Meet Monty the Pooh!

Monty The Pooh

You're in for a treat! My cousin @MontythePooh is just like me! A Turkish Van kitteh wif a handsome face, amazing intelligence, pikture-purrrfect purrsonality, and he comes from a far away place. I know you're going to love him as much as I do. So, please welcome MONTY!

Monty, how old were you when you moved in with your family? Were you a rescue?

I was 6 months old and yes I was a rescue kitty. My mommy adopted me from an animal rescue in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – that’s all the way in the Middle East! She also adopted another kitty name Yuri Puri who became my sister. She had us flown across the world to live in America with her and we are so lucky to live here because all the other cats in the world would dream of coming to America. They hear about how loved we are here and it’s true – we’re very very loved!

I know you’re a Turkish Van. What’s a typical Turkey Van characteristic?

Well there are several physical characteristics which make other cats like my sister Yuri (she’s an Arabian Mau) jealous. All Vans have a very silky coat that never tangles. We also have a beautiful foxy tail - my mommy says mine is made of pure gold thread because it’s so shiny and makes all the kitties jealous of me.  Also we have big, expressive almond-shaped eyes – mine are minty green! As for personality, we love to swim (but I haven’t taken a full dip in the tub yet), and we are very honest kitties. We never steal food (unlike my sister) and only eat what we are given and play with what is rightfully ours. Also, Vans are extremely loyal and most important of all  - we LOVE to play all the time – my favorite toy is my mouse. We occasionally play alone but prefer our human companions to join in on the fun and we will keep inviting them to play because we are talkative! I talk all the time. We’re social and curious. And we also like to think and reflect a lot too. Our memories are unmatched – even by an elephant! 

What inspired your hooman to name you?

I was first named by my foster parent who was taking care of me until I got my passport issued to come to America. She named me “Monty” – that is short for Montreal because my coat reminded her of the beautiful, white snow in Canada. My mommy now says Monty is short for many names which I have like Montgomery, Montenegro, Monticello, Monty-Bonty, Montpellier, and of course – Monty-the-Pooh.

Do you get along wif Yuri?

Yes! Yuri-Puri is an Arabian Mau. When I was a kitten, she would bully me all the time L … but when I grew up, I discovered I am bigger than her, and I learned to stick up for myself (but only when mommy is nearby to protect me! Otherwise Yuri will still find a way to pick on me.) I always tell her I want to be friends, because us Vans love to have friends from all animal breeds, but it is more of a “sister picking on her younger brother” situation. Mommy said she’s just jealous of my Golden Tail. 

Monty flaunting the tail that Yuri envies.

How would you describe your personality?

I am very intelligent. I am sensitive too. I am super loyal and LOVE attention. I like to be pet and praised but I don’t like to be picked up (most Vans do not). But I do love to hop onto mommy’s lap every now and then and watch a good movie and let her pet me. I love to feel loved! Oh but I do have one weird quirk in my personality (or so it is said):  I have OCD, because anytime someone sneezes around me, I yell at them and run out of the room because I don’t want to catch any germs. Mommy is sure it is OCD and laughs every time. I love to explore and play all the time. But when I am on my explorations, I always remain honest and observe, but never steal or harm. Did I mention – I LOOOOOOOOVE attention! 

Do you have a mischief incident that is still talked about? 

Mommy trusted me to sit out on the patio with her to watch the birds. I didn’t have to be on a leash back then but now I have to as a result. I jumped over the railing and ran through the yard into the neighbor’s yard and so on! Mommy went crazy trying to find me because we had just moved to a new neighborhood. She finally found me because there was another cat that cornered me in the bushes… She scared him off and saved me…. I don’t know what I would have done without her! Since then, my mommy fortified the patio with deer fencing but still I’ve managed to escape a few times! Once even by jumping through the patio railing (but that was to catch a bird in the bird feeder below)…  but I always get caught (and mommy is never happy because she ends up with bruises from jumping through people’s yards to catch me)… it really is a spectacle! Now I am only allowed out (including on the patio) with  a harness and leash!! “At least she takes me on walks though so I don’t mind the leash too much. 

Tell me about an Awww moment.

Every moment! I am adorable!!!

Complete this sentence: If I had opposable thumbs, I would…

Build an intergalactic time travel machine.

If you were to die and come back as a hooman or a thing, what would you want it to be?

Leonardo DiVinci. I love to invent!!!

What is your idea of purrrfect happiness?

I feel it every day and am so lucky. It is living in a house with my family.

What is your biggest peeve?

Someone sneezing (I have OCD)

Why do you think hooman’s call it a “pet” peeve?

You know, that’s a good one! I never thought about it!  I think it’s a pet peeve because I really do have peeves! Like when someone sneezes! 

Pleeze! No sneeze!

Who are 3 famous animals you’d most like to sniff? 

Garfield, Heathcliff, and Simon’s Cat.

What is the most interesting place in your home and why? 

The Garden because it is something new to me! We used to live in a condo but last summer mommy moved into a house with a yard so I love walking on grass (even though I have to be on a leash).  

Have you ever caught something edible? Did you eat it?

A Praying Mantis, a Cricket and a Grasshopper. No, I only batted at them. 

Do you have any health issues?

No thank God! Vans are typically very healthy breeds. But I do have a time where I had to be rushed to the animal emergency clinic. Last spring, I got stung by a bee on my lip after I tried to take a bite out of it! My face got so swollen and my meow became faint, so mommy and daddy knew my airway was getting blocked. They rushed me to the clinic and I had to take a steroid shot and antihistamine. I think if I was alone I could have died from suffocation, I was so scared! I looked terrible through the ordeal and my family was so scared too. I got better quickly after the injections but the doctor said that cats can take human Benadryl if something like this ever happens. My pawrents didn’t know that. According to the doctor, 1 mg per pound of cat. The best way is the liquid type for kids because you can measure 12.5 mg which I needed; or half a human pill (they are usually 25 mg). I posted about the experience on my blog and on twitter but I think all cat owners (and dog owners) should have Benadryl in case a severe allergic reaction like mine was! At least until you can get your pet to the hospital. We were all in for a scare, and mommy was upset because I didn’t look too good… but thank God I am okay and lived through that terrible experience. Oh but I forgot to mention too, Benadryl is gross and makes you foam in the mouth – that is expected and some cats refuse to take it (like I did) but luckily the steroid I was injected with was enough to bring down the swelling and stop the reaction. But if it was a life or death situation, mommy says she would have used a syringe to shoot it in my mouth. 

Do you like to be groomed?

Only on occasion. But mommy recently bought a new brush with thinner bristles that I love! It really gets the itch on my back! 

Do you like your veterinarian?

I’m so scared of my veterinarian! I hate to go to the vet and cry/howl all the way there. It is a very sad sight.

Have you ever sprayed inside the house? 

No. I follow ground rules and don’t like to upset my hooman, it’s part of the Van creed!

Clearly, Vans are intelligent!

What do you think it’s like Over the Rainbow Bridge? 

Well I think a bunch of my mousie friends would be there with wings. Also lots of birds and animals and we all get along. I think we’d have lots of furriends and wait for our owners to get there too so we can be reunited with them and reunite with them. And above all, I will be so excited when Jesus pets me! 

What three words would you use to describe yourself? 

Funny, talkative, intelligent.

What three words would you use to describe your hooman? 

Fun, talkative, caring. 

If I gave you an elephant where would you hide it?

I must figure out how to hide it in another dimension. I always hear humans talking about “ignoring the elephant in the room” and it drives me crazy because I don’t see it! They MUST have figured out a way to hide it in another dimension! 

If you were a cookie, which would you be?

White Chocolate Macadamia nut… but my mommy also says I look like a Twinkie which is close to a cookie! 

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you take with you?

My Mousie, Homer’s “The Odyssey,” and my Dad’s Breitling Emergency Watch (although I overheard mommy once tell her friend that I have been micro chipped!! YIKES! WHAT IS THAT ABOUT?! I thought implanting microchips in cats was make-believe stuff from sci-fi thrillers!) 

What are your favorite foods and toys?

I have several! My favorite food is Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys for wet food (I only like food in gravy, I don’t like pate style food and refuse to eat it); dry food is IAMS, Treats are Freeze Dried Salmon Chunks and Little Lion (although I never refuse a treat – yummm) and my favorite toys are my mice that rattle (preferably in yellow or white), and feather teasers, and cat circuits, and bouncy balls, and anything I can fetch! I really do fetch too, my mom thinks it’s weird when I bring back the mouse to her! 

Have you ever eaten anything that your hooman thought strange? 

Asparagus. And recently, a Q-Tip!

Have you ever chewed or destroyed something that upset your hooman?

Yes, when she discovered I carved out her box spring for her bed, she was very upset. It was the only time I ever got yelled at by her, so I stopped….. sometimes, hehe.

OMC! I did that, cousin! I carved out the foam stuffing inside the sofa. Must be a Van thing. Okay, name one secret about your hoomans which they think you don't know.

I love treats, so mommy got a new type of “dry food” and put it in the treat jar, thinking I wouldn’t know! I do, but I let her feel happy about herself thinking she fooled me.

What is your birth date, or Gotcha Day date?

November 4, 2008. I am 4.

When did you join Twitter and what clubs do you belong to?

I am still new to twitter. I joined in March 2012. No clubs yet on social media. I don’t think mommy knows about them. But I do support Saudi PAWS – an organization that helped shelter me in Saudi Arabia and mommy adopted me from! They also helped evacuate animals during the Persian Gulf War when mommy used to live there and volunteer with them! 

Do you have a blog or a Facebook page? If so, please give the addresses.

Yes! I am “the catrepeneur”TM and I review animal products! My blog is www.catrepeneur.com and so it my facebook and twitter! @catrepeneur …. Spread the meow(word) and let me know if there is anything you want reviewed!!!!

One final question: Why did Yankee Doodle name the feather in his hat Macaroni?

I never thought about it but researched and found that he never called it macaroni – rather the British were mocking the Americans and French! But then the Colonial Army (Americans) took the song and sang it with pride which probably angered the Brits because it didn’t end up with their intended consequences!  CLEVER!!!!

No, you’re CLEVER!!! Cousin! Now, let’s meet your meowmy: RULA, aka Momma Monty!

Rula and Monty

Momma Monty, tell me about yourself, your family, and interests. 

Our family consists of me, my boyfriend, Monty and Yuri. We’re the happiest family in the world and know we’ll stay together forever! I love anything that is beauty/fashion/style related and follow trends daily! My passion for these has inspired my career in beauty and fashion and my independence motivated me to establish a skincare company that offers unique, luxury product lines. The company is named “Les Noblesses” (pronounced Lay-No-Bless).

About Les Noblesses and my work: I founded Les Noblesses - an organic and all natural skincare line that sells luxury products in its unique collections – each with a personal story behind them dating back hundreds, if not thousands, of years. All of Les Noblesses’ products contain the ancient beauty secret and remedy of 24 Karat Gold which has a multitude of skincare benefits such as anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and fortifying properties. I developed the lines to fit today’s innovative and fast-paced world, while staying true to ancient beauty remedies and techniques that have been passed down to me through generations of Mediterranean nobility. Les Noblesses means exactly that: The “nobilities” or “aristocrats”. I am inspired by an age where noble women used fine ingredients such as 24 Karat Gold and luxurious oils to maintain their youth and beauty, and I am constantly working to develop these luxury products to make them available to my loyal customers and friends who swear by them!

What TV shows do you and Monty enjoy?

Monty and I enjoy watching many shows together – in the mornings, like Kathy Lee and Hoda on the Today Show. We also watch Too Cute, and that guy with the guitar that helps cat owners and cats on Animal Planet. We also LOVE Shark Tank, Revenge, GIRLS, the Kardashians, and anything Real Housewives!   

If you had three wishes, what would they be? What do you think Monty would wish for?

Monty would wish for his family to live long, healthy lives; to be successful and; to be able to go outside “unmonitored”. I also wish for my family to live long, healthy lives, to be successful and; for Monty to be able to outside unmonitored!

What is the one thing you both love about yourselves?

Monty loves his beautiful golden tail! (I kiss it, as it’s good luck!) I love my independence.

What are your most prized possessions?

Monty loves the silk comforter on my bed, and I love designer shoes. 

If you were a tree, what would you be?

Monty would be a pine tree because there are lots of birds on them! He’d finally get close to a bird! And I would be a Magnolia.

What was the best thing before sliced bread?

Monty says Pumpkin pie. I say CHOCOLATE!

Do you travel? What is the most memorable vacation you’ve ever taken?

Monty traveled across the world to get to me and believe he doesn’t ever want to get on a plane again! I travel often and my favorite places are Turkey, Dubai, Vienna, Italy and Palma di Majorca (off the coast of Spain).

Who is your favorite celebrity and why?

Monty loves Garfield. I love Garfield, Monica Belluci, and Mark Wahlberg.

Who are the 3 famous people you’d most like to have dinner with, and why? 

Monty would dine with Donald Trump, Kevin O’Leary, and Garfield because they all are successful and have great purrsonalities! I’d dine with Lori Greiner, Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran because I love their business savvy and success stories. 

Time for tummy rub!

If you were given an entire day off, how would you spend your time?  

Monty would bird watch, play in grass, and explore. I would shop, take a bubble bath, and watch TV. 

If you could live anywhere in the world, which place would you choose?

Right where I am in America!

I know Monty traveled from Saudi Arabia, but have you ever traveled with Monty in the USA?

Monty had to move from the condo to a new home in 5 miles away. He had his mousie with him but he cried the entire way there. In short, yes I traveled 5 miles with him and it was the worst!

Do you have a blog, Facebook or other Twitter accounts? 

Yes, my blog is www.catrepeneur.com and I review anipal products! Please send me any products you’re interested in having reviewed! My twitter is @catrepeneur and @montythepooh

Also, I own a luxury skincare line and my company website is www.lesnoblesses.com and a magazine launching soon! My twitter is @lesnoblesses ! 

What is a typical day for you both, starting with breakfast?

Monty: I wake up at the same time as mommy. Then I walk her to the kitchen and ask for a milk treat. Then I go to the litter box and then run around and ask for attention. Then we watch the Today show and then I have lunch at noon. I know mommy needs to work but I distract her a lot of times. I get on twitter a few times a week and see what’s new. I bird watch and keep busy and play on mommy’s work breaks throughout the day. I am around her 95% of the time! We watch TV together sometimes and always go to bed “Sleepy time” together. She carries me to bed.

Rula: I wake up early and throughout the day give the cats any attention the ask for (which is a lot). Throughout the day – through about 7pm, I work on the computer and take breaks every couple of hours to play with the cats who are usually around me all the time! When I’m working in my office, Monty is in there with me. He loves to be around me and I let him. I do the majority of work from my home-office so it takes a lot of discipline to get on the computer and get work done with Monty asking to play all the time… I usually give in! 

What is the one thing in the world that makes you want to scream?

Monty: When my sister Yuri beats me up.

Rula: Anytime I see a stinkbug! They’re so gross and all over the northeast!

*Holds up glass of milk* Is glass half empty or half full?

Monty and Rula together: FULL FULL FULL!!!

Do you know any tricks?

Monty: I play fetch!

Rula: no. 

Which animal represents you the closest?

Monty: myself.

Rula: a cat. 

One last question: Did Noah have woodpeckers on the ark? If he did, where did he keep them? 

Monty: Yes of course! My ancestors were on the arc and each generation of cat passes on the story of the arc and its animals which were never left behind and God loves the animals! The woodpeckers were named Woody and Wanda and they were very busy on the Arc because they were used to make wooden tools for Noah to use. They were given wood pieces and were big helpers because they were the only ones who were able to carve things like plates, spoons, building tools, and much more for us to use!

Thank you both so much! I’m so happy we iz cousins. Purr purr purr!

Love you Cousin Herman and Auntie Kim! Thank you so veryyyyyyy much! PURRRRRRRR

Monty The Snooze!