Saturday, March 31, 2007

Five reasons why I blog...

Here I am outside on the patio, pondering my answers to this meme. I take these things seriously!

(With thanks to my good friend Phoebe, who tagged me for this meme.)

1. Shameless self-promotion, and promotion of Pablo Enterprises and the West Hobart Tigers.
2. Being able to meet and make friends with awesome cats from all around the world.
3. Being able to report on important cat news from Australia on The Cat Blogosphere.
4. To do my bit to help cats dominate cyberspace.
5. Helping me with my blog gives Kate something to do, so she doesn't hassle me for pats and cuddles so much.

OK. I now tag Faz, Beto, Jack, Icon Baxter Bentley and Merlin!

Happy Caturday!
Cheers,
-- Pabs

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Bathdrinking...

Hello. My name is Pablo, and I'm a bathdrinker.

What? Haven't you ever seen anycat bathdrinking before?

People might think it's gross, but I know that cats will understand. Dogs too.

Lately, Kate's been giving me the drys (a.k.a. dry cat food) for breakfast every other day. She says that it's good for my teeth to be doing some crunching. And she's a 'responsible pet owner', she makes sure that I have plenty of fresh water available whenever I want... but it's not the same as bathdrinking water (which isn't bathwater, because my people don't have baths. They have showers, so technically, it's showerwater and I should be calling this showerdrinking. But bathdrinking sounds way better).

So after they've finished doing their morning things in the bathroom, in I hop for a bit of bathdrinking goodness.

This photo is a bit odd... kinda looks like I'm floating in the middle of nothing... and like I've only got two legs. Oh well. I never said that bathdrinking was pretty. But it sure is good.

Bathdrinking. Try it sometime!

Cheers,
--Pabs

Friday, March 23, 2007

A Pablo Enterprises community service announcement...

Has this ever happened to you?

Most well-trained cat people know that tails are not for pulling, but I'm guessing that everycat's had at least one experience with a wiseguy prankster, an 'innocent' toddler or a should-know-better child who has pushed the boundaries of feline interaction just that little bit too far. I should know, I've been there.

More than that, I live with a married twentysomething couple who are bound to have kids in the next few years. I'm a toughcat; I can take on anycat that comes my way. But frankly, cats of the world, when it comes to human kids, I fear for my safety.

But never fear, everycat! Some amazingly wonderful and understanding people have written a how-to manual for people to read to their children to teach them about the right ways to handle cats (and dogs and other animals, for that matter). It's called Tails are not for pulling, and was written by Elizabeth Verdick and illustrated by Marieka Heinlen. You can find out more about it, check out some of the illustrations and read an excerpt of the book on the publisher's website. Now, I've not been paid any money, in-kind cat food or any other goods or services to let you all know about this... I'm just letting you know about it for the good of us all.

May your tails be un-pulled, your furs un-patted the wrong way and your whiskers un-trimmed!
Cheers,
--Pabs
PS: no tails were pulled in the making of this announcement.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Monday moochin'...

Now that autumn has arrived, and thus chillier weather in the mornings, I've taken to hopping in bed with Nick and Kate after I have my breakfast. I snuggle up with Kate (I'm nocat's fool, Nick would just kick me out) until she has to get up, then I get the whole warm bed to myself... for the rest of the day, if I want!

Kate took this picture of me before she went to work this morning, and I was in pretty much the same position when she came home a bit before 6pm tonight. Given the fact that I got into bed at about 7am this morning, that's 11 big hours of Monday mooching!

Now that's a way to spend a Monday...
Cheers,
--Pabs

P.S. My virtual squillion finally arrived! Thanks, Sanjee! His name is Justin Timberlake. That's him down there to the right. He's bringing sexy back... yeah! (If you don't know anything about squillions, and want to change that, click here.)

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Top o'St Patty's Day to you!

I've been very busy today.
I wanted Kate to take a really stylish St Patrick's Day portrait of me playing in the patch of clover outside so I could post it for everyone to see. But when the time came to take the shot, I just couldn't stand still. This was the best one that we got...
Lots of Tasmanians are of Irish descent, including Kate. The Irish immigrants of the past probably brought their cats with them, so there's a good chance that I've got some Irishcat in me too. So, I thought I owed it to my ancestors to try another project...





St Patrick was a pretty important guy; he invented Ireland in 1371. He also invented Guinness and potatoes a few years after that. The other important thing that he did was to kick all the snakes out of Ireland, so Irish cats would never have to worry about them. That's why everyone celebrates on March 17. Even the cat on Kate's cat-a-day calendar was decked out for the occasion, although he doesn't look very happy about it:
(By the way, notice how the cat-a-day calendar cheats on weekends? I bet the cat didn't even get paid extra for having to cover two days...)

Anyway, Happy St Patrick's Day!
Cheers,
--Pabby O'Riley (Pabs)

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Africats!!

Check this out: A family of real, live Africats! This picture came to me via Anne, one of Kate's work colleagues. Anne is originally from South Africa; her brother and his wife still live there... and these are their cats! On the far right, we have Mimi, next to her is Tom. Behind Tom, to the left, is Zaza, with her brother Bubbles in front. Bubbles and Zaza are Mimi and Tom's kids! And I think that Bubbles looks a bit like my good friend Monica... what do you think, Monica? They live in a suburb called Albermarle, south-east of Johannesburg. I know that's a big city, but I bet that they know some bigcats. You can see it in their eyes. I know that deep down we're all Africats, but it would really be something to be an Africat in Africa.

It would really make you feel tough.
Cheers,
--Pabs

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Thursday tagging...

Hi everyone, sorry I've been absent on the blogosphere for a while. Kate went away again and Nick REFUSES to help me with my posts (grrrr!). Anyway, a few dudes (Merlin, Kimo and Sabi and Faz, to be precise) have all 'tagged' me since I've been away, and have probably been chewing their tails off in anticipation of my responses. So, here goes... it's an epic!


A. Four places I have lived...
1. Liverpool Street, West Hobart (in a share house with my first mums, Heidi and Nikki, and about a million other housemates).
2. Lynton Avenue, Dynnyrne (where I moved with Nikki when she got married).
3. Queen Street, Sandy Bay (where I first lived with Kate. This was also a share house, inhabited by Uncle Des, Rachel, Gibbo and Oliver... Oliver was a baby bean in Rachel's tummy, though).
4. Bathurst Street, West Hobart (the first place that Nick and Kate lived in after they got married. Huge garden, all mine. Awesome).

Pablo's pontifications: It's ok if you have to live in a share house, but if you can, TRY TO AVOID THEM. A million people live in them and they all might not understand how cats work. They might be loud and thumpy and move real fast so you get all skitty cause you don't know what they'll do next. Too many strangers come to share houses. It's better to live with just one or two people who understand you really well. Having said that, there is more chance of accidentally getting fed multiple dinners in a share house, if you play your cards right.

B. Four things I love to watch...
1. The kitchen. It's where all the food-related stuff happens.
2. My jungle from my observation deck in Nick and Kate's bedroom. I spend a whole lotta time here surveying my outdoor kingdom from the comfort of inside. I'll take some photos of it one day.
3. My shoelaces (when Nick and Kate wiggle them). I know, I know... I don't wear shoes, but my shoelaces are my favourite stringplay equipment. Try them.
4. Australian Idol. Especially the year that Shannon Noll came second. He's my favourite singer. For some reason, Nick and Kate think that's funny...

C. Four places I have been outside my home...
1. The v-e-t. Haven't had to go for a while, thank God!
2. The c-a-r. Just as scary as the v-e-t, I reckon. It's so loud and movey! And I have to go in that lame plastic carrier thing. It doesn't magically transform into a kitty palace just because you put a blanky in it!!
3. My jungle. The neighbours like to think that it's their big overgrown backyard, but it's actually my jungle, and the home ground of the West Hobart Tigers. A great place to rumble with my buddies!
4. Over the street. I don't go very often, but I do dash across the street in the evenings sometimes, just when I feel like pushing myself out of my comfort zone a bit. There's some good smells over there, and it's where my Tigers team mate Graham White lives. P.S. Don't tell Kate that I go over there, she doesn't know!

Pablo's proviso: I'm an outside cat. So it's not really that big a deal for me to go outside my home, at least within a certain geographical radius. And I'm not a social guy, so it's a VERY big deal for me to go to places other than my home, like the c-a-r and the v-e-t. So unless I really have to, I stick fairly close to home. When Nick and Kate go away, people come to my place to look after me. And that's the way I like it.


D. Four websites (or blogs) I visit daily...
1. The Cat Blogosphere. It's how I keep in touch with the news from all my kitty pals around the world. I'm also their 'Offishul Australian Corryspondent'.
2. The Pablo Fan Club blog. Maintained by my lovely lady friends Phoebe and Monica in Oregon, USA. Drop over and say hi!
3. Merlin and Dobby's blog. I started visiting this blog before Dobby came on the scene, mainly because I was amazed at how much Merlin looked like me. It's been great to see how Dobby the kitten has settled in to life with Merlin, and how much he is growing to look like me, too!
4. Faz's blog. Faz (Fazakerly) is a Britcat with an Australian mum. She lives in Wimbledon, England. But not really near the tennis place. That's on the other side of Wimbledon Common, where the Wombles live (I wonder what wombles taste like?).


E. Four of my favourite foods...
1. Raw chicken. Sometimes, when Nick and Kate bring some home from the supermarket, they cut bits off for me and leave them in my bowl. Nocat had better come near me when I'm eating chicken!
2. Cooked chicken. Sometimes they give me some of this too, but without all the sauce and stuff they put on it. As if it's needed to give the chicken flavour.
Nocat had better come near me when I'm eating chicken!
3. Canned cat food (chicken flavour). Almost as good as 1. and 2. Especially at room temperature.
Nocat had better come near me when I'm eating chicken!
4. Dry cat food (chicken flavour). The worst of the best, but still contains that chickeny goodness.
Nocat had better come near me when I'm eating chicken!

Pablo's poultry penchant:Look, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't like meat other than chicken. But something happens to me when that chickeny smell hits my Jacobson's organ. Nick and Kate call it the Chicken Madness. I call it heaven...



F. Four places I would rather be right now...

1. At my food bowl. Eating chicken (of course).
2. My basket. Complete with sheepskin rug (of course).
3. My chair. Upholstered in green velvet (of course).
4. Nick and Kate's bed. Without them (of course).

G. Four toys I have owned and played with...
1. Bungee mouse. A fake mouse (covered in rabbit fur!) with a rattle inside, attached to a plastic bungee cord. Oh, I did some of my best jumps trying to catch him! I loved him so much, I licked his fur off. (He was a gift. Kate would never buy me something with rabbit or other real animal fur!)
2. Mr Sparkle. Just some bit of blue sparkly plastic fringe on a stick. He drove me crazy, though!
3. My red mouse. A Christmas present from my friend Liji Beau. The reddest mouse ever. I like to swing him by the tail.
4. My stringplay shoelaces. A staple in my toy collection.

H. Four nicknames people call me...
1. Pabs. This is pronounced 'pubs', not 'pAbs', where the 'a' is like the 'a' in 'apple'. Same with my full name. There are lots of variations on this, like Pabby, Stinky Pabs, Dirty Pabs, Pabio and Pablometer.
2. Mablo. Kate favours this one. In her more lyrical moments, it is extended to Guantanamablo.
3. Sweet Pea. Don't laugh! Another Kate-bestowed name. It's my mushiest name.
4. My sweet baby tiger/tiger boy/tiger baby bunny boy. I bet you never knew that cats blushed...
Pablo's pseudonyms: There are plenty more, I can tell you! Nick and Kate like to make up songs about me (usually re-workings of existing songs to make them about me). They are usually less than complimentary, but they're about me, so I don't care. They also make up one-off or temporary nicknames based on topical events. For example, during the World Cup (soccer) last year, my nickname was 'Puss Hiddink', a nod to the Australian coach Guus Hiddink.

I. Regarding catnip...
1. Love it
2. It's nice
3. Could take it or leave it
4. Don't like it or can't have it
Answer: I haven't tried it. I'm STILL WAITING FOR KATE TO GIVE ME MY AMERICAN SHRIMPY NIPPY GOODNESS.

J. Regarding cat grass...
1. Love it
2. It's nice
3. Could take it or leave it
4. Don't like it or can't have it
Answer: Sounds like something that Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper would have smoked.

K. First things I would by after winning the lottery...
1. The patent for chicken (currently held by the estate of the late Colonel Harland David Sanders, who invented chicken in the early 20th century.
2. A big new headquarters for Pablo Enterprises, with my own private study/bedroom and a rambling garden.
3. The Richmond Tigers. An Australian Football League team, based in suburban Melbourne. I'd appoint myself as their president and relocate them to West Hobart.
4. A teleporting machine, so I can visit all my kitty blogging friends without having to set paw on an aeroplane.

L. Four things I do besides eat, sleep and litter box...
1. Captain/coach the West Hobart Tigers in the Southern Feline Football League.
2. Maintain my blog. I love being part of the cat blogosphere!!
3. Stringplay.
4. Give Nick and Kate as many withering, disdainful looks as time permits.

M. Four things I want to do this summer...
** This question was obviously written by somecat in the Northern Hemisphere, cause we've just finished our summer. I've taken the liberty to change the question to suit my own seasonal orientation, i.e. four things I want to do this winter**
1. Eat more chicken.
2. Find more sunbeams to sleep in.
3. Outsource my outdoor responsibilities (rumblin', surveying my territory and the like) to somecat I can trust (Frankie, maybe?) so I don't have to go outside until spring.
4. Write my memoirs.

N. My four most prized possessions that have limited value to anyone else...
1. My stringplay shoelaces. It took ages to chew them up just right.
2. My sheepskin. It took ages to shed the right amount of fur onto it (stop vacuuming it, Kate!).
3. The old, old matress under Nick and Kate's bed. A mancat needs a hideout!
4. The grass growing in the terracotta pot on our patio. A mancat needs his greens!

O. What I am going to do before tomorrow...
1. Finish these questions! There's still more to go!
2. Eat my dinners tonight! Can't wait...
3. Better do an outside patrol later this evening.
4. Might get Kate to do a bit of stringplay with me.

P.Which of the following is your favorite place to hide and play...
1. Paper bags
2. Plastic bags
3. Boxes
4. Other (explain)
Answer: Boxes, boxes, boxes. They are so interesting! Who knows what might be in them? And they're great to chew. Unfortunately, my place is too small for me to have a permanent playbox, but I love it when Nick and Kate bring a box home for some reason. And thay are so great to chew....

Q. Four other pets that Mommy has had with me...
Does Nick count? (Only joking, Nick, old buddy!). No, none. Kate knows my rules.
Pablo's pet policy: I am very much a solo pet. I don't share. I don't like sharing my house with people (apart from when they feed me and let me sleep on their bed), and I most certainly would not share my home with another animal, even if it was a cat. I am cat enough for any household!



R. Four furiends I tag to respond:
I've taken so long to do this that it's so last week by now. Beto's been conspicuously absent from the blogosphere for a while. Something's going on there... so Beto, if you're out there, I tag you! And anycat who hasn't done it yet who still wants to.

Finished! Yippee! Hope you've enjoyed learning more about me. I know I have.
Cheers,
--Pabs