Starship Asterisk*

A SLIDE SHOW OF CATS, SOME OF WHICH ARE 40lbs OR MORE!!
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/sli ... ts-8663624

This is to celebrate my achieving the status of Science Officer

This picture of a cat with Science Officer Data (a slightly paranoid Android, even if not quite as much as Marvin) was too good to pass up on

Margarita
(written on my very own paranoid Android Google Nexus 7 - who has actually behaved impeccably whilst doing this post.)

Margarita, there's a 'spot' in your picture.

Sassy had he stitches taken out and is doing real well! She is more playful now that she has been for a while.

orin stepanek wrote:Sassy had he stitches taken out and is doing real well! She is more playful now that she has been for a while.

I am so glad that Sassy is doing well, Orin.

Some time back you posted a photo of her in a wicker chair - we havea similar chair in our garden and every cat we've had loves it! Does Sassy still like her chair? And does she still wear those lovely scarves?

Best wishes
Margarita

MargaritaMc wrote:

orin stepanek wrote:Sassy had he stitches taken out and is doing real well! She is more playful now that she has been for a while.

I am so glad that Sassy is doing well, Orin.

Some time back you posted a photo of her in a wicker chair - we havea similar chair in our garden and every cat we've had loves it! Does Sassy still like her chair? And does she still wear those lovely scarves?

Best wishes
Margarita

Actually; Sassy sat in the wicker that time because we had it under the picture window during the Christmas season! Right now she usually sits in my recliner or the love seat. Sassy loves looking out the window. She also has a large pillow bed that she adores. Sassy is quite spoiled!

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/16204579/DSC01407.JPG

Turkish Van Buddy. He is special bc this type of cat is all natural. Not bred my man, but by the Lake Van area of Turkey for thousands of years. He chats talks to me all the time. You can hold him upside down, like a ragdoll. Likes water(they fish in mountain streams). Hypoallergenic too. I have the long hair variation, as you will notice from the photo, Buddy has an extra long bib, that is longer and sits lower on the upper chest than other types of house cats. So long in fact he looks comical when licking it because he can't reach out to the tips of the hairs with his tongue exactly.

My friend found him wondering the urban wilderness of back alleys for a week or so in cold December weather before he told me I should take him. He was keeping him in his garage feeding him canned tuna while keeping his two Pitbulls at bay. How could I refuse? I had just lost my lovable, playful Burmese, who just walked away one day.

He is beautiful!
Margarita

Oh, what a lovely cat!

Ann

Cute cat. Don't kid yourself, though. There are either no "natural" domestic cats or all domestic cats are "natural" depending on whatever way one wishes to define the word these days. Sorry, I guess it's a pet peeve of mine the way "natural" seems to carry little meaning by virtue of having so many meanings. Click the expand button to see all the definitions listed for it at dictionary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/natural?s=t

geckzilla wrote:Cute cat. Don't kid yourself, though. There are either no "natural" domestic cats or all domestic cats are "natural" depending on whatever way one wishes to define the word these days. Sorry, I guess it's a pet peeve of mine the way "natural" seems to carry little meaning by virtue of having so many meanings. Click the expand button to see all the definitions listed for it at dictionary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/natural?s=t

Natural enough for me I guess, I feel a special responsibility towards Vans now bc of their more "Earthly" lineage shall we say. He seems more relaxed than any other cat I've ever had too, I get the feeling he's quite comfortable in his own skin. Everybody's pets are special.

http://www.cfainc.org/Breeds/BreedsSthr ... shVan.aspx

"The cat known in the United States as the Turkish Van is a rare and ancient breed that developed in central and southwest Asia, which today encompasses the countries of Iran, Iraq, southwest Soviet Union and eastern Turkey. “Van” is a common term in the region that has been given to a number of towns, villages and even a lake - Lake Van - so it is no surprise that the uniquely patterned cat native to the region was named the “Vancat” by the residents.
... Although the breed has an ancient lineage, the Turkish Van is a relative newcomer to the United States, arriving in 1982. They are considered regional treasures in their homeland, and are not readily available for export to other countries. Even in areas where the breed has been known for centuries, they are still relatively rare.
...The breed was first brought into Europe from the Middle East by returning crusaders, and has been known by a variety of names over the centuries such as the white ringtail and the Russian longhair. A common misconception is that the Turkish Van is simply a color variation of the better known Turkish Angora. In reality, the Van and the Angora are distinct breeds that developed in geographically distant regions of Turkey."

Our kitten is growing fast, and Elvira is fast becoming an elegant young lady.

I love this photo of Syd, who used to take over the bathroom in last August's heatwave.

Margarita

They are lovely, Margarita!

Ann

Wow! Elvira's a beauty. (Sorry Syd, but you know how it goes with cute kittens. You were one once.)

Rob

rstevenson wrote:Wow! Elvira's a beauty. (Sorry Syd, but you know how it goes with cute kittens. You were one once.)

Rob

There is lovely, somewhat sad, but still lovely story about Syd and Elvira. I don't think that I have told it on this thread yet - yawn and move on if I have!

Syd became ill very suddenly last November, after a long, well-loved and well-fed life, and died on 7th November. We were deeply sad and - especially as Sam also had us living with him (you will recognise that this is the correct way to describe the relationship...) we were not considering another cat. But, Elvira - scrawny, starving, ownerless, orphaned, possibly about twelve weeks old or less, alive with fleas - turned up in our garden, stealing Sam's food. Which he was placidly permitting. This was on the evening of the 8th November - 24 hours after Syd died.

On another thread on this forum I have been extremely logical about coincidences - so, of course, this was simply a coincidence. But in the little part of my soul that I reserve for illogicality and woo-woo... I think that Syd sent her.

She isn't a replacement, and I still miss my dear little old man, but, OH!, she is such a delightful little person, with a gentle, friendly personality that is just as beautiful as her looks.

Margarita
PS. Syd, enjoying his food, is my avatar.
PPS. Oh dear, I'm having 'senior moments'. I wrote about Elvira, Syd and Sam on the 2nd of February....

A lovely story.

We too have been blessed by the presence of a few cats over the years. Here's a pic of our first, who insisted he was to be called Alyx Allenby Beauregard, or Big Al to those familiar with his 16 pounds of muscle. He once had the good sense to attack my parents when they'd over-stayed their welcome. An altogether extraordinary cat, here seen at about 1-year old, who lived with us for 16 years and died in my lap.
Rob

Oh Rob - he is GORGEOUS! And how regal he is. Yes, I can see why he insisted on an appropriately elegant name and am most surprised that he tolerated being referred to as Big Al!

I've only come to sharing my life with cats in my later years as during all my childhood I was seriously allergic to their fur. It would bring me up in large red, itchy, blotches and my eyes would puff up and get sore. I was fine with dogs and two of my best friends ever were canine. Once I left home, and had an over-busy career, having a dog couldn't be thought of, as I just couldn't have provided the companionship a dog needs and deserves.

My first cat-friend walked into our house in February 2000. We lived in England then and it had been a bitterly cold winter. One afternoon a black and white cat came up to our kitchen door (full glass) and meowed peremptorily to be let in. Paul let him in and fed him whilst I kept my distance - with great reluctance, I have to admit. He continued to visit and I began taking super- strength anti- histamines and we became dear friends. Paul and I couldn't find who he had belonged to, and, by the state of his fur, he had obviously been homeless for some time.

Then - not related - I got ill and had to stay in bed for ages and got rather down- in- the- mouth about this. Enoch (for that is what we had named him...) came up on the bed to cuddle me ... And I discovered that I was no longer allergic to cat fur. Even without antihistamines. My doctor said she thought it was because I needed him so much that my body had stopped the allergy. (That was from a standard UK National Health Service General Practitioner!)

She thought that I might continue to be allergic to other cats, but - as is obvious - I am not!

Margarita

Margarita and Rob, those are quite lovely stories.

Ann

Margarita
lovely story lovely kitties. We would do well to take our furry friends on interstellar trips with us someday in the not too distant future. Buddy just came up to lie with me between the keyboard and the monitor just now. He just licked my hand and then grabbed my wrist like he was taking down a Gazelle... that's my Buddy

Hey, anyone needing cats, I have two spares; will deliver! They are both black, one sleek, jet black with green eyes and skittish, the other with brown showing in sunlight, a tiny bit of white on his chest, quite boxy with gold eyes and super affectionate. The former is gorgeous, the latter... not so much, but definitely makes up for it in the purring and affection department. Take one or the pair; bring them in from the bitter cold! Please!

(Seriously, it's cold out there...)

I love the way they don't attack each other, but just use their "arms" and "hands" to take the bowl from one another...

Ann

Can anyone translate this?

It's saying:

STOP!! STOP. STOP. Stop. stop. stop. ...stop. stop. stop.... stop. stop. stop.

Defensive little creature. I'm not sure it utters more than two words. The other one would be the mating call.

This is how our little lady signals that she wants her tummy to be stroked - she comes onto my bed first thing and it is my first task of the day

Sometimes I manage to look at the Apod on my tablet at the same time, but Elvira is becoming very imperious as she grows up, and expresses displeasure at not having my undivided attention...

Margarita