Thursday, November 27, 2014

never ending blessings

I wasn't planning to do a Thanksgiving Day post today, but then I read lots of other kitty blogs sharing their blessings and I got caught up in the gratitude, so I grabbed my camera and took all these photos...

It's been a year of great blessing in the kitty family. I'm most grateful that everyone is still with us! I hope I can say the same next year.

Theo


Still crazy and fixated on his food! This year he has become more affectionate and seeks out more cuddles. We both seem to be liking that just fine! I love Theo Time, our nightly ritual that takes place after I've gone to bed. First Buddy gets his tummy rubs, then Theo hopes up on the bed and climbs on my chest for Theo Time loves. It doesn't take long for the drool to start!

Rose

Every year Rose gets a tiny bit more trusting of humans, I think in another 20 years she might even let us pet her! She's made some good progress this year. She lets us walk by her without jumping away in a panic. She also will occasionally take treats from my fingers. We keep working with her and hope she will someday get to relax with us. 

Buddy


Mr. Tummy Rubs - I'm so grateful he's still with us. His arthritis keeps getting worse and hence his back legs are more unstable. It's hard to see him struggle to jump or be so unsteady. He's still having a good time and lives for his tummy to be rubbed - so, we'll keep caring for him until he tells us he's ready to cross the bridge.

Nahum 


Nahum always makes me smile. He's in love with life - he has a case of infectious happiness! Seeing him be silly and playful brings joy to my heart. He follows me everywhere wanting to play or just be near me. This year, he's really become more cuddly, choosing to hang out in my lap. 

Willow


Every year Willow gets cuter. I don't know how she does it. Her adorable face and soft, luscious white's accented by her soft gray furs just melt my heart. She's always talked with me, but this year she's become quite the talker. She doesn't meow, she makes a unique Willow sound. We often carry on conversations, she's got a lot to say!

Oliver


Oliver! What can I say about this boy?! He continues to capture my heart with his amazingness. He's so clever, affectionate and silly. His complete trust of me brings me joy as does seeing him care for his family. A few of our new rituals are, he greets me at the car when I pull into the drive way. I open the car door and he hops in my lap for some purrs and loves! What a lovely welcome home greeting!

I tell Oliver's story in my basic TNR class and every time I do, I reconnect with my deep seated gratitude for him. I owe my involvement in TNR to him. If he hadn't brought his family to my house, I may have never got hooked into TNR!


As you recently read in a earlier post, he's been spending the nights secured on the back porch. Most nights I go out to lock him in and he comes running up to me on the porch. I love that he doesn't feel negative about being locked on the back porch at night. Having his family join him for the night probably helps!


Oliver got to spend some hangout time with me on the bed this morning. He so loves being inside kitty. When it's time to bring him back outside, he knows what's about to happen, so he rolls on his back to have his tummy rubbed and to make it harder to pick him up! He's super clever.

Pierre


Pierre has come along way in trusting us this year. He spends most of his time on Oliver's back porch or somewhere on our property. I'm so grateful for him feeling safe and secure here. When he's sleeping on the back porch, he no longer flees when we walk through, he just watches us, then returns to sleep.

MK
MK wasn't around when I took today's pictures, this is old picture of him. 
Back in July, MK went missing for a week. Each day that went by without him returning I grew more heartbroken. I thought he was gone forever. When he returned on the 7th day, I was overjoyed and now each time I see him I'm still overjoyed! As I recent'y shared, his using of the special cat door is huge progress this year. He's not as trusting as Pierre, but has made some progress this year. I'm so grateful he's alive and that he's his silly self!

Bert


A catguy couldn't ask for a better foster cat. Bert is such a love. He looks a lot like Rose, just bigger and wears his coat a little more tightly. I'm grateful for Bert's unending love. Soon he will be going to the yearly Holidays adoption event that I participate in - lets all hope he finds his forever home soon!

Max

Even though Max crossed the bridge over five years ago now, he remains very alive in my heart. He gave me the incredible gift of discovering the joy of cats. I never knew cats were so amazing until he showed me it was so. His loving, sweet nature has forever changed me and for that I will be forever grateful.

Yes, it's been a good year, even beyond the kitty family. The humans have experienced many blessings too, which I am tremendously grateful for. My heart overflows with gratitude for all these amazing gifts. A big thank you to all you awesome cats out there on the interwebs!

- - BONUS BLOG POST MATERIAL - Capturing The Willow - A behind the scenes look - - 

Getting amazing photos of Willow might seem like a challenge to get but it's not really. In this case, she was one of the last cats photographed for today's post. She wasn't too happy about being last, and followed me everywhere, waiting for her turn.


I asked her to show her cutes and I provided two props, a fuzzy fleece blanket and a nip-filled fleece fish. She took those items and worked her magic...







Happy Gratitude Day!!!

13 comments:

  1. I don't "know" anyone who write so eloquently of their joy and delight in their life with cats. This truly was a wonderful post, your deep love for all the felines who grace your life shines through with every word.

    And I want to know why I don't have cats who want to be photographed! LOL.

    Peace and blessings.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a sweet way to celebrate this wonderful day, by sharing your gratitude for each of your furry loved one's! I am sharing the day with my sweet Charlie and I'm so thankful he is still with me this year.
    hugs,
    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well we're glad yo did a post, it was filled with love and joy and we so enjoyed reading it. Oliver makes us smile too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is truly a wonderful warm Thanksgiving post.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, what a wonderful post! You are amazing and your cats are a source of joy for you and for us, grace to your writing. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Willow has the sweetest face. They're all wonderful but Willow wins the prettiest cat prize.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh oh oh! What a beautiful post; an homage to the cats! When Sammy went missing last summer for about four days, I was beside myself with worry. Methinks he got locked into the neighbor's garage, but during the time he was gone, I envisioned every awful thing, but also kinda hoped someone scooped him up to be a housepet! Even when Patty or Sweetie miss one meal, I have to keep my freak out in check, and I feel lucky that it's usually only one missed meal. If I could lock those babies in each night, I would gratefully and gladly do it! But, we all made it through last Winter, and I can only hope we do it again this year. You have a lovely cat crew!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I did my Thanksgiving blog the day before. I had parades to watch, food to eat, and football to watch. The Seahawks were on fire! My thanks on Thanksgiving, and yours as well, is that we both have gone through the year with no cats lost or deceased. That is a rare year for me! Looks like we will make it to the end this year. I have been losing readers on Blogger, but gaining them on Wordpress--go figure! The blogs are the same. I think one day Rose will change. Opie was friendly as a kitten, then became standoffish for years. Then this year age 5, she climbed on my lap, and now I cannot get rid of her. She sleeps with me on my bed at night. She follows me around the house. There is still hope for Rose. Since your cats are not mine, I can have favorites, and it is, for sure, Nahum! He is like my old Peep in every way! I am hoping for a little snow tomorrow. I have not seen any this year. Been working on my Christmas blog already--a work in progress until the day arrives! I am hiding inside the house today--Black Friday. I have done the madness in the past, but no more. I have all that I need. I shall probably be quiet for the next few weeks, but I follow the blogs I follow. May Santa Cat be generous to your family this year.

    Greetings
    Greg and his cats

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for sharing your Thanksgiving day kitty gratitudes with us. Sweet Rose, we can't wait to read that you have come to trust completely! Purrs...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh thank you so much. I loved seeing each of the cats and reading their stories again. They bring joy to ME as well. Max...my babies are there on the Bridge with you. Watch for us. XX

    ReplyDelete
  11. Good to see an update on the state of the family! Happy Thanksgiving!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dat is such a pawsum posty. Weez so glad yous decided to make it. And so sorry weez so late to wead it. Weez had so much goin' on in ow lives lately weez way behind in everyfin', specially visitin'. But we awe so glad yous all be ow furiends. We awe gwatefull fur all ow furiends in blogville. As fur Buddy and hims awfur-itis, weez wuz wunnewin' ifin yous had twied Barley Cat? Dat's what we use fur Lexi and it weally helps. She's like a kitten again. Altho' there awe stil a foo fings hers still can' do like jump 5 feet stwaight up anymore, she dusn't limp or hav da pain anymore. Just a teaspoon a day and da bottle lasts 3 mumffs fur 1 kitty. Purretty good fur 'bout 12.00. Hav a pawsum weekend.

    Luv ya'

    Dezi and Lexi

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for sending in your comments!