Thankful Thursday...

Awwww...doesn't this just warm the cockles of your heart?! On the right is another of Furrydance Cattery's extended family, Dolly, who is Brighton's mommy and on the left is Baby, who was rescued from a shelter after a cattery seizure, so she had a rough life before she found the purrfect forever home!

And if they don't look spoiled enough in those photos, take a look at their custom made 'bassinet'!!

The wonderful couple in California who adopted Dolly originally had picked out Brighton, but when he was diagnosed with 3 leaky heart valves, they were afraid to adopt him, as their previous 2 Cornish Rex had multiple health problems, which is one reason they sought me out.

I took Brighton to a cardiologist and while his problem was something he might outgrow, no one could say for sure. So I spayed Dolly and they thought she was so beautiful, they asked if they could adopt her! She was 5 years old and in excellent health, so I was happy to say yes!

While they were waiting for her to finish nursing her kittens and recover from her spay, they found Baby at a shelter and called me and asked if they adopted Baby, could they still have Dolly...Of course, I said certainly as I knew Dolly would be a good companion for Baby.

Dolly did take a while to settle in surprisingly, as she was always calm and unruffled here. But she and Baby are the bestest of friends now and give much joy to Annette and Angel. Unfortunately, Dolly has had some serious health issues that no one could have predicted, most having to do with pancreatitis and liver disease, as well as spondylosis (spurs on the spine).

Annette and Angel take wonderful care of her, and have very good vets and specialists they see...and so many times they have told me they are thankful they have me to help advise them and comfort them and just 'be there for them'...just writing this makes me get tears in my eyes...because I hope they know just how thankful I am that I have them, for just those very reasons, too!

Another 'Not-so-Wordless' Wednesday

Disco, at 7 months old, fit and trim...and before he was, ahem, fixed. You can click to biggify and see his 'dangly bits', hahameow!

(Stella O'H, this pix is for you since you got cheated out of seeing Disco last week!)

We don't really know why Teri didn't get around to helping us with our blog this weekend--she didn't work on the basement, either! She said something about having too much Rum Punch on Friday night when she went over to our pet sitters for dinner and movies...

And then on Saturday she went to another friends for a candlelit dinner in celebration of 'Earth Hour' but she said she drank mostly water, hahameow... She did clean house on Sunday, with the suckymonster and cobweb grabber, so we guess she really was busy...

She didn't even get to sleep in on Friday cuz she had an appointment with the HVAC guy for a Spring Inspection of our heat and cool machine. He said he remembered meeting us kitties last fall and how friendly and inquisitive we were, and seeing kittens scampering around (that would have been Spottie and Dottie!). He got to see Cheddar and Colby this time...the last lil kittens that will be born in our house!

And then on Saturday, we had more visitors! Cary and her mom and her auntie came over to visit the kittens again and marvel at how they are growing and becoming little mini-mancats already! Cary and her husband are adopting one of Coco's kittens and the whole family has a love affair with Cornish Rex, something Teri is very happy about! And Disco charmed them all!

But while Cheddar and Colby are growing up, they are still babies and were little fraidy cats at first, but they warmed up to Cary and her family after a little bit and had us smiling and snapping photos while watching them play!

And on Sunday, while Teri was cleaning house, doing laundry and taking breaks to play with the kittens, she took this awwwww-some little video!

Thankful (Spring is here) Thursday...

Another fine photo of Percy Campbell, of the fancy fireplace fame, enjoying his equally fancy cat perch and screened in catio!

Another not-so-wordless Wednesday

Well, all our followers who were waiting for a newsy Simply Sunday post, have once again had to wait until Wednesday to see what we've been up to all week...

Teri got so busy down in the basement on Sunday getting our 'bird watching station' back in order, that is was about 9pm when she finally came upstairs, all tuckered out. Disco was kinda pissed we guess, cuz he sprayed on the door that leads down to the basement...

On Saturday, she gave our backyard birdie and squirelly recreational area a Spring Cleaning! She blew away leaves, she planted some grass seed (which she said will probably fail to thrive like most plants in her care) and she was happy to see that the butterfly bushes and hydrangea and coral bells had survived the winter...but the vinca looked deaded but she didn't pull it up, just in case...

She had the nerve to tell us that we missed out on seeing the first Robin Red Breast of the year, as well as a cute Chippymunk! Sure, make us drool, why don't you! If we knew how to bake, we'd make a cheesecake and then tell her that she missed out in it cuz we ate all of it!

Here's some pix of what we missed!

And our spruced up wildlife viewing area!

(we're not too excited about the tile table Teri found at Tuesday Morning, but she wanted to show it to you cuz she said it's 'cute', so we said OK).

What we really didn't want to show you was, umm, welll--remember the dangly toys Teri bought us last week?

Well, we still aren't playing with them, but the other day Teri heard a strange sound out in the hallway, and she thought maybe Brighton was chewing on her Crocs she wears at work (he has a penchant for purrsonalizing them).

She was busy on the computer and didn't get up to investigate...but, well, ummm, now those toys have a little less 'dangle'. In fact, they kind of look like hamsters, or flying saucers! (filled with a cargo of Nip, of course)


We know what you are all really waiting to see are.....those squee-able kittens, right?! They are doing super-duper and are already 6 weeks old! They are using the babysized litterboxes perfectly, no accidents and Teri even saw them stop playing around in the bedroom and run into the bathroom to use the box!

Cheddar's eye shape makes him always look a little sleepy or even sad, but he is far from either! They both now follow Teri around in the bathroom while she is getting ready for work and when she goes in there first thing in the morning, Coco races out for some 'freedom' and the kittens keep Teri company.

Then she lets them out to romp around the bedroom while she scoops the boxes and feeds all the cats and gets ready for work. In a couple of weeks, they'll be going in to work with Teri for their first vaccinations!

They didn't hop up in the Hepper Pod by themselves, but they can climb up onto Teri's platform bed, cuz she's nice enough to put a cat scratcher to act like a step at the end of the bed.

They are still sleeping in the bathroom at night with Coco and spend the day in there while Teri is at work, so they can perfect their litterbox habits and not get into trouble chewing on electrical cords!

Maybe this weekend, she will take a nap with all of us, kittens included, and see if they manage not to 'wet the bed' or get laid on by Disco, hahameow!

Sometimes, the momma cats get nervous when she can't keep a close eye on them at this age, and sometimes momcats get upset with all the cats around her kids.

Right now, Teri monitors them pretty close when they are out with the other kitties cuz they's just bebes!

Little Cheddar used to be kinda shy, but not any more! More often than not, when WWF fights are in progress, he isn't on the bottom, as you can see in this short video:

Paws for Japan!

Last year, I attended the very first BlogPaws Conference and came away feeling energized and optomistic. That feeling has lasted all year when it comes to helping animals...


And we (Teri, Disco and Brighton) will be at the BlogPaws Conference being held right near us this year, in August. We are very excited to meet so many of the people and pets we blog with, as well as hear some great speakers who blog, too!


Today, BlogPaws, Be The Change for Pets and World Vets, an organization that provides veterinary aid around the world, are joining paws to assist World Vets in their extremely important work. World Vets first response team is in Japan now!

Be the Change for Pets is asking the online pet community to help raise funds and awareness for the World Vets efforts.

How can you help?

Donate to World Vets either from the BlogPaws page (the Chip In button is legit and all the money goes to World Vets and it's fun to watch the total grow!) or you can go directly to the World Vets page and donate from there (and keep up with their updates, too).

Please post, tweet, or share on Facebook about World Vets efforts for animal relief in Japan.

Today, they are already half way to their goal of raising $50K to help World Vets in their vital efforts. Your help in donating or spreading the word can ensure they reach their goal!

And, for more FUNraising, Sparkle, The Designer Cat, is having a Commentathon to raise green papers for the animals affected by the disaster in Japan! What a pawsome thing to do! She will donate $1 for every comment left on her blog today...so rush right over and you will be helping the animals in Japan, too!

Teri is still spending a lot of time surfing the interwebs looking for updates and information on the disaster in Japan, and many bloggers are doing their best to keep us informed, including Ingrid and Allegra at The Conscious Cat

Photo credit CNN.com: Two women walk in a tsunami devastated street in Hishonomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, on March 15, 2011.

Thankful Thursday

This is Brinkley, I just love the colors of the pillow and his champagne furs together, very tasteful interior decorating!

Not so wordless Wednesday!

We missed posting over the weekend...Teri was overwhelmed with the disaster in Japan and she couldn't focus on anything except watching the TV, Twittering, Facebooking and trying to stay hopeful for all affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

It makes her heart swell with emotion to see the Cat and Dog Blogosphere come together with donations and sharing of information. Teri has 2 friends in Japan and they are both safe, but much sadness surrounds them and she sends them and everyone hurting, strong, healing thoughts.


Life goes on here at the CurlieSwirlie house...Teri still working on the basement but she said she is closing in on being able to open it up to us kitties again! Yay! No pictures this week, as most of the work she did down there was cleaning out cupboards and drawers and tossing stuff out or in a box to donate. This coming weekend, she's going to dig into that messy storage area and then have room to put the tools and stuff that's piled in the middle of the floor still.

It was nice weather on Saturday, and we got to sniff the air and Disco even snuck out onto the deck when Teri was BBQ'ing, but she hustled him back inside real quick. Since the kittens won't be needing the 'kitten tent' any longer, Teri might put it out on the deck for us to get some fresh airs and sunshine from time to time. Disco said to be sure to include this photo of him in his leopard print bed so Stella O'Houligan can have her Disco fix!


It's supposed to be nice weather this coming weekend, too and we are hoping we might get our first stroller outing of the year! In between napping and snacking, of course! Teri bought us another new toy this weekend, after reading about it on ThePetConnection! She didn't know the Premier company made fun cat toys too, but we love their 'Come with Me' Bungee leashes! Such a great idea!


She bought us a Funkitty Doorway Dangli! She filled it with t/d kibble and hung it in the guest bedroom doorway and so far we have ignored it except for a sniff or two.


But she said she thinks it will be fun, and it said you can even stuff it with Nip! We already have some fresh leaves sprouting on the plants outside...that'll be a real treat and lo-cal too, Disco!!


Kiki is all recuperated from her spay and she already seems happier and less 'hormonal'. It took her longer than a youngster to bounce back from her surgery but her stitches are out now and she is putting on weight again.


Sammy was neutered last week and time will tell if he will mellow, stop spraying and get along with the rest of the cats in the house. Teri isn't apprehensive but full of positive vibes as she wants him to be a happy 'retiree'. Sammy will be 10 years old this year and certainly deserves to retire and kick back!

The little Cheeseballs are growing and changing before our eyes! Last weekend, their nest box got replaced by one with an open end, so they could start to venture round the kitten tent.



They also dug right in to the canned kitten food that Coco is eating! Usually, kittens start eating after stepping in a plate of food and licking their paws, or with a little finger feeding help from Teri. Both Cheddar and Colby dug in like little steam shovels!



After a couple of days of 'tent play' the Cheeseballs were itching for more stimulation, so on Sunday they 'graduated to the big bathroom. Brighton snoopervised Teri getting the bathroom ready for them!

Here's a cute video of them investigating the bathroom for the first time!

Adopt the Internet Day at Petfinder.com!

More than 320,000 pets are waiting for homes on Petfinder.com. Help Petfinder Adopt the Internet today and find forever homes for as many as possible!

One of them is Rudy, a special needs Cornish Rex, that is seeking a furrever home!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIM!

To help the animals in Japan...

For those of you on Facebook, there is a new group, Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support, that is reporting new about the animals affected by the earthquake.

(photo from PetCaptain.com)

Animal Friends Niigata, HEART Tokushima, and Japan Cat Network are working as a team to try to get as much help to as many animals as they can. Here is a link to their page:

Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support

Here is a link to their Chip In:

japanearthquakeanimalrelief.chipin.com

For those of you not on Facebook, there is a group in the USA that is posting updates, too:

Cat Galaxy

If you are looking for worldwide organizations to donate to, here are 2 recommended by PetConnection.com:

WorldVets.org

SearchDogFoundation.org

and one I donated to during the Haiti earthquake:

International Fund for Animal Welfare

My heart aches for the pets there, who depend on us to be their caretakers and advocates. One sad story posted on Japan News Network told of a petshop caught up in the flood in Sendai. It showed a kitten in a box on a table crying while the shop owner closed the sliding door on the shop saying, 'I'm closing it now in hopes it will keep more water from getting in.'

Feeling Fit Friday?

Think this would be just the ticket to help Disco lose weight!

Simply Sunday Evening

Well...another week has flown like a birdie and Teri says it's been a good day to stay inside--Raining woofies and meowzers out there! Better than snow, though!

Lot's has been going on around here this week! First off, Kiki had her Lady Gardenectomy on Wednesday! Yep, after listening to two cats yowling in heat all week, Teri decided that one less yelling kitty would be a good thing. Kiki also had her yearly exam and labwork (all A-OK there) and got her microchip, too.

Before her surgery, she had a Fashion Foto Shoot (Teri knew the girls she worked with would love it!). So, she 'set the scene' and while she was trying to get Kiki's attention, Erin snapped photos! Here's the best shot!

Kiki's surgery went fine, and it was interesting to see the changes in the uterus that go along with multiple litters. There was even a little anomaly--an extra blood vessel in the broad ligament that supports the uterus. Kiki did fine under anesthesia, but she has taken a while to bounce back. But as soon as she was awake, she had her nose in the food dish though...

She was on pain meds for 2 days, and didn't want to eat or move around much. She would eat baby food and a/d if Teri hand fed her though. She finally is feeling better today and is out and about and slept with us last night, too.


Sammy has his appointment for his HooHaaectomy on Wednesday and while it takes about 6 weeks for the hormone level to come down, he will soon start his transition to becoming a 'house cat' if possible. He sprays a lot and he is 10 years old this year and his behaviors may not change, but Teri hopes so!

Right now, he comes out when Teri is down in the basement, wearing his 'Doggie Diapers' and he enjoys that time out of his 'room'...but instead of looking out at the birdies, he is more interested in sitting by the door where he can hear and smell the other cats in the house!


Teri will start introducing him to one cat at a time...probably Disco first as he and Sammy were roommates for a while when Disco was spraying so bad. Then he can meet Kiki and Brighton. If all that goes well, then Teri will let him upstairs to visit the rest of the house (with diapers on).

Sammy may not adjust to having free run of the house, as he has spent most of his life confined to one or two rooms, and if he is aggressive or sprays or makes the other cats start bad behaviors, then Teri might look into adopting a rescue that also needs some confinement, like a blind kitty or one with CH, so they could keep each other company down in the basement where his 'bedroom' is.

The kittens are doing great and are already 3 1/2 weeks old! They are starting to 'play' with each other and groom themselves...so cute!






By next weekend they will be big enough to start climbing out of their kitten box, so will get a new one with an open end so they can play around in the tent and start learning to use the litterbox. Then about a week later, they will get to make the master bathroom their 'Rumpus Room'.

It's large, easy to clean and is safe and warm...a perfect place to stay while Teri is at work or sleeping. Of course, they will get to come out into the bedroom and play under Teri's watchful eye!

We are all kinda bummed that Stacy and El (aka Stella O'Houligan's Woman) won't be able to come and visit us after all, for the Cherry Blossom Festival! Teri hopes they can still make it out for a visit before the kittens leave home in June though. She is trying to talk her friends who are adopting one of Coco's kittens to come up for the Festival, so they could have fun and meet the kittens, too.

Teri only spent 2 hours down in the basement today because she was busy with our blog! She hemmed the curtains, cleaned out desk drawers, and put away some tools and gathered up 3 boxes of stuff to donate to GoodDonor.org again.

Next weekend, she plans to attack the storage area underneath the stairs, now that there is room on the floor to spread everything out and sort through it! Here's what that storage closet looks like now!

Once it's cleaned up, she'll be able to store things in there like PTU's, gardening tools, bird seed, and also be actually able to find stuff in there! We don't have a garage, and so storing things is a problem, but we do have a big attic that has lots of room left for storage of things Teri doesn't use much.

Oh, pampered kitties that we are...we did get a couple of new toys this week! Teri has been wanting to get us a Neko Fly Dragonfly, but other than showing it to us, we haven't had any playtime with it!!

Then, after seeing so many CB kitties loving their curvy scratcher, she got one 'for the kittens' to play on in the bathroom, as it's just their size! We 'adult' cats have pretty much ignored it so far...


Oh...and last but not least, Disco is down another 2 ounces! Yep, and he got a shave and a bath today, too!