Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love my 'kids'. Pooka and Cro..i have been such a joy to have, I can't believe it's been six years they're a part of my family. Pooka is the macho-yet-mamma's-boy cat, and Cro..i is just a little-lump-of-love since day one. And then there's Lola...the 10-month pain-in-the-arse-puggle-pup who is so cute you just gotta love her. And they each have their own personalities which are so distinct...I could tell you endless stories until you beg me to stop.

And if you have been following my blog on blogger (which granted I hadn't updated in forever) or read some of my blogs here, you'll know that Pooka and Cro..i love to give the gifts of love that only devouted house kittens could give. You know it.....a mouse-gift. It seems like a lot of time has passed since a field mouse has unfortunatly found its way in to our home, but tonight Pooka and Cro..i showed they've still got what it takes. A lot of people also seem skeptical when we tell them how Pooka and Lola really are best friends. I mean, he lets her chew on his ears, and they play in the back yard together. Well, tonight he solidified it in an amazing act, and I wish I had a camera near by to capture it.

This morning Lola was a bit under the weather, having up-chucked some phlegm and having a case of the snizzles. We're blessed to have a dog with allergies....and Ida had kept a close eye on her during the day to make sure she (Lola) wasn't getting any sicker...which she wasn't. By the time I got home from work, Lola was a bundle of energy and her playful self. Per our nightly ritual...we were all hanging out in the family room watching Grey's Anatonmy, and Lola was curled at Ida's feet snoring not so softly...Pooka overhead dosing as well on the back of the couch. As we watched tv, Cro..i was making a commotion scratching Lola's wee papers (which were clean) and I kept telling her to knock it off. Ahhhhh, how my motherly instincts were not kicking in...but perhaps that had something to do with watching 'McDreamy' and 'McSteamy'.
Pooka eventually hopped off the back of the couch, and then there was no distracting noises of scuffles or papers or anything. Ida and Lola's snores filled the background instead. A little more time passes, and who come strolling around the side of the couch, looking like a little kid wanting to surprise a loved one but my boy Pooka. He looks at my mother, then glances at me with a look on his face like "ssshhhh, don't spoil my surprise." Then he proceeds to take a few steps past us, towards Lola...heading SPECIFICALLY towards Lola, with a clump of gray dust on his chin. I was laughing at his expression, and about to tell my mother to get the clump of dust off his mouth when I noticed that this clump of dust had little ears, and little legs, and a body and head. POOKA CAUGHT A MOUSE AN WAS BRINGING IT TO LOLA!!!

When he realized he was busted for being so darn cute...he high-tailed it back around the couch, and him and his sister began to play with the mouse. A mouse which was not dead! Well, call me cruel...but I wasn't coming between my little mc-kittens and their kill (not that I wanted them to kill the mouse either.) But they were only doing their job. IS this mouse still alive? I dunno, I've come upstairs to report to all of you how cute Pooka (and Cro..i.....and Lola) is. Because once mom and I were gushing over Pooka's gift for Lola, Lola woke up and was hanging over the back of the couch, wanting her gift.

But I also can't help but wonder, as Thanksgiving is almost upon us:
(A) Did Pooka and Cro..i intend to give Lola the mouse as a gift, to make her feel better after feeling icky this morning?
(B) Did Pooka intend to try and scare Lola with a mouse gift as little boys are known to do to little girls?
(C) Did Pooka and Cro..i intend for the mouse to be their Thanksgiving dinner, and was bringing it to us to prepare for them?

Cro`i following in her birth mother's footsteps?

The animal world is interesting- and today when a friend of mine and i were goofing around via e-mail, the topic came up about Siamese (female) cats being extra horny, and wanting THE SEX even after they are altered.

I state this because ever since I adopted Pooka and Cro`i, the mc-kittens, we often pondered why Pooka and Cro`i had totally different markings. My mom often wondered if maybe they were not really litter mates, but there is a tenderness and caring between them, so I didn't pay any heed to it. Because whether it be in the animal kingdom or the human world, you can't fake love and caring.

Anyway, read the blurb I have found on-line about (female) cats and their reproduction methods. And it also explains why Pooka and Cro`i look totally different. And it also explains why Cro`i loves all the HOT men: Colin Farrell, Johnny Depp, Derek Jeter. And why she wants to escape for kitty lovin'.

Tip 90 - Cat sex - Are cats promiscuous
Many people view cats especially female cats as sexually promiscuous creatures. One of the reasons for this notion is that when female cats are in heat they call out to let males know that they are in heat. They also mate frequently and often mate with different males that have fought with each other to win mating rights. The resulting litter of kittens may therefore have been sired by different males which can account for litter mates that look surprisingly different from one another. This reinforces our notion of their promiscuity and is classic anthropomorphic thinking. (The assigning of human attributes to non-humans)

A Murder Most Foul!

Do the above photos look like pictures murdereres?

**Disclaimer: photos attached to this entry are not for the weak stomached. Photos at the end of entry.**

Pooka and Cro`i….my mc-kittens. The loves of my life, the best babies any pet owner could ask for. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for either of them, and evidentially they know that. ALL TOO WELL. Because they gave me a gift last night, that only a cat can give its owner. (Or a psycho gives the object of its affection.) And I love my Pooka and Cro`i, my mc-kittens. I just wish things went down a little differently than they had. I would also like to interject the mocking I received last summer when I feared waking up to finding mangled crickets near or on me. But sit back and read this tail of love or in my case my tail of horror. (Note my attempt to be funny with the wrong use of tail.)

Last night, as usual I was looking forward to sleeping in my nice, soft, Egyptian Cotton sheets. I was tired, and looking forward to getting to bed at a decent hour (like 11pm.) But I had found it odd, that my mckittens, Pooka and Cro`i were no where to be found. Pooka wasn’t on my bed, no one was in the little pink room, nor were they running amuck playing in the hall. I put my ‘jammies on, and were calling them as I walked in to my bedroom. And THERE IT was. Something small and not quite belonging on my bed.

I ventured closer. The item on my bed much more distinguishable. I backed away. “Mooooooom, can you come here please?” I call, as though I was 12 instead of 31.Mom was playing on the computer, “What’s the matter?” she asks, getting up to come see. “I’m not sure if I’m right….but what is that on my bed?” I ask her, pointing at the shape. With that Pooka J. Tubbybutt, aka, my mckitten, aka ½ of the dastardly duo, aka His royal tubbiness comes running from his hiding spot, because (his mommy), me found the gift he left for me. He hops on to the bed, and the corpse shifts slightly. Mom looks at me, AND STARTS LAUGHING. I start laughing too. “Awwwwwww, they brought you a gift.” Mom says and begins to praise Pooka. There he is getting petted, and loved up, praised, and he’s purring away. Like an ass, I doing the same thing (praising him…not purring.)

Mom goes back to the computer, and I’m staring at the DEAD MOUSE on my bed. THE DEAD, GOOEY MOUSE, as I see little blood stains. Blood stains on my EGYPTIAN COTTON SHEETS. My Egyptian Cotton sheets which are brand spankin’ new….now the scene of a mouse murder…with little blood stains! Ever so brave….I call again, “Moooooom, can you take the mouse off my bed?” Pooka looks at me like I suggested something absolutely crazy. Mom cracks up, “No way kiddo…that’s your gift and yours alone. You dispose of the corpse.” And there you have it, Mom, chickening out on me. After I saved her from the chicken breast aside the refrigerator.

So I go to my other savior…Ida. I walk half way down the steps, “Ida….are you awake?” I call. “Yes, why?” I hear from the family room. “Are you comfortable yet?” I ask hoping she says no. “Yes, I am…why?” She asks again. “I have a gift in the middle of my bed, and I need you to remove it for me.” She isn’t budging…”What is it?” She wants to know. “A dead, gooey mouse that the cats gave me as a gift!” Ida was no help at all, “Nu-huh, you’re on your own.” She calls. And much to my surprise and duress, she DIDN’T come to rescue me from the DEAD, GOOEY MOUSE on my bed.

So what did I do next? I’ll tell you. Between fits of laughter, shared between mom and myself, I grabbed two plastic shopping bags and scooped up the disturbingly soft, and squishy mouse off the bed, tied up the bag and threw it in the trash…tying that bag as well. Pooka and Cro`i looked appalled that I would throw a perfectly good, DEAD MOUSE gift away. Next I gave them heaping amounts of treats as a thank-you/reward for the mouse which they gobbled up. I then proceeded to strip off my sheets, and my blankets, and my stuffed animal (Flounder from ‘The Little Mermaid’) and marched down stairs to throw them all in the washing machine. I washed them with loads of soap on cold water, as to not allow the stains to set. Next I went in search of disinfectant to wash down my pillows and mattress (okay, maybe this was a bit overkill- no pun intended.) But I don’t care. Unable to find Lysol, I used the remaining rubbing alcohol I had and washed down the mattress. Today I will Lysol the mattress and pillows before I redress the bed. This morning I washed my sheets and blankets, and Flounder in HOT water, and Ida is now in the process of washing them again in warm water. Hey, I need my sheets MOUSE-GOO free.

I also slept on the couch downstairs, far…far away from the murder scene of my bed. Yes, it is very clear that Pooka and Cro`i love me. And I love them more than anything in the world. But I can’t help and wonder if I was so far fetched last summer to worry about dead or mangled crickets being dropped on me that they caught. Or if maybe having Cro`i on my tummy as I watched a Jack The Ripper documentary not so much a good idea. All I know is this was the second mouse they’ve caught…and my loveable mc-kittens are now serial killer

This is a photo of the DEAD GOOEY MOUSE on my bed last night:

Pooka looking smug after 'the kill'.

If the paw print doesn’t fit…you must acquit!

Murder & Mayham in my garage!

Pooka and Cro`i for some time have been allowed to play both in the basement and garage as it gives them a change of scenery since they are not allowed outside. They also have a bevy of little toy mice: some felt, some rabbit fur covered, which they just adore. We have gone thru quit a bit of toy mice over the course of the years, their most prized one being a pink yarn one with fur tail on a string called Seymour Collin. (Because everyone, ok every red-blooded girl wants to see more Collin Farrell.)

So last night as I sat down to have a cup of tea with mom, the garage door was opened a crack as the cats were in the garage playing. Blaze was sitting near us gnawing on a baby carrot (one of her favorite treats), and we noticed Cro`i running in and out of the garage like a looneytoon. I finish my tea and go to try and get Pooka inside, as it was freezing and I wanted to close up for the night when I stumbled across a strange sight. A few feet in to the garage is Pooka sitting on the floor, looking down at a little gray object. So I start to approach to get him and his toy mouse when I stop. I stop because something about the toy mouse doesn’t site quite right with me. “Pooka…what is that?” I ask, as if he’s really going to answer me. Blaze then comes in to investigate, and Pooka runs out, with Cro`i taking place sitting watch over their ‘toy’. I can’t take my eyes off their mouse, as it seems to look longer than normal. Then I realize the mouse’s tail IS longer than normal!

That isn’t their toy mouse…I’ve stumbled upon a murdered field mice! My cats, after 4 years killed something to my knowledge. “Help! I need help!” I call, as I stare in horror, trying to decide which of my mckittens were the murdered, keep Blaze back from rushing the carcass and using it as a chew toy, and decide how the hell I was going to dispose of this dead, furry little thing. Mom finally comes in, and is asking me if it’s twitching, and if I am sure it’s a real mouse. So GREAT, now I have to somehow get close to examine this. (And a few months back, I was mocked for having a fear of the mckittens catching and putting dead crickets on me.) So as I stood over this dead mouse, start to blow at it, hoping the breeze would somehow revitalize it enough to let me know if it was all the way dead or not. But the poor little mouse victim was a total goner.

Still the question of who was going to remove the mouse remained and my mother went to get a broom and shovel as I went and got a bag and gloves. Double rubber gloves on my hands, (Hell, I don’t need any bubonic plague) on each hand, I use the plastic shopping bag to pick up the murdered mouse, and felt compelled to study him. Upon my visual inspection (‘visual autopsy’ as I wasn’t going to do anything else) note that there were NO teeth or claw marks on the little mousie. THANK GOD! But that still doesn’t exonerate Pooka and Cro`i from the mouse’s death. Because why were they sitting watch over him?

Like the late Johnny Cochran had said, ‘If the glove don’t fit….you must acquit.’ I have to wonder about the murder that took place in my house last night. Did the little mouse venture in to the garage, and die of natural causes or perhaps mouse poison from another house? Did Pooka and Cro`i scare the mouse to death or maybe just bat him to death? Mom thinks that Pooka and Cro`i were giving us the mouse as an ‘I love you’ gift, as cats are wont to do. No matter what, I still feel that my two mckittens are turning in to hunters.