I'm Famous!

Or at least, I will be in a few months. Do you remember me telling you the last time I posted that over this weekend, something cool was going to happen? Well, today that something did.




you remember that I go to shows, don't you? Well, my next one is coming up in about a month, and so the human has started the stupid old "let's bath the cat every two weeks" rubbish again to make sure my coat looks its best on the day. Recently, she was contacted by a Media student who was very interested in the ins and outs of showing cats. She wants to do her end of year project on it, and asked if the human would be willing for her to come up and take some photos and video of how she gets me ready for show. Without even consulting me first, the human said she didn't mind at all. Honestly, the nerve! I didn't shout at her though, cuz let's face it, every cat wants to be the centre of attention, don't they? And that's exactly what I'll be. The student is going to do an exhibition, and guess what? I'm gonna be the cover girl! Well, they didn't confirm that, and she did say to the human that she also wanted to feature another people and their cat, but I just know I'm gonna be the one on the cover!





The cover of what, you say. Well, she's hoping to do a sort of fold out book, rather like a consertina affair. She's been thinking too and says she wants to do an etching for the front of it, and then emboss it so that the human too can appreciate some of her work! Isn't that lovely? We might even be given a copy to keep for our very own!





She came today and took lots of pictures of me in my bath and while I was being dried. At the start I didn't mind, but by the end of it, I was thoroughly fed up with the whole thing, so much so in fact that I hissed at her when she tried to come close! It's not cuz I didn't like her. I'm just practicing being a diva, that's all. But I do now understand what you all are talking about when you say that the flashy box is an annoyance. It really is! I think I could learn to hate it, but for now, I'll allow its flash to flash unchallenged, cuz it means that lotsa peoples are gonna get to look at me!





I just want to address something about Caboodle to follow up. It's been brought to my attention firstly that Caboodle will actively sue anyone who posts a defammatory story about them, and secondly, that the pictures I was sent are up all over the internet with inconsistent dates as to when they were taken. In light of both of these things, I'm not going to take the story any further, and am sorry if I've posted something which wasn't entirely justified. I did it for the good of the cats potentially stuck in those situations, but I think in future I'll just keep my mouth shut. I've been thinking about this for many, many days now, deliberating with myself. After all, it's us little folk who can get things done by raising awareness of issues such as this, so I didn't make the decision not to go ahead lightly. I also didn't decide not to post about anything like this again lightly, for that very same reason, but I think that unless I've been there and seen things myself, I'm going to steer well clear of it. If I can work out how, I'm going to take the Caboodle post down, and I will also pray very hard that if what was said there is true, someone will step in and help out..





To clear up something else that Craft Cat posted, Clouder does not own this blog, no. he just contributes to it with his super duper technical know how! He's a whizz! Nope, it's me, Tia, that owns this blog, and it'd better stay that way!





Well friends, I'm quite worn out after all my photo shoots, so I think I deserve a long, long nap. The human says that the student promised her faithfully that she'd send her pictures, so when we get them, we'll try and put them up! I might do a series of them leading up to my show day. Who knows! Have a smashing Sunday!

Easy like Sunday

Even though I had an unexpected event today, it's still been a pretty relaxed Sunday for me at least. The human's been running around cleaning. I, on the other hand, just sit and watch. I occasionally help her by going to the kitchen and miaowing very, very loudly, just to remind her where the fish is kept. Let it not be said that I don't do my chores!

This morning, the human made up for my lack in sleep yesterday. She slept in really, really, really late! When I say slept, I mean lay in bed. She woke up way past the usual sun up, go out time, then she put on a book to listen to and kind of just dozed for ages, until the sun was right up in the sky! We haven't done that ever, as far as I can remember. When it was time to pull my body out of bed, I was rested and refreshed, so much so in fact that I thought I'd go play with my catnip carrot. She finally got me one! Some peoples brought lots of cat toys to the show yesterday and put them all on a people table. They were swapping toys for the thing the human calls money. She knows toys are worth more, so she gave them some of the stupid money and they gave her my carrot, and lots of other things. how stupid are they for getting the bum end of the deal!

After the human had made more talk noise with Bug (incidentally, Babycat, you can tell him he's moderately safer today), the human picked me up for what I thought was a cuddle. But it wasn't to be. I got stuffed once more into that stupid, stupid carrier. I've told the human she needs a bigger one now, and she actually agrees. She says she needs one with a front and top opening, and she'd prefer both to be caged so that I can see and hear her easily. It needs to be very stirdy for us to take to shows. If any of you other cats use them and have something you could recommend, I'll tell her to get that one. I'd rather take your word for it than ask her to go looking herself.

After a short car trip, during which I talked to her the whole time, we arrived at the vet's place. I've told you that I don't really mind our vet, especially this time because the human said she had made sure we were going to see the nice man vet who I like. We did see him, and he looked at me very carefully all over. The only thing I don't like about the man vet is that he doesn't take time to give me scratches and he smells funny, like dogs and rabbits and all kinds of things. His hands are nice and gentle though, and he doesn't move me really quickly or be even the littlest bit rough with me like some of the others are. The human says it's because they're busy and kind of lose sight of the fact that you should treat every animal like you'd want your own to be treated. She says they get caught up in the fact that it's their job. I don't think this is any excuse though, and neither does she. This is why we try and always see the man vet, because he takes time with us every time.

Today he was very interested in my scabs. To be honest with you, I'm starting to regret ever scratching my neck like this. It's gotten me a lot of poking and prodding and some unwanted attention, but when the urge to scratch hits me, it's kind of hard to remember that. He said a lot of words to the human, but I'll let her tell you that bit.

Human: In essence, the vet agreed with me. I took Tia there to be checked for a final time, just to back up my claims (when I make them, which I intend to). He said that her scabs might have been acne, but judging by the presentation, it shouldn't have been branded as such. Acne is pustular, not scabby, and Tia only has scabs. He says they could have been pustules at one time or another, but they definitely weren't now. It could be many things, but didn't look like any of them. He confirmed that it was most likely she was simply collar scratching as I'd said, but has recommended that I take her to a skin specialist on Tuesday. That way, when they write the letter to give Tia the all clear, and he's almost certain she'll be found to be such, no vet at a show can challenge it, as it's come from a skin specialist. It means more money, but I think I'm going to use my insurance for this. He's sent us home with antibiotics because they worked last time, and another bottle of shampoo at my request. Cindy's problem looked kind of like Tia's, so if the shampoo worked for Cindy, then it might work for her. Better to cover all bases, I figure.

So, as you can see, cat friends, this means another trip to the vet, plus a lot of bathing with that stupid, stupid stinky stuff! I'm less than pleased at the thought of the baths, but I'm wondering if the skin lady vet will be nice like the man vet. I guess I'll just have to wait and see, eh?

When we got home from there, it was time to play with the Catnip Carrot again. Oh, I just love the feathers on the top! I bunny kick it like crazy too. I just can't help myself. It's so, sooooo goooood! Today when I'd finished playing, I just had to come and flop on the human's lap. I was so blissed that I went to sleep all folded over myself. My head was down and my back leg was almost up by my ear! My human says I looked like a ball.

That's pretty much all that's happened today. There's not much excitement to report, so it's been a perfect Sunday. I apologise for the terrible typing last night. You can see just how tired the human was when you read it. She didn't even realise it had happened! To all of you who left comments, thanks so much for supporting me. It's nice to know you think I'm beautiful, and the human says it's also nice to know she wasn't over-reacting to the bad vet people yesterday. Clowder, the human is annoyed too. They were hoping, judging by the facial expressions that Hoover Lady (her PA) described to her that she'd just go away and stop insisting that she was given more than a cursory explanation. I'm glad my human's made of tough stuff and took no notice! I've taught her well. Zoe, thanks for the link, but we're still stuck. The human's eyes are broke, you see, so the usual way doesn't work for her. The computer man who speaks to her (human note: a piece of software which reads text on the screen) won't read that part of the blog website, so she can't upload pictures. Whicky, it's nice to see you around again! My human did rant something about disability discrimination yesterday when she came back to the pen, and she's already emailed the chairman with other issues. This is going to be another added to the list, she tells me. We know what you mean about shows. There are a lot of cats there who are unhappy. Yesterday the human saw a kitten who was just running in circles in her pen, and it made her upset. The cat a few pens down from us was so desperate to get away that he not only crawled under his blanket but got under the litter tray too! Me though? Well, I just went to sleep in the middle of my snuggle blanket with my feet in the air. I was showing off my yummy tummy to all the peoples, and they liked it! My human says that if I showed any kind of stress behaviour past what's normal for a cat initially getting used to a new place for the first little while, she'd not take me to shows any more. She doesn't think it's kind to do that to us. By the way, there's always a place for rough, tough mancats! Wait, maybe that's just in my daydreams. Ah, who cares! Thank you for your offer of hosting pictures, Whicky, and for your advice, Clowder. The very kind Praline and her people have been signed up as guest bloggers, and have offered to put the pictures in the posts that I make. If you see that something's been posted by her, you'll know why. It's really me in disguise, with a helping hand from her! I'll do the same for you, Whicky, and then I can email my pictures to both of you. That way, I'll have two helping, and we can get them posted as quickly as possible! Thank you so much for all your offers of aid. It frustrates the human no end when she comes up against a barrier like this, and me because my paws just aren't made for typing, otherwise I'd do it for her.

Anyway, enough from me. She's just put some chicken down in the kitchen, so to be polite, I'll go eat it!