Meowy Christmas

"It's Christmas and it's been busy around here but I want to wish a Meowy Christmas to my friends and loyal readers.  I hope you are having a great day and Santa Claws brings you lots of dangly toys and catnip!  There are snow flurries here, which is nice for Christmas, but they're not going to stick, so forget about a White Christmas in Washington DC this year.

Christmas started for us a couple weeks ago when mom brought home the Christmas tree.  We didn't get one last year because mom was traveling, so this was Willie and Grayson's first tree.  Mom wasn't sure if they would behave themselves around the tree, but they have been amazingly good.  I guess they knew Santa was watching them.  Of course, they were very curious during the trimming of the tree and at one point mom thought they were both going to jump into the tree.  Check out this picture and see what I mean.

The next thing I have to share is a photo of Willie with Santa.  Yes, mommy actually took Willie to see Santa this year.  She didn't dare take me.  As much as I love Santa, mommy knows I hate to go in the car and even though I would have liked to meet him, I don't want him holding me.  I don't even let mommy hold me, so no way I would let Santa!  Mommy also knew that Grayson would be a big baby if he went to see Santa. Grayson would squirm and cry and probably end up scratching Santa (not on purpose, but because he's a big scaredy cat).  So mom took Willie to Dogma for the photo by photographer Jeanne Taylor.  The event benefited our local animal shelter Animal Welfare League of Arlington.  (I wish my feline and canine brethren in the shelter a Meowy Christmas and wishes that they get adopted soon.)  Willie did good with Santa.  He wasn't scared of the dogs and the strange people and he let Santa hold him long enough to get this photo.  I'm not Willie's biggest fan, but even I have to admit it's a nice photo.

So this morning we opened our presents.  It was a lean year due to the economy, I guess.  We didn't get much.  Mom got us a catnip asparagus and a new bed from Cat Faeries, but she gave those to us a couple weeks ago.  So this morning we didn't have much to open, but that's OK because we cats really like to play in the tissue paper and boxes.  Here's a picture of goofy little Grayson taking a break from the paper, and also a picture of me supervising the unwrapping and playing. 

I know it's not the best picture of me, but I didn't really want my picture taken, so I didn't cooperate.  Mom wanted me to post it anyway because she said all three of us should have a picture in my Christmas edition blog.  I guess she's right.  I mean, I featured my two brothers, but I'm important too.

So that's it.  We're just going to enjoy the Christmas spirit, spend some time together, play and eat today.  Meowy Christmas to all!"

Our Crazy Cat Sitter

"So, mom sits for other people's cats.  It's awful nice of her.  But what happens when she needs to travel?  Who watches my brothers and me?  Well, we have a couple good sitters.  Our neighbor Deb watches us sometimes and she is very sweet with us.  She used to have cats, so she knows what to do, and she doesn't mind getting on the floor to play with us.  But the topic of this blog is our other cat sitter: Crazy Carlos!  We love Carlos!  He's a lot of fun.  He has his own cat Binks, but he loves us too.  He plays with us and absolutely spoils us!  I had a chance to interview Uncle Carlos and wanted to share that with you, dear readers.  If you ever have a friend and pet-sitter as fabulous as him, don't take them for granted."

Curry: Hey Uncle Carlos, I'm becoming known for my interviewing skills. Thanks for helping me to hone them.  Let's start with your cat.  You have a cat named Binks. I think Willie even met him briefly when he ran into your apartment (that silly Willie!). What is Binks like?

Carlos: Binks is a very sweet and independent cat. He really loves sticking to himself and can be quite vain since he knows he is very handsome.

Curry: Mom told me that you like dogs too. What are your favorite things about both dogs and cats?

Carlos: Why I like cats? They are sweet and loving - and their curiosity cracks me up.  Why I love dogs? Cause they require me to go outside for fresh air and because they love to cuddle more than cats do with me.

Curry: Well, the cuddling part really depends on the cat.  I'm not a cuddler, but my brothers are.  Mom wants me to ask you if we cats behave ourselves when you're sitting for us, so do we? (Be careful, you're watching us again soon and I've been sharpening my claws!)

Carlos: Of course you cats behave yourselves when mom is gone. ;)  For the most part everyone is on their best behavior.  But there is one particular orange fella who shall remain nameless that loves to go nuts and take reign of the house. Willie has been known to rearrange furniture, defrost freezers, as well as clean out the cupboards.

Curry: I don't think he remains nameless anymore.  Speaking of names, what inspired you to give us cats nicknames? Please share those names with my readers.

Carlos: I tend to give everyone nicknames, from humans to animals. You are "C Money" because you are just very lady like and precious like money.  Willie is "Chill Will" because he acts as crazy as he can be one minute, then the very next second he is just chilling like he did nothing.  Grayson is "Lil G" - self explanatory - Grayson is the youngest of the bunch.  I also had a nickname for my best buddy Zorro, which is "E-Z" - sort of a joke since Zorro was far from easy when taking his allergy shots.  I miss Zorro.

Zorro "E-Z" and Carlos

Curry: Uncle Carlos, don't you know it.  We all miss Zorro like crazy.  I'm posting a nice photo of the two of you.  Zorro was my favorite brother.  Right now I'm adjusting to living with my two crazy younger brothers, who run around the apartment like they're sprinters.  Of course, we cats all love sport. What are your favorite sports to watch and to play?

Carlos: Baseball is my favorite sport to watch, followed closely by football.  My favorite sport to play is basketball when I have a chance.

Curry: Well, we cats are more into soccer, especially Grayson who chases balls around on the wood floors.  Lately, I've taken to joining him in a game of soccer.  What are your favorite cat sports/games to play with us?

Carlos: Nothing beats watching Willie play with plastic bags. But my favorite is watching you guys go nuts with the laser pointer. Grayson's gymnastic routine with the dangler toy is fairly amusing as well.



Curry: Everything Grayson does is amusing, unless it's annoying.  Sometimes it's both.  In the video above Grayson didn't want to perform, but Willie and I enjoyed playing with you.  Well, our time today is coming to an end.  Do you have any final thoughts about cats and dogs and pet-sitting?

Carlos: I love spending time with my animal friends - they return all the love that I give, and love me unconditionally.

Curry: Aww, we love you too!  We will see you soon, I know.  Have a great holiday season, Uncle Carlos.  I'm going to go check up on my brothers now to make sure they haven't destroyed our Christmas Tree!

Mommy Moved our Cheese

"Well, technically not cheese, and it wasn't 'moved' per se but mom changed our food.  Yes, it is I, Curry Cat once again.  I let Willie and Grayson each take a turn at my blog.  I guess they did OK, but now I'm back.  Some of you may have heard of a book called 'Who Moved my Cheese?' that came out several years ago.  It's about dealing with change, something that's hard for people and also hard for cats.  Mom changed things up for us on the eating front.

Me, Grayson and Willie at Dinnertime

It all started when Zorro got sick (we still miss Zorro so much).  Zorro's doctor talked about the importance of a good diet and suggested mom look into more natural and organic varieties of cat food for him.  And she also suggested more canned food because meat in its less processed form is our natural diet.  So mom agreed that it was a good idea.  You see, previously we ate mostly dry food: Nutro Natural Choice for indoor cats.  We would get canned food about once a week as a treat.  But immediately mom started feeding us more canned food.  And she switched brands on us.  We now eat Tiki Cat cans.  Why?  Because they have no by-products and they all have kale, which is good nutrition for us (and I like it), and they have lots of good vitamins and minerals too.  And Tiki Cat is certified by the USDA for human consumption, so it's no second-rate food.  I don't deserve second-rate food, and neither do your pets.  They also practice sustainable fishing at Tiki Cat (and Tiki Dog), which most cats wouldn't care about, but I think we need to take care of the oceans so we can have yummy tuna for many years to come. 

I like my Tiki Cat now, but there was a period of adjustment as we tried different flavors and made sure mom knew which ones we liked and disliked.  Tiki Cat has all kinds of crazy flavors that include calamari, shrimp, crab, brown rice, and other interesting but yucky things.  You can call me a purist with my food choices.  I don't like that weird stuff.  Just give me good old chicken or good old tuna without anything extra.  Zorro wasn't picky, and neither is Willie, but Grayson is picky.  With all the flavors, mom should have tried them one at a time before buying more.  Well, did she?  No!  She immediately stocked up on Tiki Cat variety packs.  Well guess what?  Most of the flavors in the variety packs have calamari, shrimp, crab or brown rice!  There are also no fewer than three sardine varieties.  I hate sardines!  Well, finally mom knows what we like and she promises only to buy the following Tiki Cat flavors for us:

Hawaiian Grill - Oh, this is my favorite!  It's just pure and simple ahi tuna (with a little bit of kale, of course).
Koolina Luau - This is my second favorite!  It is chicken with bits of egg.  Yummy!  And I don't care about that human saying 'which came first...?'
Hookena Luau - This one is the best of both worlds: tuna and chicken together.  My own surf & turf!
Bora Bora Luau - This one is sardines with lobster consomme.  Even though I hate it, mom says sardines are really good for cats and she wants the boys to have it.  She wants me to have it too, but I never will.
Papeekeo Luau - This is tuna with mackerel.  Mom thought I'd like it because of the tuna, but I hate mackerel.  The boys like it though, so mom is going to continue with it so they get more variety.

Out of 17 Tiki Cat flavors, those are the 5 that mom buys now.  We have tried them all, but my discriminating palate has ruled in favor of those top 3, and mom insists upon giving the boys those bottom 2 as well.  Actually, there is a plain chicken flavor (without eggs) that I like, but mom says why have the plain one if I can have the one with eggs.  It's not a lot of eggs; it's really more of a garnish like the kale.

Now that mom figured out our canned food, which we now get twice a day, she is also changing our dry food.  We get Blue Buffalo.  It has more protein than most other dry cat foods.  Mom thought it looked nutritious, but it's possible that she's just a victim of their marketing campaign.  Anyway, this one we are taking longer to adjust to.  Not only is it a different food, but mom is now limiting our portions of dry food.  Willie doesn't like this because he likes dry food a little better than wet food, but he needs to lose weight.  Well, the Blue Buffalo food isn't bad, it's just a bit of an adjustment.  I'm OK with it, but really I'm just happy to be getting cans of tuna and chicken every day.

So that's what's going on with our diet.  A mundane topic, perhaps, but to us cats it's pretty darn important.  I'll  let you know how Willie does with his weight loss goals (or, mom's weight loss goals for him).  And no, I am not compensated by the Tiki Cat or Blue Buffalo companies.  This was not a paid endorsement.  I'm just educating my readers about different kinds of food.  I'm a Siamese cat; I will never sell out."

This Here is Grayson

After Willie's blog (see previous) Grayson was inspired to blog as well.  Curry grudgingly allowed this on the belief that they'd get it out of their systems and her blog would once again become her own.  So here is Grayson, the little gray cat that I still call a kitten because he has yet to outgrow his lankiness or his kitten-like demeanor:

"It is me, Grayson.  It's my turn to steal Curry's blog.  I don't even right as good as Willie but it's OK because I's still a kid.  I saw Willie right the blog 'fore this and so I asked my sister Curry if I can right too.  She frew up her paws and gave a sigh and leff the room and now I's bloggin.  I don't wanna make her mad but I don't know howta make her happy.  I don't fink she loves me.  I know for fact that she doesn't like me much.  Mommy tells me to be nice to her but I don't wanna and I got a good reason.  But first, a picshur of me and Willie sleeping.  We are cute.  And don't worry 'bout Willie's belly cuz mommy is making him loose wait.

OK, so 'bout Curry.  See, it started when mommy dopted me and I came here to live.  Well, I new I had it pretty good and I was happy.  I bonded mediately with mommy in the car.  I slept on her lap for 7 hours give or take.  It was a long ride from my home state of OH-IO to my new home in Ginia.  So I already new my mommy loved me and I loved her too.  And then I came inside with my litter sister Bailey.  She used to be called Sky but now she is Bailey and she wasn't 'posed to stay with us cuz she had a new mommy to go to but first she had to wait a couple weeks.  Like I's saying, I came into my new home already loving my mommy and I was x-ited cuz I saw that I had two new brothers and one new sister (not Bailey).  Well they all sniffed me cuz I had a smell to them.  And they had a smell to me so I sniffed them a couple times.  That's what we do.  And first Zorro...oh, I miss my bro Zorro so much...but I can't fink bout it much or I will cry...so first Zorro wasn't outgoing to me.  But it didn't take long 'fore he and me were good brothers.  And Willie loved me right away.  He also loved Bailey.  He took good care of us.  And Zorro was good too.  And I was happy and I wanted Curry to love me too.  I thought she was a pretty girl and she would make a nice sister cuz she seemed very smart and mommy sure loved her a lot.  Well, I jus tried to play with her and stuff.  She didn't wanna play with me.  And I tried jus to sit nex to her or sleep nex to her and she wasn't havin none of it.  She hissed at me a lot and a couple times she would take a swat at me so I would run away.  But I was a opteemisstic kitten and I gave her a secon chance and a third and a fourth and then I lost count.  I could only count on my 10 toes and 1 tail back then, so that makes 11, but I am better at counting now.  So I tried to be a little brother for Curry.  I really jus wanted to play and have a sister to cuddle with.  But she never ever warmed up to me.  And I'll be honest that it hurt my feelings and it still does.  Everyone else loved me.  And all of mommy's friends like me too.  And I am not proud but I think I am a nice boy.  So sometimes I still try to be a brother for Curry but she gets meaner to me and so I get meaner to her cuz I's old nuff now that I defend myself.  It's not to be mean.  Jus so you no I's not mean here is a picshur of Curry getting scracht by my aunt Christine who moved to some place called Scaatlun where they got a monster in a lake.

So I don't know what to do.  Me and Willie are good brothers.  We miss Zorro but at least we have each other.  Wish I still could get 'long with Curry but I tried and I dunno how else to be with her.  And now that Zorro is gone Curry is more lonely and I would love her if she let me.  So I dunno.  What is a boy to do?

I hope my blog was OK."

Goodbye, Zorro Cat

In this special edition blog, Willie borrows the keyboard from Curry for the first time.  He has some sad news.  Here's Willie:

"This is Curry’s blog but I don’t care. I am Willie. I am the orange cat. I don’t write as good as Curry but I’m still a good cat. A couple times she called me names in her blog, but I forgive her. See, I am a good cat.

I have to share sad news. In Curry’s last blog she talked about Zorro being sick. Well, we are all very sad because Zorro died. It happened a few weeks ago. Mommy and our vet were taking good care of him. But he was too sick. He had that anemia thing and we don’t know why, but we know it was bad.

One day he just lost his energy. Mommy called it “thargic” whatever that means. He was just laying there and we all tried to cheer him up but he was very quiet and didn’t do much. Our neighbor and cat sitter Deb came over to visit with Zorro. He ate some of his dinner but not much. He was really quiet and sitting on mommy’s lap that night. A couple times she thought she lost him but he hung on. Then overnight Zorro had a bad night. He couldn’t get comfortable anywhere. None of us slept well. Curry and Grayson and me stuck close to Zorro. Mommy kept moving from the bedroom to the sofa to be where Zorro was. She wanted to show him as much love as possible because she knew he was very sick and uncomfortable. In the morning Zorro was worse and he wouldn’t eat. Mommy took him to the vet for the last time. They told her they could keep treating him and observe him, but she knew it was time to say goodbye. She could not let him suffer. In fact she told us all to say goodbye before she took him to the vet. We saw him in the carrier going to the vet a lot that month so I didn’t think anything of it. Neither did Grayson. Curry was worried though. She lost other cat siblings before and she knew what to expect. Well, soon Grayson and I knew too. It was the saddest day for everyone. We all loved Zorro. We really did. He was a real good brother and loved us all, and we all loved him too. It was the only thing that me and Grayson and Curry all agreed on – that we loved Zorro.

Zorro with baby Curry

Zorro with baby Grayson

Zorro and me (Willie) with Catnip Toys

Now we’ve been without Zorro for a few weeks and we still miss him but we are less sad. Things got back to normal, of course not ever the same. This is the first time I lost a brother cat and it is very sad. Me and Grayson only had a little over a year with Zorro. We are still lucky we had that, because he was the most special big brother. Curry had more than six years with Zorro and this is hard for her. I wish I could be a good brother to Curry because she is sad. But sometimes she picks on Grayson and I have to protect Grayson. So sometimes I defend Grayson which means I have to teach Curry a lesson. Mommy hates this but I try to show her that’s how cats work and I’m the top cat so it’s my responsibility. She still doesn’t like it.

I have to go now because I have some serious napping to do. I can’t help it. It’s what cats do. But first I just have a few words. For our cat sitters Deb and Carlos, thank you for being so good to Zorro (and to the rest of us too). And for Zorro, we will always love you. I’m sorry I was mean to you when I first moved in, but once I knew how good you were, I was nice to you, right? I love you always and so does mommy and Curry and Grayson. Meow, big brother, meow! Love, Willie."

Zorro's Recent Challenges

Curry hasn't blogged in a while.  She's gotten caught up in my own busy schedule.  And lately, we've been dealing with a medical condition that Zorro developed.  He has anemia and has spent the last few weeks going back and forth to various veterninary appointments.  I'm happy to say that he's feeling better, but he still needs some help, and lots of love from his friends.  Curry will tell you more.

"Well, just like my mom said, Zorro has been having a tough time.  He went to our regular vet Ballston Animal Hospital for his annual check-up.  Mom was a little concerned that he had lost some weight and was drinking more water than normal.  They ran some bloodwork and found that he has anemia, and it is a pretty severe anemia.  So Zorro spent a couple weeks going back and forth between our regular vet and the specialists at SouthPaws.  He had more bloodwork, x-rays, an ultrasound of his abdomen (see his shaved belly in the photo), and some very thorough examinations.  The doctors couldn't determine the cause of his anemia, so the next test they wanted to do was a bone marrow biopsy.  Ouch!  Mom said that would have been a painful and expensive test.  She chose not to put Zorro through that, and I'm glad.  He was not up to that kind of invasive procedure because he already wasn't feeling well.  And the results of the test were not going to substantially change the course of his treatment, so no bone marrow test for Zorro.

The specialist veterinarian prescribed a sterioid for Zorro: Prednisone, a drug also used for humans.  But mom wasn't satisfied with just giving Zorro a steroid, so she took my brother back to Ballston Animal Hospital to see Dr. Morse.  She's a regular veterinarian, but she also practices holistic medicine.  She has an extra layer of knowledge about alternative treatments, and mom thought there might be some options for Zorro to help him get better.  Of course, I didn't go with Zorro to see Dr. Morse, but the way I understand it, she was very gentle with him and he was more at ease than we was for any of the other doctors.  Dr. Morse prescribed several supplements for Zorro.  He's on a Chinese herbal remedy that is supposed to help with his blood.  He's also taking an amino-vitamin B supplement, ginseng and probiotics.  Dr. Morse also said Zorro should have omega-3s, so she said he could have a fish oil supplment or he could eat sardines.  Mom doesn't eat sardines, so she never had them in the house.  She bought some sardines packed in water and gave them to us.  Yuck!  I hate sardines!  I like other seafood, but not sardines.  But the good news is that Zorro loves them (see below), so he can get his omega-3s and all the other good nutrients from sardines.  Willie and Grayson liked them too.  I'm sorry, but I just don't get it.  Sardines are yucky little fish.

Zorro seems to be feeling a lot better with his steroid, his supplements, and the changes in his diet.  But the coolest thing Dr. Morse suggested was acupuncture.  Yes, acupuncture.  Mom took Zorro to see Dr. Morse yesterday for his first acupuncture treatment.  I guess he did OK.  Dr. Morse only used a few needles for the first treatment because she wanted to see how he did.  He was restless at first but then settled down.  Dr. Morse also did some energy work on him: something called reconnective healing.  I don't understand what it is, but we are all open to anything that might help my brother.  Zorro goes back for his second acupuncture treatment in a few days, and a few days after that they will do another blood test to check his anemia. 

We are all happy that Zorro is feeling somewhat better and mom and all of us are less stressed than we were a week ago before the treatments began.  I'm still concerned about Zorro because he's my favorite brother and he helped raise me.  Please, everyone, send Zorro and all of us some love because it definitely helps to know that people care!"

Once Again, Curry Gives "Props" to Dogs

"I don't know why humans think that it's always cats against dogs.  First of all, you guys can like both of us.  Secondly, we don't necessarily hate each other.  Even though I haven't had much exposure to dogs, I have plenty of respect for them (until their owners start dressing them up in silly little outfits...but then, I guess it's really my respect for the owners that goes out the window).  It's why I posted a blog about rescuing Boxers (I still think it's a good cause, so please foster or adopt if you can).  And it's why I'm going to give some credit where credit is due and commend some Denver-area Pit Bulls for protecting a Chihuahua.  Here's the story about the little Chihuahua named Buster who was attacked by a coyote and rescued by Pit Bulls. 

It proves to me that it's less about the breed of dog, and more about the training and love that its owners give it that really matters.  Clearly, those dogs were trained not to attack, but to protect.  They recognized that that little Buster, while smaller and more defenseless, was one of their own kind: a domesticated dog.  They not only chased off the coyote, but stayed with Buster to protect him.  Good dogs.  I hope if I'm ever out in the wild and find myself threatened by a larger animal, that a Pit Bull will rescue me.  But, who am I kidding?  I'm an indoor cat in a high-rise building.  The worst threat I face on a daily basis is Grayson, and I can take him.

A word about the coyote though.  The Buster situation was not his (or her) fault.  He is a wild dog and doesn't know better, so I don't blame him.  I do think it's too bad that many cities have been experiencing 'coyote problems.'  The coyotes need a place to live, too.  I'm glad that man quoted in the article mentioned this.  I'm afraid I don't have a solution to the coyote issue.  After all, I'm no expert on urban land use or wildlife control.  I do hope that the real experts can figure this out, with respect for the coyotes.

Little Buster, I wish you the very best wishes for your recovery.  Don't forget to thank those Pit Bulls for being so kind to you!  Now, to celebrate both cats and dogs, I think I'll ask my mom to sneak me into the movie theater so I can see 'Cats & Dogs: the Revenge of Kitty Galore' in 3D."

Wake up, mom!

"Our mom doesn't like to wake up in the morning.  Once she's up, she's fine, but getting her out of bed to feed us our breakfast can be a challenge.  Sometimes we need to start the process early.  Around three or four A.M. we start making noise and waking her up every hour on the hour.  This wears her down so that by six or seven she finally gets up and feeds us.  I used to have to do more of the work, but now that Grayson is here, he has taken over.  He runs around on the bed and attacks mom's feet.  I'm perfectly fine with this because that way I don't get in trouble.  That's not to say that I deserve no blame.  There are lots of things we cats can do to to wake our humans...without them even realizing it!  Just take a look at this video of Simon's Cat.  That Simon sure knows cat behavior (and his cat is very resourceful).  Just don't tell mom that we do stuff like this or she'll never buy us a baseball bat."

Willie's New Best Friend

"We had visitors for the recent 4th of July holiday weekend.  Mom's friends from Ohio, Nikki and Shelly, came to stay for a few days.  We've had adult human visitors before (and it was a repeat visit for both of these ladies), but this time there was something special.  Nikki's five year old daughter E came too!  I am the first to admit my lack of experience with human children.  Their strange habits puzzle me.  For example, why are their voices so loud and high-pitched?  Why do they sometimes run around erratically?  Why do they crawl on the ground and play with our cat toys?  I may never have the answers.  What I can do is tell you how well E fit in, or didn't fit in, with the feline crew.

First, the good news: Willie is in love with E!  The two of them became fast friends and Willie was continually amused by all the attention paid to him by E.  And in return, I think E was amused by Willie.  They're kind of on the same wavelength and maturity level.  The thing is, E will continue to learn and grow, but Willie is about as smart and mature as he's ever gonna get.  I've gotta give Willie props though.  He had more patience than I did when E picked him up (not an easy feat for her, because Willie needs to lose a couple pounds).  He never lashed out, clawed, bit, or otherwise showed aggression toward E.  Not even when she chased him.  Not even when she played patty-cakes with his paws (he just patty-caked her right back). 

On the other extreme of the feline spectrum, Grayson was scared witless by E's presence.  Poor Little Gray.  He's shy to begin with, and is very cautious around adult humans.  I think he just wasn't ready to be exposed to a human kid.  Grayson pretty much hid out in the bedroom, behind the bed, during E's waking hours.  He ventured out cautiously when she went down for afternoon naps, and after her bedtime.  But he had never met Nikki or Shelly, so he was timid around them too.  Mom felt bad that Grayson was so scared for four days.  I, on the other hand, think he got his just desserts for being such a pest to me over the last year.

Zorro was shy with E too.  That wasn't any surprise.  He's always shy with strange humans.  He kept his distance, but wasn't nearly as freaked out as Grayson.  The thing about Zorro is that he loves everyone...he just hates sudden noises or movements.  Zorro and I had no problem hanging out with E while she was sleeping, as you can see from this picture. 

Like Zorro, I think I prefer my human kids asleep.  But I do make exceptions.  E was very willing to play with me and Willie and our favorite dangly toys.  Mine is the Cat Dancer, and Willie's is a 'fishing pole' toy with metallic plastic streamers.  E could use some work on her technique with these toys, but she more than made up for it in enthusiasm and endurance.  Mom never plays with us for quite as long as E, who never seemed to tire.

So, was it worth it to have guests for the long weekend?  Yes, if you ask Willie and me.  (Willie definitely missed E after she left, and I was sad that this sociological experiment had to end.)  No, if you ask Grayson or Zorro.  (Actually, Zorro was kinda neutral about the visit, but Grayson breathed a huge sigh of relief when the weekend was over and he could go back to his normal routine.)  There you have it.  Our first experience with a human kid, and with mixed results.  E, you're welcome to come back anytime, just don't expect Grayson to be quite as welcoming as your best bud Willie!"

Products Curry Does Not Endorse

"Dear readers, I have recently learned about two absolutely ridiculous, humiliating feline products.  Only humans could come up with ideas so bad.  What do you guys do - spend all your waking thoughts figuring out how to embarass us, and solve some unimportant problem, for a profit?  I'm all for free enterprise, but this stuff is just crazy!  Here are two things I will never wear (and neither will Zorro or Grayson, but I can't speak for Willie):

#1 Humiliating Product: The CatBib

According to the website, the CatBib 'prevents your cat from catching and killing wildbirds.'  Okay, I think they've got a point there, because it 'interferes with your cat's hunting skills.'  But get this, they also say: 'without interfering with any other kitty activities.'  What?  You've got to be kidding me!  Have you seen this thing? By all means, it interferes with other kitty activities, namely with maintaining our air of dignity!  They also say it is 'comfortable and safe for your cat to wear.'  How on earth can that be?  What if you had some goofy neoprene bib hanging from your collar?  Would that feel good?  Would that make you happy, dear humans?  I think not.  In summary, the CatBib probably does do its job of saving the lives of a few poor little birdies, but at what expense?  Your cat will get beat up by all the other neighborhood felines.  And it will be your fault!

#2 Humiliating Product: Kitty Twitter

No, I'm not talking about cats like me who have our own Twitter accounts.  This is a bit different.  It's a prototype device that cats wear around their necks.  Once again, what IS it with humans strapping crap to our necks?  How would you like to wear a choker all the time?  Well, this Kitty Twitter concept might just be worse than the CatBib.  I like to call it 'Animal Farm Big Brother.'  This is for humans who just have to know what their cats are doing at all times.  It takes the nanny cam to a new level.  The Kitty Twitter would record your cat's every movement (by camera and GPS) when you are not home, and then broadcast said movements via Twitter.  It's the mastermind of Sony.  Of course, leave it to the Japanese to come up with something like this.  Remember, this is the country that gave us electronic pets (remember Tamagotchi?).  Well, I think the concept of Kitty Twitter is an invasion of privacy.  When we felines are home alone, that's our only time to be free of our over-protective humans.  I'm a grown up and I don't want my mom to know everything I do when she's not home.  Would you?  No!  It's not that I'm hiding anything, but c'mon, I'm a good cat, so grant me a measure of privacy now and then.  No wonder the photo shows a toy cat wearing the device.  No self-respecting feline would go for this.  Of course, my brother Willie might wear it, but I never said he was self-respecting.

So, there are two products that good cat lovers should never, ever buy!  Please, do us all a favor and steer clear of these horrible wastes of your hard-earned money.  Instead, buy more catnip, and give your cat more love and attention.  Don't, I beg of you, make your cat the laughingstock of your neighborhood."

Lions are Not Food!

"Nor are any cats, if you ask me.  I can't tell you how angry I am about the restaurant in Arizona that is serving lion meat in honor of the World Cup.  (Granted, they're probably not the only ones.)  They think THIS is the right way to honor one of Africa's great animals?  C'mon!  I'm a carnivore myself, but that is just WRONG!  Not only is the lion a beautiful, majestic animal, a symbol of raw power and strength, but a lion is a CAT!  It's not right to serve cat burgers!  No way, no how.  I weep for my lion brethren who are cruelly slaughtered for a mere hamburger.  Do these people not have cats as pets?  Do they not see the connection?  What's next, and should I be scared?  I know one thing, if I see anyone with a knife or a gun, I'm running!

So, let me take this opportunity to celebrate my beautiful cousins, the lions of Africa.  My words can't do these magnificent creatures justice, so I'll let this video speak for me.  (Wow, kudos to that one lion cub who showed no fear in the face of his daddy's fury!)  And to all you humans out there considering a lion burger, shame on you!"

The Bionic Cat

Several people have brought to my attention the recent story of the cat with bionic feet.  Click here for a link to a story about this British cat, Oscar, who is lucky to have his life.  And click here for a link to a video in which Oscar first tries out his bionic feet.  Of course, Curry thought this was an interesting story, and wanted to blog about it.  One of the reasons for her interest hits us close to home.  I'll let her explain.

"I'm glad that there are veterinarians who care so much about us cats that they would make bionic paws.  Oscar, the poor cat in the story, may not have been allowed to live, had he not received these bionic paws.  I know that I would be very traumatized without two of my feet.  It would be very hard to get around, and I wouldn't have the freedom to do all the things I like to do, like running and jumping, and exploring on my own, without needing my mom right there all the time.  Oscar was lucky, indeed.  He won't be able to get around exactly the same as before, but once he gets used to his new paws, it will be pretty close to normal.  Thank you, humans, for helping him! 

Stumpy, Grayson's Mother

After hearing Oscar's story, mom and I immediately thought of Grayson's mom, Stumpy.  (Let me explain right now that neither of us named her...that's Uncle John's 'clever' moniker for her.)  You see, Stumpy is missing the bottom half of one of her hind legs.  She was like this when John rescued her, a pregnant (with Grayson & company) stray.  Stumpy actually gets around very well.  She has learned to compensate for the loss of one leg.  She had no problems during her pregnancy or the raising of her litter (Grayson and the other kittens turned out just fine).  But, what would it be like for Stumpy if Uncle John bought her a bionic paw?  I asked Uncle John, and his response was 'that would cost more than my car.'  So, I guess that Stumpy will not be the second cat to benefit from a bionic paw.  Oh well, she's managing just fine as it is.  I'm still happy for Oscar, and I'm happy that those scientists and vets are thinking of us felines in their very important endeavors." 

Happy 1st Birthday to Grayson!

"It was my brother Grayson's birthday on Sunday, June 20th.  He's one year old.  Technically, we're considering him an adult, but you know how it is (just think of human 18 year olds).  He still has some growing and maturing to do before I will grant him the respect that an adult cat deserves.  We had a party for Grayson.  Mom has been getting into celebrating our birthdays lately.  She never used to do this, but then again, I never used to blog.  There's a time to start new habits, I guess.  So, Grayson's First Birthday party was quite a bit more involved than the little family get-togethers we had to celebrate Willie's Birthday or My Birthday.  Mom sent an invitation to several humans through Evite.  I was surprised that so many people wanted to come over and celebrate Grayson's birthday, but they did.  Just look at them in the photo.  I guess humans will go for any excuse to have wine and cheese.  Mom told me she would like me to thank our guests Jan, Nicole, Angela, Christine, Adam, Kim, Tina, Phyllis, Sheri, Mike and Marcia.  There were even more people who wanted to come, but couldn't make it, including our cat sitters Carlos and Deb, and our Uncle John who lives out of state.  It would seem that Grayson has a lot of friends, but since he hid in the bedroom for most of the party, I know they were really here to see me.

The party went down like this.  People started arriving, and Grayson and Zorro started hiding.  Willie and I had a good time because we are much more social cats.  Willie got to run out into the hall a couple times, so that made him happy.  I got to be petted on my head, so that made me happy.  Some of the silly humans brought birthday presents for Grayson.  Willie got first dibs on some cool catnip mice, because he couldn't keep his nose out of the bag.  Willie also got to try on Grayson's new Harley Davidson collar from Jan.  He didn't like it.  Grayson looked good in it though, as you can see from the photo.

The humans ate a lot of cheese and grapes and drank a lot of wine.  They also talked a lot.  Hey, I'm a Siamese cat, and I talk a lot.  If I think a human is talking a lot, it must be so.  These people wouldn't shut up.  But it's completely OK, because they are my mom's friends and they were all good to me.  While the humans were talking, drinking and eating, mom brought out Grayson's birthday cake.  Don't worry, I have no stories to share of goofy human traditions like wearing hats, lighting candles and singing.  The cake was presented to us in a very causal way, and we just ate.  It was a two-layer cake crafted from three cans of Fancy Feast and Laughing Cow cheese that mom tried to squeeze through a Ziploc, pastry bag style.  Mom's decorating skills leave a lot to be desired.  However, Willie (upper right corner of cake photo), Grayson and I ate.  Zorro was still playing shy boy at this point in the party, so no cake for him. 

After a while, some of the guests had to leave, so the party got a little more quiet, and Grayson and Zorro spent more time socializing.  Mom opened Grayson's presents, and we played with them a little bit (check out Zorro and  Grayson trying to get into the foam balls).  In addition to the Harley collar and the catnip mice, Grayson got a new dangly toy (fun!), a chirping chickadee toy, Temptations treats, and some other assorted goodies.  Mom's friends were very generous and all of us cats benefited! 

As the party started to wind down, I collected my thoughts.  (I'm happy to be a big sister to Grayson, even if he is still a bit of a pest.  I'm thinking that in a few more months he'll be fully grown and hopefully pestering me less.  I'm also happy mom has so many nice friends who pet me, talk to me, and let me smell their hair.)  When the last guests left, mom gave Grayson a big hug and told him how much she loves him.  She tells us this all the time, but it's always nice to hear it.  So, happy birthday to Grayson.  The next birthday is in July, and it's Zorro's 8th.  After that, no more cat birthdays until April!"

The Grayson-ator Strikes Again

Dear readers, I must once again apologize for my lag in posting Curry's blogs.  There's no excuse really, other than feeling a little busy since returning from vacation.  Curry has been hounding me (if cats can "hound") to post her blogs.  Then something happened last night that neither of us could ignore.  Little Grayson gave Curry another reason to blog.  Here, she tells the story.

"I'm getting tired of complaining when my mom is too busy to type up my blogs, so I'll just let it go in the future.  This is the last time I will tell her how frustrating it is to have blog material and no one to type it for me.  I promise, this is the last time I will figuratively roll my eyes at my mom's defense of being 'busy.'  So, with that, yes, mom's right, that Grayson is a character.  You'll recall my May 26th blog ('The Flying Grayson') that described Grayson's little adventure getting stuck behind the bookcases.  Mom was really worried that he'd do it again while she was in Costa Rica, and that he'd be trapped back there for hours at a time.  Grayson proved her wrong.  He didn't do it again that week, nor the week that mom returned.  But then a couple nights ago mom woke up to the sound of Grayson scratching and crying, and he had done it again. At 1:00 AM mom had to, once again, remove the books from the bookshelf, pull it out from the wall, and release my crazy little brother.  I was asleep in the bed at the time, so I didn't see him do it.  I heard him do it though, and I didn't care.  I didn't even get up when mom went to check on him.  Apparently Willie did though.  Mom said that Willie was sitting on the desk chair staring at the bookcases where Grayson was trapped.

So this got mom worried.  Would Grayson keep doing this?  Would he get hurt doing it?  Would he do it if she left for an overnight trip?  Well, the answer is: yes.  Grayson had every intention of continuing to jump into the hole and trap himself at the bottom of the six-foot tall bookcases.  He kept trying to jump down there last night while mom was home and watching him.  She would tell him 'no, Grayson!' and get out the water spray bottle to deter him.  It worked for a while, but that boy was determined.  He started easing the front of his body down the side of the bookcase, and just as mom yelled her final 'Grayson, no!' he went over the edge, sliding down six feet into the pit.  For about 30 seconds he said nothing, and mom kept calling to him to make sure he wasn't hurt.  Finally, he responded with his little meow, and we knew he was OK.  He was playing a game with mom.

Once more, mom removed the books, and scooted the bookcase out from the wall.  This time, she didn't put everything back the same way.  She moved the bookcase down a few inches.  It doesn't look quite as nice as the old right-angle set-up in the corner, but now there is a way to escape, should Grayson continue to play this game.  My guess is that he will soon lose interest in the game, since mom doesn't need to react to it anymore.  I have to say, at first I thought my brother was being a little bit stupid in continuing to jump into the hole, but now that I've seen the pattern (that he only did it when mom was home, that he never got hurt, that he was really just fishing for attention), I have a new-found respect for the little guy.  He's still not my favorite brother, but I think I'll let him live to his first birthday (which is in three days...mom's throwing a party)."

Costa Rican Beach Cat

"Hello again, everyone!  Mom stifled me for a week.  She took off on vacation to Costa Rica.  That meant that not only would the boys and I need to be alone for a week, but it also meant that I had no blog secretary.  Thus, no blog posts for a whole week!  Just for that, I'm not going to tell mom about all the fun we had with our cat sitter Carlos.  I'm not going to tell her that even though we missed her, we enjoyed a week of freedom with nobody telling us what we couldn't do!


When mom came home, she told us that she met a cat on the beach in Costa Rica.  At first I was a little jealous, but then I grew to pity this poor little guy.  Mom said that he was young and very skinny (she could see his ribs) and had some open wounds, possibly from fighting, or just from living in the wild.  Even though the bartender at the beach bar told her that this cat had a home, mom wasn't really sure about that.  How could anyone have a cat and take such poor care of him?  There was one thing that may indicate that he does have a home: mom said he was a real sweetheart around her and the other humans she was hanging out with.  So, he knew how to give and receive love.  And his affection may have been entirely genuine, or it was a strategy to get some of mom's lunch away from her.  She gave him a small bite of bread, and when he gobbled it up without chewing, she have him a whole slice.  We cats don't usually eat bread (nothing against it, but it's not meat), so if this guy was chowing down on the bread, you know he had to be hungry.  Mom soaked a second slice of bread in cheese sauce from her pasta, and the cat ate that up too.  Mom said she felt so sorry for this guy, but other than giving him some hearty food, she couldn't do much else.  After a while, he left.

Mom hopes, and I hope too, that this little cat really did have a home and that his people will treat his wounds and feed him better, but we're not so sure.  Mom said she saw a lot of cats in Costa Rica, and all of them were thin.  Some of them clearly did have homes, but just weren't as fat as us spoiled American cats.  Others were strays, and mom's heart went out to them as she thought about me and my brothers here at home, and how much she missed us.  There were lots of dogs in Costa Rica too, including on the beach, mom said.  Again, they were thinner than American dogs, and some appeared to be strays.  It was often hard for mom to tell the strays from the dogs with homes, because there didn't seem to be any kind of leash laws, and many dogs ran around without collars.  There were good dog sightings, mom said, like the happy dogs playing near the surf, and the ones running on the path with their humans.  But mom's experience with cats and dogs in Costa Rica was overwhelmingly sad.  She wished the animals were better cared for, but with many people just making ends meet, animals were not their top priority.  Stories like these remind me how lucky Zorro, Willie, Grayson and I really are.  We have a happy home with lots of love, food, toys, and comfortable places to sleep, and we get good veterinary care.  I may complain about my brothers sometimes, and I may seem aloof as if I don't care about things, but I do, and I'm proud to be my mom's Siamese girl."

Curry's on Vacation

Actually, that's not quite true. She isn't going anywhere. But I need to take a break from my duties as her blog secretary. She's not happy about this, believe me. Just like most cats, she likes to do what she wants, when she wants, and she doesn't like it when we humans stand in her way. I have just enough time to leave you with this message from Curry's own lips (and I've posted some of her baby pictures to amuse you as well):

"Thanks a LOT mom! Just when I start building up my readership, you need to go off the clock. I expect that you'll type extra fast to catch things up in June. Dear readers: this little blog hiatus really was not my idea. I'll miss you. Meows."

The Flying Grayson

Grayson gave me a scare the other night.  It was 12:30 AM and I was asleep.  I woke up to the sound of scuffling coming from the office.  I assumed it was just Grayson jumping to the top of the 6+ foot tall bookcase, which he had just recently proven capable of.  I saw him do it the night before.  Just like Curry does, he used my desk as a launch pad and flew 5 feet up to the top of the bookcase.  Once on top, it's fun for the cats because there are two bookcases set at a right angle in the corner, and an additional two along one wall, so it's kind of like a catwalk.  So, from my bed, I called out to Grayson to see if he was OK.  He heard me call him and meowed back...it was actually more like a little cry.  I kept calling his name, expecting him to come to me.  He kept answering but the sound of his voice didn't get any closer.  I immediately knew what had happened, and I knew that I would be taking a little break from my slumber.  Curry saw the whole thing, so I'll let her describe the events of the wee hours.

"I have no shortage of pesky little brothers.  Grayson bugs me most of all because he is a copy cat.  He had been watching me jump to the top of the bookcases for weeks.  Finally, the other day did it on his own.  Now he is probably going to keep me away from my favorite spot, but I'll deal with that later.  Here's what happened the other night.  Grayson jumped down into the opening between the two corner bookcases.  It's less than 12 inches square, and the bookcases are more than 6' tall, so he was stuck.  I wish I could make fun of him for doing something so idiotic, but I can't.  Why not?  Because I did the same thing a few years ago.  I know, you're thinking, 'but Curry, you're such a smart cat...why on earth would you jump into a trap like that?'  Well, the answer is that curiosity got the best of me.  I slid down the side of the bookcase and was halfway down before I realized there was no way back up.  Unfortunately, I tried this when mom was not home, so she found me like that after I'd been down there a while.  How long?  I'll never tell.  So, Grayson followed in my footsteps, literally.  He did it in the dark too, but at least mom was home and knew that he was crying for a good reason.  She got out of bed as soon as she had figured it out.  She had to remove all the books from one of the bookcases, and slowly ease it away from the wall inch by inch to let Grayson out.  Here's a picture mom took once Grayson was free and inspected for injuries (there were none...we cats are pretty darn tough).

So, as much as I want to make fun of my little brother, I can't.  I know exactly why he did it.  And I also know that he's very unlikely to do it again.  Mom worried that I'd do it again, and started devising schemes to plug the hole, or to rearrange furniture.  It was unnecessary.  I was curious, but I'm not stupid.  To this day, I love to hang out on top of the bookcases, but I'll never jump into the corner again.  While I say that Grayson probably won't do it again, I know there's a slight chance that he will.  After all, he's still a crazy young thing and thinks he's invincible.  I guess I'll try to be a good big sister and look out for him.  I can tell you that he's copycatted me again: he has started reaching over the top and knocking books to the floor.  Nothing against books, but it's kinda fun to do.  I don't begrudge Grayson this pleasure either.  What is it that you humans always say about imitation and flattery?  OK, I'll try to appreciate my brother.  Sigh."

Mom Cheated on Me

"Yes, you heard me.  Mom spent some time with and showed some love to another Siamese cat!  I wouldn't care if it had been any other cat breed or mutt, but I'm supposed to be her special Siamese girl.  Imagine my seething rage when I saw this photo.  That's mom with Arthur.  I think he's a Flame Point because he's kinda reddish.  You don't see a lot of Siamese cats with his coloring, so I'm even more mad that mom got all lovey-dovey with 'special' Arthur.  And what business does a Siamese cat have being red, anyway?  I know we come in different colors, but red?  In case you're interested, I'm considered a Seal Point Siamese.  That means that my 'points' are dark brown and my body is light brown.  When I was a kitten I was even lighter, a creamy beige.  Mind you, I'm the first to admit that I'm not a pure-bred Siamese (I'm 3/4), but who cares?  I'm all Siamese in my heart!

So, I guess you want to know who Arthur is.  He belongs to my mom's friend Sherri.  Mom went all the way to Connecticut for Sherri's surprise birthday party.  (I was upset that she left us for the weekend, but we had Carlos to take care of us, and it was only two nights.)  So while she's in West Hartford having a good old time, reconnecting with old friends, she takes some time out to love on Sierra and Gus (the dogs), Peanut (the snake), and Arthur.  Mom came home and told us about how sweet and affectionate Arthur is.  Did she think we needed to hear that?  She told us how much he likes to be held (more than me or my brothers) as if we would take kindly to that information.  I haven't met Arthur, but just look at him.  He thinks he owns my mom!  See how tight he's gripping her, like he never wants her to leave?  And see how content he is that he's closed his eyes?  I don't know for sure, but I bet he was also purring like crazy.  I can just tell, the way he's all happy in the photo.

All right, I guess I'm going to forgive mom.  After all, she did come home to us, and she was very sweet with us last night.  She didn't say anything about seeing Arthur again.  In fact, she told me that he is very happy in his own home with Sherri and company.  I'm kind of jealous of him, I suppose.  I wish I had dogs and a snake.  Maybe I can talk mom into bringing home some pets other than more cats.  I really could use a break from my brothers!"

Willie's Latest Escapades

"Willie isn't done being silly.  I blogged about my goofy brother on 3/31/10 ('Silly Willie'), but he insists on giving me more blog fodder.  Just look at this picture.  That crazy boy took mom's sweatshirt, which was hanging on the back of a chair.  Most cats would be content spending a few minutes kneading the fabric and then curling up for a nap right on top.  Not my brother Willie.  He crawled INTO the sweatshirt and down the sleeve, and proceeded to get himself stuck.  Look at him, all "mummified" in the sleeve, and unable to move.  If mom hadn't found him, he would have had one heck of a time getting out of that sweatshirt.  First of all, Willie's body is a little bit more plump than that sleeve is wide, so he was in there snugly.  Good thing that it had some stretch to it.  Secondly, he would have had absolutely no leverage for backing out of the thing.  Of course, I just sat there laughing silently at the deeds of a true feline dunce! 

In that first post about Willie, I said he was new to running outside the apartment door.  Well, now he's a pro.  Unless he's sound asleep or in the litter box, Willie ALWAYS tries to get through the open door.  Mom knows this, so she does what she can to block him.  Her success rate is about 70%.  For a clumsy cat, Willie is amazingly fast.  He almost always runs down the hall and just keeps on going.  Mom doesn't bother to chase him, because he's faster than her.  Instead, she slowly follows him down the hall until he hits a dead end, then carries him home.  Willie likes being carried home and I believe this is part of the game for him.  Last night, Willie had a new experience.  Mom failed to block him as she left the apartment to do laundry.  He got out into the hall but didn't run far.  Mom was able to lure him into the laundry room, which is conveniently located just around the corner from our apartment.  Willie explored the laundry room, to include the narrow spaces behind the machines, while mom loaded the laundry and started the washers.  When she was done, she carried him back home.  He must have thought this little visit to the laundry room was emblematic of some newly earned freedom.  Afterward, he stood at the door for nearly ten minutes, watching for movement in the doorknob, and calling for mom to let him out.  Willie doesn't talk much, so the fact that he was begging to be let out was noted by all of us (and heeded by none).

What a character I have for a brother.  I know he thinks he's got all this testosterone flowing and he's the alpha male, in charge of the other cats in the pack, but I know better.  I humor him and let him believe these things.  I know that I am of superior intellect and common sense, and I take great pride in pointing out the frivolities of Silly Willie.  I hope you're laughing with me, and at him!"

Another Kitty Litter Review

As you may know from the April 8, 2010 blog ("Make Mine Pine"), I've been using pine pellet litter for some time, and the cats and I really like it.  We alternate from Feline Pine and ExquisiCat Pine.  I just get whatever is on sale as they are very comparable in quality.  Well, I must have hit the local Petsmart at the wrong time because they were out of both kinds of pine pellets.  I didn't have time to go to another store, and I was completely out of litter at home, so I had to think quick.  I opted for ExquisiCat Paper litter.  It is made from recycled paper that is shaped into pellets about the same size as the pine pellets.  I was open-minded about this new choice, and figured that we wouldn't really notice the difference.  Boy, was I wrong.  Curry will tell you about it in her own words.

"What the heck was mom thinking?  She brought home this paper litter.  At first she mixed it in with our pine pellets, so we really couldn't tell the difference in its performance.  We did notice two things: that it was a dark, charcoal gray in color (what kind of recycled paper is charcoal gray?), and that it had an artificial fragrance.  There were more pine pellets in our boxes and just a few paper pellets, so this was fine.  Throughout the course of a week, our boxes went to being more paper and less pine.  As mom or I may have said before, the pine pellets dissolve when they get wet, creating a sort of sawdust.  Mom scoops out the sawdust and leaves the intact pellets in the boxes.  The odor evaporates as the sawdust dries, and the natural pine keeps things pretty fresh. 

Well!  Not so with the nasty paper pellets!  Once our boxes were completely full of the paper pellets, the artificial fragrance was overpowering.  We wondered why they needed to make the litter scented, as the pine pellets weren't artificially scented.  We soon found out!  These compressed paper pellets absorbed our cat pee and didn't dissolve.  They just held that urine in and stank like crazy!  Yuck!  And double yuck!  For the first time, our usually clean, non-urine-smelling apartment stank!  And it was hard for mom to know which pellets to scoop out, because they didn't dissolve or change shape at all.  The only cue was that they turned a slightly darker shade of charcoal gray.  Well, we made it known that we didn't like this situation.  We made a point of over-exaggerating our sniffing of the litter box area, and over-covering our 'stuff' in the boxes.  Mom got the point.  Actually, she didn't need much convincing, as she hated these pellets too.  So, mom stopped using this litter halfway through the bag and completely threw out the used paper pellets, replacing them with good old, fresh Feline Pine.  Ah, relief!"

Curry, Willie, Zorro, Grayson and I are very disappointed by the ExquisiCat Paper litter.  We really wanted to like it, but we also wanted to breathe air that didn't reek of cat pee.  I know that there are other brands of paper litter on the market, and I hope they are better.  If the store is out of pine, I may try one of the other paper versions.  But for now, I'm stocking up on pine pellets, because they really are good for the cats, good for the environment, and good for all of our noses.