Abby's Secret

Abby: Let me tell you a secret . . . 

Stygia: Ha HA! I know your secret!

Arrrrooww! rrr-rrr-rr! Moww, rrrr-rrr rrowr rrr-rr-rr!!

Yeah, I know all of your secrets!

I love the sun, and I am helpful

Stygia: Mum says she doesn't need help organizing her stuff. But I feel that she does. Especially since she is doing it right in the middle of the sunlight.... I am very helpful!

I follow the sun wherever it goes! Which is often here, on the cat-condo they most thoughtfully placed by a window where we get sun all morning and afternoon!

Our Favorite New Activities

Abby: This morning we would like to share with you some of our favorite new activities. They do not vary too much, but that is because they are so wonderful!

My new favorite location is in this window, of course. Ms. C thinks I look angry in this picture, but I want to assure you that I am not. It's just that I am not quite accustomed to being in such bright sun anymore and I am trying not to squint. How wonderful it is!


Stygia: I am manning, er, catting, this strategic position on the cat condo. From here, I can circle about and keep track of activities inside the house, as well as monitor for intruders outside the house. It's a tough job, but I have years of experience!


Abby: For those of you who thought I looked angry in the window. I'll show you angry. Here is my angry face as I am lounging on Ms. C's lap. I am angry because Stygia approached and dared to stand up with her front paws against the arm rest and meow to Ms. C while I was getting my cuddle time:


She didn't stay for long so I guess she took the hint from my flat eyes and rumpled brow!

Round Two

ROUND TWO: Will Abby make her comeback today? Stand by for the thrilling action!

Abby has been playing with the rug, it's very exciting. She and Stygia begin the opening ritual, The Staredown -- it's a key moment of great psychological import!

It's looking good for Abby, who opens with the Thunderbird attack! Her focus is immense! But wait, Stygia is actually bending over backwards for the Reverse Crescent Counterattack!


It's into the cat condo for Abby, with Stygia close on her tail. This is it folks, the make it or break it moment.

Abby bursts from the condo, but Stygia is ready in an intimidating, Skeksis like pose!

She's on the run again, folks. It looks like Abby needs to go back to her trainer for a little more practice so we won't have to keep calling her the cowardly lion, er, tiger.

Thankful Thursday

Abby: There are always things to be thankful for. One thing we are always the most thankful for are our friends. Today is the last day to cast your vote for the "Best Fur Sibling of the Year Contest." We are thankful to know Sen-Chan, so please click on the image below and cast your vote for him too, if you haven't already! All you need to do is leave a comment in that post.

You know, I was just sitting here innocently snoopervising on Ms. C's early-morning activities, and all of a sudden the thing I am sitting on started to make sounds and shoot out pieces of paper! I am not quite sure what to think of this.

We have another very sunny but very cold morning here, so we are thankful that we are cozy indoors today. I think we mentioned before how much we love the sun! Ms. C especially loves this close-up profile of me:


Stygia: Right now I am helping Ms. C blog for us by sitting in her lap. It's almost as, if not even cozier than the sun. We are both really happy right now. A little earlier, though, I was not sure if I was happy or not. I was curled up in the cat-condo, when she-who-shall-not-be-named also seemed to think she needed to be inside as well:

After that, I decided that it would probably be best if I moved on, and you can see from the evidence that thankfully I was just in time:

Inside or Underneath

Stygia: It is a beautiful, sunny day. Many humans think lying on a sunny beach is the perfect way to spend a sunny day, but I think being safely enclosed in my hidey-hole is the best. At least, I think I am safe. I don't see Abby anywhere . . .

Abby: I've been napping, but I suddenly feel quite energetic! I wonder where my sister is? I bet she is hoping to see me.

Aha! There you are, Styggie! Hey, don't whap me in the face like that, I was just saying hello.

Stygia: . . .

Speaking of hidden things, last night as I was having a snack I made a discovery, that a blanket Mr. R placed on the floor appeared to be alive! I ran over to investigate, and here are the results:

Frisky

Stygia: I see you down there, Abby. Folding your ears back will not make you disappear. Look, I am very relaxed up here. This spot is mine.

Abby: But Styggie, can't you see how prone and defenseless I am down here? Maybe if you just drop down here . . . (thundering follows)

Mr. R just got himself a new car. Well, it is new to him, but used by someone else. Ms. C bought him a big snow and ice remover, but I'm quite sure this is a cat-dental-device.

Stygia: Ms. C got an early birthday present from #1 of The Poupounette today! We are sure it is a really cool, wonderful present, but to be honest, the box is much more interesting to us. Personally, I liked the tape and the label the best, I bit them both a few times:

Abby: I am a TIGER!

Ms. C says she hopes to be going to visit her parents for the rest of the week, as long as the weather holds out! We don't want her to go, but since she is OUR mom, we understand that she needs to see HER mom too.

Play: The Sequel

Ms. C: When I woke up this morning, this is what I saw. Notice, while Stygia is comfortably installed, Abby is more cautious. But she wants to be there!

Abby: Ms. C says her Aunt D. sent her a lovely afghan that she made! She put it on the chair and right away I had to scale its heights and make it my own. I think a multicolored-and-black design compliments my own color scheme, don't you agree?

Stygia: Yes, I allowed Abby to sit near me in the morning. She can be pesky, but ultimately she listens to me. She was leaving me alone so it was ok.

Just in case you wanted to see another video of us playing in our cat condo, here it is! Ms. C needs a better way to record our antics besides her camera, which as you can see is not very good at all. She then had to rotate it in Windows Movie Maker, and it came out a bit squashed.

On the positive side, you can see what a silly little klutz Abby is, falling out of the cat condo like that, and just how fast my whapping paws are! You get to watch all the action twice, the second time is in slow motion.

It's Our Job

Abby: Yes, we have a job. It's a very serious job, and it's called PLAY!! I discovered a sun-spot this morning. I had to take advantage of it.

Ms. C located one of my favorite toys for me. I could be anywhere in the house, but if I hear its rattling sound, I will come running at full speed because it needs to GET GOT!


Stygia: Oh, Abby, hi! I will roll around and touch your paws and maybe you will PLAY with me, too!


I fit into the bottom of the cat condo quite nicely. I like to "hang out" a bit, too! But I have a feeling... something is watching me....

Ha ha!! I will not let it get the better of me! You weren't expecting that now, were you, Abby?

Friends on Friday: Us

First of all, we'd like to send purrs to the family of Texas, who has made his final journey. We loved Texas and his blog, and all of our hearts are with his family right now.

******

Stygia: Perhaps you can tell by the last few blog entries, but this is our new favorite game, playing in and around the cat condo. When I first met Abby, I didn't understand that she was a wrestling-loving kind of cat. I thought she just wanted to fight, I didn't know this was a fun way that we cats could play together. I am learning!

I find it easiest to play from on top of the cat condo. I tried to dash into that top cubby that Abby is usually in once, but it was a lot smaller than I expected, and I ended up with my back legs and tail just hanging out. You can be sure that with Abby on my tail, I got out of there quickly!

Abby: We play this game throughout the day! Sometimes Stygia needs a little bit of persuasion in order to box and wrestle with me. I've had to be clever in my techniques. Usually, I just sneak up on her and whap her tail, but sometimes she ignores that, so as you can see from this video, I'm using the "bite the back" technique.

Well, it is time for our nap. It is afternoon and we need to store a lot of energy for evening excitement!

PS. When we ran the spell check we were shocked to see that "whap" is not in the dictionary. It's a very important term!

Synchronized Kitty Lounging

Abby: Yesterday, we learned about Synchronized Kitty Lounging from Grrreta's blog, and we decided that we were going to have to try it out for ourselves. With such a good example and our tireless hours of study, I think we met with success:

Of course, while we relax, we are really only storing up energy for the next round of PLAY!!! While Styggie was relaxing on the top of the cat-condo, I decided to make a tactical investigation of the second level. Look how I just levitate into it!

It feels good to be inside here. It's round, and I like round places. However, I am not about to forget that she is up there above me. I leave my tail out temptingly.

Stygia: I can't say I didn't expect her to try to get up here with me. Maybe my laser eyes will work to repel her! I have claimed this space as mine for now and I plan to stay here!!

We swirl around on the top of the cat-condo for a while. Abby will never admit that I got the best of her this time, but I did!! She kind of got trapped in the corner by the wall there and she panicked and ran away!! I wouldn't have hurt her but she did get a lesson. After all, I still weigh a pound more than she does.


You can see who is still on top of the cat-condo at the end.... tee hee! She's a little skulker!

Exploration

I like to assist Ms. C in all that she does. When she was in the kitchen taking out the trash, I decided to assist her when she reached for a new garbage bag:

I really like to get into places like this. I would probably stay awhile inside, except that Ms. C is always moving around the house, and I really need to keep an eye on her. I wish she would spend more time here and leave more doors open for me.

I may look lazy, but I know that toy's inside the cat condo and I am going to Get it! Won't you come and play with me?

***

Mr. Hendrix tagged me for the Four Things meme a couple of days ago, so here are my answers:

1. Four jobs I’ve had: I have always been self-employed, and I have many important jobs. First and foremost, I am a Watcher. I must keep an eye on my humans at all times and be in the same room with them. I'm a professional tuna-eater. I am also a pro-napper. Finally, I am an Expert of Play Techniques.
2. Four movies I can watch over and over: I have never actually watched a movie, can you believe it? Perhaps when my humans get a TV they will get me some videos of safari animals like hyenas and lions, or birds. For now, looking out the window suffices.
3. Four places I’ve lived: First I lived at a pet-store, second I lived with a lady who had to give me up, then third I lived at the SPCA, and fourth I lived in my current forever home with Ms. C and Mr. R who rescued me!!
4. Four TV shows I love: Well, we don't have a TV so I can't love any shows. But I can imagine that I love shows about nature and animals I'd like to.... eat.
5. Four places I’ve vacationed: I have to agree with Mr. Hendrix, my life is also one long vacation! If I could go anywhere at all, I would like to go to a morning fish market in Japan. I imagine it as one big all-a-cat-can-eat buffet.
6. Four of my favorite dishes: I love tuna and shrimp, tuna and crab, tuna and ocean whitefish, and tuna by itself.
7. Four sites I visit daily: I watch Ms. C while she visits the journal of author Neil Gaiman, Sen-Chan and Tom's blog The Poupounette, for lack of a better news site CNN.com, and the Distributed Proofreaders site where she volunteers in proofreading documents for Project Gutenberg.
8. Four places I would rather be right now: There is no place I'd rather be right now! I am in my forever home, in my own chair, right beside Ms. C snoopervising her typing.

Unruly Tail, Unruly Foot, Unruly Mom

Mr. R's chair is a little bit slippery sometimes, especially since I don't try to scale it with my claws. I shouldn't have to. Also it rocks a little, and sometimes I barely make it to my lookout post:

When I get there, I notice my tail. Just look at it. It definitely needs to GET GOT!


While I am trying to sedately groom atop my cat condo, sometimes my leg acts up. What was once a peaceful time can quickly turn into an action-packed wrestling match. Of course, once I manage to get my leg, I wash it thoroughly, just like I do when I get one of my humans' hands.


Here she comes now. I will clasp her wrist and maybe bunny-kick her arm, and then bathe her hand:


Ahh . . . that was a job well done. Now it's time to retire to the dark recesses of the lower level for a nap. Or maybe an ambush. Maybe both--you never know!

Calm before a Storm

My day often starts calmly. Like before a storm. You can see here, I am appreciative of the fact that Ms. C has returned my regular table to my Spot between her and Mr. R's desks. She has painted it fresh for me. It's glossy now, like my fur. Don't you think I look good here?


After that moment of repose, I find out that the monstrous cat condo is trying to claim one of my furrymice! I rescue it, as you can see I've retrieved it from the upper maw and am delivering it to the floor:


I often find that somehow, my furrymice end up in Mr. R's shoe! I work very hard to retrieve it from this place:


I always have success. And as you can see, I smile as I receive praise for all of my accomplishments from Ms. C: