Patron of the Arts

"Let's see, shall I expand my mind with knowledge about the great city in which I live? Or shall I indulge in pure entertainment, by watching an old-fashioned video? How about the Wizard of Oz, or ... OH LOOK, The Titanic, my favorite!!!"

Trashy Girl

There is no place this cat deems unacceptable. The pull-out trash receptable in the kitchen island apparently made Annabelle think twice about her definition of fun. Determining that there was absolutely nothing to do inside this bin, she then leaped up about 4 feet in the air, and dashed out of the kitchen, pounding her sister Phoebe on the head.

A Boy and His Cat

I erroneously reported earlier that Phoebe Jo is boring, thus very few exciting photos of her. Well, she took exception to that, and herein proudly displays the results of her feline catch-and-stun hunting technique.

What's the Difference ...

How does one know the difference between a fake cat and a real cat? It's easy. The fake cat has an APPETITE!! The diva real cat refuses 15 different kinds of food in a row, and then tells lies to visitors that her mama never feeds her!

Dogs in the Midst

Lest any of you assume that I love cats and thus, must hate dogs, here's proof you're wrong. Below are Sophie Mae (l) and Lily Rose (r), on a lakeside walk. They're now 13 and 10, respectively, and prefer their walks to be lazy strolls in their backyard. They now frown upon invigorating healthful walks in their older age, preferring to nap-drool on the deck.

And since I must entertain myself occasionally, here's what can be done with a sleeping dog and a minimal computer photo-enhancing gadget. Since said dog was sleeping near an embroidered pillow, it seemed only right to colorize her nose, and voila! Lazy reindeer-dog!!

Muppet-Face

This sweet(?)-faced little guy was my buddy Muppet, who died 10 years ago. Just dug this photo out of a drawer. His name is Muppet for obvious reasons, at least obvious to me. Poor Muppet was the proverbial scaredy-cat, afraid of everything from our parakeet to vacuum cleaner hoses to stairs. And yet he lived 18 years. I believe some of them were pleasant to him. At least while eating.

Deception

Everything Annabelle does starts OFF looking deceptively sweet and innocent, perfectly posing. Then her real personality comes forth -- that of rerranging every object in the house, usually searching for food.

Little Drip

We have never owned a kitty with such an affinity for water. Annabelle LIVES in the kitchen sink, and frequently visits bathroom sinks, bathtubs, and toilets, the last of which has caused almost irreparable "damage" to her. And us.

Crockpot Cat

Annabelle has proven herself as indispensable help in the kitchen.

Snack Cat

Not long after Annabelle's arrival in our home, she began displaying her sense of humor. And/or hunger.

Mesmerizing

Whilst babysitting a friend's parakeet, Lydia fell in "love."

Quilted Comfort

Not to be outdone in the comfort department, Annabelle and Phoebe both settle in to my personal couch quilt. Quilted kitties are just the most gorgeous things in the world.

La-De-Dah

This is probably my most-favorite photo of all -- Lydia Jean being a prime example of how much cats love their comfort.

These Girls No Dummies

Phoebe Jo has the best life -- warmth from the floorboards, and a back massage from her new sister/child Annabelle.

Twisted Sister

Our dainty little daughter Annabelle is truly twisted. In this photo, don't be deceived in thinking that her back legs are just in the air. Oh no, they're bent completely back to where they're touching the floor. We're beginning to think that she is an alien.

Annabelle, the magic kitty

Last Sept., 2008, my husband was gardening in the front yard. He turned around, and there magically appeared this little Calico kitty. He made the mistake of saying "hello kitty," 'cause she came right to him, and that was that. We spent a month trying to find her owner, or anyone else who wanted a kitty, but no go. By that time, she had ingratiated herself into the household, and made Phoebe Jo her mother substitute, and sometimes punching bag. My husband dubbed her Little Ophan Annie. Her full name is officially Annabelle Lee. What Phoebe Jo lacks in amusing characteristics, Annabelle makes up for in hourly antics. We're quite happy she chose us for her rescuers.

Phoebe Jo, our narcoleptic fuzzball

This is Phoebe Jo. Phoebe is also a Bible name (like her "sister" Lydia's name) and Jo is for my father, Joe. So both my parents now have a grandcat named after them. Phoebe was found running lose by a lady who later gave her to us. So we didn't get her until she was about 6 months old (in 2001), thus missing her babyhood. I don't have many spectacular photos of Phoebe, since she can be rather boring, although she is incredibly sweet and loving. All she wants to do is sleep, as evidenced below. Then eat. She cares little for games. In her younger years, she used to be a kleptomaniac, preferring ballpoint pens and Tootsie Pops.

Lydia, the Beginning

This is Lydia Jean, our little wildcat diva, born under our front porch in the year 2000. She made a nest for herself in the front bushes, shortly before I blatantly kidnapped her from her wild feral mama. I almost named her Fern, because she also liked to sunbathe curled up in an asparagus fern potted plant. But we decided on Lydia, from the Bible, and Jean, for my mother. All our animals have 2 names. I suppose that makes us quirky people.