Dear World,
Life gets better and better. First, I know where She keeps the Cat Cookies! Second, We have a new bag of Cat Cookies! After I say "third", I'm stopping with the counting thing because it's awkward and confuses me. Third, I'm making great grades at Cat Film School!
I'm going on a school field trip to see "Puss 'n Boots" starring the ginger cat from "Shrek". Can't wait! We'll have water bowls and Cat Cookies in the theater!

Later Tater,
Whistle (this is MY blog but some brother named Fish changed the pass code then I got on secret double probation because of a total misunderstanding...)

My Birthday: Whistle

Tomorrow I will be 5 years old. I was born in an empty house the night before Katrina blew through my town. My Mom went into labor with me and my litter-mates as the barometric pressure rose. We all came into a new world of downed trees, no power and a ruined homes.
It's best to be a kitten when hurricanes come. We were safe and dry, left alone in a house with food and water for our Mom and a comfortable place for us to snuggle with her. My eyes weren't open yet so I couldn't see the sky or even outdoors. I didn't know our Mom kept us close because she was anxious. I was warm and dry and ready to nurse.
Several weeks later, my owner brought me to the family I have now. I don't remember much about my first owner but she must have loved us because our family now is great.
I've learned so much in five years.
*a full food bowl inspires confidence
*having my litter-mate and other brother by a different mother close-by makes me happy
*if you love a dog like my dog Sister, you can learn to love a new dog
*having friends everywhere is fun and they don't eat your cat cookies
*some people think my magazine subscriptions are odd. I'm taking Oprah's mag now. My New Yorker sub ended.
*cat cookies are great 24/7
*sleeping with my people is good
*if you use your litter box exclusively you get in less trouble
*Cat University is more fun than Cat School
*being a Ginger Cat means I am beautiful
*nose freckles are admired greatly

I'm sure there is more. I can't think beyond the canned cat food I'm getting tomorrow at my Birthday Bash.

Thanks for you support of my bloggage,

Whistle, this is my blog

What do you think about this article in Scientific American about kitty cats?

We live with people because people do better when we are nearby.

Love from Whistle,
This is my bloggage and I approve this message

Raccoon Butt Shelf

This could happen to anyone!

Go here to see how to help a raccoon.

I wish all people were kind to animals everyday.

Whistle, I have new lip freckles. Looking Good, if I say so myself!

Hi.

School is out this week for the Thanksgiving holidays. Mom forced us to watch Dubby's Potlach Program at Prof.Whisker's. Dubby wore a Native American outfit but it looked goofy on him. His class meowed songs. Dubby stopped during one song to yawn and lick his rear end. Fish and I laughed our heads off until Mom gave us the EYE.

I made good grades. Fish did great, too. Dubby does really well except in catching cat cookies.

Today is Thanksgiving. We got fussed at every time we went into the kitchen. Mom stayed in the kitchen for hours and hours.

Sister, the Best Dog in the World, got two bites of turkey. We don't eat turkey. We eat Cat Crunchies and Cat Cookies. That's all.

Our boy and girl are home! We love them! Sister loves the boy best but thinks the girl is wonderful. I slept on the girl's pillow last night. Fish makes her play the fishes on the string game until he is too tired to jump.

I am thankful for:
Fish
Dubby
Sister
My people
Cat Cookies
my cat pillow
bugs
squirrels outside
birds outside
fresh water
ear scratches
my beautiful nose freckles
and all of you who are my friends.

Love,
Whistle

this funny squirrel sign is from the Guardian U.K. website

LD is home!

She came back last night. We feel happy and full of purrs!

To get ready for her, I put tiny air holes in this wingback chair.

She loves me!


Whistle, one happy kitty

This is MY blog and I approve this message.

Oh Rats!

Aunt LLS has a suitcase on her bed. She's putting stuff into it and will go back to her cats tomorrow.

She gave me a long cat massage today. I don't even feel my old sports injuries from chasing mice, beating up Fish and running madcap through the house late at night.

I feel like a new cat!

I wish she could live with us. She gave us Greenies today! I got most of them!

Sadly,

Whistle,

Greenies, the Preferred Treat of this Blog

Try this one: Happy Kittens

I'm not in as much trouble as I was.


Yours,

Whistle

Guest Blogger: Fish the Cat

This is me, Fish. I am in the same room with MY NEW TURTLE QUILT! My Sue sent this quilt to me. It has TURTLES! She is Truffles and Ouzo's Mom.

Here it is!

See how it has a soft place for me to snuggle under to contemplate the Universe?


I feel very grateful. I knew my old quilt would go into pieces and be put away. Now I have a new quilt.


Can you believe what happens when you ask?


Please, when you think of a contented cat, picture me.


I love Sue. She knows what cats like.


Yours,

Fish

Overheard at the Cattery Today

Dubby: I love Aunt Songbird.
Fish: How do you know? You haven't met her yet.
Dubby: My dog loves her, so I love her.
Fish: I love her, too.

Whistle: When Aunt Songbird gets here, I'm going to show her my new nose freckle.
Fish: Why?
Whistle: She will want to see it.

Fish: Aunt Songbird understands me. She appreciates contemplatives.
Dubby: She has fleas?
Fish: No! She will understand why I wish you'd leave me alone!
Dubby: Huh?

Sister: I am going on walks with Aunt Songbird.
Dubby: Where will you go? May I come, too?
Sister: Dearie, we will go outside. I will tell you all about it when I get home.
Dubby: Will you tell me what outside smells like?
Sister: Oh yes, you can smell my paws.
Dubby: Really?
Sister: Yes, now take your nap.

Mailbag

Whistle here. Hope you are well. I'm doing fine. Here's a letter from the Mailbag:

Dear Fish:
My owner may be considering seminary. He mutters "exegesis", "pericope" and "student loans" often. You are a preacher's cat so maybe you can help me. Any tips on cat protocol as a P.C.?
---Kitty Kitty Graham

Dear Kitty Kitty:

Preacher Cats face several issues. First, if your owner is studying, go sit on books and papers under your owner's nose. Pay attention to keyboards and learn to make music by standing or sitting on the keys. Keyboards are like warm beds, too.

Second, when church people visit in your owner's home, make them feel welcome by hiding. If you do come out to look the church person over, get on the kitchen counter. Nothing says "feed the seminarian/preacher" like giving the impression that you are allowed to run wild in the food prep area.

From Sister, our great dog, I've learned that it's important to release your intestinal fortitude as close to the visitor as possible. I don't get this entirely but Sister believes that sharing smells is hospitable. She sniffs everyone, front and back, too.

I've spoken to Whistle about this next one. Please, please, please do not play "personal interaction games" when a church person visits. Leave these for when we are alone. Even if the conversation is stale or stumbling, no one needs to see Whistle's imitation of "Brokeback Kitty".

Finally, can you share your fur? Make sure the visitor leaves covered in your fur.

If your owner goes to seminary, have no fear about dorm living. Our owner had a cat in the dorm at UTS. The seminary catalog specified that students were allowed "only aquariums and terrariums". She named her cat, "Terry" and they lived a happy life in a dorm room.

Preacher Cats have a high calling to comfort owners. Give some leg rubs when sermon writing is going slowly. Wake your owner up early on Sunday mornings. Purr when you see your owner praying.

Sincerely,

Fish

Speaking of Collars

In our house, we wear collars. People enjoy hearing our bells before we jump from doorways.
Andy gets to go outside so he wears a collar for safety. He lost three collars in three days last week! Is he the best or what???

I lost my collar. Now I am running around nekkid. Really.

Dubby is too little for a collar. His neck is about the size of my nose.

When you are nekkid you feel the breeze on your neck when you charge through the house. I feel freed up, ready to race down the hallway!

I know where my "lost" collar is. I'm not telling.

A Wild Cat Named,

Whistle

Do you remember when Jesus healed that group of cats and only one came back to thank him?

Do you remember how the other cats ran back to their families and kittens and friends as soon as they were healed?

I understand this passage now. Fish ran out of his confinement pen and we have been with each other since. Those six weeks when I couldn't clean his ears or bite him were the longest six weeks of my life! My ears got dirty! His ears were dirty!

Now I have clean ears and so does Fish.

When your loved one or brother comes back to you, it feels so great you can't do anything but rejoice.

I am one rejoicing cat. Fish is rejoicing, too.

He was broken and now he is healed.

Beside Myself With Joy,

Whistle

SMELL MY BIRTHDAY BREFF!!!

We got canned Cat Food for our birthday dinner tonight!!! Never had it before! DELICIOUS!

We got snacks like New Zealand Venison Jerky!!!Greenies!!!CatBerry!!!Cat Coat!!!

We got catnip candy bars! Furry mice! New Collars!!! We got birthday cards from Josie and Boudreaux! LittleManKitty sent beautiful catnip candy bars, cat cookies and furry mice!

We got pieces of leather string to chew! We got everything a good cat could want!

I HAVE CAT COOKIE/CANNED CAT FOOD BREFF!!!!!!!!!

We got new collars! We look very handsome and catly! We are 2!

Burp,

Whistle

Almost here!

Our birthday is tomorrow! We can't wait! Mary Beth sent us Jerky for Cats but we can't open it until tomorrow! We got cards with our names on them! One for me, one for Fish! We get to open them tomorrow!

We will be 2! Two years old! We'll be able to have our own Netflix queue! We'll get to go to the big doctor and not the pediatric vet. Good for us! Our pediatric vet and our big vet is Dr. D.!

We'll get to run everywhere in the house and even the mantle in the family room! We can chew tassels off our Dad's loafers! We'll get to do everything!

I just know it!

Whistle

How We Got Our Names

I've been thinking lately about the people I meet
The carwash on the corner and the hole in the street
The way my ankles hurt with shoes on my feet
And I'm wondering if I'm gonna see tomorrow.

Father forgive us for what we must do
You forgive us we'll forgive you
We'll forgive each other till we both turn blue
Then we'll whistle and go fishing in heaven.

I was in the army but I never dug a trench
I used to bust my knuckles on a monkey wrench
Then I'd go to town and drink and give the girls a pinch
But I don't think they ever even noticed me.

Fish and whistle, whistle and fish
Eat everything that they put on your dish
And when we get through we'll make a big wish
That we never have to do this again again

On my very first job I said thank you and please
They made me scrub a parking lot down on my knees
Then I got fired for being scared of bees
And they only give me fifty cents an hour.

Written by the John Prine, a fabulous human being.

Guest Blogger: Fish

Dear Friends,
As you know, I've been in confinement for years so my fractured-three-pins-added leg may heal. I've had a great deal of time to think.
After much reflection and reading, I've decided to become St. Fish. I discover that I am a contemplative cat who likes to meditate under my turtle quilt. During meditation, I realized that I do not miss television, my ipod or watching bird videos. Instead, I've discovered blessings in the quiet. My "cage" has become my hermitage. My time "apart" are refreshing moments when I can think deep thoughts about my food bowl, my paws and life itself.
Therefore, I have taken the name, "St. Fish", to honor my Mom and in recognition of my new monk self. I can't figure out how to tonsure my head so I believe my shaved back leg will serve as my "monk's mark".
Please, no more gift cards for downloading iTunes or frivolous cat toys (except catnip mice). I do accept cat cookies because a cat who can't enjoy cat cookies has poor theology.

In Quietness and Rest,

St. Fish (do you recall that my birthday is 14 days from now?)

you know what makes me happy?

when mom leaves the hallway light on and the frogs stick to the windows.

i'd get a frog except for the glass is in the way.

really happy,

Whistle