Hip Hoop Hooray!

Look what came in yesterday's post...

Hershey's Grandma and Grandpa sent us a gift - a Hip Hoop circular cardboard scratcher! How awesome is that! When I first visited Hershey at Mike's home, I noticed that he had a cool round cardboard scratcher. He told me his parents had sent it to him from back East. Well, word must have gotten back to them because they sent me this awesome scratcher!! Wowza!

And now I must confess a shameful secret - can you believe that this is our very first cardboard scratcher?!?! What?? Yes, the cats of Fourwhitepaws are seriously neglected! Please don't tell anyone. :)

The cats immediately loved it, especially Nahum. And I haven't even added any of the special organic catnip that came with it. Once I do that, they'll love it even more!

Nahum likes to be the first to try everything. 

photobomb!

double photobomb!!

Nahum: I think I'll have a bath on my new scratcher.

Buddy: How's about a tussle on that new scratcher there Mr. Nahums?

Common! Can you stop bathing and tussle?

Anytimes now!

Alright, here we go!!

Wheeeee...

...and take that you fluffy oaf!

With a well placed choke hold, Buddy takes the match

Nahum: Meanwhile back to the bathing...

This scratcher is wicked awesome - the kitties LOVE it!! Thank you Grandpa and Grandma Hershey!  You guys are wonderfully generous!!!

Prince Spaghetti Day sans words

invitation only!

Rose has been with us for over two years now and I so rarely get to touch her. She remains very skittish and chooses to keep a lot of distance with the humans. I consider it a good day when she occasionally invites me to touch her. On those occasions, she's split, she clearly wants to be petted but her fear is high - I'm learning how to prolong the loves with slow movements, no eye-contact and always following her cue. If her fear starts to overtake the pleasure, I stop and slowly move away.

Rose really loves being brushed but it's very hard to ever get near her with the brush as she spooks as soon as she sees it. When she allows it, she leans into the brush and soaks it up.

Imagine my surprise recently, when while cautiously petting her on the ottoman in front of the fire, she flopped over to have her tummy rubbed! I couldn't believe it! I still can't believe it!! Over the years she's watched all the other cats get their tummy's rubbed and now she just had to try it for herself. She must have liked it because two days later she wanted her tummy rubbed again!

Rose has a serious case of the cutes for sure. Her fear is slowly losing out to her enjoyment of being touched. Hopefully in another few years she will be a cuddle bug! Ok, it might take more than a few years for that but I'm holding out hope.

I'll keep taking it slow, while always watching out for her subtle invitations for love.

the sun returns

We almost made it through a year with no snow. Then Friday came.

Morning:

March 22, 2013 7:46 am
(thanks to Theo for the photobomb!)

 Late afternoon:

March 22, 2013 6:08 pm

In the end we had only a few inches of snow and most of it was melted by evening.

morning of March 22, 2013

morning of March 25, 2013

The cats so love the sun!

I hope the sun is shining wherever you are today!

the heist

ho hum, just watching the world go round and round...

Secret Agent Oliver

No, that would be just Mr. Oliver, thank you.

Just out for a stroll on the rooftop, dah dee dah...

nothing to see here...

oh hello Mr. Buddy...

What?? Speak up Buddy, I can't hear you,

the nip motherlode is comin when???

Buddy: After nightfall, through the backdoor - got it?

"We've been compromised! You were followed you moron"

Ack! What you looking at?!?!

Nahum: So, how's the family?

Nahum: You guys like to play feather toy and string?

]

Well, off to do my cat thing...

Meanwhile out from the shadows lurks another suspicious cat...

Ok, here's the deal Pierre - da nip's coming around the back after dark, 

go tell the rest of the family to be ready

What you looking at? You gotta problem mister?

You better scram or I'm gonna work you over with this pine cone and my cutes!!