The Felines Opine On 2016

tukcrownTucker Opines

Well, I must say, 2016 was fairly much like 2015. I retained my lofty position on the red chair in the living room, received treats regularly and even strolled (under human supervision) on the upstairs deck.

The “little guys” as we call them continued to be annoying and always  up to  some kitten shenanigans  but they do recognize my authority as the Alpha of The Tribe of Five and now that they’re just over a year, they are settling down a bit.

And they are making themselves useful. Oliver has decided he likes my prescription food and this is quite convenient for me.. Each morning, when the female human comes out of the bedroom, Oliver races down the hallway and does a little dance by the food bowl. The female human obediently goes to the pantry in the laundry room, grabs the food and fills both of our bowls. Having Oliver around is never having to say, “I’m hungry”.

I’m looking forward to another relaxing year as Alpha as I take up my post on the red chair (or, as the humans refer to it, the “throne”), watch the household antics of Oliver and Alberto, receive my treats and have a perpetually full food bowl.

Jasmine Opines

Siamese cat Jasmine in fake nose and glassesWell, I am still living in the human’s bedroom but things have progressed. If you’re wondering why I live in the bedroom, you can read about it in Amelia’s story.

There have been some breakthroughs in 2016. The humans invite Lily into the bedroom frequently in the evenings and things are progressing enough that  I will actually come out from under the bed when she’s there (although sometimes she forgets she’s supposed to show me deference and chases after me, resulting in a loud a hissy fit and a big “fluffy tail”).. The female human is also leaving the bedroom door open periodically (when she can watch Lily and make sure she doesn’t waltz in.)  I am optimistic about the future.

Siamese cat sitting at a snowy windowThere is much in my two-room environment to keep me interested, the automatic red dot thingy Siamese cat sitting oi chair in front of widow in winterthat twirls and spins and throws red dots down the hallway, huge windows and wide window ledges that look out to the woods around the house.  I often have visitors come by. Some are felines, some are birds, some are squirrels and there is the occasional raccoon as well.

My brother Tucker comes and visits and sleeps overnight, as does Oliver and Alberto.  Tucker sleeps in one of the cushy cat beds but  Alberto and Oliver are a bit disruptive so they end up being escorted out of the room at some time in the wee hours.

The female human showed me that you don’t have to go out to do good work for pets. She and her sister founded a lost pet social media organization for our area and many pets have been reunited with their families thanks to all the good people who help.

All in all, it’s been a good year and much more interesting than last year. The female human told me that when I write my year end comments for 2017, she hopes I’ll be telling you how I roam around the house again.

Lily Opines

cat with New Years hat and glassesIt’s been a good year. I’ve been in the human’s bedroom many times and I’m thinking Jasmine and I may be friends after all (as long as I don’t forget myself and  chase her).

I have a nice routine with the female human. Each evening after she finishes making dinner, she goes downstairs and gets a pail full of cat food. She calls this “junk food” and won’t let us eat it on a regular basis, but she does give Alberto and I a few bits. If Tucker deigns to sashay down the stairs to join us, he gets a few pieces too. She then takes the pail and puts the food down on the patio for our masked friends. One of them comes with her little masked babies and I like to sit by the sliding glass doors and chat with them about woodland life versus indoor life. Seems to me I have the better deal.

The female human’s story “All My Children Wear Fur Coats” was published in February in the newest Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover’s soul book. This experience made her even more interested in writing about and for cats (it’s because of this that she is our purrrrsonal assistant and types for us in this blog). She was even on several radio shows talking about the fabulous Tribe of Five and is now working on something she refers to as a “cozy mystery” that has two cats as main characters (I hope one of them is me).

This month was a bit stressful. Some of the human’s relatives visited, and, although I am sure they are wonderful people, I did not want to be bothered so I spent the time downstairs, burrowed under the sofa cover. The Tribe of Five produced a manual for guests who visit homes with felines, you may want to ensure your humans read this.

It’s been a purrfectly wonderful  year and I look forward to a purrfectly wonderful 2017 as well.

Oliver Opines

Black and white cat with new years mask and hatI would say that I probably had the most exciting year as I threw my hat in the ring as the Kitty Cat Party cat-i-date for purresident. My running mate, Olive, from Three Chatty Cats, and I even sent our human to a conference called Blogpaws with campaign buttons to spread the word about our platform.

Olive and I presented a complete platform only to find that the Today Show featured another feline who was running and never even mentioned my name so I had to take them to task, sheesh, what’s a cat got to do to get some press coverage?

Sadly, my running mate and I did not win but this does black and white kitten runs for presidentnot mean that I have abandoned all my purrlitical aspirations. I have been reading about cats that are mayors, customs officials and even a Chief Mouser for the British Cabinet.  Now that I have some experience, I’m thinking I might just be successful at this purrlitical thing.

No matter what I decide to do in 2017, it will be a great year and I look forward to opining all about it.

Alberto Opines

Siamese cat in bag wearing party hatIt was a great year. I was the official spokes-purrson for the Kitty Cat Pawty campaign and I quite enjoyed all the attention.  Even though my brother Oliver didn’t win, he told me there would be a job for me if he ever entered the purrlitical arena again.

Things in the spring and summer were grand. The humans bought us a portable catio and we all enjoyed
bird and squirrel watching on the front porch and upstairs deck in complete safety. Ever since the female human took a class about the concept of “Fearless” cat raising, she’s made sure our home is as fear free as possible.

The next exciting thing I experienced was being able to Siamese ca walking on leash in the gardenstroll through the front garden with a harness and leash. I quite enjoy myself when the female human takes me out to explore.

I had fun with the male human showing him how to pluck the string things on his guitar, we made some lovely mewsic together

img_2553Fall was a bit dicey. First the humans tried to put some ridiculous thing on me that they called a “dinosaur costume”. I was having none of it and, as you can see by my expression, I conveyed my unhappiness quite clearly.

Then, the female human came out into the living room one night made up like a feline. I was completely gobsmacked (as my British moggie friends would say). At first I was freaked out. Was she going through some strange human to feline transformation? If she was transforming into a cat, who would take over all the things she does for us? (I don’t trust siamese cat and woman with cat ears and cat make-upthe male human to do this). Once I calmed down and figured out she was not cat-morphing I became a bit annoyed. Was she mocking us? It was a terrible “faux paws”  and one, I am fairly certain, the female human will not repeat.

As I lounge by the fire, I am thinking what a happy cat I am and I think 2017 will be even better.

A final note from the #TribeOfFive

Thanks to all our friends out there in the blogosphere. We love the notes we receive from other felines (and other non-feline creatures…and even humans)  and we look forward to entertaining and enlightening you all from our little corner of the world in 2017.

Purrs & Meows,
Tucker, Jasmine, Lily, Alberto & Oliver

 

 

 

 

 

Navi’s Tea Party

Siamese cat with tiaraHello All,
Jasmine here. I am so excited to tell you about my elegant friend Navi and her wonderful human, Crystal .  Thanks to the wonder of the internet (and with the help of my purrsonal assistant) I was able to interview Navi and talk to her about her life and amazing tea party.  Navi and I have much in common as I am a bit of a princess myself.

Without fur-ther ado, meet my friend Navi who reminded me that as a Siamese, she has lots to say.red rose on stem

 

 

 

 

Navi the Siamese cat wearing pearls standing on a table

Siamese cat with tiara
Navi, you have an interesting name, how did you get it?

 

Siamese cat NaviThat’s a good question Jasmine. It took a week for my mommy to name me. She wanted to get to know my purrrsonality first but she was stumped. The first week in my new home I was quite the chatterbox, I followed her everywhere, blinking my baby blue eyes at her and begging for attention. Then inspiration came. Navi, from the Legend of Zelda game, is one of the most annoying video game characters of all time. In one of the episodes, there was a little blue-eyed fairy that would follow Link around and in order to get his attention, would yell, “Hey listen.” My big blue eyes and habit of following Mommy around everywhere chattering at her gave her the inspiration for my name.   She declared that Navi was a purrrfect name for me.

Siamese cat with tiara
That’s a great story Navi, my humans aren’t well versed in Video games which is why they named me after the lady that rescued me and my brother Tucker.   So how did you come to live with your humans?

Siamese cat Navi
I moved in about three years ago when I was a 5-month old kitten. My human had a Siamese friend when she was little and she loved that feline. Sadly, not all of the Siamese she met later on were very healthy and she lost several Siamese fur kids at very young ages.  This made my human very lonely and sad. She really missed having a Siamese friend in the house. That was when she decided to look into traditional Siamese felines and met a lady who loved Siamese cats as much as she does. This lady had my brother and sister who went to live with another human. My Mom had made her mind up that she wanted a big male Siamese but my brother was a little goofy looking (no offense bro) so she picked me instead.

Siamese cat with tiara

Did you have a hard time getting used to your new home?

 

Siamese cat Navi
Not really, at first I kept myself a bit aloof, you know, have to check out the resident humans and the place to make sure it fit my needs. I even refused to sit in the human’s lap at first but that’s all changed.

 

Siamese cat with tiara
Are there any other fur kids in your house?

 

 

Siamese cat Navi
I’m the only kitty. Mom did try to bring another cat into the house once but he got very sick and she was worried that I would get sick too. Now she lavishes all her love and attention on me, well, except for the rats.

 

Siamese cat with tiara

Rats? Like rodents?

 

 

Siamese cat Navi
Oh yes, the rats don’t have life spans as long as felines, but as long as I’ve lived here there have been pet rats as well. As a matter of fact, I have a new rat-brother named Moose. I get along with him okay but, between you and me, rats scare me. And I’m not so fond of them when they chase me. Moose is already proving to be a problem, grabbing my tail and messing with my fur. But, he’s a family member so I tolerate him.

Siamese cat with tiara
Hmm, I have four feline siblings and I’m not so sure one rat might not be better.Maybe we should talk about a trade sometime.  Navi, I want to talk about the beautiful photos of your tea party and your very stylish pearls.  Do you wear them all the time?
Siamese on tea table wearing pearls

 

Siamese cat Navi
Thank you; I do love my pearl necklace. Mommy made them just for me. I wear them once in a while but I have lots of collars to choose from. I prefer not to wear them too often as they mess up my lovely fur. Actually I think there is a new collar in my Christmas stocking, but don’t tell my Mom I know!
Siamese cat with tiara

Mum’s the word Navi. Now, tell me how this elegant tea party came about.

 

naviandcrystal_2

 

Siamese cat Navi
This was was an elegant “girls” party and I don’t think Daddy would have been interested in attending had we invited him. I love doing things with Mommy, especially things that involve food.

 

Siamese cat drinking tea

siamese cat criniing rea

Siamese cat with tiara
I must ask what kind of tea were you drinking? The female human has never offered us tea.

 

 

Siamese cat Navi

Mommy had human hibiscus tea which I would turn my nose up at had she offered it to me. So, of course, she made me catnip tea!

 

Siamese cat with tiara

 

There is tea from catnip? Meow!

 

 

Siamese cat Navi

Actually, humans can drink catnip tea to help them sleep but I like it too. I also enjoyed the fishy treats I received on the lovely china.

 

Siamese Cat and human having a tea party

Siamese cat with tiara
Do you and your female human do other things together besides having tea parties?

 

Siamese cat Navi
We do everything together, she even threw me a birthday party when I turned three and made me a shrimp and scallop birthday cake with a little candle in it!

We take road trips together, once all the way from Florida (where we live) to Michigan. We visited her grandparents and I met some new dog friends.

 

Siamese cat with tiara
Hiss, I hate car trips, I always fight being put into the kitty tent and then I yowl all the way to our destination (which is usually that nasty place where the people with the white coats poke and prod me). A road trip doesn’t sound very fun at all.

 

Siamese cat Navi
Oh, the first time I got in the car I was scared too but as we took more long rides it got better. And on long trips, Daddy drives and Mommy and I sit in the back and because I’m so well behaved, I get to sit in her lap and not in the cat carrier.

 

Siamese cat with tiara
Hmm, not sure if you’ve convinced me about car rides but I do love lap sitting!
Navi, you look so graceful and elegant in the photos from your tea party. Do you have any tips for our feline readers in case they are invited to a tea party?

Siamese cat on tea table

 

Siamese cat Navi
Well Jasmine, there’s just no hope for some boy cats, their paws are just too big and clumsy. But for more elegant tea-attending felines, here are a few tips: remember that it helps when Mommy has a chair  close to the edge of the tablewith so you can reach your cup easily. Then it’s important to keep your whiskers out of the cup and your fur clean. Oh, and don’t slurp, that’s tacky! Sometimes though the tea and treats are just so good, you want to jump on the table! I suggest you only do that if invited to do so.

 

Siamese cat with tiara

 

Navi, how did these amazing photos of your tea party come about?

 

Siamese cat Navi
Mommy loves to take pictures, especially of me (who wouldn’t?). She got a new tea set and although she’s not one of those female humans who love to dress up, but she does love to do fun, silly things (especially with me). When her father joked that she could have a tea party with me she thought, of course, what a purrrfect idea!  Since she doesn’t get to see her Dad too often she thought our tea party photos would make him smile. You should have seen her setting the camera up on the tripod thing and then rushing to her chair to appear as though she was leisurely sipping her tea. It was funny!

She posted some of the photos on Facebook and we were surprised at how folks liked them (and all the compliments I received).

 

Siamese cat on tea taBLE

Siamese cat with tiara
Yes, that’s how our female human found out about you and she couldn’t wait to see if you would allow us to interview you. Thanks, by the way.

Siamese cat Navi

 

You’re very welcome Jasmine!
Siamese cat with tiara
Navi, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers before we finish our interview?

 

 

Siamese cat Navi
First, I want to thank everyone who noticed these photos my mommy took and for interviewing me! I think every human should try to spend more time with their kitties and involve them more. Just to be clear, I’m not suggesting felines go through your human’s dishes or start drinking out of their cups to indicate you’d like a tea party too. That could end badly. Better to offer some extra purrs and head butts or just sit quietly in a chair across the table from them. I’m sure they’ll get the hint and do something special for you too. Try to be as well behaved as I am and your humans may just take you on adventures. I get to go lots of places with Mommy.

I wish all my friends a furry Christmas. I can’t wait for Christmas and to open my stocking! There’s also something really big under the tree that I just know is for me! And of course, she’ll be taking more pictures to make more memories.

– Purrs & kisses – Navi
Siamese cat Navi

 

 

Siamese cat with tiara
And Meows to you too Navi!  Well folks, that’s it for our feature on Navi and her tea party. I’m hoping she’ll come back again sometime to share photos and stories about her next adventure.

Your friend, Jasmine

bouqet of yellow roses

Crystal Howard PhotographerAbout Navi’s Human:

Crystal Howard is the photographer of these enchanting photos. She and Navi and the family live in Florida. Although the tea party photos depict her as quite elegant, she grew up in Michigan and spent most of her childhood on farms where she enjoyed running around the fields.

Crystal always loved animals (especially cats), nature, art and photography. When she was six, her grandmother gave her a Canon camera and that started her passion for photography.

Her first Siamese came to live with her when she was fifteen and she’s been in love with the breed ever since. She trained her first Siamese so well that the feline turned people who weren’t “cat people” into cat lovers.

Crystal’s relationship with her cats is one of deep love and affection cultivated by time spent with them. She says that Navi never ceases to amaze her and reminds her how smart and emotional animals can be.

Crystal says, “. I feel like all animals are amazing and have the ability to understand so much, sometimes we are just so busy we just don’t take time to notice or appreciate them. That is what I try to express through my photographs. When we get down to their level and interact or just observe we can see how incredible animals and nature really are. Cats especially are such a gift and I always say some of my most special cats have been my best friends and little lifesavers!”

box of pink roses with a pink ribbon

 

 

It Isn’t Christmas Without Catmas Carols!

tuckiesantahatwreathHello All and Meowry Christmas,
Tucker here. As the Alpha in the house, it is my job to ensure that tradition is maintained during the holidays as regards the  Tribe of Five.

The female human, many years ago, when she was dating the male human, purchased a book for the male human called “Catmas Carols”. It was her attempt to lure him into her feline loving world. It evidently worked because six months after they were married, they got a kitten (you can read the story in Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover’s Soul, My Very Good, Very Bad Cat). The story is called “All My Children Wear Fur Coats”. The female human told me to tell you the book makes a good Christmas gift. I am disgusted that the female human would have me shilling for her this way but she does give us much love and care so I guess I owe her a plug for the book.

Anyway, to get back to the Catmas Carols, this little book has wonderful Christmas songs and the female human serenades us every Christmas with these wonderful feline carols. It is a long-standing tradition and one we love so, I thought I’d share a few of these wonderful songs with you. Catmas Carols was written by Laurie Loughlin and illustrated by Mary Ross and, if you are still looking for a gift for your feline friends, I’d highly recommend it.

I’ve featured the cover and two of the wonderful Catmas tunes. Sing along with your feline friends (and if the canines want to join in, please share the spirit of the holiday and allow them to sing along without swatting them.)

Your Friend,
Tucker_SigInChair

catmascarolscover

hallelujahpourus

wreckthehalls

Get Your Holiday Cheer On

Hello World,

Black and white cat with Santa hatOliver here.  I don’t know about the rest of you furry folks but none of the #TribeOfFive like play “dress up”. We’ve told the humans just to walk on by when they are tempted by fancy New Year’s bow tie collars, jingely elf hats or red and green sweaters. 

You may recall Albert’s post about the Great Halloween Indignity, that pretty much sums up our attitude about feline fashions.

Still, the female human pines for pictures of us in costume so we’ve struck a deal. She can humiliate us photographically (with photoshop and other apps) all she wants and boy has she taken us up on that offer.

This made me think, I wonder what photos are out there in Internet land of dapper dogs and fancy felines. We’d love to see them (whether you’re actually sporting the ensemble or photoshopped to fashion purrfection.)

My new Christmas photo is featured above and I’ve also included my adorable kitten photo from last Christmas and there’s a few other photos of the Tribe to get your creative juices flowing.

Cat in hat and glasses
Siamese cat with hat and bow tie

Siamese cat with a crownBlack and whit kitten with a red ribbon and Christmas frame

Why Isn’t Alberto Walking Through The Web?

Hello Friends,

Alberto here. Many of you have noted that I’ve missed two weeks of Wednesdays walking through the web. I owe my fans an explanation and do apologize for this but there is a good reason. I am still recovering from my last stroll.

The female human thought it would be amusing to invite Oliver and I out with her the first morning the stuff the humans call “snow” arrived. 

She opened the glass doors and stepped onto the upstairs deck. As she filled the bird/squirrel feeder she called to us to come out. Oliver jetted out, I walked out more gingerly. The older cats sat inside, by the open door watching us. (Note to self, take a cue from the big guys, they know what’s going on.)

Black and white cat in the snowOliver, my goofy brother rolled in the freezing stuff and enjoyed himself for a while until a large bunch of the stuff fell off a tree branch right on his back.

I had no interest in exploring the entire deck with Oliver. I pussy-footed out a few steps and as soon as the snow stuff began to numb the pads of my paws, I froze.

Assessing the situation, I decided that Siamese cat in the snowreturning to the warmth and comfort of the inside was an excellent idea and I did so posthaste.

Oliver, on the other hand scampered away from the human until the tree dumped that load of cold wet on him. 

After we skedaddled inside (and suffered the mocking of the older cats) the human remarked upon our paw prints in the snowy stuff.

Cat paw prints in the snow
Both Oliver and I decided this winter thing was not so much fun and that we’d stick to watching the colder seasons from the wide ledges of our huge windows. 

And this, my friends is why I haven’t done any walking lately, through the web or elsewhere. 

I promise I’ll be back to my usual tasks next week and, in the meantime, Oliver and I urge you to stay warm!

Black and white cat hiding under red rug

“Is winter gone yet?”

It’s Linky Party Time

Siamese cat with top hat, round glasse sand white collarHello Friends,
Alberto here. I’m hosting this linky party and since we are entering that magical time of Christmas, New Years, Hannakah and other holiday celebrations, I thought I should up my game as host. ‘Hope you like the top hat and collar.

As you know, we always start the Linky Party with three picks from our last party so here they are…enjoy.
Your Friend,
img_1067

Help, My Dog Stinks – Love My Chi

cute white terrier

Our canine cousin, Luigi

As a fastidious feline, I must say that normally I might not be inclined to feature such a blog post but recent events have led me to believe that providing this information would be a service, not just to the general public but to family members as well.

Allow me to explain. The humans took a mini-vacation over Thanksgiving and went to visit their human and canine relatives. Evidently a good time was had by all and The Tribe of Five was well taken care of by a neighborhood cat sitter so all were happy. But I digress, the humans were talking about our canine relative Luigi, who evidently while quite handsome and lovable, has one tiny issue….he smells. We felines have no concept of what this means but evidently this is an issue with some canines as evidenced by the article.  So, in honor of our cousin Luigi, I present this information and hope that it will help all who read it.

Momma Kat and Her Bear Cat – Love,. Sharing and Human Shaming

cat shames his human with a signI am a fan of the conversations between Bear and his human. So often, information and subjects that are of interest and importance to humans and felines who share life is highlighted in the talks they have.

This post covered topics very near and dear to my heart. Why do the humans need to be friendly and loving toward random felines that show up on our front porch, sit in our garden or come to the downstairs patio? Isn’t their job to keep their own felines healthy, happy and well fed? Bear addresses this with his human and reminds her that we felines are not big fans of sharing, with other cats outside our tribe or even with the humans (when we are snuggled in our favorite piece of furniture it is downright rude for the humans to insinuate themselves in our space.)

And finally, Bear deals with an important issue head on. You humans have been shaming felines on social media for quite a while and finally,Bear turns the tables. This is what happens when you allow your felines to have their own social media platform.
Deal with it.

Reggie’s First Month as a Pet – Sugar and Spikes

Reggie the black and white rescue cat

Reggie

We featured the story of Reggie in a previous Linky Party and I was very happy to find a continuation of the story. So many times we hear good news about a feline choosing a new family and the new family taking him in but we rarely are allowed to know how things worked out.

Reggie was a stray, didn’t know how to live inside and the humans he chose thought this was not the time for a pet but,. well, you know how charming we felines can be. Long story short, after some adjustment time, Reggie has settled in very well. Under “hobbies” Reggie’s human listed “sleeping (sometimes he snores)”.

I love that Reggie’s human is sharing his journey with us and it serves as a good reminder that the dirty, frightened and timid cat who comes to your house can be a playful, loving, happy furry family member, just like Reggie.

sleeping black and white cat

Oliver

Oh, and I must comment on the uncanny resemblance between Reggie and our own Oliver! Welcome to the world of pampered felines Reggie!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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This is the place for you to show off your favorite family friendly pet related posts, find other great posts to read, show some love to other bloggers and maybe be featured on one of the host blogs!

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Pet Faves– Living the pet lover lifestyle

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