Bird Dancing

Buddy, napping in the warm sunshine by the open back door, is awakened by a piercing racket. He leaps to his feet and races into the living room. He stops dead in the doorway, unable to believe his eyes.

Lined up facing the computer desk – Percy in front, the other cats in the next row and Samaritan and Merci to the rear –the Funny Farm resident are strutting back and forth while alternately stomping their back feet in unison – or somewhat in unison – while leading an imaginary band with their waving front paws, bobbing their heads in time to the music, and vocalizing in high-pitched screeches.

Buddy swivels his head to view the computer’s monitor screen on the desk. There, strutting, stomping and bobbing to the beat of the Back Street Boys is a bird on the back of a large chair.

“Watch where you’re stepping,” Cameron cries as Samaritan steps on his tail.

“Have you all lost your minds?” Buddy thunders above the music.

Percy turns his head without missing a beat. “Oh, hi, Buddy,” he hollers over the noise. “Come join our aerobics class.”

Merci seconds the invitation. “Yes, it will calm you down and help you sleep.” 

“But I was sleeping,” Buddy roars. 

Breathing hard, Crystal, the oldest of the group, calls over, “Then it will give you energy.”

“I don’t want energy,” Buddy bellows. “I want to sleep.”

“We’re having treats when we finish,” Cotton hollers.

Buddy’s ears perk up. “Treats? Okay. I’m in.” 

He moves into line beside Merci. “Hey, this is fun,” he shouts, while he struts, stomps, waves and screeches with the rest of the bird dancing aerobics class.

(Snowball the dancing cockatoo video, otherwise known as the bird dancing aerobics instructor. May I have this dance?)

Update: Snowball now dances to Huey Lewis also. Click here to check him out.

Jasmine and Gizzy

Jasmine

Lynne from Darling Millie's blog (Click here to visit.) has recently lost Jasmine. This is the second older cat she has lost this year. Gizzy has been gone less than five months.


Gizzy

We remember what it was like when Jennie died. Jan cried a lot and tried to explain to us Jenny was never coming back. Anyone who has ever lost a pet knows that a single death is hard to cope with. Two is - well, it doubles the pain.

So we thought we would post the photos of Jasmine and Gizzy. Perhaps - hopefully - you will go visit and leave Lynne an encouraging message.

Excuse me. I have to go yell at Samaritan. He thinks my eyes are wet from tears, but it's an allergy. I'm too big to cry.

posted by Buddy, Funny Farm Journalist

Fetch In Rain

What a great day! Samaritan, Buddy and I took Jan outside one-on-one this morning to play fetch in the rain. And it was so nice to be able to run and play when the weather was decent. (It was just a drizzle.) It has been a long, hot summer with very little rain.
This is the only time Jan and I get to play fetch. Indoors, if Jan throws a toy for me, the big guys run right over me, grab the toy and play tug with it.

This is really fun! As you can see, I'm still on a leash, but it's a looooong leash. Not the one I use to walk Jan. Have to keep her on a leash at all times or she wanders off, you know.

Break time! This is a great way to start a day. A long walk, a light shower (no soap) and some brisk exercise. I think we should take Jan out to play fetch more often.

Posted by Merci, Funny Farm Cat Rescuer

Three Bath Beauties

Don’t we look spiffy? Jan hasn’t been able to bathe us all summer because of the drought restrictions on water. We didn’t mind, but Jan did.

She was determined to bathe us before the weather gets too cold. And finally on Saturday, she got a notice from the utility company the ban is lifted, although Georgia state restrictions are still in effect so she had to wait until this morning. Unfortunately, it is already chilly here between midnight and 10 a.m. so we shivered a bit – actually we shivered a lot but Jan gave us a quick shampoo and rinse and – well, don’t we look spiffy? Oh, sorry, we already said that.

Jan is proud as a peacock. For the first time since we rescued Samaritan – yes, we rescued him while walking Jan – his hair didn’t break off in bald patches when she bathed him. He recently finished that horrible-tasting medication for the red mange he was born with. He wasn’t contagious. He just looked strange, all red and balding.

And, no, Buddy is not wearing a muzzle. Everyone asks her that when we walk Jan. He is wearing a halti, which is somewhat like a horse halter, only it is made for a dog. Buddy uses it to steer Jan, but she thinks he wears it so she can handle him. (Don’t tell her, please.)

We had our being-good-bath-biscuit treat and are sitting cozy and warm in the sunshine, so we’ve had a good day.

But Jan intends to wash her car Wednesday morning. The water will be colder by then. Wonder which one will catch cold first, Jan or the car? Brrrrr.

Posted by Merci, Funny Farm Cat Rescuer