Flashback Friday

Today we go back ta this week in 2010.  Ayla had discovered that playin with toys in a sink was great cuz they couldnt escape very well!

She dint like that strange kitty in the glass watching here though...

Thankful Thursday

LAZ:  I am thankful for being able to be outside.  It is a whole wunnerful place that I only learned about here as one of The Mews.

I watch everything.  Birds, skwerls, ants...  This is my FIRST SPRING outside.  I LOVE it.

Sometimes I just sit near "wild places" and listen and watch.  I can hear and watch birdies there.  Sometimes Marley is out with me and says some sounds are mousies.  I would LOVE to catch a mousie!  Marley says they are fun to play with and tastey, too.

So I was sitting there watchin and listenin.  Can you see me?

Can you see me now?

Here I am!

I can sit for a hour watchin an listenin!

 

Womancat Wensday

AYLA:  I spent good time on the mat on the big recliner today.

It has cats all over it!

Who doesn't love that?

Happy Tuesday

We just have to say we are thrilled to be able to comment on blogs again!  

 

We used Firefox for years and then we couldn't leave comments.  We switched to Safari and that worked a year.  We update the apps of course.

Then Safari stopped letting us comment to most sites.   We went back to Firefox yesserday and it let us comment to ALL our friends!  We are SO THRILLED!  

We sure hope that lasts for a while...

 

 

Monday Towels

MARLEY:   We were asked a bit ago about our bloo towels.  So after laundry day, TBT set them out all folded.

That one that looks grey is blooer than it seems.  It is "navy bloo".  We need a better camera!  Ands there was one medium bloo towel hiding in the drier.  But we dint feel like re-doing the pic...

National Pet Day

HAPPY NATIONAL PET DAY! 

A Year Gone

TBT HERE:  Today, a year ago, I had a wellness vet visit scheduled for Iza.  When I got up I discovered it was no longer a wellness visit.  It was a goodby visit... 

In one way, the surprise was horrible.  But in another, it was a kindness.  Sure, she had shown some slight problems.  She wasn't eating perfectly, but she did eat.  She liked the heated mat a lot the last few months, but she always had sought warmth and comfort.  She never showed any discomfort about being held or being moved around on my lap.  She was purring the night before.  She was only 12.

I say "kindness" because  there were not months of slow problems as it was for Skeeter.  Neither was there a disappearance as it was with Tinkerbelle.  Nor was there a sudden death as with LC comatose in the basement one morning.  

Iza was just unusually tired one day, napping more than usual on the heated mat, and the next morning there was blood on her backside.  If the vet knew the cause, she didn't offer it and I didn't ask.  

I miss Iza SO VERY MUCH.  Skeeter was a heart cat; so is Iza.  You can have more than one.  

So, today, I am remembering Iza.  Iza of the Lap, Iza of the Minky Fur, Iza of the undercovers at night, Iza the Mouser, Iza who adored me, Iza who stayed as near to me every day inside as she could, Iza the "Smudged Siamese" until I learned she was a Tonkinese, Iza the toy-player, Iza the chaser of tossed kibbles, Iza the fastidious groomer, Iza cardboard ripper...

Remembering you today, sweet girl...   How can it be only a year?  It seems like forever.

I turn around expecting to see you there and you aren't.  I hear a sound in the night, but it isn't your voice.  I cross my legs on the ottoman but you don't come up.  

I would have missed you as much if you had lived all the days of my life.  I would never have thought you in my life was too long no matter how many years.  But you were gone too soon even of your kind...

In a way, the years do not matter.  Any number of years were too few.  Forgive me that I did not know how to extend them...

Flashback Friday

 Today  we look back to this week 2014.  Marley and Iza were sharing lapspace and time...

And Marley did his best "prawn" curl...

Later, it was Marley and Ayla...

Good times...

Tonkinese Kitten Update

TBT HERE:  I spoke to the Tonkinese breeder I contacted last Summer and send a deposit check to for a female kitten "basically looking like Iza"  I wasn't TOO specific about it, as I know Tonkinese can vary between Siamese and Burmese colors.  The personality and  soft fur were important.

 Even though I've lived longer than any cat, there will always more distinctive appearances and personalties than I can experience in my lifetime (and that doesn't mean I didn't love the series of grey tabby females of my younger years - wonderful companions all).

But I decided in 1992 that I was missing out on other types with different personalities and furs.  I have generally preferred cats that looked different from previous ones since.  So I went looking at local pet stores for a Siamese.  I didn't find one, but I found mostly orange male Skeeter.  Then I found black&white female LC a year later.  Then I found my female Siamese Ayla.  The variety was wonderful and each one was distinct in personality and appearance.

Sadly, Skeeter went Over The Bridge.  I asked the Siamese breeder about any "unwanted" Siamese kittens (as in unsuitable for breeding).  She offerred Ayla as "too small to breed".  She was a beautiful kitten.   I drove an hour to the breeder, Ayla crawled up on my lap and I took her home.  She is a dear one, my "Princess".

My initial reaction when LC left us a year later was to find another male orange kitten.  But the Siamese breeder had a "smudged colored" female Siamese and was able to deliver as she had business in my town, and I took her sight unseen.  I mean, she offerred to send pictures, but I thought I knew enough about Siamese so I said "surprise me".

The breeder had gotten her equally sight-unseen, but had pedigreed papers, but thought she was a poorly-colored Siamese.  Turned out she was a Tonkinese (Thank you forever again Tonk's Tail) and was perfect for the breed.  

After Iza and Ayla weren't getting along great (nothing serious likely Laz) I was guided to Marley.  Marley is a loving peacemaker as orange/white males seem to be in general.  

Iza left too soon and while Ayla and Marley got along great, it felt right to have a 3rd cat in the house.  Wondering about another Tonkinese, I asked the Siamese breeder about one and she said that Iza was a confusion and she had no connection to any Tonkinese breeders.  

So I did an internet search and found one 60 miles+ away and asked.  There was a long waiting list and to even get on it required a $100 deposit.  Well, we all know that $100 is minor in cat costs, LOL!  So I sent the check.

The breeder asked for preferences in color, and that is where things got confusing.  The possibilities (according to one site) are: 

• Natural mink
• Champagne mink
• Blue mink
• Platinum mink
• Natural solid
• Champagne solid
• Blue solid
• Platinum solid
• Natural point
• Champagne point
• Blue point
• Platinum point

I had not the slightest idea how to describe Iza, and for once, I DID want a similar appearance.  But I also knew that with so many possibilities, I could have to wait a decade for an exact one and I can't wait a decade.  I sent a picture of Iza and said "one something like that"?

The breeder replied that kittens like that were expected to be available in Feb/March.  Sadly, there were problems with miscarriage.  The next kittens generally like Iza were expected for June adoption.  And apparently they were and healthy.  But I wasn't high enough on the waiting list...

And so we come to the present.  Apparently, the breeders deliberately breed kittens of varying adult colors by the mating.  Some customers want different shades of furs from Siamese to Burmese and the breeders naturally alternate among them.  For "Iza-like", I am next on the list.

It sounds horribly "retail" I know.  And it sounds like I want "Iza The 2nd".  But there are personality differences among Tonkinese and I want one that is "like" Iza without having to BE Iza.  It will be a mutual learning experience between a new kitten and I, and there will be some differences.  I will cherish both the differences and the similarities.

Skeeter was the cat he was because of his horrid experience as a kitten in a small pet store being renovated loudly.  He was terrified of plastic trash bags (maybe where dead cats went?) and thrived in the calm of my house.  LC fought being removed from the large cage she was accustomed to (the owner and I had to push her claws off the cage one-by-one).

If I had had Skeeter cloned, the new one would not have been "Skeeter" even if it looked like him in every way.  The cloned Skeeter2nd would not have had the same terrifying kittenhood, the same pet store renovations, the same "plastic bags are where dead kittens go".  Skeeter2nd would have been raised without fears like that.

I read about cloning at the time.  It was possible.  I had money.  I was very tempted to see what Skeeter might have been in a different upbringing.  Not doing it was actually hard.

Thankfully Ayla and Iza were brought in PTUs without my knowing much about their past.  And Marley crawled up on my lap at the previous owner's home and he and she knew I was "The Right Person".

So back to "someday new Tonkinese female kitten"...  

The Tonkie breeder sent a picture of a female kitten last week, saying it was loving and playful and to reply "if I was interested".   She sent a picture.

I'm not a breeder, but that sure looks like a regular Siamese to me.  Much like Ayla who I adore, but not a Tonkinese.

I called the breeder and said she sure looked like a regular Siamese to me and not a Tonkinese.  She swears it is a Tonkie, and who am I do argue with a breeder.  But I declined.

She said she was looking at the picture of Iza and that the next litter of kittens that would look like her were available in August (assuming good birth and health).  I explained that I wanted an Iza-like kitten and would wait, and she understood.  

Some things about this "waiting for the right kitten" bother me.  I should not be so specific.  Almost any kitten/cat that arrives here is happy with me and I am happy with them.  Well, Laz is a special case and still needs more time and attention.

I was expecting July.  Now I am expecting August (different litters).  The delay of a month month will go by quickly enough.  But I have never had to anticipate a future kitten this way.  It is frustrating and rather uncertain.

August will arrive eventually...

Womancat Wensday

AYLA:  I've been spending more time in the main areas of the house lately (in spite of Laz).  The back of the TV chair is comfy (and safe).

I LIKE being at head-height with TBT.  We cats are superior to the Beins of course, but it makes them feel like they are equals.  

Its impawtant ta keep them content...

After all, "thumbs" ya know...

 BTW, TBT says I should mention that, since I've been out in the house more I have felt freer to visit the litter boxes in the basement.  Sometimes he notices me heading down there (the stairs are next to the kitchen where he spends a lot of time).  He says he thinks he can put the normal bathmats back.

Well, sometimes you have some problems and then they go away, ya know?  We are BOTH pleased.

Twofur Tuesday

AYLA:  Laz and I spent some time outside.  Not that we spend the time TOGETHER, but we were on the deck at the same time.

Laz sure gets his exercize going up and down the deck stairs.  I got tired of it.  

I get MY exercize jumping up places INSIDE!

And of course I'M posting today because it is National Siamese Cat Day!
 

Mancat Monday

LAZ:   Just showing off my creamy buff bib today.  TBT says its kinna unusual...

 

Happy Easter

Happy Easter  to all who celebrate it!  

We didnt do annything special though we all enjoyed the nice outside.

Caturday Saturday

AYLA:   I was feeling pretty & princessy, so I agreed ta do some posing...

As ya can see, I have a retinue!  The fake marble planting pot was also OK, but I didn't need the water jug there...

So I'll just hide it a bit.

 

Flashback Friday

Today for Flashback Friday, we decided to provide linkies to past April Fool's posts we have done!  Well, it would be WAY too long to copy them all here...

https://marksmews.blogspot.com/2019/04/si-ti-yad-tahw-sseug.html 

https://marksmews.blogspot.com/2016/04/freaky-friday-snow.html  

https://marksmews.blogspot.com/2013/04/girlcat-monday.html

https://marksmews.blogspot.com/2012/04/was-that-fair.html

https://marksmews.blogspot.com/2010/04/april-fools-joke.html

Enjoy...

Confession Time

Today is "April Fool's Day".  Which makes this awkward.  It will SEEM like an April Fool's Joke but it isn't.  We have been posting for almost 15 years and almost 5,000 posts now, and we are worn out.  It gets harder every day to come up with something new to say.  

Laz attacks Ayla more than TBT admits.  Marley is arthritic and can barely climb stairs.  Ayla is old.  We think it is time to STOP!  I can't do this any more.

We leave with a picture of each of The Mews.  It seems a proper way to end...

SKEETER...

LC...

AYLA...

IZA...

MARLEY...

And LAZ...

 It's been a long run and a good one but it can't go on forever...  Everything has to end sometime; we are SO TIRED lately.  Thanks for all the comments.  They were the bright spots of my life for 15 years...  We will miss you all, but it is time to move on.

April Fool!

Werdless Wensday

 

Tuesday Laptime

AYLA:   Its nice to be wanderin around the house more often these days.  I get more laptime...

Its a safe place ta be!

And I can stretch out real gud.

TBTs legs make good pillows...

I can really sack out sometimes!