My Cats Are French

They are often haughty and aloof. They have a serious aversion to bathing. They eat disgusting things. They prefer their females unshaven. They are certain of their superiority to the point of arrogance even though they are neutered. But unlike the French, these boys are sweet, lovable fur balls who do not care for Jerry Lewis movies. And they never, ever surrender.


Name: CFOMahm
Home: Metro Detroit, Michigan, United States
About Me: Italian/Polish (yes, that does make me both opinionated and dense, but there is definitely good eating at my house!). Fan of bad jokes, crossword puzzle addict, old enough to know better, but still young enough not to care. Known to the Gang of Three as "Mommy Cat - Almighty Keeper of the Can Opener and Mistress of the Front Door".
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Sunday, April 30, 2006

Carnival Of The Cats



It's Sunday! That means it is time for the Carnival Of The Cats. This week's Carnival host is Furry Paws. Go pay a visit to Sebastian and his Momma Yaffa and be sure to get your submissions in before 7pm (use Ferdy's handy Carnival Submission Form) if you would like to see your feline(s) included.

The Gang Of Three will be at the Carnival and they expect to see many old friends there and meet some new ones also.

There is also a new place to get your fill of kitties. Laurence Simon of This Blog Is Full Of Crap has come up with a great idea. Kitty Movie Monday! This new venture is only a couple week's old, but I am betting it is an idea whose time has come. It's really easy to post your video on YouTube so go on and give it a try. I am planning to get something editted of my boys being frisky and cute.

Of course if I want a video of them they will not cooperate. Probably will do absolutely nothing all day that would warrant more than a still camera. Just lay around soaking up the sun that was so very absent the last few months as Zath'ras is doing here.




Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Teach Your Children Well




I've spent some time thinking about a few stories in the news. The Duke Lacrosse team story, Natalie Holloway, the lady who is charging rape after her roommate's drunken friend went into the wrong bedroom in the middle of the night and had sex with her (she thought it was her boyfriend who had fallen asleep on the couch. It was consensual until the next morning when she saw in the light of day who was in her bed.)

Now I am not saying anyone deserves anything bad that happens to them. I am not blaming the victim or saying that anyone who committed a crime should get away with it. I think though, that these stories should serve as warnings.

We learn to look both ways before we cross the street and to wear our seatbelts. These are normal, rudimentary precautions. We learn not to get in cars with strangers, not to walk out of the bank after cashing our paychecks with the cash in hand. I think we need to teach our children a whole lot more.

I only have boys, but I sure as hell taught them how to act if the police pull them over. Turn on your interior light, keep your hands on the steering wheel where they can see them. Yes sir, no sir. If they ask for your registration or license don't make any sudden moves - say "it is in my wallet", "in my glovebox", whatever - "may I get it?" No sudden moves. I don't want my boys getting shot because they fit the description of some fleeing felon.

I taught them not to be sleeping with any girls they don't like well enough to be spending the rest of their life with, because if any children are conceived they sure as hell ought to be getting married, and that if they don't they will still be putting up with her for the rest of their lives.

Our daughters should be told they are not going to Aruba (or Cancun or wherever) with what is basically an undersupervised group of kids in unfamiliar territory who don't have the life experience to know when a situation is dangerous.

We need to let our girls know that it is not a good idea to go with a girlfriend to strip at a frat party. Sure it's a "job", quick money, but once you're there, then what? What exactly are you going to be able to do if a bunch of guys decide to rape you or worse? Even if the guys get arrested later, you still went through the trauma. And if you are in a situation and get a bad vibe and decide to leave, for God's sake don't get talked into going back. Trust your instincts ladies!!!

And perhaps you shouldn't have a roommate who brings strangers home from a bar. Maybe you should have a deadbolt on the inside of your bedroom if she does. Maybe you shouldn't get so drunk you can't tell if it's your boyfriend or not and perhaps you should have known your own boyfriend well enough that there's no way a mistake like that could happen.

There are so many bad, dangerous, foolish choices most us make when we are young. Most of us are lucky - we live to tell and don't get raped or beaten or robbed. We need to warn our children that the world is not solely full of people like them. Tell them about the people out there who are evil & ammoral, and about how bad things can & do happen - even if you're a really nice person.

To hell with not scaring them. By the time they are teenagers they need to hear this stuff and hear it often. Scare the daylights out of them. I'd rather have a live child who thinks I'm an old fogey than a traumatized or dead one.

And the guys need to hear it too. All the boys in these cases made terrible choices that, if they are innocent, have cost them dearly. Don't be alone with girls you don't know real well. Don't have sex with hot, horny drunk girls no matter how tempting. That hour of fun can cause a lifetime of misery. Don't put yourself in a position where you can ruin your life - or worse. She could have a boyfriend who will think nothing of killing you in a fit of passion.

And to hell with anyone who cries "Hypocrite" because, after all, if you're not perfect how can you tell anyone else not to do what you once did yourself. If that were the case we could never learn anything. I know what dumb things I did and I know how lucky I was to not have some very bad outcomes. A couple times it was dicey and could have gone either way. I would be remiss and an a**hole besides to not try and save others from what I know to be a serious danger.

If you had bought a lemon car or received poor service somewhere you would tell everyone. Would it have been more correct to not say anything because "After all, I bought it/shopped there. Who am I to tell anyone what to do." Of course you wouldn't say that. And that's not even anything potentially life threatening.

Warn your children. Warn your grandchildren.
Sure, they'll do what they want, or feel, at the moment sometimes.
But deep down they remember your words.
And come what may at least you will know you tried to warn them.
Don't put yourself in the position of regretting that you never warned them.
I have one that did not listen to my warnings.

I visit his grave.
At least I know I tried.

Monday, April 24, 2006

No Way To Spend A Day Off




Today was quite eventful - took all the cats to the vet. They give a discount if I bring them all at the same time. I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth it, but the thought of having to make seperate trips is not very appealing either. It's not quite as tortuous now that we only have 3 cats, but it is still a huge undertaking.


Logistics are important. The first thing I do when having a cat roundup is get the carriers out a couple days ahead of time so the boys get used to their presence in the dining room and lose their fear of them. Then on the morning of the doctor visit I don my protective gear. Gloves are optional, but long pants & sleeves are a must. Next, I feed them all a favorite treat and while they are snarfing it up, the basement door and doors to all bedrooms are closed.



An important part of the operation is to grab the feistiest one first, so that by the time they realize what's happening, the ringleader is under control. It works best if one person controls the cat and an assistant is in charge of holding the carrier still and closing the gate - trying not get any fingers pinched in the rush to slam the cell door shut before an escape attempt.

Once all are safely in their carriers, I start dragging them out to the van while the neighbors stare and wonder just how many I have there and discuss how I am a "crazy cat lady". (There used to be five. The neighbors are not quite as appalled now.) Next the chorus sings screams loudly as I drive to the vet.




At the office pet owners look at me like I'm nuts for even attempting such a Herculean task and wonder just how many times I am going to go back to the van to fetch a crate. The other patients either want to make friends or start a fight and my gang wants no part of it - they shrink to the back of their crates and once in the exam room are just as reluctant to come out of their cells as they were to go in. I end up having to "pour" cats out of crates.


One by one, all are inspected and given their shots. The gang behaves quite well through this part - they are scared silly and seem to believe if they sit real still, no one can see them. Luckily they are much easier to put back in their crates - they are VERY anxious to get away from the doctor and return to the safety of their cells.


Another rendition of the "Howleluiah Chorus" as I drive home. Lug them all back into the living room and open the gates - looks like the start of the Kentucky Derby as they make a mad dash to their favorite spots to lick themselves back into serenity. Then I find the Bactine, bandages & bourbon.

Day off my ass.

It's less stressful to go to work.
Not to mention the $975.





Sunday, April 23, 2006

Family Feud




Courtesy of the Drudge Report we learn of a wedding fiasco...

Bride's Father, Brother Stabbed In Alleged Fight Over Wedding Cake
Witnesses Say Man Was Growing Impatient About Cake Cutting

I've been to some wild family gatherings, but this tops 'em all.

It seems the bride's 36 year old stepfather is the one who did the stabbing. You can read the whole story and check out the video here. Honestly I was expecting the family to be a whole bunch of PWT, but they seem pretty normal. I was kind of surprised however that the bride's 2 sisters were talking to reporters rather than hightailing it to the hospital to be with their dad & brother. Also kind of surprising that the bride's mom was in the car with her husband as he fled the scene.



Calling All Cats

Last Sunday we missed the Carnival Of The Cats. I had technically made the deadline by a couple hours, but perhaps the host needed to get the Carnival up early, or maybe something went awry with my submission. So this week's entry will be the one I had planned for last week. (Mr. Bigglesworth was so disappointed about missing the Carnival. Had to give him extra skritches.)

This week's Carnival is being hosted by
Animal Family. This is a very nice cat oriented site, so do take a look around when you go visit the Carnival this evening. Sure to be lots of familiar whiskers there and probably will be some new paw prints as well.

If you have a cat (You DO have a cat, don't you?) they can have their photo included by clicking on
Ferdy's handy submission form. Ferdy's form is useful for a lot of Carnivals other than COTC, so check out the list. You may find some other interesting places to visit.

Since Biggie is the star of this week's Carnival entry, I must feature Pumpkin & Zath'ras on this page to keep peace in the family. Biggie is not the only kitty that enjoys a stroll in the sunshine.


Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Cat & Mouse Game




Over at Cat Addiction there is a truly sweet and amazing sequence of photos of a cat and mouse (rat maybe?). No Photoshop, no staged stuff here, just two little furballs making friends. I guarantee it will make you smile.

See it here.


Sunday, April 16, 2006

Step This Way! Carnival Of The Cats!

The Carnival Of The Cats is due to take place in just a couple hours. This week the host is Begin Each Day.


If you are owned by any fabulous felines who would like to take part, hurry up and get your links entered. Use Ferdy's Handy Carnival Submission Form (It works for lots of carnivals, not just COTC, so be sure to look around.)


I barely got my website back working after all the cra* that has gone on (new computer, new headaches - you all know the drill), but I am going right now to submit Mr. Bigglesworth's photos for this weeks gathering.

Mr. Bigglesworth

The weather here has been beautiful the last few days and all the cats have been loving it. Mr. Bigglesworth decided to go for a walk yesterday and indulge in one of his favorite pastimes - getting filthy.

First a little stroll to find the purrfect spot.....



Found it! Drop, flop and roll....



Oh yeah, got a pretty good amount of dirt, leaves and dust on me now....



But not quite enough. Let's rock and roll a bit more....



That's it! Now I can finish my walk.




I can't believe that filthy little dirtbag sleeps on my bed.