George of the Jungle

George here.

My human is Mary Beth, though it did not start out that way. Originally, there was a mistake and I was given to another human family. They called me Jasmine, BLECH!! I knew right away something had gone wrong and as soon as I realized the silly humans I was with wanted a "nice, calm cat", I hatched my plan. It took a while for the plan to work. I was beginning to wonder how many times I would have to climb up into the motor of the refrigerator or how much wallpaper I would have to shred before they would realize it was just not going to work. Just when I thought I might have to resort to hurting the child, they came to their senses and Mary Beth rescued me. You humans all think you choose us when really it's the other way around. Sometimes things go wrong but we felines are a patient lot and know that eventually we will get the right human, even if, as in my case, we have to take matters into our own paws.

I like to sleep and eat. I keep my favorite toys in the food bowl since I feel it is good to keep all the things I love most together. I do not like change, change is BAD. This is the way my life should be:

1. The dry food bowl should always be full and if not, I will get a human's attention and bring them to the bowl to show them a refill is needed.

2. First thing in the morning, preferably before 7:30AM, I need to be fed some wet food. I HATE weekends when they feel it is OK to ignore the 7:30AM timeline.

3. No later than 6:00PM, I need to be fed the second round of wet food. Again, sometimes they do not see the need to follow this strict timeline and I have to get vocal and remind them. If being vocal doesn't work, then I have to resort to placing myself in front of their faces, if necessary sitting or lying on whatever they are working on that they feel is more important than feeding me.

4. During the cool weather, a couple of hours should be spent each night on a lap in front of the TV.

5. No later than 11:00PM, I need my treats. I usually have to start reminding them of this deadline at around 10:00PM.

6. Only felines are allowed in this house. Occasionally, they allow family members to bring their dogs and this is unacceptable. God help whoever might get in my way on those days because human, feline it doesn't matter I WILL hurt someone.

7. I love my two humans but they are on their own when the doorbell rings. You never know who might be on the other side of the door and it's every man for himself and the minute it rings I am upstairs on top of my dresser.

8. The only place that is safe during a thunderstorm is the bathtub and there is only enough room for me, so don't even try to hide there with me.

I do not really acknowledge the existence of the spoiled brat (SB), Dudley. Did I mention I don't like change? However, sometimes the SB makes it difficult to ignore him. Until he arrived, one of my favorite spots to sleep was on the tower their mother got us (that's plural SB, meaning more than one!) for Christmas. However, since the arrival of SB, he seems to think the whole tower is his and no one else can use it.

I didn't want you to think that Andrew was the only one that had to put up with SB! However, I have no patience and usually it takes a swat and he moves on to bother someone else.

Being Dudley's Friend is No Easy Task

Andrew here again just to show you what I have to put up with on a daily basis.

One moment I am happily asleep in the lower level of the cat tower, which I am told I barely fit in, and the next I am sharing it without my consent.

This is to let you know the actual size Dudley decided to share with me!

I Am The Great Protector, Andrew Eugene

Rumor has had it for a couple of weeks now that Dudley is sharing space on this blog with the rest of us felines. So far, I have seen no sharing so I have decided to take over the computer.

Let me introduce myself. I am Andrew Eugene, also known as Huge Eug, though I don't particularly like that nickname. So I weigh 17 lbs??? What's the big deal? It's all muscle, trust me. I picked her out when I was 10 weeks old before she even realized she wanted another cat. She walked into the Humane Society with her mother (the one looking for a cat that day) in December 2004 and I knew I had finally found my human. While her mother looked at the adult cats I caught her attention by being cute playing with my toy. She, of course, was enamored with me and she felt sorry for me because the sign on my cage said "NOT GOOD WITH CHILDREN, BITES!". I had already convinced the Humane Society Jailer to take me out of my cage the minute she came by. All she needed to convince her that she was mine was to hold me. The Jailer put me in her arms and as the saying goes, the rest is history.

Since that day (her birthday by the way) that I arrived, I have been the "baby". That is until this May, when they brought the runt, uh Dudley home. Ever since, it has been "Dudley, Dudley, Dudley". I quickly realized the best course would be to befriend the brat Dudley (sorry, evidently there are rules about how we refer to His Highness on this site). He's not so bad but man the boy has energy and likes to rough house constantly. He has to realize that a man likes his sleep every now and then. But I put up with it because they think I'm the greatest thing for being Dud's friend.

Last night, after they were done working, we were all relaxing in front of the TV. I was in front of the screen door in the family room when all of a sudden there was an interloper on the outside of the screen. Another CAT!! While I was determining how I would react to this I heard her say "We'd better close the door because the screen doesn't stand a chance if Andrew jumps at it!" That's when it came to me, the screen doesn't stand a chance and someone has to do something about the interloper. So quick as a shot before they could get up, I hit the screen, knocked it off it's track and F-R-E-E-D-O-M!!!!!!!! I chased the interloper around to the front of the house and into the bushes, with them not so closely on my tail trying to coax me to come back inside. Don't let my girth fool you, when I want to I can move like the wind! One of them tried to come in the bushes after me, but I had to get that other cat off the property before I was going anywhere, so I chased him across the street and then stood in the middle of the street trying to figure out why the humans were so upset. She looked like she was about to cry. I don't understand what she was so upset about, I had just protected her from the interloper. So I was in the middle of the street, no big deal. She ran into the house to get my treats while the other one tried to catch me. I knew eventually I would let them catch me, I mean I'm not stupid or anything, no way I'm giving up the cushy life I have. But first, I wanted to check out the park next door and get close to the river. Every so often, it's good to give them a good scare so they appreciate you more. Just as they were both on the verge of hysteria, I let one of them think they had "caught" me and allowed her to carry me inside. In their excitement to have me back inside, I got treats. See...it pays off to scare them every once in a while.

I am Andrew Eugene and I am the Great Protector of this house!

I Want to Play WII Topspin 3 Too

Trust me, I would be much better at than they are because they really suck at it!

What? All Cats Don't Sit Like This?

Vet

She dragged me to the Vet again yesterday and I got not one but TWO shots. I weighed in at 5.8 lbs and the word "perfect" was bandied about again. HOWEVER...there were words like neuter and castration also being used so I am getting a little worried as to what she might have in store for me. I think I might respectfully decline the next time she says we are going to the Vet!

No Cat Post Today

Just remembering...

It's Not Easy Being Me...Really, It's Not

Photos courtesy of Mary Beth

Thunderstorms

I am not a big fan of thunderstorms and we had a doozy this morning. I got very concerned before it started because she went outside in it to take a picture.

I am not sure of thunderstorm protocol, but I am pretty sure if the sky looks like this you get you rear in the house pronto. I mean who will feed us if you die????????

I was being very brave, much braver than my counterparts, sitting at the window watching the rain. But then the thunder was so loud, I figured she had to be terrified and it would be best for her if I joined the other three felines under the table at her feet. Someone has to protect these humans!

On a separate note, she is making noises about me having to share blog space with the other three cats. I am not sure this is a good idea but she says since there is not something exciting happening in my life every day, maybe I should share and let the others have their say. She seems to think that you, my faithful readers, will not find it exciting to read about how I played with a piece of cardboard for hours or that I slept all afternoon. Well, being the easy going Dudley that I am, I am willing to try anything (I prefer this statement when food is involved), plus they are still much bigger than I am. So for introduction purposes here they are:

First my best bud and mentor, Andrew Eugene.

Next, George of the Jungle.

And finally Gretel - she hates me.

I chose these particular pictures on purpose to show you how "fascinating" they are! Since they spend 95% of their time like this, I am not sure how they will be more interesting than 24/7 Dudley!

The Summer of Dudley, Oh What A Summer It Was...

Labor Day was a few days ago (another excuse for her not to post, holidays...pshah) and I heard her say "Where did the summer go???" Do you really have to ask that question? Where did your summer go? I'll tell you where it went. It was the summer of Dudley! And here in all my stunning glory is a pictoral recap of...

SUMMER 2008

THE SUMMER OF DUDLEY

Week One - We meet for the first time




Week Two - Me and my best bud Andrew for the first time



Week Three - Mary Beth and I bond and watch TV

Week Four - My Favorite Toy (Even now every night before we go to bed, they have to search to find where I left my green mouse because I don't go to bed without it).

Week Five - The Plan for The Great Escape begins

Week 6 - The Great Escape from my box complete, I take over my chair as my new sleeping digs.

Week 7 - She loves me so much she makes me a toy!



Week 8 - Another toy just for me??????



Week 9 - Just can't help myself from chewing on Andrew's tail!



Week 10 - A growing boy needs to relax every now and then



Week 11 - Best Buds Forever



Week 12 - I didn't do anything wrong!



Now - I watch them attempt to play their WII Sports games.

I think life is going to be OK for me! I hit the mother load when my mother left me behind and I cried in that garden and the giants came and picked me up. Turns out I like giants, who knew?