The Budster

I'm not gonna lie to you.
I don't like Buddy.
He is my mom's cat, and everyone else seems to think he is great, but to me he is just plain annoying.

I'm not exactly sure why I don't like him. At first I didn't mind him. He was kind of stupid, but otherwise fine. At one point I even tried to be friends with him. The turning point was at Christmas when his fetish for plastic drove him to my closet, and he chewed up all my painstakingly-cellophane-wrapped gifts for my friends. Then he was no longer a possible friend, he was just a really annoying animal.

There area actually a few things about him I don't like, but maybe the root of the problem is that he just isn't my Beebs. (She's been gone nearly 2 years now, and I still get teary thinking about her)

Which you might think is unfair, because he can't help that.

Neither can I, so I guess that's that.

But really now, there are moments when I don't mind him.
Moments like this.

I mean, who can't love this? Cats can just be so cute sometimes.
Their little noses, and whiskers, eyes tight shut, and those adorable little paws.
Sleeping cats just get me right there, ya know? They just look so comfortable.

And then he wakes up and drags garbage out, and chews crinkly plastic, and walks on the keyboard, and starts his annoying little games all over again.

If only he would sleep all the time, we might get along.

Tribute to an Adored Pussums

A person can have a lot of pets during a lifetime, but only rarely will you find a creature to care for that you truly love.
I hope all of you have met my precious kitty Beebs at some point.
She's nothing special if you take her at face-value. She wasn't the most beautiful beast to look at, and wasn't very friendly to strangers.
She was an epileptic too, which was often the brunt of many jokes. The medication she took made her obese.
But Beebs was a very, very, very, special cat.
I remember I was so thrilled to FINALLY get a cat when I was 11. She was such a huge deal to me. I found the advertisment in the Buy & Sell and my mom and I went to look at three different cats. The first was too old and grumpy, the second had long hair (which was a no-no), and then there was this scrawny 9-month-old mommy cat sitting in a pile of clothes that purred so happily when we picked her up.
They called her Cindy, but her name was Beebs.
Mom and I went home and she told me to pray and ask God if this was the right cat for me.
I prayed. It was.
We went back and brought Beebs home for the first time. I made her a bed in a carboard box, and introduced her to our dog. Dad didn't like her, and said she was ugly (but she wormed her way into his heart later). We called her Pepper, but her name was Beebs.
When I woke up the next day she was sitting beside me on my bed, purring. We knew we were meant for each other.
I've always been one for nicknames, and soon I was calling her my little "Bebe", which eventually led to me discovering her true name: Beebs.
Its the only one she's ever responded to, that's how I know.
Beebs was a quirky little creature, with a love for catnip and her drugs. Often she would randomly race around the house growling, and other times sprawl out on a patch of sunlit carpet becoming one with the floor.
She loved my feather duvet, and on cold winter mornings would crawl underneath the covers and purr. She was playful and loved to be teased and wrestled with. We had lots of crazy games that we would play together.
She hated the outdoors, and yet loved the thrill of sneaking out. More than once she would give me a scare by going missing, and I would have to go and look around the yard where she would doubtless be mewing pitifully in a corner of the garden shed.
She was a sensitive cat too. The only time she would voluntarily cuddle with me was when I was upset or crying. She would bump her head against my arm, purr, and try and crawl onto my lap.
As sickeningly cheesy as it sounds, Beebs was not just a housepet to me, she was a friend. She had a very distinct personality, and kept me laughing all the time with her idiosyncrasies and quirks.
But life isn't always perfect.
Beebs medication for epilepsy was hard on her system, and she got sick and wasn't eating.
Yesterday she went to kitty heaven where she will get all the "Temptation" treats and warm duvet covers she deserves.
Beebs was truly one-of-a-kind and I will miss her soooo much. She was the best cat I could've ever had and I thank God for allowing me so many years to enjoy her. Its hard to know that she won't be waiting for me when I get home, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that God will have her waiting for me in heaven.

Goodbye Girlie

The prodigal puss returned yesterday. It was a brief stay.
This morning I dropped her off at the SPCA.
I really didn't want her to have to go there, but what else could I do? There isn't a huge demand for stray cats with no records of anything about them. Beebs and her don't get along, and I'm leaving tomorrow...
Of course I felt guilty bringing her in. I know the SPCA is already struggling to find homes for their cats, and the last thing they need is another scrawny little tortiseshell. And Girlie cried so pitifully during the car ride...
The lady behind the desk was nice, but sceptical.
"Are you sure this isn't your cat?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
Gah.
I hope Girlie finds a nice home as soon as possible. She's such a nice, cuddly little thing.

(Picture: she liked the carrier, and purred when I put her inside.)

Girlie is Gone!!!

Missing!!!For the last four days, Girlie has not appeared for her morning feedings. I have not seen anything of her for the same amount of time...I think she might be gone for good. I just wish I knew what happened to her :(

Perhaps Beebs had something to do with it...that is not exactly the face of innocence....

FREE TO GOOD HOME

Long story short: Girlie is not going back to her previous owner, and is therefore looking for a nice family to live with.
She is a really sweet little thing, LOVES to cuddle and purr, is indoor/outdoor, litter-trained, and CUTE.
I never did follow up on the very long process of getting her and Beebs to tolerate each other, and my parents don't want another cat, especially since I am leaving...so we can't keep her.
I don't want to send her to the SPCA!!! She is too nice a cat to go there. If you want her, or know someone who will take her and love her let me know!!!
She is a very talented cat. Here you can see her working as Beebs' stunt double in our family photo.

Three Steps To Harmony

I decided to research what the most *peaceful* solution to introducing the two kitties would be . After reading a few articles it seemed to break down into 3 basic steps...
*Have the kitties in separate rooms, swap 'em now and then and let them sniff each others scents without having a face to face confrontation.
*Open the door between the rooms about 1-2 inches; make sure its doorstopped on both sides, and let 'em swat paws at each other without being able to actually beat on one another.
*After a good long time on steps 1 & 2, let them duke it out on their own. They'll figure it out.
Some of you may remember one of the 100 Things About Me is that I hate conflict. The thought of my two kitties fighting isn't a pleasant one. And I'd hate to see my poor Beebs have to defend herself against a much younger, fitter puss.
However...the process has begun. Girlie is enjoying the comforts of the laundry room during the night.

Beebs the Blubberous (and the problems her anti-socialness presents)

A few weeks ago you met Girlie (who, for originality reasons, spells her name "ie" instead of "y", just in case you were curious).
Today you get to meet Beebs.
I'm surprised I haven't blogged about Beebs yet. She is one of the great loves of my life. I think I was 11 when I adopted her from the Humane society- the best $30 I ever spent.
She was about 9 months at that point, and had just had kittens so she looked like a feline greyhound! Very skinny and gaunt (she is now the exact opposite). And one thing I noticed as we picked her up from the place she was staying-- she hated the other cats.
Now, this has never been a really huge problem.Except that recently the temperature here has suddenly dropped, and its snowing like crazy, and poor little Girlie is freezing cold in the garage!!! I KNOW cats have survived out-of-doors for centuries....BUT....I feel so bad seeing skinny little Girlie in the cold, while ol' "tub-of-lard" Beebs who has enough insulation for two cats sits warm and cozy by the fire! It doesn't seem right.
My greatest fears are a cat-fight where Beebs gets beat up (she's not too swift in the self-defense department), and Girlie can't come in the house again, but will want to, now that she'll have experienced the warmth.
What to do?!

Meet Girlie

This is my mercy project. A friend of mine from work is in a not-so-great living situation and has been forced to get rid of her newly-adopted little baby...cat. Just a few weeks ago it was a bony little stray, until she took it in and started feeding and caring for it. Unfortunately, she has now had to give it up for at least a month, until she moves into a new house. Being the softie I am, I volunteered to look after it. Girlie is such a cutie too! And has a less-than-healthy appetite. I had to put her kibbles on the ground because she was eating so fast that she was gagging! Poor thing.
She looks so much like Beebs did when I first took Beebs home. Scrawny, half-grown...unfortunately, Beebs doesn't have any pity for kitties off the street, so she and Girlie are going to be kept strictly separated: Beebs warm and cozy in the house, and Girlie in the garage/outside. But I've fixed up a nice warm little abode for the waif, so the freezing November wind won't get to her. She's very affectionate, and already attached to my friend from work, so I hope we won't get a musical of woe tonight.