Here's Janie and Corky's Belle, anxiously awaiting Christmas Day.
You can see by the expression on her face she is expecting some awesome gifts.

    
Beautiful Jordyn with Brachetto on the left, Brachetto and Madeira in their new Texas home!!

Ashley writes from Mexico: 
"You can see in the video clip below that Lily knows how to open doors. We've had to put
her in her own room at night and take the handle off he door otherwise she gets out
of her room, into ours, and jumps on the headboard... At the very
least, she scares us half to death and we wake up thinking someone is trying to get
into the house! Let me also say that her room includes two large sliding glass doors
to a vey small patio, a double bed, and a bathroom...spoiled kitty! Haha"
LilyVid.MOV

"He is very special - quite the love and still a lot prankster - great 
combination."

Thanks Joan for the new picture of Baxter (aka Gray Wolfe) from the Fur Babies litter,
enjoying his first fire.
It's hard to believe he's almost 6 months old!  What a gorgeous tail, love the tip~~~~~

Here is Onyx on the right being welcomed to his new home by his new sister, Maui,
who has graciously taken him under her maternal wing.

 Hi Mel,  It has been almost 2 weeks since last time I sent email.  Just let you know everything is well as it should.  Onyx is a LOVE BUG.  He responds to his name when I call him.  Sometimes I don't see him if he is hiding behind furniture.  OMG!  How cute when he runs to me as i call.  He uses his litter box well since the day I changed to the one you recommended.  My other cats are get along fine but male cat is still mad at me.  One of female cat takes Onyx under her wing to protect him as if her own.  It is really fun to watch when she grooms Onyx.  I will send you video.

Soooo glad I found you and Onyx.  I want another one (kidding).  My old man will surely kill me. Take care and will give you update.  Sincerely,
Mi

Aria spends a good portion of her evening hugging and cleaning her brother's head. It's the cleanest part of his body, Jay tells me.

Fin, doing his movie star pose.   "Look into my beautiful green eyes...no, you're not dreaming, I am this handsome!." Fin is awesome!  His tail is already longer than his body.  I thought we should make a little flag for him. Then like medieval times, he can fly his banner before he goes to battle with the dreaded Aria Monster!  Best, JK

Hi Melanie, The kids are great and now run the house!  I think we might be here only to fetch toys from under the couch, clean their box, feed them,
and keep them company in bed; but that's the way it is with cats - we're the pets….

They are both super loving and just beautiful!  Lincoln (Fin) has the cutest little voice; sometimes a "chirp", sometimes a meow, but always adorable.  Aria (Reverie) communicates almost entirely through various purrs…she is hilarious.  It's fun to watch them explore together.  I took them to my parent's house and they went at it like a recon team - exploring every nook and cranny and chirping at each other the whole time.  They make quite the team!  (my mom might contact you about a kitten btw, she has fallen in love with Fin and Aria.)  When they are by themselves, which is nearly never, Fin is as lazy as ever; perfectly content to lay by your side and snuggle.  Aria is a hugger, she must think Julie is her mom.  Every night Aria jumps onto the bed puts her front paws around Julie's arm and purrs away.

I have attached some pics so you can see them…they are so gorgeous!  Fin has lightened, but is still a very handsome boy.  Aria is nearly unrecognizable from when she came to us.  She has lightened so much it's unbelievable.  She is now a very creamy silver across most of her body with touches of a pretty tan and medium silver.  They are both so distinctive…Thank-you so much for letting us have them, we really appreciate it.

In case you think it's all sisterly love...this is what we have to deal with every morning at about 2am.
Julie, Fin and I try to sleep, and then there's Aria!  Fortunately, Fin is brave enough to try to deal with "Aria Monster". 
Don't let the photo fool you, she's winning.  He is bigger and heavier, but she is a LOT stronger.
Fin is mostly holding on and hoping for the best.

Wow, thanks April for the new pictures of Windy and Hummy.
They are looking great!

Here is a recent picture. Love them. Wish I could get 4 more. Lol
They seriously are gorgeous!!  They are so so sweet and cuddly. I call Windy Amber
and Hummy Benjamin. Amber likes to lay on her back and Benjamin still sucks on
himself and kneads. Lol.  Benjamin loves people and especially loves our 2 year old
grandchild. He wants to be in the middle of everything.

Cloud has been doing great.  He has such a great personality. Everyone we've had
visit has remarked what a wonderful cat he is. We had him neutered about a month
ago. It's a bit of a shame because he's such a handsome cat.  When we took him to be
snipped, one of the nurses was carrying him around and showing him off because she
thought he was such a beautiful cat.  However, it's for the best behaviour-wise.

Thanks so much Larry and Shirleen for sharing the new pictures of the kids!  They are awesome!

Oh to be a cat sitting in the sun on a warm summer's day. We humans need to take lessons from our Wegies on how to enjoy life.

Another very private moment between Aleppo (Junior) and Angora (Annie).

 I just can't describe what a precious treasure these two are. They are amazing but I know I don't have to tell you or anyone else who has one of your babies that fact. The Wegies have to be in a class all by themselves. We nicknamed Aleppo "Junior". Not exactly sure why, it is just an old southern nickname and he is definitely a "good ole boy". He loves all people, his beloved Angora, and he is trying his best to be buddies with our Sissy. Being a Red Boy like his father and many of his ancestors and having such a loving disposition as you described his father and like our beloved Sonny, it just seemed to fit. We call Angora "Annabelle" or "Annie" for short. She is so sweet. She follows me around the house wherever I go. In fact I'm having a difficult time with this e-mail right now because she is crawling all over me and trying to get around my hands on the computer. It was so nice to see the pictures of Fire and Suri on your web site. It's like I came to know them when we were looking at the pictures before we got Junior and Annie. I know Fire was one of Junior's main buddies growing up and Suri was Annie's little sister. I have attached a couple of pictures for you of them on their tree and a couple when they were hanging out in their other favorite place by our picture window where they like to look out at the birds, butterflies, and hummingbirds. We send our love and gratitude for these special kids. By they way, they got their last round of shots Tuesday and Junior weighed 6.5 pounds at 5 months. Annie weighed 4.5 pounds.

Here is Josh with his beloved Weenie Dog. In the absence of other playmates, the Weenie Dog is a good substitute.

Don't I look relaxed on my mom. I'm dreaming of a bunny rabbit or is it that canary I'm smiling about.

Here is TreTap Joshua enjoying his first mouse in his new home. Sandy spoils that boy!

Did I just hear "NEUTERED?"

Okay, I'm ready, go ahead.

Just got these new pics of the kids from Mary.
I think it is so precious how they groom and care for each other.  Here is Fire (Charlie)
grooming his beloved Suri (Keri).

Here's one I feel almost guilty putting up, it's such a private moment.
Charlie and Keri are going to have a hard time convincing us they are still "just friends".  :)

     
I love the surprised and pleased expression on Keri's face: "I actually caught it!"

In the evenings Charlie and Keri like to close the day with some slow dancing.  Here they are waltzing to the"Blue Danube"

"You want to fight, fine."

Don't you wish all men were as attentive as Charlie? The world would be a better place.  :)

The meaning of the word "bonded"

Charlie's First Day Home

Fire and Suri arrived safely from Oregon yesterday morning. My husband was good enough to go  pick them up at the airport and they did not cry a bit on their way to our house. He put them in the guest bedroom (the safe room), left the carrier door open and left them alone for a while. When he came back an hour later, Keri (Suri) was hiding under the bed but Charlie (Fire)  had not moved out of the carrier. I had a thought driving home from work that you had been providing them with raw salmon, chicken and goat milk, so I stopped at the grocery store thinking  how am I going to find raw goat milk. What I found was evaporated canned goat milk, salmon and chicken thighs. When I came home I prepared a small mixture of heated goat milk, a few bites of salmon and chicken. I took it in to them and Keri immediately attacked the bowl drinking the goats milk. Charlie was a little more skiddish but did come out, grab a piece of chicken and took it back into the carrier. By nightfall they both were out of the carrier eating and drinking regular cat food and playing with me. Today they are full of playfulness, eating, drinking and using the litter box just fine and to love to play. We will keep them in the safe room for a couple of weeks  and introduce them to the house gradually. Below is a link to my first visit with them. I am in love with them both and so happy. They will have a wonderful life with us. This morning Charlie seems to be the least scared and you were right - he is very loving. They had a good night I think and seem to be refreshed today. We look forward to years of happy times with. I will give you  progress reports as things progress and I am sure you will see lots of pictures since my husband is a photographer. Thanks so much for making my life so much fuller. I told my husband last night that this is the first time I have felt truly happy since I lost my precious Loco. Mary

What a gorgeous work of art, and the kids love it~!

Thanks for the kind words. I just want you to know, we could not have picked a better pair. They are wonderful. I wanted to share a couple of things with you. When we discussed their diet with the Vet. and told her we wanted to feed them some raw diet, she gave us a bag of Darwin's Natural Pet product, turkey. They love it, especially Angora. Also, I fish a fair amount of time during the winter months and we freeze the fresh fish in blocks of water for later use. I got some out and diced it up into small pieces and they love it too. Of course we feed them dry kitten food we got from our Vet also. The most amazing thing is to see them on the cat tree. They will run full throttle and hit the tree and shoot straight to the top without even stopping. I've attached a picture of Angora on the top. She made it there the very next day after my last e-mail. They are unbelievably agile. Just like our Sonny was.

Melanie, they are precious. Just wanted to again tell you how much we appreciate you letting us get them. They have a great appetite and are very active. Aleppo is so loving. Always comes to you. Angora sometimes is hard to get your hands on, still a little timid, so we are not rushing it with her but she is getting more comfortable daily. Once you pick her up she really enjoys it and is very loving also. We haven't let them out into the whole house yet, gonna give her a little more time so she will be a little easier to handle.

Hi Melanie, I just had to bother you with an update. The Kids went to the Vet Tuesday and everything passed with flying colors. Aleppo weighed 4.7 pounds. He sure is long and lanky. They both have great appetites. As you know, Aleppo is the sweetest most loving kitty you could imagine. Angora is just as sweet, just a little timid but getting better by leaps and bounds. Speaking of leaps and bounds, boy are they athletes.
 Angora is the prettiest most photogenic little thing. She is always posed for the camera.

Grey Wolfe, aka Baxter from the Furbabies Litter now living with Joan in WA

"He is such a love and growing into a gorgeous animal.  Here he is on
 the upper deck of my home - enjoying a bit of fresh air and sunshine."

Thanks Jorgelle and Hunter for the new pics of Bru and Purrl. They are growing so fast!
Love Bru's massive tail, what a gorgeous coat, not bad for summer.

  
LeoDoro, the Golden Lion, with one of his "ribbons". 
A little on the girlie side, but when you're a cat,
you can get away with it.

Here is Cloud helping to groom his new "brother" Fuzzyboots" in his new home in Cambridge, MA.

Hi Melanie,

I just wanted to update you on Cloud. He's settled right in. He had his vet checkup
and they said he was perfect. He weighed 4.1 lb, so I suspect he's going to be a big
kitty when he's an adult.
He's really sweet and playful. After the first night, he's started sleeping with us.
He likes to sleep on the pillows with us (see how long that lasts as he gets older!)
and if I stir in my sleep he'll give me purry headbutts.
There have been a few growls and swats, but he and Fuzzyboots have mostly come to
terms with each other.
I've attached a recent picture. It's been really warm lately and our AC isn't that
good so Fuzzyboots has been pretty languid. I was brushing her, you can see part of
the fur pile, to try to help keep her cool when Cloud decided he was going to help.
Fuzzy drew the line when he tried cleaning her ears, though. Cheers, Kate

Now there's a tail to write home about. 

Here is Moses watching over the beautiful "Juniperberry," Felicia's girl.  Is she stunning or what?  Moses isn't half bad either, of course he lacks NFC bloodbut he is still one cool cat. Felicia rescued that boy from certain you know what.

Thank you. JB is beautiful and so charismatic. I think she accumulates electrical charges from all the phone charging and mouse cords she has preyed upon:)

April, with Windy and Hummy, all three real beauties.

I am going to send you the funniest picture of Belle yet..we had Company from Portland, Ore. come a week or so ago, and we were in the kitchen just starting a salad for dinner, I was talking to my Friend w/ my back to the kitchen counter when my Friend got my attention to turn around, what do we see, but Belle curled up in the salad bowl. thank goodness it was empty!! Ha, ha

What's for dinner?  How bout kitten in a bowl?

 Did I tell you Belle is so funny when we start whistling?
She starts meowing, and she will jump up on our lap and kiss us,  lay on her
back, twirling and snuggling!! It is so funny, we found out by mistake a
week or so ago, so hilarious! We love her to pieces and I always think of
you and smile for you being the one to make it happen!! Thank You again and
again forever..Love Janie

Here is my beautiful Lily who is now living with Ashley all the way down in Mexico! Lily the ever-so-fierce protector! Ashley writes: "I had no idea that paper towel rolls were such a threat...good thing Lily is around to take care of things for me!! (See video below) LilyVideoPT.MOV "Hope all is well with you and the rest of your fur-kids. Lily is adorable as always! She is now in the pursuit of a chicken thigh- its a busy morning! :)" She is a really cuddle bug and a complete sweet heart. She likes to help me when I'm on my computer too.  She follows me everywhere which is kind of unfortunate for her as our apartment is pretty small and Lily ends up going in a lot of circles, haha. I have discovered that she is also quite fast and agile. She struggles a little on the tile floor as she doesn't have quite the traction when chasing her toys. Thank you for allowing me to have such a sweet fur-kid! :)

 Hi Melanie!
This is not the best picture but I wanted you to know that Lily is making herself
right at home and already getting spoiled with love! My fiancé is impressed that
she's already "trained"...I think he expected a puppy who is in your face constantly
and needs to be taught everything. Now, I'm sure a good deal of Lily's positive
behavior is from how she was raised, of course! I also think cats are easier than
dogs and glad my fiancé is quickly discovering this :)

Hi Melanie,  Here are few new shots of Morgen.  I can hardly believe that she just turned three years old!  I just went and looked at your site and you have some beautiful babies!  Of course I am prejudice and think Morgen is the best; she is pure love and joy for me.   She was so funny with the Valentine Lion in February!  It sang and she just seemed so enthralled with him.  A budding romance?  I hope you and the family (human and cat) have all been doing well.   Thank you again and again.  ~  Kim Vardanega  Mt. Shasta, CA

Here is Nancy starting off her Saturday morning
 the way life ought to be lived.  Bootsie (left) is growing to be a major hunk,
and Tinker has always been a major babe!!
Click on the link below, to see how Nancy's mom, Laura, begins her morning routine.
Laura has a tree house next to her bed, and at the crack of dawn,
Tinker assumes the role of Alarm Clock, leaping onto Laura, and purring up a storm.
I think we ought to start a new campaign "No More Alarm Clocks...use a cat instead!"
TinkerPurr.MOV

"He is a very special cat -  a real love - purrs, head rubs,
total lap cat.  Follows me around like a dog would.  I am hooked on this breed!
His tail is FABULOUS - everyone who sees him comments on it." 
~ Joan from Gresham, Oregon, raving about her boy Gunther

Another stunning picture of Ciaran Silverpaw...thanks so much Kay!!!!!
Kay is a professional photographer, who takes amazing photos as she travels around the world!
If you would like to experience a feast for the eyes, and breathtaking beauty, visit her on her website:
kaywalshphotography.com

Ciaran (Zeke) and Fianna (Annie) on their new beautifully designed
custom-built Catripod handcrafted from Madrona wood.  Pretty cool, huh.

"The Furkids are delightful and the home is most wonderfully graced by their
souls....cannot imagine life without them.
Thanks again, Melanie, for being our cat whisperer."

A good solid indoor tree is every Forest Cat's dream. 
They prefer to descend head first.  :)

Hi, Melanie, The furkids are now six months old.....and you should see how they've grown. Ciaran
is magnificent, his coat is full and his color pattern is very elegant. Fianna is a
dainty lady, full of mischief and energy. They absolutely adore each other. The
entire house is theirs, we even brought in a beach log from the beach for them to
play on. I'll send pictures shortly, after I develop a few shots that I've taken
recently...  I absolutely love these two, they have added a wonderful dimension to the home.

Melanie,  The furkids got a taste of the tree that they've been looking at for  months....they had a ball. Ciaran is quite the athlete, while Fianna was a  bit more timid, although she made it to the very top, as Norwegians love  to do.

Here is Windy on "her" new bed.

Thanks April for the adorable pic of Hummy!
He looks like he has truly found a home.  :)

 
Windy and Hummy in their new California home with April

I thought you would enjoy this picture.  I love them sooo much. They are the cutest and they love each other. 
I walked into the back bedroom where their litter boxes are and they were both in the same litter box side by side going to the bathroom. 
They do everything together.  They have totally become my kids.  They are definitely growing too.  

Daisy (aka Spooky) from the Detectives 2 litter,
and Prince Harry, living in a beautiful home on a hill, spoiled rotten with indoor plumbing and all the amenities of wealth.
No old fashioned litter boxes for the rich kids!!!  haha

  "Bootsie Boots" as we call him is really more of a Mad Scientist.  He's
got this crazy fur on both sides of his ears that is really thick and sticks
straight out - so unusual from other cats we've had.  He's also into everything.
Opens packages, steals whole cuts of meat while we're cooking, uses his front paws
like fishing hooks, literally.  If you hold a piece of meat out he paws it/hooks it
and eats right out of his paw.  The Mad Scientist has his own personality and comes
when HE wants to and prefers to be next to rather than on you.  Meanwhile, purr-box
Tinker (we simply call her Tinker, Tinkerbelle or Stinkerbelle -  dropped the "two")
is a true princess.  Very sweet and loving.  Loved to be groomed and snuggled with.
Comes up and purrs and licks my face to wake me up every morning and snuggles like
that when I'm on the couch.  She also has unusual fur, but different from Bootsie's
- hers is like a lion's mane.  She has this full, georgous neck of fur that is
several inches longer than any other hair she has.  I have to send some updated pics
- one of her looks like she's wearing a "ring" of fur around her neck - and that's
just the way it grows.  Very cute.

Here is the big baby, Riley, and beautiful Nancy and Tinkertwo on the right.  Tinker looks thrilled, haha.

Riley, showing the new kids how to enjoy the good life in their new home.

Thank you Janie, for the new pic of BelleAire, from the Detectives II Litter!
I just love her lion-like look!~

Love the little smirk on her face, haha

Something about a cardboard box that cats just love...Belle Aire is enjoying the view at her new home in Haines, OR.

Belle Aire is advising Corky about the best route for the trip, and then they are one their way!

BelleAire likes to travel with the family.

Columbo, from the Detectives litter, comfortably ensconced in his new home in "Paradise" CA with Leo and Ellen.

Fiona and Uther comfortably settled in their new Colorado home.

Caught in the act.  Guilty as charged.

Here is Uther in his new home, assisting Kimberly as she prepares for work.

An updated picture of Crystal, from her home in Texas with Jimmie and the Ragdolls.
Thanks for the new picture!

Cadbury and his brother Henry have found a wonderful home in Rochester, NY.

I thought I'd share this picture of the duo.  They are thick as thieves
and never more than a whisker apart.  They groom each other, snuggle and
follow each other everywhere.  It's quite precious to see how loving and
attached they are.  It's something I had not expected with them being
from different litters. 

Tinkerbelle also has quite a tail, I'll need to get a picture of that to
you sometime - the hair on it is 4-5 inches long.  We joke that Riley
really is the prettier one, his fur is as soft as silk.  Tinker has the
beautiful coloring, but her hair isn't as luxurious as Riley's.  She's
also really much smaller than Riley, the picture doesn't do his size
justice.  He's a big boy and she's our little girl.  We love them
dearly.

Nancy, of course, would love to add another, and another, to the brood.
My husband will kill me.  Rest assurred, we'll think of you next time we
decide to make an addition. 

Hope all is well, Laura

Joy and JuniperBerry seem to be fast friends already!

Here is Francis getting acquainted with the new girl.

Nero and JoJo are so happy in their new home, they pretended like they didn't recognize me
when I went to visit. 
 

Here is Crystal at her new home, fitting right in with her new Ragdoll sisters.

Well we are back to being one family again.  Everybody has stopped growling and Crystal has come out of hiding!!  She is becoming a sweetheart!!  She moves a lot faster than the ragdolls so I really have to watch.  She is also a little pig.  Rivaling Beau in the food department.  They finish up anything that anyone else leaves then want more!!  I am so glad I got her.  Adds more interest to the mix.
Will keep you updated as she grows.

Hi Melanie,
Just dropping you a note to say hi and tell you how Minta is doing with her new family.
Minta is a treasure. She is everything I hoped for and more.
 She started her time with us sleeping on Robert's chest from Dorena to Vancouver on the ride home from Reedsport after leaving you that bright summer day. She melted Robert's heart and he wanted to call her Butter from that moment on.
She is such a joy! She sleeps under my chin every night or by my head. Some mornings we cuddle and its hard for me to go to work. She has learned to play fetch and come to her name. She doesn't like to be left alone and keeps someone company all the time. She is keeping me company right now. Always curious and checking out corners of the apartment, she has had to learn to deal with baths as a consequence.
I love her so much, I know and so does my husband, I don't know what would happen to me if something would happen to her. She is just so special!
I'm so glad I found you and thank you for bringing her to me!
I will send photos later.  Huggles, Christine~
 

I always knew I should have kept Buliwyf.  What a hunk!!  Love the long whiskers and the tiny paws, haha.

Hi Melanie, Buliwyf is doing just great..I'm sure he misses you :-) 
He's such a big ole lover.  He's the sweetest cat I've ever seen.  I'm so happy that you let him come and live with us! 
My daugher, Katilyn, just loves him and he's taken quite a fancy to her as well.  ~ Karla from Halsey, OR

Here is Ghisella, Buliwyf's sister, who has gone to live as a Breeder at Fanciekat Cattery.
This is her summer coat, I can't wait to see what she looks like next winter!

Hi,
I haven't sent you any updated photos in a long time! She is just the love of my life. Thank you so much. I hope all is going well for you? I haven't checked your web site in a long time. I'll have to see what new babies you have. As winter is getting here, she justs gets more fluffy each day! Bless you!
Kim and Morgen

Hi Melanie,
I haven't sent you pictures in a long time. I call "Aine" Morgen now. She just wasn't an Aine, but Morgen just fits her. She is a doll and I love her so much. It is hard to believe in March she'll be 2 years old! She has brought so much joy to my life. I thank you for that. I hope you have a blessed Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year! Kim Vardanega
Mt. Shasta, CA  (Christmas, 2010)

What a beautiful girl Aine has grown to be.  I think her eyes are unbelievable..soooo pretty!
Her coat's a little sparse, but we can always hope maybe it will grow in some this winter, haha.

Here is Aine doing her morning ablutions...getting ready for the day.

Hi Melanie, She is sitting on my lap as I type and is sending you her hellos.  
She is more than I could have ever hoped and prayed for.  She is just one big pile of joy! 
She did just fine at the vets and they all fell in love with her as well... She is just so special.  All I can do is thank you.
~ Kim from
Mt. Shasta, California

Hi Melanie,

We celebrated Gunnar's (Little John's) first birthday on Saturday. He has grown into a solid, beautiful cat whom we treasure. There are so many great qualities in Gunnar. I think one of our favorites is that he is devoted to our oldest cat, Fish. Fish is a grumpy, old guy. To watch Gunnar choose to be near Fish and to watch Fish accept Gunnar's attention has warmed our hearts. We also think Gunnar is very funny when he is hiding under rugs. We come into our living room to see the throw rugs in disarray and then one big lump with a tail sticking out of a rug. My husband says Gunnar is the nicest cat we've ever had. I think that sums it up. Thanks for providing the world with more of these wonderful cats.

Cheers, Jean Mac

Maisie is Siobhan's sister, and has gone to live as a breeder with Martin and Nancy Lane,
of Fanciekat Cattery.  She looks so much like Siobhan they could be twins!

 David, from Brooklyn, NY, is now owned by Prints Charming.  Theirs is a wonderful
love at first sight story, with a Fairy Tale ending!

(From David...) I've taken up enough of your time, but I wanted you to know that he is (and always will be) safe and loved beyond measure.  I have to say "Thank you" again, because without you, he wouldn't be curled up next to me right now and my life would be so much less rich.  I confess that I've looked at your website and all of your cats are so beautiful, I couldn't help but be tempted to add to our family.  I'm thinking about it; I'll admit it.  Yarrow is absolutely gorgeous.  I never thought I was a red cat person until Prints came along and now he's completely convinced me that I am.  Please forgive me for blithering on like this, but I wanted you to know that he's happy and healthy and very much a credit to you. 

 Melanie, Here are Print's rabies vaccination tag/certificate and the receipt for his neutering.  (He's known by the name Awesome at my vet, but he's the only orange and white NFC they have as a patient.  They go crazy over him whenever I bring him in and everybody who works there fights for a chance to hold him.  He always sits on the lap of the woman at the front desk while we handle the billing/payment stuff.)  - David

Update, August, 2011: 

 Here's one of them fighting over who gets to be in the
Scrabble box.  Tinkerbelle is a feisty one and has no qualms about
fighting for what she thinks she's entitled to!

9/13/11 Update:  Tressa is doing wonderful and is still quite the character.  Cyrus is well too, and he is the more sensitive of the pair – he gets all dejected when she won’t pay attention to him, meanwhile she prances around like she is queen…  She still feels she needs to sleep under the covers at night, and strangely seems to get furrier in the summer and less so when it is cool out.  She LOVES the porch and hunting bugs out there in the warmer months – June bugs are her favorite since they crunch and make lots of noise.  (When Cyrus gets his mouth on one of those he gets grossed out, but she wants to scarf them down).  She also loves newspaper, but it is not for reading – it is for her to lay on and/or eat…  She is my little sweetie, filled with beauty and personality.  I am glad you have another one to share with someone!  They are all wonderful, but there is just something special about an all-white cat – always has been in my mind and always will be.

Hi Melanie,
Ok, for the panty story…  She has long been infatuated with laundry folding, which I do on the bed since the washer and dryer are in the basement.  She will sometimes just sit and watch, sometimes “help” me by unfolding while I fold.  The chest where I store underwear is on the opposite side of the bed from where I stand and fold, so I typically just toss those items across the bed into a pile and put them away when I am done everything else.  Well, she thought that was great fun – she at first would tackle the panties when they landed and tear at them like a wild animal, then graduated to leaping into the air to catch them mid-flight.  I thought it was adorable and she loved every minute of it, so I moved on to tossing the panties (I had a pair she actually ripped that I used since I wasn’t exactly going to wear them anymore) and telling her to “bring me the panties”.  She loved that too and looked funny as anything running across the house to bring me back the panties.  Then one night, the whole thing backfired…  I was sound asleep and she had an epiphany and realized those things that I was wearing were PANTIES!  She dove under the blankets and latched on and tried to do her rip and tear thing…  Now we don’t play “bring me the panties” anymore!  Sweet little Tress can sometimes be too smart.

Did I ever tell you how SHE decides when she is going to be held and patted?  She walks over to you while you are say, standing in the kitchen cooking, yowls once, and just jumps up in the air expecting you to catch her.  Then proceeds to just lay in your arms on her back until she just about falls asleep.  If you are holding anything, she expects you to drop it and catch her instead....

She is definitely a character.  Of all the cats I have had over the years, she just has so many cute and different things she does...  I was just playing "fetch the sock" with her - much safer than the panty game.. I can just imagine - I have a hard time now remembering my house without Tressa.  She is just so "Hi! I am HERE!".  She will not be ignored if she wants attention.  I'd say Alasse has excellent genes.

Tress weighs just over 10 pounds here at a year old!  What a beauty!

One night I was awoken by the sound of something getting torn apart in bed.  When I was finally half awake enough to realize it, I reached over and took away the roll of toilet paper she was shredding in the bed and set it on a high chest next to the bed.  A few minutes later, it hit me in the head as she knocked it down…  I took it away again and stuffed it in a drawer for the night, and she instantly DOVE under the blankets and proceeded to terrorize me to get even!  I have yet to figure out where she got it from – all the bathrooms still had their rolls right on the dispensers.  Both she and Cyrus love to haul things around like that – the bigger the better.  It is very strange the first time you see a cat walking around with, say, a dust mop hanging out of their mouth!
~ Excerpts from "Life With Tressa, or...Giseltress the Terrorist!" ~ Jennifer in Maine

Winter came down to our home one night,
Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow.
~Bill Morgan, Jr.

Robbie is one of our kittens out of Tabigail and Gandalf.
Isn't he beautiful!  Such an elegant boy.  He is 9.5 months old in the pictures.
Thank you Karla for sharing pictures of your boy!

Dear Melanie,
The thing I like the most about Robbie is his temperament/personality.  He is so laid back and easy going.  Although he doesn't meet with a lot of people except at cat shows, he is gentle and easy going with all who come to the house, and I love that.   He doesn't run and hide, but loves to be petted and played with.  Of course I love his looks too, that beautiful full  plumed tail is outrageous, and his eyes just make you melt when he looks at you.  He's a fantastic cat, and we are so blessed to have him.  Thank you Melanie, for this whiz kid ! !

Robbie is such an elegant boy.  He is a year old in this pic. 
His tail is a wonder to behold!

One of these times when we have a piece of cheese or something the "kids" like, I'll have to get Richard to take a picture with Robbie taking the tidbit out of my mouth.  He does it ever so gently, I've never felt a tooth.   I love to do it.  And sometimes, he will put his paw on my face or mouth, and likewise, I've never felt a claw.  He is something else!

Robbie is what you would call a "Hunk."  Karla takes exquisite care of him, and it really shows!

  From Karla:  In the evenings after the sun goes down, I've been taking him for a short walk (on the leash of course) like about two or three houses down.  He wants to smell everything and sometimes I let him and other times I just give a short tug and he comes on.  It's really amazing that he has learned so well.  At times he walks right beside me just like you train a dog to do.  Then he'll smell something interesting and want to stop.  I think I'll harness him up and go out for a spell

Not only does Robbie have his own private garden to play in, he also is escorted around town and to Cat Shows in a Cadillac. 
A Gold Cadillac.
It was one of the conditions that he required when we were deciding where to place him.  "Luxurious accommodations and transportation" he told me.  Thanks to my friend Karla from Ft. Worth, TX, for giving this boy the home of his dreams.

Here's Jaye celebrating the Holidays with Cian, Tansy, and Hawksley.

Cian is less a kitten these days, but continues to make progress on becoming a big cuddle cat. And I mean big.
He’s had another growth spurt. I’m beginning to regret that he was neutered. He’s charming, gentle, gorgeous, and huge.

Tansy and Cian have taken over Jaye's computer chair.

Here is Gunther enjoying a life of ease and plenty in his new home.
He is just a kitten in these pics...he's going to be a BIG boy!

 

Dear Melanie,  Maidie has a new name – Della Mae (after another Bluegrass song).  Della Mae is sooooooooooooooooooo cute. 
We put her in a safe room like you said, Tennie hissed as expected, and then Friday we brought her out and Tennie ignored her but was interested. 
Della Mae loves everyone, she purrs and scoots through the house like a banshee!  She and Tennie are now friends and Della feels totally loved and totally home. 
She sleeps on our bed (which I love) and is spoiled rotten (like Tennie).  We are so happy and worried unnecessarily about how Tennie would accept her. 
Life is great again.  Love, Lois

 
Arthur went to live with Marina who lives in Estacada, Oregon.