So this is Oliver.  He doesn't mingle with us dogs (thank goodness) but every once in awhile I see him in the kitchen or the doorway to the living room.  But he basically keeps to himself. Mom says she can pet him when she is giving him some wet cat food. By the way, I love wet cat food! I try to stay close if those darn cats don't clean the dish, then I go for it. Everyone once and awhile mom is busy and forget to watch me and I get some delicious cat food!! 

So I have another update for you.  Let's just say, the next time Katie comes home I need to have a good long chat with her to tell her NO NO NO. You can't keep bringing these Virginia cats to our house.  Mom had told her the inn was full, but then there was a crisis. 

Here is the story.  Katie has been at the SPCA and talked to the folks there and they said if she catches a cat they will take it.  So, Katie put out a trap one Monday morning and caught the cat Katie called Luna.  Luna is actually Oliver's real momma!  Katie loved Luna as much as Oliver and wanted her to have a home and not be outside.  So she was glad when she caught Luna.  At lunch she ran to the SPCA to drop her off. The lady told her, "We can't take her, we only take kittens and cats that are to be re-homed, not feral cats".  Katie was shocked and now what??  That is not what the lady had told Katie when she talked to them a few weeks before she caught Luna.  Katie couldn't let Luna out again, she'd never ever cat the girl again.  She called mom and was super upset.  So you can guess what mom says.  "I guess we'll have to take her, but that is the VERY END, no more!  The Inn is over full now!". Katie had to come to PA on Friday, so until then Katie left Luna in their second bathroom.  

 

That didn't go too well. Luna really wanted to escape.

She climbed the shower curtain but didn't find an escape door.

She climbed the sink and sat on the light fixture as you can see below.  

The cat did not find an escape route! 

On Friday, March 24, Katie had to go to Penn State Schuylkill for an meeting and a weekend thing.  So mom met her up there and mom got the cat.  She brought this creature, Luna home.  Luna wasn't a happy girl.  Mom put her in a big dog crate and she hissed and swatted at mom.  The nerve of her, hissing and swatting at our mom??  Shame on her!! 

Actually she hissed and swatted for a week while she was safe in the big dog crate. None of us could get to the cat, but the cat really had an attitude.  Despite the attitude, mom opened the cage and gave her freedom of the house.  Mom put up a gate so none of us dogs could get into that part of the house but the cats can jump over whenever they want. It's really not fair, but what can I say?  Everyone left Luna alone. With that attitude, do you blame us?? Mom was sweet and would check her every few days.  Mom found Luna's favorite hiding place was under the sofa in the "safe dog-less" room.  

On Wednesday, April 12th when mom did her normal check on Luna, mom got down on her knees and looked under the sofa.  Mom shines her phone flashlight on Luna and talks to her to try to make friends.  I'm not sure why mom wants to be friends with that wild thing, but whatever. Mom really wants to help her. Well, mom looked and her face went blank and she stood up.  I had no idea what was going on.  Mom said "I can't believe it."  Mom explained that she saw Luna's face and a tiny face with it's eyes closed! OMG!!!!  Oh good heavens that means the cat multiplied.  That's not right!  That's not normal, is it??  Mom looked several times and then mom said there are triplets!! OMG!!! 2 identical black kittens and a gray tiger like kitten.  Can you believe this???  Mom called Katie and Katie and Erik were shocked. No one knew, or even had a clue she was pregnant.   This is really bad. Mom gets this new cat from Katie, trying to help her and the cat brings hidden kittens along.  I think that should be outlawed!  You can't just do that!  It's just not fair. I was unhappy that mom was bringing home another cat and then the cat sneaks in three more!   I almost fainted!! 

Mom says the triplets, as she calls them are under the sofa with mama Luna.  I have no idea how many girls and how many boys.  Mom decided to name them.  The black ones are Tilly (after one of my mom's favorite lighthouses, Tillamock Lighthouse in Oregon) and Pearl  (Black pearls are very unique) and the other one she named Stella.  Not sure where she got that, guess it just popped in her brain.  

Anyone looking for a house cat??  Mom says they will be ready to go to homes in 12 weeks.  I want them to go to homes now.  I don't want mom to keep any.  Can you say, we know who will be very attached by 12 weeks?? This zoo is just getting insane if you ask me.   Katie's one friend said she'll take one if there is a boy in the group. I'm gonna figure out how to sneak the others cats inside the one that the lady takes.  I guess it's not illegal to sneak cat inside each other.  Heck, that's what Luna did!  

Really folks, this crazy stuff happens at our house.  I can't make this stuff up!  

I'll add pictures when mom takes some good ones of them. Right now they are under the sofa and I can't get through the gate to take pictures of them.

 Your very unhappy friend,

Leonard

 Greetings my dear friends. 

I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted, you know I'm getting pretty old and my body isn't as good as it used to be. My eyes aren't real good, so if there are typo's I'm really sorry.  

I had to announce my mom and dad have done it again. They brought another CAT in the house. I was really furious, but what can I do??  

The story that I hear my mom telling people is that the apartment where Katie and Erik live in Virginia, they have a lower level apartment.  It included a patio that goes right out to the grass.  Mom has been getting pictures from Katie of all the cats she is feeding that have found there way to her "Catio" as she calls it.  

Here are a few of the pictures I found on mom's phone.  Mom got Katie those white box things for the cats for winter to help them keep warm.  Mom got them at the cat clinic she volunteers at sometimes. That's a whole other story in itself. Anyway, these are the cats that found their way onto Erik and Katie's "CATIO".  Katie loves all the cats and has them all named.  She really fell in love with the one little guy that is on the top of the white thing that is in this picture. (The white and gray one)   Katie named him Barnaby. She talked to mom a long time about how sweet he was and how she can pet him. She wanted to take him inside but she has met the limit of cats she can have in their apartment.  

So she kept mentioning Barnaby and how loving he was and finally broke mom down.  I wish I had known, I would have whispered in mom's ear while she was sleeping and told her not to listen to Katie.  But I had no clue what was happening. I'm the last to know these things. 

From these pictures you can see they have some really weird looking cats in Virginia. At least the one that dad came home with is a normal looking cat. Thank goodness.  

You can see Katie has all shapes and sizes of cats that come to her "Catio", but she loves them and would take them all in, if she could.  

Dad made a quick trip to Virginia after classes on Friday, February 3rd and brought home the new cat, on Saturday, February 4th.  Katie had captured the cat the Sunday before and had kept him in the extra bathroom in their apartment.  She named the cat, Barnaby and she would sit in the bathroom with him every night and she would talk to him and pet him.  She said he was a really good boy.  

So, when dad came home, mom did what she does with every new cat. She kept him in a big dog crate for a few days to let everyone smell each other and check each other out but no one can hurt anyone.  After a few day, we all went to bed and

mom went back downstairs and opened his crate.  So in the morning he was somewhere, we didn't know where.  He's been hiding in the one room since then, at least during the day. We aren't sure what happens at night, it seems sometimes it's like that movie "Night in the Museum".   Mom put a gate at the doorway, the cats can jump over, but us dogs can't. We stand at the gate and look at him.  Mom said she didn't want to call him Barnaby, what Katie had named him, so she tried a few names and I think "Oliver" is the one that stuck. She keeps calling him Oliver now.  

 

He is a very pretty cat. But mom and I had a talk and I said, "That is it mom!! I'm putting my paw down, no more animals"  She did agree with me!  Thanks goodness!  

Well, I'm really tired, it's nap time. This was really tiring, writing this long blog to you my friends.  I need to remind you, do not tell my parents if you have an extra cat or dog or cow or whatever.  Our house is full!  DO YOU HEAR ME??

Thank you.  

Your friend, 

Leonard 

 

 

 

 

 It is with the greatest sadness that I have to tell you that our "Queen Mom" the head of our monarch has crossed to the rainbow bridge.  Her name was really Francesca, but we all called her Frankie.

 

 

 

 

I was told Frankie and her sister Samantha "Sam" came to us from a local farm.  Frankie's sister Sam passed away in 2016.  But Frankie who was a sickly kitty, held on until she was a few days short of her 18th birthday!  

Top kitten picture, Frankie on top. 

Christmas cat picture, Frankie on left. 

I remember her already being here when I joined the family in 2010 Frankie was well established in her role.  She always welcomed the new animals to our house.  I remember when we had the mouse, Algernon.   Frankie was his body guard, she laid beside his cage all the time, guarding him.  At times I remember she laid on top of his cage. What an amazing mother to all of us. 

She was well educated too, I have caught her with the Lighthouse Digest magazine  and she had also studied Statics years ago..  

Frankie's most important job was being Katie's buddy!  

I scanned one of the pages from mom's scrapbooks.

 

Mom said.  "The sorrow is so great in losing one of her pets, but the love they give us for years is worth the sorry we have when we lose them.  The memories last a  lifetime!" After mom also said "We gave you a great life Frankie" 

Dad responded  "She gave us a good life"

So, Rest in Peace my good and faithful friend Frankie.  I always respected you, even if you were a cat. 

love 

Leonard

 I am not happy!

 My goodness. You can tell I'm getting old. I don't get to use the computer too much. I sleep most the day and night. My back legs don't work like when I was young, so when I get to a comfortable spot, I stay there as long as my bladder will let me.  

But, I had to get to the computer. You won't believe what my mom did this time.  I thought she said the "Inn was full".  Whatever that meant.  But last week she went to that cat thing she volunteers at once a month.  She calls it Fairchild Cat Clinic.  From what she says about it to dad, people bring feral cats in and they spay and neuter them that day. Mom always tells dad that she works the desk, when people bring in the cats and take them home. What that means, I have no clue.  She just always tells dad about ALL the cats and how this one or that one was so beautiful.  Really cats beautiful??  She really needs to get her eyes checked!  I can always smell that gross cat smell on her when she comes home. I'm so glad she showers before we all go to bed together at night. Our bed is full, Penny, Tootsie, me, mom and dad.  Mom and Dad should consider getting a king sized bed or at least get a bed for them so the three of us dogs can get a good night's sleep without them tossing and turning and mom snoring.  

 Anyway last week mom went to that cat place and she had the nerve to bring home a kitten! What on earth was that lady thinking! She said the little thing stole her heart. He has an eye infection, but she got meds from the vet to hopefully fix it.  But really mom, a kitten!!   Remember mom "The Inn is FULL"  FULL means no more room. Well, it was a tiny not even 2 pound kitten, but still. It may want to sleep on the bed and there is no room at that INN.  We dogs hardly have enough room on that bed. 

 So, it took mom and dad days to name the new cat thing.  Finally after a few days mom excitedly says, "I've got it"   No one is every ready when mom says, "I've got it". You just never know with her.  

The name she came up with is from a Beatles song and dad is a big Beatles fan.  

Are you ready?      "Sergeant Pepper" 

 

So folks meet little not even two pound Sgt. Pepper.  

The cats aren't very impressed with Sgt. Pepper, but I guess he is growing on the dogs.  This little kid just kind of flops himself down next to you, without asking, I should add, and he sleeps.   I'm not impressed, but I guess he is one of God's creatures and we should take him in.  But really now, THE INN IS FULL!!! No more. We have 5 cats and 5 dogs.. Isn't that more than Noah had on the ark?? 

Enjoy the pictures. Your friend,   Leonard  (me with the kitten)

Eve

Above Penny Below Tottsie

 

                        

                                                 Another with Eve

Don't tell mom, but this little thing does look so cute in this picture!   

  

                        You can see the little guy's

                         eye doesn't look exactly normal.

                         But I know my mom, and she'll 

                         take good care of it. 

 Hi folks!  My mom wrote this, I thought you might enjoy it!!  I love Peanut butter! 

 Your Friend, 

Leonard

Ode to the Peanut butter jar!

The peanut butter jar came into our house from a local grocery store.  When it entered our house, the label was desecrated by a thick sharpie marker with the word “DOGS”

 

What does this mean and why?  You see, when I need to give our dog Eve her daily medicine, I simply shake the medicine bottle and five dogs run into the kitchen.

 

A spoonful of peanut butter makes the medicine go down.  Honestly, I stick the pill in only a half spoonful of peanut butter.  I gently slide it off the spoon into Eve’s mouth.  With her tongue enjoying the taste and texture of the peanut butter, the job is done. 

Since Eve got peanut butter, four dogs glare at me, eyes saying “Where is mine?”. So, the handout line begins. Same spoon, same jar.  Can you say “Double dipping” more than twice.

The multiple dipping is why the jar is marked DOGS.  Dogs love peanut butter and I love to watch them enjoy it and just lick and lick and lick. 

All good things come an end.  So once the jar has given all it can give – we know there is left over peanut butter hanging around the sides of the jar.   

Now the advantage of a dog’s long tongue becomes an advantage.  First I give the jar to my dog, Leonard (yes, he is the special dog, my husband says he’s the chosen one).  Anyway, his tongue can only reach part way down the jar walls. 

When Leonard gives up, Eve, who has been watching him closely will take the abandoned jar and use her longer tongue to finish the job. During this entire cleaning process, the top of the jar does get misshaped.  But it ends up clean in the end.

So folks, this is the fate of a peanut butter jar that comes into our household for the DOGS.

 Wow, it has been a long time since I posted.  So much has happened, it's been crazy around here!  

Katie and Erik brought their two cats up when they came up for Christmas (that was in December) and the cats finally went  home today.  They way overstayed their welcome! Mom says they were staying almost a month, well it was almost a month, my goodness.  

They brought the cats up because it was Christmas and then in two weeks after that they were gonna have their wedding reception (postponed from last year).  After the reception they were going on a week long cruise.  After that dad was gonna take them back home to Virginia on January 15th. Well, things didn't work out the way they were planned.  They FINALLY left today, January 22nd.  What a LONG time they stayed.  

Let me show you a picture of how beautiful Katie and Erik looked for their wedding reception.  Aren't they so beautiful together??

 

 

 After the wedding they didn't go on a cruise, they cancelled it because of COVID, but they decided to go to Asheville North Carolina for a few days.  During that time they did leave the cats here.  Here are pictures of the cats for you to enjoy.

 

Perkins sleeping on daddy's pants!

 

 

Daisy lived in Katie's room most the time she was here.  Mom took over Katie's room and it looks worse then when Katie lived at home.  Mom has crafts and books and keeps saying she is gonna organize it, but I'm waiting!   

So, dad was gonna take these cats home last weekend, then the snow decided it was gonna show up, so mom suggested the cats stay another week. My goodness, how long can I deal with these cats??  Finally this morning dad took them back home to Virginia.  Good riddance and don't come back now here!!!

I must admit you to, my new friend Tootsie doesn't like the cats either and she hasn't yet learned that mom doesn't tolerate us chasing them.   Tootsie has gotten in trouble several time when it comes to the cats.  She'll learn soon, I think!  

Until next time, Tootsie and I will take a nap!  Sweet Dreams!  

         

            Love Your friend,      

                Leonard