Father's Day

Happy Sunday, Everyone, and Happy Father's Day to all the dads!

We cats don't know our cat dads but we have many dads who come visit us and love on us. My post today is in honor of all the fathers and any mothers reading who pull double duty! You are all appreciated.

I have mentioned our Nonno before, and here is a photo from the archives! This was taken when I was just a month old. How adorable am I? When Nonno visits now I typically hide or hiss at him. I will always remember though, how nice it was to cuddle with him when I was a tiny kitten. 

If you don't know about our human dad, here's another photo from the archives! This is our dad when they were picking out little Pasqua at the shelter. How tiny he was in 2018.

If you are interested in learning about how Father's Day came to be recognized, here's an interesting article: Father's Day - Date, Definition & History We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Whether you are a father or are present in a fatherly role in someone’s life, remember being loved is the ability to be seen as you are. You have the ability to be the provider and foundation of hope.

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali. 🐾

My father gave me my dreams. Thanks to him, I could see a future. - Liza Minnelli

Flag Day in the United States of America

Happy Sunday, Readers, we hope you are having the best weekend. 

In the United States of America, we celebrate Flag Day tomorrow. Americans honor and commemorate the adoption of the American flag which occurred on June 14, 1777, as one year earlier independence from Great Britain was declared on July 4, 1776.

Us cats like watching our flag fly in the wind. Looking out the window is one of our most enjoyable pass times. There is so much to see outside - deer, squirrels, birds, dogs on leashes leading humans, and of course, our feral, Grigio. 

This week, we encourage all our readers to reflect on the values of our beautiful country. Think of the brave men and women who have defended it. Our flag is a symbol of freedom, courage, hope, and of course, UNITY. 

Celebrate the purpose and the message - and let's unite with gratitude. 

Have a wonderful week.

Purr & Paw, 🐾

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Love is in the air!

Happy Valentine's Day! Happy Single Awareness Day! 😸

Us cats show mamma love every day.

We purr, we head bunt, we play, we cuddle, we knead on her, and we purr some more.

What will you be doing today to show your love? 😻

Our mamma decorated the house with hearts, candles, and silly stuffed toys. We like to knock them down and attack them all.

We display our love in all sorts of ways. While romantic love is said to be a purely human emotion, we have rituals and behaviors that we know expresses love, too. For instance, my little brother Pasqua definitely loves me. We aren't really related, so it is okay. 😹  He chases me and forces me to play with him. He grooms me, and I groom him. 

I love him, but don't show him very often. Shhh...

My older brother, Stray Cat, loved a dog. That is right, a dog. It was incredible. The two would nestle together to nap, they would play together, and were inseparable.

Don't believe me? Here's a picture to prove it: 

Zoe and Stray Cat, 2009.

In my humble opinion, humans have to do a better job of celebrating all types of love.

This Valentine's Day, whether single or in a relationship, we encourage you to be kind, show compassion, have empathy, and celebrate every type of love. It may be difficult for you at first, as you will have to set aside judgment, bias, and prejudices. Try to find anything that you can relate to about a person, so that you will be able to connect at that level. For people you do not know, remember you are a stranger too, so think about how you want to be treated, and act responsibly with that in mind.

Every animal and human deserves love, respect, compassion, and empathy. 

Celebrate every love! 💘

Have a happy day, Readers.

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 🐾

When we were born, nobody gave us a lesson on how to breathe - we just did. The same thing happens with love. Nobody tells you how to love - we just do. - Connor Chalfant.

Flowers, Chocolate, and Love

Tomorrow we ring in February. We're praying it is filled with love and joy for all of us.

We cats enjoy February as mamma fills our home with flowers and scented candles. She likes to dance and eat chocolate. It brings her smiles to her face and we like seeing them.

Did you ever wonder about the history of Valentine's Day? We did - so here's something if you want to learn about it: History of Valentine’s Day - Facts, Origins & Traditions - HISTORY

Flowers, chocolate, and love warm our hearts! It is cold where we live, and another thing that keeps me warm is sitting right by the heating vent. Hahaha 

I am a smart cat.

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 🐾

Attract what you expect, reflect what you desire, become what you respect, mirror what you admire. - Author Unknown. 

Last week of January 2021

The last week of January always gives us great pause.

It brings to us a heavy heart as we are reminded that another year has passed without our beloved Stray Cat. 

We honored him last year at the two year mark: Two Years

We honored him the year before, at the one year mark: One Year

And here we are, at year three, and it seems still so incredibly sad. There is a huge part of our hearts that wants to not remember, to not recognize the anniversary, to just eat ice cream, and take a walk and not talk about it.

Last week of January. 

The month went fast. The year before went slow.  

If you pray, please say a pray for our friend, Michele, who on the anniversary of Stray's passing, we also recognize and honor the loss of her sweet Myles.

To make a donation in honor of Myles, please do so here: https://www.kidsandcars.org/
Thank you.

Hug your loved ones tight. 

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 🐾

Our belief in brightness is what guides us through the darkness. - Sunta. 

Martin Luther King had a dream -

We hope you all had a wonderful week. We will start this post to tell you that Pasqua felt he deserved a little video, too: Life With Cats

🐱

Tomorrow, we honor Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) who bravely challenged the interracial wrongs of the United States. President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1983. It is observed the third Monday of January, and was first celebrated in 1986.

It was written that ten days after Martin Luther King, Jr. was attacked in 1958, that it affirmed his dedication to nonviolence. “A climate of hatred and bitterness so permeates areas of our nation that inevitably deeds of extreme violence must erupt,” he said. “The experience of these last few days has deepened my faith in the relevance of the spirit of nonviolence, if necessary social change is peacefully to take place.”

Tragically, he was assassinated ten years later. He was loved by many, and like so many leaders with dreams for a more unified and safe country, he was also hated. 

Here is a list of ten things you may not know about this brave man: 10 Things You May Not Know About Martin Luther King, Jr.

How will you honor his memory this week? 

I shall end this post with hope in my heart, and cute photos to hopefully warm yours:

When we are not napping, we are window watching. The squirrel knocked down our bird feeder and happily ate the food in the yard. Squirrels are very enjoyable to watch. 

Purr & Paw, 

-Stivali. 🐾

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. - Martin Luther King, Jr. 

No Complaints November

November is the month of being thankful. Many of our readers are declaring each day something they are thankful for. In my opinion, November should not be the only month dedicated to gratitude, every month should be. 😽

Our Ma has been calling this November, "No Complaints November" and each day is replacing complaints with blessings. She says if she does it for the entire month, she will have created a new habit, and broken an unhealthy one - complaining. 😸

Truth be told - one thing she never could complain about is us! 😺

November is Native American Heritage Month and the National Park Service has a terrific website to share the history and culture of America's indigenous people. Learn more here: Native American Heritage Month 

We are sincerely grateful for all the original inhabitants of America. There are so many cultures in this country, and we have a rich history and heritage, truly making this land beautiful. 

Have a wonderful week, Readers. 

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 🐾

This week in pictures. . .

We saw a family of deer from our window! So much fun to watch. 💓

Grigio visited us every single day. Some days, multiple times, and on a few days, he spent hours basking in the sun on our deck. 💘

Looking out windows help us decompress. That, and music. If your kitties seem stressed, and you want to provide them a relaxation room - be sure to put on some music to soothe their souls... here's an article that says it does help. We agree with the scientists. 😸

We had a wonderful week and we hope you all did, too.

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 🐾

There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats. – Albert Schweitzer.

In memory of Pixie

Remember ma sponsored a kitty at Tabby's Place after Stray Cat passed away?

We are sad to report that she has passed away. Tabby's wrote a beautiful blog in her honor if you want to read it:
https://www.tabbysplace.org/uncategorized/free-as-pixie/

Her start in life was a rough one. She was shot with a pellet gun which caused her hind legs paralysis. She persevered in the face of adversity. She was joyful, playful, and beautiful. She lived for a few years at the sanctuary, and was adopted last spring. She only had five years on this planet, and she touched so many people and cats - we all have learned from her courage, and strength.

Pixie inspires me to be nicer to everyone. Humans do not think I am the friendliest cat. Maybe it has to do with my start in life. My mamma's friend found me as a tiny kitten in the parking lot of a mall. Thank God she found me, because it was scary there.

I think our start in life has a huge impact on who we become and how we see the world. It is believed that the personality of a cat is based on the specific breed and the manner in which they are raised.

Now, mamma raised me spoiled and loved, yet most humans who meet me call me a scaredy-cat because I am timid and shy. Other humans just call me mean. I assure you, I am not mean - I am friendly, affectionate, and vocal to mamma only. Perhaps, my reserved behaviour is because I was introduced to the world with loud noises, lots of feet, and many automobiles. Something to think about.

Each time we lose a loved one, we honour their memory by emulating their best attributes. We honour Pixie today, and send up love, purrs, and cuddles to all of you.

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali. 🐾

You don't have to have a great start in life to have a great attitude towards the future! 

What do you stand for?

This week, we share with you the following article excerpted from The Book of Soul: 52 Paths to Living What Matters by Mark Nepo.

It asks us to reflect on what we stand on and poses the following questions:

• What is your deepest, bedrock, your foundation? 
• How does it solidify your place in this life?
• And what do you stand for? 
• What are the values and ethics that guide your truest actions in the world? 
• In a personal way, how is what you stand on related to what you stand for?

Just something for us to all reflect on. We pray each of you are staying safe, and feeling well.

Grigio is doing great, and that makes us happy. 

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 🐾

I'm not saying I'm gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will change the world. -Tupac Shakur.

Cleaning with pet safety in mind.

Happy Saturday, Friends, 

I know a lot of you are expressing concerns about the most recent virus in our world. You are probably doing your spring cleaning a little early this year, and doing a more thorough approach to it to ward off germs. 

Don't forget your pets during this cleaning process, and check your cleaning supplies for any warning about using them with pets. 

Natural cleaning alternatives like vinegar and lemon are the safest bet when cleaning areas that pets touch.  Here are some articles that may be of interest to you: 

How-to-clean-your-home-without-making-your-pet-sick

Cleaning-tips: pets-and-a-clean-home

May peace and good health be with you and those you love. 

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali. 🐾

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. - Jimi Hendrix.

Socks with a purpose

Hope everyone's week was wonderful.

Our dear Aunt Sheryl, who sadly is allergic to us, gave mamma the cutest pair of cat socks at Christmas.

Have you ever heard of this company Conscious Step?

Check them out if you haven't. They are pretty cool. For every pair of socks purchased they donate to a non-profit. You can purchase based on a cause that is close to your heart, like: protecting endangered animals, empowering women, conserving the rainforest.

Pretty awesome, right?

We thought it was pretty neat and thought you would, too.

Hope your Sunday is filled with naps and lots of sunshine!

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali. 🐾

“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.”  - Amelia Earhart.

Cat Story

A long long time ago, our mamma penned a children's picture book inspired by her orange tabby, Kismet. It has taken on many renditions over the past decade - rewrite rewrite rewrite - as she seeks a literary agent to represent her and a publisher to publish it.

She has many stories written for it - making it a picture book series. This is in addition to all her other works she has written and others she is working on.

There are many stories about cats, and we are hopeful that hers will be published one day for the world to enjoy. 

™© suntawrites

There's a lot of lost work out there, or forgotten work, and we don't want that to happen to Kismet's story.

For instance, the author famous for The Grapes of Wrath, wrote a cat story in the 50s that was published in French. The Smithsonian reports that for the first time it has been published in English (through purchase of a magazine, check it out here: https://strandmag.com/product/john-steinbeck-issue-plus-1-year-subscription/).

© Jeffrey McKeever

Steinbeck's The Amiable Fleas is a lighthearted short story about the friendship between a chef and his cat (depicted above). It inspires us to keep encouraging mamma to work at her craft, to try to get published, and to remember that the loyalty 'n love between human 'n cat is a story worth writing and reading! 

Inspire one another! 

-Stivali. 🐾

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” - Louis L’Amour.

Black Cat Day!

As a tuxedo, mostly black and part white, I am thrilled that there is a National Black Cat Day. And it is TODAY! 🐱

Even CNN wanted to tell readers about this phenomenal day. Read their take here.

Black cats and Halloween go hand-in-treatbag! Black cats became associated with witchcraft since it was a common belief that witches would disguise themselves as black cats. Some people say that many witches were burned at the stake alongside their cat. 😿 Which we do NOT want to believe. That is awful to think about. 😿

We know it is not true that black cats are evil. Black cats are just as lovable as any lovable cat. It is sad to us that there is such a bad reputation associated with black cats. We are determined to end this maddening myth!

Tell your friends! 😺

We had a good week, and we hope you did, too. We had a lot of sun puddle time.

If you decided to carve pumpkins, or are doing your carving today, here is an article about how to make some delicious treats out of the pumpkin seeds.

The nice weather has passed, and today it is raining. A perfect day to carve or decorate pumpkins in preparation for Halloween this week. Or, if you are like me, to cuddle under a fuzzy warm blanket for a long cat nap.

Purr & Paw, 🐾
-Stivali. 

Do you believe in destiny? That even the powers of time can be altered for a single purpose? That the luckiest man who walks on this earth is the one who finds true love? – Dracula.

Mamma's Day!

We are so excited to announce that our mamma's birthday was this week and she is healthy, happy, and one year older! 😺 We celebrate all month long - but now that August is done, we have to welcome September and say "Ciao" to the August birthday-month. 

She received the most amazing birthday card. The envelope was addressed to "Mamma". She instinctively knew that someone special made her a card from us!

A Happy Birthday wish from the cats!

And all the kiddies were represented. Me, and Kismet, and Stray Cat, and Pasqua Bunny:

And on the back, even our little feral Grigio was represented:  

Isn't this the most amazing and thoughtful card you have ever seen? 🐱 We give huge kudos, purrs, and pets to our beautiful Aunt Josie who is a talented artist and as you can plainly see - extremely creative. We love her! 😻 Thank you, Aunt Josie, for going to Hallmark for us and for making sure our mamma knew we did not forget her special day.

We hope all of you enjoy the start of your September with a celebration day of your own: a day off from your work, chores, and responsibilities. Tomorrow is Labor Day, a celebration created by the labor movement, dedicated to the achievements of American workers. May it remind all of us to have strength, to be prosperous, and respect the well-being of our country.

Thank you for all you do to make America great!

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali.

The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is to celebrate. - Oprah Winfrey. 

Is Stray Cat bringing us a friend?

About one month ago, Mamma saw what she thought was a stray cat in our yard.

So, she built the kitty an outdoor shelter since we were getting so much rain, and began putting food out for him.

Weeks went by, and we never did see this white and grey kitty again.

One night, when my sister and I were hanging out in our sunroom, a different kitty appeared at our door. We were surprised and alerted Mamma.

A beautiful grey kitty with big green eyes. He was quite thin and looked like he was living outdoors in our woods. Mamma fetched him some fresh water and some of our crunchy cereal. When she went outside to bring it to him, the grey kitty ran away. She called for him but he did not return. We were sad.

When Stray Cat first passed away, we knew we would never truly recover from the tragic loss. Mamma found comfort in her belief that when Stray Cat was ready, he would bring her a different stray to her... That was her immediate thought when she saw the white and grey cat hanging out in our yard. That Stray Cat finally brought us a friend.

So, then, who is this?

Nearly nightly, this little grey kitty has come to our sunroom door asking for food. He does not let Mamma approach him, and runs away when she goes out side with his food, but he returns to eat it.

Isn't he beautiful?

We are elated to be helping this little grey kitty, and we are determining what to do next. Will he let us take him in? Will we have the opportunity to bring him to our doctor to be checked? Will he want to join our family?

Stay tuned! There are exciting things happening here.

😻🙋😻
Purr & Paw,
-Stivali.

"Cats choose us, we don't choose them." - Kristin F Cast.

Happy Father's Day

Without our dads, we wouldn't be here.
We don't know who our dads are and neither of us really remember our momcat either.
We were both stranded, runts of litters it is called, and we are grateful we were found, and then brought to our human mamma to live in a safe forever home.
Can we tell her happy father's day - when she is both mother and father to us?
I think so. She deserves the blessings and our gratitude.

Our human mamma has a very special dad we call Nonno. He comes and visits us all of the time and most times, I hide, some times I hiss - he is very funny because he will hiss back. He just wants love, but I don't like to give it freely. I let Pasqua do that. Nonno will hang out with Pasqua, pet him and love on him... while I hide. He is a good grandfather to us. We are very blessed.

To all the readers out there who are dads - we wish you a very Happy Father's Day. ❤

Me eyeing up Pasqua.

Pasqua has plenty of silly positions.

Have a wonderful week, Everyone!

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali.

"It is admirable for a man to take his son fishing, but there is a special place in heaven for the father who takes his daughter shopping." - John Sinor.

Hello May!

Since Pasqua Scheggiare has never been outside, Mamma bought him a leash. I don't like mine so I never go for walks with her in the springtime. She hoped to teach the kitten at an early enough age that he would appreciate it. However, Pasqua did not care for the idea either, and he never left the porch:

While Mamma worked at the dining room table, Pasqua kept her company on top of her back pack. This is something both Stray Cat and I have done before. She should really consider buying us a soft leather cat-bed: 

For good measure, although, an uneven measure, I offer you one photo of me from this week. I fell asleep under a blanket on the recliner. The blankets are placed on top of human furniture to catch all of the cat hair we shed. Mamma has not yet learned that her attempts are totally futile, and that we appreciate blankets to use for hiding. That is why they must really be there: 

Here's hoping May does for our hearts what it does for the flowers outside. ❤

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali.