A Bouquet from the Tuxedo Cat

Oh no! You say the paper got thrown into the sprinklers AGAIN, and the Sunday funnies are drenched? You say that the feeder birds ignored the expensive sunflower seeds that you bought them and ate all of the cherries off of the tree instead?  You say that you have a mosquito bite on the one spot on your back that you can't reach to scratch?

Don't fret. I know just what you need:

Lucky for you, this thoughtful tuxedo cat has picked out a bouquet of sweet pink roses just for YOU that will soothe the savage beast in your heart.

She'll even throw in a little head butt just to make the package that much sweeter.

 

Feeling better now?

You're welcome.

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Want to spread around a little more joy?  Good news... I have some brand new jewelry in my Etsy shop featuring our thoughtful little tuxedo cat.  Surprise your favorite cat lady, feline fanatic or veterinarian with the gift of wearable art! Click here to see the new designs: SUSAN FAYE PET PROJECTS on Etsy 

Illustration Friday... "Shy"

Illustration Friday

(theme:"shy") 

original watercolor by Susan Faye copyright 2012

Both Delia and her fluffmonster Abercrombie shy away from loud people and barking dogs (or is it barking people and loud dogs?), 
but would love to have an amiable chat and a cup of tea with you. 

 Thanks for visiting!

My original watercolor painting of Delia and Abercrombie is available for purchase in my Etsy shop: Cat Lady Delia Painting

https://www.etsy.com/listing/111422051/tuxedo-kitty-fluffmonster-and-cat-lady

A handcrafted pendant of Delia and Abercrombie is also available for purchase in my Etsy shop:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/112274810/cat-lady-and-tuxedo-cat-glass-pendant-in

Rescue Cats-- A Love Story From Cat Lady Kim

Every time I post an image of my studio assistant Buttonwillow, I'm surprised at how many Cat Ladies comment that she looks just like their very own beloved bi-color kitty. Miss BeeDub is proud to have so many twins all over the world!

I am also constantly inspired by stories of cat rescue and adoption told by animal lovers from around the globe, particularly those who adopt adult and hard-to-place cats.  One such cat lover is Cat Lady Kim who recently wrote to me after seeing Buttonwillow's portrait, telling me how much it reminded of her of Midy, pictured here.  Sadly, Kim had said goodbye to 17-year-old Midy just days before.

Midy

Here is the story of Midy's adoption as told by Kim:

We have been doing cat rescue since my Hubby and I were married 36 years ago. Most of our kitties have come from the streets. After one of my kitties died (Angel, my Soulmate,19 years of age) we went to the local shelter to open our home to a new kitty . 

My son fell in love with a BIG black and white cat named Snazzy (and they often say, you don't pick your fur baby, they pick you).  Snazzy was 10 yrs of age at the point of adoption. We found out that Snazzy had a mommy and she had been in the infirmary for 6 months. We took Snazz home and kept checking up on Midy. 

We knew we would adopt her even though we never saw her and we were told she had kidney disease. We were told we would have to give her sub-cutaneous fluids every few days for the rest of her life. 
 My darling husband knew I could never leave Snazzy's momma at the shelter...and Hubby said its fine we will learn to give her the fluids.

Finally Midy came down from the infirmary and we got to meet her. Do you believe in Love at first sight?  Well this was it.  She was the tuxedo cat I always dreamed of and there she was. My daughter and I started to cry when we saw her and everyone at the shelter were so excited because after 8 months in the infirmary she would be going to a home to be with her son. People were crying at the shelter. 
 

Snazzy

                          

Midy was already 12 and between her health and she and Snazzy's age, no-one ever thought they would leave the shelter. The people who owned them for a number of years, one day put them together in a cat carrier and left them in front of the shelter over night with a note about them. And there they stayed at the shelter for a few years wondering what the heck they did to deserve being there. Oh I could cry when I think of those wasted years. 

When we brought Midy home, Snazzy ran right up to her in the carrier and I swear they kissed each other through the gate. Even though Snazzy is so huge, he is such a momma's boy, so shy and when Momma came,even after 8 months without her, they were side by side again and they remained that way for the last 5years. When she was so sick with cancer, he would put his big body in front of her to protect her and let her rest or I would see him resting his head on her back. Oh it breaks my heart so that he is without her. We tried everything. I went to an oncologist and had her on oral chemo. All kinds of meds to keep her comfortable...Making the decision to give her peace was the hardest decision in the world but she was starting to suffer so much and I loved her too much to let her suffer. 

Snazzy was with her till the end. I do have other kitties, but he only loved his Mommy. The first night, when I got up to go to the bathroom I heard this weird noise in the kitchen. My big boy was crying for his Momma. Oh it kills me.They have been through so much, I wanted them to have many years of peace. At least Midy had 5 cage-free peaceful years with Snazzy and a family that adored her every breath. 

Aside from the ones we find, we will only adopt seniors to give them a second chance for some happiness. Even if we have to say good-bye sooner, it's important for them to have some quality. They deserve that. We have also decided to volunteer at the shelter where Mid and Snazz were adopted to honor her sweet memory. This will help me with my grief.

Thanks for sharing your story Kim!  I hope it inspires many others to consider adopting an older or special-needs cat.
 

        

Today's Featured Cat Lady ACEO... Cat Lover No. 86

Cat Lover No. 86 was first featured on 365 Cat Ladies on October 7, 2009, and introduced us to several different ways to preserve the colorful beauty of autumn leaves:

1. Use a glycerin and water solution
2. Iron between two pieces of wax paper
3. Drying in the microwave
4. Press between the pages of a heavy book

Whichever way you choose, you will find more detailed instructions here: How To Preserve Leaves

My mini watercolor painting of Cat Lover No. 86 is currently available for sale in my Etsy Shop. This ORIGINAL work of art is in ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) format, which means that the artwork size is 2.5" x 3.5", the same as a baseball card. ACEOs are a fun and economical way to enjoy and collect original artwork!

It is hand-painted on super-heavy Arches 300-lb. acid-free cold-press watercolor paper with professional quality watercolor paints. It is artist-initialed by me on the front, signed, dated, and titled on back. For information about purchasing this one-of-a-kind original mini painting, click on the image above.

Thanks for visiting!

For The Love Of Cats

Cat Lady Julie says, "I believe in rescuing animals, and they saved me from the most difficult year of my life."

About 5 years ago, Julie adopted Bowie and Tess, brother and sister cats rescued from a pet hoarding situation. Sadly, in 2009, Bowie (pictured at left) became ill from several health issues and passed away at the age of three. That same month Julie lost a dear friend to brain cancer and finalized a difficult divorce.

"I learned to never say...'it can't get worse'. Not sure why I was being tested and no one knew what to do or say to help."

"Needless to say Tess and I were so sad and lost, all we could do is cuddle and cry. Then an old classmate contacted me, asking if I would be interested in adopting her 7-year-old cat Seesaw. She lived with inlaws and someone was allergic... I knew we needed some happiness and Tess needed company in the house so I said yes. We renamed him Ceasar, the most social cat I have ever met. He made us laugh and brought a little sunshine back into our life. Then in May of last year, I got a text of a picture of a cat. It was from my sister's boss whose aunt just died and had 3 cats to place, one left --Smokey (Bones), so I said of course!"

The terrific trio pictured here are a testament to the healing power of cat love!
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Whatever you do, don't call this lovely structure a "barn".

Cat Lady Dee operates a private cat sanctuary in a remote area of South-central Pennsylvania "as a living memorial to my daughter and only child, who died unexpectedly almost 10 years ago. I am presently caring for 40+ cats - the majority are feral. All are spay/neutered and vaccinated."

Recently, Dee was forced to move her cat sanctuary. "You would not believe how few places have the zoning that will allow a multitude of cats! Even agricultural areas! One farmette I looked at would have been perfect - but we couldn't have cats! Oh I could have a thousand hogs if we wanted, but no more than 10 cats!"

She and her husband eventually bought a small parcel of land that would allow for a cat sanctuary and are currently building a deluxe "cat house" (it may look like a barn, but for red tape purposes it is not. Dee's beautiful kitties certainly are not livestock after all!). Best wishes to Dee for continued success with her living memorial to her beloved daughter.

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Meet Cat lady Geri and her two bi-color beauties, George and Gracie. She explains, "While they are definitely a 'Comedy Team,' they were really named after my grandparents!"

Upon seeing her portrait with her kitties she said, "It brings tears to my eyes, because it shows the joy I feel when I am with my kitties. THANK YOU so much! You just made my day SO much happier!"

Thank YOU Geri! Creating art like this brings ME so much joy and I am thrilled and honored to be able to create keepsakes to represent the love that pet owners feel for their furry friends! Thank you, pet lovers, for sharing your stories with me!

Adventures In Blogland

It's not too late to join in the fun of the One World One Heart blog event. Tomorrow is the last day to enter your blog as a participant, but you have until Feb. 17 to visit all of the blogs and enter for a chance to win any of the hundreds of giveaways. For details, visit this link: OWOH

In the mean time, I am working my way through a list of over 800 participating blogs from around the world and "meeting" an amazing array of creative, funny, talented bloggers, many of whom happen to be Cat Ladies!

One such participant is the bewitching Cat Lady Wendy who writes an enchanting blog "The Year Of The Cats" that often centers around her two cats Bella and Sele.

"I have always had at LEAST one cat in my life and one time I had six. I am owned by two incred­i­bly 'indulged' cats. Miss Bella, who is all black with a white dia­mond patch on her chest, cool, sear­ing green eyes and a very diva like per­son­al­ity. Her sis­ter and litter-mate, Sele is a com­plete oppo­site of Bella. She’s a tuxedo cat and all she wants to do is play, snug­gle, eat and sleep. In that order.

"Why do I love cats so much? It’s their magic and mys­tery. For ages cats have been con­nected to the moon and I love the oth­er­worldly side of cats that have taught me about intu­ition, magic and the fem­i­nine God­dess. ...So, I decided I need to write this blog because of my love of cats, all cats and to explore, share and learn more about magic."

Some of the OWOH blogs require that you be an active blog writer to participate in their giveaway, however, mine is open to blog readers too (that means everybody!) . I have THREE giveaway packages this year, so hurry on over to this post and enter for a chance to win, if you haven't already. Thanks for visiting!

Wendy's 3-D cats

Meet Domino, Dylan, and gentle giant Dante. According to Cat Lady Wendy, her three darling D’s "are larger than life – 3-D to the max! "

watercolor painting copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Wendy shares their story:

"The first 'D' to cross our doorstep was Domino, a little tuxedo ladycat with the feistiest personality I’d ever encountered. Domino had been abandoned by my son’s roommate, so rather than taking her to the shelter, I told my son to bring her to me. She was ridden with fleas and malnourished and at one year of age had already had a litter of her own. I took her to the vet as soon as possible, and she was ‘fixed’ from head to toe.

"Next came Dante, who is a male red classic tabby Maine Coon. My beloved Tommy had just passed away and I wanted another red kitty, so this time I ordered one up from the Lacocoon Cattery in Lacolle, Quebec. Maine Coons are a very gentle breed, and Dante is no different. They are also very large, and Dante lived up to his genetics, reaching a maximum of 21 lbs. of solid muscle and flowing long fur.

"Dylan came our way when my brother’s cat unexpectedly had five kittens. After four months, he hadn’t managed to find homes for any of them, so I took Dylan, who is a male cream tabby, and found a home for one of his sisters right next door. Dylan is very much the pesky little brother.

"And the hierarchy in our home remains in the same order as their arrivals. Domino’s the boss!"

You'll find some adorable photos of Her Highness Princess Domino today on the 3-D Cats Blog: Wendy's 3-D Cats

Enjoy!

Remembering Old Friends--Tuxedo Gus

It's common knowledge among feline fanatics that tuxedo cats are something special, but when a tuxedo cat comes with its own built-in bow tie, you know resistance is futile.

Cat Lady Carrie can tell you all about that first-hand. It's a tale of survival, and a tale of commitment and love.

As a volunteer at the Good Mews Animal Shelter nine years ago, a fellow volunteer introduced Carrie to "the frowziest little mop of black fur. They began to explain how he was the only survivor from his litter. All of them had been attacked by some sort of animal. He had sustained an injury to his back legs but had pulled through his ordeal! My heart melted, of course, and I knew he had to be with me."

Little Gus came to live with Carrie, her feline fella Brian, and Teeny--the one cat they had at the time. Gus turned out to be a special needs cat who faced some extreme challenges, including life and death battles over the years, but the nurturing love and devotion of Carrie and Brian always pulled him through.

"Despite his health issues, Gus grew into the most handsome boy. He had fur like black velvet…thick and so soft, the longest white whiskers you have ever seen and the cutest built-in white bow tie, shirt and shoes. Early on, he even managed to start walking on his back legs. He sort of scuffled around clumsily, but was able to use them nonetheless. He was so full of quirky personality! He would lumber over to the sofa every night and stretch one paw up to let us know that he was ready to be lifted up for a cuddle. He would lie on his back tucked into his dad’s or my armpit enjoying hours of chin scratching purring non-stop. He loved tuna juice and treats. His favorite toys were milk jug tabs and the plastic safety wrap on dip and sour cream containers."

As you can see, Gus's feline family grew over the years.
And it was with great sadness that the whole clan said goodbye to Gus a few weeks ago.

"We still can’t quite grasp the fact that he is gone. Life will never be the same without his happy spirit rumbling and bumbling around in our lives. But we are quite sure that Gus now has angel wings and strong legs and a perfect plumbing system. He is rolling around on endless miles of soft carpeting purring his days away."

"Never underestimate the power of the purr."

Read Carrie's full-length tribute to Gus in her blog post: GUS: The Purring Little Engine That Could but be sure to have a hanky or two handy.

You'll also want to check out Carrie's fun and delightful hand-crafted sculptures, ornaments and cake-toppers in her Etsy Shop: The Snippets. Fifteen percent of her profits go straight to spaying/neutering/rescuing cats in Kentucky!

Remembering Old Friends

Cat Lady Alison (aka CL # 333) recently commissioned a portrait of some dear old friends:

Here she tells us a little bit about them in her own words:

"I'd be lost without a cat in my life!

"When I was 3-1/2 years old, a cousin's cat Midnight had an "oopsy" litter of kittens. This serves as a reminder that you should always SPAY & NEUTER your pets. We had attended my cousin's party and got to see the kittens. I was totally surprised when my parents asked me the next day if I wanted one. Who could turn down such an offer? And that's how our first cat, Miss Kitty, came into our lives. Being our first, she was special. Miss Kitty was a tabby with grayish brown striped coat and had the cutest round patch of white fur on her chest - we called it her 'pearl.' She was highly protective of my family when strangers were in the house and earned the nickname 'attack cat"'. She was not a mushy cat, she was very independent and it seemed like she was always "just there'...usually curled up sleeping. It was through her great 19 years with us that our love of felines was established, and when that sad day came to say 'good-bye' we honored her by feeling brave enough to accept a new cat into our broken hearts.

"Recently graduated from college (cats sure do mark time with you), and being the dead of winter, it was going to be hard to find a kitten outside of kitten season. Our first trip to Long Island's famous animal shelter North Shore Animal League proved just that - no kittens. (One day I promise I will adopt an older cat - perhaps in my older age). A shelter volunteer tipped us off that Saturday mornings new kittens were arriving. That next Saturday morning - early - we walked into the kitten-filled room. A good-looking, perfectly-marked, black and white tuxedo stuck her paw out as I passed her cage, and once confirmed she was a female, Katarina was in my arms. One should always RESCUE & ADOPT.

"From the minute Katarina jumped out of her box carrier once home, our lives were never the same. She was so different in personality and temperament, she was a true mush--the center of attention, graceful, highly intelligent and a truly loving cat, who always had her photo taken to finish up a roll of film. She was treated like a princess, and she returned our love many times over. Near the end of her 20 years with us, she required twice daily meds, which I gladly administered...it was earth shattering when she selected the week I had off from work to finally show us that it was time. With the absolute heaviest of hearts my whole family helped her over the Rainbow Bridge, where she promised she me she'd be waiting. Katarina was perfect in every way.

"There was a serious void in our lives, so it was off to the shelters again...and that is how Mina, our gray and white tuxedo, with a splash of white up her face, came to be with us. It was a delight having new life amongst our family...but in the 3 short months we had with her, we could tell something was not right, she never seemed to thrive. We have a few memories of our Mina, but sadly she was diagnosed with the deadly disease FIP. Unless FIP crosses your path, you will not know its horrors. Incurable and always fatal...we had to say goodbye to sweet wee Mina at the tender age of 5 months. The loss of her broke my heart. I was convinced she would be the last cat I would let into my life. I have joined forces online with others (strangers, now 'family') who have lost kittens and cats to FIP. Together we are in a crusade to help find a cure to FIP... in Mina's, and all their cats', memory. We just had a raffle ticket fundraiser which raised $6,193 in under a month going to the Winn Feline - The Bria Fund for FIP research. I send special thanks to Susan for donating gift items to this Fundraiser!

"I am now the proud 'cat mom' of Keely & Fiona - who help me continue to have cats grace my life. As for Miss Kitty, Katarina and sweet wee Mina, I'll meet them at the Rainbow Bridge one day...they all promised! "

New Kits In Town

There is great excitement in our backyard with the appearance of a brand new family of black and white kittens.

There are the twins, Pepe and Le Pew:

And a mysterious three-headed kitten...

Oh wait, that's just the triplets, Manny, Moe and Jack...

Buttonwillow is quite excited about five new playmates and asked if we could keep them.

She is convinced that they are long lost cousins of hers, which I guess is a reasonable assumption based on a careful comparison of baby pictures below (Baby Buttonwillow and her brother are on the right-hand side, in case there's any confusion):

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What do you think. Should we keep them?

Happy Dunking!! Tomorrow is National Doughnut Day

It's time for tea...and Cat Lady Phoebe and the triplets are craving doughnuts, probably because tomorrow is National Doughnut Day! Here is a reprint of last year's article about this auspicious occasion:

Tomorrow is Salvation Army Doughnut Day.
Observed on the first Friday and Saturday of June, Doughnut Day was established in 1938 to honor the work of Salvation Army volunteers who prepared doughnuts for thousands of soldiers in World War I.

Here is the original recipe for enough doughnuts to feed an army, reprinted from the Salvation Army website:

Salvation Army Doughboy Doughnut

7-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup lard
8 eggs
3 large cans evaporated milk
3 large cans water
18 cups flour
18 teaspoons baking powder
7-1/2 teaspoons salt
8 teaspoons nutmeg

Cream sugar and lard together, beat eggs, add evaporated milk and water. Add liquid to creamed mixture. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in large sieve and sift into other mixture. Add enough flour to make e stiff dough. Roll and cut. Five pounds of lard are required to fry the doughnuts. Yield: approximately 250 doughnuts

Happy dunking!


The purrfect mug for dunking doughnuts!

This ceramic mug features my whimsical artwork and a large, easy-grip handle. Treat yourself or give as a gift to someone special.

• Measures 3.75" tall, 3" diameter
• Dishwasher and microwave safe

You will find dozens of Cat Lady mugs available at my Cafepress shop: Susan Faye Mugs

What Color is YOUR Tux?

The tuxedo cat controversy rages on...So far in our poll, the purists outnumber the non-traditionals, believing that true tuxedo cats are black and white only. Make your opinion heard in the poll located in the top right corner of this blog.

Crazy Cat Lady Carm goes with black and white only for tuxedo cats, and this spills over into the rare Tuxedo Cat Guy breed. Here is a photo she sent of a Tuxie Feline Fella in his finery (Cat Lad Randy is a concert violinist- as Carm puts it "The Cat with the fiddle!) with Puffy, the matriarch of the 8GR8CATS.

Thanks for visiting!

[photo courtesy of CCL Carm. Please note the copy of her custom portrait - PLUS her Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club documentation on the door...]

Look for ten original mini watercolor paintings of tuxedo cat variations that are up for auction this week at the link below. Each painting was a part of the 365 Cat Ladies series featured in this blog during 2009. Here is your chance to collect original artwork without breaking the bank, plus you will own a little piece of 365 Cat Lady history!

Place your bid today at:

http://myworld.ebay.com/whimsysu

A Rainbow of Terrific Tuxies or Is it Simply Black and White?

There are some purists who insist that for a feline to be considered a tuxedo cat, it must be solid black in coloring with white limited to the paws, belly, chest, throat, face, and possibly the chin. Others have a more (dare I say) contemporary view that we should embrace tuxedos in ALL hues in both the fashion world and in the cat universe. What do you think?


Please take a moment to make your voice heard in the Very Scientific Poll in the top right column of this blog. Your input will be greatly appreciated. In the mean time, take a gander at some of the possibilities for tuxedo variations:














Each one of these ten original mini watercolor paintings was a part of the 365 Cat Ladies series featured in this blog during 2009. All ten are being auctioned off this week on Ebay...here is your chance to collect original artwork without breaking the bank, plus you will own a little piece of 365 Cat Lady history!

Place your bid today at:

http://myworld.ebay.com/whimsysu

Thanks for visiting!