Celebrating National Pet Day - Truly It's a Wonderpurr Life





Today everyone is celebrating National Pet Day. I don't know about yoor house, but at my house EVERY DAY is NATIONAL PET DAY.

We love posing for selfies so today we are featuring several members of the Wonderpurr Gang that actually tolerate our momanager aka pawpawrazzi's camera in our faces.

The first featured is our beloved leader, Hwermie, aka Herman TattleCat. Hwermie has enjoyed an illustrious career as Sherlock Herms, a Purranormal Detective. He's traveled extensively to far away places like Michigan, Smokey Mountains Tennessee, Nashville, Myrtle Beach, SC, and Las Vegas (he actually flew next to our mom in the plane to Vegas where he walked the red carpet at Blogpaws.)


Next featured is...
Jack
Jack is the son of Peaches, the brother to Jesse the Toothless Wonder. Jack was born under a neighbor's deck in 2008, and when the neighbor shoo'd Peaches and kittens away... guess where they ended up? Jack had a bad experience with another neighbor who may or may not have hit him with a shovel. Mom never found out, but Jack went missing for a couple of weeks, and then when he returned he walked in circles. He spent a month at the vet, and when he returned, he never allowed anyone to pick him up again. He's reverted to being semi-feral, but we love him and he's very happy here in Flory-Da.

Next features is...
Candy
Candy is an intellectual. She's well-read, watches high-brow documentaries, and has a quirky love for coffee. At least for the smell of it. Mom refers to her as Caffeine Candy, especially when she tries to lick the Keurig machine. Candy traveled to Blogpaws Kansas City where she made the rounds with the Brands while me, Dori, hid out under the bed. Candy used to be my bestest furend until her boyfriend is K.C. aka Kevin Coopurr  arrived, rescued from our yard two years ago. They have a serious commitment to each other. *makes jealous gagging sounds.*

Next featured is...
Frank aka Fwank
Everyone knows Fwank arrived as an angry tomcat at the age of four. He was tired from no one loving him, and he had learned to be aggressive on the mean streets. However, our Mom took a chance on him, and even though he attacked Mom who fended him off with a broom, and shredded Daddy's leather jacket, Fwank soon learned about unconditional love. Today he's loved by everyone, and no longer shows any signs of the angry tomcat he once was.

Next featured is...
Opie
Momma always wanted an orange tabby, so when a little weenie kitten showed up in our yard, eating grass alongside the raccoons...and also a momma fox and her kit (yikes!) Mom rescued him. Opie is Jack's bestest friend, and is sweet on Peaches. We all love Opie, even though when he first joined our family he did not get along with Herman. Herman wanted to be the only Ginger in the house... but eventually they settled their differences. Today Opie is enjoying his Flory-Da retirement by relaxing in the Catio sunpuddles, or walking around the house in the wee hours of the morning, crying with his favorite orange ball in his mouth.

Next featured is...
Elly
Elly arrived four years ago after getting a tip from Mom's beloved Noah, a feral black darling who later passed from feline AIDS and leukemia that same year. Elly immediately made friends with Candy (and I immediately despised her because of that. Candy was MY bestest furend.) Anyway, today Elly has claimed our Daddy, and loves to snuggle with him all night long. She hardly waits for him to lie down, before she jumps on his chest and pushes her face into his. She doesn't mind at all that Daddy has asthma. And frankly, Mom thinks Daddy doesn't mind either. He looooves his "Miss Elly."

Next featured is...
Uhhhhh

Let's try another selfie, shall we?
Next is Rabbit aka Hermes LuxuryCat aka AssRabbit
Wabbit is a Turkish Van like our Hermie, but he's nothing like Herman. Where Herman is sweet and lovable, and always well behaved... Wabbit has no filter, and is in constant need of entertainment. If he's bored, watch out. He goes looking for something to entertain himself, and that usually means hunting me, Dori. He has been jumping on me and putting the bitey on my neck for three years. Momma puts him in tee shirts that act like thundershirts to simmer him the hekk down. And it works. Mom doesn't want to keep him on any kind of sedative, because Vans are naturally active and curious and...frankly, out of control. Good thing Daddy has the energy to keep Wabbit entertained. Together they are always finding some adventure to wear Wabbit out. He's a handsome dood, though. And when he's not biting my neck or chasing the seniors under the bed, he really is a nice guy.


And finally, I've shaved the bestest selfie for last.
ME, DORI
I would like to be an only child. Except for Hwermie, of course. And Fwank. I could be very happy just being an only child with them. Since moving to Flory-Da I've found my inner AssRabbit. Guess I've been influenced by yoo know who. These days I like to climb the shelves in Momma's closet, and I like to chase Gidget (I've never liked her) and I run around with my dolly - a stepped-on old Mylar ball - mostly in the wee hours of the morning, crying for everyone to meet Dolly. I sleep with my Momma every night, under the cover, and recently I've decided I love the taste of Aveeno night cream on her face. My favorite hobby is playing with baby dwagons in the Catio. 




But First, Rumi by Chitra Ramaswami

 


This new author is an unexpected Hero to the Omani Mau (street cats). What Chitra Ramaswami went through to rescue Rumi impressed me greatly, for I too, am a champion of homeless cats.

As Ms Ramaswami says, the cats she usually saw on the streets are very thin. Sickly. Initially she has only mild interest in the cats. In Oman, street cats are a part of life, but life outside the home walls. Feeding them is not encouraged. The cats must fight among themselves for whatever scraps they can find in the trash bins. Chitra, in fact, brought home a sickly, but feral kitten as a child, however it erupted in panic, leaving scratches before being set free, confirming in her mind the accepted notion that street cats were not meant to be pets.

She does not consider herself a cat person when the book opens. She has a rabbit back in New Jersey where her husband works, and muses she would like to have a dog someday. However Fate has other ideas when a scrawny ginger-white cat appears in her path. The moment the cat lifts his head to gaze at Chitra with tired, golden eyes filled with a melancholic emptiness, the stars align.

Chitra has enough on her plate. She’s traveling back and forth from her parents home in Oman to New Jersey where her husband works. Plus she’s dealing with a mysterious illness that leaves her feeling faint and weak. Her family is supportive, yet when she attempts to help the sickly stray, she is met with dismay. She knows nothing about caring for a healthy cat, much less a sickly one. But Chitra powers on, seeking advice to help the stray, who has problems of his own dealing with abuse from children that left him with an injury, along with harassment from stronger cats also forced to survive on the mean streets.

Chitra says she always leaves a little room in her heart for the unexpected. Rumi’s arrival is certainly unexpected, but in her heart Chitra soon realizes her initial promise to her family to find this sweet stray a home is futile. Rumi and Chitra are meant to be together.


This novel is a keeper. Chitra Ramaswami writes poetically of her life, and of the obstacles of harsh reality she is forced to overcome in order to help Rumi. Not only just Rumi, but by writing this novel, she has brought forth the life of the Mau for the world to see. When I first followed @RumiOnAMission2017 on Instagram, I knew nothing of the struggles the Omani Mau endures. But through Chitra’s eloquent, natural storytelling, my eyes have been opened.

BUT FIRST, RUMI is a well-told weave of one woman’s determination to overcome her native country’s prejudice against helpless cats. I applaud her for answering the call of caring for the Oman street cats when few others do, and I look forward to future novels by this talented author.



Celebrating the GotchaBirthDay of ChauncieMarie


https://www.wonderpurr.com
Today we celebrate ChauncieMarie turning sixteen. Born in Southaven, Mississippi, she was pregnant and homeless when she roamed into a newly built neighborhood. She begged for food from people who named her Chauncey cuz they thought she was a boy in spite of her being obviously knocked up. 

After giving birth she left her daughters (one black, one tabby) with the clueless couple whose sons named them Bucket and Barney. She then moved across the street to take refuge with people who recognized her as being both female and French. They named her ChauncieMarie, and soon she was living a quiet life with eleventy billion other homeless strays. 

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Life with a Crazy Cat Lady has been both a blessing to CM, and a curse when the CCL adopted the narcissistic AssRabbit who loves to chase old ladies. Recently CM retired to Flory-Da where she reached a new high with her people by suddenly spending the whole night sitting between their pillows, hovering over them while they sleep. 

Shunning the feel of any and all blanket-type material for reasons known only to her, ChauncieMarie is celebrated for being a sweet, gray-whiskered beauty, always in the background of our crazy household, and yet very much a part of who are all are.

These days CM is pretty darn healthy, without need of any medications. She is able to jump onto the bed without stairs, and doesn't have bad breath or mottled furs. And she makes the cutest little French "oomph" sound when touched. 

Always boy crazy, CM's newest crush is Jesse the Toothless Wonder, former member of the Garage Band up until this past year when he lost his tooths to stomatitis. Jesse is the son of Alpha Queen Peaches. Now he has the cat apartment allll to himself, cuz the rest of us aren't all that happy he's moved indoors. And yet while he's parked on the back of the sofa every night so we get used to him, CM gazes at him with sincere affection.

On a side note, CM's daughters, Bucket and Barney, still reside with her original food-givers in Southaven. It is rumored Bucket...or Barney... is near identical to their mom.

Join me in celebrating ChauncieMarie, our very favorite French girl.

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Being silly after finding her Forever Home.

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Enjoying a hot stone massage.

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After AssRabbit joined our family, CM moved into Mom's office.

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Living the Retired Life in Flory-Da.

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Getting ready to hover over pawrents at bedtime.

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Evfurrybuddy loves this basket, and CM is no exception.

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Now a ritual after Wabbit is sent to bed, 
ChauncieMarie spends every evening hugging on Daddy.


Happy GotchaBirth Day, CM. We love mew💕


Until next time...




Aries Asks...Are Mew Ready for some Football?





Hi pals, it's me Rabbit, welcoming you to another Feature Friday. Are mew ready for some football?  This Sunday, February 7th, is the Kitten Bowl ... along with some other kind of football game... and my wonderpurr furend Aries, the Cat Ambassador, will be featured in a profile during the Kitten Bowl, on the Hallmark Channel.

In case you don't know Aries, he's a handsome black mancat who uses his disability to bring awareness, not to only black cats, but also to special needs pets. Aries, you see, was born deformed, but not defeated with twisted, hyper-extended rear legs with very tight tendons. However, because he walks without pain, and surgery would surely leave him in life-long pain, the decision was made not to operate. 


http://www.ariestheambassadorcat.com
Aries was born to a feral and pregnant 3-legged cat who had been trapped and taken to a rural county shelter. Aries and his siblings were later born that cold day, but there was no heating unit to help the kittens survive. The shelter put out a plea for rescuers, and Aries' future human Mom, Tracy, agreed to turn her spare bedroom into a nursery for Mama Diana, and the babies, all named after Greek gods: Leto, Persephone, Atlas and Aries. 

Frank: From Tabby Terrorist to Momma's Boy



Hi Friends, welcome to another Wonderpurr RE-BOOT post. For years I've stayed in the background like most of us Anipal mom and dad managers do, pushing our fur kids forward into the limelight. But for this Re-Boot, I thought I'd step out of the shadows on occasion to share my favorite stories, be they about Rescue, or something from the Behind the Scenes category. Anyway, let's start with one of my most favorite rescues, Frank.
Amazing what love and the promise of never giving up on someone can do to turn a life around. Meet Frank, my ten-year-old tough-tabby-turned-soft-hearted-sweetie pie.

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Frank arrived in early spring 2014, acting tough, showing off his man pride with tail held high. I’ve never met a stray like Frank, which is why, of all the 100+ strays I’ve rescued throughout my adult lifetime, I’ve picked Frank to feature first on my Kept by Cats Rescue series.

The Scent of Happiness




Hi pals, i
t's me Herman!!! <~ YupI still got my three exclamation points. I never go anywhere without them. On January 18th I found my Forever Home. It was during a blizzard in Kentucky. I know you may have heard my story before, but I like to tell it whenever I have a captive audience.