The CCB is an artist!

Grandmama let the CCB play on the computer with her yesterday, and this is what she created.

Why do I see no kitties?!?!?!

Friday Movie Review - Inception

Well kitties, once again Mommy and the FD went to a movie without me. But, as you know, this never deters me from my purpose. Once again I donned my disguise: Igor Kittenovsky, the Russian Foreign Exchange Student!

After using the plastic card I stole liberated from my mommy's purse to purchase the movie ticket, popcorn, and Dr. Pepper, I settled down in the cushy theatre seat to watch what I anticipated to be a great movie.

I was not disappointed.

Inception (2010)

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

Written By: Christopher Nolan

In case you kitties didn't know, "Inception" stars Leonardo DiCaprio. My mommy is a big fan of Leonardo DiCaprio. Since marrying mommy, the FD has become a big fan too. As you all may remember from my review of "William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet," I am also a big fan of Leonardo DiCaprio. When I went to see "Inception," I was worried that my love of Leo (he even has a kitty name!) might make me expect too much of him. Maybe I put too much pressure on him to excel. Maybe, in fact, he was so worried about disappointing me, the great kitty movie critic, that he would not be able to deliver his usual steller performance.

I am proud to announce that Leonardo managed to deliver once again.

"Inception" is a movie that combines several genres: Sci-Fi, Action, Mystery, and Thriller. While watching "Inception," you are immersed in a world where the technology to invade dreams exists. Leonardo DiCaprio's character, Cobb, is what is known as an "Extractor." He invades dreams to steal information that people want to keep secret. In order to get help to return back to the United States where he is a wanted man, Cobb takes a highly dangerous case where he is asked to actually implant an idea in a person's brain using his skills as an Extractor.

The story is about much more than the mission, however. "Inception" explores the relationship that Cobb has with each of his team members, especially his newest recruit to become the "Architect," Ariadne, who is played by Ellen Page. While watching the current events unfold, you also get clues to Cobb's past, and why he is tormented by the memory of his wife, Mal, and why her "ghost" is a constant threat to the success of their mission. The special effects are incredible, and appear seamless - they do not detract from the story, rather they are an enhancement. It seems natural for streets to fold over, for people to walk up walls, and for zero gravity to exist in hotels. Unraveling the mystery of Cobb's past keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat just as much, if not more, than the action scenes do.

I give "Inception" two paws up and a tail poof!

Tortie Tuesday Update

Holly here with an update.

Ivy is now using the litterbox again. Mommy praises her every time she catches her. That's the good news.

The bad news is that Tybalt is still refusing to follow her example.

The FD has a new theory - he thinks Tybalt may have new jealousy issues stemming from the Blurp's transition from her infant car seat to her new big girl car seat. Now instead of seeing the FD carry the CCB down to the car every morning in her carseat, Tybalt sees Mommy carrying the CCB down to the car.

Mommy is still giving us extra nip and attention and skritches when she gets home every night, and she's planning a trip to the V-E-T for Tybalt when her green papers get replenished at the end of this month. In the meantime the couch is covered by training pads.

However, mommy's fall classes start next week, so there may be new upset on the way for the Prince. She still plans on helping us blog at least once a week, so we will keep you posted on any new developments.

Tybalt says he has plans for a movie review this Friday. Anyone interested in his opinion of "Inception?"

 

(Here is an oldie but a goodie picture of me and my cute extra toesies and gorgeous tortie furs.)

Mancat Monday - Shocking Surprise

Mommy woke up all groggy, and got ready to go to her dayhunting gig so she could earn us all some more green papers. Mommy was being as stealthy and as silent as she could, so that she wouldn't disturb the sleeping CCB, and as she crept down the hallway to check on all of us and give us our temptations . . . she saw something shocking.

Mommy saw me peeing on the couch.

ME! Her sweet boy! TYBALT!

I tried to explain to her that I obviously have a doppelganger. I mean, it couldn't be me. I would never do anything like that. Honestly. I am, after all, a PRINCE!

I don't think she bought it.

After all of the advice mommy was given by other kitties and their beans, she started paying even more attention to the three of us kitties. She did notice that Holly was her usual self, but that Ivy and I seem to have a few more issues lately than we used to. For instance, she saw Ivy purposefully knock me over the half wall and down onto the stairs the other evening. I wasn't hurt and I ran back up like nothing happened, but mommy was still a little shocked. She also noticed that Ivy and I have been wrestling each other more than we used to, and that Ivy seems to be the aggressor more than she used to be.

And now that both of us have been caught using the couch as a litterbox, mommy is wondering what has brought all of this on.

There may be a trip to the V-E-T in my future, just to make sure nothing is wrong with me, but she also thinks that before that happens she is going to get some Feliway to see if that makes us calmer.

Luckily mommy had some training pads that she put on the couch yesterday, so when she caught me (although I still contend it was my doppelganger!) in the act this morning, it was safely on the pad and not on the couch itself.

Thanks! (And Ivy update)

Mommy and I want to thank everyone for all of their support and the great suggestions. Mommy is definitely going to follow the advice and see if any of it helps Ivy out.

There hasn't been any changes in litter or food. The big change in the house was the arrival of the CCB, but that was over 8 months ago and mommy isn't sure if Ivy is just having a delayed reaction to that or if it is something else. Mommy and the FD did replace the back door in the past month. It was old and falling apart and there was some rot issues. (The previous owners never really took care of our house, so we are dealing with the problems as we get the green papers to do so.) Ivy used to express her stress and displeasure with poo in front of the back door. Mommy is wondering if the back door area now smells strange to her, so she transferred her emotional potty issues to the couch instead.

Ivy is the sensitive kitty in our house - whenever something exciting happens (exciting to her at least) she has to run to the litterbox. A few years ago when the FD was still just the AD and he was gone for a month or so, Ivy took his absence really hard and was pottying in front of the back door ALL the time. When he came back it tapered down and then finally stopped. Whenever there is a schedule change, like when the FD starts a new semester or has to go in to work, there will normally be at the very least a few Ivy incidents. It's just all of the time now. It started with a few poos on the couch, and then it was a pee, and now it is both.

Mommy won't have the green papers to take Ivy to the V-E-T until the end of the month, unless it is apparent that it is a BIG emergency of course. Like I said in the last post, both mommy and Grandmama checked us all out as thoroughly as they could to see if they thought there were any health issues going on, and that included getting personal and touching us in certain places to see if it caused any discomfort. We all passed their tests. Mommy really thinks it is an Ivy emotional issue.

Since mommy has been using the Nature's Miracle spray, the pottying seems to have tapered off a bit. The next plan is to get the pads to put on the couch and to look into the Feliway to see if that helps Ivy out.

We'll keep you posted!

Caught in the Act!

The FD said he caught someone in the act of using the couch as a litterbox last night . . .

I am sorry to say that mommy and the FD's suspicions were confirmed.

It was Ivy.

Ivy has a long and sordid history of ignoring the litterbox, especially for emotional reasons. Mommy and the FD have accepted this (when the incidents were on the easy-to-clean floor) but they are finding it harder to live with now that it is happening on the furniture.

Mommy and Grandmama took the crazy cat blurp (CCB) out shopping this past weekend and stopped by PetSmart and bought this.


It does work, kitties, in that the couch no longer smells like the zoo. However, it has NOT deterred Ivy from still doing her dirty deed on it.

Both mommy and grandmama checked out all of us kitties (before Ivy was caught) to make sure we seemed healthy and not sick. Mommy has gotten up close and personal with the poo and pee to make sure there didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary about it. Everything checked out a-ok.

The FD has done his part by spending even more time with us kitties and playing with us and we have all gotten more nip lately, and mommy and the FD make sure to NEVER skimp on the kitty treats.

I'm afraid they are running out of ideas.

Mommy is ready to threaten Ivy with a trip to the V-E-T.

Important Information for Mancats!

My mommy has a friend she made in those classes she goes to that takes time away from me. This friend is also a lover of kitties and has THREE manly tuxies and . . . well . . . a doggie.

We all know how I feel about doggies, even though the tortie twins LOVE them.

Anyway, one of the tuxies, Fred, had to go to the V-E-T because he was having some problems, and now poor Fred has to be put on a special diet, which I suppose isn't too bad since it involves stinky goodness.

Fred's mommy and daddy started a blog about food, and their latest entry is all about Fred and his new diet. I thought I would introduce the latest kitties to join the blogosphere! (Even if it is just their beans doing the blogging.)

Click here to read all about Fred, George, and Mozart! (And their doggie Yoda too).