Everybody Loves Molly

Now - Tuukka has joined the Molly fan club. It was a rough start with her attacking him and growling if he came anywhere near her personal space.

All the other cats love Molly. I can say that because I see how they interact with each other. All of them will go out of their way to rub up against her, or go over and wash her head. She accepts all of the attention as her due.

Spott and Truman really took care of Molly when she was little. One time I heard her cat screaming and I go into the living room to see Truman has her pinned down and is washing her ears! They were her foster parents and she no doubt missed their attention. But, I've seen all of them step up and give her those affectionate pats that they don't do with each other. It's really interesting.

It took 2 months, but yesterday, I witnessed Tuukka rubbing up against her and giving her head a quick lick. She's no doubt decided that he is not going to usurp her place as the baby and now allows him to worship her just like all the other ones do. Because everyone loves Molly.

Except Mariah who ranks her as favorite cat #3.

It's 2:30 am... what's YOUR cat doing?

It’s 2:30 a.m. - - do you know what your cat is doing?


I had the misfortune to wake up at 2:30 a.m. this morning. Wide awake! I
knew the cats played a bit during the night, but normally, I didn’t pay
that much attention. Tonight, I took note because I was WIDE AWAKE!

- First, I noticed that Barclee and Dickens were on the bed, but once
they saw me stirring, Dickens came up and stretched out across my pillow.
Barclee started licking my fingers. So, now I’m really awake. I put my
fingers under the covers and she curled back up.

- The new furnace kicked on. That’s a happy sound.

- Still awake – not going to look at the clock. Someone just used the
litterbox. It’s not Barclee, or Dickens. The noise reminds Dickens he needs
to go so he jumps down and does his business. (Yes, I do have a litter box
in the bedroom just for my little old man. He still uses it pretty
faithfully.)


- The clock just struck 3. Darn it – lost ½ hour of sleep. I hear
Molly’s jingling collar as she makes her way into the bedroom and curls up
around my knees. She decides to take a quick bath and there’s a lot of
slurping noises. Dickens is back in his corner, but when Molly gets on the
bed, he no doubt decides he needs to exert his dominance and comes to sleep
on the pillow again.


- Dickens disturbs Barclee who jumps down to eat. (Yes, I also have
food in my bedroom to make sure Bridgette and Dickens eat. That apparently
doesn’t seem to be a problem after all.)


- I am NOT going to look at the clock – oops 3:20. I hear a lot of
growling. Obviously Barclee is once again defending the bedroom from the
mean intruder Tuukka. She has a very small sphere of influence, but she makes the most of her

limited power. Poor Tuukka is resigned to sleeping in the hall.

- Molly finally falls asleep. I can tell because of the little gasp a
cat makes when they drift off as well as the complete absence of purring.
Maybe I can fall asleep myself.

- Someone else is now eating. Judging from the Darth Vader breathing
and the slurping food noises, I know it’s Bridgette. Her nose is not
getting better. Must remember to call the vet.


- Dickens decides he needs to eat and wakes up Molly. She begins the
purring again – it’s so loud it sounds like a motorboat. BUT, it’s not as
loud as Hamilton when he sleeps on my face. No sign of Hamilton so far.

- 3:45 – there’s a big ruckus in the hall. Someone is running back and
forth, obviously chasing an incredibly noisy ball with a stupid bell in it!
Who would have bought that kind of thing? Tuukka's the culprit. No one else can make
that kind of noise. Barclee continues to growl every time he approaches.

- Dickens jumps back up onto the bed and has to walk across my body, even though it

would have been closer to jump to the foot of the bed. He likes to take the scenic, cross-country route.

- Dickens is snoring. It’s old the old man snoring, snorting combo.

- There’s still time to get to sleep – darn the clock just chimed 4!!! Molly’s
awake again and chewing on her toenails. Since she only has 3 legs, it
shouldn’t take her that long. Must remember to try and trim Dickens’ nails
– they’re growing under.

- Someone is wandering down the hall meowing. Welcome Hamilton to the
melee! He woke up and apparently is just checking to see what everyone else
is doing.

- 4:15-ish – NOT that I'm looking! Tuukka goes out the cat door. That
magnetic door really is loud in the dead of night. Actually, what I’m
finding out is the night really isn’t that dead!

- Dickens, Molly and Barclee see me glance at the clock and all three
come up to see if I’m awake. Barclee starts licking my elbow and I try to
move my arm back under the covers, but Dickens is laying on it. Molly curls
up next to my side and turns her purr on LOUD.

- Bridgette brings in some sparkle balls to play with.

- 4:30 - Someone comes in to eat and Barclee jumps down to defend the
food. Must be Hamilton because I THINK Tuukka is still out, and Barclee
doesn’t bother Bridgette. They have 4 full bowls of food in the laundry
room. I have no idea why they all have to eat out of this single bowl where
I can hear all the chewing!

- 4:45 - Sleeping on my arm must not be comfortable because Dickens
moves back down to the corner.

- If I’m still awake at 5, I’m just going to get up. I obviously have a
litter box to clean and food bowls to re-stock.

- 5:30 – I wake up. I slept for maybe 45 minutes. Barclee, Dickens and
Molly see me move and all descend on me again. Barclee tries to find bare skin to
lick. Tuukka’s sitting in the door way looking in. My day has now officially begun.

Honestly, I wonder why I don't hear this every night!

Bridgette Visits Grandma for Christmas

It's my annual Christmas trek to Buffalo to spend time with Mom and the Leis family. This year, I decided to let Bridgette tag along.

I took her home when she was a baby, but she hadn't been back since. I figured she'd spend her days hiding in the bedroom from Mom's two frisky kittens, Butch & Sundance. I was hoping they wouldn't pick on her too much since she's still not up to par. But since I have to give her meds twice a day, I figured we'd make do.

We immediately hauled her into the bedroom; set up her "necessities" and proceeded to leave, allowing her time to adjust. She adjusted by bounding out the door and heading straight for the kitchen. She explored the dining room and was off to the living room when Butch and Sundance saw her.

Contrary to what I thought would happen, they both started hissing and bolted for the basement. She just calmly sat there and looked at them, not making a sound. We didn't see them for the rest of the evening! They were cowering in the basement while Bridgette sat on the couch and hung out with the family.

The next day, they inched their way up the stairs into the kitchen, only to find Bridgette calmly sitting in their path. Eventually they worked up enough nerve to slide by her but they hissed and growled the whole way. She retaliated by stretching out across their escape path back to the safety of the basement. She closed her eyes, totally unphased by the two renegades.

By the last day, Sundance had made his peace with her and could actually be in the same room with her. Butch continued to growl and hiss, just for good measure.

On Christmas night, they all shared a Christmas dinner. Mom's other cat Francis had no problems with her cat cousin and no doubt was embarrassed by the rude behaviour of the other two.

Bridgette enjoyed her time with Grandma, getting lap time and a lot of attention. Butch and Sundance enjoyed watching her leave!

A Day in the life of Tuukka

Tuukka's had a rough transition - NOT!

He likes playing with the many catnip toys and checking out the Christmas lights.

He helps wrap Christmas packages and finds time to relax in the little cat condo.

He ends the day by having a meal with the family. All in all, not a bad way to spend a day.

Tuukka Takes on the Cat Doors

Tuukka spent his very first night outside.

Night #1 When I went to bed, he was dozing on the living room floor with his head in the cat toy bag. Since he refused to be locked up, I figured I'd hear some growling and scuffling through the night. But I heard nothing.

About 5 a.m. I woke up hearing a really weird meow from a long way off. I got up and looked around and discovered Tuukka was outside. He obviously found the cat door, but didn't figure out that the cat door worked both ways. After I opened the door, he waltzed in just like he'd been doing it for years.

Night #2 I decided I'd keep him in but "locking" the cat door. This time I woke up around midnight as I heard a really odd crash. Tuukka must have really wanted out and a little plastic lock would not deter him. So, he simply popped the whole plastic door right off!

Night #3 Mike fixed the cat door. I decided if he wanted out so bad, I'd let him go out. No big deal. Unfortunately, I also have to factor in Molly. She ended up spending this night outside because every time she tried to come back in, Tuukka would go over and "regulate" the door. So, she was too scared to come in. I heard her crying outside. So, I got up numerous times to let her in. WHY she kept going back out, I have no idea!

Night #4 New plan. I took the 10 pound box of laundry soap and two tins full of cat food and placed them in front of the cat door to barricade it. This way, the cats would stay in and the door would not need fixed again. I got up in the morning and saw that the laundry soap and cat tins had been shoved aside. The plastic door was somehow perched on top of the laundry soap, so once again Tuukka wins. He was lounging nonchalantly on the cat condo and gave me a look, like "What? I'm inside so what more do you want?"

Tonight - Molly's going to have to get used to Tuukka and learn to come in even if he DOES stand at the cat door. It's every cat for him/herself here!

Meet Tuukka

I'd like to introduce the newest member of my family: Magic Tuukka-Bob Simba Catdog! Everyone who's met him seems to add a new name to the big guy.

Last week I called Dr. Randall to say good-bye and wish her well as she moves on to Minneapolis. It was a bit traumatic - no a Lot traumatic since I've been taking the babies to her for over 10 years! Plus, she gave me Bridgette, Molly and Hamilton - starting me on the road to caring for special needs cats.

As we were talking, I said, "You wouldn't happen to have one last special needs cat that I could take for old times sake?"

"Welllll," she paused, "As a matter of fact I do."

I stopped after work to meet the big guy who has AIDS. His family moved off and left him, and he was on the streets before a neighbor took him in. But her cats were fighting with him, so he ended up at the Cat Clinic. His last stop before he landed at my house.

My cats are not aggressive, so there's little chance that he'll spread the virus to any of them. Plus, all of mine have been tested. Turns out - my house was the perfect destination for him.

Anna helped me bring him home and he really is just a gigantic teddy bear. I'd set him up in the computer room for a "safe place" for him while he adjusted. Turns out - he didn't need to adjust and as soon as I slipped out the door he was right behind me. He cruised around the house, looking it over and walking by several very surprised kitties who just backed up and let him pass. I think they all were a bit in awe over how big he is!

Except Molly. She was outside and saw him through the patio door. She took one look at the interloper and she ran in and attacked him! All 7 pounds and 3 legs were a flying. He backed up looking a little stunned. You could see him go, "Hey, dudette - what's the problem?"

She spent the rest of the evening under the couch growling at him while he discovered the bag of catnip toys and proceeded to play with them.

When it was time to feed everyone, I was going to fix a bowl and feed him in a different room, but he lined up with the whole crew and they all ate together.

Yup - he's adjusted really fast!

The Tail of Ring Worm Cat

I'm still waiting for my Ring Worm cat to actually get over her case of ring worm.

I've never actually waited for a pet before. Usually, they either just move in with me, or I get a call from the Cat Clinic saying they have a special needs cat with my name written all over it. Suddenly, there's a new member of the family. The other cats are all ticked for awhile and then we all are one big happy, even furrier family.

I'm really glad I didn't take her immediately, knowing now that she really did have ring worm. From what I've read, it's a pain to try and get rid of, especially in a multi-cat household. So, another cat disease I can check off my bucket list.

What's funny is I've only seen her that one day although the cat rescue lady Angela sent me a great picture. You can see she has tons of attitude, which I love. That's what attracted me right off. And the fact she's a little homely.

I've named her Sunny after one of my favorite shows It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. They had a great episode about a junk yard cat. Driving 18 cats with ring worm across state lines is something the Sunny crew would do! Also, Mac's mom has a very gravelly voice and that's exactly what Sunny sounds like too.

I'm getting a bit tired of waiting, but I'm sure that Angela is getting tired of fostering her for me as well. So the sooner she gets rid of that darn ring worm, the better.

My brother-in-law Mike asked me what's wrong with her - I just don't take normal cats. They're usually missing a limb or something. But even though Sunny has all her legs, isn't diabetic or blind or something, I think she deserves a new home.

And after the very difficult summer I had, this has really given me something to smile about.

I can hardly wait.