Newest member. . .

[Liz]

Gary - I meant to tell you in my other post just how beautiful Iki is - how sweet those photos are! I'm glad he is doing better, and I will pray that he continues to improve and that you will enjoy each other for a long time.

Liz

[SmartWombat]

BTW, hows your newest one doing?

Our Tess cat is finally secure enough in her new home to go outside.
Not just when we go out and open the french doors (biiig cat flap).
But she actually went out on her own last week, and back in the little cat flap.
That's only taken 4 months.

[gahspidy]

Gary,

I can relate. Last year we closed our residence for homeless women with AIDS. A few years ago one of our women asked for a cat. My initial "thought" was "WHAT? a cat???" I told her I would think about it. Now, I've always liked cats, but never wanted to live with one. Well, of course I said yes. She picked out a very young tiny kitten and named her "Kahuna" (Kahuna grew into her name!). Then a year later she told me Kahuna needed a friend. I said no. Then I said yes, well, okay. So we got a gray kitty called "Mousey." This lady eventually improved in health and moved to her own apt with her cats. So, I adopted 2 more kittens for the other women.

Bottom line. I began to enjoy playing with them. When we closed the house, I brought the last 2 - Molly and Jeremy - to my new home. Now I don't know what I would do without them. They entertain me, make me laugh, are always happy to see me - and....sometimes drive me crazy!

Liz

Liz, what a great story! A very happy one as well as the other two ended up with you and are happily ever after.
Cats I have come to understand, being so different from dogs do not get the same attention and admiration initially because of how reserved and independant they seem to be. Once you get to know and understand them, they are really cool and delightful animals to have around.They also ARE dependant on us and enjoy being around us as well. . .they just don't come running with their slobbering tongues hanging out!
My start in this cat thing was because my Autistic son loves animals and we could not have a dog where we were so the cat was the alternative . . . was a good choice. He and the cats get along great and it has been everything we hoped it would be for him in having interaction with the animals and responsibilities of caring for them.
Our one cat, Eclipse, loves to play and I can wrestle her down like a dog and she rolls on her back and with all four legs stretched out tries to defend herself from the belly attacks lol. She loves the attention and always tries to initiate the play.
Thanks for the well wishes and great story, Liz.

[gahspidy]

Our Tess cat is finally secure enough in her new home to go outside.
Not just when we go out and open the french doors (biiig cat flap).
But she actually went out on her own last week, and back in the little cat flap.
That's only taken 4 months.

Well thats interesting, four months and she comes and goes. Thats pretty cool. I do not let these cats out as there is too much car traffic here and also lots of stray cats that I would not want them to come back with anything "new" in terms of illness.
Do your cats eat anything other than Cat food? I have tried feeding Cat snacks, cheese, milk and all they do is sniff and then move on. they only eat Cat Food.

[gahspidy]

Ok, the latest update for anyone interested is that the little Ikster is doing great and out of the woods, health wise.
He has me running for the camera alot and has been a good subject for my flash techniques lol.

Anyway, here is is as a strapping young kitten. He chases after his big sisters until they tire of him and give him a bit of. . .well, they show him where his place is at this time.

[SmartWombat]

Ok, the latest update for anyone interested is that the little Ikster is doing great and out of the woods, health wise.

I am very glad to hear that !

Our Tess continues to get happier and more confident with time.
Though the 4am BANZAI ! leap I could do without
Up onto the TV table, then the window ledge, then back onto the top of the TV.
And then shuffle, line up and LEAP off the TV onto the bed ...

[gahspidy]

I am very glad to hear that !

Our Tess continues to get happier and more confident with time.
Though the 4am BANZAI ! leap I could do without
Up onto the TV table, then the window ledge, then back onto the top of the TV.
And then shuffle, line up and LEAP off the TV onto the bed ...

LOL, I am getting some of that right now. He can climb up anything that is material, or he can get the claws into. When I'm laying down at night, he will climb onto the bed and I can sense him stalking me. He slowly approaches (thinking he is un detected) and leaps onto my head. As tired as I might be at the time, I cannot resist the good fun and so wind up wrestling with him. He is a good sport though and seems to know when I have had enough, then lays between us and falls asleep fast. The big girl must have her place as well, and soon we have the two cats sleeping on the bed. The third, Eclipse, seems to be happy on her own.

When I'm on the computer, he will sometimes climb up my pants all the way up to my shirt and come sit on my shoulder and watch the mouse pointer move about on the screen.
When he is a few months old, I too am going to experience the BANZA leap from off something high and I probably won't appreciate that either . . .
glad we got him . . .

[Liz]

Gary,

What a beautiful kitty! You did a great job with those portraits. If I were to pick a favorite, it would be the 2nd one although they're all wonderful. However, I love the "smile" on the little happy face of this one. He sure is one sweet kitty.

My 2 cats, Molly and Jeremy have a little game they play each night to see who gets to sleep closest to me - Molly is usually the winner. They don't always sleep in the bed, sometimes the one who "wins" will sleep in the cat bed right at the door to keep guard - making sure the other one doesn't enter the room. I've tried to intervene and show them they are both welcome on the bed, but you don't "train" cats! However, Molly has this ritual she does every morning at 5:15 a.m. (I get up about 5:30). She comes up to my face, nudges it, gives me a lick, turns around for me to pet her. I pet her, she comes back, gives me another lick - and it begins all over again. Now this sometimes goes on for quite a while. It's like a snooze alarm - you just keep doing it until you can't stand it anymore, and you get up and get breakfast!

I hope you get some shots of your other cats - and post them sometime.

Thanks for the pictures - I really enjoyed seeing Ikster.

Liz

[Lori11]

Oh how beautiful! I cant wait to see more shots of him! Fair warning on the pants climbing.....they dont know skin from material I speak from expierence! Also I have now hung the drapes for the 3rd time *sigh. I used nails instead of screws (and no, I didnt nail them into the wall, although....)

BTW the 3rd one steals my heart

[SmartWombat]

Do your cats eat anything other than Cat food?

If I'm eating it, she wants to get her paw on the plate.
She's had Chicken, Turkey, Ham, Tuna, Sour Cream, Pork, Bacon occasionally, Cheese.
For dessert Ice Cream, Custard.
Doesn't like tomato sauce, or pasta.

All our cats have been treated to what they fancy.
Our vet asked what Loseley was fed on to keep her going over 20 years, the answer?
"Whatever she wants" so he didn't tell us off for the milk, cream, cheese, chocolate ...
Loseley's party trick was eating spaghetti coated in tomato sauce as I dangled it over her head, she looked up and I lowered it gently into her mouth, stopping only when my fingers were in danger of being chewed.

Rincewind used to eat kidney beans, chilli con carne, you name it. Chicago, the windy kitty that one.

[Lori11]

Man, I hope to come back as a cat owned by someone like you :lol: Im not letting my dogs and cats read you post or they will expect me to cook now

[megan]

OMG... cute overload!

[gahspidy]

Liz, that game they play to get close to you, as well as the snoozing ritual are similiar to some we have with ours here. I am just coming to learn of these traits as I have had just the one cat, Ophelia, for about five years. After we got the second, Eclipse, we began to see the way they would interact and the dominance one would exert over the other.
Now with the kitten, Iki, there are so many facets of their personalities being revealed it's quite amazing and exciting .
Love hearing your Cat tales, Liz.

Lori, yeah I know. Even with pants on we can feel the claws on the legs. I have little scratch marks all over my hands and arm. Funny thing too is a friend took a portrait of me with his light set up. A few came out well, but I had posed with my chin on my fist as I was leaning on a table. The back of my hand which was facing camera had two scratch marks on it from cleaning the little guy while he was struggling to get free. I decided to leave them in instead of cloning them off with PS. The portraits on my website.
So far, he does not climb curtains or even play with them. Usually when he does something I don't like and I let him know with a stern warning, he seems to understand and not repeat. I hope I remain that lucky . . .

Paul, I'll echo what Lori said. If I ever come back as a cat, I gotta find your place . . .
The only one of ours that shows even an interest in something other than cat food is Eclipse. Usually dairy stuff she comes a sniffing. So I set down some pieces of cheese for her one day. She sniffs, tastes, plays with it a bit and then leaves it. Same with a bowl of milk. Taste a bit and then leave.
Post some more images of Tess when you can. She looks to be quite a character.

Here are some of the little guy with Eclipse in the box. The ones on top of a box are
Ophelia.(laying down the law)

[Frog]

Gary, Its been good seeing Iki's progress and your getting to know him.
I became a cat person years ago and the our youngster is 13 now and still thinks she's a kitten sometimes. Just when we think we know all her habits, she changes them.
I read somewhere that a real cat lovers don't love all cats and there are certainly some I can't tolerate but I've never had one letting me live with them that I didn't like.

Looks like you have a real model, too. I can seldom get a decent shot of ours.

[Lori11]

:lol: you are now in the club, scratches and all. I looked at you site obviously. Looking at your gallery is like saying I only want a bite of cheese cake.....cant have one bite, cant look at one photo. Your site is beautiful and your work incredible.
(umm maybe only the women will get that analogy lol)

[gahspidy]

Frog, I have to say I must be a Cat person now. Three cats and kitten cratches on my hands. . .I could not say otherwise lol. I agree that just as anyone who likes anything in particular , we don't have to like it all.
Lori, thanks for the good words. The scratch club, eh? Sounds funny when I imagine a line at the door to the club house and everyone entering must show their hands. "Ok, your in" Yeah, I guess I'd get in LOL

[Asylum Steve]

Too cute. And I must say, Gary, you have really nice finger nails...

[Kajuah]

absolutely love the fotos and the story !!! so bloody cute ! wish i wasnt so allergic, 10 minutes in a room with a cat or a cat being present for any length of time ... means a trip to the hospital for me, very very quickly

When i was younger I had a cat reaction allergy-attack that hospitalized me for 7 months in england it took me forever to buy my first car, I had to get one that was absolutely animal and cigarette free from the time of purchase by the 1st owner.

[SmartWombat]

Post some more images of Tess when you can. She looks to be quite a character.

Oh you could open the floodgates, I love photographing Tess

In order (I hope)
1. I picked a cat from the sanctuary by sitting on the floor and waiting for a cat to choose me.
2. Not only that but she sat on my lap first day we met.
3. Second weekend we went back to make sure and Tess remembered us, sitting on Angie.
4. She came home in the cat basket, and was so comfortable she didn't leave it.
5. and how long was it before I woke up to this? less than a week !

This is the cat rescued from a farm, that was going to have an attitude and be independent.
Well that's what the sanctuary thought
Tess has other ideas !

They were right about her foot habit though, she will pounce on feet and kill them as you walk by.

But why didn't they mention the pen fetish?
She will hunt and kill pens. She will snatch them out of your hand as you write and run with them.
We have to hide our pens after we've finished with them !

[frleal70]

I'm a little late to this thread, but what a great story. Your pics are fantastic, very sharp and clear. Great job!

[gahspidy]

Too cute. And I must say, Gary, you have really nice finger nails...

Thank you, Steve. You always know just what to say :ciappa:

[gahspidy]

absolutely love the fotos and the story !!! so bloody cute ! wish i wasnt so allergic, 10 minutes in a room with a cat or a cat being present for any length of time ... means a trip to the hospital for me, very very quickly

When i was younger I had a cat reaction allergy-attack that hospitalized me for 7 months in england it took me forever to buy my first car, I had to get one that was absolutely animal and cigarette free from the time of purchase by the 1st owner.

Kajuah, thats incredible. Must be very difficult for you. Just cats, or other animals as well?
Thanks for the good words. btw, I think I read in another thread that you eventually wound up getting the 4880? If so, do tell in the thread you started in the printing forum.

[gahspidy]

Paul, great set of pics and background story to go with them. I think you and Angie were very smart in your approach to getting Tess. You let the cat come and pick you and then again when returning. It is a two way street when adopting a pet, and that is a fine way of helping to get the best "fit"

Ahh yes, our Iki is a foot demon. He stalks my feet as they approach and then leaps, sometimes sideways until he rests flat on them pinning them down with his belly. Of course, he is being dragged across the room. . . but he got em! Also my sons toys. . .he likes to wrestle the incredible Hulk and give him the all four paws beat down.
Post some more, Paul.

[gahspidy]

I'm a little late to this thread, but what a great story. Your pics are fantastic, very sharp and clear. Great job!

Thanks, frleal70. This is sort of a conitnuum, or story in progess so to speak.

[Liz]

Here are some of the little guy with Eclipse in the box. The ones on top of a box are Ophelia.(laying down the law)

Gary,

Ophelia looks a bit like Molly..........

Liz