Help Tsunami Victims

Sometimes we cats need help from humans. I have been following the news from Japan, and my thoughts are with all of my distant relatives and their humans in the areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

There is a coalition of three animal rescue groups in Japan asking for donations. It is called Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support. You can donate here via PayPal. In their Facebook page they have a wishlist about material things that you can send to help the cats (and dogs) in need.

Don't forget we cats don't have hands and as independent as we may seem, at times like this we depend on humans!

I'm Back

I was getting so busy with my personal life I had to take a break from blogging. But now I'm here again!

I've been filming a documentary about my life with my humans. I also met my big fan, Ninna. Check out her blog.
Now everything is pretty much back to normal, so I can think about writing again.

See you soon!

Protecting Your Property

As you might have been able to tell by my looks, I am a very good hunter. This proves very handy when it comes to protecting my house and my humans.

Last Saturday morning I spotted a MASSIVE skink, a very common lizard in all of the Sydney neighborhoods. This individual looked like it had escaped from Jurassic Park, on its way to stomping my house along with my beloved pet humans! I had to act!

After a struggle that felt like at least five minutes, I finally managed to tackle the lizard, and dragged it inside to show the humans what could have been their killer. Unfortunately, the skink recovered, and I had to battle it again. This time it lost its tail, and with it, its special powers. I was the winner. I saved the day again.

"Accident"

This morning I accidentally jumped in a bathtub half full of water.

...to be honest, I did it just to get some cuddles!

Training Your Humans

I am definitely a human person. I like to hang out with them, talk to them, and sometimes even cuddle with them. (They're so soft!) Humans are a bit like dogs, they are very affectionate and aren't afraid to show their feelings towards me. Most humans I've met have told me that I am very handsome. They also say I bear a great resemblance to my famous uncle Garfield.

Anyway, my good relationship with my humans is the result of endless training that requires patience, understanding and passionate dedication.

The first lesson you should give your humans is showing them that you need your own personal space. In my house, I have claimed the undies drawer, the foot of the bed, the kitchen chairs and all existing boxes, bags and baskets as my own territory. For some this may sound quite harsh, but you can approach it this way: let your humans feel free to roam around the house as much as they want, just as long as your personal space is not interrupted. This way they get a feeling of freedom and free choice.

Don't worry if you have to repeat this first lesson a couple of times. In fact, I am still in progress with my humans. They seem to have trouble understanding that I have claimed the kitchen chairs for myself. Try not to use violence, that could just traumatize the humans, and lead to rebellious acts against you. Remember, your humans aren't as smart as you! You know what's best for them.

More training tips next time!

The Dangers of Exploring the World

As I said earlier, exploring is not a risk-free hobby. When you step outside, there's numerous dangers waiting for you: birds, cars, swimming pools...

In my opinion, the rewards of this hobby are worth the risks!

The complicated thing about the world is that not everything is what it looks like. To me, this doesn't look like a swimming pool. Or, maybe it does, but it doesn't look like it's full of water!
As a brave explorer, I decided to find out what's inside... (The following image might be too explicit for my younger readers.)

Turns out it really was water. If you do end up getting wet, you can ask your humans to provide you with warm, dry towels, a blow dryer and an oil heater. And remember, you can always learn from your experiences. I discovered that the swimming pools doubles as an excellent water bowl on a hot day. Just remember to keep your claws retracted.

Swimming pools are obviously dangers caused by humans and dogs. It is possible to train your humans to think more about you and your safety in your favourite hobby. In my case, I made it clear that I don't get along with the swimming pool, so my humans eventually emptied it. One of the ways of getting my message through to them was poking a couple of holes in the pool. It worked perfectly!

Next time I'll tell more about different ways to train your humans. It's very simple!

Exploring the World

I am an experienced explorer of the world. I spend most of my waking time exploring. I like places that not many tourists go to - the floor, under the sink, the pantry...

 Of course, there are more places to explore outside the house. It is also a lot more dangerous! I can write more about the dangers later. I recommend bringing a bodyguard with you if you are not sure about your safety. Accompanied by someone bigger than you, it's even safe to explore under the clotheslines.

My personal favourite to explore is all kinds of bags. Remember to be quick and make as little noise as possible! This way you get more time to discover what's inside the bag: groceries, fresh bed linen, sometimes even books!  

 The most important thing to remember is determination. With a convincing, serious expression on your face you can go anywhere! Maybe practice in front of the mirror before your next adventure.

Good luck!