Our new banner

san decided that we should just have a banner that represents (sort of) us. ALso our colours are similar apart from Akira. From left : Rezki (black) with lady bug, Popps (white) with a camera, Bujang (Tux)  with a crown, Akira  (not actually like her as she is tri-colour but still) with the label Be Kind and Tanaka (ginger) with the big heart. san thought maybe if you do not know us well, you might be puzzled as to why san has all these pictures.

Rezki likes bugs and chases them all over the house. Also san says Rezki is like a bug that disturbs all of us even now. His eyes are naughty as he sometimes slaps Bujang when Bujang is asleep but he never slaps any of the girls as he is afraid of them. 

Popps has a camera as she is very pretty and when she is at acupuncture, many people want to take her picture. Even our acupuncturist Dr O had used her as a model several times when he has to takes pictures of himself massaging a cat as she is calm and won't bite him (unlike Rezki).

Bujang has a crown cos he is BOSS but not bossy as he knows everyone will give way (except Rezki)

Akira has the medal Be Kind as once san asked Akira what she desires most in our family. She said she is a kind cat and she wants everyone to be kind to one another so everyone would feel loved.

Tanaka has the big heart and arms extended as he loves san and would kiss her all day long if he could. Also Tanaka is a loving cat as we all love him and he does not know how to be unkind although when he was younger he was naughty and used to chase Akira. Now of cos Akira loves him and protects him from Rezki. So he has learnt to be kind to others as well.

A special family moment

This second picture has everyone in it. Popps was hidden by the scratcher which was a pity. But for a moment I saw that it could possibly happen for us- that all the kitties can have moments of sanity and quiet together in the same space and time. 

TGIF

I thought it would be nice to post the first pictures that were posted here of Akira, Bujang and Tanaka today ...just for fun as its TGIF day. But a few of them are quite blurry as these were the first pictures I had posted of them in this blog.

This was Bujang when he was only 4 weeks. It was the first picture in this blog. This was in Jan 2006. We only had 5 posts in 2005 and there were no pictures in any of those posts.

This was Akira firs picture as well. She had a fur on her hind legs and belly. This was in 2006

 Akira and Bujang did many things together then as there were only 2 of them in the house.

This was only one of the only two pictures I have of them grooming each other. They are still friends now but they are not as close.

 This terror came to us in 2007.

 He was a terror then and still is even now 

We hope you like the pictures :) It was nice to see them when they were much younger.

Sunshiny Monday

First we thank our good friends The Poupounette for giving us this very pretty award some days ago. san was swamped with work and could not think of the 10 interesting facts before. So today we are doing 3 for each kitty and one for san.

 1. I came to live with san when I was only 4 weeks old. When I first came home, she thought I was female and named me "Ning".
2. My mother and father were community cats. My mother was a Siamese kitty and my father a Tuxedo.
3. I like cheese but only processed cheese. None of the 'genuine' stuff for me. I am Singaporean.

 1. I came to live with san when I was 8 weeks and she named me Rama, as I came to live with her during the Hindu Festival of Lights or Deepavalli. Now offur course my name is Rocket Tanaka. Rocket because I can fly all over the house and Tanaka because grandma calls me that.
2. When san helped me with Reiki and asked Craig to help me to be calmer, I told Craig that I am the Protector of my  family. I protect my family from insects and other things that might harm them.
3. I am also the Chief Snoopervisor and the Director of Investigations. I always help repairmen when they come to the house.

 1. Before I came to live with san, I lived for a short time at the SPCA. I was one of four kitties from the same litter.
2. My role in the world and in my family is Healer. I try to help san heal from the cares of the world and when I sit with her, she feels calmer and more relaxed.
3. I only like walking at night when it is quieter.

1. I am thankful for all of them and am trying to get Tanaka and Akira to be together in the same space and at the same time. I need to get my act together and get going with the clicker training.

PS. We are also to tag other blogs but as our friends from The Poupounette say, it is harder to tag kitties and woofies who have yet to do this. So we ask everyone who comes here to tag themselves in their own good time as we think we have more visitors than commentators :)

The Amigos on Family and Friends

Today being Christmas, we thought we should post about our bestest Christmas present ever. Our Rainbow Bridge brothers Totoro and Megat spoke to Laura, who just happens to be the bestest animal communicator we know, and told us some things that we needed to know. 

    

This is an older picture of me but san said since I looked so well here, she would put it up again. All the pictures here may be ones that you have seen already but san said it would be ok since it would be the same for our bridge brothers as well. Of course san will post about us and what we think as we are five  cats, three here and two at the bridge. 

Today's post is all about family and how family is important to think about and how to make relationships better as well. We hope that when you read our thoughts about family, you would smile kindly on us and wish us well. We hope that today, more than any other, that every one has kind thoughts about their own family and for people and animals who have yet to find a family. Merry Christmas everybody. 

We begin with our bridge brother Totoro who went to the bridge 2 years ago but is with us everyday. 

                 

I want to tell my mom she did a beautiful job of helping me to heaven and helping me when I was alive. I want her to know that I was comforted by her. I knew that my life was coming to an end because I kept feeling pulled out of my body. Even way before I died I kept feeling this pulling sensation. 

There is a granny up here in heaven that needed me. She has beautiful skin and beaded necklaces. She has necklaces that are long. She takes care of me and I help her with her processing. Cause sometimes she has to look at her life and it is scary so I keep her company. I let her pet me all over and I lie on her lap and knead her knees. 

       

I want to tell my family that it is beautiful up here and that there are outsides with big red flowers that drape over beautiful green stems. And there is always gravy for cats. Big bowls of gravy for cats and there are also love blankets and cushions that smell like my family on earth. So whenever I want to be with them I go and lie on the love blankets and cushions. 

(We do have red flowers that drape over green stems in our own corridor garden. I had them because I thought it would attract birds for kitty TV. Toro went to the bridge one week after his kidney operation. He had to be resuscitated once the day before he passed.)

                    

Our bridge brother Megat went to the bridge in October this year. He would have been 18 on 13 December.  

I didn't think heaven would be anything special cause life at home is really special. It's like this beautiful mystery up here. Sometimes I just want to sleep and I sleep in the feeling and noises of home. I see my family walking around me and I sleep in the beauty of it and then I think of a mouse and go chase it. I can also become a shadow and chase my friends on earth or relax over them so they can feel me vibrating. 

       

Tell my family that their love helped me fly to heaven with the beauty of an upside down raindrop in the sun. 

It's true. I had such a great family on earth that I am able to be here and enjoy myself. I have seen Totoro and he tells me to live as free pulsating energy so that is what I do when I come to them. 

      

I want them to know that my life was healthy. It didn't always seem healthy but it was healthy and I want them to know that I love them a great deal. I love them more than anything. I love you family. 

(On the day that I had to help him to the bridge I remembered that he once asked Laura what would happen to his body when he went to meet Toro and whether a spirit would enter his body when he was no longer there. Laura then told him that nothing would enter his body and bodies sometimes get sick but the spirit is healthy and free. So on that day I told him that his body was too sick to carry him and he would have to leave it behind. When the doctor comes to help him I wanted him to run fast and fly high. When Dr Ly came to help him I kept whispering that he should run fast and fly high. I guess he heard me)

  

Tanaka: After I heard about heaven I think family should be pulsating love and cuddle time. It should be where everyone was smart and no one feels smarter than the other one cause everyone has a different mind and they use it differently and every member knows themselves and knows each other. (I am glad he remembered what Bujang told him about the way Akira's mind works and now they should give each other space) 

                    

Family should also be a good trip to safety, security and comfort. Yes, I realize Akira is part of my family. 

   

Akira: I feel like family should be proud. Proud of themselves and proud of each other and proud of the connections. I like to feel proud cause it makes me feel healthier. 

    

Family should be quiet and a sense of knowing that you are safe. Family should be good communicators  and a feeling of self worth. I feel good about myself. I hope that for everyone. 

                      

Bujang: I feel like family should be education and a place to learn and feel that learning is safe and fun. I feel family should help each other be better. I tell what I know and they tell what they know. We help each other. Family should be like mom. We should be mom. Thanks mom. 

(I think he is referring to what Tanaka and Akira had told him about the vet and what Akira had told him about Adrian, her osteopath. I would post about what she said of Adrian later that persuaded Bujang that going to see an osteopath may be a good thing. Bujang was also very wise and had tried to tell Tanaka about the difference between girl cats and boy cats or rather the difference between how Tanaka thinks and Akira thinks)

                    

One last word from Bujang: Can you ask my mom a question for me? When we sing together does she understand that I enjoy it? Well I have to say that sometimes I feel calm and my body is fine and other times I feel like walking and meowing and it comes on fast and leaves fast. When mom is playing the songs for me, it leaves faster. 

(I had asked Laura to ask him why he meows loudly at night and why he keeps walking around the bedroom meowing. I didn't tell Laura about the songs that I sing to him to calm him down though. It was a surprise to me that she spoke about them or Bujang spoke about them. I will post a out Bujang and his dislike for people touching him in a later post)

      

We leave you with a picture of our family. This was taken during leash training and when Megat was still with us. Notice that Bujang had put himself in between Akira and Tanaka. He is very protective of her and would try to be around for comfort. 

 Once again, we wish everyone a good Christmas with family and with friends.

 

TGIF

 Even our orchids are blooming quite well. Its good to see them on Fridays. We think of restful weekends.

 Its already TGIF day? Marvellous..more lazing about on grandma's bed.

 Just another day for me but I plan a great cleanathon this weekend

 Grass! More food! Running after my bruffer Megat! Wheeeee....

zzzzz

The Usual Suspects on Saturday

Toro is doing very well after the first day of the antibiotics and anti-inflammatory. He is urinating easily and there is no longer blood in the urine. We are all pleased. He is now taking the Kidney Activator and Azodyl 2 times a day as well. He is also behaving well with Ms Akira and does not chase her like before. But he is so driven with looking at her that he would not allow her out of his sight. This of course made her very nervous. We (Fern and myself) are trying to  get him to relax a bit so Ms Akira would not be so scared. Tomorrow though Toro will get a shave as it is very hot here and he gets bothered by all that fur.

Megat is also behaving well with the Reiki. He is much calmer and has not scared Toro for some time now. He sometimes forgets of course and I have to remind him. He is getting on at 16 and sometimes miss landing on the table, where his water bowl is. But we put the table closer to the couch so these episodes are less frequent. He has other places where he could drink water (we have 2 water fountains on the floor) but he likes drinking on the table and so we have kept it there as well.

Our adventurer Tanaka has been walking and of course eating the leaves off grandma's plants. I am trying to get him interested in walking downstairs where it is more interesting than the corridor but it may not come to anything as he is still afraid of walking on grass but he eats grass quite enthusiastically :) He has stopped peeing infront of the closet and behaved very well with Ms Akira, not looking at her or disturbing her at all. Of course he gets food rewards and walkies for behaving well. As he could not longer chase Megat or Ms Akira, he has been trying to make friends with Toro :) and I think the going is good although slow. The both of them have been spotted sitting close together at the door several times, without Toro slapping him and Toro and he have been chasing each other for fun. I am so pleased with this new adventure he is having :).

Bujang is now calmer and more relaxed. I brought him downstairs 2 mornings in a row as we had 2 days off last week. After the morning walk, he did not ask for evening walks and eats his dinner quite happily. Then he spends most the day asleep and does not make demands to be outside with Ms Akira at night! I do not know if its the result of the morning walks but its a pity I can't walk him in the mornings at weekdays!

The clomicalm is not working as well with Ms Akira with her fur as her hind feet are just as bare as before. What is good is that she has not bitten through her skin. She is very relaxed at night and would lie in the middle of the living room which she had not done before. She is also undergoing Reiki and I think we may continue to do this for a few more months to se eif she gets calmer.

Pet Adoption

I actually wanted to post about the amigos on the 15th and participate in this but as usual I am too late. However, I think I should just post them anyway :))

BUJANG

Bujang at 6 weeks

Bujang was from a litter of 4 kittens. I brought him home, saved from the rain, as he seemed to be the one that needed most care. He yelled and scratched. He was my first kitten and I had sleepless nights trying to bottle feed him every 2 hours then every 4. He loved milk and would eat everything I put in his bowl.

Bujang at 14 months- already 6 kg!

Now he is 7 years old and 7 kgs and is the most fearsome cat in the household. No one messes with him although he seemed sometimes to be the one who is the most scared of the vets and strangers. But he takes care of us all very well indeed and loves his grandma most of all.

MS AKIRA

Ms Akira when she was just 3 years old.

I adopted Ms Akira from the SPCA as Sister S said Bujang needed a companion. So she came to us at about 6 months as Bujang was then about a year old or thereabouts. She came and conquered and slapped him about and they became great friends, running and sitting with each other. Now Bujang is her bestest buddy.

TOTORO

From very young, Toro was such a model of a cat :)

The first time he climbed up the cat gym :)

I adopted Toro from M. M rescues cats and puts them up for adoption. M asked me if I wanted to adopt and as a joke, I said only if he is handsome. So in the dark of night, a week after our conversation, M brought me a thin persian cross. He was naughty and started fights with Ms Akira and even dared to wrestle with Bujang. He was fearless! Now he is THE HANDSOME ONE with all the guests and could melt everyone's heart with just a glance.

MEGAT aka SHAOLIN MEGAT aka SCREAMING BANSHEE

Megat adopted me when he realised that I was not out to hurt him. He followed me about when I fed him in the carpark and screamed loudly when he heard the keys as he thought I would not be able to see him in the dark. He ate everything in his bowl and asked for some more. The vet told me he was FIV positive and I would be better off to just leave him in the carpark and take care of him there as I already had 3 other cats.

The first time Megat smiled we had such a shock.
But you can see his good heart and shiny personality even then.

I told grandma that we could not possibly put him back in the carpark after we had taken care of him for some weeks. He was ill and we had to rescue him from being taken by the AVA. So I decided that indeed we have so much more space in our hearts if not our house. He stayed and has made all our lives better. He is loving and could be very jealous of the boys but we try to live together...as much as we can :)

ROCKET TANAKA

Tanaka, all cleaned up and happy, at about 10 weeks

Tanaka's first lesson in using the leash.
He was very curious and gung-ho so he walked very well indeed.

Tanaka came to us by accident. We thought we could not take in any more cats but some kids just put him on our table (when Cousin R was feeding the Wild Bunch) 3 years ago and ran off. He was just 8 weeks. There was nothing that we could have done so we decided to foster him and we actually did put him up for adoption. A few people showed interest but grandma said that as he was used to the amigos and we have grown to love him, that he should stay with us :). We were glad to have made such a decision as if he had gone off to some other place, we would not have known this very loving and gentle kitty. Of course Megat would tell you otherwise :)

Thankful Tuesday

Minah this morning...bright and cheery

I have many things to be thankful for this Tuesday. I thought I should make a list-

i. Minah ate 3 shares of Orijen biscuits this morning. She was okay last night at dinner but I was afraid that this morning she might feel the cold in her bones. But when she saw me out of the lift, she immediately greeted me and asked for food (as usual). She ate her first share quickly so I gave her some more. I sat with her while she was eating as it was already 7.15 am and many children were walking to school. I was afraid that they would make a dash for her or disturb her breakfast.

ii. The amigos are safe and sound as usual :). I gave Tanaka and Bujang some juicy grass and they were happy.

iii. Work was not too bad and I had managed to complete 1/3 of an appraisal report. This was a good thing as I know the rest would be easy.

iv. The rest of the Wild Bunch - FatBoy, Putih and Billy Boy are all okay. Casanova (the black and still unneutered male cat) had made his appearance after many months. I was afraid something terrible had happened to him but he appeared looking healthy although thinner. Casanova is a very smart cat as he has no fixed schedule with us and I'm sure he has no fixed schedule with the other caregivers as he is still not neutered after so long.

So for all these things I am grateful.:))

WOW! Blog of the Week

You don't say..lemme see the message san...be quick please...

Today we got mail of the very special kind... hehe...

Hi San,

Just a note that I've chosen Cat Tales as my Blog of the Week. You're featured on the main page of my blog today. Love your pictures!

Franny SyufyAbout.com Guide to Catshttp://cats.about.com/

So I went there and saw this. I am quite amazed and amazingly flattered that the amigos are now in about.com for Blog of the Week..hehe

Blog of the Week: Cat Tales
San lives in Singapore with five striking cats that she adopted from various places. The blog is loaded with great photos of these cats, which quite obviously receive excellent care from San. I like the fact that although they go outdoors, they are always on leashes, with handsome harnesses that appear to be similar to the Cat Walking Jacket.

Although the blog is not terribly newsy, one gets a feeling of connection with the short comments on pictures, interspersed with longer descriptions of their day-to-day life. We who live in the West sometimes forget that the world is full of loving, responsible catmoms and catdads. Cat Tales is a vivid reminder of that undeniable fact.

Thank you Fanny. There are many catmoms and catdads here for sure...

The amigos on sleepy sunday...an Update

I do not like being bullied by the squirt! tell him to leave me alone.

Megat likes Tanaka but I guess The Rocket can be quite a handful. He jumps on him, ambushes him from corners, pummel him with his hind legs and sometimes pull him about by his collar. However Megat would look for Tanaka to play with him so I guess Megat does not mind it...sometimes. I have to rescue Megat sometimes as Tanaka is very boisterous and once Megat was coughing from all the activity. So we always watch them when these 2 are playing.

Tanaka learnt that in the amigo house, a cat must rest sometimes...

If not he goes back into the cage for time-out. :) Tanaka has been learning the art of resting from every one of the kitties and I notice that more and more, he does take the time to stop..but only for a minute. If he does not, then I would catch him and make him stop for a bit. He has also learnt to keep still when someone is holding him, sometimes for 1o minutes at a stretch. For a little kitty, this is quite admirable.

No more meds! No more meds!

Ms Akira is not getting used to the routine of taking both her meds with good grace. She hacks and tries to spit the liquid and has to be tricked :)) into taking her pills. I am sorry to say this morning, she threw up a soild mass of dry food :(. But she takes her canned food very well. We will have to see how the rest of the days will go. But after her meds, she still talks to me so at least I am not her mortal enemy...yet.

Only Grandma loves me...

I think Bujang feels left out of the whole kitty and meds business. I could see the surprise in his round eyes when he watched Cousin R or grandma and I feeding Toro with the feeding tubes. So we have been making a great fuss of him and hide-and-seek is the favourite game in our household now, except only Bujang and I know how to play this game. Toro usually would give my position away to Bujang so I always lose, much to Bujang's delight. I know we can stop the game when he wins at least 2 out of 3 times. :)

Some day all this will be over...but when?

Toro has gone through the rest of his Falamin without incident. He takes his fluids obediently or at least without a great deal of struggling and is now on canned food + hot water for 1 1/2 days already. He does not like Fussiecat Tuna and Chicken with water. He simply refused to eat it. However, at dinner last night, he actually ate Tanaka's Natural Balance Tuna + water, much to Tanaka's very loud disgust :) So today he had both his meals with Tanaka. I hope in this way, he gets all the water he needs as he also drinks from the 2 CATITs that we have.

I tried to put water in all the amigos bowls - Ms Akira would eat it, Megat licks up his food slowly (he doesn't like it with water) and Bujang would just lick all the water and eat a little of his food!! At least everyone would get a little more water, no matter what. :)