July 03, 2008
I Was Actually in the Hospital to Give Birth
Happy 4th, Dear Readers!
As promised, pictures of my new family. It is my pleasure to introduce Benny:
And Joon:
Despite appearances, these are indeed two different kitties but sometimes the only way even I can tell them apart, besides the obvious blue and yellow collars, is Joon has a full white mustache and Benny only has a half-mustache, as if he tried to shave while drunk. (Look at the two photos of Benny: First photo, left side of mouth all black; second photo, right side of mouth white. Definitely had had a snootful.)
Vital stats: Shelter kitties, brother and sister, 1+ year old, surrendered to the shelter because their owners started hosting foreign-exchange students and had one too many come through with cat allergies.
At the shelter, I was first interested in an exotically colored, blue-eyed half-Siamese named Tonga, who proceeded to bite the crap out of me. Three times. Followed by wild-eyed slashing with the claws. Uh, no. Back to the cage with her. Then I turned my attention to the uber-friendly and charismatic black and white half-Persian Joe, but I really had my heart set on getting two cats that needed to be adopted together, and so was steered toward Benny and Joon. (Those are the names they came to the shelter with, and they fit, and slide easily off the tongue, and make people smile, so Benny and Joon it is. And I may be gay, but even I wouldn’t turn down a chance to live with Johnny Depp. And here is where I confess I've never even seen the movie. I just know Johnny Depp is in it and wanted to sound as if I knew what I was talking about. But I don't.)
The nauseatingly cute things new parents want you to know about their children:
Joon only likes to drink out of a trickling faucet, which is a problem since, given the configuration of my sink, when she sticks her head under the faucet, the water pours directly into her ear.
She’s very outgoing and curious and especially likes to walk on my keyboard, much like Elaine and Leslie’s new kitten who walked over my keyboard and managed to send an email. (Damn. Joon just skittered over the keyboard and turned on the demo—you know, that annoying sales video that loops over and over again on-screen at the store, and which you can’t figure out how to stop to get to the good stuff? Well, not being able to stop it and not being able to get to the good stuff also seems to apply at home.
Drat. She also somehow reconfigured the two mouse buttons so they both behave like right mouse buttons. Urgh.)
She is also a head-butt-er. One head-butt and I was gone. Love the head-butts. She even likes you to head-butt her. When she’s lying in your lap, she’ll stretch her head and neck up and wait until you clonk her forehead with yours, then she’s good.
And this is what will make me the envy of all knitters out there: Joon eats moths.
Not much to say about Benny, mostly because he has spent most of his new, non-shelter life in the kitty hospital. Am having trouble bonding with him because, well, juuuuust in case. On the positive side, it’s forcing me to think about something else besides me, me, me, the darkness, and my Preciouses. He’s still in the hospital as we speak, and even the vet techs can’t get him to eat, so I’m happy to know I haven’t been overreacting, hauling his furry kitty ass to the vet every time he looked at me sideways.
(They’ve both had bad colds since I brought them home. I’ve never worn so much cat snot on me in my life. You learn, after twenty bull’s-eye sneezes on your hands, on your face, in your hair, not to be so puritanical about such things. Begging, “Don’t. Don’t. Don’t.” doesn’t work either, although I have discovered they make a slight “I just sucked on a lemon” face before they sneeze, so I’m getting better at dodging the deluges.)
Now a plug for the PAWS cat shelter, Cat City, on Greenwood. They only have cats, and only a few at a time, which is great since your heart isn’t broken quite so much by the thought of the cats you have to leave behind. The volunteers also seem to care as much about the new owners as they do about the cats. A very good experience! The cats were spendy to adopt, but they give you so many coupons, including ones covering the office-visit part of your “well-cat” visit to a vet, that it balances out. (When I went to the vet the first time, they checked their microchips. I’ve never had cats that beeped before!)
Thank you so much to everyone who “friended” me on Ravelry and sent me such lovely emails of support. And, yes, the answer to the question about my Ravelry name is “New Me” and the winner is Diann! Here's your star!
P.S. The report on the Cotton Club washcloths is actually very good. My employee reports that they sold 33 of them! That is just fabulous.
So, what do we knit for next year?
I vote that next year we knit cat toys.
Posted by: jennu on July 3, 2008 12:03 PMA cat looking like it is sucking a lemon? That is too funny. The kitties, they are cute ones.
Posted by: PICAdrienne on July 3, 2008 12:28 PMHow about cat cage blankets? Simple squooshy squares so the kitties feel the love.
My Hobbes was a "mutzer." She loved to rub the side of her face against mine. Just made me melt every time, for 16 years. We also had a Calvin and he just wanted to lay on you. All the time.
I'll keep my fingers crossed and send up a thought to the higher powers that Benny gets better.
Wanna know a good thing? Walking into a room and finding them nose to nose sleeping like little bookends.
Posted by: Sandy on July 3, 2008 12:33 PMBenny & Joon are adorable, Ryan! I'm so happy for you. One of my kitties is a head butt-er, too. It's so sweet!
Here's what you need for Joon -
http://www.petmate.com/Products/Deluxe-Fresh-Flow-Pet-Fountain__24850.aspx
I have one I'm not using, so if you can figure out how to get it from Federal Way to Seattle it's yours! My cats couldn't care less whether their water is moving or not. ;-P~
(Just email me and we can work out the details. I assume you are able to see the email addy I have to enter to leave a comment...)
Posted by: Denise in Kent, WA on July 3, 2008 12:56 PMAm sending continued warm thoughts to you, and am now adding some for Benny. Joon sounds like a sweetheart! I adopted a dog from a shelter a little over 5 years ago and she was an awful sickly thing at first (very puky... always in the middle of the night, and always on carpet. I hate waking up to the sound of retching dog...). Anyways, she hardly EVER pukes now, so hopefully your kitties will get over the colds and other issues!
It's great to hear from you twice in one week... hurray!
Posted by: Tasha on July 3, 2008 01:09 PMThose cats are too cute! I'm mostly a cat person but at present am "owned" by a 16 or 17 pound rescued rat terrier and a cockatiel and wish I could have a cat or two to round things out...good luck with getting Benny well and home!
Posted by: Jean Marie on July 3, 2008 01:11 PMYes, let's do something kitty-ish!
Posted by: Bonney on July 3, 2008 01:14 PMI rescued two shelter kitties 8 years ago and now I happily serve as their wait staff. Gus is a faucet drinker also, Cleo just wants food and belly rubs. Congratulations on your new family, here's hoping Benny comes home soon.
Posted by: Diane T on July 3, 2008 01:16 PMYour new babies are dear and wonderful and the most fabulous kitties in the world. I have the most fabulous kitty in the world, too. Congrats to you all! And, I'm glad you're bonding (at least with Joon).
Posted by: CindyCindy on July 3, 2008 01:18 PMAwww, how sweet. Congrats on your new family.
Posted by: Ginger on July 3, 2008 03:08 PMHurray for kitties! Congrats on the New Family to go with the New Me. Splendid. Having been to the very dark place myself, I readily acknowledge that having furry felines in the house needing my attention was the saving grace that got me moving each day, even if it was just a little bit and even when it felt so awful. Kitties are angels and you have a beautiful pair. My four send hi-five paws to your two. Have a good holiday weekend, Ryan! It's so nice to have you blogging again. I was so worried about you.
Cathy, lurking in Sultan
Posted by: Cathy on July 3, 2008 03:17 PMKitty!
Brady and Kimble came from PAWS, too. It's a good place to adopt a matched set, apparently.
Posted by: Erika on July 3, 2008 04:05 PMCongrats on the feline therapy. Excellent idea to get a kitty, and an ever better idea to get two. (It helps remind them they are cats and not people, plus the companionship is good.) The mental image of Joon getting water in her ear had me giggling.
Yes, indeedy, it is good to have you bloggin again.
Posted by: kmkat on July 3, 2008 04:08 PMYay, kitties!
Hmm, wonder if Joon's been lying on anything soft you could take to Benny while he's at hospital? So he wouldn't miss her so much.(Is Benny a he? I get confused about these things...)
This blog made my day!
Posted by: Gail on July 3, 2008 04:24 PMCongratulations on your beautiful new babies! They are so lucky to have such a wonderful Cat Momma.
Posted by: Leslie on July 3, 2008 06:38 PMYay Benny and Joon! Kitties are way fun to live with. And you are right. The animals ground us and help us with priorities. Including how "messes" rate on our scales. A little kitty snot? Meh. Once in a while I realize that probably not everyone, unless they are new parents, handle as much poo as I do.
Aging dogs. And I'm lucky lucky lucky to be handling their poo! ;-)
Posted by: Laurie on July 3, 2008 07:26 PMOooh, gatos! Sending love and scritches to them both and well wishes for Benny.
And the flick? Johnny Depp, yes, but hey, Aidan Quinn ain't no slouch, neither....
Posted by: kt on July 3, 2008 08:56 PMI can't imagine giving birth to something with claws! ;)
Congratulations on the new family! My SO's cat is a tuxedo and she also really enjoys Moth Munchies, as we have come to call them. She likes to yell at the moths for awhile first though.
My kitties have definitely been very good for my overall balance. My Priscilla and I have a head butting ritual every morning. Enjoy your sweet ones.
Posted by: Kristen on July 3, 2008 09:53 PMThis is the SO mentioned in the previous comment.
They do remind me of Daphne.
Daphne also has a weird drinking thing. She doesn't drink out of the water dish next to her food dish. Instead, she like to have her water out of a casserole dish on the coffee table in the living room.
Posted by: Brian on July 3, 2008 10:41 PMwho is behind the ravelry pod people site?
a waiting list for a website? What is that about!
anyways we found your blog and added a link at our site:
come by
:)
Oh, I love it! Sitting here with Cuzzin Laura laffing about moth-eating...um, the comment, not the actual consumption, Brother Moths! Her Sandy, and my Nita and Mooj, are sending super-healing vibes Benny's way.
Don't introduce Joon to Ebay, and for goodness sake don't show her your credit card number!
Expect a cuzzinly call later today when I get to my mama's.
Posted by: Cuzzin Tom on July 4, 2008 04:52 AMI laughed during this entire entry...
the cats are super cute!
for the trickling faucet thing, my friends cat does that. when it was a kitten, it worked perfectly, now thats its slightly over weight (read: full grown, and obese [not due to over feeding, it just gains weight]) it doesnt fit in the sink. they got one of those kitty fountain things... http://www.amazon.com/tag/cat%20fountain the petmate deluxe one, in fact. the cat likes it.
Congratulations on your new kids. Your life will only get better now!
Posted by: Marianne on July 4, 2008 08:27 AMYeah, what THEY said! It's true, though, kitties are very healing. They're all acolytes of Bast, the Egyptian goddess who protects hearths and homes (also, and I'm not making this up, they keep blood pressure down). Benny'll be fine shortly with all o' US on his side. Kitties very often come with colds, but they do get over it. And I'll add to your suggestions for a little water fountain; we have one too, and they like it a lot. My Evangeline *occasionally* tries to walk on the keyboard, but I can shove her off -- however, she sleeps on the printer and almost invariably either prints out test sheets (LOTS of them) or she changes the language to Hungarian. I couldn't imagine living in a house without at least one kitty. Mazel Tov!
Posted by: dale-harriet in WI on July 4, 2008 08:38 AMWelcome Benny and Joon! And I'm so glad you have them. My various furballs, both feline and canine have helped me through some tough times over the years. Nothing like a little pet snot to give you strength to get through the day.
*hugs*
Posted by: (formerly) no-blog-rachel on July 4, 2008 08:45 AMLovely kitties! Hope Benny comes home soon. And do see the movie - it's quirky and sweet.
Posted by: Abby on July 4, 2008 10:02 AMBenny and Joon - squeeeee! I love tuxedo kitties. Well, I love all kitties, but my first cat Chet was a tuxedo, so I admit to a soft spot for them. And "Benny and Joon" was a great flick, too...a lovely story, and Johnny Depp AND Aidan Quinn?! *faints* Seriously. Oh, and I second the motion for knitting cat cage blankets next year.
Love and best wishes to you, Ryan - take care!
Posted by: jules on July 4, 2008 10:05 AMOh what sweet kitties!
Congratulations to all 3 of you - and sending some happy healing vibes to Benny.
Smile, it lets the light in...
Posted by: Gina on July 4, 2008 06:43 PMOh! And Ryan, find the pattern for Kitty Pi. The kitties will love it!
Posted by: Laurie on July 4, 2008 08:08 PMMy human babies were into those "head butts of love" too--but little kids, when they get to be about one or two years old, have heads as hard as rocks and big as boulders. Ouch! Seems much kinder and gentler with kitty babies.
Your new kitty family sounds like a good therapy--even to me--an avowed dog person. Maybe you can teach them to sneeze in their elbows like we teach little kids these days.
Remember to teach them that you don't share your yarn!
I was at a SuperBowl party once and the mom mentioned that they were having trouble with their furnace. She said that the humidifier was obviously messed up, because the water in her little "zen" kitchen fountain was evaporating every 24 hours, while usually it didn't evaporate at all!
....which is when her teen-aged daughter looked up and said "Mom! When you moved it from the counter to the table, the cats started drinking out of it!"
Oh, well ... whoops.
*grin*
Posted by: MaryB in Richmond on July 4, 2008 08:50 PMThe kitteis, they are lovely. As are you, for taking them in.
See you next week, I hopes.
Posted by: Rabbitch on July 4, 2008 11:17 PMCongratulations on the new babies! They are lovely. I sure hope Benny gets better soon; you don't need the stress, I know.
I have friended you on Ravelry. I'm DianeS. I suspect there are a few groups I'm in that might interest you, if you want to go check. (If you want to PM me, I'll tell you which ones I think you might particularly enjoy.) One of them is for the Snuggles Project, which makes Snuggles for shelter animals. I suspect that, with some cat toys, would be a great charity project for you!
What everyone else said! Good luck and happiness in your new life to the "new me". We all love you and care.
Posted by: Joan in Reno on July 5, 2008 02:39 PMThose are some pretty tuxedo kitties! I love seeing everyone's cat pictures. My sweetie is allergic, so we don't have one, but I so love to look at them.
Posted by: ellen on July 5, 2008 04:23 PMI hope you haven't blocked me from commenting, have you? The last one wouldn't let me. I'm trying again....
Posted by: Norma on July 6, 2008 03:57 PMWhat gorgeous Jellicle cats. I am sorry to hear that one is sick. You might want to ask the vet whether your cat can have Pedialyte. Then you could keep some around and syringe the liquid down in case of emergencies when you cannot get to the vet. I kept a lab alive that way when she refused to eat.
As someone who has lived with a number of Siamese cats, I can confidently tell you that if a Siamese cat loves you, it will stick to you like sauce on noodles. If not, it NEVER will. I have had both experiences, and it's uncanny how they behave. I am glad you brought home the Jellicle twins. I do hope that your buddy gets better.
Posted by: Fan on July 6, 2008 05:58 PMExcellent, darlin'! I hope Benny comes through.
The movie's excellent, by the way. You might enjoy it in your current bout with darkeness and Preciousess.
Or not -- hard to call these things sometimes.
I'm in England! It's raining.
duh.
much love, sweetie.
Posted by: Pandora on July 7, 2008 01:23 AMAwww, kitties! I hope Benny will be well and back with you and sister Joon quicker than quick, and in the meantime, I'm sure Joon will do everything she can to keep your mind on HER. Cats are very good at that.
OMG they are beautiful. I find that cats cure all ills. They are always there to look in your face and make a little meow and suchlike. Cats are medicine.
Posted by: CarolineF on July 7, 2008 05:12 AMLove your new cats!!! Hope you are feeling betterd too! Alone with the Kitty!
Posted by: tayloe on July 7, 2008 12:17 PMHealing to Benny and you. Head-butts to Joon. I have no moths here for her to eat, but came home from vacation to discover that the dogs had eaten a good portion of my Blue Moon roving. Would Joon eat my dogs? Please?
Posted by: Carrie on July 7, 2008 09:54 PMGreat that you are posting again and lovely to see the photos of the two new family members. I do hope little Benny will start eating soon - I wonder why he won't. You are certainly doing the best you can for him. Joon is there for the cuddles anyway and that always helps the stress levels anytime. We took in a little stray tortoishell girl last year - she just turned up and from sleeping in the old duck house and running off if you went near her she now marches in and takes her spot in the middle of the sofa for the night or snuggles with Hazeldog :o)
Greetings from (sunny-at-the-moment) England