Remember me?!?

Smart girl that Meow Meow is, she knows when I'm not home at the usual times she expects to see me. I was traveling earlier this month, just long enough that she started to get anxious when I didn't reappear for cuddles after several mornings and nights. Dieter was home with her, but she's a family kitty. If one of us is missing at the breakfast table, she goes to the top of the stairs to summon the latecomer -- adamantly.

On my first morning home, Dieter was showing me something on his computer in our home office. Not to be deterred any longer, Meow Meow leapt to the top of Dieter's office chair to demand attention, which is a huge bound for her standards.

It seems my absence made an impression?

Why Meow Meow loves recycling

So that kitty afghan I mentioned I might knit? I did.

Here's what the yarn was originally part of -- a scarf I'd made in college that was just too bulky and itchy to wear against my neck. You can just make it out under Meow Meow. I'd already turned half of it into a hat and mittens (which are much more comfortable than their predecessor) and needed a way to use up the leftover wool. Since Meow Meow was so attracted to that particular piece of knitting to nap on while I was working on the other pieces, I figured turning the leftover scarf into a mat for her was the perfect use. The bonus for us: much less fur to comb out of the couch!

I suspect she knew what I was doing as she really wanted to be in on the process ...

I realized after I'd finished that I should have put a border on it so the blanket wouldn't roll at the edges, but Meow Meow doesn't seem to mind. Right, Meow Meow?

Meow Meow?

Well, you get the picture.

Dissembling dozer

Don't let the paw over Meow Meow's face fool you -- that eye to the right of it is half open, keeping tabs on the whereabouts of all it surveys. Asleep? I think not.

When Meow Meow's really out, her head ends up lower than her body on the back of the couch -- her favorite place to nap when no one's nearby to cuddle up with.

Resisting temptation?

I've had some knitting projects going this winter, as you can see. In the process of trying out a few patterns, I've learned that Meow Meow enjoys watching yarn dance between skein and needles as I work, but when the string isn't moving, she's content to ignore it. Which means I can leave works-in-progress sitting in the open without worrying that a certain nimble paw will unravel them while I'm not around.

I may have discovered this week, though, that Meow Meow isn't exactly ignoring my knitted goods. I've caught her napping on top of some half-finished garments, in particular, the heavier knits. Perhaps a little kitty afghan should be on my list of things to make ...

A slight shift in venue

So what happened to February?

Well, several things. The first is that the room in which we'd been doing our fostering began undergoing a makeover that wasn't kitty-friendly, so for the time being, the only resident cat is sweet little Meow Meow. She says hi.

The second thing, which I've been dying to post but couldn't until all was finalized, is that I have a new volunteer position at the Humane Society. All the photo-taking and video-making I've been doing here for the last two years and change? I'm now officially doing it for the kitties at the shelter. I trained during the second half of February and finally started working last Friday.

I'm thrilled to be able to work with so many more cats who need help finding new families. The first little lady I met last week was Penny Lane, whose video (original footage shot by the marketing department) is below. I'm hoping to post more regularly now that training is done, so stay tuned for more updates! And of course, check out the other darling furries on the Seattle Humane YouTube channel ...

Resolutions? What resolutions?

Meow Meow isn't one to worry about her weight, and in general, we don't worry about hers either since we control her food portions. Dieter, however, does enjoy keeping Meow Meow active.

Unbeknownst to me, he decided to buy her a Christmas gift to further his (her, my) entertainment. And well-being! Happy, healthy pets make for happy pet parents too, no?

On the day of our holiday celebration (a week early, as we had to travel to be with family), Dieter presented Meow Meow with a tiny package wrapped just for her. This is why I love him:


Inside, he'd placed a length of leather cord. Way too much for one kitty to handle -- but the extra means whatever we offer Meow Meow can be replaced should it get too worn out.

Of course, we were eager to find out what she thought of her new toy. Here's her review:

I'd say that's a pretty solid recommendation.

Like bookends

Meow Meow had another luxurious stay at the Hotel Shanti while we were traveling for Christmas. Shanti's dad managed to catch both cats on the window seats he'd installed and sent us this picture shortly before we got home. I was reminded of a pair of bookends -- though in truth, Shanti is rarely still whenever we visit him. I can't imagine him sitting on any shelf for long!


We are glad to have Meow Meow back, especially after nearly two weeks in a kitty-less home. She, too, seems delighted to have our morning routine again, rolling on her back to beg for tummy rubs as I come down the stairs and jumping into my lap as soon as I sit down for breakfast. If only the return for us could be so easy! (I won't get into the details of unpacking, replenishing our groceries, sorting through the accumulated junk mail, doing trip laundry ...)

More updates soon, including some backlogged Christmas news. Until then, happy 2012!