Missing Halloween

We see that there are still visitors to Halloween's blog. We still miss her very much. We were very comforted by the messages of love and caring from across the world that were sent to us. Several donations were made to cat rescue organizations in Halloween's name by CB members and also by the vet's office where she received care for so many years. These acts of kindness in her name were so touching. All kitties should be so lucky as to end up in a CB home.

Halloween visits me - her Food Lady - in my dreams still. Even while she was alive, during troubled times, she was with me in my dreams, protecting me and caring for me. Of course, she did the same in person. She was a one of a kind kitty.

A few weeks after we lost Halloween, we adopted a 4 year old mancat from Maddie's Adoption Center at the San Francisco SPCA. His name is Jackpot. We hope you will visit his blog too and read about his adventures on the side of Bernal Hill (but indoors!) in San Francisco.

Farewell, My Friends

Dear Friends,





Halloween went to the Rainbow Bridge this morning. She was home with us for two days. On Thursday and Friday, she was very quiet, and did not seem to be in pain. She ate a tiny bit of baby food - thanks for that advice - and some vanilla ice cream. But that was it. She wouldn't drink any water. She went to the back door several times, so we took her out on the deck and into the back yard where she could see her trees and garden, the domain over which she presided, for 17-1/2 very happy years. She looked at all of it with great interest and also threw one last despising glance at Slinky. Slinky the Interloper Cat responded by coming and sitting on the back deck yesterday morning. I don't know if he was trying to be supportive in Halloween's last hours, or scheming about his future plans!





I slept on the couch with her these last several nights, where she was on her heaty pad. Last night, I woke up and found her under the kitchen table. That's her safe place - where she went when she did not want to be bothered. This morning she got very sick and cried when I picked her up. She cried several more times and that was it. The vet came to our house and put Halloween to sleep while we petted her and talked to her. We are so very, very sad.





We want to thank all of the wonderful people and kitties who sent us purrs and prayers this last week. We read them all to Halloween. It meant so much to us to know that you all shared our love, concern and sorrow. Halloween was a very sweet kitty, and she was particularly devoted to me, her Food Lady. I still remember the day I saw her feral mama push her away when she tried to eat along with her feral littermates. From then on, she was ours. She loved me very much and comforted me and the Food Dude many times over the years. She was the best companion imaginable.





I want to thank every single one of you for the love and kindness we've found on the CB. What a remarkable group of people and cats!



A special thanks to these cats and their people, for all your friendship and kindness since we started posting:



Thanks to Beezer and Milton for being such good friends to me, and especially helping the Tech Dunce Food Lady to figure out how to actually do the linkie thingie - even though it took several years for her to figure it out! The kitties waved to each other across the hills of San Francisco, and their mama beans were able to spend time together and became friends.



Thanks to the cats of the North Woods in Canada, Wisconsin, Michigan and upstate New York, whose pictures of their places in the woods reminded the Food Lady of the places where she grew up. You have all been great and kind friends, and always there with kind words and support. We cannot thank you enough. These kitties and beans would be: Mickey, Georgia and Tillie, Goldie, Shade and Banshee, the Island Cats, Zippy, Sadie and Speedy, and the Meezers and Billy Sweetfeets.



Thanks to the Ohio kitties who also were such good CB friends, and gave helpful advice and support on many occasions: Parker and Family, and Mr. Hendrix.


Thanks to the grate Jeter Harris and his mom for coming to visit us and bringing flat Jeter across the continent. The evening with all the CB folks was wonderful, and meeting Jeter's mom was wonderful too. Thanks for all the love and good wishes.


And last but certainly not least, thanks to Skeezix and my love, Rocky the Gutter Cat, and their Food Lady and Mr. Tasty Face (who is indeed very tasty!) because without them, Halloween wouldn't have had a blog to begin with. They have given us lots of help and advice, and shoulders to cry on in these last few days.

Thanks to all the folks and kitties who make the CB work every day. You've sent emails, made badges for the blogs, kept the kitties up to date about Halloween's progress, and have been so helpful and kind.

We will keep track of you and stop in to say hello from time to time.

One final note: Amazingly, I've noticed a feral calico in the neighborhood recently. She just walked up on the deck to take a look at Halloween's nip plant. She's VERY PREGNANT! Hmmmm......

We loved Halloween so much. Thanks for making her life and our lives better.

Halloween's Food Lady and Food Dude

I'm Home from the Hospital

I came home from the hospital today - Thursday afternoon. I'm afraid the news from the vet is not good. My blood work is worse today than yesterday. I have liver failure. I am not eating or drinking. I did lick some vanilla ice cream off the Food Lady's fingers tonight, but I cried when they tried to give me some roast chicken. I am not hungry.

I am sitting on my heaty pad and getting lots of love and adoration from my People. They told me about all of your good wishes for me. Thank you.

The Food Lady is putting Lourdes water on me every hour and asking St. Bernadette and St. Francis to help heal me.

The vet says we will know by tomorrow if I have improved. If not, I will be resting, surrounded by all the love I could possibly want. Thank you for being such good friends to me and making my life such a happy one as we all got to know each other. And if I do have to go to the Bridge, please look out for my People, because they will be very, very sad, and they won't have me around to tell them what to do every day.

Purrs and paws to you all, especially my special Gutter Cat, Rocky.

Please Purr for Halloween

Today is not a good day. I had to get some blood taken last Saturday. The V-E-T called the Food Lady at work today and said I had to come in right away and have a sonogram taken. The vet thinks that I might have a tumor on my liver. He says that would be a very bad thing for a kitty who is 17-1/2 years old. The Food Lady and Food Dude came home and took this picture of me. I have been very quiet these last few days, and not eating much. They have been concerned about me so when the vet called they became even more worried.

Then they put me in here. I am trying to figure out how to get out. I have to stay at the vet for a few hours. Will you please send me purrs so that I can come home from the vet right away and not have to go back? I am pretty scared too. I wouldn't let go of the Food Lady at the vet's office and yowled big time when the tech came to take me away.

Update: The Vet called. He did not find a tumor with the sonogram but there might be a tiny one that is not visible. There are several other issues he thinks could be happening: something wrong with her prancreas or gall bladder. It is all quite serious. Halloween will have a short surgery tomorrow so some biopsies can be done. She will have to stay overnight at the Vet tonight. She has never slept anywhere except her own home and bed (well, except when she roamed on moon lit nights, chasing mice and cats when she was young) for every one of her 17-1/2 years. There's a big empty spot on her heaty pad and silence where her tortie voice reminded us to tend to her needs. We are really worried. Please send all the healing love and thoughts that you possibly can.

Too Many Requirements

I'm a little bit upset. Today I heard the Food Dude talking to the Food Lady and he said that I have Too Many Requirements! What in the heck does that mean??? He said that after the Food Lady had just given me some stinky goodness. You see, I have trained the Food Lady to heat up my stinky goodness to just the right temperature and put it in my bowl. Then the Food Lady brings it to me, presents the bowl of food to me to smell, and for my approval, before she puts it down in my dining location. I have to smell it and then lick my lips so she knows if I have approved the meal. Is this an unfair requirement? I don't think so!

Here I am sending a telepathic message to the Food Dude, expressing my displeasure. I must check the cat box and see if he has cleaned it lately. I think I will leave him a message there!

Here is a new friend the Food Lady received as a Christmas present from one of her oldest friends. When they were teenagers, they used to drive on back roads in Michigan in her friend's old Bug. In the summertime, these critters would stand in the road at night and get hypnotized by the car headlights. They were not very smart. The possums entertained the Food Lady and her best friend many times on those summer nights. So this possum now lives with us.

The possum is trying to make friends. GET OFF THE HEATY PAD, POSSUM!

Tell me, do you think I have too many requirements?

Also, apologies to all my friends. The Food Lady's busy at work and has been sick and not able to get around to post on your blogs lately. But she is keeping up with everyone!

Happy New Year!

Happy new year to all my friends! I am busy sleeping on the heaty pad. That's where I spend most of my time during the cold days in San Francisco.

Happy new year from the bandits who showed up on my deck a couple of nights ago. One of them stopped to pose for this picture.

What Cat Is This?

This cat showed up tonight during the beans' festivities. Do any of you know him?

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to All

Here is my Christmas tree. My Secret Paws gift is under it. Can you see it? There will be lots of beans here on Christmas Day, so I will probably be hiding downstairs. But I love to look at my tree when it is dark inside and the lights are on. It is very pretty. Plus, I can plan my late night whapping sessions!

This is me on my heaty pad. It is under the blanket. It has been very cold here so I have been curled up on the blankie and pad all the time. I am very happy, except when someone tries to put their legs next to me on the heaty pad and then I wake up and have lots to say. You know who you are, Food Dude!

Happy Holidays to all my friends. It was wonderful getting to meet some flat cats this year. The People were also really happy to meet the CB folks in person. You're a great group of kitties and people. Thank you for being our pals.

My Secret Paws Arrived!

I was sitting at my great snoopervising spot, keeping an eye out for the man in blue shorts. And guess what? He brought me this pretty red Christmas package! I was very excited. As you can see, there was something inside that got my attention.

These are the great presents that were inside! I am inspecting them very closely.

Guess what I found? NIP!!!! Ummmmm. There are also chasing balls, feathers, mice, and a GIANT MOUSIE. I know I will have lots of fun with these gifts for a long time to come.

I liked my presents so much that my People went out and got a Christmas tree for them. My Secret Paws came all the way from Virginia from my new friend, Sly ! THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SLY!!!! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to all!

Secret Paws!

Oops! The Tech Dunce Food Lady took a picture of the package we sent to our Secret Paws friends, but the batteries in the camera died. So we can't show you the picture! Sorry! I am excited to know if the kitties who get the package like the presents. Here's the tag from Skittles instead.

Happy holidays to all kitties and their people. I have been sitting on my heaty pad and that's about it.

A Kitty Conundrum

It is really cold right now in San Francisco. Slinky the interloper cat from next door has been left outside by his people. A couple of days ago, my Food Lady left them a note saying Slinky was trying to find shelter in one of our back yard statues. Today it was really, really cold and they left Slinky outside all day while they were at work. Should we call the animal cops?

Sleepy Sunday

I'm sleeping off all the turkey I've been eating the last few days. What about you?

There's A Bird in My House!

The people think I am napping but actually I am listening to them talk about The Bird. They have been talking about it all day. They say they are going to cook The Bird soon. So I am listening so I can be sure to be around when it is done! MMMM!

The Food Lady cooked some other stuff today. This is a pecan tart.

She also made this pumpkin pie. No canned pie filling for her! She baked the whole thing herself.

I hope you all have a Happy Bird Day! We are all very thankful for the good kitties and friends in the Cat Blogosphere. And we're thankful for our homes, families, and all the other blessings we enjoy. Give your kitties a big pet and your family and friends a big hug. Tomorrow is never promised.

Meet Peanut and Blizzard from Castro Valley

Here's a picture of my new pals, Peanut and Blizzard. They came from the Castro Valley pound and went to live with a friend and co-worker of my Food Lady. They live right near Skeezix. I thought you might like to say hello.

A Kitty Needs Lots of Love

I turned 17 years old this summer. Up until a few years ago, I used to spend lots of time outdoors in the back yard. There are big trees to climb, birds to chase (and be chased by!), cats who visit and try to taste my nip, mice and garden snakes to catch, sunny spots for warm naps, snoopervising locations, roofs to explore, and people to snoopervise. When I was younger, I would stay out all night sometimes and the People would get mad. I guess they did not understand that I was protecting them from the raccoons and coyotes and bad neighbors!

These days, I go out a little bit. I still chase interloper cats from my nip plant. I chase Slinky back next door every once in a while. But most of the time, I like to sit in my snoopervising spot on the big chair in the front room, where I watch the people and animals go up and down the block. I am a good watch cat. This is also a good, warm snoozing location.

Today there was an article in the San Francisco Chronicle about behavior signs that your cat might be sick. The Food Lady was very worried about me after she read it. I was pretty perky this afternoon and even played cat toy for a while. I also ate a bunch of stinky goodness and dry food. Anyway, this is my typical daily activity log:

35% sleep - the people wear me out. I used to sleep with them at night all the time but sometimes I sleep in a warm spot on the couch at night. They move around too much!

20% cat adoration - People snuggle time. The People need so much attention! I have to sit in their laps and keep them warm every night. I think they would freeze without me!

25% Food critic and commentator - Well, I am a tortie and I have lots of tortietude when it comes to what I eat! After a bunch of helpful hints from you readers and cats, the people now put my food bowl next to the dinner table and put some of what they are eating (at least that is what they tell me!) in with my cat food. I like that very much! I seem to be eating a bit more and I also complain a bit less about not being thrown the entire leftover roasted chicken from the dinner table.

10% Private time, curled up in a ball. The people get worried about this and think I am having tummy or thyroid troubles (a life long issue) when I do this. Sometimes, I just want to be left alone.

10% Tortie Comment Hour. I have a lot to say. I walk around and say it. I complain about where the people are sitting on the chairs and couches. I complain about the number of crunchy foods in my bowl. I complain about the animals that walked by the house today. The Food Lady and I have long discussions during Tortie Comment Hour but the Food Dude, even after all these years, remains clueless about HalloweenSpeak.

Anyway, I have my ups and downs. I have a very sensitive thyroid. I'm not the wild cat I used to be. But the other day, I jumped up on the roof and ran around. This is a big jump so it made the Food Lady happy. My people give me lots of love but they pay attention to all my little quirks. I'm glad they do. I don't know what we would do without each other.

Happy Halloween!

I say this every year at this time: I don't need no stinking costume, because I AM HALLOWEEN THE CAT!

Rocky the Gutter Cat Sent Me a Card!

Here it is - Rocky the Gutter Cat and me, together at last! I love him. I'm never moving from this spot, ever again.

Beezer Has Gone to the Rainbow Bridge

My dear friend Beezer has gone to the Rainbow Bridge. He died Friday night, at home, with his beloved mombean. Beezer has been a great friend to me and to my People. He sent his Mombean over to help my TechDunce Food Lady figure out how to make my blog work. He waved at me from across town. He told me to beware of the vicious, loud garbage trucks that roam San Francisco. But most important of all, he loved his mombean and she loved him. She is very sad and feels that this just hasn't hit her yet. Please visit Beezer's blog and send as much love and as many purrs as you can to Beezer on his journey to the Bridge and to his mom as she misses her ginger guy. We love you, Beezer and mombean!

Another Report About the Flat Cat Party

Here's a picture of me with some of our flat friends at the party for Jeter's mom after she walked 60 miles to save the boobies. I was very happy to meet them! All of the cat people were very nice. I even let a couple of people pet me before I went downstairs.

This is me sitting on my Food Lady the day after the party. She needed a big nap so I kept her company. She told me that she licked Mr. Tasty Face to see if Skeezix was telling the truth about him! Luckily Mr. Tasty Face was indeed tasty and also a good sport because he laughed when she did it. Luckily my Food Dude also has a sense of humor because he laughed too. Just in case you're wondering, the Food Lady has never licked me.

We had a big storm the other day. It made my cat grass sort of crazy looking. I thought you might like to see it.

Please be sure to stop by Beezer's blog. He has made his last post as he is very, very sick. His mombean is extremely sad. They need all the purrs they can get.

PURRS NEEDED!! PURRS NEEDED!!

My dear friend Beezer is very, very sick! His mom just called the Food Lady and said that the vet said he might have kitty cancer or something just as bad. Beezer has been at the kitty hospital all day and is now home with his mom, resting in her arms and purring. Please send Beezer and his mom as many purrs as you can. He might have to go the Bridge soon.

Beezer's mom was here for the celebration for Roberta's Long Walk. She has been a big help to me with my blog. She's very sad and worried about Beezer but does not want him to suffer.

So please send them both lots of love and purrs.