The Art Of Living And Dying

Cats On Tuesday--Manipulative Purrs

2009-07-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

It came as no surprise to read the Discovery post about cat's manipulative purrs titled "Cats Use Special Purr to Manipulate Humans". All of us cat women/men know this one, right???

Here's the link in case you missed it. I twittered about it right away because I was so amused!

Link to Special Purr to Manipulate Humans

It's this one paragraph which really says it all:

"Cats have about the right size of vocal folds to produce a cry that is similar to a baby's, so there is a coincidental element," explained McComb. "In fact, the meow can sound remarkably like a crying child, which will be particularly effective with humans."

This is how Ms. Queenie Anela works my partner....it's his instinct to take care of a baby.

However, since I'm the Alpha Cat in our home, I'm onto her baby-sounding-meow, and she can't work me like she does him.

And do your cats manipulate you?

If you'd like to follow me on Twitter, here's the link. I tend to hang out there more these days.

Cats and Dogs--One Big Happy Family

2009-07-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

This is the 1st post I've written on any of my many blogs since my return from Asia, but Queenie, aka Anela, my BOSS, absolutely insisted she get her Cat Day once again.

Yes, I had been suffering from juggler's fatigue with way too many blogs for far too many years, and upon return from my last arduous journey to Base Camp Mount Everest, I needed even more time away from blogging.

However, here's an update on Anela for her fellow felines of Cats on Tuesday!

Before I give you the report, I'm gonna share a test I took to see if I could tell whether a cat was a boy or a girl just by looking at a photo.

"Here's my test results: Your Score: You got 13 right out of 20 questions, for a score of 65 percent."

If you'd also like to take this test, here's the link: Boy Girl Cat Quiz

So back to Queenie Anela news:

I'd like to brag about her...she's one VERY COOL cat. Here's her latest demonstration of coolness.

There is a new puppy on our property, an American Bulldog. His name is Charlie, and he is totally adorable but rambunctious as puppies are wont to be. Charlie is totally fascinated with Anela, and when they were first introduced (with Charlie being on a leash of course), Anela didn't hiss or run or freak-out in any way. She held her ground and stared him down with zero fear. She didn't budge from her resting spot.

Charlie is the new 'baby' of my daughter and her fiancee, and they also reside on the property in their own home. Notice the eyes of Charlie--one is blue, and one is brown.

Anela had already spied Charlie running around on HER land, so she was quite aware of him already, but bringing him into HER immediate home space was of some concern for me. Would the two of them KNOW they were part of the family? Would they get along?

And praises be, they are getting on! They're communicating on a level beyond our hearing, and they seem to know that they're part of the family unit.

Anela and I send our warmest A-L-O-H-A to all our Cats on Tuesday friends! We've missed ya!

Cats On Tuesday--Anela Ponders Her Future

2009-03-24T12:29:00.000-07:00

Anela Here: I've been listening to my Number Two Cat Slave discussing her Spring Break. I shudder when I know she's leaving on a long journey because I expect my Cat Slaves to jump and deliver the goods when I meow.

However, the Good News is my Number Three Cat Slave who rubs my ears every morning right on schedule (7 am to be exact) will still be around to care for me. I'm a very particular cat and one that likes everything to be on time. For example, every day at EXACTLY 5:30 pm, I expect to be feed treats--preferably Temptations cat treats, my favorites.

With my main Cat Slaves wandering the world and with only ONE cat slave left to care for me, my cat treat cocktail hour will likely be overlooked, and then I'll have to harass the Number Three cat slave when she arrives home.

I make a particular 'harassing' sound when my needs have been overlooked. One could almost compare this sound to a dog's bark. It's a command, and believe me, my Cat Slaves KNOW this sound as they always comply when I make this sound.

Anyways, my dear cat friends around the world, I'm letting you know my Cats on Tuesday post will be returning in June once my cat slaves return from their journey. So I'll check back-up on your adventures and once again tattle on my slaves at this time.

Aloha from The Maui Cat!

Cats On Tuesday--On Imperfection

2009-03-10T12:54:00.000-07:00

Anela here: My Number Two Cat Slave posted a quote on her Twitter page which I'd like to embellish upon on my special day hosted by Gattina.

This is the quote: "There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion." Sir Francis Bacon

When I was a young 'un, one of my Number 2 Cat Slaves's friends told her that there was something wrong with me. Imagine that! How rude! This so-called friend said that my eyes weren't evenly balanced and therefore I was a bit strange.

I ran to a reflective surface and looked at my beautiful eyes, and yes, twas true that one eye was different than the other. One eye slanted more and was a bit larger! But the more I thought about my uneven eyes, the more I realized I liked them just the way they are! Who sez that eyes have to be perfectly matched anyways?!

After coming to grips with my extraordinary beauty and high strangeness, that's when I observed my Cat Slave's friend with more scrutiny. Her eyes were perfectly balanced, but even with perfectly balanced eyes, she wasn't a kind person.

Thus, the moral of this little cat tale today is: Accept your imperfections. Glory in your excellent strangeness. Be the beautiful, strange, alluring cat you are, and don't buy-into anyone telling you that you have to be perfect. You're even more beautiful according to the great Sir Francis Bacon who knew a thing or two.

And what is your oddity my fellow cats?

Music Monday--Sleep Song

2009-02-23T12:19:00.000-08:00

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

Wordless Wednesday-Maui Mural

2009-02-18T16:52:00.000-08:00

Cats On Tuesday--Anela Drinks

2009-02-17T12:24:00.000-08:00

Anela here: It's MY DAY again--Cats on Tuesday hosted by Gattina! I love Tuesdays because this is the day my Number Two Cat Slave writes for me. Today she posted a photo of me drinking from a large container of water....she snuck-up on me and took this photo without my even knowing it! She can be very sneaky!

This container is used to re-fill the huge containers with guppies they keep on the deck, and the reason they fill these water containers is so the fluoride in the water burns off in the sun and won't harm their guppies when they eventually pour the water into the guppy containers. My Cat Slaves love their guppies and feed them everyday as they do their birds.

Since the water is refreshed daily, I like to drink it every now and then. Not that I don't have a posh water bowl full of fresh, filtered water, but you know how it is--sometimes it's fun to change it up a bit. Don't you agree?

Music Monday--I Just Can't Get Enough

2009-02-16T14:05:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-11T11:48:00.001-08:00

Cats On Tuesday--Cat Dreams

2009-02-10T11:03:00.000-08:00

Anela here: My Number Two Cat Slave is typing this post quickly because she's late for a very important date. However, I insisted she share the funny photo we discovered on the Internets recently. So here it is...dontcha love it?

My Cat Slaves are always super busy, and I see them running around doing this, doing that. And I think to myself, I'm glad I'm me! Humans need to learn how to be lazy and relaxed and dream some more. Don't you agree my cat friends?

Music Monday--Her Morning Elegance

2009-02-09T13:36:00.000-08:00

Cats On Tuesday--Between Storms

2009-02-03T12:01:00.000-08:00

Anela here: It's been a very stormy, rainy year on Maui where I live, and in the photo above, you can see me enjoying a delicious sunbath between storms. This photo of me was taken yesterday, and today yet another storm has arrived. Gah! I much prefer the sunny weather as I love to sunbathe and loaf outdoors.

When the weather is bad, I cuddle up inside on pillows which my Number Two Cat Slave provides for me as she knows I'm rather unhappy with the bad weather. She gives me extra treats and does her best to make me feel cozy.

This week my Cat Slave received a phone call from her friend Basha who told her the story of having to put her cat down due to a bad virus her cat had contacted. The virus is called FIP for short, and this virus took her beloved cat over the rainbow. My Cat Slave wanted me to inform you about this virus.

Purrs go out to dear Basha over the loss of her Best Friend!

It is said that cats have nine lives, and for some cats, this appears to be true as they survive amazing falls and disasters. Yet for some other cats, when they are called to The Other Side, they know. They know. And these ones surrender to their destiny. There are no mistakes, and they often come visit their former Cat Slaves in their Spirit Body to comfort them.

Cats see these Spirit Body cats, and so we know Life Goes On....and on...and on.

Music Monday--You're So Beautiful

2009-02-02T16:58:00.000-08:00

Cats On Tuesday--Anela's Housebound

2009-01-27T11:50:00.001-08:00

Anela here: Today's it's raining, and thus, I'm stuck indoors to sleep away my day. Not that I mind! As I've grown older, I sleep more. Usually I like to sleep near my Cat Slaves, and they discover me nearby them most of the time.

When I was younger, I was a hunter and a gad-about, but these days I like to stay very close to my Cat Slaves so I can keep an eye on them. I hope I don't see any bags being pulled-out of the closet anytime soon as their vacations are horrific for me.

Now that a third Cat Slave has been added to the home who likes to rubs my ears and warm them up on cold mornings, I'm even happier. The first thing I do in the morning is run up to my third Cat Slave and ask for ear rubs. Sometimes I think I like ear rubs even better than Temptation Treats!

The only funny thing which happened to me this week is a case of mistaken identity. Here's what happened: a cat showed up in our front yard which looked almost identical to me, and this cat was stalking our birds. In the meantime, my cat slaves thought this was me....and I was sleeping away in the bedroom. They wondered why I would stalk birds since I no longer do such a thing. I heard them talking about me, and so I saunter into the room to listen better. Were they ever shocked to see me sitting on the floor in the kitchen! Their expressions were priceless.

Cat Coin

2009-01-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

Cats On Tuesday--Anela Gets Adopted

2009-01-20T14:51:00.000-08:00

Anela here: sorry about being so late to post, but a serious situation happened when the Obamas adopted me! I had to run at the speed of light back to my Maui home because even though the Obamas seem like a WONDERFUL family, I would totally miss my very well trained Cat Slaves.

Above is the official photo of me created by Pawfun.

Wordless Wednesday--Archangel Gabriel

2009-01-14T11:51:00.001-08:00

Music Monday--Let It Be

2009-01-12T11:45:00.000-08:00

Cats On Tuesday--Anela Sees Something

2009-01-06T13:18:00.001-08:00

Anela here: I wish my Cat Slaves could see half of what I see visiting our home! It's so frustrating trying to tell my Cat Slaves about the invisible 'visitors' we receive. I can only demonstrate through my behavior because they don't understand cat language.

Here's an example: There's a bedroom in our home where lives a magnificent, magical dragon which only comes out at night. During the daylight, the dragon sleeps in her cave deep under the bedroom floor, but around early evening, she likes to poke her head up and check out everything. It's at this time that she whistles for me, and I want to come visit her. I MUST go see her because her power compels me to visit her.

However, my Cat Slaves don't see her or hear her, and they don't want to let me into the bedroom (door closed) so I can go play with my dragon friend. So I have to drive my Cat Slaves crazy with meowing until they relent and let me in the door.

After they let me in, I greet the dragon with loud purrs and walk crouched down close to the floor so the Cat Slaves will hopefully watch and listen and learn from my behavior. Of course, they don't see what I see: a beautiful, pink colored dragon who is happy to see me! And I'm happy to see her too because she is so sweet and loving!

Then my Cat Slaves force me to leave the bedroom and talk about me the rest of the evening and scratch their heads and wonder if I'm a crazy cat. However, they've started to catch on at last, and now they realize I'm a very lucky cat to have an *invisible* friend.

How do you like my first cat tale of the year?

Music Monday--Keali'i Reichel

2009-01-05T11:18:00.000-08:00

Keali'i Reichel is a big star in Hawaii. Enjoy!

Music Monday

2008-12-29T13:18:00.000-08:00

I've only recently discovered this comic group "Flight of the Conchords", and I'm really enjoying their style and diversity.

Happy New Year everyone!
Peace!

Cats On Tuesday--Happy Holidays

2008-12-23T16:23:00.000-08:00

Anela here: Isn't it lovely of my Number Two Cat Slave to put Christmas ornaments of me all over the family Christmas tree? I'm sure there must be many packages for me underneath the tree since I made my magic spell when the tree first came to our home. I laid underneath the tree, and everyone commented how cute I looked there. Little did they know, I was making cat magic.

And then POOF! One by one by one packages started arriving under the tree, and this was MY magic spell which called these packages/gifts forth!

For all my Cats on Tuesday friends around the world, I send you holiday greetings and BIG purrs. I send a huge cuddle and purr to the Greatest Cat Lady, Gattina, who began Cats on Tuesday. Gattina's a famous cat artist, and maybe one day she'll paint me!

Wordless Wednesday--Ganesha

2008-12-17T17:44:00.000-08:00

Music Monday--Enya

2008-12-15T13:34:00.000-08:00

Music Monday--Nat King Cole

2008-12-08T12:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Holy Daze!