Hello, Peeps and Pets! Vivian K. Perry here, fondly looking back on a memory from Summer 2022. Oh, how I miss the warm days on Perry’s Point! The brilliant sunshine, the butterflies and buttercups, the soft sea breezes and birds aplenty—yes, I know they will all come again, but I can’t wait.
The Photo Challenge prompt over at Xingfu Mama is Pull up a Seat.*
Well, a picnic table certainly counts, doesn’t it? Of course it does.
I don’t like going outside for very long when it’s cold. So in the meantime, I will endure the long winter by taking lots of naps, with pleasant dreams of long summery days. The good news? The days are getting longer! Do you look forward to summer as much as I do?
Oh! Before I forget, let me share Jennifer’s blogging anniversary. This blog, Jennifer’s Journal, has now entered its twelfth year! Meow and Wow!
Vivian K. Perry here, sharing with all of you lovelies some new photos of moi. I posed for the first two back in 2012:
Look at me!
A force to be reckoned with at 5 years old
Zoom ahead ten years to the present:
In my fifteenth year, do you think . . .
. . . I’m still pretty?
I can’t see the difference. Can you see the difference?
Not much has changed for me in the past decade—aside from the devastation of losing my sweet sister Maisie two years ago.
As a mature feline (not gonna use the word old!), I still lead quite an active life. I go outdoors several times a day. I eat both wet and dry cat food, which Jennifer thinks helps keep my fur nice and soft. I’m an exceptionally clean creature and a fastidious groomer. And I get plenty of love and attention from both my staff.
The one thing that has changed a bit are the length and number of my naps.
Beauty sleep is a must!
Yes, there’s no denying I’m a cat “of a certain age.” But when you are healthy and enjoying your days in a relaxed, wholesome, loving environment, life is a joy. In some ways, I’m still growing: in my experience, my wisdom, an ever-growing collection of memories, and my “kitty” vocabulary!
Perhaps some of you (and that includes my human friends and followers) can relate.
Hey, pet peers, any of you enter your senior years yet? Are you enjoying your elder status?
“The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.” ~ Madeleine L”Engle
Meowy Christmas, peeps and pets! Vivian K. Perry here today, filling in for Jennifer while she finishes getting ready for the holidays.
I got to reminiscing about my sister Maisie this morning, who went over the rainbow bridge in May of 2020. Here we are, together, several Christmases ago:
And here is Maisie, unable to resist our little tree:
Jennifer has many other cats in her extended family. Here is Joey, one of her daughter’s cats:
. . . and here’s Joey with his sister Ginger:
Jennifer’s sister-in-law owns this fluffy kitty who goes by the name Scotty—aka Butterscotch:
Not long ago, Scotty had a brother named Merlin:
This cat’s name is Gerald. He belongs to Jennifer’s niece:
Jennifer’s sister had a cat named Zoe:
. . . and Jennifer’s son had a cat named Miss Mooch:
Jennifer and I are sending out Season’s Greetings to all of our friends, family, pets and bloggers. We look forward to catching up with you again in 2022! ~ Love and purrs, Vivian. ❤
Vivian K. Perry here, happy to report that I’m turning fourteen today!
Where have the years gone? Time seems to be flying by ever since we moved out of the city, back when I was only three. And I’m hoping for many more years yet on this side of the sod. My staff is doing everything they can to keep me happy and healthy, I can certainly vouch for that.
Taking a break from playing fetchwith my favourite ball
Anyway, I’m off to celebrate my special day by going outside to explore Perry’s Point for the millionth time.
Thanks for visiting and have a purr-fect week! Head bumps and sandpaper kisses, ♥ Vivian ♥
Hey peeps and pets! Vivian K. Perry here, guest hosting for Jennifer today.
Since my last post, my humans have noticed something about me. It seems I’ve gained a new appreciation and affection for the other “critters” around my house. Most likely it’s because I’m craving the companionship of my peers, so to speak. I guess I still miss my sister Maisie who had always been a part of my life since we were womb-mates. I can hardly believe it’s been nearly a year since we said our goodbyes.
Maisie
The first new friend my humans noticed was this stuffed doggie on the spare bed. All of a sudden I’d started taking naps with him.
And this past Easter, I took a noticeable shine to the bunny on our entertainment stand. Jennifer told me she’s made an appearance every spring since I’ve been born, but this is the first year I made her my buddy. While the humans watch TV, I’m usually sprawled out here next to her. Although Easter has passed, my bunny gets to stay.
Here’s another little pal. As much as I know my humans love me, I guess I need a few smaller friends to dote on. They don’t say much, but then, Maisie was pretty quiet too.
“Cats are mysterious; they havemore on their minds than we could ever imagine.” – Walter Scott
“You can’tever be a cat owner; in the best of cases it allows you to be their companion.” – Harry Swanson
On my morning jaunt outside,
I believe I see Maisie again.
Just when I thought
I was over her,
from the corner of my eye
I see her step, sylphlike,
through the wind-riven grass
—a slim, graceful shadow.
My heart leaps.
The idea of her, home—
on Perry’s Point once more!
Joy flashes, like
the spangle of sun
upon the ocean around me.
A dream, a wish, short-lived.
As the chill of the first winter
without her closes in,
I will miss the cuddles,
the companionable silences,
the nose bumps,
our years of moments shared
ever since we were wombmates.
I won’t dwell on
what once was. Instead,
I will carry my sister with me
until we meet again.
Maisie, you may have left Perry’s Point but you will never leave our hearts! ♥♥♥
Vivian here, sitting in as guest host to share a worthy little list with you. I pounced on it during a nighttime prowl on the web and posted it here a few years ago. My sister Maisie and I were animal shelter adoptees, so this is a cause that is naturally near and dear to my kittycat heart.
happy and grateful for being adopted
Have a “purr”-usal and see why I think these are all terrific reasons to bring a lovely little cat like me or a friendly doggie into your heart and home right now. Here’s a bonus reason: with many of us facing a long winter staying home because of the pandemic, a new pet may be just the right antidote for boredom or loneliness.
TEN REASONS TO ADOPT A PET FROM A SHELTER
1. Every pet adopted from a shelter instead of purchased from a pet store or breeder improves the pet overpopulation problem.
2. Adopting a dog or cat from a no-kill shelter can free up space for older or special needs pets that may not find new homes before the end of their natural lives.
3. There are plenty of animals to choose from at most shelters. They come in every age, shape, size, coat color and breed mix, and you can find purebreds at shelters as well.
4. Compared to the cost of purchasing a pet, adopting one from an animal shelter is relatively inexpensive. And if you get a slightly older dog or cat, there’s a good chance he is already fully vaccinated and neutered.
5. Adopting an older pet allows you to skip over the time-consuming, often frustrating puppy or kitten stage of development and takes the guesswork out of what your pet will look like as an adult – size, the thickness and color of her coat, and her basic temperament, for example.
6. Most shelters and rescues do assessments on every pet taken in, to determine things like temperament, whether the pet has any aversion to other pets or people, whether he is housebroken, has had obedience training, etc.
7. Many shelters and rescues also offer lots of new owner support and materials about training, behavior problems, nutrition, grooming and general care.
8. If you have kids, adopting a shelter animal can open their eyes to the plight of homeless pets, teach compassion and responsibility, and show them how wonderful it feels to give a home to a pet that might otherwise live in a cage or be euthanized.
9. An older adoptive pet can be the perfect companion for an older person. Many middle-aged and senior dogs and cats require less physical exertion and attention than younger animals.
10. An adopted pet can enrich your life. The unconditional love and loyalty of a dog or cat can lift depression, ease loneliness, lower blood pressure, and give you a reason to get up in the morning. A kitty asleep in your lap feels warm and comforting. A dog that loves to walk or run outdoors can be just the incentive you need to start exercising regularly.
*list adapted from source: healthypets.mercola.com
So if this sharing prompts just one of you to adopt a pet, I have helped an animal in need. And if you share the list, you could too.
“Pets are humanizing. They remind us we have an obligation and responsibility to preserve and nurture and care for all life.” – James Cromwell
Vivian K. Perry here, sharing a pic of me sneaking a catnap during a busy afternoon at the office.
I’m pleased to report that my sutures were taken out on Tuesday—thank you, Nurse Marilyn—the dreaded Elizabethan collar/cone has been tossed, and life has mostly returned to normal.
My sister Maisie and I don’t get to go outdoors nearly as much now; that’s the only downside.
But I have bounced back from my vicious attack last month, and I’m more than grateful to resume my usual workaday routine.
Our dear little Vivian is recuperating from a coyote attack. At least that is our best guess, after her vet in Gander said the wounds under her tail came from four large canine teeth, too large to be another cat, weasel or mink.
There are no roaming dogs in the vicinity, but there have been plenty of coyote sightings around the shore and right here in Newtown. Needless to say, our cats will never go out in the evening or night again. After almost nine years of outdoor escapades since we moved here from the city, this is the first time anything like this has happened. Darn coyotes!
Chelsea the vet sedated her, stitched her up, and administered an antibiotic dose good for two weeks. We gave her anti-inflammatory medicine for seven days and oodles of TLC.
Her sutures come out on Wednesday, and we can’t wait. The past eleven days have been tough, mostly due to the joys of the Elizabethan collar. Vivian was depressed at first, but a few days ago she snapped back to her old silly self, chasing Maisie around the house. So funny to see Maisie run away, apparently spooked by the contraption on her sister’s head (she usually play-fights back).
Everything will work out, Vivian. We’re so grateful we didn’t lose you.
And I’m sure you have at least five or six lives left in you yet.
A little sisterly moral support from Maisie
A get well card and goodie bag from our friend Libby. Warm thanks to all for the calls and get well messages.
“People that hate cats will come back as mice in their next life.” – Faith Resnick
Cats, even the cutest of kittens, have a killer instinct. It’s an inherited and hard-wired behavior put into practice by the time a kitten is barely a month old. Mother cats will teach their kittens to hunt by example using trilling and other sounds to indicate the type of prey brought to the den. When kittens are about four weeks old, she brings dead prey to teach identification of prey species and later live prey to teach how to catch and kill. Kittens soon learn to swat, pounce and scoop with their claws extended. They learn to bring the prey home to share as their mother did for them and to play with the prey.
As adults, cats will bring humans (mother substitutes) their bounty as a shared offering. Depending on what’s available, it could be an actual mouse carcass or perhaps a toy mouse in your shoe.*
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Jennifer's Journal 