The Arrival

The Arrival
My new name is Shadow. I was Buddy for while, but my new mon and dad said I needed a special name that showed my personality.I was born July 20, 2008, ( my mom and dads Anniversary), in Mayorthorpe, AB, With the arrival of a slew of new puppies in the house, my folks decided I needed a new forever home, so they put up an ad to sell me.
Well a lady in Edmonton, was looking for a Russian Blue, with our special cuddly personality. Between numerous emails, I arrived at my new home on January 21,2009. That makes me 6 mo + old now.

Today is February 2, 2009, and mom says she saw HER Shadow..... hahahahahaha. Anyway I will catch you up on the last couple weeks.It was scary the first couple days. Its a big house, lots of exploring to do. and that darn old cat Holly, just doesn't want to share mom with me. But I can wait, someday we will be friends.I was so nervous with the change, I had the runs for a couple days, whew!, not nice, but I did not miss the litter box once.

The food is different now, so I will have to adjust. I ate puppy food for the last couple months but now I have Vet developement food.Whats a Vet??. Ooooo ya,! thats where mom took me friday for that huge needle in the butt.and neck. It hurt like heck, but I made no sound at all. I'm so proud of myself, but I didn't want to embarass my new mom. I go back in a month for a booster shot, I wish they didn't tell me, now I'll worry till then.

Last week one night, when we had company, I discovered this green leafy hangee thingee. Was that ever fun! Every time I hit it with my paw, it would fling back and forth, my kind of toy. But and I mean buttt almost got it! The whole toy went flying off the table, and all this black stuff came out, ewww. Someone said " oh no, I think a plant fell". Ok then, its not a toy. I do have boxes full of toys I inherited from Pepper a beautiful tuxedo cat that mom lost at the age of 20, on May 15, 2008. 20 years of birthday and Xmas and just because toys, all mine now!

They got these carpeted things all over the place, called scatching posts, ... not my thing yet. Mom cuts my nails, so what do I need those for , I ask you. Can you believe this, mom gave me a bath, on my third day here. horrors! You've seen those email pics going around of cats in baths, well ya they are true!. I look and smell nicer, get more cuddles now too, so as Martha says, "Its a good thing".You know what? Yesterday I discovered how to get up on the kitchen table. I found this glass thingee with a red thingee floating around in it. Was that ever fun to watch.. till it moved and scared the dickens out of me. It was only Cricket the Beta, too bad it has a cover, if you know what I mean.

Oh I gotta tell ya about this shiney thing mom points all over the floor. Its a lazer pen that really give me the excersise. Drives me crazy. Gotta watch out it doesn't shine in my eyes.Today I ran to mom and jumped up on her lap, first time. Boy was she happy. She bragged to her friends today. Don't see what the big deal is, all cats do that. I just heard mom tell her friend that she's making an appt tomorrow for me to get deballed. I will get de ball anytime you throw it mom! Oh not that kind of deball, do I hear snip snip. Horrors again Wonder if Garfield had to have this done?
Talkatchalater

Feb 11/09
Well yesterday was D-Day.. Deballing day. I took my laptop with me but I was toooo nervous to write, so I'll make up for it today. I was so hungry and thirsty, but I did enjoy the carride to the clinic. You should have seen the strange creatures there, all sizes and made wierd noises, like bowwwowwwow. At least us felines, boy or girl kinda all look the same, and a whole lot cuter!I sat in a cage for a while, fell asleep and know nothing else, till I saw mom again at 5:00. I was purring so much the girls just loved me, but then thats me, loveable Shadow! Mom hugged me and was so proud I was a good boy.And I'm STILL hungry!! hear me?? But I only got a little bit of food and water to see if I kept it in. Heck, do you think I'd get rid of it after starving for 24 hrs? Duh. By 9 pm I got more food and was feeling really spunky and playful.

Mom reqrets she taught me to fetch last week , in only a couple hours. Told ya, I'm smart, be careful what you wish for.When Dad saw me he called me a beautiful BOY and missed me..... whew, so glad he noticed.Today the Hollycat is sure growing at me, maybe I still smell like hospital and scaring her? In a couple weeks I can have a bath, so I will have to grin and bear it till then. yowsers!
talkatchalater

Feb 16/09
I'm baaaack. just think in 5 days I'll be 7 mo old. I gained 1 1/2 lb in 2 weeks. Can't see how cause everything I eat, I run off all day. Well I healed up real nice from my surgery, and I kinda like it, more room for my legs to move around, mew. I sure love playing fetch. All I have to do when moms at the computer is drop my mouse at her feet and I get some hard running and fetching action.. Dad put up a window ledge and also this huge cat tree right in front of the window, so I can watch the outside world. Speaking of outside, moms trying to train this harness on me, but its an awkward huge thing , I need one kitty size please! My mom showed me a picture of Zorba, my mom''s friend's baby. He is adorable, umm looks just like me. I have longer hair tho and a shorter, thicker tail, ha ha ha ha. private joke.

Boy that Holly cat sure can do some hissing and growling when I try to play with her. The other day she was sleeping and I thought I'd quietly sneak into her basket and sleep beside her. Well! not a good idea. I ended up under a couch. Poor Hollycat she has arthritis so bad and can barely walk, let alone run. Good for me tho, whew.Think I'll take a catnap now, to energize for playtime later
.talkatchalateralligator

Feb 18,09
I just had to make a quick note this morning and tell you what I discovered. All the doors have levers, no knobs. You know what? If I can learn to just hang onto that lever the door will open.! And I know theres a room with birds upstairs, I hear them all the time. ooooo, I cant wait to grow out of my clumsy period. Remember that yucky black stuff I told ya about? Well I discovered some huge pots just full of it! Its especially fun when mom puts water in it and I jump in and out, and it leaves my exact footprint on the beige carpet. Mom claps her hands at me, not sure if shes clapping at my art work or mad at me, meowww.

I should tell you, just in case you wonder how I'm able to do all this typing? If I had free rein it would all look like this right...... cccccccccccccccjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeiooooooooooooooooo. But I sucked mom into this job. She'll do anything for me. I think I know what love is now.
talkatchalater..
OOH Boy, I had to quickly come back tonight cause my Dad says I have to start saying some nice things about Holly. She's not a mean cat at all, in fact she's a real cuddlybum with mom. I think she was just real happy to have the house to herself, then I came along. I know one thing, I won't be walking all over her, or near her for that matter. I sure hope she accepts me soon, shes so old already. I really want to play with her and make friends, so I try to get a little closer every day, and I whine at her like a baby. Gotta try all my tactics on her. Ok dad, I promise, I will find good things to say about her from now on.

Feb 28
Yea! I'm over 7 months now, wasn't i supposed to get a present? I've discovered a lot in the last few days. Jumping on the bathrrom counter, gets the tap turned on . Its the same stuff mom gives me to drink,, but now I see I can play in it too! I also like to stick my paw into mom's glass of water. Wonder when it will fall over? Another thing I discovered is my tail (and Holly's). What a stupid thing that is. I try to catch it and it flips around with a mind of its own.. Whats it for anyway? Holly sure growls at me when I try to catch hers I'm gonna try jumping on her back when shes not looking. Another first I noticed while laying on my cat tree in fromt of the window, is these tiny little things that sit in the pear tree, no not a partridge. I think they're looking at me and wish I was standing under them, if you know what I mean. On monday I have to go bact to the Vet person for a booster shot. Sure hope mom will cuddle me like last time. Gotta go now and have my teeth brushed. uuuuggg!
talkatchalater

March 15/09
Its been a while eh? Well today I am hiding. I'm getting braver and more curious and into TROUBLE. Dad has these starter plants growing in the front window on little shelves. He thinks its a greenhouse there. And you know what, those things have that icky black stuff in them. I know cause I jumped on the shelf and knocked them all down. Horrows, you should have heard Mom! She sounded like a sailor. Dad was upstairs getting ready for work and didnt hear a word... good thing. Well he went off to work and Mom didn't tell him...yet. She didn't want to ruin his day, because he would be worrying about those plants. They all have to go into the garden in a couple months, I sure hope he does'nt have to restart them. I feel sooo bad and ashamed, but I am a kitten still. I just hope Dad can figure out a way to keep those things covered. I'd better go suck up to Mom and see if she still loves me.

March 24/09
I'mmmm baaak meow Yesterday, I heard dad say to mom " You don't want to go in the kitchen and see what Beano did! Dad calls me that cause I'm full of beans. Whats up with that, my name is Shadow. Mom was cool,found out I'd knocked over Crickets dried worms and the top came off. hahahahaha, that was so fun to swipe my paw thru. That stuff didn't taste that great. Poor fish. She salvaged the top of the piles, so its all good. A really nice thing that happened this week, is Holly let me sit a foot away from her, while she ate, then let me finish off her food. Poor Holly, getting old, not eating much.Wonder what trouble I can get into now.
talkatchlater

March 31/09
Well I am 8 mo old now, and twice the size of a couple months ago. I've developed a problem in my right eye, it keeps watering and its swollen a bit. It just started this morning, but Moms taking me to the vet in an hour. Sure hope I just scratched it or something. and just have to get some drops. Moms babying me all day today, love it! I'll let you know what the vet said when I come back, toodlleooo.

Well that wasn't so bad. I was sure shy with strangers tho, and just crawled up on moms shoulder.I make no complaining noises at all! I'm so good eh? The vet shone a blue light in my eyes, then she froze my eyeball! Then put some orange paper on my eye, to see if I had any scratches on there. Nope all good. I have conjunctivitus, inflamation of the eye tissue. I must have got a piece of dust or litter in there and it caused an irritation. The vet,Dr Madeson put some drops in and my eye already looks better tonight. Just 5 days of this and I'll be good. Gotta run now, and I mean run, its that time of the night.
catchalater

April 04/09
Well my eye has cleared up real nice, but still need drops for a couple days. Yucky! Moms been so busy the last couple days spring cleaning with Terri. Good thing she likes cats. Can you believe it , she trying to teach me to ride on her shoulders. I'm not a monkey! Moms friend Lynda came today, she doesnt like cats much, but I think maybe I can turn her..... gonna keep trying. I'm such a cuddlebum Miss Lynda. I smell ginger beef cooking, I know where I'll be begging real soon, tee hee.
catch ya in a bit

April 8/09
I gotta tell you about my 15 yr old sister Holly. Yesterday mom took her to the vets,because the night before she was coughing so bad. She's been doing that for a while, but no hairballs are coming up, so mom got real worried, it didnt sound right The vet checked her out and said her breathing is louder than it should be, but had to take an xray to look for any masses (scary word). So mom waited while that was done,and I just know whe was so worried. Anyway the test came back, and her heart and lungs looked ok, another vet will confirm that today.

Hollys broncial tubes were very large and could be mineralized. The vet said she had become asmatic in her old age. So the vet put her on dilater pills and prednisolone ( no more medicam for her arthiritis). Holly did not cough in the night nor this morning so thats a good sign the pills are helping. Guess that means she'll be around here for a while yet. I have to learn to really respect her and not bug her to play. Mom gave me a little slap on the bum when I jumped on her, I hope I remember what it was for .
Later aligater

April 21,2009
I'm 8 mo's old today, actually yesterday, but I was busy celebrating my BD and mom had a friend over,so couldnt type for me. Mom bought me this red collar with a bell, and dad thinks its too girlish. Looks like a necklace with a bell.. I know shes trying to get me used to it and then the harness again. If I want to go out for walks, I better pretend I like the sucker. Ugh! Good news about Holly, her pills and medicine have really helped her a lot, she more active, which just means she walks around more in the daytime instead of always sleeping. She still doesn't like it tho when I jump on her back. Such fun! Jump and run, Jump and run. I sure hear that NO word a lot, and I sure know what it means. That look mom gets when she says that , is enough to make me hide.

I love my window ledge, and I can see whats happening outside, now that all the white stuff is gone. Wonder what that stuff feels like? Mom keeps saying I'm a reincarnation of Pepper. Guess I do a lot of the same things, like going into the bathtub and knocking on the sprayer till mom puts water in the tub. I also get the crazies and tear around the house. Poor Pepper, I saw some pics of her, she sure suffered. Her jaw was all swollen from the cancer., but I know mom and dad did all they could with pain medicine.

Oh ya, remember that icky black stuff that intrigued me a while back? Well this huge tree that mom had is now gone,and I know why. I used to like to jump into the pot, than put black prints all over the carpet. Its my idea of art, what can I say. I'm babbling aren't I?
Till later.

June 9, 2009
Wow, I just realized how long its been since I dictated to mom. Trying to get her to sit down in front of the computer is not an easy task!..... kidding, if your're reading this you know better. She gets into playing a game and forgets about my blog. Anyway,, soon I'll be 11 months, and I've grown up so much, like 3x the size and weight since I got here. Guess it helps when I sit in front of the fridge... I get fed, haha. I'm still a growning boy. Well I finally got to meet my Aunt Heidi this weekend. Gosh is she a sweetheart!. She talks to me just like mom, and cuddles me. AND she let me sleep with her! ps, she had some neat bags and stuff to rummage thru, but I wait till they leave than have at it..

Holly decided to stay upstairs while auntie Heidi was here, she likes peace and quiet, and that it was not with those two chatty sisters! When auntie left on monday, I sure noticed, I was sniffing and meowing around looking for her, but she didn't come back, I felt so sad for a while, ok now tho. Its all back to the routine of jumping on Hollys tail and testing her patience, now that she's coming back downstairs.

Dad is so sweet to both Holly and I, he always comes to say hello to both Holly and I with a head scratch and a loving word. Mom 's really proud of how smart I am, I learn really quick, as I told you before about the fetching. I now know what she means with Back Up!, Out of Here! No Shadow! Shadow? Where are You? Course I come running (usually) because it means a treat. Moms still trying to train me to a harness, but I still hate that thing., it makes me itchy. I dont't think she'll give up tho, she wants to take me outside. Maybe if I drag the harness in front of Holly, she can try it on her? I discovered that if I roll around with that thing on, it gets tighter around my neck, then mom gets afraid its choking me, so takes it off. Told you I'm smart. tee hee.
A couple weeks ago I got another eye infection, wonder what causes that eh? The vet said kittens are prone to that, so hope I outgrow it soon, I hate getting those drops! Mom checks my eyes every day now, to catch a problem right away. Acutually she checks a lot of body parts, like my ears, nose, umm hiney. I know that seems wierd but poor Pepper used to get this anal gland inflamation and had to get it cleaned by a vet, not fun I'm sure. hope I never get that, i've seen picutres of it, that mom sent to the vet back then.
Lets see its 6pm and I'm not fed yet. Mom lets stop know and go to the kitchen.
See ya all l.

Talk soon