Cathy’s celebrating her November birthday with a contest. Share your favorite poem or quotation with her and you could win some yarn – there’s a twist to this one, so make sure you read the details as it’s a fun twist! Leave your comments by noon CST, November 27.
Have you heard about the One Laptop One Child program? The New York Times has a particularly nice overview article about it. Between now and November 26, there’s a cool program called Give One, Get One – for a $399 donation, you give a laptop to a child in a developing country, receive one of the same children’s laptops (and they are very, very cool), and get a $200 tax deduction on top of it. This is the technology that could make all those cyberpunk novels come true.
A few weeks ago, Jeanne finally guilted me into getting a new cardboard scratcher for Chaos. Ok, it was definitely past time to do so (um, he’d had the old one for nearly four years and had worn out both sides of it), and I’d been meaning to, but… Anyway, you can definitely see the difference between the two:
I hung on to the old scratcher for a few days, just to make sure that the new scratcher was acceptable – last thing I wanted was a feline meltdown about not having the right scratcher. It turned out to be no problem whatsoever.
“New scratcher. Mmmmmm…” -Chaos
“New scratcher. Mine. All mine!” -Chaos
“Mine mine mine mine mine mine mine.” -Chaos
“I totally don’t get it. Are you ok, big kitty?” -Mayhem
“Happy happy mine mine.” -Chaos
“Back off, Mayhem, unless you want to lose that paw. This is my scratcher. Mine.” -Chaos
“Mine… zzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos
“I really don’t get it.” -Mayhem
“…zzzzzzzminezzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos
“Hmph. Well, who wants to scratch on cardboard anyway?!” -Mayhem
Chaos is a playfull kitty with his new scratcher.
Aw he is so cute!
Now you tell me! Remember the carpet I trashed? It was totally bare on the top step.
Hee hee hee! That is definitely a well-received gift!
Beware the day Mayhem does ‘get it’.
4 years?!? I don’t trim my cats’ claws, so I buy a new one every 6 months. They just destroy the things.
Um. OK. Looking at the old one kind of reminds me it’s time to get a new one for the guys myself…
Hee hee…poor Chaos! At least he has one thing he doesn’t have to share with the little sibling.
You doused it with ‘nip, right?
THAT is kitty bliss!
Maybe Mayhem needs one of her own?
(((hugs)))
Zoe loves her scratcher, too. After a good scratch she likes to lounge on it and gnaw on the edges.
Awww…. *Does* May ever use the scratcher when Chaos isn’t lying on top of it?
(And I had never even thought about flipping it over. Mel sends thanks.)
LOL! Amber’s cat had one that was also a track for a ball that would spin round and around. I think Giz was more about that than the actual scratching most of the time. But wow, Chaos manages some decent damage on the old one. Though a 4 year live span seems acceptable.
Oh, your pleasures will change as you age Mayhem! (hehe)
I saw a commercial for the one laptop too. My sis and I are running a contest with our boys – see who can fill their piggybank fullest in two weeks, then we’re going to pick a charitable project to use the money one with the boys. I bet we could get to $400 with a matching program from mom and dad.
Aw, I love a cat with a new cardboard scratcher. We buy the narrow ones and our cats monorail on them big time when they’re fresh. Hmmm, might be time for a new one too!
Do they share?
I think the scratcher was a big hit!
Heehee! We have upstairs kitty and downstairs kitties. One kitty is both up and downstairs. When double-agent kitty is upstairs, there is some serious meltdown and they fight for possession of both “trees” and the scratcher. *sigh*
that’s easy, the new one has the word New on it.
That series of photos is hilarious! I think you’ve captioned both cats thoughts quite accurately.
I can just imagine Mayhem wondering why you’d want to lay on top of a scratcher when you could be laying on top of stripey socks instead.
LOL! I think Chaos likes his new scratcher.
I was reading an article about the One Laptop One Child program the other day. The laptops look really cool!
Harley loves her scratchers, especially the “alpine” one that’s on an incline. She goes through them a whole lot faster than Chaos does (and she has one on each of the 3 floors of my townhouse!)
Its no wonder May hasn’t a clue as to why that cardboard scratcher is so awesome – she can’t get anywhere near the darn thing.
Absofreakinglutely hysterical. Wonderful start to my day. I laughed all the way to the bottom of the post. (“Feline meltdown” — what an apt term!)
Hmm, still trying to get Raven to use a scratcher. He seems to like my carpet! Yikes. Maybe if I got him a flat scratcher like that one instead of the post I have for my other kitties. I’m off to the store. Here’s hoping!
what cute photos of Chaos and May – one of my kitties loves to lie on her scratch board also (grin)
I’m guessing scratcher has some catnip built in. Does May not have front claws?
Oh, too funny!
Oh, those are adorable photos! I know what Chaos will be Thankful for on Thursday!
That reminds me of Duff and the stuffed animals. That dog has to have something to suck on at night. Right now it’s the head of a stuffed animal monkey. He’s got issues.
Now there is one happy cat. I’ll have to try one of those for my boys… but Orville likes to scratch on things that are bigger & heavier than him. Like couches and rugs.
Chaos, don’t ever get off the scratcher. Mayhem will figger it out and then where will you be?
My kitties love those too! We’ve never had a problem with cats scratching anything else… ever. Happy kitty indeed!
I think he loves his new scratcher.
Hmm. I really should get Hezekiah one! Especially since she’s been using the carpet and the couch.
I’ve played with the OLPC laptops, and they are really cute 🙂 (One of the perks of my job…)
I’m impressed that Chaos’ has lasted so long. They last about 6-9 months at our house, are community property, and…by a Millie who shall not be named…are chewed on…
Go Mom!
That laptop program is really cool.
And so is the scratcher. Lemmie guess…Chaos likes it.
If you decide to splurge on another feline superstar toy, you should try this: http://www.amazon.com/Bergan-Turbo-Scratcher-Cat-Toy/dp/B0002AS1CM
My mom’s four cats are totally addicted to these and she keeps multiples of them all around the house!
Socks and Mittens don’t get the whole scratcher thing, either, but it’s nice to see Chaos enjoying himself so much. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
do they have those scratchers for humans too? 🙂
Ahhh, love at first scratch.
You waited 4 years to replace that scratcher! I know Chaos is happy for the replacement!
If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, try them out for scratching boards. They are really inexpensive (compared to Walmart or the pet store) and they last a while. Smitty and Milo swear by them. 😉
ROFL looks like Christmas came early this year for Chaos 😉
I was LOLing all the way thru those pictures.
Mine, mine, mine…LOL 😀