The Very Best Cats Endure an Earthquake

Wow. We had a rough ride out here in Northern CA. A 6.5 earthquake that felt much bigger than that. The last earthquake we had of any large magnitude was about 15 years ago. This was last saturday. Since then, the earthquake in Haiti has happened. Compared to that one, we were blessed.

My husband and I were in a large grocery store when it happened. No one got hurt, but lots of breakage and ceiling damage there. It was scary. In CA I think we just go along and don't really think about quakes until we experience a large one, and then we are woken up to the fact of where we live.

As we are driving home from the store, my husband is thinking about the damage we might be coming home to. I am thinking about the cats. We had glass breakage in the kitchen, Scott's office was a mess, the bathroom was rearranged, things fell in our bedroom, but all in all, we didn't loose anything we could not replace.

Tiger was hiding under our bed, which is where Motor usually is. I had to coax Tiger out because he just wasn't sure how safe it was. Even then, he was on hyper alert. Motor was no where to be found. And I looked for him. About 3 hours later, he just shows up. That boy is a magician. He disappears and appears when he wants to.

K.C., our older deaf cat was sleeping under the table on a chair, hidden by a table cloth. Her favorite place of late. I think she slept right through it. She couldn't hear anything coming down so all was well for K.C.

Here's a few pictures of what we came home to.

Mantle emptied of all photos...

all dropped to the floor. Miraculously, nothing broke.

Bathroom cabinets emptied.

Everything either in the sink or bathtub.

The one casuality from my art studio.

All in all, not a fun experience for Tiger, Motor, or their Mom.

NATALIE PORTMAN & RASHIDA JONES Speak Out from Natalie Portman and Rashida Jones - Video

This is a link to a video I think is very cute!! Give it a try.

NATALIE PORTMAN & RASHIDA JONES Speak Out from Natalie Portman

NATALIE PORTMAN & RASHIDA JONES Speak Out Again from Natalie Portman and Rashida Jones - Video

This video may be a little late, from November 1999, but still cute and worth watching.

NATALIE PORTMAN & RASHIDA JONES Speak Out Again from Natalie Portman

Happy New Year

Tiger and Motor are busy right now rocking out to the 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert on HBO. If you haven't seen it yet, it's wonderful. Tiger and Motor highly recommend watching it. We've watched it once all ready but Tiger and Motor asked to watch it again. And since it is New Year's Eve, it seems like a good night to watch a concert. The list of performers include Simon & Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Bono, Bruce Springstein, Billy Joel and many, many more talented musicians. You may not have known this, but Motor is a big Bruce Springstein fan. And Tiger really likes watching Simon and Garfunkel.

The Very Best Cats and their Mom would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. We wish for all our friends good health and happiness, much prosperity and peace. And we look forward to getting to know our kitty friends better in the new year.

Happy New Year!!!

An Upsetting Story (at least to me)

While at work today, a customer that I like told me he just moved into a new house and his bull dog keeps getting out of the fence. He said it wouldn't be so bad except there are a lot of cats in the neighborhood and their owners are not so happy about it.

After talking a little more, he told me that his dog likes cats like kitty treats. His dog has killed cats. He explained that the dog gives the cat a choice to leave. Just that if they pick the wrong escape route, that's their mistake. This was his justification that he felt all right about it. Of, and then he continued to explain how cats eat mice. It's all part of the life cycle.

Wow. This really distressed me. Obviously he doesn't like cats. I KNOW he loves his dog. Would he feel the same if his dog was killed by a mountain lion? Or hit by a car? I think not.

Makes me glad I decided to keep all my cats indoors or in their catio.

People often surprise and disappoint me when it comes to their views on the treatment of animals.

My Greatest Gifts

This Christmas, my husband and I are doing Christmas differently. We decided not to exchange gifts, and to just enjoy the day together, and spend time with my family later in the day.

A couple of reasons why we decided not to do the gift thing: my husband is self-employed and his business is slow right now, and we all ready have enough stuff. I wasn't sure how I would feel the day of Christmas doing things this way, but it actually feels fine. I am the one that decided we had enough stuff. I don't need any more knick knacks, or clothing, or stuff. If I need or want something for myself, I will go buy it. I just feel in a place of contentment with all I have.

My life is all ready blessed with a loving husband and a good marriage, a comfortable home, and a steady job, which in these times, is a lot to be thankful for. I am healthy and the rest of my family is also and that is something I am truly thankful for. We had a scare with my Mom this year. She lives alone and had a stroke and my brother found her before too much time had gone by and she was taken to the hospital right away. That was in early October. She is much better now.


Two of my greatest gifts are Tiger and Motor (Motor is left, Tiger is right). I didn't know what it was like caring for a pet until I adopted Tiger. And he has opened my world in ways I would not have known. He is my constant companion. Follows me around everywhere. Howls for me when he can't find me. A true kitty buddy. (Tiger below in basket)


And Motor, my goofball buddy. He truly is pure joy. Reminds me everyday to be thankful to be alive. In the morning I call him the bullet because he runs upstairs to greet me. Motor is unconditional love. Not many people get to see him because he is frightened by so many things, which is a shame. But with me, and most of the time Scott, he is just a love bug. (That's Motor, behind the curtain)


Unless you have a pet that you truly spend time with, you will never know just how much giving they do just by being themselves. If you let them, they can help you open your heart to love and being loved. That's what my boys have done for me. And they have helped me open my heart to other animals as well. I learn a lot from them. (Hard to tell, but Tiger is on the right)


So these are some of the thoughts I had today, on Christmas. I am content, at peace, and surrounded with love. What more could I ask for?

Merry Christmas from Motor

Mom: Motor would like to take a quick break from the tough job of inspecting the Christmas tree to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Motor: Mom, I can do that myself. Merry Christmas everybody!!! But a very special Merry Christmas to my friends Dushi and Paddy, Angel and Kirby, and Flynn and Eric. Thanks for coming to visit us this year.

Now I have to get back to work. Someone has to make sure all the lights are working. That's my job.

Merry Christmas everyone from The Very Best Cats.