Conference misery::feline_v1

    Ah ha...So we added another one to the clan.  Rosebud has found
    a wonderful new home full of love.  Congrats to all....and I'm
    sure in time...everyone will become friends.  
    
    keep us posted on the outcome of the Murphy Clan and we'd
    love to hear more stories!!!
    
    Sandy

    
"TALEGRE'S RUBY DANDYLION", NICKNAMED "DANDY" (ALIAS ROSEBUD, ALIAS RED TAM)

I've decided to change my new addition's nickname to "Dandy".  I'll be 
registering him as "Talegre's Ruby Dandylion.  Ruby which is red, and 
Dandylion cause he sounds like a lion cub when talking in his sleep. ;-)

"Dandy" is just fine.  I think if I slept with my mouth open though he'd get
in and sleep there. ;-)  He wants to be cuddled with me ALL the time and he
purrs like there's no tomorrow.  While he was curled up on my lap last night,
he'd answer me every time I spoke to him.  Didn't matter what I'd say, he 
always had an answer and looked right up at me.  He likes to sleep with his
head nestled in or on my hand and he has a paw holding onto one of my fingers, 
usually the thumb.  He rubs his little head on my hand and those little ears
are moving back and forth when he hears my voice.  You know the really "cute"
little gremlin (before the water treatment)?  Well, that's just who he looks
like.  Don't worry, that name's already taken by my D.P. Gremlin. ;-)

D.P., by the way, slept on my bed at my feet (he sometimes does when it's too
warm to get under covers) and Dandy slept part of the time down near D.P. and
then by early a.m. moved up next to my face.  It's not easy to sleep when a
purrbug is draped over your nose purring away is it? :-)

Jamie played last night and came over for his usual petting and tail holding
from me.  This morning before I left, Dandy was playing with a mouse toy under
my bed and Jamie was playing with Dandy as he'd push the mouse into the ruffles
of the spread near the floor, so it looks like they may become playmates 
afterall.  D.P. was watching them both from the doorway.  

Dandy tried leaping from my armchair to the top of the dog crate in the 
livingroom last night.  I have an afghan over the top so nobody can get their
legs dangling thru.  Unfortunately, those little short legs of his couldn't
propel him enough and he fell short of his goal about 2 inches and landed on
the floor.  I think I heard Jamie snicker from my room. ;-)

Pat, Holly, D.P., Thai, Buffy, Jamie, Midnight, "Dandy" (& Cookie)

My little red Dandy-lion, Dandy, is such a sweetheart.  What a purrbug and 
a joy to have join my family.  He's already spoiled but then all my "kids" 
are spoiled.

You should have seen Dandy playing last night; he was having a ball.  He's
got a favorite toy, a little brown plush mouse, and (of all things) the bottom
half of a Legg's panty hose container.  He just loves to roll that container
all around the floor.  I put his mouse in it once and he looked at it like
"what are you doing in there?" and took it out with tail in his teeth.  He is
sooo adorable and I used up 3 flash cubes on him last night (my whole package
I just bought).

Jamie sat right next to me on the arm of my recliner while I ate dinner 
last evening. Usually I have Middy on one arm too but this was a first to 
have Jamie.  I had some peach yogurt for dessert and guess who likes that?  
Jamie!  I let him have a little cause I'll do ANYTHING right now to win his 
trust again and show him I love him.  He's been pouting since going to the 
vet for boosters and then when Dandy arrived on June 8th.  I also saw 
Jamie washing Dandy's head last night and then later they were sitting in 
one of my livingroom windows watching mosquitos and fireflies.  It was very 
important and a milestone for me to see this; I already knew my older cats 
had accepted Dandy but Jamie worried me.  Everything's fine now. :-)

Dandy has pretty much taken over the place and is getting on the good side 
of my other cats (which isn't too hard because of his friendliness and 
their good dispositions).  He's gotten bolder too and pokes his head into 
the other cat's dishes.  Sometimes they just continue eating but other times
they'll stop long enough to look at him, and then me "asking" what they
should do.  I usually remove him and put him back to his dish.  I guess he 
sees the others "swapping" dishes and wants to get into the act too. ;-)

    BTW - Dandy has realized my old dog, Cookie, is harmless too.  I caught
    him stalking her last night when she was making her way to her bed.
    My little "lion". ;-)
    
    
Pat, Holly, Thai, D.P., Buffy, Jamie, Midnight, Dandy (& Cookie)

    I saw Dandy's kitten pictures last night.....What a cutey!!!
    
    Lynne

    Yes, Lynne.  He's a beautiful little boy and a real lovebug.  I hope
    Nancy remembers to bring the kitten pictures with her Saturday as I
    haven't seen those.  I only have 3 developed of him so far but I'm
    working on more (ran out of flash cubes). :-)
    
    Pat
    

ALL my kids are back to normal (healthwise and behaviorwise).  I had 
a small dish of frozen peach yogurt again last night and as soon as I got
the carton from the freezer, Jamie was right there waiting for his portion. :-)
I really love this and he IS coming back to being my Jamie again.

Dandy has found something else that entertains him.  My bathroom wastebasket.
He jumps right into it, tips it over and rolls around in it.  What a clown!
He also likes to jump in the tub with Jamie and play behind the shower curtain
with my fingers from the other side.

It's funny, Jamie used to be my "baby" but since he's now accepted Dandy 
as a member of the clan and acting more like a big brother to him, he's 
quite grown up at only one year old.

Last night Holly was even licking Dandy's head (Holly doesn't give this 
attention to everyone). I had 3 purrbugs on the bed with me - Dandy, Holly, &
Buffy - going like a motorboat!

This morning while they were all eating breakfast, Dandy was last to finish
(and he ate every mouthful too).  While he was eating, D.P. was sitting right
over him hoping to clean Dandy's dish.  When he saw how Dandy was not going 
to leave one tidbit, D.P. put one of his huge double paws gently on Dandy's 
head and tried to push his head out of the dish.  Of course, I spoke to D.P.
and said "no, no" (which he understands) and he put his paw back on the 
floor.  ;-)

Pat, D.P., Holly, Thai, Buffy, Jamie, Midnight, Dandy (& Cookie)

Dandy and Jamie played tag last night so they're getting to be friendlier.
Around 7 p.m. I headed for the kitchen and said to Jamie, "Well, I guess 
it's time for some frozen peach yogurt, Jamie!"  You know, he came right up 
on the countertop near the sink and watched every move I made from getting 
the dish/spoon/frozen yogurt like he knew what I said.  He likes the stuff 
(the only one of my cats that does) and it is nice that he does cause it 
gives me someway to get him closer to me.  He sits right up on the arm of 
my chair waiting for his portions too. :-)

When I left for work this morning, D.P. and Dandy were sitting in one of the
back kitchen windows enjoying the warm sunshine; D.P. was washing Dandy's head
and ears. ;-)

Holly playing mom?
Friday night Dandy was sitting on my lap in livingroom when "Princess Holly"
came in and laid down.  I said, "Hi, Princess!" and she rolled over on her side
with head cocked and front paws curled toward her body.  Dandy was watching her
very intently.  I could read his little mind, "She's going to nurse me". ;-)
He got down off my lap ever so slowly and stretched out on his stomach looking
right at her (cutely, of course).  Well, I looked at Holly, then Dandy, and 
said in low tones, "I really don't think she will, sweetie!"  I think it 
suddenly dawned on Holly what she was asking for with her body language 
cause she got up quickly and sauntered into the kitchen, looking back once and
I think I heard a sigh of relief (whew, a close one). ;-)
Dandy looked up at me and I said, "I told you she wouldn't!"  He meowed back
with a disappointed "I know, but it sure looked promising!" :-)

    Pat, Holly, D.P., Thai, Buffy, Jamie, Midnight, Dandy (& Cookie)
    
    

Dandy went for his 1st Felv shot last night and, as usual, I was on time
and the vet wasn't.  I brought the party toy with me again to keep him
entertained.  This works great.  He was playing with that and would hop
up on the top of the carrier and then down to the table.  He'd lie down
on the carrier and just look around, very relaxed.  A woman waiting for
her bill in waiting room (now I know why they call it a waiting room) kept
    admiring Dandy and came in the exam room while I was playing with him.
    Dandy was purring away and snuggling his head against me while I was 
    rubbing his neck and chin.  She petted and rubbed his neck and he wasn't
    the least bit frightened of her.  I was very pleased and proud of my baby
    for just his second time at vet's.

Not only that, but he wasn't even afraid of Dr. Porter when she came in
and examined him, using those strange and big instruments. ;-)  He was
even purring during the rectal thermometer part.  He didn't like the shot
which was the last thing given but then I've only known Holly to purr
through that.  He didn't even try to get back into his carrier ONCE during
the exam (it was on the table with door open) nor AFTER the exam.  He just
wanted to play and get more attention.  She did notice he'd grown some since
his first visit there and is now 3 lbs., 6 ozs. (of course he had just eaten
before he came so he had a full tummy). :-)

Pat, Holly, D.P., Thai, Buffy, Jamie, Midnight, Dandy (& Cookie)
    

    
    I was at the vet's on Saturday and I heard Dandy was real sweetheart!!
    ;-)
    
    MaryAnne

    Ahhh, yes.  He sure is.  A real heartstealer, he is.
    
    Will you be going to the Mansfield show in August, MaryAnne?  It would
    be nice to see you again.  Don't you have a new, little one to show in
    HHP?
    
    Pat
    

I wish I had a video camera.  D.P. and Dandy had a great time playing 
yesterday.  D.P. likes to lie on his back with belly up and front paws back
alongside his head, with head cocked towards me.  He likes his belly rubbed
while I call him my "white polar bear".  At one of those moments when I wasn't
rubbing his tummy, Dandy suddenly leaped through the air and landed full force
on top of D.P.'s stomach with his paws around D.P.'s neck and "mouthing" D.P.'s
face.  As surprised as D.P. was, he didn't leap up and run, he just lay there
and wrapped his big double paws around Dandy and mouthed and washed him.  

After a couple of replays, D.P. got up and headed for the kitchen but Dandy
ran and tackled him (the little bully) ;-)  He really thought he was quite
a tough guy cause D.P. let him get away with it too.

I had to get up at 3 this morning so when I returned to bed (this is like a
daily ritual too) there was Dandy lying where I should be, Holly still in her
place on bed, and in came Buffy for his morning petting/purring session.

Dandy seems to "adore" old Buffy; don't know if it's the purring or the similar
coloring of their coats but Dandy will then lie on my chest purring away and
looking right up into Buffy's face.  Buffy has shown no jealousy toward Dandy's
affection nor attention to me.  When Buffy reaches his paw towards me for more
pats, Dandy reaches his paw to touch Buffy; not to stop Buffy but to show he
likes him.  What a little pixie he is.

Before I could settle back into sleep until 6 a.m., an awful racket of fighting
came from the livingroom and then the kitchen.  I leaped out of bed, no 
time for slippers, ran out to check on who it was and to quell it.  It turned 
out to be D.P. and Midnight.  I knew Middy had been in livingroom playing on 
the cat scratchingpost table with some of the toys when I got up earlier.  
Sometimes he gets playing like a kitten and moves around fast with the 
toys.  Unfortunately, D.P. takes these movements as acts of aggression and 
feels he has to "put Middy in his place".  Middy tried outrunning D.P. (via 
the kitchen) but D.P. caught him and was obviously very put out by Middy's 
attempting to defend himself.  

I snatched D.P. up and took him into my room, giving him a lecture on Middy's
rights to play when he felt like it and that he should not bully poor old
Middy.  I went on and on to him, with some of the others listening and looking
very upset trying to figure out what it was all about too.  Dandy seemed 
to not be disturbed by it all, just curious.

When I finished lecturing D.P. and let him down, he walked out to the other
rooms still looking for Middy but I told him he'd better pay attention to what
I told him or he'd spend the night in the crate (I'm big on threats and it seems
to work when I use it use the right tone of voice).  Middy stayed very quiet 
in the bottom half of the blue cat table in livingroom and was on the back of 
my recliner when I got up this a.m.

I think that maybe while Middy was playing with the toys that Dandy was also
trying to participate with him and perhaps "Uncle D" felt Dandy was being
threatened by Middy at some point and took it upon himself to interfere.  It
sounds logical to me because D.P. has taken a "motherly" attachment to Dandy
and has been calling him like a momcat does her little ones.  I don't think
D.P. would have interfered had it been Thai or Jamie playing with Dandy because
he "raised" them too.  Middy is still the "outsider" to D.P. in some ways even
though they'll eat and sleep together.  Fortunately, that time of the day(early
    a.m.) is the only time Middy likes to play (usually right after he uses the
litterbox and gets me up).  It hasn't bothered D.P. when he played before so
that's why I think Dandy may have been the reason D.P. "went to the rescue" or
so he thought.  Middy would never hurt any of them but it's hard to get that
across to the top cat in the pecking order, D.P. :-}

    Pat, Holly, D.P., Thai, Buffy, Jamie, Midnight, Dandy (& Cookie)
    

I'm sure some of you have cats who just love those brown shopping bags to 
play in.  I always put one down on the kitchen floor for them to have fun 
with.  My "Holly" is usually the first one to claim the bag until someone 
else comes along and chases her out.

Last weekend I had a great time watching two of my boys (Thai and Dandy) 
and the "paper bag game".  Dandy was inside the bag and I rolled a tennis 
ball in with him.  Thai was sitting at the closed end of the bag, watching 
all the movements as Dandy pushed the ball around inside.  Once in awhile a 
little paw would come shooting outside and then disappear inside.  Thai 
would just be ready to leap for the paw when it was suddenly gone.

There soon was a second opening in the bag on the side, just big enough for
Dandy's little head to poke through.  The expressions on Thai's face were 
hysterical.  Thai is my Siamese mix, approximately 3 years old, and Dandy is
5 (almost 6 months) old.  Finally, Thai decided he'd try to block off the 
main exit/entrance to the bag and he walked over and sat on it.  When Dandy 
was moving all around inside the bag trying to find another way out, Thai 
would lie down on the bag trying to hold the moving form under him.  Just 
when Thai thought he had Dandy trapped, out popped Dandy through the side 
hole.  Game 1 over.

Game 2 starts.  Thai enters the bag, turns around and lies down in it 
facing main entrance.  Dandy studies the situation for a minute, then he 
jumps in the air and lands on top of the bag much to Thai's surprise.  Exit 
Thai through side hole which Thai has now enlarged all the way.  So much 
for that paper bag. ;-)

Pat, Holly, D.P., Thai, Buffy, Jamie, Midnight, Dandy (& Cookie)

variation on paper bag game:

Mandycat gets in the paperbag and "motorboats" it around the kitchen (sliding
the bag around while front part of cat is inside the bag).  Hannah follows 
the bag around while attempting to swat Mandycat on the head....game over 
when Mandycat bumps into a counter and then zips back out of the bag and 
hoofs it down the hall with Hannah in hot pursuit.

Last night I had just flushed the toilet and didn't get a chance to put
the lid down when "zip, plop" in headfirst goes Dandy.  He (and others)
usually jump on closed lid to get up in the bathroom window.  It 
surprised him to land in the water but he DIDN'T FREAK OUT!  I
immediately picked him up out of the toilet and he was not tense nor
frightened but was quite relaxed while I toweled his face and feet.
What a clown, huh? :-)

Pat and Clan