A gourd hoard

Jada found our Halloween additions to the first floor quite intriguing. She was timid at first in her inspections:





But she warmed up to the pumpkins pretty quickly.





If they don't disrupt a good nap, they must be okay, no?

Feeling the need to vent, Jada?

Now that it's fairly cool in the house during the day, we have the heat running more often. Which means the air coming out of the grates in the floor is a new thing to be investigated.



I think Jada's found yet another place to snooze.

Ear hair

Who knew it could actually be endearing?

Why yes, they're natural

Jada's highlights, that is.

Dieter happened to catch a shot of her in profile that shows off the white streaks above her eyes (she has them on both sides). We think they give her face a certain expressiveness, especially when she wants something. See, watch:



We call those kitten eyes. As in, "I need some petting, can't you tell?"

Of course, it can also mean, "Aren't you going to feed me soon?" (She's looking pointedly at her dish in the shot below.)


Yep, the girl has eyebrows. And she knows how to use 'em.

Don't let this look fool you

Yesterday, when Dieter was leaving for work, Jada came to the door to see what was going on. I picked her up so she wouldn't wander into the garage, which she didn't mind. When Dieter started the car, though, she made a noise I'd never heard from her before. As the car backed away, she fixed her gaze on it -- and growled.

There's some fierce kitty in there! (As long as she's safe on someone's shoulder.)

There's nothing more enticing

... than a space you can't quite get into, eh, Jada?


In this case, it's the area between the couch and the wall.

A contemplative moment

A shiny new ...

... gift tag?

I was eating lunch in the kitchen a few days ago when Jada suddenly thundered down the stairs from her usual people-watching perch (those paws have power in them when she gets moving!). I thought maybe it was because she'd picked up the scent of my tuna salad, but no, it was a little ornament on the table that had caught her eye. It was originally attached to a gift we'd recently received, and I hadn't put it away yet.

Jada hopped onto a chair to get a better look and gave the ornament a thorough sniff. A little licking followed and then gentle pawing. So I took it into the living room where she could have room to play with it. Instead of batting it around, though, she settled down next to it and just looked at me:


I have the distinct feeling that she's telling me she wants to wear it. As we already know, she does like her bling ...

Rain, rain, go away

No sun means no cozy warm spot to nap in next to the windows. Time to find a lap ...













And apparently, it's mine.

You know, I think I'm going to enjoy rainy days a lot more than I did before Jada's arrival. And I already like them!

Will give head-bump for food

And she's definitely not a picky eater. This girl loves whatever we put on the menu.

Okay, Jada, I guess you can have my spot

Dieter and I were watching a movie two nights ago when the soft sound of kitty paws landing on the couch distracted us. Jada hadn't been keen on the noise from the TV when we first brought her here (she would stay upstairs whenever it was on), so we were surprised that she was interested in joining us.

She walked nimbly across my leg and torso, plopping herself onto a nice big cushion I'd been leaning on, then settled into place:




Dieter didn't seem to mind.

Lapping it up

All the love she can get, that is.

Jada especially likes it when there's a fleece blanket to make a lap even cozier. Just don't let her snuggle down on your knees until you're sure you have everything you need within arm's reach -- you won't want to get up again either!

In which Jada plays with her food

One day, while Leslie was giving Jada a treat after a brief grooming session, she noticed Jada reaching for the zip-top foil bag of remaining treats, trying to get her paw inside (Leslie had put it on the floor nearby). This gave Leslie an idea for a toy, which she put together as follows:

1) Find a cylindrical plastic container with a lid that snaps on tight -- like the ones that cut-up melon and pineapple are sold in at the grocery store.

2) Fill the container with a small serving of dry cat food.

3) Snap the lid on partially so that dry food can escape a few pieces at a time when the container is rolled along the ground.

4) Introduce the container to kitty.

The results were pretty good, once Jada figured out how the toy worked. Now, she bats it around with great enthusiasm whenever she's hungry between her morning and evening meals. It keeps her from getting too ravenous and scarfing her wet food down too quickly (which can lead to tummy upsets).

Care to demonstrate how it works for us, Jada?







Well, you get the idea.

She's a lefty

Whenever we pick her up, Jada scrambles for a view over our left shoulders. We've tried giving her our right shoulders, but she instantly wriggles over to the opposite side.

I know you're in there ...

Jada definitely loves to be where people are, even if she's not in search of cuddles or a playmate. Whenever Dieter or I go into a room where Jada isn't allowed, she'll sit right outside the door and give a little trilling call ("mrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrow!") asking to be included. She stops when there's no answer, but she does wait quite patiently for us to re-emerge.

Could I have one of these?

We recently moved into a house and got a darling hand-made card from my mother, congratulating us. We think Jada wants one too:


Preferably a teeny bit bigger, though, with the perfect family waiting for her inside.

This just in!

What? What? We're all ears ...


Here's the big news: October is Adopt-A-Cat Month at the Seattle Humane Society! And in honor of this occasion, adoption fees for all cats one year or older are waived. This means that Jada could be someone's very own for free.

What do you think about that, Jada?


Ope, she's trying to give us a head-bump. I think that means she's excited.

She's on a roll

Right before we took the picture of Jada melting into a puddle of sun-warmed sleepiness (see previous post), she was in the midst of giving herself a bath. Here's a little peek at our roly-poly girl in action.

A sunny disposition

Since the arrival of cooler weather, Jada's been luxuriating in the big patches of sunlight that move across the floor of our living room. Which is how we discovered that she can stretch herself out to pretty impressive lengths. The light also reveals the reddish tints and espresso tones in her gorgeous coat, especially in the fur on her belly.


Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts, little girl; the rainy season is on its way ...

Why does Jada love the top of the stairs?

Because it allows her to see almost the entire main floor of our house. And that means when I'm trying to sneak a photo of her sitting in her favorite people-watching spot, she comes down immediately to investigate.

Nap time

Do cats dream? We're inclined to think so. Jada sometimes meows softly in her sleep (more like a murmur than her usual dulcet but assertive expressions). And if she happens to be curled up with her paws against some part of your body, she'll gently press them into you while she's off in slumberland.

Pretty kitty

In Jada's first weeks with us, we discovered that she enjoys stalking anything that can be made to "run" along the ground in front of her: a piece of string, a feather toy, the light from a laser pointer. So we figured she'd like some shiny Mardi Gras beads -- and she does ...


Just not for chasing.

Meet Jada

This golden-eyed girl has been living with us for one month. She's a spunky five-year-old who loves playing tug-of-war with anyone who'll dangle her favorite shoelace in front of her. She especially loves people-watching and is happy to jump into a lap when invited. She'll cuddle down there for a snooze or ask to be scratched under her jaw with a tender head-bump.