The Drama of Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone, but I've had a very dramatic day because I swallowed one of my kitty toys and Daddy took me in a taxi to the vet!

It happened like this: Daddy gave me two new kitty toys and even though they were wrapped in wrapping paper I could smell the catnip underneath so I was chewing the paper trying to get them open, like this:

Then Daddy opened the first one and it was a little catnip toy on a string and I chased after it like this:

And I got all high and started rubbing myself all over stuff:

And the second toy was made of rope in a criss-cross pattern with a feather on one end and a little plastic mesh packet of catnip on the other. And I chewed it like this:


And I got all high again:

And I chewed my toy so much that I tore it apart like this:

But I got so excited by the little plastic packet of catnip that I took it in my mouth and licked it and chewed it and then I SWALLOWED it! And I didn't think anything about it, but Daddy and Uncle Kevin got really worried that the plastic packet could get stuck in my intestines and make me sick. So they waited about two hours to see if I would throw it up, and of course I didn't—I even ate some more kibble—but finally Daddy didn't want to wait any more so he called a taxi and put me in my cat carrier and we started driving towards the Emergency Animal Clinic in Essendon (the same place where my brother Gerald was a patient). And as soon as Daddy put me in the carrier, I was NOT happy and I meowed and howled and said, "Get me outta here!" and we hadn't driven but ten minutes when the taxi got caught in traffic because there was an accident on the road, so the driver took a short cut which was down a really steep hill at fast speed, and I got carsick and so I said to Daddy, "You want me to barf? I'll show you barf!" So I made my little yowl that all cats make when they're about to hurl, and I hurled in the corner of my cage and got rid of that toy (not to mention some hairballs). So Daddy had to tell the driver not to go to the Animal Clinic after all, so we went straight back home. And here's what I threw up:

So that little toy gave me about ten minutes of pleasure and gave Daddy and Uncle Kevin about three hours of worry. But it all worked out happy, so here are some picture of our Christmas lights:

Indiana Visiting Me Again

My next-door neighbor cat Indiana visited me again today:

But you know, I'm starting to get used to her, so even though I ran to the window to look at her, I didn't meow or anything, and when Daddy came into the room I asked for my lunch yummy and he gave it to me and I wasn't phased by Indy at all. So after I had my yummy and went into the living room and sat and admired the Christmas tree:

And then I took a long nap on Uncle Kevin's lap and ignored Indy. She can have the back yard, as long as she doesn't try to come inside to MY domain...

My Next-door Neighbor, Indiana

Oh my gosh, I've had such an exciting day because the kitty cat that lives next door keeps coming into my back yard and teasing me! Her name is Indiana (Indy for short), and she's less than a year old I think:

And about a week ago she climbed over the fence of her backyard and crawled all over the top of the green shadecloth that Uncle Kevin drapes over his orchids, and then climbed on top of his greenhouse, but Daddy wasn't home at the time to take pictures, but when she came over today and did the same things, he took lots:

And whenever I see her I get all excited and meow at her, 'cause I'm not used to having outdoor cats in my backyard. I didn't mind Pussy Galore when she was here last year because we were both indoors and she was obviously scared of me; but I don't know if I trust Indy quite yet because she was up so high and she walks around my backyard as if she owns the place:

So Daddy picked me up so I could see her, and we had a singing contest with the screen door between us:

And then Indy started strolling through Uncle Kevin's orchids like a tiger in the jungle:

And then she came right up to the screen door!

But after we chatted for a while, I didn't feel fazed anymore and I sat down and said, "Hey, you may be outside, but this is my house." And she seemed OK with that:

And then Indy started to climb the tree in the backyard!

But then--oh no!--she started falling off one of the branches and held on with her claws!

But we kitties have nine lives, you know, and she pulled herself with all her strength and rested on a bigger branch:

And I'm so impressed with her, 'cause she's still just a little girl, and already she's so athletic! But after all of that drama, she went across the fence back into her own backyard:

I hope she comes back and visits soon, and I'm gonna keep looking for her!

Christmas is Coming Soon!

Daddy and Uncle Kevin decorated the house for Christmas today, and I helped:


Well, they kinda thought I got in the way, but really I was helping, 'cause I had to inspect the tree for bugs and things, since it's the same artificial tree they used last year and I had to make sure it was still useable:


But Uncle Kevin got mad when I started to nibble on a branch, and Daddy thought I was so cute that he took my picture, and then he thought I'd look even cuter wearing that horrible Santa collar, and I thought I looked stupid, so I went and sulked on the couch:


But then evening came and Daddy put the tree lights on and it looked so pretty:

And they put up their smaller tree too and decorated it blue and silver, like they did last year:


Isn't it pretty? I gave it all my stamp of approval, like this: