Holiday's by Chessie

Hey, Frankster,

 This is probably your first experience with the time of year humans call ‘the holidays.’

 Well, since I’ve been around for quite a few years now – just recently celebrated my eleventh birthday! - I have seen these celebrations and wondered a lot about the thing called turkey.  It tastes good and smells wonderful when Mom cooks it, but they are big, ugly looking birds, and they can’t fly like the little wrens and sparrows in our yards.  They waddle on the ground.

 The other morning Mom had on that big square box that makes noise with moving images on it = TV, its called.  I was asleep in a cozy chair in her office while she worked.  Suddenly, the TV noise stopped... all was quiet for a moment and then there started this sound: ‘gobble, gobble, gobble.’  And I looked up at the TV and there were all these big, black birds, wild turkey, running through the Texas sage making these funny noises: ‘gobble, gobble, gobble.’

 I jumped down to the floor and sat in front of the TV very close to the picture and watched carefully as these birds ran around making a silly little gobble noises jumping and crashing into each other, it was mayhem.  When it was over, I still sat, hoping the birds would come back and play again, but when they didn’t I looked at Mom trying to ask her to make that happen: let me see these silly birds again.  Mom said if I was a good kitty maybe I could have a special turkey treat for supper... and then she did the strangest thing!  Mom said to me ‘gobble, gobble!’  and laughed.

 I’m confused, so I think I’ll take a nap and think on it for a while.
 Happy Turkey Day! Chessie

Another Trip To The Vet's by Chessie

 Sorry I haven’t written in awhile Frankie, but I’ve been a ‘little under the weather’ – that’s a Mom-ism that I do not understand at all.  How can I be under the weather: it’s all around us?

 Anyway, Mom had to take me to the Vet a couple of days ago ‘cause I had a very swollen lower lip.  Really swollen; she said I looked like some guy called Gene Simmons – whoever that is, but I guess he too has a big lower lip and sticks his tongue out all the time.  How rude!!  Oh, wait... that’s what I was doing too.

 The Vet is a really nice man, who calls me by my name, and is very gentle when handling me during an examination.  I really wasn’t feeling well and got quite grumpy and growled at him and the nurse – I know, not nice, but I am allowed when I don’t feel well and they poke and prod at me.  I’ve been sleeping a lot, which is why I haven’t felt like writing to you... so they ran some tests, which meant sticking me with a needle to draw some blood – ‘me-ouch!’  That made me mad!  All the folks at the hospital know me ‘cause I’ve been going there for years, since we moved here: they all think I’m cute and cuddly – well they saw a different side to my personality when they poked and prodded me.  That hurts!  I just wanted to be left alone, but that wasn’t about to happen.

 The Vet and my Mom discussed me while the nurse held me close in her arms and I grunted at the indignity of it all.  Eventually, he left but came back with TWO huge sharp sticks and stuck me in the rump with some medicines.  Dang did that sting!  Mom brought me home and I curled up in my comfy chair to sleep.  I’m feeling just a little perkier, but my lip still is a little swollen.  I’m trying not to lick my lips, and I hide my face in Mom’s lap ‘cause I don’t want to go back to the Vet and have him poke and prod me anymore.

 Feeling sleepy again, Chessie

The New Kitty On The Block? by Frankie

 Well, now that things have settled down a bit from all the weird goings on, everything should be back to normal - Right? Nope!

 Even after the vet visit, the new kitty needed to be quarantined because of her fleas. The vet said she was completely infested because she is really sick. Mommy and mom-mom say her tests didn't look very good. So they are gonna make her happy and fill her little tummy for as long as she's here with us. That doesn't sound all that good to me.

 Maybe if they can kill off all the fleas she might feel better. I'm gonna try and stay nearby and see if I can do something to help. Mommy says I'm a good boy sharing my food with the kitty by letting her have first choice of flavors. I don't think it's really a problem since I love all of my foods, I look up at mommy and say "I don't care as long as I still get fed".

 Mommy still keeps us separated, so I don't get to check her out just yet. The neighbor came up with a name for her, which I think sounds kinda nice, it's Gracie. She also brought over some treats and a few small toys for her. The treats smell nice but I don't care for them, the toys however I want for myself. I tried to grab them from mommy and go play with them but she caught me and took them back. Mommy said I have to share and besides the toys aren't for me anyway. What's with that? She did give me one of the jingly bell balls since I don't have any of those yet. But mommy did take a couple of mine that I haven't played with yet for Gracie. So I guess sharing isn't that bad.

 We'll see how this goes. I'm gonna take another circle around and see if I can get close enough to get a sniff of Gracie without mommy noticing. Talk to ya later.

What's In MY Travel Crate? by Frankie

 Ok, so a few days ago I told you about mommy going over to the neighbors house. That's when she brought something back with her, but she didn't show me what it was. Well, I still haven't been able to see what's going on. I've tried going down stairs but mommy has blocked it off with a gate at the top of the stairs.

 However, she did tell me there's a little kitty that is sick and needs some help to get better. She said that I'm not gonna be allowed to see her for a while until she's been to see the doctor and feels better. That means a trip to the vets.

 Mommy and mom-mom borrowed my travel carrier to take the new kitty to go see the vet. All I can think is, at least it's not me going for tests and shots.

What Did Mommy Bring Home? by Frankie

Hey Chessie,

 Something a bit odd is happening in the house lately...

 Two days ago, one of the neighbors came over to ask mommy to go over and check out a lost and sickly cat in her front yard shrubs. Being the animal lover that she is, she grabbed her shoes and went over right away to see how she could help. I jumped up in the front bow window so I could keep an eye on her and make sure she didn't go too far away.

 A little bit later she came back with something wrapped up in a towel. I followed close behind her trying to get a look or smell of what she had. She stopped to talk to mom-mom then went downstairs and blocked me from going too. Mom-mom grabbed a couple old blankets and some of my food, then went down with mommy.

 I don't know what's going on but I'm gonna get to the bottom of this.

Rude DVD Player by Chessie

  While Mom is still in my sunny room laughing at me – hrumph! – I thought I would share with you, my good friend Frankie, what just happened.

  Maybe you can appreciate my surprise.  I mentioned to you the other day that Mom was trying to move books around to stop me from enjoying the warmth and comfort of sleeping on the DVD thingy which sits on top of the set top box for the TV.  Well, I took care of those books in quick order –pushed them right to the floor - so it was free and clear for me to take a nap.

  A few minutes ago, I tried to climb up onto the bookcase so I set my foot near the front of the DVD player – when suddenly it stuck its tongue out at me!!  I just put a paw on it, and it opened its BIG mouth and whirred and the big, flat tongue slid out.  I waited, but nothing else happened so I touched it again with my paw and it made a chiming noise, but it didn’t pull its tongue back in.

  Mom came to see what the noise was all about, and found me curiously sitting and watching the tongue – but it wasn’t doing anything.  She mildly scolded me, but her tone had a chuckle in it, as she pushed some buttons on the thing.  I guess the thing liked that, ‘cause it pulled its tongue back and closed its mouth again.  I’ve never seen anything like that before... but now I’m not sure if I ever want to sleep on it again = maybe it could swallow me!

  I’ll catch up later, need to think on that some more, Chessie

Training Your Human by Chessie

  Hey there my furry friend, Frankie!

  Greetings from the beach.  Life is good here, as my world is mostly back the way is has always been.  My Mom has restored all the things that she had packed and put away during the great re-carpeting adventure and so I am now happily ensconced in my cozy home with all the familiar places for me to gaze out at the garden to see the little birds and squirrels.  It is too bad though the days are getting less light – so Mom has to get up in the dark, ‘cause my tummy says its breakfast time!  And it gets dark by suppertime too – she has to put the lights on to feed me.  I can see my food dish fine, especially when I can smell the yummy food in it, but I guess she doesn’t have the same vision skills I do.  Anyway, I wanted to tell you something I learned about getting Mom to do exactly what you want her to do: sometimes you have to encourage human behavior, with a little skilled and repetitive training.

  When Mom was putting back everything in the house, she decided to change-up the locations of some of the furniture and books in the bookcases.  That rather annoyed me, ‘cause I like things just the way they’ve been situated since we moved here!  So I started my own campaign:  the bookcase was easy, I have a favorite spot on top of the set-top box for the television, it’s nice and warm without being hot, and it has just the tiniest hum that vibrates the box, even I can barely hear it.  I could sleep on it for hours.  Well, Mom decided to make use of the space and stuck some big old artsy books on it so I couldn’t sleep there anymore.  Yep, that didn’t last.  I took my paw and shifted them slightly and ‘me-owed’ loudly until she paid attention and came to see what was up... purrfect... just as I knocked a whole bunch on the floor!  Didn’t really have to shove them off, just turn the books a bit so they were tipped off balance and they fell – all by themselves!  Smart kitty – me.  I won – books gone!

  We had a similar tussle with the big, old ruffled pillows on her bed.  I like one of them very much and often choose to sleep on it during the day – it’s a soft, comfortable place and I can barely be seen napping.  Well, my Mom decided to wash the covers to the pillows and then to put some of the decorative pillows away for ‘a new look’ – so she said.  I sat and watched her intently, I couldn’t believe that she was going take one of my favorite sleeping places away.  After a couple of days of being without my pillow, I decided to take action:  I pounced on the bed and ran all over it - flipped the remaining pillows on the floor and when Mom came home, she found a pile of rumpled pillows all over the floor and a messed up bedspread!  Chaos reigned!   Mom wasn’t happy with the mess, but I guess she got the message – some of the pillows are still packed away, but others, including my favorite napping pillow has returned.

  All this talk of naps, has made me sleepy, going to my favorite pillow – Chessie

Trick Or Treat? by Frankie

Chessie,

  Have you heard of something called Halloween? It's a weird night thing when those small people go around to everybody's house and beg for treats. Not only that, but they dress up in odd clothes too.

  Mom-mom likes to sit outside and give them food as they walk up to the house. I keep hearing them say "trick or treat". What is that supposed to mean, and what if mom-mom doesn't feed them? I wish just walking up to mommy got me some treats, but that's not gonna happen. Hmmm, I might just try that anyway and see what I get.

  At first it scared me, the noise and those little people running around everywhere. Mommy stood by the door and told me that it was alright. Then she would give them names like Princess, Spider-Man, and Sponge Bob. I sat in the doorway to get a good view of all the activity. And just like that, it was all over and done with.

  Well, I'm gonna see if I can get some treats out of mommy. See ya.

What's Behind That Door by Frankie

Hey Chess,

  That's a nice playpen you have there, although I'd be busy finding an escape route instead of playing. When mommy wants me to stay put, she'll stick me in mom-mom's bedroom and close the door. It's because that's my favorite napping spot, but who can nap at a time like this!

  Something is going on just on the other side of that door. So I cry and try to put my paws under it to get someone's attention. Usually mommy will say "calm down and knock it off, your fine". But if it's mom-mom, she sometimes opens the door just enough that I can squeeze through. I then run over to mommy to see what's going on.

  She's up a ladder putting something on the wall called shelves. All my dreams have come true, I can now walk up on the walls! As I proceed to jump up on the first level mommy yells and says "DOWN". Oops, she means business now. She calls mom-mom in to come get me. When she does, mom-mom calls me a tattle-tail and puts me back in her room with a toy.

  Oh well, can't blame me for trying.

  Frankie

Grounded In The Playpen by Chessie

So, Frankie,

 I’ve only got a few minutes to dash this off to you... something BIG is going on here, and while its been fun, I’m also worried big time.

 I told you my Mom has been packing boxes and moving stuff from all over the house – why I do not know.  She’s put me in my playpen several times (I really do like scooting around in it, playing on the soft floor with my toy mice) but then she opens the doors to the garage and takes all the boxes and other pieces of stuff, furniture I guess its called, out there.  I can watch her from the playpen, she says I’m safe and can’t get into mischief.

 Yesterday she emptied the big pieces of furniture that have cubbies that I’m not allowed to play in – I did once a long time ago and broke some glasses.  Mom was not pleased and said I was a bad kitty.  So we’ve had a game this time, I pretend I want to get on those shelves and dodge around her to watch what she’s doing and try to jump on the shelves, but she can’t catch me ‘cause I’m quick and I run away.  It makes me laugh, but I don’t think Mom is laughing – so she keeps me ‘safe’ in the playpen.

 I can’t figure out what’s going on, it makes me wonder, and I keep talking to her about it very vocally – but she just hugs me and says ‘It’s okay, it’ll be over soon...’  Wonder what that means? I’ll write again, as I can get to the ‘puter... gotta run now Mom’s back from the garage, Chessie

Nip Smells by Frankie

Hi Ya Chessie,

  Catnip, huh. Well I haven't really played with all my toys yet. Mommy brings them out three or four at a time, so when I get bored with them, I get some new ones and she puts the old away for later. It has something to do with what she read online about kitties like me.

  Anyway, I haven't really smelled any of my toys with it, but mommy did give me some straight from a sprinkle jar. It's kinda nice, I get a little more playful and I think it makes me have super-speed, so I can run in all the rooms in the house before mommy can catch me. She laughs and reaches out to grab me, to kiss me, but I'm just too fast for her.

  See, that's the best part, she tries to get me but I'll run past her into another room and hide. When she walks around and doesn't see me, then turns to leave, I jump out and run past her again. She yells 'cheater!' and chases me again. It's so much fun and we do it almost everyday (even without the catnip).

  Oh, I think I hear her coming, I gotta go hide. Talk to ya later.

Catnip by Chessie

Hey there, my kitty friend Frankie!

 Have you ever smelled something called catnip?  Do you like it?  Does it make you all silly and excited??  Evidently some humans, people like our Moms, think it is fun to get cats all excited with this smelly herb.  I can’t be bothered!  I can smell it in some of the toys that I have been given as presents over the years – but I only play with the toys after they have lost their scent.  If there is a fresh smell of this catnip stuff in a new toy, I will ignore it, or try to hide it, until the smell is gone.

 Why do people put herby smells in my little stuffed mice – I’d play with them, and be much happier if they smelled like real little rodents.  After all, I am a mighty huntress - yes I am!

Farting by Chessie

Hey Frankie!

 How are you doing?  I thought your story about running around the room and playing tag-on-the-hand with your Mom was fun.  I sometimes run around the house too, especially when I’m playing with my toy mice and flipping them in the air.  But then I also run around the house... when I ‘um... make a noise.  Well, I am a lady and I just don’t do unladylike things, usually.

 I’ll tell you how it happened, a few weeks ago I got really bored with the canned food my Mom has been feeding me, like forever.  The flavors are boring and not too many varieties of them and I just wanted something different, unusual, a tasty new treat.  Well, Mom finally got so frustrated with me wasting food. She kept reminding me that there are many starving kitties in the world, and she was going to feed the food I refused to eat to kitties in the yard!  Like that was going to impress me:  you have gone to your happy new home, and thankfully no other lost kitties have shown up in our patio garden since.

 Anyway, after almost a week of me being a picky eater – just nibbling around the edges and barely eating a bite of the canned food – Mom gave in.  Yes!!  I usually win in the test-of-wills game.  She had some food stashed in the pantry for emergencies when hungry strays, like you, appear and she opened a can and offered it to me out of desperation.  It smelled delish!  Tasted good too – some kind of shrimp with tuna and cod she told to me.  Yummy!  I gobbled it up and ‘Me-owed’ for more.

 So Mom relented, at least for now, I’m eating the new flavors, and enjoying the different tastes... but, there is a difficulty I’ve noticed and so has Mom.  These funny little noises come out of my butt.  It is a surprise when it happens - it feels a little like a little bubble popped outta me.  I do it mostly when I’m sleeping.  Sometimes I also do it when I’m playing with my toys and it causes me to jump and run around cause I don’t expect it to happen.  It is very strange, it doesn’t hurt and it doesn’t smell – but it happens unexpectedly. Oh my!

 Well, speaking of food, I think I’ll go check out the kitchen and see what’s to eat.
 Chessie

Yummy People Food by Frankie

Hey Chessie,

 I started to talk about this a few days ago to you but since we're on the subject again, I have a couple of new things to say. I've tasted quite a few people food stuff. Before I would just stick to my cat food, nothing else was better. Mom-mom offered me some of her lunch meat and that was it. Now whenever she or mommy goes into the kitchen I follow, and very loudly demand that they show me everything they get out. It's to make sure if I wanna try something I get first dibs.  

 Mmmm, butter! Yeah butter is really good, I've tried it warm and melty as well as cold, it doesn't matter to me - they're both yummy. Now speaking of cheese, grilled cheese that is. Mom-mom loves the american cheese that comes packaged in it's own little plastic sleeve. However mommy likes the 'real' stuff that's from a place called a deli. Don't know what that is but it sounds like food heaven. I've found I like a few different cheeses from the ones mommy gets as a special yummy treat.

 Anyway, I was in the bedroom taking a nap, when I heard the plastic crinkle. So I jumped out of bed, came racing out to the kitchen, and jumped up on my stool by the butcher block. I did it so fast I almost fell off the other side of the seat, then I turned and let out the loudest meow of my life. Mom-mom was so startled she dropped the slice of cheese on the floor, so I figured it was mine now. She and mommy got a good laugh out of it as she cut it up for me, but somehow I know that's not going to happen again.

Toaster Treats by Chessie

Hey, Frankie –

 Remember the other week, when I was telling you about my special treat – a lick of melted butter in the morning… well, I forgot to tell you how I know about that yummy taste.  My Mom puts her breakfast food in a small white box on the kitchen counter and pushes down a lever thingy and then waits for it to get hot and toasty brown, and then wow - it pops up!  Then she rubs cold butter on it – toast she calls it – with ‘my’ knife, and then it melts into all the little nooks.  Some of it stays on the knife – and that’s my treat.

 But sometimes my Mom plays a trick on me and she’ll use the small white box during the day, but when the toast pops up – she puts cheese on it.  It melts too, but I can’t have any of that – ‘cause, she says it’s wouldn’t be good for my girlish figure.  I don’t know what a girlish figure is – do you?  I don’t think I have one… but I’ll keep looking for it, ‘cause that melted cheese smells de-vine!  I’d like to try it sometime.

 Just between you and me Frankie, I’ve checked out that small white box on the counter at night, when it’s dark in the kitchen, and Mom’s asleep.  I can’t figure out how it makes food hot and toasty brown… but I’ll still come a runnin’ whenever I hear it go ‘pop’ – ‘cause I might just get a lick of melted butter, or even better – melted cheese.

Chessie

Yelling About Birdseed by Frankie

Hey Ya Chessie,

 Ouch, I know what you mean. There's been a couple of times where I've jumped and missed my mark by an inch. Unfortunately mommy saw and insists on 'checking me over' to make sure I'm alright. She likes to fuss over me so much, she rubs and touches my legs and sides, then kisses me on my head and sends me off to play again.

 Anyway, about the sun, I have noticed it changing a bit. Even when I lay out by the back door it doesn't feel the same. Sure I get all toasty warm but it goes behind the tree tops so I don't get as much sun. However... all the bird and squirrel activity has gotten good. Mommy has two feeders out full of seed and all the little birds are scarfing down as fast and as much as they can. There's even a squirrel that hangs upside-down on one of them. Mommy gets mad and yells at him/her and knocks on the window or door to get them to jump down. At first I thought she was mad at me, but she pet me and said "It's OK, you're a good boy, but that squirrely is being bad".

 Uh-oh, speaking of bad squirrels, I hear mommy yelling again.
 I better go see what's going on. Talk to ya later.

Fall by Chessie

Yo’ Frankie,

 Have you noticed how lovely, cool and pretty these days are – Mom calls it ‘fall’ – a word I don’t like, ‘cause I’ve fallen a couple of times recently from high places in the house, and it hurts!  I do like to climb to the tippy top!

 Anyway, this temperature stuff is de-light-ful.  The house is open to the breezes and it’s sunny, warm in the sun, and coolish in the shade – purrfect!

 I have a problem tho’ and wondered if you had noticed where you live.  The bright sun moves around the house differently now, and I have to keep moving as well, if I want to nap in the warmth of the sun.  I also think the days are getting shorter, ‘cause now when it’s time to get up in the morning for my breakfast, it’s still dark, not like before… and when Mom fixes my supper the sun is going away and it gets dark and she has to turn all the lights on so she can see.  I, of course, can see ‘cause I’m a cat and we have special night vision.

 Anyway, all this chasing the warm sun’s rays around the house tires me out.
 Happy nappy time, Chessie

The Bengal Bruiser by Chessie

Hey Frankie!

 Read your blog note today about visiting the Vet again – see, now you know what I mean about these big ol’ dogs snuffling along our carriers!  You are correct – it is very rude!  Have to give some thought to retaliation – a hiss of a warning, followed perhaps with a well placed claw across the nose of the intruder!  We should think about that –  ‘cause I don’t want a bloody nose dripping all over my carrier, my Mom wouldn’t like that either!

 So are you officially going to have to change your name from ‘Frankie’ to ‘The Bengal Bruiser’?  Wow!  A fifteen pounder huh?  I’ll make sure to stay on your good side – otherwise you could probably take all seven pounds of me down pretty quick. You wouldn’t do that to a lady, though, would you?  I never would have guessed when I spied you in our garden, skinny little fur ball that you were then, that you would grow into such a big, handsome kitty.  Must be the food, but I would expect it’s also the love and good care your Mom is giving you too!   And as I’ve told you before, I am an eat-to-live kitty – just a picky eater my Mom sez.

 You know Frankie, I wouldn’t say this to most folks, but I really like sharing our catty, ‘er kitty thoughts and opinions and adventures... maybe it might have been interesting to have had you hang around my house a while longer.... but then, you wouldn’t have found your wonderful forever family, and you and I wouldn’t have been able to share our observations and experiences so everybody else would know what we’re thinking and talking about. Pretty cool, I think.

 Later, its supper time and Mom is rustling around the kitchen – gotta go!  Chessie

Oh My, Boxes! by Chessie

 Uh oh, Frankie, you’ve got boxes being packed too?  Wonder what’s up with that??

 My Mom spent the whole of the last weekend moving things around the house, and boxes, all sorts of boxes have appeared.  She’s making me very worried, and she laughed at me and said that “It’s okay… Chessie, it’ll be okay very soon!”  The last time she told me that – we moved!!!

 Before we moved to Delaware, we lived in Florida and one day some people came and when they left – Mom started packing many boxes.  The next thing I knew, we were driving forever in the car, and now we live in this house.  I hope we are not moving again… I like it here.  Lots of windows!

 But at least while Mom is doing all this packing I can play in the boxes.  When she sees me dive into a nice, roomy box sometimes she gently closes the lid and I can sleep in there for a long time.  She always cracks the lid a mite bit so I can push out by myself, when I’m ready.  Mom laughs at me when I go to sleep in a box ‘cause I guess I snore – so what!  Speaking of sleeping, I need to take a nap.

 Catch up later, Chessie

Stuff In Boxes by Frankie

Hey Chessie,

 Mommy has been going around putting all different kinds of stuff in boxes here and there. I'm not sure what's going on but I like it. Some cats really don't like change, but I look at it as a new adventure. I already have a 'moving box' that mommy gave me that has all my toys and junk in it, of course I like to play in it myself too.

 She puts stuff in the box then writes on the outside, I guess where the things go to again. I tried to read it but looks kinda like gibberish to me, Etsy & eBay, but there was one I know the word - Donate. Mommy and mom-mom like to put lots of stuff in that one apparently. When they fill it, they put it outside in the morning and I see someone pull up in a big truck and take the box. I'm usually in the front door looking out the glass and see everything. When I see the truck stop and someone come up to the house I run out of the doorway and jump into the front bow window. It's not cause I'm scared or anything, I just don't want to be taken with the stuff.

 Anyway, back to the other boxes. Even with all mommy's boxes of stuff from the house she gets new boxes from other places. First it was for my window perch, then for toys and a new BIG litter-box, now it's for the house. I can't make out any of the writing on that one. I think it's called 'icky' or something. Maybe you have heard of it, it's spelled I-K-E-A. When she gets a box from that place she opens it and all sorts of things spill out. I was even able to grab a small baggie out of it unnoticed. Although mommy caught me walking away while she was reading some papers from the box. I wonder what all this stuff is for.

 I'm gonna go back in the box to see if mommy forgot anything else in there.
 Talk to ya later. Frankie

My Manicure by Chessie

G’day Frankie!

 I have something more to add on the subject of grooming we've been talking about... I just got back from visiting the lady who trims my nails – I pretend not to like this ritual, but it does feel so much better when my nails get cut and no longer catch on the carpet or the upholstery on my comfy chair.  Chewing them off isn’t very easy, and it still leaves sharp, ragged edges.

 It has been a test of wills between Mom and me over the years – she is afraid of clipping too close to the nail bed, and that’s what I am afraid of  too – ouch!  Mom holds me close, but I squirm and wiggle and it just doesn’t go well... we’re both always a little nervous so, instead she takes me to the trimmer.

 It only takes a very few minutes and its done!  The lady is not afraid of me, she tells me I’m beautiful – of course I am – and while another lady stays close and keeps me distracted with a feather toy thingy – it’s done.  It takes longer for her to tie a silly animal print kerchief around my neck than to trim my nails!  Silly, but I do look pretty, and my nails do look and feel so much better.

Chessie

Personal Grooming by Frankie

Hiya Chessie,

 My favorite isn't to be brushed but to be scratched. Mommy has a nice brush for me (it was an extra of mom-mom's, but she wasn't using it). I more prefer someone to use their hands and nails to scratch, then to rub me back and forth down my back. If I really like how they are doing it, I will roll over to my side and let them continue. I'll stretch out with my front and back legs then arch my back to get a better position. Mommy laughs and rubs me more and reaches up to my head and ears to massage then scratch me there. Hummm... I really love that.

 I purr just about the whole time cause it feels sooo good. I do drool sometimes, just when I get scratched on my neck and chin. When that happens mommy laughs again and rubs it back into my fur. I can pretty much request being scratched anytime I want. Little by little I'm learning these things. Since I was out on my own (running wild on the streets) it's been a bit hard to believe that someone would want to take care of me and not hurt me. Sometimes it gets to much when mommy snuggles me, I freak out and scratch her then run, cause I think she'll hurt me. She doesn't get mad though, she says "I'm not happy with that", but she lets me come slowly back and rub up on her leg to say 'I'm sorry'.

 Speaking of claws, I'm not at all happy about how mine get trimmed. Mommy will hold me like a baby, on my back, while she uses her hands to hold my paws. Then mom-mom will snip them with nail clippers or small super-sharp scissors. It only takes a couple of minutes but I don't care for all the drama. What's wrong with my nails? They grow long and pointy and make nice scratching noises when I sharpen them on the back of the couch. Of course that's when mommy yells "stop that!" or "NO!".

 Oh well, I'll try to understand all these rules some other day. It's time for a nice nap after all that drama. Talk to ya later.

Brushing Time by Chessie

Hi Frankie,

 Do you like having your coat brushed?  I love it!  My Mom has a special wooden box near my comfy chair.  I know that in the special box are my comb and brush.  Almost every morning when she’s finished with her coffee, she’ll look at me and ask “Do you want to get brushed?”  I recognize that word ‘brush’ and I know where she keeps my comb and brush, in that wooden box - so I jump up on the thing she calls an ottoman – funny word – and I start to dance around in anticipation.

 It feels so good when Mom brushes me.  I purr and drool and rub against her hand trying to hurry her along – I LOVE to be brushed!  I’ll even help her by climbing up and trying to use my nose to open the box to make her move faster.  Ah… it feels so good to be brushed!!

 My Mom has realized though that sometimes she says the word brush and I come running ‘cause I think she’s going to brush me – but she’s not!  She laughs when that happens!  Hrummph!  She did this to me the other day – she was working with some funny looking thing, rubbing it on the wall in the hall, and said, ‘This brush isn’t spreading the paint evenly.’

 I was asleep in a chair near where she was working with something that was wet and smelly – paint I think she called it… but when I heard her say my favorite word, brush, I went running into my sunny room and jumped up on the ottoman, but Mom stayed in the hall muttering to herself… until she heard me repeatedly calling to her:  “Me-om!”  She came to investigate and I was trying to open the special box with my nose.

 My Mom really loves me – she finally stopped making that happy, laughing noise and sat right down and brushed me. Ahhhhh…. It was heavenly!

Talking & Singing by Frankie

Chessie,

 Short answer for your question about human words, nope. And I don't think I'll start anytime soon. Now I do let mommy know if I want something by meowing, but it's more of "meh". Sometimes mommy tries to copy me and it comes out pretty good, unfortunately she's just saying gibberish in cat. She might say a word right and I look at her or answer to let her know it was right, but then she gets it wrong again. At least she tries though.

 Anyway, I've gotten really good at letting her know I want something. She calls it charades and thinks I'm so smart for playing along. I meow a few times to get her attention, then she says "show me what you want", so I walk over to the door or window I want open. And just like that, she opens stuff for me, I don't have to lift a paw for anything. Mom-mom says I'm being lazy sometimes cause I'll look at a toy I want and mommy will play with it for 5 minutes before I just walk away bored.

 Another thing I'll do is "meh" at them when they go into the kitchen. I've discovered that most of the time they do that they get food out. If I follow them every time, there's a good chance I might get something. I make sure they show me everything they have, and sometimes I take a taste. So far, mom-mom has the best stuff, cause she has lunch meats like ham or turkey. I also like mommy's Tofurkey baloney, yummy! However mommy says it's too expensive to have me eat all her stuff, so she's gonna make mom-mom get her real stuff to share with me. Sounds like a good deal to me, can't wait. :)

 This letter is making me hungry now, I'm gonna go see if I can get mommy into the kitchen to feed me. Talk to ya later, Frankie

People Talk by Chessie

Frankie, my friend!

   Got another question for you – do you use human words when you talk to your Mom?  I have learned to say a few simple things that sound like the words my Mom says and it takes her ‘over the moon’ as she says, when we have other people in the house and I choose to talk in front of them.  I don’t know what the big deal is, but it seems to mean a lot to everyone else; they act like I am strange to make these human sounds... but whatever.

   I first realized as a young kitten that Mom referred to herself as ‘mom’ when talking with me.  So I decided, when she was ignoring me, talking with someone else here in the house, to call out to her: “Mee-om!”  Works every time!  Everyone stops to listen, some people ask Mom if there is a young child in the house and she shakes her head – no – and laughs!  I can say a few other things too:   Ya know that funny sound – maybe it came from a cartoon show – ‘rut-row’ that some people say?  Well, I can do a similar sound that is like a growl except it is   ‘hut-oh’ – Mom says its my hello ‘cause I only use it when people I know arrive at my house to visit me.  Only special people get my special greeting ‘cause I’m happy to see them.

   Frankie, don’t tell anyone, but I know a bunch of other words too, and I practice them when Mom isn’t around.  Some day I’ll share a few more special words with you.  In the meantime, listen to the words your Mom uses and practice saying them, when she’s not around.

   Fun, fun!  Chessie