2015 Cat of the Year, Vote now!

It is that time of the year again; time to recognize the contributions of some exceptional individuals. Yes, it’s time to vote for your Cat of the Year.

Preparation of this year’s Cat of the Year voting has been slowed by the considerable confusion and even outrage expressed by voters in last years’ contest. As a result of bad faith dealings, a drawn out legal battle, frivolous motions (such as the question of who is the owner), attempts by some parties to sway public option though lies and manipulation, the appointment of and ruling by a three member water panel, and review by the official rules committee, the voting has been delayed. But now it’s ready, and we believe that the City of Missoula will ultimately own the water company   one cat will fulfill its destiny.

2015 has once again brought change and upheaval in the personnel in the Marler- Schmetterling household, and thus eligibility in the 2015 Cat of the Year. For a brief recap, Natalie, our once big and faithful cat, passed away in July 2014, and since she did complete more .5 of the year, so she (according to the official rules) was eligible for the 2014 competition. However Alex took home the prize for 2014. Good job Alex!

Winston, who joined us in November 2014 was not eligible to compete last time, but he is in the game this year, big time.

Chester, our newly added Persian, is not eligible. We got him in November and the rules clearly state a contestant must complete more than six months at our house to be considered on the ballot. Too bad, Chester. But as a means of introduction and in fairness to Winston’s introduction last year, this year we will include him in the overview.

Miles: not a cat

Miles
As was brought to our attention in 2013, Miles, our wire-haired Chihuahua is not a cat and therefore ineligible. The rules committee convenient and the decision was upheld in a vote, 11-1.

The chickens and Miles:  not cats

The Chickens
The chickens (Winnie and the other two) are also not eligible. In addition to not being cats, we can’t tell them apart (in the photo above the chickens are being represented by a single chicken.  Don't know who) so they’d only be up for some kind of group award, which Cat of the Year is most certainly not.

Natalie's one true friend, the mountain lion rug: ruled not a pet.

The mountain lion rug
The lion rug has never been included. However one voter pointed out last year that she is a valued part of our home, providing warmth and companionship (especially to Natalie in her final days), and she spent more than 6 months in our home in 2015. The rules committee had to refer to the dictionary definition of “pet,” which is a “domestic or tamed animal kept for companionship or pleasure and treated with care and affection.” In favor of including the lion: she does provide companionship and pleasure, and we do treat this rug with care and affection (except Miles- he disrespects it and we had to move it). We appreciate that we ate her meat, and we admire her beauty. Against including the lion: Let’s face it, she is neither domestic nor tamed. She could turn on us at any moment. Therefore: ineligible. Sorry Cryss Anderson. However we take reader comments seriously and encourage everyone to send feedback when warranted. We should all question the establishment and feel the Bern.

So here are this year’s title contenders. Their order has been randomly assigned to avoid bias.

In a close vote, Alex was your 2014 cat of the year. Whereas the rest of the descriptions will remain the same, e.g., significant accomplishments, background, etc… astute readers may notice we no longer include “Cost per pound” as one of the considerations, because that shit was getting ridiculous.

Alex- he is hard to photograph

Alex

Alex is the defending 2014 champion as well as the 2013 Cat of the Year and also winner by a landslide in 2009, defeating not only Natalie, but Squeak and Junebug (a two time champion herself).  He is the reigning champion and the only 3 time winner. It is his title to lose. The prestige and glory of his victory never changed how he goes about his day. He has retained his unassuming nature, almost as if he was unaware of his victories and the dynasty he is establishing.

Accomplishments:

He has unusually large paws.

Alex still enjoys playing the classic games like "Hit" and "Bite." Unfortunately his weak, arthritic hips limit his participation in "Chase." He understands that not everything is how it was in youth. He is completely unflappable. He has seen worse, he was hoarded.

He lost his one white whisker but recently grew it back (coincidental to the Cat of the Year voting).

He developed a hitch in his giddy-up (from the arthritis) but carried on bravely despite having to crab walk for about a week. He was able to re-arrange his activity schedule so that he could do his things in a clock wise progression (only turning right, and crab walking right). During this time we had to move his litterbox upstairs since he couldn’t use the stairs. Then, because he did not want to inconvenience anyone, he healed.

He still walks a little stiffly but it’s OK. He’s seen worse; he was hoarded.

Alex also went through a phase in late summer when he only slept under the bench by the front door and pretty much ignored everyone in the house. Around mid-Autumn he pulled himself together and rejoined us. He’s back to sleeping on our bed and interacting with the other pets a little. He seeks affection and purrs a little louder than last year. Is this a miracle turn around or is it just a ploy to gain votes in the Cat of the Year contest and retain his title? I guess the voters will decide.

If he is indeed pandering, it might be because he recognizes the formidable opponent that is Winston.

Age: 16+

Weight: 6 lbs 11 oz, down 1 oz in a year, and 2 oz in 2 years.  Amazing consistency.  Way to go Alex.  That is so Alex, a rock.

Background: Innocent victim of a hoarder. We adopted Alex in 2007 from the Bitterroot Humane Association as a friend for Natalie. He’d been at that shelter for 2 years because no one wanted to adopt an adult black cat. We love him and his giant eyes, soft profile and ¾ length tail. And he loved Natalie. Until her last breath in June 2013, she thought of him as her mortal enemy and nemesis. We are not very good at match making.

Health: chronic warts (pre-cancer), arthritic hips. His diagnosis at this year’s health checkup: “Aging.”

Winston
Oh Winston. You may recall that at this time last year, we were just getting to know Winston and his many quirks. He was living under our bed and using the bathtub as his litterbox. That’s right. Poor guy, his inability to use a traditional litterbox was the reason he had been surrendered at the Humane Society by TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE before he came to live with us.

Actually Persian cats are known to have this behavioral issue. We have had to deal with worse (Junebug, the 2010 and 2011 Cat of the Year) She was a two-time champ despite having to overcome her genetic predisposition. So we stuck it out and tried to encourage him to use a litterbox. We eventually guessed that the litter hurt his little paws (all four of which had been declawed by one of the former owners, which is really mean), and we gave him some boxes we line with cloth nappies. It has worked great! He is now pretty dang consistent in using the box, and it is easy to launder the nappies.

Perhaps this was his plan all along: to rid us of society’s disposable tendencies. Instead of the flushable litter, even though it is made of a waste material (we use a wheat based litter), he turned us on to re-usable cloths. Recycled and re-usable cloths that are available at Home ReSource in Missoula for $10/bag, and your purchase supports diverting waste material from the local landfill and promoting re-use in general. Home ReSource, located at 1515 Wyoming, open 7 days a week. Thanks Winston!

Weight: ranged from 4.5 pounds to 6 pounds 15 ounces

2015 was a hard year for little Winston

Age: a hard 11

What could a captiuon possible add to this picture.  Vote already.

Health: Poor little sweetie. You will recall that we were treating him for chronic terrible diarrhea. It was bad. And the flatulence. However in treating that problem, we almost killed the patient. We were giving him prednisone for his chronic diarrhea but unfortunately it had negative side effects. Including (in retrospect) an eye ulcer that refused to heal. We had to take him on an epic quest to Mordor (aka, Spokane Veterinary Eye Clinic) to get it fixed.

The ever watchful eye of Sauron.
One does not simply walk into Mordor.

We spent a three day weekend giving him eye drops every hour and despite the agony it put us and him through he eventually recovered.

Unfortunately all the eye drops made him sick, and although we had already switched him to a kinder and gentler steroid (budesonide), the lingering side effects of the prednisone were holding him back.

Sleep, little Winston, gain strength.

He lost almost 3 pound and about half his hair. It was awful. Eventually he got stronger and he has begun to regain his magnificent coat!

He lost almost 3 lbs this year, but is on his way to recover

Getting nourishment

Accomplishments in 2015:

The cat cheated death.

Staggered teeth, like a shark.  Prominent human lip

Though not new for 2015, he has a HUMAN LIP.  Not to mention that, his tongue is too long for his face and his little tiny teeth are staggered like those of sharks.  This is probably an adaptation to his incredible appetite.  He eats everything, and like a little tiny wolverine, he will force a certain terrified chihuahua from his dinner.  Now one comes between 6 lbs of whoop-ass and his food.  No one.

Verdict:  Winston is a slightly higher functioning Junebug.

Winston had quite a health struggle this summer. He cheated death, and it was a miracle.  But now there is another.

When you look at the dark side..., the dark side looks back.

The force is strong with this one.

Chester

Age: 5 or so.

Weight:  He doesn't want to be weighed.

Health: Tooth extraction, abscess, both expensive. We also got is nose opened up a bit, so he can now eat and breath at the same time.  Again, expensive, a but that is what you get with recycled cats.

Background: Shrouded in mystery. This fall he allegedly showed up on the doorstep of two college students and demanded room and board.  He stayed for a couple of months before they posted him on Craigslist for free.

Who posted this add?

This leaves us with so many questions:  Where did he come from? Why did he leave? Was he forced to move? Why so angry? What happened to his previous owners?
We may never know.

Chester is not impressed by Miles and Winston.
Considers himself "surrounded by idiots".

Angry. Judgmental. Strong sense of entitlement. He loves Miles and the cats but that love is not reciprocated. This fuels his anger, anger leads to hate, and we all know hate leads to suffering and the inevitable path to the dark side.

Anger leads to hate

He has an extraordinary side swipe, when he rubs his hips against everything.  He has even knocked Miles off his feet.  Yes, the force is strong with this one.

He apparently likes everyone and everything except Trisha Drobeck.

He will not be mocked.

We are a little concerned about his past, and that coupled with his silent sneaking around the house, makes us sleep a little less easily. Many times, suddenly he is there. And angry.

We are a source of disappointment to Chester.

Accomplishments: Has gigantic paws. Looks good in a lion cut (given to him by the women who saved him and looked for his people before finding him a home). Did not complain about having a bad tooth, we discovered that at the vet at his adoption well check.  Seems to have adjusted to living with us rather easily, perhaps too easily.

Remember Chester is ineligible this year but look for him again in 2016, when he is sure to be a serious contender, even a phantom menace as Winston is wont to believe. That is, if he chooses to stick with us for the required six months or more, and doesn’t discard us and move new home.

He took Miles' bed, but later returned it, so he could steal Alex's bed, which he has not relinquished.  

Vote now! Voting is open until January 10, 10:00 pm!

If you are using a mobile device, scroll to the bottom and select "View web version" and cast your vote on the right hand tool bar.

Support your local Humane Society, adopt a pet today!

2014 Cat of the Year, Voting is Open!

It is that time of the year again, to step away from the garden, from birding, and from re-purposing projects to focus on our family. More importantly, to recognize the contributions of some exceptional individuals.

2014 has seen a change in personnel in the Marler- Schmetterling household. Natalie, our once big and faithful cat, passed away in July. However, Natalie, the (undeserving) 2012 Cat of the Year did complete more than the requisite .5 of the year, so she (according to the official rules) is eligible this year for competition. Our newest acquisition, Winston, a re-purposed, recycled Persian, will not be eligible for the title this year, but we included his statistics below for consideration for 2015.

Ineligible!

After the voting in 2013, it was brought to our attention, that Miles, our wire-haired chihuahua is not a cat.  Following some research, careful observation and consideration, we concurred.  Therefore, miles will not be eligible for the title of the 2014 Cat of the Year.

Don't feel too bad for Miles, he had a good year.  He has explored a lot of mountain lakes and even met the governor.

In addition to adopting Winston, in 2013 we were the high bidders at the Missoula County Fair's livestock auction for these three chickens. Not just any chickens, but the grand champion layers! All three are Rhode Island Reds, and they are named Winnie, and the other two.

Verdict: not cats

So the 2014 Cat of the Year title comes down to a classic showdown between two former champions, two heavyweights: Alex vs Natalie for the crown.

Alex

He is hard to photograph.

Alex is the defending 2013 Cat of the Year and also winner  by a landslide in 2009, defeating not only Natalie, but Squeak and Junebug (a two time champion herself).  The prestige and glory of his victory never changed how he goes about his day.  He has retained his unassuming nature, almost as if he was unaware of his victory.
Since Natalie’s passing, Alex, the once aloof weird cat we adopted, has become affectionate and cuddly. It has been quite a transformation. In a strange turn of events, he is the most normal pet we have now. I never would have guessed it. We have long sought a playmate for Alex, especially since Squeak, his only friend, died in 2010. Alex enjoys playing the classic games like "Hit," "Bite" and "Chase."  Since Squeak left, no one plays with him. We looked for months for a young male cat with whom he could play and bond. So we got him Winston. (Whoops. More on that later.) But, being his Alex self, he doesn't mind. He is completely unflappable.  He has seen worse, he was hoarded.

Age: 15+

Weight: 6 lbs 12 oz, holding steady (down 1 oz in a year).

Background: Innocent victim of a hoarder. A Bitterrooter, he was at Bitterroot Humane Association's Hamilton shelter for 2 years because no one wanted to adopt an adult black cat. We adopted him in summer of 2007 as a friend for Natalie.  Until her last breath she thought of him as her mortal enemy and nemesis.  Alex loved her.  We are not very good at match making.
Health: chronic warts (cancer), good health otherwise, no signs of pain and has never complained.

On a recent trip to the vet (the amazing Dr. Z at Animal Blessings) his diagnosis was “Aging.”

Accomplishments in 2014: Sits on my chest while I am reading. Improved cuddly-ness.

Natalie

Natalie's one true friend, the mountain lion rug.

Oh Natalie, our once big and faithful cat withered in 2014. Whereas she once possessed great stomp and vigor, her age betrayed her.

Betrayed!

Age:  19

Weight:  She was big boned.  In her heyday, she was well over 18 lbs.  Through some dieting and excercise (read: mandatory lifestyle change) she maintained her weight around 13 lbs.  Sadly, toward the end, she was below 6 lbs.

Accomplishments: Retained her mighty purr until her final day. Also retained her ill will toward Alex and disdain for Dr. Z, her mortal enemy, yet savior.  They have a complicated relationship. Good sleeper.  Liked to help with crafts, but not new for 2014.

Though not a new skill in 2014, Natalie liked to help with sewing projects.

Winston

Good lord. We thought we had seen it all. He is a nice guy, but something is wrong with this cat.

Thanks to inbreeding, his face is too small for his tongue.

Winston spends all day sleeping on the northwest corner of our bed. That is, until he RUNS into the kitchen and drinks approximately one gallon of water and sits there for about an hour. Then he RUNS to the bathroom, where he, wait for it… pees and poops in the bathtub. Yep. That is how he rolls. 

All things considered, this "litterbox" strategy is pretty good and if nothing else, consistent.  We have had to deal with worse (Junebug, the 2010 and 2011 Cat of the Year). It could be he is very environmentally conscience and eschews clay based cat litter. Kudos to him for that. However, we use a wheat based cat litter and provided him with two boxes for his exclusive use..

He snores.  Loud.  Obviously.

A classic profile.

The good news is that he eats dry food.  And wet food.  And Miles' dog food.  And even rejected dog food.

He doesn't really interact with us or the other pets. He is really lazy and apart from his running to pee, running to drink, and running to eat, all he does is sleep. He only uses the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. He has no interest in visiting the rest of the house, nor greeting us, nor sitting on our lap, nothing. He does spend a lot of time grooming, but I think he is doing it wrong. He gets his fur soaking wet (this is probably where all the water he drinks goes), and then promptly rolls over for a 15 hour nap. A warm, moist, sleep. He is in fact felting his coat.

Age: 9

Weight:7 lbs

Health: treating him for chronic diarrhea. He has some teeth. His tongue sticks out of his mouth all the time. Just plain weird.  Seriously, there has got to be something wrong with him.

Other tidbits:  Nothing fazes him.  He is he afraid of nothing.

UPDATE:  since I started writing this, Winston has switched from sleeping on the northwest corner of the bed, to underneath the bed on top of a backpack.  So basically, what we have now is a cat that lives under our bed and poops in our bathtub.  Awesome.

Vote now!  Voting is open until Dec 31, 5:00 pm!
If you are using a mobile device, scroll to the bottom and select "View web version" and cast your vote on the right hand tool bar.

2012 Cat of the Year: Voting is now open!

Junebug 1999- 2012

This year's Cat of the Year Award is offered in loving memory of Junebug. She was a glorious creature and the only two time champion of Cat of the Year (2010 and 2011).  Sadly Junebug passed away this year in May.  And unfortunately, as you may recall with Squeak, since she did not complete at least 50% of the year she is ineligible for consideration as the 2012 Cat of the Year.  These are the rules.  Frankly no one expected Junebug to make it as long as she did.  

We dearly loved Junebug and we miss her every day, and so does Alex (we think).  However, as you will read, not everyone shared our fondness for that little monster.

So, in alphabetical order, here are the contestants for the 2012 Cat of the Year.  Polls close January 4 at midnight, so, do the civically responsible thing and vote.  And leave a comment- these were the best part of the voting in past years!

Pictured from left to right:  Natalie, Miles, and Alex

Alex 

Age: 11

Weight: 8 lbs

Breed: Turkish angora x Persian

Alex with his friend, Junebug.

Background: Innocent victim of a hoarder. He was at the shelter for 2 years because no one wanted to adopt an adult black cat. We adopted him in summer of 2007 as a friend for Natalie. Boy was that a bad idea.  Really bad.

Pros: Good attitude. Greets all visitors at the door. Does fantastic acrobatics. Plays hard.  Tries to play with the other cats (they don't play back), and he respected Junebug and her issues.  After the passing of Squeak, the undisputed leader of the house, Alex has assumed a more prominent leadership role.  This is despite his age (our youngest cat) and small stature ( he is about 56% the size of Natalie).

Cons: Rarely purrs. Bites your face if you oversleep.  In warm months he will bolt out the door to check out the yard (but in his defense he stops after 10 feet).  Socially inept.

Accomplishments in 2012: Whereas Alex grew one white whisker in 2011, contributing to his more distinguished appearance, he seems to have lost it.  Although he lost his closest friend, Squeak, in 2011, and then Junebug, his other friend in 2012, Alex maintains a cheerful and outgoing personality.  He is still very, very fast.

After beating the crap out of Miles when they first met, Alex was the first to offer an olive branch. 

Alex and Miles reach an agreement.

Natalie has yet to offer such amends. 

Gregarious, yet modest and unassuming, Alex just likes to be close to people.  But now, he spends a lot of his time in Junebug's old room. His ¾ length tail, though not new in 2012, is always worth some points. 

Alex had an expensive year of vet care in 2011 ($80/pound) for some skin tumors and dental issues.  So far in 2012 he has had zero vet visits and no expenses. But unfortunately we recently noticed that his skin tumors have returned. We are fearful of the prognosis, although Alex is as stoic as ever.

Expenses: $0.*

Cost per pound: $0
*He will eat whatever any of the other cats are eating. He doesn’t mind, nor does he expect anything more.

Miles and his favorite person, Marilyn.

Miles*

*note:  Miles not eligible for consideration this year (he has only completed 25% of the 2012 competition season, but barring any complications he will be a contender in 2013).

Age:  8

Weight 7 lbs

Breed:  Wire-haired Chihuahua (a rare condition that should likely garner him some votes by loyal readers.  Only a few long haired and short haired Chihuahuas end up with the wiry hair).

Background:  Our smallest and youngest cat, Miles is a "California Little"- one of the small dogs sent to Missoula's Humane Society from an animal shelter in Merced, California.  He, like his bother Alex, is the innocent victim of a hoarder.  We know very little about his past, but when we adopted him he had sores on his feet and legs from confinement.

Miles is color coordinated with our kitchen floor- an important consideration in future voting.

Pros: Will not make eye contact with the cats.  Generally enjoys everything.  Does not bark (except when he is asleep and dreaming).  He is a “proud stepper”, and he is tall for his height.  He has the long (albeit, short), graceful legs of an antelope.  Despite his central California upbringing, he is unfazed by winter and snow. 

Cons:

Does not purr, and will not use a litter box.

Accomplishments:  Has recently mastered “sit”, "lay down", his name, and can jump onto all the beds.  Sleeps under the covers with us at night.  Does not eat treats from the cat litter boxes.

Cost per pound: $57

Natalie is not impressed.

Natalie

Age: 17

Weight: 14 lbs (according to her driver’s license)

Breed: Domestic long hair

Background: Disemboweled by her previous owners’ dog, historically medically neglected. Borderline diabetic (Type 2 lifestyle diabetes, I'm calling it what is is). She’d prefer to be the only cat in our house.

Pros: Classic beauty, good stomper, good at polishing things with her declawed paws (including the computer monitor when you are trying to read or write something). Great purr, skilled exfoliator of the human face.  Very helpful when you are reading a book, looking at a monitor or doing anything that she can sit on, sit in front of, or otherwise interrupt (see below). Very friendly with human visitors.

Cons: Not a team player. Generally is disgusted by any other cats including Squeak, Alex, and cat-like pets including Junebug and Miles.  In 2011, we suspected she was happier after Squeak died, but in 2012, after Junebug died, her glee was obvious.  I have never seen Natalie happier.  This unabashed glee lasted until we came home with Miles. 

Accomplishments: Natalie continues to be the largest of our cats and had no surgeries this year. Glowing report from the vet (who she hates). It appears as though she is getting healthier and younger with each vet visit.  We suspect she is robbing the strength of all the pets we have lost (Squeak, Junebug, and Mattie).  We are fearful there is a portrait of her in the attic that is aging.  She is a wonderful, happy cat, and if not for her utter disdain of any other pets (currently Alex and Miles), this would be her title to lose every year.

Cost: Expensive diabetic food, but no vet visits this year.

Cost per pound: $3/ lb

2011 Cat of the Year: Voting is Now Open!

Squeak, 1993-2011

It's time to vote for the coveted title of 2011 Cat of the Year. 

The voting was lively last year, with touching comments submitted and several voters expressing very strong opinions, and it is clear that the readers of Montana Wildlife Gardener take the responsibility of voting seriously. We apologize for the delay in getting this year's contest up and running, but we experienced a high volume of veterinary trips and health scares in late December, and we had to incorporate those results into the competition (in the interest of fairness and full disclosure).

We offer the 2011 Cat of the Year (COTY) Award in loving memory of Squeak (pictured above).  We loved Squeak dearly and were very sad to lose her. She died from complications of old age (she was about 18) and went quickly.  As much as we miss her and honor her memory, we regret that she is ineligible for the 2011 COTY Award.  She passed away in May, which means she did not meet the minimum requirement of participating in 50% of the year. But she was a good cat.

Voting will be open until January 15 2012; polls close at midnight.
As you recall, Junebug was the 2010 COTY winning by a landslide, receiving 54% of the vote and easily winning over the electoral college to claim the coveted title. Alex, the 2009 champion, made a strong showing, but ultimately he was no match of the giant political machine that is Junebug (that was a shout-out to Missoula local politics).

Obviously, this has nothing to do with wildlife gardening or native plant landscaping, other than to say keep your cats indoors.

The nominees are listed below (alphabetically).

Alex in the foreground; Natalie staring daggers in the back of his head

Alex 

Age: 10

Weight: 7.5 lbs

Breed: Turkish angora x Persian

Background: Innocent victim of a hoarder. He was at the shelter for 2 years because no one wanted to adopt an adult black cat. We adopted him in summer of 2007 as a friend for Natalie. Boy was that a bad idea.

Pros: Good attitude. Greets all visitors at the door. Does fantastic acrobatics. Plays hard.  Tries to play with the other cats (they don't play back), and he respects Junebug and her issues.  After the passing of Squeak, the undisputed leader of the house, Alex has assumed a more prominent leadership role.  This despite his age (our youngest cat), and that he is about 56% the size of Natalie.

Cons: Rarely purrs. Bites your toes while you sleep. Sometime bolts out the door to check out the yard (but in his defense he stops after 10 feet).

Accomplishments in 2011: Alex grew one white whisker in 2011, contributing to his more distinguished appearance.  Although he lost his closest friend, Squeak, this year, Alex maintains a cheerful and outgoing personality.

Squeak and her friend Alex, enjoy the sun.

Gregarious, yet modest and unassuming, Alex just likes to be close to people.  He spends the most time in Junebug's room- he loves it there, and he never uses her litter box (see below). His ¾ length tail, though not new in 2011, is always worth some points. He had a strong year overall, but in November we discovered pre-cancerous skin tumors on his trunk and neck.  On the upside, he has been very stoic about this and hadn't complained at all. On the downside, if he had called them to our attention sooner, he might have ended up getting a dental check up sooner and avoided 3 extractions. Alex: it's ok to ask for help sometimes.

Expenses: 2 vet visits, 3 teeth pulled, 5 tumors excised.

Cost per pound: $80

Junebug cleans yet another plate in 2011

Junebug

Age: 12 (No one expected her to make it this long)

Weight: 4 lbs 1 oz.  (down 1.5 pounds since last year)

Breed: Silvertip Persian

Background: Oh, June. We adopted June from the Humane Society in fall 2009 after she suffered years of horrific neglect.

Pros: Ridiculously cute with a big purr. Cuddly, despite her very bony little arthritic body. Her only two teeth are in pretty good shape (although since she is allegic to her own tooth enamel, we have to give her daily antibiotics to keep those 2 teeth there).  Despite only 2 teeth (both on the bottom), she eats more than the other 2 cats combined.  Given her love for meat, blood, and related, another pro is that she has never tasted our blood. If she ever tastes human blood, well, you can imagine.

Cons: Her litter box improvement actually plateaued in 2010.  Whereas her litter box use has "improved" since adoption it is only because we make sure she is in her room when she has to use it.  Side note- she will only use her litter box if she is in her room, and only if no other cat ever uses it. Fortunately she lives a simple life and it's easy (kind of) to predict her schedule. Also, we can't make eye contact with her when she is considering using the litter box. Oh, June.

She doesn't like to take her medicine (she gets 2/day and 1 every other day).  She is not a cat for beginners. She also helps with the dishes (she will eat anything).

Accomplishments this year: No teeth extractions, and only 2 or 3 vet visits all year (more than a 50% decrease from last year!). Although June is a finicky eater and her canned cat food bills add up, we have switched her over to a more wild game based diet.  In fact, all the scrap we once would throw away, we now save for June and grind it up for her.  She is saving our wallet and the environment.  She continues to improve her grooming habits (well, they are not getting worse). She is okay with home-administered haircuts.  She sleeps by our heads in bed with us every night, and she lets us scratch her belly.
Ventured outside a couple of times this summer (under close supervision).

Junebug went outside in 2011

Editors note:  this is not an activity we condone for cats, but her vet said that June can do anything she wants.

Expenses: multiple vet visits, daily anti-anxiety meds and antibiotics, constant awareness of her litter box routine

Cost per pound: $50, but priceless, really.

Natalie in one of her several beds.

Natalie

Age: 16

Weight: 13 lbs.

Breed: Domestic long hair

Background: Disemboweled by her previous owners’ dog. Medically neglected. Borderline diabetic (type 2 lifestyle diabetes, I'm calling it what is is). She’d prefer to be the only cat in our house.

Pros: Classic beauty, good stomper, good at polishing things with her declawed paws (including the computer monitor when you are trying to read or write something). Great purr, skilled exfoliator of the human face.  Very helpful when you are reading a book, looking at a monitor or doing anything that she can sit on, sit in front of, or otherwise interrupt (see below). Very friendly with human visitors.

Cons: Diva complex. Not a team player. Generally dislikes Alex and Junebug (who she doesn't recognize as a cat).  Not to anthropomorphize, but it really seemed like she was happier after Squeak died.  I think there was gloating.  Natalie is not very helpful when you are reading a book, looking at a monitor or doing anything that she can sit on sit in front of or otherwise interrupt (see above)

Accomplishments: Natalie continues to be the largest of our cats and had no surgeries this year. Glowing report from the vet (who she hates). She is a wonderful, happy cat, and if not for her utter disdain of Alex and Junebug (and Squeak), this would be her title to lose every year.

Cost: Expensive diabetic food, but only 1 vet visit this year.

Cost per pound: $7.70