Happy Birthday to me!

We really don't know when my real birthday is. I was too young to remember, and I didn't come to live with Treater and Napper until I was one year old. They rescued me from DOOM. Even though I'm a bit standoffish, I'm glad I live here with them, 'cause that means I LIVE!

We celebrate my birthday on the anniversary of my adoption, which was January 31, 2000. So, we just 'pretend' that my date of birth was January 31, 1999. That makes me ten years old! Of course, I'm a lady cat, so I'm not really old.

For the first couple of weeks that I lived in my new home, I stayed hidden...usually behind the piano or the TV. I would sneak out at night when everyone was asleep to eat, do my private business, and bite everyone's toes.

Napper kept following me around with the flashy box, and some of those first pictures are how I got my new name. When I was adopted, my name was Shubert. Shubert! For Pete's Sake, I'm a lady cat! What a name.

The first photo of me was taken when I was trying to sneak through the dining room. It's not a very good picture, but it's the one that made Treater say, "Wow! What a SPOOKY CAT!" Well, actually, the Tall One Who Always Picks Me Up called me an 'alien cat.' I'm glad I'm not named Alien Cat.


Anyway, here's another picture taken in the same evening. It's a bit clearer. This is what I looked like nine years ago. I had already perfected my laser eyes by then.



Wasn't I cute? Well, of course, I still am!

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Answering the questions

I'm sorry.

I guess everyone's been wondering where I've been. Well, I'll tell ya.

I've been here:



And I've been here:


So, the answer to the first question is: I've been hibernating practically this entire month!

The second question remains unanswered: am I a cat or a bear?

Actually, I'm resting up. There's a Big Event this weekend. Check in with me on Saturday!

My new favorite spot

Treater and Napper have been laughing and shaking their heads at me a lot lately. I cannot understand what they think is so funny. I think they're laughing at my new favorite sleeping place. I really like this spot. Treater keeps trying to take it away, but I won't let her.

Here...I'll move and show you what I've been sleeping on (that's my tail-tip in the bottom of the photo):

So, what do you think?

Treater here:

Just before Christmas, I brought home several gifts that I had purchased. They were wrapped in bubble wrap and placed inside this bag. After removing the gifts, I stuffed the bubble wrap back in the bag and left it on the floor. When I looked back, Spooky was nuzzling the bag, so I left it. Now she sleeps on it several hours each morning.

Bubble wrap and a plastic bag. Who'd a-thunk it?

Four

Four. That is a signifiCAT number. Today is the fourth day of the New Year...2009! This month, I will turn TEN years old! My made-up birthday is January 31, 1999. It's made-up because when my people adopted me, the vet said I was one year old, and they just went back one year to come up with a birthday for me. I can't remember being born...and I can't remember my first cat family, so that day works for me.

Four is also signifiCAT because I got tagged for the four-by-four photo tag game. Treater already played it, but she did not tag me. I guess she was being lazy. Tiria, The Shadow Princess, and Henry tagged me!

Here are the very easy rules:

1. Choose the 4th folder on your computer where you keep/store your pictures.
2. Select the 4th picture in the folder.
3. Explain the picture.
4. Tag 4 people to do the same! No cheating (cropping, editing, etc.)!



This picture of me was taken in 2004 - the fourth year that I lived with my people. I was five years old here. My people had just bought this big cabinet...it has all sorts of play-pretties in it, but I can't get to them because of the glass. The very back of this big cabinet has something called a "mirror." I'm not exactly sure what a mirror really is, but it has a CAT in it that keeps looking at me! I have tried talking to it, and I have tried to convince it to come out and play, but it just keeps looking at me.

It's still in that cabinet. I think it's probably hungry and thirsty because I never see it eat or drink...ever. It just always looks at me. It sure is a pretty cat. I'd sure love to have it as a playmate.

I'd like to tag this cat for this game, but I don't think it has any people who take pictures. I don't even think it has a computer or a dictation-taker. Poor cat.

Well, I looked around, and it looks like everyone else has played this game. If you haven't played, please consider yourself tagged!

Psssst...Tigs. You do realize that you were tagged, too, don't you? I'm gonna double-tag ya.

Miss Kitty, have you been tagged yet?

Well, while I'm at it, Junior and Orion, have you guys been tagged yet?

Anybody else?

Oh, by the way, I know I'm late, but Happy Mew Year to EveryCat!

Uh-oh

This is not good.

I see a suitcase.

Treater told me this was my last chance to say anything to all of my Cat furriends for the rest of the year!

The REST of the YEAR??!!

This does not sound good.

I wonder how long the rest of the year is? I wonder how long my people will be gone? I don't like being left alone.

I guess I'll be back 'next year.'

This is not good.

The Face-Off

I survived.

I actually survived a face-off with Eve, the Wookiee Woofie!

The Tall Guy (Who Did Not Get to Pick Me Up This Time!!) brought Eve over for Christmas Day. She's something called an American pit bull terrier. My people actually like her. Everybody was pretty good about keeping that woofie away from me, even though it meant that we had to take turns being shut up in one of the bedrooms.

However, one time, The Tall Guy forgot that I was out - I was having my dinner - and he opened the bedroom door and let Eve out. I was cornered!

I froze. Eve froze. I bushed up bigger than I've ever bushed up in my almost-ten-years and I started my Scary Sideways Dance. Eve kept trying to run and hide! She would back up as I would dance closer and closer to her! Finally, Eve looked at The Tall Guy for help, and that gave me the break I needed. I scooted past her and right into my bedroom.

Whew. No blood shed. No one got scratched. No bodies. I was afraid, but I didn't let on to Eve...and I scared her!

There is no way that Eve and I will ever be like this dog and cat (click on picture for video link).

Here's a picture of Eve. She and Napper were playing, but Eve kept looking at The Tall Guy. I think she was afraid that he would go off and leave her.

All in all, it wasn't too horribly bad. I survived and I have my place back. Eve left.

One thing really upset me, however. The footstool by Treater's chair is mine! That's where I nap and where I watch TV. That's where I sit and stare pitifully at Treater begging for a scritch or a treat. Look who's napping on MY footstool!


It still smells like a woofie.

The Visitors

Treater and Napper have been extra-busy lately. I think that flashing, blinking fake tree might have something to do with it. Stuff keeps piling up under and around it. That stuff has blocked my short-cut from my napping place to my hiding place. That might be a bad thing...

...especially after what I heard last night. I think the Tall Guy Who Always Picks Me Up is coming to visit. I also think he's bringing Eve. Remember Eve? She's the woofie who sounds like a Wookiee.

I don't care what she sounds like or how much my people like her, she's a D-O-G and she's coming to MY territory!

I think I need to take a quick vaCATion...soon. Any Cat out there who'd like some company? I'll bring the Greenies and Temptations and my fishie (I found it again) and my springy green worm.

Oh, yeah...

Meowy Christmas, EveryCat!!