Hey Kitties - We're Back!

Mommy has some mad photography skillz said no one ever...

 

 

Hi everykitty! Ricky Tiki Tavi here. So, what do you think of Zoolatry's redesign of our bloggy? We think it's pretty spiffy! Maybe we can convince Mommy to post a little more often now that we look so darn good!

When last we left you, Daddy was getting ready to have surgery on his leg and foot. Fun times kitties, fun times...His accident was in mid-October and it's just been the last few days that he is able to walk without a cane and wear a shoe. Daddy tends to be a little on the hyper-active side, so all of that sitting around just about drove him over the edge. All of us kitties (and Diamond Doggie) were the very best nurses he could have. We kitties acted like blankets and kept him warm and anchored. Diamond stayed at his side and made sure he kept his foot off of the ground. We were invaluable I tell you...just invaluable. So what do we get as a reward for all of our 24 hour nurses duty? We get abandoned by the 'rents. That's right kitties. The 'rents have the nerve to go on vacation at the end of this month. Before you start to send us tea and sympathy, know that we are being left in awesome hands. Our pet sitter - Auntie Megan, is going to stay at the house. Diamond even gets to go an a spa day with her. Since she works at our little shelter she is going to take Diamond for a day of nail trimming, baths and grooming. HAHAHAHAHA! I'm so happy that I am a cat.

Speaking of me, I think you all know that I am deaf. Does it bother me? NO! Do I use it to my advantage? Yup. Do I know hand signals for treats? Yup. Do I use it to garner sympathy when I do stuff I shouldn't? You betcha'! Life is good kitties, life is good. Rudy Toots and I are best bros. Powder is a lot of fun to chase and terrorize, Diamond is fun to mess with, But Puff - no one messes with the Puffster. I learned the hard way that she is NOT to trifle with. She keeps me in my place and I give her the respect that she demands and deserves. She and Powder turned 15 on April the 1st. You'd never know that they were geriatric kitties, Mommy says thank Cod that they are happy, healthy and very playful.

Mommy is now the board president at our little shelter. She spends a lot of time trying to help them help all of the animals that they care for. I think that's great. All of the animals there deserve the very best care and they deserve forever homes. It's still Mommy's passion.

Out of all of this they still miss their Parker Pie. I know that without her, I would not be where I am today. Because of her, we have a blog and a set of 'rents who do all that they can to help animals in need - like me. Thanks Parker, I owe you a lot.

Peace out kitties. Love is all we need.



A Bittersweet Holiday Season

We have discovered that there is room in out hearts to love and enjoy our new addition Ricky Tiki Tavi and honor our most precious gal's memory at the same time. We are enjoying Diamond Doggie, Puff, Powder, Rudy and RTT's antics around our Christmas tree.
Love is all we need, right?

What We Are Up To

Mommy here - We've had a roller coaster of emotions for the last six months. The loss of Parker has no words to describe the sadness of her passing on her Daddy and me. The other "kids" felt the loss as well. Little Ricky Tiki Tavi has made her loss a little less painful. He's fit so well into our little family unit. He's sunshine and happiness and laughter. Anyone who doubts that Parker sent him to us has no idea how wrong that they are.
The truth is that I have had a total of 5 stray cats show up in our yard since Parker's death. I've taken all of them in to the Vet's to have them tested and vaccinated and spayed or neutered - then straight to the shelter for adoption. Of the five, one of the was FIV + and we humanely euthanized him, which killed my heart. But the reality of living in a nation that treats animals as poorly as we do, you have to make some very difficult choices. Action Jackson was his name and it's going to take a long time for me to forgive myself for making that choice. He was a good boy, but in our little corner of O Hi O he had zero chance of being adopted and we could not have him at our little shelter. He faced a future of no home, no love and no where to go to. He now lives in my heart and his remains are next to a beautiful Hydrangia plant where he used to gratefully eat his meals from us. Little Ricky was different in that something spoke to our hearts that he was sent to us straight from Parker - he has many of her ways, right down to her meow and her mannerisms. There was no doubt that she sent him to us.
I'm lucky in a weird sort of way - being on the board of our humane society allows me to rescue the strays that find their way to my yard. Not every animal lover has that option. Don't get me wrong. my strays are fully vetted, spayed or neutered and vaccinated before they go to the shelter. The only cost to the shelter is the boarding until they get adopted. And I am happy to report that every one has found their forever homes. The county that I live in has an estimated 90,000 stray cats. My rescues are a drop in the bucket of all the kitties that have no where to turn. It's heart breaking. Our shelter is operating on the thinnest of shoestrings and we face the very real possibility of having to reduce our services or even closing our doors if things don't improve next year.
I tell you this for a few reasons. I know I do not blog as much as I did in the past. It's because I spend all of my "free time" at the shelter helping kitties (and doggies too), getting forever homes. And then there is my real job which is both important to me and something I am equally as passionate about. It leaves very little time for much else.
Parker's blog will remain and I will try to update as much as I can.
And if you can, instead of buying something that you can live without, consider donating to a shelter. The animals that live there need your help and your support. Very often, their little lives depend upon it. We work very hard to find them their forever homes. Every dollar makes a difference.
Smoochies from angel Parker Pie and hugs from her Mommy who misses her so very, very much.

November is National Diabetes Month!

Hi kitties - Ricky Tiki Tavi here and I want to ask you a huge favor. My Mommy told me that every November Parker would take a stand against the awful, rotten, crummy disease of Diabetes. So I thought it might be a good idea if I continued in her tradition. The wonderful Zoolatry lady made these sidebars for us. When Mommy saw what she had created, her eyes got very, very leaky. After she dried her tears, we decided to ask all of you to share this sidebar on your blog.
You see, Parker always wished for a cure for Diabetes as Mommy has the no good disease. I want the same thing. So if you would, help spread the word that a cure must be found.
Last week it was 5 months since Parker Pie left for the bridge. My family misses her very much, but the good news is that they are so happy that I have arrived. I help fill the hole that Parker left in their hearts.
Mommy is super, super busy helping the animals at our little shelter. She always tells me how very lucky I am, but I already know that. Rudy and the Calico gals are learning to love me - kinda. I want to play all of the time, and they don't always like my advances. Rudy is a great wrestling buddy. He kinda likes to throw down with me. The Calico gals, not so much. Puff throws a mean left swat and a pretty big hiss. She still holds the "Queen of Everything" title. Powder just gives me the stink eye and runs away. Diamond just sighs and stays out of my way. He's pretty smart for a dog.
I went and saw Dr. Joe for my rooster shots last week. I am happy to report that I am healthy and have gained 1 pound and 1 ounce since my visit three weeks earlier! Mommy says I am growing before her very eyes. I am sleek and shiny and very, very handsome. I'm called the little house panther!
I hope you are all doing well. We all love and miss you.
Love and Hugs,
Ricky-Tiki-Tavi

H-E-Double Hockey Sticks Has Freezy Cold Water!



BFF's In Training

Well kitties, I have wore Rudy down. After a few months of chasing him, hugging him, swatting him, kissing him and just generally staying in his personal space, I think he's willing to let me sit next to him. For a second or two... Mommy and Daddy say that I am irresistible - they think that soon I'll be BFF's with all of my sibs!
I went to meet the wonderful Dr. Joe - I purred the entire time I was there. I like riding in the car. It's fun!
I also purred so much that Dr. Joe had a tough time listening to my ticker! But he pronounced me very healthy. I got my shots and go back and get a "rooster" shot in a few weeks....sounds like good times!
All in all kitties, I am one happy boy.
I thank Parker every day for sending me here.
The 'rents say they thank her too...

Ricky - Week One

...You're getting sleepy, very sleepy....no, wait...you're getting me treats!...

Hey! Hi! Remember me? Ricky? I'm the new kid in O Hi O. I'm learning the lingo around here. Did you know that I have 'rents? I do! And I have sibs! And they don't like me all of the time. But sometimes they do, but sometimes they don't, I get confused and I am learning how to "read signals" like "Hissssssssss" means "back off buddy" and nose touches means it's OK to proceed. I also learned that the dog that lives here is pretty OK, even though he's scared of me. HA! The 'rents say that I am full of energy and that I am a lover! That's good, right? Learning the ropes is hard, but you know what? -  I like it here and I think I'm gonna' stay!

Introducing Ricky Tiki Tavi!

Well, Hello There!

Um, Hi! I am a new kid here. They are calling me Ricky and I think I like the name! I don't remember how I got around the brick house in O Hi O, but I felt drawn to the big front porch outside of the house. Some nice man saw me and brought me some yummy food. I was very, very hungry. Then a lady showed up and she seemed awfully nice as well. I ate - a lot - but I had to keep scratching while I ate. I was very itchy! The nice lady saw me doing this and  took me to another building where lots of nice people fussed over me and put something on my coat. Squillions of fleas fell off of me! I really felt a lot better after that. I slept at the other building that night and the next morning I had a lot of tests and then I feel asleep. When I woke up - I was a changed kitten!
Back at the brick house the nice people were planning on taking me to a shelter. That's where many kitties go who have no home. But there was something going on that was magic. The Nice People (TNP) felt a stirring in their hearts. TNP had a talk and the lady thought maybe I was "the one". You guys all knew Parker - she's now one of my OWCB*, the lady always thought that there would be a day when Parker would send another little feral around that would help fill a hole in their hearts. TNP felt that I was "the one!" YAY!!!
So, I live in the brick house now and after a few days in a room, I made my debut with the other kids who live here. So far, so good. TNP tell me "it's a process". What ever...
I am about 5 months old. I have medium black hair that has some silver in and under the black. Oh, and I'm a boy. Well at least I was until I fell asleep Thusday night. TNP say that my name is Ricky Tiki Tavi, Ricky for short. They also told me that I have a beautiful kitty named Parker that lives on at the Bridge to thank, So Parker, Thanks - I heard you liked smoochies - me too!
*Ones Who Came Before