Silly Saturday

By Sara
Morning Scratch reporter

Purrs to everyone!

Today, we're giving our paws a break, so we thought we'd share a video ...

..... Miss Sara introduces ....

OK GO'S BIGGEST FAN EVER!!!!
Take a look:

Formerly Feral Friday

KAT 3 GOES OUTSIDE: A KAT 3 ADVENTURE

'This is coooool.'

By Kat 3
Morning Scratch reporter

Before "the move" to the Cat House Hotel, Mom took me out on my leash at the new facility twice, but only once did she take photos. One day, I'll be a well-traveled Meezer like Tara, who even has cute outfits for her strolls.

'Follow the leader.'

'Ahhhh. Grass. I'm doing my "happy paws." See?'

Me: 'Hey, whatchu guys doing in there?'
Them: 'Hey, whatchu doing out there?'

Thursday Thirteen, Edition 4

MAY CHARITY: FRIENDS OF THE ELEPHANT SEAL

Elephant seal says: 'Ah, yes. Scratch. Scratch. Read the Morning Scratch!'
(P.S. Photos were taken by the Investor several weeks ago.)

By Bogdan
Morning Scratch editor

Before the facility went wonky, the investor would make sure $2o-$25 would go to a charitable organization each month. We haven't done that since January, and here it is May already!

The Editorial Board plans to feature a nonprofit group/good cause each month in The Morning Scratch, but in the future the newspaper will do so near the beginning of the month. Look for it, and take part with whatever you are able to give or buy from the organization's store. If you can't contribute money, write the volunteers a note letting them know you appreciate their efforts!

The Morning Scratch charity for May is Friends of the Elephant Seal. Here are 13 reasons to support the organization based out of Cambria, Calif., which is about 25 miles from the Morning Scratch facility.

1. Elephant seals scratch themselves with their flippers. (See photo above.) It's very cute.

2. The northern elephant seal spends most of its time in the open ocean, going on land only for breeding, birthing, molting and (not surprisingly) resting.

3. They return to the same rookery each year.

4. They make loud noises - such as burps, snorts (Kazumi! Ha-ha!) and grunts - that make the Investor giggle.

5. The Piedras Blancas rookery near the Morning Scratch facility is home-base for up to about 16,oo0 elephant seals. Holy Moly!

6. They like to dig in the sand, like us cats! But for different reasons. Elephant seals flip sand on themselves to help stay cool. The sand acts as a sunscreen. (In the photo below, you can see some sand-flippin' flippers.)
7. Unfortunately there were no mature males on the beach when the Investor visited recently, but elephant seals are called elephant seals because the males have elephant noses. How goofy. Go look here.

8. Like hissing, an important part of a good fight is, simply, screaming. Go look here.

9. Blubber isn't as awesome as fur, but it's still pretty awesome.

10. They are beach bums.

The beach bums.

11. Elephant seals will squish you if they sit or lie on you. Male elephant seals can weigh 5,000 pounds.

12. The Friends of the Elephant Seal almost always has a docent at the rookery to answer questions and to protect the seals from "bad" visitors. There has never been a day when the Investor has gone and there wasn't a knowledgeable and friendly volunteer to answer all and any questions. That's dedication!

13. Kat 3 loves elephant seals so much, she dressed up as one!

Kat 3 says: 'Snort! SNORT!'

HOW TO HELP:
Go to the Friends of the Elephant Seal Web site at www.elephantseal.org to find a donation form and the group's shop.

Wacky Wednesday

DOG TAKES OVER MY PEOPLE, CAR

By Bogdan
Morning Scratch editor

While we've been away at the Cat House Hotel, the Investor and the man betrayed us. I have evidence, given to me by an anonymous source, who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation.

The evidence: (Excuse the poor quality; the informant was working undercover.)

THAT dog was in MY car, and those legs belong to MY man. The dog, reportedly named Sophie, was baby-sat by my humans for a night and a day, sources tell the Morning Scratch.
"Aw. Wouldn't it be cute, Bogdan, if you called her Aunt Sophie?" the Investor said.
No. No, that would not be cute.
"I'll call her ant Sophie!!" Kat 3 said. "I like ants. They are fun."

Friends at the Cat House Hotel

By Bogdan
Morning Scratch editor

There are some very nice kitties at the Cat House Hotel. I am not one of them.

Yes! The catnip mat is mine!

But, Kat 3 made friends with several of the cats at the hotel. And here they are, with commentary by reporter Kat 3.

FRANKIE AND KAT 3

Yesterday, you saw Frankie and I playing and playing. Here we are on the Cat House Hotel porch hanging out together. I'm a little embarrassed here because Mom just told my new friend Frankie that when I was her age I was living in a Dumpster.

CHLOE

This is Chloe. Mom said she is an expensive cat. I don't know why she's more expensive than me, except that I came free. Chloe is funny because she growls when she gets pets ... but it's not because she doesn't like pets! She likes the scratches, but she growls anyway. Silly Chloe.

CHIPS

Chips followed my Mom all over the Cat House Hotel when she was trying to visit with me. I'm surprised Chips didn't follow her right out the door! Chips also liked Dad and jumped up on him and started licking his face. I wonder if my Dad has a tasty face like Skeezix's Mr. Tasty Face? I'll find out when I get home.

"MAO"
Hey! It's Mao! Just kidding. I didn't believe him at first when he said he wasn't Mao because Mao was on the lam, and I thought he was hiding here. But this is really Spanky. And Spanky is staying at the Cat House Hotel a long time, like us! I like Spanky. He enjoys chasing sparkly balls. And anyone who chases sparkly balls is a friend of mine!

Morning Scratch debuts breaking news feature

By Bogdan
Morning Scratch editor

Thanks to Blogger and Google, the Morning Scratch can now offer breaking animal news. The feature is at the top of the right-hand column. Just click on "cat" or "dog" or one of the other animal choices, and get the top stories of the moment with that search term. Want me to add a species? E-mail me at themorningscratch AT gmail.com.

Enjoy!

Meezer Monday: Kat 3 reports from the Cat House Hotel

THE CAT HOUSE HOTEL IS SUPER FUN

I'm at the Kat House Hotel. It's named for me! No, really. Really! OK, not really ....

By Kat 3
Morning Scratch reporter

The Cat House Hotel is a wonderful place! There are toys galore, scratches all day long and plenty of kitties to play with. (P.S. Mom says to tell you we won't be home now until at least June 2.)

Here are some highlights from my stay so far.

*PLAYTIME*

I'll get you blanket! I'll win! And I did win. Yup. Teehee.

*FRIEND TIME*

Friend time is a lot like playtime. Look at our toys! That's my kitten friend Frankie. She had to go home already. Mom says I look chunky here. And it's a possibility. I've been taste-testing all the kitties' foods!!! Nummy.

*MORE PLAYTIME*

You can never have enough playtime.

*DRINK TIME*
All this playtime makes me thirsty. The nice girls who work at the hotel fill up kettles to fill up water bowls in our rooms. I like drinking from the kettles. That's my toy right there.

*DAD TIME*
Dad thinks he is funny. Here, he is pretending to put me in the water fountain. I'm screaming, "No! No!" but I know Dad would never really put me in it. I play along with his silly games.

*NAP TIME*
Just kidding! I didn't nap! There's too much playtime to be had, right Frankie? Teehee.

Let's go to the Carnival!