Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Back to the Home Place!

Mrrrewhew!

Here I am, back home with my new pal, Peter the Bear. I let him sit in the chair since he is the new guy and he has a red sweater. He's an old friend of Boo's.

The Big City is nice and all.  My person's mom has a well laid out place for cat-romping on three levels. It has very comfy couches and chairs and one entire staircase dedicated to cats - it's entirely covered with appropriate claw-sharpening material.

But it isn't home.

And I missed my yard.

I was getting a little nutty there not being able to go outside. The last day of our visit, there was a Big Snow (BS), so I had to help Oom and Boo dig out the car. I did the left front wheel. Then I sat on Oom's lap all the way home to try to ensure her driving resolve.

They weren't daunted by the BS, but sometimes they stop along the way to drink stuff, and then they have to stop again to pee. I don't know why they can't just use the litter box. I'm pretty sure Alex and I have seen it all.

Next blog: my homecoming adventure outside.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Human Tree Holiday Presents!

Mrrrr Friends,


I got a Yeowww! brand lemon for the big tree holiday celebration. Here I am trying to get it out of my gift bag (part of my appeasement package from the company that borrowed my name). 


Alex got a Yeowww! banana but Oom wrapped it in tissue pretty tight so she decided my lemon might be better.

It was touch and go there for a few minutes, but my stoic attitude prevailed and she decided her banana was better. Holiday tensions arise in any family. I was glad to see this quickly resolved, though I think the slightly offscreen cuff in the head might have been productive.

I hope you got cool smelly good stuff for the holiday too.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Dogs are Beer Drinkers, Cats Prefer Wine

Mrrrr Friends,

It seems a point worth making. It's not that I don't appreciate a deep chocolaty porter or a hearty oatmeal stout with a bit of a bite, but my cat pals and I tend to prefer a garnet glass of Barolo, a velvet St. Emilon, spicy Zin, or even a furry Blaufrankish.

Here I am with a very nice Willamette Valley Pinot procured by my pal Matthew. You can't really see, but I'm sitting on my leather Eames chair again...the city can be very classy, though the sparsity of cat kibble shops is a bit worrying.
Oom is all excited about a new beer she had today in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Back in Black, a dark IPA. I will have to smell it before I can recommend it even to my dog pals.

Here's Matthew ensuring I have a chance to try the very nice cheese on offer that night. It was akin to a creamy Manchego...I sniffed and licked. Very pleasant.
Sorry about the dark photos...a flash seemed rude, it was a very nice evening. I'm half way through my visit to the big city. I haven't tackled any true outdoor ventures yet. I've been thinking about going over to the tree park. It is awfully nice in here though.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Cat-Solstice is Tuesday!

Mrrrrr Friends in Fur,

Mrow! Cat-Solstice is upon us!

Cat-Solstice is the primo feline holiday; it celebrates nighttime. Your feline loves nighttime.

Depending on where any furry cat guy or gal lives, their longest night may fall just before or after official Northern Hemisphere Cat-Solstice. Therefore, cats celebrate over multiple days by engaging in extra nighttime prowling, scampering, mischief, and quiet nighttime contemplation.

Yes, that's us staring at you much of the night, we're still wondering when you'll grow fur.

Cat-Solstice here in the Northern Cat-Hemisphere is Tuesday evening. Isn't that handy! That means you can start giving your cat extra love, extra kibble, and plenty of cat treats on Monday and right through your cool tree holiday (though we suspect you made up your holiday so you could party with us).

Even when we scamper into the decorated tree branches, lick the top of the fresh baked pie crust, or hurl a hairball on a wrapped present, your peace on earth goodwill toward critters vibe will probably put you in the mood to handle it.

For those of you who didn't know that Cat-Solstice was such a big deal, you still have time to run out and buy cool cat treats for us. Indeed, we'll roll with it right into the whole human New Year, accepting presents graciously as you bring them to us.

NOTICE: As an extra bonus for Cat-Solstice this year, we get a moon eclipse on the same day! This overlap only happens every few centuries, and each time it does, cat-kind makes an enormous leap forward. Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night!

The next conflation of Cat-Solstice and a moon eclipse is 21 December 2485.


Feeling like you can't give your feline friend enough love? Don't have a special kitty in your life right now, well, Cat-Solstice is for you too! Donate now to your local shelter or send a gift to my two favorite shelters: Sauk County Humane Society or North Country SPCA. They're both good places, with dedicated people serving the highest purpose: keeping all cats healthy and safe. (Yes, they are nice to dogs, budgerigars, and other animals too.) Tell them Diesel sent you!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Diesel T Hecat is not Plastic!

Mrrrrr Friends,

Some of you may be confused by this relatively recent news.



It seems that this guy can make oil and diesel from plastic. But diesel, not Diesel. I am not made of plastic, I promise. Did you ever even hear of a plastic cat? Do you want to hug and pet a plastic cat? Whatever would a plastic cat eat?

So relax. I'm furry, fleshy, and definitely not made of plastic.

I guess it can be confusing for humans at times.

Remember, I'm here to assist when you need a sober, furry, non-human perspective.  If you want a slobbery, furry perspective, find a dog.

Mrrrowh, I'm also now on Facebook! Just search The Scratching Pad or check out the link to the right here.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

SNOW!

Mrrrr Friends,

There is nothing more exciting for a purebred Wisconsin Snowcat than the first good snow fall. Yep, we had a freak storm bout a month ago, but I knew that was not a keeper. Today might be the first good snow of what I hope is a snow-filled, drift-packed winter!

Here I am checking the little wood pile. Looking kind of skimpy if you ask me.

In the wild part of the yard, it takes longer for the snow to cover the grasses.

I tried to catch a few snowflakes in my mouth...it looks like I'm mad, but I'm not.

And here's what we had by midday!

Not a bad start. Me, I'm waiting for 4 feet of pack...perfect Snowcat weather!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Turkey Day!

Mrrrr Friends,

Many kibble treats and happiness to you!

For a moment, it was a beautiful clear dawn, and as I strode through my yard, I was thinking of all you good reader friends!

In the US, the humans celebrate Thanksgiving Day (aka Turkey Day) today. They gather together and eat good food with good friends and family, and if they are smart, they think about all the wonderful things in their life to be thankful for...like the loving cat who they are setting aside giblets for!

It's not a bad idea any time of the year - feeding the cat giblets - and getting together with friends and family to share a meal as a commemoration of all the good things about life.

I hope you enjoy a good day, preferably with a furry companion, where ever you are!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Marking Territory

Mrrrrr Friends,

Okay, I share my world with other critters. I accept this. Indeed, I celebrate it. But I have one caveat...I want them to know I am here.

This is a fundamental premise for most of us critters. For me, it translates to marking my world - an intricate, loving, labor intensive process that must be pursued every day if I'm going to keep up with the fishers, turkeys, bobcats, possums, other cat dudes, foxes, minks that share my space...and the ever present domestic canines that, quite frankly, I could do without messing in my yard.

So I mark the tame spots in my yard and Aunt Becky's yard (at this time of year Brewster and Ubu are simply not getting their work done).

And I mark in the wild spots.

Which requires boulder scaling.

And there are occasional surprises.

Marking leaves is fun.

But will lead to antics.

Life is good! How do you mark your territory?

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Fisher Cat!!!

MrrrRrrr Friends,


Yesterday I saw a fisher cat! I'm not kidding, Martens pennanti, not 3 feet away from me and Oom.


Here's what I'm talking about:


There we were, on the wild side of our property which, upgrade, is an alder swamp, and, closer to my brook, becomes a marshy shrubby area where we planted lots of red osier dogwood this spring. I was on the scent of something interesting in a brushy bunch of crunchy dead grass, and Oom was two paces behind me, standing and doing whatever it is humans do when they stare into space.


All of the sudden, this incredible distant relative of mine, came loping out of the alder swamp, passed right by me on his way to my brook. He didn't stop to look at me, or Oom who I could tell was trying to decide when to pick me up, but he knew we were there. He just wasn't gonna fuss about it. He had stuff to do and knew we were friendlies.


As soon as he passed us, Oom scooped me up and I scrambled to her shoulders, though she held on to my tail. We were both a little surprised, wondering if we should be a little scared, but mostly we just wanted to watch the big guy more. And he was BIG. I'd say 2 cat bodies ears to butthole, Oom says that's about 2 1/2 to 3 feet. Plus the awesome tail...gorgeous, glossy, fluffy thing. I was a bit jealous.

The big furry dude made two aborted crossings of the brook. Right before this, Oom was thinking, surely this isn't a fisher, maybe it's a mink? But after we saw him shy away from the shallow but fast water (confirmed after checking the animal picture books later in the house), we were both on the same page: fisher!


After the two aborted crossings, he doubled back right in front of us and pawsed, giving us a casual look while no more than 5 feet away. Then he was on his way, loping along our side of the brook into the neighbor's territory. We lost sight of him, but he must of found a dry crossing, and we glimpsed him on his way up into the forest headed toward the Sentinels.


It has made me reassess my use of my territory. It is a shared space. This morning, before heading into the field, I scoped the wild area from the hillock just behind the house.



And, now, I look over my shoulder a bit more. 

But mostly, I'm excited that animals like bobcats, turkeys, foxes, broadwinged hawks, and fishers like our little world as much as we do. And I'm glad I'm a cat with a home who gets to go Out but always with at least one of my people.


Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween (people scary day)

Mrrrrr Friends,


Except for the cat costumes - some of you can get away with this, others, well...not so much - this whole sugary, scary costume day doesn't make a lot of sense to a cat. Now, if you were going door to door for the equivalent of a nice kibble: a tagine, nice lamb stew, a good Barolo, heck, even pizza, I think we'd understand.

We used to have kids come by when we lived at the little house. But not here. What's up? Do you think the Adirondack mountain kids are smarter than other kids? Do you think they are staying home, instead of going out at night in rain, snow, and 30 human degree temps? Perhaps spending their time, instead, lobbying for chicken stew, a plate of steamy beets (cats love the small of beets), and a nice Barolo?

I got a bath today. That was scary for Alex. Me, I'm into a nice warm bath, a towel off, then apres bath in front of the stove fire with Boo.

We're staying home, drinking a little Bordeaux, and looking forward to some steaks from Essex Farm! Oh, and there is pumpkin pone for dessert...hopefully with a dollop of cream to share with the cat.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

A Different Pace

Mrrrrr Friends,

This cat is simply working at a different pace these days.

As the weather has changed, bringing brisk temperatures, blowing winds with fluttering crispy leaves, and snow flurries, I've shifted into a more active outdoor lifestyle - still and always accompanied by my person. Tree scaling, bird roundups - I just hang with them, I don't hurt them, and leaf madness are high on my list. I've also laid quite a foundation of golden nuggets in Aunt Becky's yard.

But blogging hasn't been high on my list. Sorry. I did today play with the pretty new colors...so we have a change up in look.

I've been thinking about getting a Facebook page...

Okay? I'm still here. And my coat is nice and thick and furry so I'll get Oom to take a picture in the next few days. This is from a month or so ago when the leaves were just getting  crunchy-rustly.


I hope you are enjoying the falling leaves season.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

In the Field

Mrrrr Friends,

Sometimes a cat doesn't have much to say. I've been doing extensive on the ground, in the field research.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Don't Cut Off the Cat

Mrrrr Friends,

In part, my delay is due to summer cat doldrums. I just didn't want to blog. But as I sensed the waning of the season in late July, I was itching to scratch the pad again - the key pad that is.

With all the thoughtful drafting going on in my head, I guess I wasn't paying close enough attention to what was going on with my people. They had put the back seat of the red vroomwagon down, they were putting things in it. I did notice it was more things than the usual weekly purge.

Next thing I knew, they were putting their fake fur in, books, and human kibble. When your humans put books in the car, it is a bad sign.

Okay, at this point Alex and me knew there was a road trip ahead. We thought we might go along. But then they sat each of us down and gave us the Big Talk. The Big Talk is reserved for when they go away for a long time and feel really guilty, or when somebody goes across the bridge and they feel really sad.

Fine. They abandoned us for half a cat year, easy. [Editor's note: 1 cat year = 2.4 months; we weren't gone that long!]

I figured, however, I'd have some quality time for blogging in between some dinner parties with our out of town cat pals. So, while sad to not get to lay on Oom's head at night, and suffering a little anxiety about the kibble situation, I was good with it.

After roaming the house  until sunset, performing occasional agonized yowling to alert the neighbor cats that we had been abandoned, I settled down in front of the aluminum cat, Mac. Alex handles power up.

But the the immortal portal did not whir into action no matter how often she hit the convex button.  Suddenly, we noticed the odd lack of blinking lights in the room. No power! No wall juice? Worse, Oom had unplugged all the human communication devices!

Animal cruelty.

The next morning, the food monitor came - a nice guy named Dennis who they paid to ration kibble each day. I ran right up to him and explained the situation. I tried to get him to come over to the juice portal and plug the aluminum cat's tail in. He didn't understand. He kept scratching me, trying to deter my sense of purpose by creating petting delirium.

So, no blogging. And I've been kind of in a funk ever since.

Oh, you're wondering how Alex and I survived half a cat year? Cat's have their communication networks. A little invitational yowling, procurement of a few cases of Cowboy Cookout, a nice Cognac, a few old cat pals stop by....   We missed our people big, but we had a nice time and they came back kind of happier...though we could tell they missed us big too.

Friday, July 23, 2010

The Cat Days of Summer

Mrrrrr Friends,

I know some of you were worried about my absence. I'm fine.
It's been hot, but don't sweat it, the D is cool. I have multiple strategies. During my morning perambulations, I spend time in the ferns and cool grasses. Boo and me take a dip in my brook on especially warm days. He keeps muttering about salt, but I just relax on a rock with my paws in the very chilly water. I did slip on a boulder the other day and did some full body immersion. Wet cat is not necessarily cool cat.

I've also had some heavy responsibilities: keeping an eye on my pal Alex as she recovers. Cats will do almost anything to stay cool. You remember how we told her to not go skiing in Gstaad anymore without telling anybody? Well, you need to be specific with cats...and you can't tell Alex "no." She slipped out for a cat ski-party, hit the slopes near Wengen - not the best time of year for humans, but for a ski-cat, pretty primo. She was coming down the Jungfrau at high speed, and wham, she did it again. ACL injury. You should have heard Oom explaining to the new vet how it happened...he hasn't quite come to grips with his new reality.

The good news is, she's much better already. And there's the fact that she only has two hind legs, so she can't do it again. I think it's time for a shift to the snowboard.

Hope you're having fun this summer.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Diesel Beats the Heat

Mrrrr Friends,

It was hot this weekend. The folks stayed in and moved around stuff cats lay on a lot...boxes, chairs, rugs. When they get going it can be mayhem. Alex and I did the best we could in the situation, keeping things furred up, giving design advice. Boo set the camera down and I snapped this photo with my paw.

But mostly, beyond my morning perambulation outside, I kept it low key, conserving the cat cool. Here I am aerodynamically positioned on my back porch, catching the breeze, working out the problems of the world.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Flowers and Flitterbies

Mrrrrr Friends,

It's been kind of rainy and slow around these parts of late. When it rains, I just want to sleep. Sometimes I don't think about kibble for hours.

But we have a nice sunny day now and again. All that rain is making it pretty green. And there have been lots of flowers...here's the last of my special tulips.

Most of our flowers are wild. Oom and Boo planted these last year...it seemed to me a debatable decision at the time because the little bulb nuggets make fine toys for shooting across the floor. I'm glad though they got this one in the ground.

The blackberries have been blooming like crazy and they attracted a whole bunch of the big yellow flitterbies. Oom says they are Tiger Swallowtails. They are big and furry and they don't mess around.  Here's a female on our blackberries.

You can tell she's a female because she has those blue spots. Males only come in one color, the yellow with the black stripeys. But check it out, females can be black, and when they are yellow have those nice blue spots.

They're really more like birds...they look right at you when they are flying along and make appropriate adjustments when they see a car or another flitterby. I was walking in the yard this weekend, and I came along about 10 of them sitting in the yard...I think they were drinking water because they were in the marshy section sipping.

Now, I'm not a flitterby chasing cat. That just doesn't seem sportsmanlike to me. But I did want to sniff. Oom said no, but as I walked within about a cat's length of them, they all turned around and looked at me.

Freaked me out. I just sort of backed out of there...and they all just watched me.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Frog Spa

Mrrrr Friends,

Turns out the neighbors are running a frog spa. I kid you not. Check it out.
Can you find the three frog dudes in the photo? They're sitting there, being green, evenly spaced along the bank? Double click and make the picture large if you can't see them. In the water, they have what seems like thousands of tadpoles!

This pond environment is neighbor made. It has falling water and a stream and this big main pool...orange fish live in it too...and bugs. My cat pal neighbors are pretty proud of it and I go and visit often.

I try to time my visits when the neighbor lady is out cause she thinks I'm handsome and she gives me good scritches. It's not that I don't get the Big Love at home, but a guy likes to be admired by the women-folk.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Happy Diesel Day!!!

MrrrrRr Friends,

It's here: Diesel Day. Wednesday May 26 marks the anniversary of my adoption at the Sauk County Humane Society in Baraboo, Wisconsin. My people understand that the adoption was mutual - they got me and I got them - real permanent.  Alex was a bit unsure about the whole thing at first, but she's grown accustom to my furry face and lovable antics.

Since that wonderful day, I've tried to make May 26 a day to recognize the joy that all furry, feathered, hoofed, and scaled critters bring into human lives. If you have a non-human companion, this is a great day to commemorate their coming into your life. It is also an important day for reaching out to those companion critters who don’t have homes, and to the people and organizations who are caring for them and working to make their lives better.

Times are tough out there for humans, wild things, and companion critters alike. Even in good times for humans, the number of homeless dogs, cats, birds, and other critters numbers in the tens of millions in the US alone. Every year, according to the Humane Society of the United States, 6 to 8 million cats and dogs enter animal shelters. In bad economic times, the number of animals surrendered to shelters, or simply turned out of their homes, increases dramatically. The burden on the 4000 to 5000 shelters in the US is prodigious.

So Diesel Day is an opportunity for you to plan and get started helping out. Maybe you've been thinking of adopting that special furry or feathered someone? Maybe you live near a shelter and can offer them some needed supplies or a helping hand? Or perhaps you have just the right number furry friends living with and taking care of you, but you can encourage you local kibble store to make a donation, or check with your vet and ask if they donate time or supplies to their local shelter or offer discounts to newly adopted critters. Today's the day to put your plan in motion and make it happen!

As I've noted before, I am especially appreciative if you want to help one of my two favorite shelters: my former shelter in Wisconsin, or my local shelter the North Country SPCA in Westport New York.
Remember, most shelters are 501(c) 3 not-for-profit charities. They run entirely on donations – which are, for the money-minded among you, tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Giving away without regret is one of the most important things a being can do. You’ll be amazed at what comes back to you. I still have extended family in Wisconsin and, you never know, you may be directly aiding a furry cousin of mine…another future feline blogger.

Make sure you tell them Diesel sent you. If they look at you funny, send them here.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Diesel Day Eve!

Mrrrrr Friends,

I hope you all had productive weekends and enjoyed all your plans and preparations for celebrating May 26, Diesel Day.

I did some serious prowling in my kingdom. Here I am confirming that sedges have edges - don't eat this stuff unless you have some serious digestive blockage that needs a quick turnaround.

Oom put on her funny furry-bottom boots and prowled around in my brook clearing out some excess wood without harming the cool fish hiding spots and bug places...she did scare the heck out of a little crayfish guy hanging out in the water. She said she was encouraging natural water flow to minimize stagnant pools and lessen black fly breeding, but I think it was just an excuse for playing in the water and looking for Diesel Brook trout. I hung out in the cool grasses listening to screaming and swearing crayfish. A big old Pileated Woodpecker flew right over us as he coursed downed the brook path with a big old twig in his beak and we met a very nice frog...I think it was a chorus frog...

I also looked for an appropriate natural Diesel Day gift for my cat pal Alex. I'm hoping to send some Stinkies to my pals at the shelter, but I need to get hold of the blue plastic card with all the numbers on it to make that happen. Alex likes a well thought out, organic gift. These bracken ferns are quite appealing. Hmmm....

What are your plans for Diesel Day? Wednesday is coming soon! 

Thursday, May 20, 2010

5 Days and Counting

Mrrrrr Cat-loving Humans,

Remember, Wednesday May 26 is Diesel Day! A nation-wide celebration for loving, giving to, and caring for cats, other furry and feathered companions, and the people who go to the mat for them.

Now's the time to call your local shelter and see if they need some of your volunteer time, a few boxes of Yeowww! Stinkies, bags and bags and bags of kibble, or just some of the fluttery, green stuff. Then you'll be prepared to facilitate Diesel Day celebrations.

If you are too lazy to do that, or if you want to score points with the Big D, support my two favorite shelters: the Sauk County (WI) Humane Society or North Country (NY) SPCA. These are both fine facilities with hard-working, caring people and would deeply appreciate your recognition of their efforts on Diesel Day! Tell them I sent you.

You might want to be scoping out where to buy very cool treats for your own feline friends. Likely, you do not have anything better to do this weekend. If you're at your local cat gear shop, ask them if they are supporting Diesel Day by making a donation of needed products or greenbacks to their local shelter.

To my cat pals out there - Spook, Dusty, Hawk, Brewster and the rest of you - pester your people, give them the big love, remind them that there are tens of thousands of wonderful cats within a day's drive of you that need their support. If they aren't paying attention, furr them. If you still need to make your point...partially digested spring grass on their shoes can really help focus them.  You of course need to follow that up with extreme cuteness to win the day.

Send them here for full instructions.

Monday, May 17, 2010

The Toys Cats Love: The Final Chapter

Mrrrrr Friends,

Finally, we reach our recommendations.

When all is said and done, we love nip. Nip makes us deliriously happy. We love our fresh nip in the yard, our yard, the neighbor's yard...any yard. And when we get our people to buy us buy nip, we think it should be organic.

Our overarching recommendation is: if you love your cats really, really, with all the BIG love, get all your furniture reupholstered in a very thick, nail resistant, wool or hemp fabric (again, we prefer organic) and stuff it with nip. I am not kidding! You would have such happy cats! Indeed all cats would love you cause you would smell so good all the time.

I myself have a nice upholstery shop right down the street. These guys are ready for anything, and I love to keep them in business.

Alex and Diesel's 2010 Cat Toy Recommendations!!!!!!


Diesel's by far favorite Toy: 

The Yeowww! Greenfish

Runner up: any sturdy ball

Alex's by far favorite toy:

6 feet of premium boating line at 3/8 inch
(especially with Boo at one end)

Runner up: Yeowww! Lemon or Yeowww! Banana

We're giving Rosie the Rat an honorable mention.

Best toys for shelter cat donations:

Yeowww! Stinkies (modeled on bite-sized sardines)

But, remember, profoundly satisfying toys are often found in unexpected places!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

The Toys Cats Love: Part 3

Mrrrrr Friends,

People: every cat is different, and there may be toys that are perfectly healthy and wholesome for most cats, but, nevertheless, are a danger for the specific philosophies and practices of your feline friend. In this category, for me, are silky ribbons, thin strips of leather, tinsel and others. As a young he-cat, I thought of these as tools for charting the amazing feline digestive tract - a process Oom and Boo felt was too grueling. I won't tell you about the 2 week, 2 foot ribbon of my youth.

I've largely outgrown this position, but it raises the only rule we will promote during our review: pay attention to your cat! You can help provide them with fun, safe, and healthy toys.

A few other brief notes:

Inappropriate toys with other uses
Cat pals take note! Your person sincerely believes that the items just below, and others in this category are not cat toys. We know they are deluded, but if you play with these, I guarantee you that you person will yell and scream and try to think of ways to demonstrate their displeasure with you. This latter misguided activity - since cats are completely immune to the concept of punishment - usually leads to some reduction in the availability of kibble or stinky goodness.
It is not worth the risk. Having chewed on, played paw hockey with, and twisted myself into these objects - purely for the purposes of a thorough review - I can tell you, it isn't worth it. Stick to nip and cushy toys. I do still have a soft spot for the Apple Magic Mouse...it slides on maple flooring particularly well. Delicate handling of some of these items, in the presence of your person, might be considered cute (see just below) but be careful with this...it takes a certain skill and reserve to pull this off.

Appropriate toys with other uses
Remember, your cuteness quotient can propel upwards if you find objects in your person's world that they don't realize are toys and they don't mind when you show them they are. Any wad of paper works well, but that's pretty unimaginative. I favor bathtub stoppers or the cardboard inside of the human poop paper - though a pal of mine once pulled all the paper off to get to it so he could amuse his human, and for some reason, they weren't happy?! Coasters are on my top ten list...when they put their drinking glasses on them, don't play with them then! Any dangly thing that you will likely not break; if they are stupid enough to put a dangly thing on a door with a lock and you inadvertently lock the door via play, that's their bad. Dried beans, marbles (don't ingest!), small rocks, grass clippings...all good. Things they have put up high because they don't think you can go there...I know it's hard. If they will be good toys, and you have a cat pal at home - send her up there. If not, I don't recommend it.

Finally, don't play with your food. Keep your priorities straight.

One other thing. In our opinion, there are mutant toys. We want to be clear here...a nice furry mouse-like toy, no matter how well-made it is, should not have feathers coming out of its butt or any where else. Melding mammal traits with bird traits or any such half cat-half dog behavior is just poor taste. Say NO to mutant toys. And, if you see a bad toy thing happening...fix it. Try to engage your person and explain your concern, but if they do not act, step up. One warning though...it may be too late.

We'll have our round up and recommendations in our next blog.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

The Toys Cat Love: Part 2

Mrrrrr Friends,

If you haven't read part 1 yet, off you go...scroll down. Come back when you've read it. One thing we cosmic cats know is that humans are, as a rule, very linear.

Me and Alex already laid out the first of our two overarching categories for helping humans choose the best cat toys: Action Toys. Today, we move on to the Lickitty-Sniff Doohickeys, commonly known in cat circles as LSD. Below, I've laid out some examples of prime LSD. Here, you see Alex sleeping off one of those crazed lickitty sessions with a new nip toy. Don't even ask about the car...don't lick and drive!

There are two keys to a fine LSD toy: texture and/or smelly/tasty qualities. I've covered texture elsewhere. Suffice to say, it should be intriguing to the cat tongue, but not overly ticklish or tacky. Sturdy for biting and bunny kicking, pliant but slightly resistant to the tongue.

But, let's be honest: it's all about the nip. High quality catnip can make the world a better place. It isn't our intention here, however, to go into a full review of the merits of fresh and/or dried nip.

Before we move on, a brief note about kittens, that is, young cats. For some unbelievable reason, some kittens are immune to catnip.  Have no fear, for the small minority of kittens for whom this is true, they grow out of it. Nip is a common language.

All the toys below meet our base criteria. They have organic nip in them. They have sturdy, lickable covers, since what we want to do is lick and slobber all over them to make them wet smelly good so we can rub them all over our body. These are all commercially available nip toys, but there is no reason that industrious humans cannot make these fine things for their feline friends.
Lower right you have your flax covering. Unfortunately, not the best quality nip inside and kinda itchy on the tongue. Lower left, two nice wool toys stuffed with nip. Nice, made for the cool folks at the One Stop Pet Shop in Amagansett, NY. Great store for the discerning cat. Middle bottom: a good idea that just failed - organic nip in corduroy. Just not our style...especially after Memorial Day. Very top; another good idea, somehow gone wrong...more may not be better. Little blue abstract mouse in the center is a beloved relic of a late great NYC pet store that was LSD purveyor to The Cat Who Came Before Me. She had impeccable taste.

The row starting with catcigars and ending in the lemon and the little fish - that's got our vote for the best freakin' LSD around. We love the Yeowww! brand nip and the sturdy canvas covers. The subtle shape of the banana (Alex's middle name), the action toy physique of the lemon, the neat package of the triangle that Alex refers to as her spanakopita. The pumpkin is fun, but aesthetically...ummmm. The Greenfish is, in my view, the crowning achievement of Yeow!!!! But I have not yet had the pollack. The little stripey fish is known as a stinkie, again, LSD as scooty action toy.

We've handed a few of these fine products around just to make sure we weren't hallucinating...or at least while we were writing this. Here's our pal Dusty, who lives downstate, approving of the fine Yeowww! banana:

That leaves the furry tiger mouse which is Alex's (above the flax mouse). This is her most important possession. It has a near twin. Alex sent this one to me at the shelter before I was adopted so we could meet by smell. It drove me nuts when I first laid paws on it because it smelled like high quality nip and like Alex. Alex always keeps these nearby. What's particularly smart about this toy is that you can replace the nip! It is a Smartycat toy. These folks make some great toys though several fall under our "mutant" subset detailed in part 3 of this series. 

These two categories - action and lickitty-sniff - are really just constructs to help you think. They can be distinct, but they can also crossover. Here, I demonstrate that a LSD toy, indeed my favorite toy, can be an action toy (kittens, as soon as possible, try this at home without the supervision of an adult cat):

For our next blog, important subsets of our two broad categories: inappropriate and appropriate toys and mutant toys.

Monday, May 10, 2010

The Toys Cats Love: Part 1

Mrrrrr Friends,

Let's get right to it.

You have only two more weeks to prepare for Diesel Day - an annual nationwide celebration of my adoption. Diesel Day is an opportunity to recognize the cats you love and do something special for the many homeless animals who depend on the warmth and safety of animal shelters in your community and mine.

Me and Alex have been working up a multi-part, but in no way exhaustive, review of cat toys to help you find that perfect Diesel Day gift for the furry one you love, or else a box of fine toys for your neighborhood shelter (check with them first to see if they have preferences on this front - kibble or money might be more useful). Please note that these toy ideas will also suit your furry feline on any day and for any occasion (like, just because you love them, or to make up for not getting up every two hours to open a can of stinky goodness). I understand this also works for humans, which is why I sometimes leave golden nuggets on the finest carpet in the house - but that's another blog.

First, some simplified cat-toy theory:

There are two broad categories humans can use to make sense of cat toy preferences: action toys and lickitty-sniff toys. Typical action toys - our subject today - include balls of any type, long ropey or dangly things, and compact scooty things.

Balls are very fun, should be available in a wide variety of sizes, levels of bouciness, and softness,  and do not need to be made just for cats (though they have to be safe to lick, chew, puncture, or sit on without falling apart or poisoning us).

I am very fond of my NCAA baseball, my tennis ball, and there's nothing quite like a little golf ball hockey on a hardwood floor at 3 in the morning to give your humans that special edge. The ball in the upper left is #15 my quintessential bathtub ball. My other favorite ball is the scushy leather ball third from the bottom. It is soft and made of fake leather, but very sturdy and lightweight, making it excellent for paw hockey.

The only ropey things allowed in our house for cats are either boating line (Alex prefers line at 1/4 and 3/8 inch gauge), or climbing rope (very nice at 3/16, witness the blue line below). The thinner lines, once capped (again, see the blue line below), also make fines leashes for a jessed Red-Tailed Hawk! Alex loves leather cord at about 1/4 inch width, but I love it so much that I have been known to eat it. This is also why twine, nylon string, ribbon, leather, and rubberbands are only kept in drawers in our house.

The long black thing below, is a coach or driving whip - it helps when your people are engaged in multiple odd professions. While a whip should only be employed by a responsible human intent on entertaining a cat, this tool-toy can drive a feline to distraction in no time flat. We favor a sturdy, hand-made leather coach whip with braided horsetail ends. This keeps a lot of cool horsey folks employed (good horsey people do not beat their horses with whips). But you can use a willow branch or a cane with a securely attached leather strap.... To be clear for all those probing eyes and ears online, we are not endorsing torture, only good clean, family fun, nothing kinky, please, oh please!

The last grouping falls less neatly into the action category: compact scooty things.

For some cats, quality fur or leather falls into the lickitty-sniff category. We respect that, but for us, the fine brand toy Rosie Rat is an action toy. We don't want to lick Rosie, but we understand that some cats may be enriched by this activity. Rosie is top center in the above photo. The two furry rat fellows to her right are Roger and Roberto - our names. The furry behemoth below the Rosies is a toy we love to hate. It's very special fur wrapped around a crappy plastic thing that we can't recycle, but we can't help ourselves...while not our favorite toy, it fills a deep, dark, drooling, crazed void.  And it was a gift to us from our Wisconsin vet, Dr. Mara. Leather mice, wool mice - especially boiled wool, and canvas mice (or other shapes) can all be very appealing scooty toys. We want them to be organic, super sturdy (of course we bite and bunny-kick them!) and not dyed with something that comes off on our tongues.

Wine corks!!!!! We love wine corks. At times there have been dozens laying around, all well played with. We prefer a good French Bordeaux, an Italian Barolo, a California Zinfandel, even a Tunisian Pinot.

Thread spools (no thread!), wood doo-dahs that roll and trip people in the dark, single piece clothing pins - all good clean fun.

And, we cannot move on without extolling the virtue of the foil ball. We do not do tinsel sparkle balls - remember I like to eat things - but we do love a well formed foil ball. Preferably made of red foil from dark Dove chocolates. One of the forgiving things about foil balls? When your people step on them, it won't hurt their foot and make them scream, and, even flat, the foil "ball" is awesome.  To wit:


Next time: Lickitty-Sniff Doohickeys (LSD)