Mommy Update

Heya friends! We wanted to update you on how our Mommy is doing after her scary experience.

As a reminder, on Thursday the bus Mommy was riding on had an electrical fire and the bus coach filled with very caustic fumes. Mommy is an asthmatic so the fumes caused her (and three others on board) to have an asthma attack. Though she was able to get the emergency symptoms under control (wheezing, gasping for oxygen, not being able to breath, etc) with her rescue inhaler that she always carries with her, she developed a very painful, deep cough that caused Daddy to take her immediately to her V-E-T. She was diagnosed with pulmonary pneumonitis (smoke/chemical inhalation) and the V-E-T put her on lots of meds and sent her home to rest with express instructions not to go anywhere for at least 48 hours or do anything that would cause her to breath in chemicals, etc (the doctor literally told her she was not allowed to clean the house all weekend). She was also warned that because her lungs are inflammed and somewhat burned and bruised, any bacteria or infection that got into her lungs would likely go straight into pneumonia.

Mommy is feeling better which is very good. We've been making sure that one of us is with her at all times. For example, last night she went to sleep with Captain Jack lying on her legs and Samwise lying beside her and woke up with Dante on her ankle and Fagin curled up to her neck. She is still coughing and it hurts very badly, but she is coughing less. She slept for 12 hours last night but we think that she needs to sleep lots so she can heal. She is trying not to think about how bad things could have been (her great uncle died from a bad asthma attack) for her and her fellow passengers but when she does it really scares her. We are taking care of that by purring at her as well as playing together in front of her so she is distracted. Dante is allowing her to brush him too so that she has something to keep her mind off of the scary stuff.

More than anything Mommy and us want to thank you for all our your good wishes and purrs and purrayers for her. Mommy has been moved to tears more than once when she realized how much love the kitties, woofies, buns and beans of the blogosphere were sending to her. We love you all and are grateful for the positive energy and love we have felt from you all. We'll update again soon and hope to get around to see some of our friends as well. Take care everyone and thanks again, truly.

We do have one favor to ask. We would appreciate it if we could all send some of our love and good thoughts to the people on the Gulf Coast who are watching Hurricane Gustav. Uncle Dave is from New Orleans and still has lots of family there. Last night Aunt Susan called and asked if we would be willing to lend our guest rooms to some of Uncle Dave's family that may flee from the Hurricane. Mommy told her to tell them to come on over and to bring their furries too. We purr and purray that everyone is okay and that the bad storm goes away!!

Mommy's Hurt

We wanted to let you kitties know that we probably will not be posting for a few days. The bus Mommy was riding on to day hunting this morning had an electrical fire. This produced some very caustic fumes that hurt Mommy's lungs. Daddy took her to the doctor and she was diagnosed with pulmonary pneumonitis - basically the lung damage (inflammation and something akin to burnt or bruised lung tissue) one gets when they are in a house fire or inhale toxic chemicals. Mommy is at home resting and has been given lots of drugs and told to rest rest rest thru Tuesday morning. We hope that she feels up to helping us post, but if not, please do not think we have forgotten you - we're just trying to get Mommy feeling better!! Fires are bad kitties- Mommy said that may have been the one of the scariest moments in her life - barreling down an interstate, smelling smoke, and hearing people scream "FIRE!"

Thursday Thirteen

Look kitties, it's a Thursday Thirteen all about me - Dante!! After reading all of your responses yesterday I have decided to stay with my Mommy and Daddy for now. However, I will promise to stay forever if they do the following Thirteen Things:

1. Feed me only human food and stinky goodness - no cat crunchies, they are not good enough for me!
2. Give me plenty of fresh tuna juice - I do not only have to drink water you know.
3. Banish the Kid from my sight when he begins to annoy me and do not allow him around me until I am ready for him again.
4. The Nip is mine mine mine.
5. The Cat Dancer is mine mine mine.
6. I get to sleep on the bed and no one else unless they have my express permission.
7. Get rid of Beaux - I hate him!
8. Make Jack share the Captaincy with me.
9. I get first picks of sunbeams on the porch.
10. I get to sleep at the top of the stairs and you have to walk around me without saying "Dante, move please"
11. Pearl is to have unrestricted access to the house and can come ofur whenever she wants.
12. Milk should be served at least once a day.
13. You must love me most and I must be your favorite cat. This is only fair as you are my favorite humans.

Oh and one other thing - all next week I DEMAND that it be "Dante Week" - All me, all week! What do you kitties think?

Dante's Day

Hi kitties - Dante here. You may not remember me, because its been SO LONG since I was allowed to have an entire post only about me. Anyway, the Black Furrball does have a first mate, and just in case you forgot because its been A MONTH since I got to post new pictures of me, I wanted to remind you.

What Mommy? You are sorry? HMPH! You only care about the Kid. Even the Captain knows it, but he can take the blog by force because he is the Captain, but what about me? I am just the first mate...What Mommy? You will give me extra treats and love and I can have the blog all to myself for the rest of the week to make up for it?

What do you kitties think? Should I believe Mommy and stay here or should I put my plan into action and run away to live with my beautiful and fierce pirate girl, the Black Pearl? I know Pearl would appreciate having me around. But Mommy did save me and loved me even when I was Frankenkitty. Decisions, decisions....

Tuxie Tuesday

Happy Tuxie Tuesday - the Captain here. I've been watching it rain lots and lots over the last two days. Mommy says that it's rain from Tropical Storm Fay. I say that my beautiful tuxie lady knew how badly my state needed the rain (Georgia is experiencing a historical record drought) so she sent it to me as a gift. Can you imagine? The rain that I am watching right now is the exact same rain that fell on the lovely Lady Boo. Amazing, even to this seasoned pirate captain, just how small the world really is.

Mini ManCat Monday

So I was sleeping on ME couch again this weekend when ME heard the Mommy on the phone and she said thinks like, "Fagin" and "6 months old" and "10 pounds" and "new-ter." What is new-ter and what does it have to do with ME?? Is it a NEW TOY? FOODS? Anything FUN?! Will ME like it?

In other news, it's Not the Mama Monday!! We think Mo is awesome - a true cat hero - and we wanted to join in saying Thank You Mo!! We Loves You!!! YAY!!!!

Finally Friday

Hey kitties, it is your very favorite Purrageous Pirate here - ME, Fagin!! Yay! The big pirates are gone off on their boat to save the Florida kitties and they told ME to stay here and distract the Mommy so that the Mommy did not realize they were gone. Well, ME thought ME did my job very well - but the Mommy did not agree and ME just not understand it.

You see, ME is a fearsome hunter (really ME is) and ME caught this very SCARY and BIG bug. Mommy says it is called a Palmetto bug. Anyway, here is a picture of one - isn't it HUGE? It's like 4 inches BIG!! And that's BIG!!Well, ME caught it and killed it and then ME took it to give it to the Mommy, cause ME had to keep her distracted and how else to distract the Mommy but to give her ME wonderful kill. Well, ME brought it to her and sat in right in fronts of her and she screamed - but not a good scream. No, like the scared scream she does when she sees spiders. Anyway, she actually said to ME "Fagin, thank you very much, let's just squish it to make sure its dead." HA! Like ME would give her a nonkilled bug.!COME ON! And then do you know what she did with it after she squished it flat? She did not eat it or give it to the Daddy to cook. No, she threw it away!! ME do not get it! ME worked hard to kill that BIG bug and the Mommy did not like it, although she said she did. ME so confused.

Anyway kitties, have a Happy Finally Friday and a good weekend. PLAYPLAYPLAY lots and DANCE and EAT FOODS!! YAY FRIDAY!!!

PS: The Mommy wanted me to tell you that she weighed ME last night and ME now weigh 10 WHOLE POUNDS!! Does this mean that ME is almost a mancat?!?!

Thankful Thursday

Today is thankful Thursday and Dante and Captain Jack both wanted to let everyone know who they are thankful for.
Dante: I am thankful for my beautiful Black Pearl. Isn't she lovely? She is not feeling very well (and I am very thankful that it is only a cold that ails my beauty) and I wanted to let her know how much I love her and how wonderful I think she is, cold and all! Please feel better soon Pearl - I hate it when you feel bad!

Captain Jack: As always, I am immensely thankful for my Pirate Lady Love, Miss Boo. She is the most perfect Pirate Lady any Pirate Captain could ask for and I am so proud to be able to call her mine. Right now I am planning a rescue mission because just look at what is attacking my Lady and her family right now!
It's Tropical Storm Fay and it just will not go away and leave my Lady in peace. I have decided to rescue My Lady, her family, and all of our Florida friends. On this mission, we will have reinforcements too as the brave Captain George is preparing her lovely sailboat so that all of the woofies can come and assist ua kitties of the Black Furrball on this mission. Which kitties are with me?!?!

Wordless Wednesday

Worried Tuxie Tuesday

Captain Jack is one worried Tuxie today. His Lady Boo is in harm's way of a great big rotating thunderboomie. He is checking the weather every 10 minutes and hopes that Boo and her family (as well as ALL of our FL friends) are okay.

Captain Jack: My lady Boo, you and your family can come and stay with us until the big stormie passes. I could not bear it if anything were to happen to you!! If all of you come here, I can protect you from the storm. In fact, I think Boo and her family and all of our Florida friends such come and get on the Black Furrball. We can sail to calmer waters and wait out the storm in high piratey style!!!

Mommy is Sad

This is our cousin Cocoa, better known as Smudge or Smudgie and she is one of the kitties who own our Uncle Mark. Smudge was almost 16 years old when earlier today she let her Daddy know she was ready to go to The Bridge. Mommy is very sad and has been crying and also knows that Uncle Mark is even sadder. You see, last week Uncle Mark was laid off from his day hunting job and then today Smudgie had to leave too. Please send some purrs to Uncle Mark and Smudgie's sisfur Shayla, who we are worried is going to be sad and lonely being an only kitty.

Cocoa "Smudge" 1993-2008

We will miss you Smudge but we are glad you are no longer in pain and that you are happy. We know that we will see you again one day but we are still very sad that you had to leave us. Soft purrs to Uncle Mark and Shayla as well.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

"Peace, Love, and Fagin"

Mommy came upstairs this morning to make up the bed and discovered this - a sleepy Fagin lying on her very comfy peace, love and happiness sheets. Do you think she moved Fagin and made up the bed or do you think that the bed remains unmade and Fagin is sleeping undisturbed? We'll give you two guess and the first one does not count!!

We Remember Violette Noelle

"Little Angels"

When God calls little children to dwell with Him above

We mortals sometime question the wisdom of His love.

For no heartache compares with, the death of one small child

Who does so much to make our world, seem wonderful and mild.

Perhaps God tires of calling the aged to his fold.

So He picks a rosebud before it can grow old.

God knows how much we need them, and so He takes but few

To make the land of Heaven more beautiful to view.

Believing this is difficult, still somehow we must try.

The saddest word mankind knows will always be "Goodbye"

So when a little child departs, we who are left behind,

Must realize God loves children

"Angels are hard to find".

Friends on Friday

Heya kitties (and woofies and buns and hammys and everyone)! It's Fagin!! Mommy said that it's Friday and that today would be special for ME because I could show you ALL of the awards I have gotten over the last week or so. Just look! There are so many!!
This first one came to me from Dante's girlfriend cat Pearl and her brothers over at PB&J. Isn't it cool?? It was one of my very first awards ever and ME LOVES IT!! Loves it LOTS!!

Then I got this one from Molly! Molly is a tabby just like me and she thinks I am COOL!! I think you are pretty cool too Molly. Fanks you for my's award!! I LOVES it too!!

Dante says I am supposed to give these awards to friends and I told him I want to give them to EVERYONE. He says I can't, that I have to choose people, but I say YES I CAN!! So everybody, come and get your awards!!

Captain Jack: I must interrupt the cabin boy's post with breaking news of my own. Something very special has happened to me. The most beautiful, wonderful, amazing, lovely cat in the world has presented me with this:

My Lady Love, Boo, I am most honoured to accept this gift. Just looking at it fills me with love from my head to my tail. You are the most wonderful girlfriend cat ever and I hope to never lose you. I love you with all of my tuxie heart!! - Captain Jack

Fagin: Ewww!! Girls and ickiness!! YUCK!! They have cooties you know Captain Jack!! Yes, they do too!! Anyway, have a good weekend everyone. We'll be going violet for Violette tommorow and want each and every one of you all to know how much we love you! Hugs to all!!

Funny on Thursday

Mommy has gotten this email before, but always laughs when she gets it again. We liked it too, so we thought we would post it for all of you to enjoy!

Excerpts from a Dog's Diary......

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary. ..

Day 983 of my captivity.

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.

They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.

In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. Bastards.

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow - but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now................

Tattle Tuesday

Hi everykitty! Captain Jack and Dante here and do we ever have the funniest tattle on The Kid this week. Yesterday, Mommy had to go to jury duty (it was why we did not post) and when she got home she said her back was hurting from having to sit on hard benches in the courtrooms while lawyers asked her dumb questions for hours and hours on end. Anyway, when she finally got back, she decided to take a nice, hot bath to soothe her aching back. Well, Fagin decided to see what his best friend Billy finds so enthralling about baths and started walking on the side of the tub. Guess what!! He fell in!! HAHAHAHA! Wanna know what else? After he freaked out because he got wet, and after he groomed his furrs back down, he started walking on the sides of the tub again, this time saying "I got the hang of this now. Look at me. Aren't I cool?" Well, can you guess what happened? HE FELL IN AGAIN!!! HAHAHAHAHA!! Fagin fell in the bath water not once, but TWICE!! Silly kid!! It was hillarious! Mommy laughed so hard she cried. You should have seen it!!! It was priceless!!!!

So Sad

Words cannot express how sorry we were to get the awful news. Violette, you and your loved ones are in our thoughts and purrayers. ***soft purrs**

Sprout Sunday

We want to send our purrs and purrayers to Monty Q's poor little Sprout. She fell and hit her head and got a bad owwie. We hope that she feels much better soon and that she gets to come home soon too!! It's never easy when the littlest beans feel bad.

Finally Friday

It's Finally Friday and we are very happy about that here at the Black Furrball. For one thing Mommy and Daddy will be home with us for the next two days. For another thing, it is the first weekend in 3 weeks that they will spend at home with us and not in Florida. Yay! However, while they have been day hunting this week we've been looking at the pictures of things they did while in Florida and we are not happy kitties. Let us show you why!Look at these birdies. What use does a human have for these birdies? Mommy says they would eat out of your hand and they tooks lots of pictures of them. We say you are supposed to eat them, not feed them! Silly humans!Look at these fishies. Mommy says they are called dolphins and that they swam with the boats they were on. Mommy, you do not swim with fishies, you eat them! Silly human!

Now our biggest concern - this picture gives us proof that there were other pirates in the vicinity and we were not there to protect Mommy and Daddy. What if they had been captured by this Black Beard? We kitties would have had to launch a rescue mission and would have had to save them and that would have been tiring. Mommy and Daddy, you are no longer allowed to go to such an unsafe place!!

In other news, Fagin is very excited because his best friend Billy SweetFeets GingerSnap gave him this award!

Thank you for my award Billy! ME LOVES IT! Billy!! PLAYPLAYPLAY?? Now? PLAY!!!! - Fagin

Have a good weekend every kitty!!

PS: We almost forgot to update. Mommy is feeling much much better and her legs are no where near as red as they were. Beaux is also feeling bettter and thinks that George visiting him on her new sailboat was just the right medicine. Thanks for your purrs everyone!!

Wordy Wednesday

Hello friends! Today we have a Wordy Wednesday. First of all, we must ask for some purrs for two of our family members.

First, could you guys please purr and purray for Beaux? He woke up this morning crying and whining. Mommy and Daddy looked him over and could find no wounds, and he is not limping, but his back left hip area seems to be hurting. They called Aunt Susan who was still at work at 6am (she is currently working nights from 8pm to 8am) and she thinks he probably pulled or strained a muscle. Mommy and Daddy had some leftover doggie pain medication/anti-inflammatories to give him so they did so and Daddy is going to come home at lunch to check on him. Please purr that he feels much better soon!!

Secondly, our Mommy could use some purrs too. The reason we did not post yesterday was that Mommy was home from day hunting and had to go to the human V-E-T. The sun poisoning she got at the beach had gotten worse and was swelling and quite painful. The doctor gave her shots in her tocks and said that the sun poisoning was coupled with an infection of the top layers of her skin. She is feeling a bit better and has ant-botiks and pain medication but its very ugly and uncomfy and we hope she gets better soon too!!

Now on to some fun stuff. Look what Daddy brought home for us yesterday! A great big box that had that thing behind Captain Jack in it in this picture. We could care less about the thing that was in the box and were more interested in the box. It was lots of fun to play on and inside of too.

Mommy caught this picture of the Captian and the Kid and laughed lots. Doesn't Fagin look vicious? Doesn't Jack look oh-so-worried (yeah, not really!)? HAHAHA!

And our last picture. We shall entitle this "Please Daddy, can I have some more?" after Oliver Twist. Yes, it is Fagin begging Dad for those real life dead shrimp in the bowl.

You might wonder where Dante is in all this. Well, when Mommy and Daddy got home from Florida, Aunt C told them that sometimes Dante was hard to find (we wonder where he was - Pearl, do you have any ideas? Maybe something about teleyporting to you all week?) When he heard this he decided to hide some just to make sure not to blow his cover. So far its working....or maybe he is still teleyporting over to Pearl's? We do not know. Pearl, if you see him, tell him to come back and check out our new box!! You and the boys can come too - maybe a visit from George would help Beaux feel better too!

They're Back!!

Heya kitties and woofies and buns! Dante and Fagin here!! We are pleased to say that Mommy and Daddy are back home, where they are supposed to be, finally! They came home Saturday night and we tried to hide how excited we were to see them so they would feel bad for leaving us with our new Aunt C (She's our aunt now we say - not just Ms. C - we really love her!) but it was hard to do - especially with Fagin climbing all over Mommy and cuddling up and purring but oh well!

We have pictures to show you of our presents from the beach but Mommy was bad and ran off day hunting without taking the pictures off of her camera so we'll have to show you tommorow!

We would also like to report that even though Mommy and Daddy brought home real live dead shrimp and real live dead fish fresh from the Gulf of Mexico, we were not given any when they had our humans friends over for dinner!! Wait, what? Captain Jack was given shrimp but not us? NOT FAIR!

Purrageous Mom: Sorry Dante and Fagin, but I had nothing to do with it. Remember that Aunt Susan was there and she had brought her best friend from vet school that was visiting named Dr. Susie?

Yes, she was nice. We found it funny that she and Aunt Susan are both V-E-Ts and have the same name too!

Purrageous Mom: Well, Dr. Susie shared some of her shrimp with Jack and you guys were in the other room...

Oh totally not fair!! Not only did we have TWO V-E-T-S in our house yesterday but the one who was not Aunt Susan gave the Captain shrimp? That's it!! Not more cuddles or purrs for you woman until you get our pictures edited for us AND give us real live dead shrimp and real live dead fish. Failure to do so will result in Aunt C becoming our new Mommy!! HMPH!!!!

Finally Friday

It is Finally Friday kitties and then means one important thing - Mommy and Daddy will be home tommorow!! They are checking out of their beachside condo tommorow morning and driving home to us. They will be home tommorow night. We cannot wait and Mommy says she is read to be home too.

This is part of the reason why. Can you see the red bumps on Mommy's leg? Mommy is very fair skinned and she managed to get sun poisoning. She says she is all itchy and broken out into red blister bumps. She is taking lots of Benadryl and not going out to the beach or out in the sun because that would make it worse. Poor Mommy! Come home and we will make you feel better!

We do have some sad news and we must ask for your purrayers. Wednesday a coworker of our Nana drowned off the coast of Panama City, FL (which is very close to where Mommy and Daddy are). She and her fiance were caught in a rip current and drowned before rescuers could reach them. She left a young teenage daugter behind. Please send some purrs to help her family. We think they may need as many as they can get.

In better news, Mommy sent us this picture. She and Daddy went shopping yesterday and found a dog bakery. She said she bought stuff for all of us and that it is in this bag. We wonder what it is!! Happy Friday kitties!!