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Saturday, October 13, 2007 Fuzz Face  Au is sitting down to his third breakfast this morning - and it's not even 8 o'clock yet.Our small fuzz is not happy with his cat biscuits. The manufacturer has improved the flavour but Au prefers the old inferior one. We're planning a biscuit buying expedition later this morning. Au is a little sensitive about small things at the moment and we're indulging his every whim to the hilt. It' s been three weeks since his colleague Scoop passed away and our Mr Kitty still misses his big brother. Once he's cleaned his whiskers and his breakfast has settled we'll spend some time playing in his cardboard box. I've got a great idea for a new game he might like. Will keep you posted! PS Scoop and Au in bed. PPS Katz Tales is out in the print version of The Star today! Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 7:37 AM (5) comments links to this post | 5 comments Friday, September 28, 2007 WCB: Cat Nap  Cat Nap is out in this Weekend edition of The Star - print version only. When I wrote it, Scoop was still alive. Reading it brings back the day I wrote this piece. I was sitting in the living room, having a coffee, yawning after being woken up several times during the night, and wondering what to do next, when I saw Au rolling about on the sofa, and settling on his back, eyes half open. I snapped a shot and was chuffed to have it to illustrate the column. Then I went and had a cuddle with Scoop in order to get the words right in my head before writing them down. He purred up a storm as usual and shed brown fluff all over me as a special favour. Scoop passed away just over a week ago, and although I'm not crying every time someone mentions his name anymore, we're still missing him every hour of every day. I miss his loud MEOW! announcing he was back from a walk. I miss the way he'd hog the centre of the bed, and stick a claw in me if I had the temerity to move in a way that inconvenienced him. Thanks everyone for the kind messages. And I really hope there is a Rainbow Bridge heaven for cats! Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 6:52 PM (6) comments links to this post | 6 comments Saturday, September 15, 2007 Waifs And Strays Au bounced into the bedroom before dawn this morning. It's Ramadan (Muslim fasting month) so some of our neighbours are breaking fast at 4AM. Their moving about at an odd time of day peaks Au's curiosity, and being a nice cat who doesn't like to keep fun stuff to himself, he rushes around telling us to get out of bed just so we can share the fun! I threw a pillow at him but Tom gave in, got up, and kept Au company. Scoop being a sensible cat is still asleep in bed. He's seen more than 13 Ramadans and he's no longer surprised by this temporary change in lifestyle. Mind you, he is fond of a bit of chicken curry so he might be moseying around tonight to see if there's anything interesting on offer. There are two bits of good news in Malaysia today. First, Shark’s fin soup is off the menu at all functions and events organised by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry (read about it here) and The dog-catching competition run by the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS), which offered prize money of up to RM15,000 to the public, has been called off! Looks like today is shaping up just fine :-)  PS Katz Tales is out today in the Weekend section of the Star, the Malaysian national daily. This week's feature is Waifs and Strays. And here are Snowball and Snowflake, premium looking rescued street cats. If you live in Malaysia, enter the photo competition and win your cat a gift basket filled with goodies made by Purina. Send pictures to: Katz Tales StarWeekend Star Publications Menara Star 15 Jalan 16/11 Petaling Jaya 46350 You can also email to weekend AT thestar.com.my but please keep file sizes reasonable. Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 9:39 AM (2) comments links to this post | 2 comments Saturday, September 08, 2007 Forest Cat Here's Au, propped up underneath our dining room table. I can't see how he can snooze peacefully in this position, but he thinks it's the bees knees. I think this shot should be called "Kitty in the Forest".  Labels: Au, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 4:03 PM (3) comments links to this post | 3 comments Saturday, September 01, 2007 WCB: Cat Detectives  There's a weird fever going through the neighbourhood and it struck us down with a vengeance. For the last week or so we've been lying in bed, suffering from chills, sore bones, rashes and other lovely symptoms. The cats were ecstatic! It's the second time we've been ill in two months so the kitties are well up on their bed time. Now all is well again and we're picking up where we left off. Tom's back working on his book, I'm catching up with deadlines, and the cats are moping in bed, hoping we'll come back to them. It's great to feel good again! PS Out in this Week's Star: Detective Cats... how Scoop and Au investigate new things in the house. Guess whose tail this is? Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 9:46 AM (4) comments links to this post | 4 comments Saturday, August 18, 2007 Community Cat We've got tonnes of stray cats in Malaysia, and this issue of Weekender in The Star highlights the start of the Community Cat project, a Trap Neuter Release programme. The main impetus for this comes from the people from Furry Friends Farm, a safe haven for strays, and a long-term member of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty To Animals.  As they depend entirely on gifts, we've given them a web page of their own to promote the community cat idea.If we're lucky, we'll emulate Rome’s communities of strays or the Gatti Di Roma! PS Here is Farah, the first Community Cat. PPS Samantha who lives in MPSJ area... I can't find your blog as your comment name link is closed to public view. I think these kill and destroy raids are daft too. And how awful your kitty was murdered! I think every community should work pro-actively as described in today's Community Cat article. Labels: feral, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 10:43 AM (4) comments links to this post | 4 comments Saturday, August 11, 2007 House Arrest  We went to Kuching in Sarawak, Borneo for two days this week to attend the wedding (Hi Dylan and Felicia!). As usual we had a ball. Kuching really is one of Asia's finest destinations. While we were there, Scoop and Au were under the care of our neighbour Lillian whom they love. She spoils them rotten and they bully her unmercifully. Although we were away for a very short time, both cats rushed out to greet us when we came back, and acted as though we had been gone for a year. They're now policing our every move, just in case we disappear again. Scoop is downstairs, snoozing on his chair by the front door while Au is upstairs keeping an eye on Tom in the office. I think we're under house arrest. PS "Kuching" means "cat" in Malay. Kuching city has taken the nickname Cat City and has decorated town squares etc with big cat statues. Here are the fishing cat family that stand in front of Sarawak Plaza... Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 8:25 AM (4) comments links to this post | 4 comments Saturday, August 04, 2007 Cat Chat  Au is lying in the hall, making small kitten sounds in order to entice me to come and play with him. Scoop is in the kitchen, watching the stray cats in the back from the lofty heights of the kitchen window sill. I've been out and about, getting the usual errands out of the way, and now it's time to get to work. When the air hots up, around 11AM, I'm planning to wash the car. Both Scoop and Au really enjoy that. They sit on the wall and watch as I soak the car, soap it up and then rinse it off. They adore the way the bubbles fly in the air, and squeal like kittens if they get a drop on their coats. Afterwards they walk all over the Beetle, making sure it's properly clean - and decorated with little sandy paw prints. Saturdays are fun! Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 8:47 AM (6) comments links to this post | 6 comments Sunday, July 29, 2007 WCB: Pulling My Tail We had a real monsoon rainstorm early this morning. Woken up by the windows rattling and the sound of gushing rain, I went downstairs, shut all the doors and then filled up the cat's bowl of biscuits and drinking water glass before curling up in bed again. Just as I was drifting off, the two fuzzies appeared at the door. I heard Au's softest yik-yik-yik and then Scoop's answering rau-rau. Before I could hide under the pillow and play dead, Scoop jumped up on the bed and asked me to wake up.  I tried to tell him I had just filled both his bowl and glass but he insisted I got up. Then when I did, Scoop rushed off, tail high in the air, followed by Au. I could hear them run into their cardboard box on the landing and I swear Au snickered. Cats! They just love pulling my tail! PS the two fuzz monsters are sitting on top of my car, watching our neighbour clean his car. They just love watching people sweat! Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 11:17 AM (1) comments links to this post | 1 comments Saturday, July 21, 2007 Weekend Cat Blogging: Cat Names When Scoop decided he was moving in, and we thought we traveled too much to live with a cat, our cries of “Scoop that cat out of the house” didn’t put him off. Hence the name Scoop. Au is named after his golden coat (AU for Gold) and also because he bites when we play rough games; so we’re always saying, "au, au, au!" I love the whole process of cat naming and think the psychology of pet naming is worthy of academic research.  Are those who give their pets aristocratic names like Duke and Datin (Malay for the wife of a baronet) trying to climb the social ladder or merely acknowledging the innate superiority of their cat friends? Do cats with names like Alfred, Suzie and Annie live with humans who are more anthropomorphic than cats who are called Fluffy, Tiger and Tinkerbell? Are cats with distinguished names like Augustus and Divinia more likely to be sedate than colleagues called Whirlwind and Lightening? The best name I've heard in ages for a cat is Cockroach: because he eats everything in sight and moves like lightening! Anyone have any other good cat names? PS this pretty kitty is simply called Cat. Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 10:59 AM (6) comments links to this post | 6 comments Saturday, July 07, 2007 Crammed In Kitty  There is plenty of space for all of us in our home but instead of taking advantage of our huge bed or the big rug in the hall, our junior cat Au is fast asleep inside his cardboard box while his senior colleague Scoop has elected to force himself into a cupboard filled to the brim with old newspapers. Cats just love being crammed in tight spaces! Katz Tales is out today in the print version of the Malaysian national daily The Star Weekend section. Cat lovers in Malaysia can win a Star Purina Cat Gift Basket prize by sending a picture of their kitty plus caption to: Katz Tales StarWeekend Star Publications Menara Star 15 Jalan 16/11 Petaling Jaya 46350 You may also email the Editor at weekened@thestar.com.my but please keep file sizes to a reasonable size so their mail box isn't overwhelmed. Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 9:21 AM (3) comments links to this post | 3 comments Saturday, June 16, 2007 End of the Sofa War It's been a long two weeks - I've had a terrible fever/flue that knocked the stuffing out of me. Scoop and Au usually enjoy a bout of the flue as it means a day or two hanging about in bed but this time even they became a little bored.  One good thing has come out of it: Au has forgiven whatever trespass I committed: the sofa wars have ended.First thing in the morning Au rolls about on my office chair until it's time for me to start work. When I touch him on the shoulder he either waits to be picked up and carried to the bedroom or he quietly slides off the chair and continues his snooze on the office rug. It's good to be friends again! In response to last week's Katz Tales column I received this hilarious email: "My Step Father nicknamed our two cats 'Mr. and Mrs. Keith Prowse'. Keith Prowse was at that time a very well established theatre ticketing agency in London. Their slogan at the time was :"You want the best seats - we've got 'em"." Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 10:43 AM (8) comments links to this post | 8 comments Sunday, June 03, 2007 Happy Gawai!  It's that time of the year when it's scorching hot during the day and lashing down with rain in the afternoon. Au is completely kitty collapso. He's lying flat on his back on the cool tiles, strategically positioned so that the cool wash of the fan ruffles his tummy fur. Scoop and Au aren't much into partying (unless it's with a pet rat) but we're missing Gawai, the Sarawak harvest festival. Guess we'll have to wait for our tuak (rice wine) and bamboo rice till we return in August. Come to think of it, Au's pose here is pretty much mine after a few too many Tuaks. Must run in the family. Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 11:19 AM (2) comments links to this post | 2 comments Sunday, May 27, 2007 Price Hike! I went to the wet market in SS15 in Subang Jaya this morning to do my weekly shopping. And what a shock it was! Chicken wings, drumsticks etc now cost RM10.50 per kilo rather than last week's RM6. Beef costs RM20 per kilo instead of last week's RM17 per kilo. Onions cost RM2.40 per kilo instead of last week's RM2. Tomatoes cost RM8 per kilo instead of last week's RM4.50. Every single item in the market has been subjected to similar price hikes.  The traders say the prices are up because civil servants have had a pay rise. Why this should mean everyone suddenly has to fork out double for ordinary foodstuffs is a mystery. And as I haven't had a pay increase in 3 years, does that mean I should pay prices from back then?The government says they will stop this exploitation but they said the same thing when prices escalated a few months ago after fuel price hikes - and nothing happened. I've told Scoop he can expect fewer roast chicken treats in the future. This price hike has struck too hard! Labels: scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 11:44 AM (4) comments links to this post | 4 comments Saturday, May 26, 2007 That's Purr-Fect!  Au is in the Star today, having the back of his neck rubbed. At the moment the little fluff is flat out on the sofa, enjoying a light snooze before lunch. But the clouds are gathering and if it's anything like yesterday, we're in for a spectacular thunder and lightening storm. As Au is a bit of a coward about noise, that will send him straight under the bed. Apparently lightening doesn't strike there! Labels: Au, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 11:30 AM (0) comments links to this post | 0 comments Saturday, May 19, 2007 Cat Poo Coffee I thought this was a spoof but it isn't: The world's most expensive, and rarest, coffee is Kopi Luwak. It is made in neighboring  Indonesia from coffee beans found in jungles. And guess what, the only beans used are those that have been passed through native civet cats. The price is a cool $1,000 (RM4000) a kilo. As Wikipedia reports, "Civets are omnivorous, supplementing a meat diet (both hunted and scavenged) with fruit, eggs, and possibly roots. One of the Common Palm Civet's favorite fruits is the coffee "berry." The coffee bean within often survives, and it is sometimes gathered and sold as caphe cut chon (fox-dung coffee) in Vietnam or Kopi Luwak (civet coffee) in Indonesia." Anyone for a cuppa? I thought Yuk but apparently the coffee connoisseurs in Oz are digging in happily. See here and here for news articles. I wonder if Scoop and Au would like to eat a few beans? It might be a whole new cottage industry. PS This image of the civet cat was originally called "Malaiischer Palmenroller, Paradoxurus hermaphroditus Schreb. 1/5 natürlicher Größe." It was created by Gustav Mützel and comes from Brehms Tierleben, Small Edition 1927. It's copyright is now expired so the image may be used by anyone. Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 1:51 PM (4) comments links to this post | 4 comments Tuesday, May 15, 2007 Tagged!  We’ve been tagged by Kitikata and Sharlene and the Spice Cats. This tag challenge: 7 things about Au: I started life as an abused kitten and was thrown out of a moving car. I now live in the lap of luxury with Scoop and 2 personal slaves. Ham is my favourite treat of all time. I sharpen my claws on my own stack of newspapers every day. My cardboard box is my castle. I’m tough but I shiver when there’s thunder. I love to hog the furniture, especially the office chair! And in our turn we are tagging: My Cute Paws Mighty's Life - A Cat's Eye View Daisy the Curly Cat Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 8:54 AM (5) comments links to this post | 5 comments Monday, May 07, 2007 Car Cats I washed and polished my car the other day. At first both cats kept their distance. Scoop sat on the wall and watched with pleasure. He always likes to see people working hard. Au on the other hand refuses to be anywhere near soapy water. He watched from behind the living room window. But the second the car was clean and dry, they bounced up and inspected it, putting dusty paw prints all over it. Here they are, looking smug and not the least bit guilty as always!  Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 10:28 AM (4) comments links to this post | 4 comments Sunday, April 29, 2007 Cat Adoption Fest SPCA Selangor is holding a series of adoption fests this month. They will be at Bangsar Shopping Centre weekend community market, Marketplace. Their main aim is to find permanent, loving homes for their shelter animals, who wait patiently with the hope that one day they will get a second chance at life. They'll also be selling off cat and dog gear to raise funds.  This deal is close to my heart as Scoop and Au were both strays. They they have given us so much love and pleasure, I can't imagine life without them. If you have a home and time to take on a cat, please adopt 2 - cats love people but need company of their own kind as well.May Dates : 21 & 22 April 5 & 6 May 19 & 20 May Time : 10am - 6pm The SPCA are also looking for a helping hand so if you enjoy Adoption Counseling, Cleaning & Feeding Animals, Merchandise Sales, Handing out leaflets, Answering Inquiries (on SPCA, pet care, etc) please contact Jacinta Johnson PR & Marketing Officer SPCA Selangor 42565312/ 42535179 spca@streamyx.com jacinta.spca@gmail.com www.spca.org.my Tagged with weekend cat blogging Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 11:21 AM (2) comments links to this post | 2 comments Friday, April 20, 2007 Road Kill  It's been boiling hot the last few days and Au has been comatose on the sofa by lunchtime every day. He's so hot that if you ruffle the fuzz on his tummy, he just looks at you with half an open eye and says mew in a tiny voice. He's not just too hot to finger wrestle, he's too hot to complain in a loud voice. I've offered him a cooling bath but he just glared at me as if to say, try it if you dare. Let's hope it rains today! PS Here he is, doing his best impression of road kill PPS another logomania column is out in the Star today. It's all about boats, so if you want to know where the phrase "whatever floats your boat" comes from, and it is a bit vulgar, check it out here! Tagged with weekend cat blogging Labels: Au, logomania, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 7:55 AM links to this post | 0 comments Sunday, March 18, 2007 Borneo Clouded Leopard Scoop has a new cousin in Borneo: the Borneo clouded leopard. The following is a press release from WWF that was sent to me. If you cat lovers want to know more about other Malaysian wildlife please visit WWF Malaysia. For more about this cat, check out the main WWF site And need I say it? If you have spare cash, please use it to support WWF!  WWF Press Release...Gland, Switzerland - Scientists have discovered that the clouded leopard found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra is an entirely new species of cat. The secretive rainforest animal was originally thought to be the same species as the one found in mainland South-east Asia. Labels: scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 11:31 AM (6) comments links to this post | 6 comments Sunday, March 04, 2007 The Lip Salute I was very surprised to see a new logomania column out - so soon after the Piggy one, but The lip salute that covers kissing terms came out on Friday - and I missed it! Luckily it's online too... Cat kisses weren't covered in the column (different audience) which is a shame because they're quite fascinating. Au sometimes comes over and literally kisses me, rubbing his face against me and giving me a small lick. But most of the time Scoop and Au sit quietly purring and squeezing their eyes at us in classic kitty kisses. Any other cat kiss strategies out there? Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 11:42 AM (2) comments links to this post | 2 comments Saturday, March 03, 2007 Mine!  Scoop and Au aren't too happy with me today. I went out for a walk, and had a chat with the Doberman and the Alsatian who live at the bottom of the road on the way back. When I came home, our two fuzzies sniffed the air, gave me a look that would slay Superman, and turned their tails to me. Scoop and Au are horribly jealous so whenever I talk to other animals, I try to sneak in and take a shower before saying hello. Being sensible fluffs, they know something is up if I slide by without my usual greeting. It's a perpetual game of catch-out! Come to think of it, now I know how an adulterer feels... Today's Katz Tales: Office Kitty is out in the print version of The Star. And if you also like dogs, take a look at On Guard! that tells the story of some security dogs I met at Genting recently. The pic is of Bruno aged 6 subduing “robber” Munis with verve. Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 11:37 AM (1) comments links to this post | 1 comments Saturday, February 17, 2007 Why There Is No Year Of The Cat  Legend has it that when the Lord Buddha decided to name the years, he summoned all the animals in the land, and told them anyone wanting to have the honour of having a year named after them would have to take part in a race. As Lord Buddha decided on a cycle of 12 years, he announced only the first 12 to cross the line would be chosen. The cat and the rat who were best friends both decided they wanted a month named after themselves. Discussing the race that evening, the cat reminded the rat he was a heavy sleeper. The cat therefore asked his friend the rat to waken him in the morning in good time for the race. The rat agreed but then had secret second thoughts. The rat realised that his chances of being among the first twelve animals to cross the finish line would be better if the cat didn’t take part. So the next morning the rat crept away without waking his friend. The rat being exceptionally clever realised his chances would be even better if he could hitch a ride from one of the faster competitors. Looking around, rat decided to approach the ox whom he knew well. The kindly ox allowed the rat to sit on his shoulders during the race. When the race started, the ox ran as fast as he could, with the little rat cheering him on all the way. Then, a little before the end of the race, the rat jumped off the tired ox’s back and ran quickly across the finish line. As the rat was first, his year is the first in the cycle, and the ox is second. The cat slept throughout the morning, missing the race entirely. He only woke up when the other animals came back, celebrating the rat’s win and announcing the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar had also made it into the first twelve. Looking at the triumphant rat, the cat lost his temper. He jumped up as fast a lightning and ran at the rat who squeaked in terror and ran off as fast as he could. From this day on the cat and the rat were fierce enemies – and the cat never managed to get into the zodiac. PS in case you’re interested, this year is the Year of the Boar. If you’re celebrating, take a look at the Year of the Boar New Year Online Treasure Hunt. Labels: weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 10:56 AM (5) comments links to this post | 5 comments Tarot Card Kitty  Au is in the Star today looking extremely handsome. Unfortunately I spoke too quickly. Yow-Yow is back at the front of the house AND eating his biscuits around the back too. I'm pondering ways to keep him at the back because the home invasions he stages upset Scoop and Au. If anyone has any ideas, please share! As for the tarot card reading... I've read Au's horoscope a few times, and Scoop has sat for his as well but so far the readings are rather vague. We're enjoying it however and will keep at it. Wishing you an auspicious and properous Year of the Boar. Gong Xi Fah Cai! Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 10:17 AM (1) comments links to this post | 1 comments Sunday, February 11, 2007 Gong Xi Fah Cai! Scoop is gearing up for one of his favourite holidays: Chinese New Year. He's very fond of chicken, pork, and prawns, and this holiday promises to bring plenty of these treats to his bowl.  Here he is, settling down to a lunch  of shredded chicken. And here he is again, having a comfortable wash on the kitchen chair he's taken possession of. The only thing Scoop doesn't enjoy about this holiday are the firecrackers everyone sets off. If you're planning a traditional celebration, please keep an eye out for cats as you would for kids. And Gong Xi Fah Cai! Labels: scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 5:12 PM (1) comments links to this post | 1 comments Friday, January 26, 2007 Monsoon Drain Kitty  One of the stray girls in the back lane has decided our back door is the best place to keep her kittens. We’ve given her a Tiger Beer box, extra rations, and have half closed the outer screen door so that the new brood don’t get wet when it rains. This black girl is a sensible sort. She’s decided that we’re good people, and always allows us to pat her. I've picked her up a few times and helped her with some small problems (like a sore patch on her paw, or the occasional split claw) and she has never scratched me. Now she's a Mum, we’re allowed to change the Tiger Beer box every second day, and admire her kittens briefly. Sweet as the black girl is, she is a Monsoon Drain Kitty at heart, so we don't dare admire too much in case she gets worried and moves her babies. If they survive, we’ll be looking for homes in 6 weeks time! Labels: weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 3:55 PM (1) comments links to this post | 1 comments Saturday, January 20, 2007 The Fuzzy Terminator  Au is in the Weekend section of the Star today (print version only) showing off a captured mouse. Our fuzzy terminator is currently lolling around on the sofa, cleaning his claws, and making plans for the day. His colleague Scoop has decided one of my plant pots is the best place to snooze the morning away. As my marjoram seedlings died weeks ago, I don’t really mind – except that Scoop’s feet, tummy and chin are covered in bits of soil which he cheerfully dumps on the living room floor when he comes in! But that’s cats for you… Have a good weekend everyone. PS To win the Purina Cat Gift Basket, please send your pics to the Star: Katz Tales StarWeekend Star Publications Menara Star 15 Jalan 16/11 Petaling Jaya 46350 Alternatively, email weekend@thestar.com.my. Please keep image sizes to a reasonable size so that the inbox isn't maxed out. Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 10:09 AM (5) comments links to this post | 5 comments Wednesday, January 17, 2007 Stiff Necked Cat  When Au settles on the sofa at night, he often props up his head on the cushions. If there’s laundry or a book on the bed, he’ll use that as an impromptu pillow. Alternatively, he slips a few paws under his chin. I can understand why he wants head support – after all, I don’t sleep well without a pillow. But what is odd is that he can sit for hours with his head sticking out at an odd angle, even sleep for the night in a weird position, and never show the slightest sign of a stiff neck. What I want to know is: how does he do it? PS: This is a pic of Au sitting on the sofa last night. Tell me honestly, does he look comfortable to you? Labels: Au, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 9:30 AM (1) comments links to this post | 1 comments Sunday, January 14, 2007 Narasimha: Cat God Incarnation  On a trip to Batu Caves outside Kuala Lumpur this week, I saw a statue of Narasimha, a cat headed god. Here he is, complete with claws and fuzzy face. A bit of online reading revealed Narasimha was the fourth incarnation the Hindu god Lord Vishnu. During this lifetime, Vishnu/Narasimha confronted Hiranyakashipu, king of the Asuras, a super-human race of beings who lived in the underworld, emerging every now and again to plague mankind and fight with the gods. Being a sneaky character, Hiranyakashipu acquired magical protection from death. Hiranyakashipu could not die from natural causes and weapons; expire on land, in space, in fire, or in water; pass over during the day or at night; kick the bucket inside or outside his home, and couldn’t be dispatched by humans, gods, or animals. Vishnu/Narasimha got round all of these strictures by turning himself into a half god half animal that was neither one nor the other, catching his enemy on teh threshold of his home at twilight, putting him on his lap, and clawing him with his talons! Scoop loved the story when I told him – or perhaps it was just the petting he was enjoying. Au just yawned. He’s been out supervising our neighbour’s builder’s all morning and is falling asleep on his paws. Check out more about Vishnu/ Narasimha and Hiranyakashipu with the help of these links: Indolink, Wikipedia's Hiranyakashipu, and Encyclopedia Mythica: Hindu mythology Labels: Au, scoop, weekend cat blogging posted by katztales @ 1:01 PM (3) comments links to this post | 3 comments |