The Package Opens

"Well, what's in the package?" Crystal asks before Buddy has a chance to look into the package he has just ripped open.

"Yes, what's in the package?" chorus the other Funny Farm residents.

"I knew I smelled cat in here," Buddy announces, blocking everyone's view with his big body. "And I was right. A hound's nose never lies!"

Cotton tries to squeeze between the other cats, hoping to catch a glimpse into the package. "But what is it?"

"It's ....."

Today we're so happy we just want to spend the day enjoying our surprise gift. Tomorrow we'll post photos. Meanwhile, if you really can't wait to see what is in the package, you can visit Poppy Q for a clue.

And you can see similar (you thought we were going to tell you what it is, didn't you?) at Darling Millie.

(s) The Funny Farm Felines and their jealous Canine friends

The Package

Percy finds the package on the floor first. He sniffs it, and then reaches to touch it.
"Don't touch that!" Buddy yells.

"Why? It's just a package. Jan must have dropped it here."

"But you don't know that," Buddy says, casting a suspicious eye on the package, so obviously out of place in the room. "It could be a bomb."

"A bomb?" "What do you mean, a bomb?" "Who would send us a bomb?" The Funny Farm residents congregate, half poking fun at Buddy with their questions and half frightened he might be right.

Buddy waves a reassuring paw. "Don't worry. I'm a hound. We have a highly sensitive sense of smell. I'll sniff it."
"But you don't know what a bomb smells like," Rusty protests.

Cotton agrees. "Rusty's right. You don't know what a bomb smells like."

Buddy sniffs harder. "I don't smell anything out of the ordinary."
"No, wait," he says, inhaling deeply. "I can just barely smell it through the packaging - after all, who knows how many hands this has gone through - but I do get a faint whiff of cat."

"Cat?" the others chorus. "Bombs don't smell like cat."
Buddy takes another deep whiff. "That's right, so it must be safe to turn it over." He carefully flips the package with one paw.
Merci smiles. "Oh, look, it's from Millie's mom. We know them from Darling Millie."

Cameron shakes his head. "Were we expecting a package from Millie or her mom?"

"No, but let's open it," the group cries.

Samaritan places one paw on a corner and Buddy rips the package open with his teeth to discover ......

(To be continued.)

We Don't Swim

I found these swimming cat videos on the Internet. They're cute, but I hope no one (Jan, in particular) gets the wrong idea because we are posting them here. This is not what you will find happening around the Funny Farm!

Everyone knows cats don't swim. At least normal cats don't. Normally, we are landlubbers and proud of it.

This is Jenna.



In this house, we prefer our water dripping from the tap, thank you. No floating in the tub! And no baths!! (s) Percy, Speaking for all the Funny Farm felines

Mothers

Percy tells Merci, “I was just trolling the net for pet news and came across an interesting news item I thought you might like to read, you being a girl and all. Here, you’re short. I’ll enlarge the print so you can read it.”

“Oh, what beautiful puppies,” Merci exclaims, her eyes shining. “And they’re red, like me.”

“Yes, but you’re not an Irish Setter,” Cyndi says, squinting slightly at the computer screen from her perch on the printer.

“I know I’m not an Irish Setter, and if they have 15 puppies at a time, I’m glad I’m not one. I can’t imagine trying to feed all those hungry puppies.”

Percy nods. “That’s why I thought this article so interesting. While mama Madyson was giving birth, the family’s English Setter Liliana cleaned up all the puppies and even though she wasn’t pregnant, she began to produce milk to help feed them. Now the two dogs work as a team at feeding time and all the puppies get their proper nourishment.”

“That’s sweet,” Merci sighs. “I never had any puppies but Buddy took over my den when he was 3 or 4 weeks old, and then Samaritan moved in when he was 4 months of age. Those boys always wanted to play tug or wrestle or run over me to fetch the toy first. They wore me out! So I feel I’ve done my part to help raise the younger generation of canines.”

Percy leans over and pats Merci on the top of her head. “I’m sure they appreciate you, Merci. I know I do. You rescued me when I was barely big enough to eat solid food. I can see why you wouldn’t want to have a litter of Buddys and Samaritans but I’m sure you wouldn’t mind having 15 of me running around the house.”

Merci, stunned, stares up at Percy. Cyndi begins to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Percy asks.

“You are. We’d all go bonkers if there were 15 of you running around the house. You might not be a canine, but you, Buddy and Samaritan are like 3 peas in a pod. I think it has just occurred to Merci she has actually helped raise 3 screwballs, not just 2.”

Percy protests. “I resent being called a screwball! Just because I’m a feline rescued and raised by a canine does not mean I’m a screwball.”

Samaritan enters the living room with a mouth full of dog biscuits Crystal has tossed down to him from where Jan hid them on a porch shelf. He stops at Jan’s typing chair where Percy is seated and opens his mouth.

 

Percy reaches out and helps himself to a green one. “Thanks, Samaritan.”

Samaritan bends his neck so Merci can reach up and choose a dark brown biscuit.

Cyndi shakes her head. “Perhaps screwball was the wrong word. An animal psychologist’s windfall would be more accurate.”

To read the news story on Madyson and the puppies’ surrogate mother Liliana, click here.