#FINDING_MYA ~ Pricey Details

Hi pals! Long time no meow! It's me, Herman!!! Both my mom, author Kimberley Koz, and me, her mews, feel bad that we've been virtually gone from hanging out with our friends for the past few months. And the weeks leading up to, and after publishing FINDING MYA has been especially demanding on our time. It's all I can do to stay awake and purr while Mom pounds on that computer from early morning until late at night. I'm exhausted, I tell you!

But we wanted this book to be super special for @ItsMeDeaner's furless, Mya, who drew the picture-maps for the story. In case you don't know the back story, Mya has drawn many pictures of me over the past couple of years. Mom and I thoroughly enjoyed her talent. So much so that we took a children's story we'd been working on for a long time (and had hit the creative wall on, so to speak) and cut it down to size to fit Mya's drawings. We asked Mya if she would mind drawing a few specific pictures for the story, and bless her heart, she did a pawsome job!

My mom has been a photographer for most of her adult life, and she loves playing around with graphics, so she took what she does best, and made the pictures for the book, adding in Mya's drawings to compliment the plot. I think it all worked out pretty well.

So, now FINDING MYA is in print and waiting to be enjoyed by readers everywhere, both children and adults. It's that kind of story, designed to entertain everyone. We've had some truly pawsome reviews, and want to thank each and every one of mew who took the time to read and review for us before we published.

Getting the manuscript into the print book you may now be holding in your paws was a new experience for us. There was so much to learn, and so many details that we didn't expect until they popped up, demanding attention. The biggest hurdle was the interior photos. It figures. We start with a children's book with brightly colored pictures. That has to be the hardest and priciest way to publish on your own for the first time. But...that's just how we roll at my house. Take the easy way and just publish a regular book? No way! Let's write a children's book with lots of pictures and see what happens! Wheee!

Well. What happened was...the pictures came out great. But we didn't think they were bright enough to please a child. So we channeled our inner Dahli and ... voila! Loved it! Except...

My Brofur -- the Treat Feef

Hi pals, it's me, Herman!!! I've been asked by the Chewy.com company to review Freeze Dried Cat Treats made by the award-winning Orijen company. This is my very first official review, so I'm kinda nervous. *twists floofy tail into a nervous knot.*

When the package containing the treats arrived, we all knew there was something extra special inside it. We could smell it right through the bubble wrap. In fact, we followed Mom from the front door, through the house to the kitchen. We expected her to open it and share the goods right then and there. But she didn't. She put it on the kitchen counter, and then walked away. I repeat. She Walked Away!

We -- my fur sibs and I -- stood around with our mouths open, wondering what kind of torture was this? But then Opie took the matter into his own paws. He jumped onto the counter, and knocked the package to the floor. And then he attacked it!

He rubbed on the package, and when that didn't work, he pawed it, and clawed it, and then went to work on it with his teef. Those suckers are sharp. And pretty soon... the aroma of Freeze Dried Cat Treats filled our noses.

That's when Mom came back and saw what Opie did. She immediately sent him to the Bad Chair to think about what he'd done. She was about to send the rest of us to our rooms for being accomplices when I explained to her that I was supposed to write a review for the treats. So she gave in, and helped us open the package.

I was the first to taste them. OMC! They tasted like a symphony in my mouth! Cage-free chicken and turkey, plus wild-caught flounder from North Vancouver Island. No preservatives or filler stuff either!

Then my lil sisfur, Dori, insisted she review the treats. I told her only mine would count, but I let her have a few anyway.

I guess her lip smacking, accompanied by her jingle bells, was proof that she agreed with me. Then Peaches and her son, Jack, wanted in on the action.

  

 Mom said nothing about us eating on her carpet since there wasn't a crumb left behind.

While our Orijen treat feast was taking place, Gidget was bird watching. She has this thing about birds. When she was an outside cat, she used to catch em. Now she's indoors and has to be content just to watch. She says watching from inside the house is like watching Downton Abbey with the sound off.

Yeah, I haz to agree.

Then, after the birds flew away, Gidget realized we were eating treats and they were almost gone. That's when Mom grabbed a few and gave them to her. Mom's do that kind of thing, don't they?

So now the treats are really almost gone...and guess who hadn't had any yet!

I felt kinda bad for Big Orange, so I tossed a few treats for him to eat. But then... Then! I couldn't believe my eyes! He started taking Gidget's treats. She's told me many times he's a treat feef, but I never saw him in action so I wasn't sure I should believe her. But there he was, right before my eyes, stealing the Orijen treats.

And I got it on video:

 So the bag of Orijen Freeze Dried Cat Treats was finally gone... all but a memory. And since cats are notorious about forgetting stuff... I ran up to my office, booted up my computer and got to writing this review. It was exhausting work... I had to nap in the middle of it.

So, with the input from my fur sibs, we all agreed, 100%, that Orijen Freeze Dried Cat Treats are Wonderpurr! We loved the taste of the fresh ingredients and enjoyed the freeze dried texture as opposed to crunchy or soft treats. We got to sample the Original  flavor with the chicken and turkey and flounder, but I plan to try all of the 5 Great Flavors available: Tundra - featuring elk, venison, quail and steelhead trout, Regional Red made with ranch-raised beef, Alberta Lamb with its tender savory flavor and Wild Boar (OMC!!!)

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Comfort is a Matter of Style

I love to nap. I can nap anywhere, anytime. But napping isn't all about getting rest. It's about being comfortapurrr and stylish at the same time. I try to nap wif objects that complement my autumn coloring, or are in contrast to my floofy whiteness.

Now for your viewing pleasure, behold a few select photos of me, napping.

MEET HERMAN aka TATTLECAT

While waiting for more intermews to come in, Mom and I decided to intermew each other.

How old were you when you moved in with your family? Were you a rescue?

Not a rescue, I was a runaway. I loves to run, and so at 8 months old, I runned out of my house and kept running through the woods until I was good n lost. A very long time later...years probably!...I stumbled up a steep hill and saw a house that smelled like kittehs. And there was a little food on the front porch. So I ate it. It had spit on it, but at that time I wasn't pawticular cuz I was starvy. 

Anyway! I hung around, and this black and white kitteh tried to run me off cuz that was his job: to run off stray cats, as appointed by his boss, Moose, a tabby wif six toes. It was wintertime and very cold. My fur had gotten sticky and snarled and turned hard like a turtle shell. During a blizzard my future meowmy spotted me, called to me, and when I came, she took me inside the warm house n fed me. She also put me in a big cage in the kitchen cuz she didn't know if I...ya know...had an STD or sumthin. Then my future daddy came inside the house. I recognized him. He was wif that black and white kitteh who tried to run me off, and he threw a snowball at me, unknown to my future meowmy cuz if she had known, there would have been heck ta pay! She said to him, 'Meet James' and future daddy sez, 'He looks like a Herman.' So I became Herman James. I had to go to the vet where I wuz shaved nekked. But my new mom brought me home in a sweater and I've been happy wif her ever since.

Meet Bilbo the Bunny

When me and my furends Brian @BrianBunny and Pippa @PuffyPantsKitty were discussing our mutual floofyness, we decided to form a super hero team called Super Fluffs United. Well, it evolved into Super Fluff Crime Fighters and along with Belle @Frankencat1 we added another floofy, Bilbo @Bilbo_the_Bunny.

Bilbo is a 7-year old girl Lion head bunny, adopted in July 2011. She likes chewing - spinach, carrot, cushions, shoes, etc. She is also proud member of #sfcf and supporter of #wlf

 

Bilbo, tell me how you got your name and a little about your purrrsonality.

I got my name from my first mummy. She thought I was a little boy rabbit and wanted to name me after a character from a book. Bilbo had a nice sound to it and I think that's why she chose it. My mummy Clare calls me all sorts of things that she thinks sound sweet - like Bill-bob, Bobby, Bill-bill - you get the picture

Were you a rescue? Does your mom know where you came from before you lived with her?

I wasn't a rescue, I was lucky to have a lovely first home. But as mummy explained, my first mummy couldn't look after me any more. She does come and visit sometimes though which is nice.

Tell me about your daily routine.

I am awake early - about 7am - mummy lets me come inside for a quick zoom-zoom-zoom around the flat. My favourite course is round and round her big footstool - sometimes I run so fast I can't stop - I'm like a racing car. Then I gets tired so I has a few rabbit pellets and then a big long snooze....I have the whole garden to myself while mummy is at work, so depending on my mood I is either a good bun and spend my time eating, sleeping, running and binkying...Or if I is feeling michevious, I check out mummy's plants and decide which ones I'm going to eat. when mummy gets home from work, it's treat time!!!!

I likes spinach, whole carrot (but not chopped, sliced or grated), coriander, parlsey, mint, brocolli and best of all curly kale. Then I has another big run round before flopping out on my chair and watching TV with mummy till it's time for her to go to bed. Next day I starts all over again.

Are you a snuggler or an indiffrirabbit?

Indiffirabbit - sometimes I lets mummy stroke me. But only when I is ready.

What is your favorite form of mischief?

Chewing things I shouldn't - so far I has eaten shoe laces (while still in shoes), jumper sleeves,  jeans, lots of plants, my tunnel, the corner of the sofa, the wire for the garden lights,and  my first chair cushion!!!

Tell me about an Awww moment that made your mom melt.

The first time is flopped out after mummy adopted me - she knew then I was happy with her. And whenever I wash my face and ears with my two paws - she just loves that and thinks it's the cutest thing ever.

What are your favorite foods and toys?

All the treat foods I mentioned, but especially curly kale - I comes running when I hear mummy opening the bag. I don't like special rabbit toys - I is happier with a paper shopping bag or leaflets that I can chew and throw up in the air - fun fun fun.

When did you join Twitter and what made you decide to Tweet in the first place?

I joined twitter at the start of January 2012, mummy's friend told her about how much fun it was and I was listening. I thought it did sound like fun. Mummy joined first but only ever got two followers. I decided I would see if I could find more new friends than she did so she helped me join - mummy isn't on twitter anymore cos she is too busy helping me tweet every day. I loves it and is soo pleased I have met so many lovely new friends - anipals and humans.

Thanks, Bilbo! I'm so happy we are furends. Please read Bilbo's mommy's interview on my mom's blog: Kept by Cats.

It's a Wonderpurr Life!

Welcome to the first edition of my blog, It’s A Wonderpurr Life. I’m Herman aka @TattleCat to all my Twitter Anipals furends.

When I asked Santapaws for a blog for Chrispmouse, Mom said I had to have 500 Twitter followers before she would pass on my request to the Cat in Red. Well, my Anipals passed the word and before I knew it, I had my 500 followers. And I met such great hoomans too. Warm, animal lovers who enjoyed my tweets and gave me and my Mom good advice when we needed it.

I also made some best furends. I’d love to name them all here, but space is short. However I plan to ask them to intermew or maybe submit blog posts for future editions. Here I’d like to mention the pals who tweet me the most.

Like Deanie @ItsMeDeaner and Mom Deanie who keeps waving a plane ticket with hopes I jump ship here and move in with her. She even offered to buy all white furniture so I can shed and it won’t matter.

And @TheWonderCats (Simon, Solomon and Samson) who made me an honorary Wonder Cat. We're working on getting their sister, Sparrow, and my nemesis, Barney, together with the hope they move under the Wonder Cat's porch where Sparrow poos.

There’s Peanut @CapnPeanutZilla who haz Turkey Van in him like me so we're cuzzins! And his brother Gromek @Gromekcat. And Casper @CaspertheKat whose now purrsonal guardian of his very own Burble (Ingrid Ann). And Shorty @Spookyshorty and Mouche @Clingycat who all make me feel special, cuz they are all super special themselves. And @Skeeterthetabby who is artsy n wonderpurr all around furend.

I also got some grrreat dog pals: Chazz @ChazztheDog, ArlieJo @ArlieJo (*Arrrr-wooo*) Phi @3phibotticelli, Jin Jin @JinJinDoggy and Pepper @PepperPom, one of the barktenders at #Nipclub.

And  I haz really wild turtle pals: @JeffMusk (he’s 14 years old and his mom made me Mew Ears Eve hats), @JokerTurtle (Mrs. HeyToe--she drinks but she's real nice n sassy) and @HeyToe (BlackHead) *SHELLHUUUUGS!*

I also haz @KillerParrot, an Amazon from Brooklyn. He's always looking for ways to break out of jail and get past his warden.

Then there are the hoomans who make me feel all warm and fuzzy. Like Dannie @WoollyGonzales and her sweet Morgan @Chootchy_Cat.

And Janeson Keeley @Janeson59 and her kittehs Mrs Stripeycat @ThatStripeyCat and Cammie @HerGraceTheCat who went OTRB in December. *sniff*

And my purrsonal advisor, Dr. Trancer @Trancer1092 who is teaching me how to hypnotize Opie and Barney so they won’t bother me anymore (Oink*Bark*Squeak*Moo!)

But best of all, I met my girlfriend, the beeUteeful Belle @Frankencat1. She's wonderpurr for me because her mom 'n my mom are both Capricorns and rescue kittehs. Belle is dark 'n sultry which totally does it for me. And she's super sweet!

When I said no one had ever invited me to sit in the Moonlight, she said she would be happy to. And then she said she’d go to #NipClub on Mew Ears Eve wif me. And we got dressed up and we danced and we hung out with our pals. A truly memorable way to end 2011.

And I'm also excited to be a part of a new super hero gang called Super Fluff Crime Fighters #sfcf. Pippa Puffy Pants @PuffyPantsKitty came up with the idea. She's brilliant. And me and Brian @BrianBunny and Belle and Bilbo @Bilbo_the_Bunny got together to form this group, formerly called SuperFluffsUnited. But then Peanut @CapnPeanutZilla joined and helped us become Super Fluff Crime Fighters. We haz a whole buncha Fluff Fighters, so if you need someone to fight for you, now you know who to call.

I also haz to acknowledge my mom, @KimberleyKoz and @KeptbyCats who got me interested in tweeting to begin wif. Mom is an author. I help her write books. She sez I’m her Mews. She rescued me from a blizzard in Kentucky in January 2001, and we’ve been best furends ever since.

So now it’s 2012. New Year. Fresh start. Leaving old issues behind and doing my best to make this year Wonderpurr in every way. Which is why I named my blog It’s A Wonderpurr Life. We haz to make every day count because we never know when our time in this realm is done, and we haz to go Over The Rainbow Bridge. We don’t always haz to say goodbye when we go OTRB, but we can’t be wif our hoomans like we used to. And so, every day, every hour, as long as I’m here, I’m gonna dance, and prance, and flick my magic wand tail with joy.

My blog will be a joyful place for all my Anipals and Hoomans. I’m gonna do intermews, and post pictures, and share ideas.

Thanks for following me on Twitter. I look forward to getting to know you all better this year. And also making new furends as well.

Love you all!