Fiona: Nov. 1, 1999 - June 26, 2007

Our older sister Fiona died Tuesday in Daddy's arms.

She was a daddy's girl. Here she is about an hour before she left us.

Our family doesn't have to worry anymore about her being taken from us by the very bad California Department of Fish and Game. She's free and no longer a secret! We are so proud of her and honored to have been her family. We love you and will miss you, Fiona.

We will soon scan and share with you older photos of her and our other big ferret sister, Peanut. Peanut died Sept. 1, 2003.

Here are more photos of Fiona from the past two years. She's so beautiful.

A letter from the Investor

Investor, you have some explaining to do.
This is not my Cat Tree.

By The Human
Morning Scratch investor

Dear Morning Scratch readers,
Our floors were to be finished Friday, which is why I picked up the kitty reporters on Thursday. But, of course, the floors aren't finished. In fact, the installer screwed up the sealant. So, the cats are confined to a bathroom upstairs for who knows how much longer ... hopefully not more than a week.

In this note, I also announce a temporary suspension of The Morning Scratch. Our new-home problems are much more extensive than I have let on, and the joys of my cats that I wish to share are being overshadowed by the house. This house should have never passed city inspection, and we are having to redo fairly large portions of it, all while the builder believes he is not accountable for a house he built beginning to fall apart only two months after we moved in. Truly, we bought a nightmare.

We still have a lot of good news to share, and still a lot of fun and love in our lives, but as the investor, I can no longer support the reporters' project right now. I need to completely focus on how to get through this difficult task of fixing a brand-new home (new problems arise as each week goes by) and going after a builder who should be held accountable. When that is complete, or at least when it's on the right path, we will return. The staff has a lot to report!

You all have been a great support, and we will still be visiting all of you often.

Hey, Mom? You're going to live in here, too? Yeah?

Bonus pic:

Mom had a lot of grooming to do when we got home Thursday. Look at that hair ball! She wasn't even done yet ...

We're home!

By Kat 3
Morning Scratch reporter

And Guess what I did during the car ride home from the Cat House Hotel?

Almost home

By Bogdan, Sara and Kat 3
Morning Scratch reporters

Even though work on our facility is not yet done -- and in fact work will probably continue for weeks or months to come (our builder didn't do a very good job building our new house) -- we are headed home tomorrow!

We have lots to share. We can't wait to report it all to you. Thanks for being there for us through this. You are all great friends.

Here I am cleaning up at the Cat House Hotel. I can't wait to get home and lie on my Cat Tree.

A meme, very belated

By Kat 3
The Morning Scratch

*Crunch* *Crunch* Just testing. (On the Cat House Hotel porch.)

My very good friend eve tagged me for this after my brother Bogdan tagged her. Mom just now told me. All this time, I've been down here at the Cat House Hotel wondering when I'd be tagged after both Bogdan and Sara got to do their lists! And here I was ... tagged all along.

Hey there, whirley birdie! I'm gonna chomp you!

The rules: Each player starts with seven random facts about herself. Cats who are tagged need to write on their own diary about the seven things and the rules. You need to choose seven cats to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment/pawmail that they have been tagged and to read your diary/blog.

Here are seven sorta little-known facts about me, Kat 3. (P.S. Click here for some more things about me that I shared in March.)

1. I like to give the bitey. Often.

2. I am a private kitty when I do my private things. If Mom or Bogdan or anyone come into the litterbox room, I get nervous. Sometimes I'm already doing you-know-what, and I try to hurry up ... then I run away really fast without covering! I hate, hate, hate when I get walked in on!!

3. I greet everyone. Even dogs. I like saying hello to our stray and neighbor cats through the screens. I don't want them to go away.

4. I eat anything and everything. Maybe this fact isn't little-known, but it's a very important fact. I attempt to eat everything - even if it's a fuzzy on the floor. I will try to eat it.

5. I'm being leashed trained so that I can go places, such as local pet stores and Grandma's house. Maybe I'll even get to go to Mom's work! She wants to start Bring Your Cat to Work Day.

6. I clean up my toys when I am ready to sleep. I pick them up and put them in my bed or near my snuggle sack. I like them near me.

7. I will find playtime anywhere. Everything is a toy!!! As jeter harris would say, "Life iz grate!" and I'll add: "And made for lots of playing."

I'm giving the whirley birdie the evil eye.

I tag:
1. Miss Peach
2. + 3. Fiona and Ali
4. + 5. Lucky and Juno
6. Baby Mao
7. YOU, if you haven't done this meme yet.

Fashion Friday

By Kat 3
Morning Scratch reporter

You know what? This is my hardcore punk rock dress, but it smells like strawberries!!! Does that make ANY sense? No. But YUM-MY!