Wordy Wednesday

I don’t even know where to start to write about Kip.  I imagine everyone thinks their cats are special, but well and true there is something about this boy that is different.  Perhaps it is because I haven’t had a black cat before and I am just so taken by his panther appearance; plush black fur and blazing green eyes under heavy, soulful lids.  He looks like he has lived many lives and has more than a passing familiarity with the secrets of the universe!  I think Kip is tops, and thankfully so do his brothers  :-)

Casper loves Kip

Ben is like Kip's mancat-mum

Archie was unsure at first but he's come around

Kip and Jimmy are inseparable

Kip and me :-)

Friday Fun

Hey cats and kittens, big news

We're shouting high!

 and low....

shaking our heads in disbelief

then casually announcing that this is our 300th post

Thanks for joining us for all the fun :-)

Happy Thanksgiving

The boys and I would like to wish all of our American friends a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We hope you have safe travels, happy reunions and memorable family times :-) 

We are thankful to know each and every one of you...

(comments off today)

White Whisker Wordless Wednesday

These pics are just for you Artemisia. For those of you who are new to the blog, she is my special ladycat friend and I call her my lovely Arty Mouse :-)

hello Arty Mouse :-)

would you like to snuggle?

Tuxie Tuesday

Ben is such a cuddly boy....

don't tell anyone but I like to snuggle with mum

this blankie is so soft it makes me smile

mum likes my pink nose

I'm dreaming of my sweet Clementine

Funny Friday

Sometimes I just get the urge to do something different with my hair...

french twist?

or chignon?

Mum's note:  Is this not the funniest picture?  I've never had a cat in my life who did the things with his tail that Jimmy does...he's like a monkey sometimes!!!

Thankful Thursday

I am so very thankful for my wonderful boys, especially Casper who once again took the lead and set the welcoming tone for Kip our newcomer. Of course I was hopeful that all would go well but one never knows, so when I saw him coo and nuzzle Kip from the first moment, I could have wept with relief! Casper is indeed our goodwill ambassador, he has accepted every cat I have brought into this house and calmly offered his friendship without hesitation. Archie gave Kip a few uncharacteristic growls but is coming around, Jimmy was the first to engage him in a game of chase with Ben readily joining in. During the meet and greet sessions Kip truly was amazing; open, playful and friendly to all the boys, gentle, inquisitive and completely non-threatening, it was a joy to watch them all together.  I am so blessed and fortunate  :-)

So these are my boys for the next twenty years… my exceptional boys!

Casper

Benjamin

Archie

Jimmy

and Kip

Wordless Wednesday

Tired Tuxie Tuesday

Man I'm pooped

I spent the day in Texas yesterday with my girlfriend Clemmie. 

We ran and jumped and played all day, we sang songs and chased each other around the house and hid and hunted mousies.  It was so much fun, Clemmie is so much fun, but I'm exhausted...

If you don't mind, I'll just lie here for a while...

I think Clemmie might be a little tired too :-)

Kip Update

relaxed fellow

Hi all, Kip here.  I've been in my new home for a week and I thought everyone might like an update.  I'm feeling pretty comfortable now and no longer hide under the bed.  I'm still in my own room but I'll be meeting my brothers soon now that my sniffles and sneezes have cleared up and I got a clean bill of health from the vet!

playing with the tickler

I love snuggling with my mum and she seems to like it too when I lie on her chest and make happy paws in the air.  I tuck my head under her chin and purr and purr, mum smiles and tickles my tummy and toes.   I've had a couple of face to face encounters with my brothers, mum held me in her arms and dad held each of the boys in turn so we could see each other and have a sniff.  That went really well each time and only Jimmy gave me a little hiss.  That made mum laugh because not so long ago he was the newcomer!

looking adorable

Well that's all for the moment.  Mum promises to take lots of pictures when I meet my brothers so we can show all of you.  Please keep your paws crossed that all goes well :-)

Remembrance Day

They shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them...

Lest We Forget

(comments off today)

Kipling Moonshadow

I have the loveliest childhood memories of my father reading bedtime stories to me and my favourite was Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book (I loved Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows too and always wanted to name my house Toad Hall).  Being a cat person for as long as I can remember, Bagheera was of course the character I cherished the most and wondered why we all couldn’t have large, black panthers as our loyal and wise guardians.  So you can well imagine that the moment I saw Bagheera, the all black kitten available for adoption on Chrystal’s blog, I was a goner!

The name Bagheera however does not exactly flow off the tongue and the other day when Robert called him Bags, I was convinced we had to change his name.  I immediately thought of Kipling, as an homage to the author who penned Bagheera and the fact that the name shortens nicely to Kip sold me on the idea.

Kipling also wrote The Cat Who Walked by Himself, a story about how animals became domesticated while the cat’s true heart remained untamed!  I have always believed that when a cat or kitten comes to live in our houses they bring a little wildness into our lives.

As for Bagheera's second name, it was very difficult to see our all black kitty during the drive home to Canada from Ohio which was at nighttime.   Out of his carrier and moving around against the dark interior of our car, he was only a little slip of a moonshadow....

Therefore felines of all ages, I would like to present Kipling Moonshadow: aka Kip :-)

Hi there

Bagheera is home!!!

Wow, what a trip!  Other than a couple hours shopping at the outlet mall in Jeffersonville (yay for Pottery Barn) and a few stops for food etc, we were on the road for nineteen hours.  Robert did all the driving and was amazing but so were Chrystal and Jeanne, it it weren't for their fantastic generosity we would have had to add at least ten more hours to the trip.

Bagheera was a dream in the car.  As soon as we left wonderful Jeanne's house we opened up his carrier and let him come out if he wanted.  He was a little timid at first but quickly acclimated and spent most of the journey either reclining on the back seat or lying upside down on my lap doing happy paws in the air! 

Sadly this comfortable behavior evaporated when we got home and he spent most of Sunday under the bed hiding.  I have never had a cat hide before so this was highly distressing for me.  Thankfully Ben came to the rescue and sat outside his door that evening cooing which lured him out from under the bed.  Bagheera sat quite relaxed by the door and chatted back to Ben.

can you see Ben's paw under the door?

I'm hoping that Bagheera will soon realize that this is a safe, happy place and that there is no need for him to hide or be frightened!

Dona Nobis Pacem

We are joining bloggers around the world today and taking part in the 2011 BlogBlast for Peace.

We want to thank our wonderful friends from Clooney's Num Num Fund, for making our great badge!  Tiri and Archie cuddle for peace :-)