P.S. I Need a Hug

        Have you ever had a couple of cats living together for years that just never got along no matter what?  Well, Dear Cat Loving Reader, that has been the case with me and my furry sibling, Blue.  Yes, in case you don't know, I am a cat who is chronicling tidbits of my life. When I was adopted by the Hun family, they already had two cats named Pinkie and Pepper. Pinkie was the Alpha and very independent. He kept to himself.  But Pepper, who was the most affectionate, was very lonely.  They thought I would be good company for her.  A few patient steps were taken before Pepper and I were formally introduced to one another. At first we were isolated from each other so neither one of us would stress out. Within a week, I was put into a room with a French door that allowed Pepper and I to watch each other through the glass panels. I was also given a blanket with Pepper’s scent and vice versa.  This was done in order for Pepper and I to get used to each other's scent. Finally I was left in the open for short periods where we would spend time feeling each other out which ended in flattened, pulled back ears and mutual hissing. Pepper was the Beta and she was blessed with polydactyl paws, so I had to respect that.  

Chow Time Shuffle

Blue’s bowl is filled with fresh beef and chicken liver pate and there are a few tasty dental snacks next to his dish. But, as soon as he hears the rattling of hard biscuits being dropped from a bag into my food dish, he runs over to where our mistress, Lady Hun, is pouring dry food into my dish.  She shoos him away so I can eat in peace, since he and I have different diets.  He is stubborn to leave so Lady Hun has to keep gently nudging him away until he finally acquiesces. 

I began to nibble my special senior-formulated biscuits; they are crunchy with a soft center that also helps with hairballs and urinary tract health. I like to eat the morsels slowly, but oftentimes I am forced to gobble to prevent Blue from muscling his way into my bowl before I have a chance to even taste one biscuit.  He is greedy, always chowing down like a contestant in a hot dog eating contest.

When Blue sees Clyde eating heartily, He begins to stare Clyde down and growls until Clyde pauses from eating to look at Blue who is frowning.  

Felines to Dine fur

         Lazily looking out the frosty bay window this morning, I stretch my furry neck to see whether or not I am dreaming that snowflakes are tumbling from the heavens, cloaking the street in white diamonds. The view is like a winter scene from Currier and Ives.                                                                                                                                   

        Aha, I spot telltale paw prints on the walkway. Clyde must have left the house through the outdoor security flap during the wee hours to explore.  But, why he would want to be out in the cold, I don’t know.   

        Pawing through Cat Fancy, Pinkie is distracting. He pauses to scratch- n-sniff a cat cologne sample on a page featuring a photo of an Exotic. Pinkie is very photogenic and the camera loves him. He has aspirations of being the kitty on the cat food box. “That cat looks like an overgrown kitten,” blurts out Blue, adding that it has a mashed-in face and no tail.  “I think she’s rather cute” says Pinkie. Blue, continuing to peer over Pinkie's shoulder, says. “Ooh, look at that wide-eared hairless one."  Pinkie shudders.  “I don’t like sphynx cats, they look cold!”

            Clyde suddenly appears though the outdoor security flap, which he holds open to prevent it from locking. Thus, his furry friends can pass through.  We all watch in horror as stray cats enter our living room one by one. 

Doing Due Diligence—for Cats

          Educating the public on the importance of spaying and neutering is one solution in the fight against overpopulation and homelessness that cat lovers and advocates support. Due to the fact that most rescue shelters are full to capacity with slow turnover rates, cats denied entry, are often surrendered to kill shelters. On a continuous basis, throughout the nation, abandoned, stray and feral cats are destroyed.  Some would argue that euthanasia is an effective means of animal control. Others would argue that there are more humane ways to address the problem.  A major contributing factor leading to the destruction of cats may be a pet owner's lack of money.

        Examining the issue from a potential cat owner’s perspective, let’s consider the obvious reasons. Many of the cats I have seen in shelters are not of the pedigreed sort. Most are domestic short-haired tabbies. Many of the cats housed in shelters, that are not strays, may have been surrendered by owners for several legitimate reasons: the cat is not litter box trained or a family member has developed an allergic reaction to the cat, being among the most common reasons. And these are resolvable issues. But, what about cases where cat owners become sick, lose their jobs, are suddenly homeless and incapable of caring for a cat let alone paying their medical bills? There may be unanticipated life-altering events for humans that impact the lives of their pets. For some pet owners, veterinary care is very expensive. An exam can cost as much as a week’s worth of groceries or a whole month’s rent making costly cat care difficult for a family struggling to make ends meet on a shoestring budget.

Adoption is not a Temporary Option

         Doomed by their own families, maturity can be a cat’s worst enemy.  Watching two young felines from the window, I realize they are the same cats brought home as cute kittens by our neighbor weeks ago.  Kids were constantly seen cuddling them.  Now, dragging their tails behind them, they are getting stepped on and rejected.  My mistress, Hun, has been hearing their mewing and is carefully observing them.  When she opens the door, they dash inside and tentatively explore before she secures them in a carrier. Calls to friends; family members; co-workers; veterinarians; pet stores and animal shelters are exhausted.  I hear Hun repeatedly explain about how they are young indoor cats that were abandoned by neighbors, who moved during the night. "No" she couldn't take them she said, but wanted to help. Hope came when a pet store owner agreed to take them.  However, that same pet store owner had a change of heart once Hun arrived there.  She was told the cats were cute, but too big and would never be adopted. A staff member at the store also noticed fleas on the cats.   

Purrfect Panache

Good Morning and welcome Dear Reader:
I hope you slept well and it was not too cold for you to get out from under those warm blankets today. If you haven't done so yet, stretch; grab your morning beverage and hopefully a healthy breakfast. 
         Ever wonder what your cat (if you have one…or two… or....) is up to when you're away for the day? Unless you have a kitty cam, you'll never know. Let me properly introduce myself. I’m Gabriella Gazette, but you can refer to me as 'Gabbers' since talking and writing are my favorite pastimes, when I’m not chasing mice. I will be reporting to you from eastern Long Island's South Shore twice a week.  I am very excited to share my first official blog with you.  I have chosen to do it by beginning with an informal diary, leading into the day's story. My intention is for this blog to be an easy, enjoyable read to start off your day in an interesting way and on occasion, get the scoop on celebrity felines and their owners. And I will share some helpful information.
          Yes, I’m a cat, and though you will happily not forget that fact, I promise you will be purrfectly intrigued by the stories of me and the rest of the furry folks you'll meet here, namely Pinkie, Blue, and Clyde (pictured below),

To begin with, a brief history of our roots, so you can know and understand us better.  Beginning with me. Before living in my present owners' home, I was sheltered at a pet store. My previous owners had been renting the home we lived in and one day they up and moved, and I was left behind to fend for myself out on the streets. I was 3 months old and it was in the middle of winter. Some older kids took turns torturing me. Luckily, a lady from Valley Stream Cat Rescue (VSCR) took me to a a pet store that worked with her rescue team to shelter unwanted cats.