Caturday Saturday

Teri just had to share this cute story she recently got from a Furrydance kitty who just celebrated his birthday. Every year, Teri sends out birthday E-Cards to all the kitties that were born at Furrydance, and that's a lot of cards and kitties to wish Happy Birthday to, but she remembers each and every baby that was born here!

"Dearest Teri and the cats at Furry Dance (at least those of you who know me and are still there):

Many thanks for my birthday card! I am fine, living my life in Davidson...the house is barely big enough for me, but I try not to complain. The people try hard to please me and that has to count for something.

You all might remember Percy. He is well also. He and I have stampede contests in the long hallway upstairs, making first time guests jump out of their chairs and look out the windows to see if a sudden thunderstorm has come up.

I am attaining Master-status as a Garage Sneak. I hide in a variety of places in the mud room, and have caught on to all the tricks to fake me out. Most effective is hiding inside the mud room litter box and waiting until the door is open just enough to fit my body. I am working on my black belt in this worthy sport by practicing the art of jumping up on the highest shelf in the mud room (near the ceiling) and waiting quietly for someone to go out the door. Hardly anyone thought of looking *up* to find me... Of course the downside of this is that sometimes I have to wait so long for someone to go out, that I fall asleep. Then I am caught unawares when the door opens. I hate it when that happens... Plus, after that first successful time, when I surprised the pants off them, the people are starting to remember to look up to find me before they open the door. If they see me asleep they open the door to go out, knowing I can't get it together that fast. I am sure they know I don't like that.

I feel that I am in good voice. I spend time everyday out on the screened porch, on top of the cat tree, airing out the pipes. After all, I might need to really complain about something and I want to know I can command an audience quickly. I am sure you know what I mean. Of course, the actual need to lodge a bona fide official complaint has not come up yet, but you never know.

I am still a young boy and feel compelled to point out that your birthday card pegged me as a 2005 baby but the actual truth of the matter is that I was a 2007 baby. I'm in my prime...

The people have attempted to provide entertainment for me and Percy, because they think we are bored. So a few weeks ago we had the String-O-Rama battery operated contraption in here. Are you familiar with that one? It drags a string up and down and hangs on a door knob. Well, Percy and I used to take turns breaking it. The people would fix it, and we would break it again, etc... I have not seen it around lately so I think we finally killed it. Just as well, we were getting tired of it.

Next we were given a round scratching disc made of corrugated cardboard. It was placed in a round plastic circle with a motion sensor ball that would blink lights and go around and around the cardboard when we scratched. I think the ball was supposed to attract us to play with it. But after an incredibly short time, Percy and I figured out how to scratch without making the ball move at all.

Next we came upon a furry mouse with very small ears. It had catnip in it. As we were sniffing it, it suddenly moved across the room! Looking up we saw the people holding a remote control box with an antenna sticking up from it...the box was making the mouse move forward and backwards and go in circles. It was obvious that the people were attempting to put on a show for us, and we didn't want to be rude. So we sat down and watched the mouse move around, trying to be polite you know. Very soon after that, the mouse and the box went away. Thank God.

Last week, in a stroke of genius, the people brought in a toy with a long handle, attached to a long string, attached to several strips of leather tied together at the end. We can't get enough of this!! It is a good thing that I am in such a fine voice, as I have to ask for it quite frequently throughout the day. Every day. And of course I never remember the last place I hid it, so the people have to look upstairs and downstairs, room by room, to locate it. The whole thing is very well done. Took long enough.

Well, thanks again for thinking of me. You can see that I am struggling along, deprived and put-upon at times, but making the best of it. Hope you are too. Let me know if you are ever in the area. We'll have lunch! Ta ta."

Mr. Brinks