had something to do with it. Regardless, peeps don't want me to ever have to go thru that again and they believe, along with my vet, that getting rid of some of my pudge may be the first step. Even if my weight had nothing to do with this episode,they know that I'll be healthier weighing a bit less. So, peeps have changed our diet to all moist food (we used to have dry food for breakfast and moist food for dinner) and my weight loss has been amazing. I'm certainly not thin, but I have lost some weight without even trying. Even better, I'm alot more active now and even happier. :)

Until next time...
xoxo

Today's Special: Bring Your Cats To Disney Day?

2011-05-13T15:36:00.000-04:00

As many of you already know, my peeps LOVE to travel. Two years ago they took a Mediterranean cruise to Italy, Greece, Turkey, Egypt and Israel. It was the highlight of their life. But...alas...life doesn't allow for these 3 weeks cruises every year so there are lots of other places my peeps enjoy visiting. A big favorite of theirs is Disney World. And Disneyland. And a Disney Cruise. And to the movies to see a Disney movie now and again. Are you seeing a theme here? Since we live on the east coast, they most often go to Disney World because it's only 2 hours away by plane. It's like a home away from home for them. Not because they want to meet a princess or a big yellow bear named Winnie. They don't even care that much about meeting a BIG mouse named Mickey. As far as I'm concerned, this makes them certifiably crazy! Have you seen the size of that mouse???

Peeps are telling me how big the real Mickey Mouse is. Wow!

For peeps it's just a place to relax and take a little breather from life. Peeps always say "Herbie, how many places can you go in this world where you see a child AND their parents skipping down a street?" I never know what to say when I'm asked that question. I'm a house cat. I go upstairs and downstairs. I sleep on the couch and lay in the sun. I will admit that when I look out my front window (which I do quite often), I never see any people skipping down the sidewalk so I'm assuming my answer would have to be"not many places." That's my best guess anyway.

So...as a house cat that gets left behind whenever peeps visit this "land of magic" (are you sensing the bitterness?), I felt the need to finally ask them just what it is that they like so much. Here's what they told me:

Ice Cream Cone with ears!

1. Food! Food! Food! - I'm proud of my peeps for this one. Apparently, there are tons of different restaurants serving every type of food imaginable. Their favorite place to eat is Epcot. Italian, Chinese, Japanese, French...you name it, it's there! They're also big fans of things like ice cream, funnel cake, turnovers...you know, the important things in life. ;)

2. Laughter - Peeps love laughing and they do alot of it at Disney World. They feel very carefree there. Not a worry in the world. Whether it's relaxing by a pool or riding a favorite ride...there's always something fun to do. And none of it includes work!

3. Relaxation - Peeps find Disney World very relaxing...even though they swear they walk miles and miles every trip. Does this sound relaxing to you? I'm really wondering if my peeps are right in the head. But, variety is the spice of life so if peeps want to relax by walking until their legs fall off, I guess that's their choice. Personally, if I were in Disney World, I would be lounging in the sun when not chasing the big mouse, so we obviously have different priorities, but I try not to hold it against them.

4. Get To Be A Kid Again - In many ways, my peeps are like big kids anyway so it makes sense to me that they'd like a place that makes them feel even more silly and goofy. Get it? Goofy? Oh I am on a roll now!!

Main Street at Disney World

The one thing peeps always say is missing from these trips...is all of us. They're still hoping for a special "Bring Your Cats to Disney Day." They think it would be so great to walk down Main Street with us. What a sight that would be! Every time they say this I giggle to myself. Most of us, being the pampered house cats that we now are, can think of nothing worse. Obviously peeps would have to drive. I have panic attacks staying in a luxury boarding facility, so I'm hardly going to handle flying on a plane very well! So...let's think about this:

1. Two peeps and nine cats in a car for 15+ hours. Even if all of us were happy (not a chance), it would be a little taxing on peeps. Peeps wouldn't be able to stop and go to the bathroom because mark my word...someone (Bellatrix is my best guess) would try to fly out the door every time. They also wouldn't be able to go to a drive-thru for food. Have you ever tried to eat food in close quarters with nine cats??? So at best peeps would arrive very hungry with their legs permanently crossed. At worst, they would arrive very hungry with embarrassingly wet pants.

2. Two peeps and nine cats in a hotel room for a few days. Again...not exactly relaxing. With the 9 cat carriers, 3 HUGE litter boxes, 9 food/water dishes, the cans of food and the toys, there really wouldn't be any room to move around. I guarantee someone (Petunia) would claim the bathtub as their hiding spot so peeps wouldn't be able to shower. The rest of us would most likely claim the beds so...no sleep for peeps!

3. Two peeps trying to get nine cats into leashes on the morning of the "Bring Your Cats to Disney Day." Enough said.

4. And finally, two peeps and nine cats walking (I use this term loosely) down Main Street. What I envision is two peeps (covered in band aids) walking and nine cats getting belly burn as they're dragged along the asphalt. The happy, screaming children would be a big hit I'm sure. Considering Max hates any type of loud noise, I don't think he would survive this. His eyes would get so big they'd pop right out of his head!

So as you can see, peeps haven't thought this through. It would be a nightmare! Although we miss them when they go away, we love our pet sitter and we're happy in our house with all our smells.

Riley is trilled with his present - can't you tell?

When they get back, they always have lots of hugs and kisses for us and sometimes they even bring us presents. Most often it's some special Disney cat treats that we love, but one time they brought us special Mickey ears! Poor Riley...I mean lucky Riley...got to wear them first. ;)

My Christmas Mickey t-shirt - Pfftt!

And, they won't let me forget when they brought me back a Mickey t-shirt. They gave it to me as a Christmas present. Everyone else got catnip toys and bags of treats while I ended up with this crummy t-shirt! I didn't like it at all and peeps took it off soon after this photo was taken thank goodness.

Knowing peeps as I do, when they get back from their next trip, they'll start talking about that "Bring Your Cats To Disney Day" again. I know they mean well. It's just that they miss us and wish they could share all the things they enjoy with us. So...I'll just meow...fall over...and love them all the more.

Until next time...
xoxo

Today's Special: The Cat Food Conundrum

2011-03-29T19:48:00.000-04:00

As many of you know, recently Wellness had a voluntary recall for less than adequate amounts of thiamine in some of their canned foods. This was very upsetting to peeps b/c Wellness is a highly respected food and is one of the foods we ate. We had many cans in our pantry with the "bad dates" on them. Thankfully none of us got sick. Peeps (and our vet) think it's because we eat a variety of canned foods at each meal, not just one type. While we were eating Wellness, we were also eating two other brands so they probably provided us the thiamine the Wellness was lacking. Peeps are more determined than ever now, to never feed us just one brand of food.

With the recall of Wellness, peeps were on the hunt for some new canned food for us. In the past, peeps have always fed whatever foods the vet recommended...never really knowing why certain brands were considered better than others. When the Wellness recall happened, peeps went out on their own and researched exactly what makes a certain cat food a chomp above the rest. They thought maybe I'd want to share their findings here with you and I said sure. If there's one thing I enjoy writing about, it's food!

First and foremost, the information I'm giving here is information peeps found during their research. They are not veterinarians or cat food experts. As they researched, they felt that they learned a lot and wanted to share some of that knowledge with other cat lovers.

Secondly, all the information they're sharing is about canned (moist) cat food. Dry cat food is another beast all together. Basically, the overall consensus is that it should be kept to a low percentage of the overall diet. Most dry foods are very high in carbs and very low in moisture which means they aren't really good for us kitties. Try to think of what a kitty would eat if it were out in the wild. Ultimately, something as close as possible to that should show up in the bowl come meal time. Last time I checked, you won't find a cat chasing down a herd of kibble on the African savanna! ;) Personally, we all love dry food in my house and we do get it sometimes. Just like with canned food, peeps try to make an informed decision and pick a brand that they feel is as healthy as possible.

And finally, peeps believe that as long as a pet owner gives their pet the very best that they can, then that's all anyone can ask. Generally, the more you spend, the better quality, healthier food you'll get, but that doesn't mean that you can't make informed decisions with lesser-priced brands. Here are some basic rules to follow when choosing a canned food:

1. Make sure some form of meat-based protein is listed first in the list of ingredients. When choosing a meat, look for a muscle meat (chicken, turkey, duck, rabbit, etc) as the first ingredient rather than a by-product, liver, fish, or beef.

2. Keep moisture high...although not so high that there's no room left for the important ingredients. Most good brands will have ~78% moisture.

3. Keeps carbs and fat low.

So...overall you want to keep protein high (make sure it's from animals, not plants), water high and carbs/fats low. Try to stay away from foods having corn (maize), wheat and/or soy if you can. These grains have absolutely no logical place in your cat's diet and high quantities can even be detrimental to their health. And let's not forget that the huge pet food recall in 2007 was due to contaminated wheat gluten - something that shouldn't even be in cat food to begin with!

The first thing that peeps learned on their journey was that a "raw diet" was the very best thing. Some people make their own, but after peeps learned more about this, they didn't think it was for them. Trying to get all the vitamins and minerals just right so that we would all have a nutritionally complete diet scared them. So next they checked out the commercially available raw diets. Peeps really didn't do a lot of research on these because financially, this just wasn't a feasible choice for us.

So...now we move on to the canned cat foods. The "meat" of this blog so to speak. ;) Peeps found that there were basically three categories of canned food. Ultra-Premium, Premium and Supermarket. If you look at the labels and follow the basic rules above, you should be able to tell which category a specific brand best fits into. Sometimes it's not black and white though. There are shades of grey...

For example, some of the grain-free brands end up being pretty high in fat. Is it better to have grains or better to have higher fat? Based on all the research peeps have done, higher fat would be the choice. Fat is normally a much better source of calories for a cat than carbs. But, for someone like me (of the rotund variety), peeps want to be careful of too much fat in my diet so...that particular brand might not be the best choice for me all the time. I need something without carbs/low in carbs but also lower in fat. It's a cat food conundrum! It goes without saying that peeps are still researching and trying to come up with just the right combination for all of us.

Dinner time at my house

Ultra-Premium Foods
These brands can be found at specialty pet stores in your area and online and they provide the highest quality, healthiest, and most nutritious ingredients. They contain nutrient-rich ingredients such as real meat as the primary protein source, whole, fresh fruits and vegetables, and (if not grain-free) fiber-rich whole grains like brown rice. They don't contain artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors. They also don't contain wheat, corn or soy. They are usually fortified with additional vitamins and minerals and will use the best natural sources for fatty acids to support the immune system and help build healthy skin and a beautiful coat. You should expect to pay a little more for these brands than you would for other types of pet food, but remember, with healthier foods you can often feed less since they are more nutrient-dense.

Premium Foods
These brands are often found in high-end grocery stores, pet stores, and veterinarian offices and they contain higher-grade ingredients. They contain real meat as the primary protein source, but may still include some elements of "supermarket" foods, such as artificial colors, artificial flavors, and chemical preservatives. They will also normally included a higher level of carbohydrates than "ultra-premium" foods with grains. It's especially important to read the label when buying this category of canned cat food because there is a lot of variation. These foods are usually more expensive than "supermarket" foods because their ingredients are of a higher quality.

Supermarket Foods
These brands are found in grocery stores and mass-market retailers and are typically made with lower-quality, less-digestible, inexpensive ingredients and, therefore, are a cheaper alternative. While easy on the pocketbook, these foods normally do not provide your cat with the healthiest, most nutrient-dense ingredients.

So there you have it. I didn't feel comfortable throwing out brand names for each category because as I stated above...this is all just based on some research peeps did for us. If you follow the basic rules as much as possible then you'll find a good cat food that works for you. I don't think there's any brand out there that is 100% perfect in every way. If there is, peeps haven't found it yet! Right now we're eating 3 different brands and peeps will probably be adding a 4th sometime soon. Most of us will eat just about anything, but Louie and Max can make changing foods very challenging. Louie is just a picky eater, but before Max came to live with us, he ate one of the "supermarket" foods that tasted great, but offered little in nutritional value. Changing this diet was akin to feeding a child fast food for awhile and then trying to convince them that broccoli tastes just as good! ;) Mmm hmmm. Not easy!! So...trying to find something more healthy that Max actually

likes...well...it's always been a challenge and it probably always will be. And when you add in the big sad eyes that Max gives peeps when his food bowl isn't to his liking...it's scary stuff! But so far, so good. He's slowly but surely starting to clean his bowl again with our new foods. :)

And, just one last note...if you decide to change your cat's food, make sure to do it slowly - mixing in a little of the new food with a lot of the old food at first. Then, sloooooowly, over time, give more new food and less old food until the old food is gone from the diet completely. Obviously, in our case, we couldn't do this as slowly as peeps would have liked because of the recall, but we've all survived the injustice! I don't mean to tattle on my siblings (ok...fine...I love doing it), but Polly's tail had to be...ummm...washed a few times, but that's the worst there was. She's a diva though, so what do you expect? ;)

Until next time...
xoxo

Today's Special: Nothing But Trouble

2011-03-12T20:22:00.000-05:00

Last night my extra fav peep put on an old shirt and noticed there was a jagged hole in the side. After looking at it for a moment, the light bulb went off and they remembered where they'd gotten that hole...

The Joy of a Good Window

It was, for all intents and purposes, a normal Friday morning in August. The year was 2009. Peeps were getting ready to eat breakfast and my sibs and I were all lying around the family room waiting for morsels. It was hazy and rainy, but a bit cooler than normal. Peeps had even opened a window for us to enjoy a little fresh air (not really possible in August, but I digress) before the oppressive heat and humidity returned. I, being a bit of a bully, had pushed everyone else out of the way so that I could actually sit in the window. It was sublime.

As the daily activity went on around me, I was mesmerized by what was going on in the tree directly in front of me. There was a birdie. A pretty birdie. Hopping around in the tree. I knew I could reach out and touch it...if it weren't for the window screen. But then the birdie started flitting around. Flit. Flitflit. Flit. Flitflitflit. Little wings flapping. Chirping. It was more than any self-respecting cat could stand for! I decided then and there that I wanted to get up close and personal with the birdie. You know...just to say "Hi. How ya doin'?"...that sort of thing. Well, the next several seconds are all a blur to me, but here's what I remember:

I lunged for flitting birdie.
I heard a very strange sound - like a loud rip.
I was in the tree with the birdie.

I was sliding down the tree and the birdie had flown away.
I heard a scream.
I hit the ground.

The ground. Not the floor. Not the safe family room carpet. But the wet ground of...OUTSIDE. I heard footsteps rushing down the front steps and got really scared so I ran. Ran fast. Very fast. Faster than peeps thought I could. Thankfully I ran around to the back of the house, but I was out of sight before peeps even knew what hit them. I was gone and peeps had no idea where I was. They were frantic! As they ran around looking for me in the pouring rain, extra fav peep got in a fight with a fence (and from the look of things, the fence won), got a big scratch on their side and a jagged hole in their shirt. They didn't even realize it at the time.

Naturally, I knew I was hiding under a bush several houses away, but peeps didn't. I could hear them yelling for me. "Heeeeerbie. Heeeeerbie where are you?" I was too scared to go out and find them so I just started meowing. I was soaking wet from the rain and absolutely miserable. I was thinking many things as I lay there. My home that I loved so much was gone. I was on my own again...like before I lived at the shelter. Was there somewhere out here that I could get my whipped cream? What about my canned dinner at 6pm? Would someone deliver my bedtime snacks? And where did I line up for hugs and kisses and warm blankets? And what if...wait...hands. There were hands coming thru the bush I was hiding under. Familiar hands. And a familiar voice was saying "Come here Herbie. It's ok. Come on." And then I was out from under the bush. And I was getting hugs and kisses and all sorts of good things. And peeps were quickly carrying me back to my house. Oh boy! My house! I didn't move a muscle while they carried me. And if you know me, you know that I don't like to be picked up so this wasn't normal behavior for me. I was so glad to be found. And when we got inside, peeps dried me off, all my sibs welcomed me home and I got...you guessed it...a little dish of whipped cream! All was right with the world.

"The Window" (you can see the rip where I fell thru in the bottom right corner above Max)

And so you see...that's what peep was thinking about last night when they saw the jagged hole in their shirt. They looked at me and said "Herbie, you're nothing but trouble" and they're right...but they love me anyway.

Until next time...
xoxo

Today's Special: Honors and Accolades At Such A Young Age

2011-02-08T19:38:00.000-05:00

This is a very special post because I'm celebrating my very first award! Honors and accolades at such a young age! And I have the stunning one herself, Cathy Keisha (www.stunningkeisha.com) to thank for it. I'm afraid I haven't had time to write up an acceptance speech so I'll just have to speak from the heart. First and foremost I'd like to thank Cathy Keisha of course. I'd like to thank my peeps for FINALLY listening to me and giving me my own blog about 10 months ago. It took me ages to convince them that a blog was a good idea. They are very headstrong and...well...I suppose now isn't the time to complain about them (I'll be back to talk about this later...) Anyway, where was I? Oh right, yes, I'd like to thank my siblings for being such easy marks - I mean for being so cute - and giving me so much material for this blog. And I'd like to thank you, my readers, for sticking with me over these past months. It means a lot to me.

Ok, now, enough of that syrupy stuff. I want to get to the important stuff. My award...and my image. I know the paparazzi will be out in droves when they hear about this so...I've decided to go with the "relaxed, laid back and ready for fame" look. What do you think?

Winner of Stylish Blogger Award

Yes, I think that's just right. It really captures my "cool cat" attitude.

Now let's see, from what I understand, I'm supposed to tell you several things abt myself that you might not know. Hmmm... I'm thinking. I'm thinking. This isn't as easy as it might seem. I'm not one to give away all my secrets you see, but here are what I consider my important selling points...

Backwards Tail: When I get really happy, my tail lays on my back and shakes. I did this the first time I met the peeps at the shelter. It's my secret weapon. It reeled them right in! From that day forward they've always sworn my tail's on backwards.

Embarrassing Meow: Looking at me, you see a big (I have a lot of muscles) cat. However, my meow is very high-pitched. And when I meow I scrunch my face up and close my eyes.

Don't Play Well With Others: I like my space. If I'm laying on the couch for example, and a sibling gets on the couch, even if it's all the way at the other end, I'll growl at them. And if they get too close, I'll swat them. Peeps nicknamed me "grumpy pants" for just this reason.

Bossy Lap Cat: I love laying with my peeps. When I'm ready to get settled (which is usually as soon as they sit down) I stare them down until I get just the spot I want.

Not a Picker-Upper: I hate being picked up. Only my extra fav peep can do it without me screaming bloody murder, but ultimately I like my feet firmly planted on the ground.

Did You Smell That? I Didn't: I have the worst sense of smell of any cat peeps have ever known. Having said that...if something is amiss somewhere in the house, I will lead my peeps right to it every time!

Obsessive Kneader: Peeps always try to keep my nails short because when I'm happy (which is just about anytime I'm around the peeps), I pat down (and purr and drool) like you wouldn't believe. Sometimes with all 4 legs and a tail thrown in for the fun of it!

Overactive Paw: I use my paw for everything. Hitting my siblings, tapping my extra fav peep's face to wake them up, knocking food out of peep's hand, pulling food off peep's plate...the list goes on and on.

Stuffed Mouser Extraordinaire: I have 3 stuffed mice that I love. I carry these mice all over the house...meowing as I go...often bringing them to peeps and then waiting for my praise. On Christmas morning this year I brought one down to peeps and put it right between them as they were opening gifts.

There you have it. That's me in a nutshell. If you ask me, with a list like that, I'm not sure why people aren't beating down the front door to claim me as their own! It really is a mystery isn't it? Ah well...there's no accounting for good taste when it comes to humans.

xoxo

Today's Special: Firebathing

2011-01-23T15:57:00.000-05:00

I've always considered myself a cat with his paw on the cusp of the latest popular thing. I'm not saying I necessarily like said thing, just that I'm aware of it. However, having said that, my newest obsession, firebathing (similar to sunbathing yet obviously different), seems to be a well kept secret. Mark my words, within weeks I think this craze will be sweeping the world!

As most of you know, we moved into a new house over the summer. This house is great! We all love it so much. One thing that peeps were looking for in a new house was this new-fangled mechanism called a fireplace. They wanted this in the family room. I didn't really understand why they were so set on it, but now that we have it...I'm not sure how I lived without it. It's a simple little thing really. Box in the wall, switch above it. Nothing really to write home about until...peeps flip that switch. These beautiful orange flames jump up and this delightful warmth pours out. Like all good things though, firebathing has, as I've learned, its own set of rules and regulations. I will try and relay those here, through my own experiences, so that when it takes the world by storm you will all be in the know!

Strategic Planning

As you can see in my picture entitled "Strategic Planning", when the switch is flipped, I am immediately enthralled. I gaze longingly into the fire, calculating my next move. It's obvious that, in this particular case, a certain 3-legged sibling needs to vacate the firebathing area for me to choose the spot I would like. The tricky part is...my peeps. If I forcibly remove 3-legged sibling (my plan of choice), then I will get in trouble. What to do, what to do? Ultimately, I didn't have to make the decision because 3-legged sibling moved on his own. Kudos to him for doing the right thing! My plan of action is to get to the fire as quickly as possible. With 3-legged sibling out of the way, one would think my journey to the fire would be easy right? Well, with 7 other siblings to contend with (many also interested in the art of firebathing), I find that nothing is ever easy. If, for example, one of them were to have the unfortunate notion of being in my way when I make my move toward the fire, I would have no choice but to run them down. If one (hypothetically speaking of course), were to choose a spot that I wanted, I would be inclined to slap, hiss, growl or (my favorite), simply lay on silly sibling until they opt for a different spot. The important thing to remember is that my spot is where ever I choose...most often closest to the fire but it depends on my mood at the time.

Lazy Firebather

Now I'd like to direct you to my next photo entitled "Lazy Firebather." As you can see, I have chosen my spot and settled in quite nicely. I have put my front legs up and stretched my back legs out for maximum fire exposure of course. However, in this photo, I really must direct your attention to my sister Polly. She has really outdone herself don't you think? She has found actual firebathing lounging equipment in which to use...to more fully enhance her firebathing experience. Assuming firebathing takes off as I think it will, I'm sure that similar lounging equipment will be available soon, in a store near you.

Firebathing With A Friend

In my final photo, "Firebathing With A Friend," I'd like to point out not only a different position (this one optimizing back exposure), but also the fact that I have brought a tiny red and green friend along with me. Sharing your firebathing experience with a friend is an excellent idea. This particular friend smelled of catnip and I was more than happy to share my spot with him. Also, my brother Louie has joined me for this session. As long as I'm able to have the spot of my choice, I have no issues if my siblings wish to take part as well.

I sincerely hope these tips and suggestions will help to improve your future firebathing experiences. If, as you begin your journey, you have questions, please don't hesitate to ask. There's nothing better than knowing that all my friends are enjoying the wonderful art of firebathing as much as I am.

Until next time...
xoxo

Today's Special: Christmas Brings a Treat Ball

2010-12-26T12:53:00.000-05:00

That's right. A treat ball! What an amazing invention! We were given so many great toys for Christmas, but without a doubt the treat ball is my favorite. If you think about it, it's the perfect gift for me. It involves food. Anything that involves food is on the top of my list.

Here's how it works: Peeps fill the ball up with treats. It only holds about 10 at a time. I hear the crinkle of the treat bag and come running. Once filled with treats, peeps place it on the floor. And...I begin chasing it all over the house hoping that a treat will fall out. Every now and again one will hit the floor and I get so excited I nearly trip over myself to get to it! Ultimately it's a win/win situation for peeps and me. They've managed to get me a little more active and I've managed to get a toy that actually dispenses food!

So...to quote Cousin Eddie from one of our favorite Christmas movies, Christmas Vacation, my treat ball is truly "the gift that keeps on givin' the whole year."

Happy Holidays everyone!
xoxo

Today's Special: Herbie Potter and the Catly Hallows

2010-11-19T19:54:00.000-05:00

As many of you already know, my peeps and I love the Harry Potter books and movies. Today was opening day for the seventh movie in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1- or, as I like to think of it (after my friend Da Puttytats G suggested it) - Herbie Potter and the Catly Hallows. That has a nice ring to it don't you think?

Because I've been so excited about the new movie, I've been talking about it quite a bit on Twitter and Facebook and I've found that there are still many animals and peeps out there who haven't given the series a chance yet. Believe me, I understand. We weren't fans from the beginning. Neither peep had ever read anything in the fantasy genre - witches, wizards, magic...no way! Also, since the HP series is officially considered a children's series, peeps really didn't give it a second thought. But finally, several different friends and co-workers convinced them to just give the first book a try. At the time, the sixth book, Half-Blood Prince was hitting the stands. So grudgingly peeps bought the first book, swore they wouldn't like it...and never looked back. They were hooked. And the funny thing is, as often as we hear people say "I don't think I'd like it," we've never heard anyone who's given it a chance say "I really didn't like it."

It's pretty obvious that the books are a classic tale of good vs evil, right vs wrong. But there's so much more. They're steeped in mythology and history. Not only is there a running storyline throughout the whole series that progresses with each new installment, but each book offers it's own mysteries and secrets. The characters are extremely well-developed and as you travel thru each book you discover that they're more than just fictional characters...they're friends and enemies that you genuinely love or hate.

The movies, as a whole, are absolutely brilliant. Again, my feelings hearken back to what I mentioned above. It's amazing to see these characters and places that you've come to love so much, on the big screen in front of you. The movies compliment the books in so many ways while still adding a whole new dimension to the story. Personally, we would choose to read the books before seeing the corresponding movie because the books allow your imagination free reign, but the movies can stand alone as well.

So, I encourage all of you that haven't yet started this incredible journey, to pick up the very first book, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone (Sorcerer's Stone in the US) and give it a try. If you do, I'm almost certain that before long you'll be grabbing a ride on the Knightbus to Diagon Alley to share a butterbeer with me while we discuss the magic of Harry Potter.

xoxo

Today's Special: Along Came Polly

2010-10-30T14:27:00.000-04:00

This blog post begs a certain question. Whose blog is this? Last time I checked, it was mine. Herbie. Me. But yet here I am again, taking up my time to write something about one of my sibs. It wouldn't be so bad if I just had one or two sibs, but with eight...this could go on forever! Forgive me for what some may think are just my paranoid delusions, but I feel there may be a conspiracy involved. And I'm going to point my paw at the usual suspect. I'm not going to mention any names here but...he has three legs. You get me right? It's just a little suspicious that ever since "suspect" has taken up residence here, "suspect" has been the topic of two blogs and now another sib, Polly (who could easily be in cahoots with "suspect") gets to be featured in a blog...

Cue flashback music:

Polly is the oldest of the 9 of us. She was born in Feb 1999 and came to peeps in May of 1999 at 12 weeks of age. She's pure Turkish Van (and a DIVA - wait - who said that?). As a general rule, peeps don't normally adopt pure breed cats. Nothing against them or people who adopt them, but peeps just prefer to adopt cats from shelters. But...many years ago, peeps had a very good friend who was a breeder of Turkish Vans so...along came Polly.

Yesterday peeps noticed that Polly didn't seem to be feeling like herself...again. A few weeks ago she'd been feeling under the weather too. The vet decided it was a virus that simply needed to work itself out. Sure enough, a few days later, Polly was back to her old (Diva) self. But yesterday Polly was once again showing similar symptoms, so peeps called the vet this morning and took Polly in for a check-up and some fluids. Peeps try to act quickly because Polly loves to get sick on the weekends. I think she does it b/c she's jealous that I got to go to the "special vet" when I had my "boarding incident" back in June.

You see, we're very lucky that we have a very special veterinary clinic just down the road from us. They work in conjunction with various regular vet clinics throughout the country. People come from all over to have their pet taken care of at this "special vet." You can only go there if your regular vet refers you or in cases of emergency...like when I was so sick back in June or when peeps had a cat treated for cancer many years ago. They're open 24 hours and they do just about everything there (emergency medicine, surgery, cancer treatment etc) and they do it extremely well. It's an amazing place! But...they have a very simple fee structure that frightens peeps. This is how peeps explained it to me: when you walk in the door, that's $1000. After that, just figure on an additional $1000 per day.MOL So when peeps see any of us getting sick near a weekend, they quickly call our regular vet and try to get us taken care of so that we don't have to visit the "special vet" on Saturday night or Sunday when our regular vet is closed. Now don't get me wrong, peeps will do anything they have to do for us to be happy and healthy, but they'd rather avoid the "special vet" when we really only need to see the regular vet.

So back to the diva...I mean Polly...she's hilarious in her own way. Her bark is much worse then her bite. She loves to growl and hiss at just about everything, but it's all just for show. Underneath it, she's a very sweet cat who loves to snuggle and be held. One thing I've always really admired about Polly (aside from her color and markings) is her ability to open just about any door or drawer in the house. This has often proved quite valuable for me if peeps happen to be hiding treats or food behind said door or drawer. Mind you, I thought her talents were limited to the house, but after seeing the video my peeps showed me, obviously her talents are far reaching! Thankfully peeps were able to extract her from the drawer (three times!) and the vet was able to take a look at her. Seems that Polly is indeed dealing with the virus yet again. According to the vet, many cats have been coming in with similar symptoms recently. Polly was given some fluids and is now happily resting in a cabinet upstairs. Vet will check in on Monday and if Polly is still feeling bad, then we'll go from there. Hopefully she'll be back to herself before we know it!

Until next time...
xoxo

Today's Special: Ground Control to Major Tim

2010-10-19T20:50:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure how I feel about this. This is the second time my bro Tiny Tim has featured prominently on MY blog. Is this simply because I'm a kind and generous kitty? Well, of course I am, but ultimately it's because that Tiny Tim keeps doing things to get attention. And so the saga begins...

Today was Tim's very first vet visit in our hometown. He had all his tests, operations and vaccinations done down in Alabama before he came to us. And yes, yes, everyone at the vet office fawned over him. "Oh he's so cute." "Oh he has 3 legs." "Oh his name is Tiny Tim." Blah, blah, blah.*yawn* Anyway, I digress. Today he needed to go to the vet because his leg "nubbin" (as you can see I'm well versed in medical terminology) had a big scab on it and was a little bloody. Peeps were worried that maybe he had an infection and they believe it's better to be safe then sorry. Thankfully, to make a long story short, Tim is totally fine. The vet believes that Tim is most likely licking his "nubbin" and causing all the trouble. See what I mean about him always doing things for attention? So...and this is the very best part...Tim has to wear one of those collars so that he leaves his "nubbin" alone. But I'm jumping ahead of myself by mentioning the collar. I'm just so darn excited about it! But, anyway, if the "nubbin" still doesn't heal with Tim's tongue out of the picture, then an x-ray will be necessary to make sure the bone is smooth at the amputation site. He's got some antibiotics to take b/c it is a little bit infected and peeps have to put some cream on it to help it heal. I think that's all the boring stuff. Now on to the collar...

Are you in there little spaceman?

So after the vet, Tim came home. And let me tell you...I didn't know what was going on when I first saw him. "Ground control to Major Tim. Take your protein pills and put your helmet on" (obviously David Bowie had met a cat similar to Tim back in the 70s with the name Tom) is all that came to my mind . I can't say for sure if Tim took his protein pills, but he definitely put his helmet on!! Haha! I simply couldn't stop staring at him. I didn't growl. I didn't hiss. I didn't meow. I just sat down and stared. My gosh he looked funny! I'm fairly sure he wasn't, and isn't, very happy with his current situation either. I feel like I've hit the jackpot. When I woke up this morning I had no idea this day would turn out to be so hilarious. I mean, have you really looked at him? Even he can't believe his fate.

Ultimately, poor little Tiny Tim has to get used to his new space helmet because he's going to be wearing the fashionable headgear for a couple weeks (the lengths he goes to for Halloween are ridiculous!) to give his "nubbin" time to heal. I don't think he'll be able to hang on me during this time. Maybe he won't even be able to bite my tail. One can hope, one can dream. For now though, his excursion to the vet and his funny hat have worn him out. So he and I both bid you adieu until next time...

xoxo

Today's Special: What will you be watching?

2010-09-19T15:01:00.000-04:00

I know...I know...I'm supposed to be telling you all about my new house. And that is a work in progress. But one thing I really enjoy is hearing your opinions about various things. So I thought maybe every once in awhile I'd write a blog with just that plan in mind. So today I want to talk about...Fall TV.

It's true...I'm a TV watching cat. There's nothing I enjoy more than snuggling on the couch with my peeps and watching some TV. The remote control still baffles me slightly, but I try not to let that stop me. I can easily change the channels. Often times right in the middle of whatever show peeps are watching! I've actually learned a few new words from peeps by doing that, but I can't repeat them here.

So I've compiled a list of the shows that we will definitely, might be and I wish we wouldn't be watching. How about you? What are your favorites this season? What shows do you wish would simply disappear?

TWO PAWS UP

We love this show! There always seems to be just the right mix of teams we don't like and teams we do like. I rarely change the channel during this one. ;)

Another great show in our opinion. How many shows are there on TV where people are called donkeys and donuts? Mind you, I think I'm a much better chef then that Gordon Ramsey, but I'm not one to brag...

Bazinga! One of the funniest shows on TV we think. That Sheldon just makes me giggle.

What can I say? To me, sheer comedy genius. Whether it's Angela & Dwight's creepy love affair or Michael...well...just being Michael, this show makes me laugh my paws off every week. The original British show, also called The Office, is well worth watching too.

It's a show about various serial killers rampaging around killing people in numerous horrific ways. There's no chance my extra fav peep, and me by default, won't be watching this one!

PAWS FLAT OUT

One of my peeps is very excited about the new Hawaii Five-O. Apparently they remember the original from when they were a very small child. I'm not so sure about this one. "Book 'em Danno." What kind of name is Danno? One thing I will say is that the theme song is very catchy. Once it gets in my head, it's there for the day!

I'm not sure I really care about who will outwit, outplay and outlast this season, but we at least like to give this show a chance each time it comes on. Sometimes it turns out to be quite interesting. Other times...not so much.

PAWS TUCKED UNDER ME

Two words will sum up why this show always finds its way onto our TV. These words cause my peep to somehow always manage to be in front of the TV at just the right time. The words are...Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

I know this show is very popular (and one peep watches for a reason even they can't explain), but I honestly can not watch without feeling a bizarre mixture of distaste, loathing and fascination at the absurdity of what I'm seeing. This season I'm staying away until it's over.

So there you have it. If you're looking for me this fall, I'll be on the soft blanket in the middle of the couch with the remote control securely within paw's reach!
xoxo

Today's Special: 5 More Questions

2010-09-03T17:06:00.000-04:00

Yes, I'm back again...answering more questions. It's tough being a celebrity! Heehee! Come to find out, many weeks ago, my BFF Cathy Keisha asked me 5 questions as well. Somehow I missed my name when I read her blog so...since she is my dear friend, here I am to answer those questions.

What is your favorite brand and flavor of cat food?

Peeps serve us Tiki Cat. I don't have a favorite flavor. I truly love them all. Tiki Cat is a canned food made with human-grade whole-food ingredients. It's pricey, but delicious.

Which TV character, past or present, are you most like and why?

This is an easy one. I would have to say what others have said before. Newman from Seinfeld. First of all, we absolutely love Seinfeld in our house. We all think it's the funniest show to ever be made. There are so many days when peeps will say "I feel like I'm having a Seinfeld moment." Specifically, there are many reasons why I've been called Newman. First and foremost...obviously...I'm a little on the rotund side. Second, I love food. Finally, I'm a sneaky and devious little cat. I can't deny it. HerbsNewman I am!

How would you change the world?
I kinda answered this one in my last blog (we need lunch!!) so I'm actually going to answer another question that was asked (as a joke) - but actually appeals to me.

Who is your favorite serial killer?

Well, it's funny that Cathy should ask b/c my peep is actually fascinated with serial killers. Not the act of murder so much, but the thoughts and processes that take place in the killer's brain. I can't tell you how many serial killer TV shows I've sat thru and how many serial killer books I've laid on. Overall, for sheer shock value, we'd have to rate Jeffery Dahmer as our "favorite." Let's face it...it's just not every day that someone like him comes along. And thank god for that!

How do you work your claws?

Personally I'm a carpet man myself. I normally don't scratch at furniture too much, but I go crazy with the carpet. I especially love doing it when I get excited. When I'm playing sometimes I'll just take a break and give the carpet a good what for! I really am a model cat aren't I? My bros Riley and Louie on the other hand are furniture men. Peeps have often said that Louie is the sweetest cat in the world, but also the most destructive! He can fluff up furniture in mere hours. And I won't even discuss the time he ripped the drywall at our old house chasing a tiny spot on the wall. Peeps were...less than impressed. ;)

How did you start tweeting?

Peeps came to me one day and told me about this thing called Twitter. Since it had nothing to do with food, napping, playing or snuggling, I really didn't care. But as always, I humored them by looking at them and pretending to pay attention. Once they showed me how Twitter worked though, I have to admit, I enjoyed it. I started out just kind of tweeting various thoughts and happenings in my life. I didn't realize there was such an incredibly kind and fun anipal community out there. As I went along I started looking for other cats to follow...one thing led to another...and voila...my twitter life began. :)

And that's my five questions answered! Technically I should think up another 5 questions for 5 more friends, but since I would like to do a blog soon that doesn't involve me answering 5 question...I'm going to conveniently ignore that technicality. Haha! I'll be back next time with a tour of my new house as promised. I can't wait to show you all where I live. It's great. :)

xoxo

Today's Special: Five Questions and Five More

2010-08-23T20:37:00.001-04:00

Back in June, the lovely Shiva and Jaya challenged me to answer five questions they asked, then come up with five questions myself and challenge 5 of my friends. As most of you know, June, July and August have been extremely busy months for my family and I. Between getting our old house ready to sell, having panic attacks, packing, moving, getting a new sibling etc etc etc, I haven't had time to do this. So, now that things have calmed down a little bit, I wanted to take the time and answer their questions.

Question #1 from Shiva and Jaya: Are you in love? What is the kitty's/doggie's name?

This is a difficult question because I'm in love with many things. I love my peeps. I love my friends on Twitter and Facebook. I love food, laying in the sunshine and my new house. But...ultimately I know what Shiva and Jaya are asking so...no I'm not in love. I am, without a doubt, a confirmed bachelor for life. But, if I were to ever change my mind there is indeed one...kat...who makes my heart beat just a little bit faster. She knows who she is. :)

Question #2 from Shiva and Jaya: Are you picky when it comes to the noms your human(s) serve(s) you?

This question makes me laugh. I mean, really...do you know who you're asking??? I'm really not picky in the least. I'll happily eat just about anything peeps put in my bowl. Now mind you, I feel that my peeps feed me really delicious food. Maybe if they fed me food that didn't taste so darn good I'd turn my nose up at it. But as of yet, except after my "boarding incident" when I was sick, I've never passed on a meal. And if I'm honest, I usually eat my meal and if I can get away with it, I also help my siblings eat their meal. No one can ever say I'm not helpful!!

Question #3 from Shiva and Jaya: Is there any music that hurts your kitty/doggy ears so much it makes you go meow or whoo?

This is a difficult one for me, because there's nothing I dislike more than talking about music I hate. So...suffice it to say, there is alot of music that hurts my ears, however, I'm very open-minded overall when it comes to listening to music. I don't feel there's any way to truly appreciate music without listening to all that the world has to offer (painful though it may be.) I don't like alot of it. Or even most of it. Much of today's popular music is vile beyond words. Having said that, I'm very fortunate to live with peeps who have excellent musical taste in my opinion. Around my house we listen to some current music (Eminem and Lady GaGa come to mind), but also lots of older stuff. The Smiths and Morrissey are our favorites. Others that really get me purring are bands like The New York Dolls, Jobriath, T. Rex...the list goes on and on. Without the joy of music, the world would be a wretched place.

Question #4 from Shiva and Jaya: If you ruled Planet Purrth, what would your policy look like?

Just let me say...if I ruled Planet Purrth, there would be lunch for every animal! I've talked to many over the years and lunch is the forgotten meal for us. Peeps eat lunch so why don't we? I know many of you have shared your "lack of lunch" frustrations with me and I've heard you. Together we can make a change! Together we can bring lunch to our bowls! Who's with me?

Question #5 from Shiva and Jaya: Winter, spring, summer and fall? And why?

I've always been happy that I live in a state with seasons b/c on some level, I enjoy them all. Winter brings the white fluffy stuff that I love watching fall from the sky. Spring brings beautiful colors, lots of birds and bugs that grab my attention. Summer brings the smell of newly cut grass and the delightful cool air that comes from the vents in the house and finally fall (autumn)...my favorite season...brings a special warm, homey feeling.There's just something intangible in the air that I love. It's a time for beautiful weather, holidays (and the meals they bring) and to just simply be thankful for all that we have.

And here are my five questions:

1. When it comes to food would you consider yourself more a fan of savory or sweet?
2. If a genie came to you and granted you 3 wishes, what would they be?
3. If given the choice would you rather read a book or see a movie? Why?
4. If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you and your peeps would buy?
5. What one place would you love to travel to more than any other? Why?

I challenge the following 5 friends to answer my questions:

@HollieCatRocks
@BizbeeKitty
@CathyKeisha
@CrazyKittyKat1
@BeaverWonderCat

See ya next time for a tour around my new house!
xoxo

Today's Special: Meet Tiny Tim

2010-07-20T18:32:00.000-04:00

This is a 12 week old kitten.
This is a 12 week old kitten with only 3 legs.
This is a 12 week old kitten with only 3 legs that is becoming part of my family.
Any questions?

Well questions or not, I'm going to tell you the whole story as it was told to me this very morning by my peeps. Pfftt! Let me start at the beginning...

As some of you know, I was quite suspicious yesterday because my peep was talking to our BFF for most of the day and I kept hearing things like "3 months old," "only 3 legs," and "needs a home." BFF lives in Alabama. BFF gives us things. By "things" I mean homeless, abandoned kitties in need of a good home. The last "things" we got are named Louie and Petunia. They've been my siblings for almost 3 years now and we love them very much (don't tell anyone I said that).

So yesterday, BFF contacted my peeps because there was a little kitty that desperately needed a home. For now, said kitty shall be known as Tiny Tim. It's the nickname peeps have given him. Once we meet him and get to know him, peeps will officially name him, but for now...meet Tiny Tim.

Tiny Tim is the kitten of a feral mom cat living in a colony in Alabama. He was born without a back right paw and without part of his back right leg. He would have never survived in the feral colony so a very nice person rescued him. When she took him to the vet at 6 weeks old, the vet thought that euthanizing him would be best b/c it was unlikely that anyone would want to adopt him. Alabama has a HUGE amount of stray kittens so one little kitten with special needs probably wouldn't fair too well up against all the "perfect" little kittens looking for homes. Thankfully his rescuer just couldn't bear to let him be killed. She had rescue contacts and hoped and prayed that she could find him a home even though she knew...the odds were against her.

Fast forward to yesterday - 6 weeks after Tiny Tim was rescued. He is fully recovered from his surgery (he needed to have the remainder of his back leg removed and he got his stitches out yesterday), he's totally healthy and ready to run, jump and play like the kitten he is. And his foster mom is ready to start trying to find him a home. One of her rescue contacts just happened to be our beloved BFF. As soon as BFF heard abt the little 3 legged kitten that needed a home...she thought of my peeps. And sure enough...they were up for the challenge of taking care of a special needs cat. So, Tiny Tim is no longer homeless. He's no longer a stray. He's a part of our family now. :)

He's due to arrive here on 30 July. Until then he's staying with BFF. He's one lucky little guy! And yes, 30 July is moving day! So it's going to be a busy day for peeps, but a rewarding one. It's been many, many years since peeps have had a kitten. They always feel guilty at the thought of adopting a kitten from a shelter because kittens always find homes so easily whereas the older cats sometimes have more trouble. So...peeps never really thought they'd have a kitten again which makes this even more exciting for them. And they're also delighted that he's arriving on moving day because they're hoping to just kinda incorporate him into the lump of cats moving into the new house. Haha! Good luck with that peeps! I've got your number and I intend to tell the others what you're planning! ;)

So for now I'm going along with this. You know how it is...keep the peeps happy. As they told me all abt Tiny Tim this morning I looked at them with my big green eyes and fell over. Well played! They bought it hook, line and sinker. However, once the little tyke gets here...it will be time to teach him the ropes around my house. No eating my food, no sleeping on my window seat etc etc etc. As long as he follows along and doesn't try any of that cute kitten stuff on me, we'll be good. But you better believe...I'll be watchin' him...

xoxo

Today's Special: The Shaved Tummy Issue

2010-06-19T22:30:00.000-04:00

First and foremost I'm here to make a confession. I'm a sensitive cat. Why you ask? How do I know this? Well, let me start at the beginning and tell you the whole story...

A few weeks ago peeps' real estate agent gave them a call about a house in our current neighborhood that she thought would be perfect. The peeps were in the process of getting ready to start renovations on our current house - which we all love. Well, peeps went to see this new house and low and behold, it was indeed perfect. Peeps fell in love with it...mostly because they felt it would be wonderful for us. Not only is it bigger, but we'll have a room just for our litter boxes...which we'll access thru a kitty door! And there's a place in the master bedroom that will be just right for a brand new kitty tree! Be still my heart! A kitty tree! I can't wait! I can't wait!

So, to make a long story short, the peeps made an offer to this house and the house accepted it. At first I was worried the peeps had offered it my food, but since that time I've come to learn that they didn't. Whew! So we are officially moving! As soon as this offer was accepted and lots of paperwork was signed, the peeps went into overdrive to get our house ready to go to the market. Or maybe it's on the market. I can't keep all this real estate mumbo jumbo straight! It was a frantic time! One of the hardest things they had to do was...gulp...board us so that people could come look at our house and hopefully want to buy it. It was a really hard decision for peeps to make. They did not want to board us. They even looked around at extended stay hotels or short-term apartments so that we wouldn't have to be boarded. But alas...in the end...boarding was the only option. With heavy hearts they inspected a few places and found one they really liked just 5 minutes from our house. It had these really nifty glass condos and each condo held two cats so none of us would be alone. So...they made the reservation and dreaded the day when we'd have to go. That day finally came on Friday 11 June. Peeps packed us up that afternoon and off we went. They got us all settled and left for a few hours. The boarding place already knew that peeps would be coming to visit us every day and they'd be feeding us dinner. Sure enough, 3 hrs later peeps came back! And boy I'm glad they did...

When peeps arrived they opened up all the condos to let us out. But when they got to my condo, they found me in the bottom, foam all around my mouth and throw up everywhere. They were terrified...and so was I. They could see that I wasn't feeling well at all to say the very least. They got me out of the condo and I started panting so they quickly called the vet, explained the situation and the vet said that they should bring me right in. So into the carrier I went and off to the vet. On the ride over, I really started scaring my peeps b/c they thought I was going to pass out. They could see I was "out of it" and just drove as fast as they could to get me help. Once at the vet I was whisked into an exam room, quickly checked over and taken to the back to an oxygen cage. They set me up with an IV and waited to see if I would stabilize. Vet said as far as she could see, I'd had a panic attack and gone into shock. It was the shock she was worried abt. She said...I might not make it.

Fast forward abt 45 minutes later and I had stabilized and was ready to be transported to the local emergency hospital b/c I needed 24 hr care right now. So with one peep carrying the IV bag that was attached to me and the other peep carrying me we made our way out to the car and drove to the emergency place. Once there I was admitted and taken to the back for all sorts of tests. I had blood work done (which all came back perfect may I just say!), x-rays taken (which showed "something" in my intestine - hopefully just inflammation) and finally I had my tummy shaved (I'm not pleased abt this!) for an ultrasound which...thank god...did indeed just show a bit of inflammation probably caused by the stress and vomiting. I spent that first night in an oxygen cage in the critical care unit. It was a LONG night for peeps as they waited by the phone. They finally got the good news abt the ultrasound results at 2am!!

For the rest of the weekend I stayed at the emergency vet slowly getting better and better. On Saturday evening I was transferred to the standard unit and peeps visited me twice every day. I was always so happy to see them. I'd eat when they visited and then just cuddle up with them b/c I was so exhausted. I charmed all the techs and vets there too so when it came time for me to leave Monday evening they were sad (but happy that I was better) to see me go.

So now I'm at home again and we have a contract on our house!! Whoopie! Overall I'm feeling pretty good. I still haven't gotten my appetite back fully and I'm sleeping a little more than usual. Peeps actually took me back to the vet today (Saturday) to make sure I was ok. I am. Vet thinks I might have a little virus or sinus infection now. I probably picked it up at the hospital when my immune system was lowered from the stress. So I've got medicine to take for the next week and then, hopefully, I'll be back to my old self! :) Well, then again, almost my old self. I still have the shaved tummy issue to deal with! I'm drafting the complaint letter this very week ;)

xoxo

Today's Special: The Lucky Winners Were Bellatrix & Max

2010-06-05T18:10:00.008-04:00

It was that time again. A yearly visit to the v-e-t. This time the lucky winners were Bellatrix and Max. Before I get started, let me just say that none of us like going to the v-e-t. No shock there right? Peeps always bring the carriers out a bit before it's time to go so that we can sniff them up and get comfortable with them. I'm actually quite happy to relax in a carrier if the mood strikes me. And Bellatrix is quite relaxed around the carriers. She actually loves them. Anytime they're brought out, she immediately crawls inside, curls up and takes a nap! It's great when Bella is actually one of the cats going to the v-e-t (like this time), but it's awful trying to get her out of the carrier when they need to insert someone else!

Cue flashback music...

Bellatrix came to live with us in December 2006. We were at the same shelter. I left in April 2006. In December Bella was still there. :( How shall I put this? Bella is...and I mean this in the nicest way possible...crazy. Insane. Bonkers. She has a few behavioral problems to say the least. Because of this, she wasn't exactly first on most people's adoption list. She's a tortie and from what we've been told, torties are just...wild cats! Bellatrix is fiercely loyal & loving, but also...well...may I say coo-coo? Because she has spent so much time in shelters she really came to be totally content in carriers & cages. It's a sad thing, but it's true. If Bellatrix is accidentally locked in a room, she won't ever make a sound. She'll simply accept her fate, curl up and wait for someone to open the door. Having said all that, one might think she's a calm little kitty. Haha! I believe that's her trick. Bellatrix is like a live electrical wire when she has one of her "episodes." Unfortunately she ALWAYS has one of her episodes at the v-e-t!

Max, on the other hand, avoids the carriers at all costs. When it finally comes time to put him in one, he grows exactly 12 additional legs, each with claws sharpened to razor sharp points! Then these 16 legs all move in different directions coming in contact with as much skin as possible. Eventually the peeps get him in the carrier, but they both look like living road maps. Max doesn't mean to do it. He's a very sweet, gentle cat overall, but leaving his home is not something he wants any part of!

Cue flashback music...

Max came to live with us in January 2008 at the age of 6. He started out in a shelter when he was 2. Then my peep's mom adopted him. He's always been a very nervous kitty, but once he got settled into his new home he was very happy. My peep's mom loved him very, very much and he loved her. He was the only cat and he relished all the attention. But, anytime anyone visited my peep's mom, he would hide away, sometimes for a day or two after they left. Obviously no one knows what happened to him before coming to live with my peep's mom, but it must not have been good b/c he was very scared of everything. Sadly, in January 2008 my peep's mom passed away totally unexpectedly. To say the least, this was a terrible blow to Max. Not only had he lost his most loved person, but he lost his house and all his security. He went from being a single cat to one of seven. For awhile after he came to live here, peeps were really worried that he wasn't going to make it. They felt he had just given up. He was completely terrified, wouldn't eat and didn't socialize. One look from any one of us and he'd run the other way and hide for days. So, as a last resort, peeps took him to the v-e-t to see if there was anything that could be done. Come to find out, all the stress had given him a pretty serious heart murmur as well. Thankfully the v-e-t suggested Prozac to help him relax a little and it really has given him his life back. His heart murmur has actually repaired itself somewhat, he's happy, playful and social now. When people come over to visit, Max is one of the first ones to greet them and give them some leg rubs. I know my peep's mom would be so thrilled to see Max so happy.

So off they go to the vet. Bella is napping in her carrier and Max is simply two enormous eyes in the back corner of his. Once at the vet, Max goes first. Again the 16 legs make an appearance but this time they fight to keep him IN the carrier. Eventually though, out he comes and he snuggles up to peep and never says another word. He's the type of kitty that you just can't help loving to bits. A perfect patient. Not a moment's trouble. And very happy to make a quick retreat back into the carrier when his visit is over.

Next up was Bellatrix. To quote the v-e-t, "she's hell on wheels." The v-e-t learned a long time ago that it's best if my peep holds her. One technician isn't enough. Two technicians just means more blood to spill! So out from the carrier she strolls and the drama begins. She off the table in a flash and prowling around the exam room. Peep grabs her and puts her back on the table. The v-e-t starts to move closer. First the growling starts. Then the hissing. Then the screaming. As the v-e-t starts to check her over there's flipping, twisting and hopping. Yes, hopping! If it's a really special day, Bella might spit a little. Then comes the biting of the digital thermometer. Then the slapping of the stethoscope. The v-e-t can't hear her heart beat because she's growling too loud. Then comes the time out. And finally, the vaccinations. It's all over in about 10 minutes, but it feels like hours! Haha! The funny (and sweet) thing is that there's not a mark on my peep. Not a scratch or a bite. If it had been the technician holding her, there would have been casualties...believe me!

So as you can see, in my house, going to the v-e-t is quite an adventure. Don't tell anyone, but Louie and Petunia are next! Heehee.

xoxo

Today's Special: It's Not Just an Ordinary Cardboard Box

2010-05-19T21:21:00.000-04:00

I thought today I'd tell you about one of my favorite things. We're all very fortunate in that we have just about everything a cat could want here. Food, toys, food, love, food...you get the idea right? But there's something else here that I love very much. It's my window seat. It's where I say hello to the sun every day. I do sometimes share it with my siblings, but for all intents and purposes, it is MY window seat. With that said, let me explain...

When I first became part of this family, we lived in another house. It was a nice house, but I like our current one better. There was a cardboard box that lived in the closet of our old house. There was a window in the closet and as fate would have it, this cardboard box sat under it. Not intentionally, just by chance. It was a box full of things that the peeps didn't use, but didn't want to get rid of. It was what the peeps call a storage box.

Normally we aren't allowed in closets. My peeps have something against hair covered clothing. Do I take it personally? Yes! But I digress... Back in the old house, whenever the peeps would accidentally leave the closet door open, I would go in and immediately curl up on this cardboard box under the window. Peeps would find me there and at first, they would shoo me out, but eventually they just let me stay there until I left on my own. Then they'd shut the door and my window seat would be gone until the next time I could sneak into the closet. Sometimes I would meow at the door, but my peeps just thought I wanted to get into a place that I wasn't supposed to be. They didn't realize I must have been missing my window seat...

I'd been part of the family for a little over a year when we moved to our current house. It was a scary time, but also very exciting. The house didn't have any of my smells (which I quickly rectified by rubbing against every nook and cranny) and was filled with boxes. Now mind you, boxes are fun to play in and jump on so I'm not complaining. But there was one box, in the bedroom, surrounded by several others, that was my favorite. Peeps would find me laying on it every day. As they started to unpack, they realized that the box they always found me on was the same box that had lived in the closet in the old house. They had no idea why I loved that box so much...even I don't know...but they couldn't deny that I did. So, although it's just an ugly, old, slightly ripped, cardboard box, peeps decided to put it in front of one of the windows in the big bedroom and make it an official window seat! They put a comfy blanket on it and it's just perfect. I literally spend a good part of every day on this window seat. I love looking out the windows, laying in the sun, watching the birds and the neighbors...it's just really my special place.

Even when my peeps bought brand new furniture, my special window seat stayed just the same. When it started to sag a little bit in the middle, the peeps opened it up and put a fluffy old towel underneath to add some support. It's as good as new now and extra cushiony!!

I know it must bother my peeps to see a tattered old box sitting in front of the window when I'm sure they'd rather have a nice piece of furniture there, but that's why I love my peeps so much. They realize that looks can be deceiving. They can see beyond its ugliness. They can see it's not just an ordinary cardboard box. They can see it's a super-duper Herbie window seat!
xoxo

Today's Special: Call Me Housepainter Herbie Please

2010-05-05T20:47:00.001-04:00

I'm determined that every post won't be about food so...I thought I might tell you about my newest endeavor. I know it won't be nearly as exciting as roast chicken and cake, but not every day can be filled with those unbelievably good things can it? If your answer is a resounding "Yes it can!", then please get in touch with me sooner than immediately. I'd like us to make plans for me to move in with you.

My peeps have been ripping the house apart lately doing something they call painting. At first I didn't really understand it. Obviously it was one of those "peep things" that I simply put up with because, well, I love them. They started with the dining room a couple weeks ago. They moved all the furniture (which was actually quite good for one reason...I found a long lost favorite pack of tissues which I have now been playing with daily. Whoopie!) then climbed around with various "tools of the trade" and complained each night about how tired they were. Not exactly my cup of tea, but different strokes for different folks right? I tried to get involved as best I could. For example, I politely walked thru the full-of-paint roller pan to let them know that I was onboard and fully supportive of their silly plans. This caused quite a bit of excitement on their part. There was running and yelling...which caused me to run and yell too! As I said before, I always try to get involved. Unfortunately it ended in me having my paws washed in the powder room sink. Pfftt...

I heard much talk of a faux finish that peeps were going to put on the bottom of the dining room wall. I've come to learn that faux means fake so peeps were planning to put a fake finish on the wall. Ok... Who am I to judge right? As long as I don't get faux food or faux treats, I'm good. So anyway, after hearing about this faux finish, I immediately thought...I can help with this. I ran to the proverbial drawing board and came up with a finish that I thought the peeps would really enjoy. Hair of the Herbie. With a mixture of spring shedding and wet paint, Hair of the Herbie would take mere minutes to accomplish and in my mind's eye...it would look stunning. Let me just say that peeps did not enjoy my idea in the least. After they put the faux finish base coat on, I attempted to begin my hairing. Similar to the "walk thru the roller pan event", there was yelling and grabbing. Fine! It would have looked amazing. Although what they eventually chose to do does look very nice I suppose.

At the current time, the peeps are finishing up their second room, the family room. As always, I'm trying to help as much as I can. I did a complete inspection of their trim painting earlier. Peeps appreciate it when I give things my Herbie Seal of Approval. I know they depend on my keen sense of detail and honest evaluation.

The most irritating aspect of the family room was the addition of the loud spitting machine which left the carpet moist. The dining room is hardwood floors, but the family room is still carpet. Peeps hate it and are planning to have hardwoods installed sometime soon. But, since the furniture was already moved out of the room for painting, they decided to steam clean the carpet. Pfftt... I did not enjoy it one bit! Every time I walked in the room, my paws got wet. Urgh! Would it have really been so difficult for them to put up a small cat-sized sign that said "WARNING: WET PAW AREA. WALK WITH CAUTION"? No, I don't think so. To me, it's the little things that count.

As you can see, I've been extremely busy these last few weeks. Managing my peeps is a full time job. Thankfully this weekend they are not doing any painting. The horrible spitting machine will be back, but it will be cleaning carpet upstairs so I can stay down in the family room and relax in the sun. I need some relaxation. It's not easy being me...

xoxo

Today's Special: I Ate the Word Day Right Off It!

2010-04-27T17:09:00.001-04:00

What an amazing Gotcha Day I had! And I have my wonderful peeps and friends to thank for it. If you look to the left, you can see what my great friend Bizbee gave me as a present. He's my brotha from another motha! Haha! I think it suits me! And it's low maintenance. I just shake my head in the morning and...voila!

The highlights of my Gotcha Day are as follows: a hug from a dear friend, BeaverWonderCat's HerbiePawty, all the wonderful gotcha day wishes from everyone, cake, my new blog and roast chicken. Anyone that knows me is thinking - how is it possible that cake is 4th on the list and roast chicken is last? Well, although I can't even believe it myself, I've learned that there are just some things more important to me than cake and food!

That Webster guy defines friendship as the act of being a friend. And a friend is defined as a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard. While that is true, let's face it...there's a lot more to friendship. To me, a friend is someone who makes you laugh when you didn't think you could, listens to you whine when you need to, trusts you with their deepest secrets (because you will never betray them) and is there for you all the time, no matter what.

Being as I'm a housecat and don't get out much (unless I fall out a window, but that's a story for another time), most of my friends are also my family. When my peeps asked "Hey Herbie...do you think you want to have an account on Twitter and Facebook?" I thought it would be fun, but I never thought that I'd meet such wonderful people...such true friends. I think what I'm trying to say here is that I love all the fun I have and all the cake I eat (never enough tho sadly), but sometimes I think it's important to step back and just say thank you...and that's what I'm doing right now.

But listen, I can't make this whole post lolly or I'll never hear the end of it. There's cake and roast chicken to discuss for god's sake! And everything you've heard is true! Peeps bought me a roast chicken and a cake for my Gotcha Day. The cake even had my name on it! My peeps said it took quite awhile to explain "gotcha day" to the woman in the bakery! Two thoughts on this: 1) Oh if only I could've been there to hear that conversation! 2) Can you imagine being lucky enough to work in a bakery?

*stares off into space for several minutes*

Ooops...sorry about that! Bakery thoughts got the best of me I'm afraid! So where was I? Oh yes, my cake and roast chicken. Both were delightful. I did have to share with my siblings. My peeps' idea...not mine I can assure you! I kept them away from MY roast chicken as long as I could, but alas...peeps finally stepped in and divided it up between the 8 of us. It was delicious! Then, after the chicken came the cake! Before peeps could stop me I ate the word day right off it. Haha! As you can see tho, my sister Bellatrix was trying to get all up in my cake! After the picture was snapped, I slapped her into next week, but, sadly, she's a tough broad and gives as good as she gets. It behooved me to allow her to have a bit...if you know what I mean. Pfftt...

So that's basically how my big day went. Thanks again to everyone who shared the day with me and truly made it extra special. It was a million times better than even my wildest dreams (and some of my dreams are pretty wild!) I am truly one happy cat.

xoxo

Today's Special: My Gotcha Day

2010-04-21T00:00:00.003-04:00

Oh boy! Peeps gave me my very own blog as my Gotcha Day present! Just goes to show what one little housecat and alot of loud meowing can do!

So today is my Gotcha Day. 4 years ago, in a little shelter in Maryland, I met my peeps for the first time. I was just relaxing...paw stretched thru the bars of the cage...trying to look cool. On the inside I was really hoping that someone would come along soon and want me to become part of their family. I was 2 yrs old and up to that point, had spent my life on the streets...

One day in 2006 I was picked up and taken to a place I call the "bad place." There I was given a little cage to live in, in a room filled with lots of other cats. I was terrified. Some would be snatched from their cages never to return. From what I heard, they went to sleep forever. I didn't know what that meant, but I just knew I really didn't want that to happen to me. Then one day, different people came. They looked at all of us and picked a few to go with them. I was one of the chosen ones! At first I was scared b/c I didn't know what was happening, but after a few minutes I realized I was being taken to a place that didn't believe in making animals sleep forever. Don't get me wrong...I love naps just as much as the next cat, but this forever sleep thing just didn't sound like a good idea to me! So off I went to the shelter that would become my home for the next few months. I was treated really well and I liked it much more than the "bad place." I was even given a blue collar and my very own number! It seemed that most of the other cats were also given names, but for some reason, I just got a number. Anyway...sometimes visitors would turn up to look at me and the other kitties that were there. And sometimes we'd get held and played with by the visitors. And if they laughed alot and made happy sounds then usually one of us would leave the shelter for what I learned was called a Forever Home. And this Forever Home was definitely what I wanted...

So on 21 April 2006, in walked some visitors. They came over to my cage, played with me thru the bars and scratched my head. Then they walked away. I'll admit I felt a little glum. But then they came back! With the shelter lady! And the magic key! The cage door was opened, I was picked up and cuddled. Oh it felt so nice...I started purring right away. The visitors started making those happy sounds that I told you about earlier and I thought "Oh boy!! Could it be?" The visitors put me down on the floor and...as they discovered that day...when I get excited and happy, my tail shakes, falls forward and lays on my head! Apparently this was a good thing because they started laughing and I heard them say "he is just the cutest cat I've ever seen. Look at his tail. It's like it's on backwards." As far as I was concerned, my tail could be on forwards, backwards or sideways as long as these visitors kept making those happy sounds! And they did. And then it happened. I heard it. "We want to adopt this one. He definitely needs a Forever Home."

And the rest, as they say, is history. Herbie history. I was brought home that very day and my life as a pampered housecat began. And those very nice visitors became my very special peeps. They decided to name me Herbie because, as they said, "he really is such a lovebug." As I write this today, 4 yrs later, I know I really lucked out. I have a wonderful home, great brothers and sisters (to boss around), fantastic peeps, every toy imaginable and a food dish to call my very own. There's always a hand to pet me, arms to hug me, lips to kiss me and a soft voice to say "I love you Herbie." What more could one little street cat want?

xoxo