Charlie Makes Himself At Home

Disciples of The Leader Otis,

Brother Henry here.

As we mentioned last week, Charlie has been visiting the Guardians a lot more in Cookie’s absence. Well, this afternoon I noticed him doing something else I rarely saw him do when Cookie was still here. He was sleeping in one of the Guardian’s little plant growing house thingies!

Charlie was sleeping in one of the Guardians’ plant growing houses!

When I saw him out there, I yowled for the Guardians so they could see what was going on. I must have yowled a little too loud because Charlie woke up and looked in my direction.

I must have yowled too loudly. I woke Charlie up!

The bigger Guardian responded to my yowl and when he saw Charlie he went outside to say hello. Charlie walked over to the entrance to the plant house and stepped out.

When the Guardian went out to say hi to Charlie, Charlie walked over to the plant house entrance and stepped out.

I thought that maybe Charlie had suddenly reverted to his old ways and he was about to make a run for it, but when he heard the Guardian talking to him he did something I didn’t expect.

This is what Charlie did when the Guardian talked to him.

Yes! Charlie stopped and gave the Guardian Kitty Kissy Eyes! I heard the Guardian say, “Awww… thanks Charlie. You can sleep in there anytime you want.” And I hope Charlie will take the Guardian up on that offer. Even though the plant growing house is not a proper cat enclosure, it still provides Charlie with more protection than he would have sleeping out in the open or under a bush. Plus, if he’s sleeping in the plant house he won’t be running around in the street where cars could hit him or on the sidewalk where unleashed operatives of the Long-feared Dog Uprising might get ahold of him. Best of all, if he sticks close by he will be able to enjoy more love and attention from the Guardians. That’s something that is sorely lacking in the lives of most Limbo Kitties.

So Says Brother Henry

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Stella’s Miracle

People and fur people who are Disciples of The Leader Otis,

It’s Thomas.

Oh my gosh. I am so excited I can hardly contain myself! Another Disciple of Otis has taken The Leader’s final message to heart and become The Miracle for a kitty in need! Disciple Rhiannon wrote to us with this wonderful story:

“A week ago, I was on my way home from a walk when a small black cat came running to me out of the yard of an empty house. I bent down to pet her, as I always do with cats I encounter on sidewalks, and I could feel every bone in her back. She didn’t have a collar. I set off again and she followed me. When a car drove by or a person appeared, she froze, so I gathered that she wasn’t used to being on the streets. It was getting dark, and I decided that if she followed me all the way to my house – two blocks from where she found me – I’d keep her safe overnight and take her to our town’s animal shelter in the morning.

I didn’t know how my Luna would react to a strange cat, so when we got to my house I put Stella (my name for the stray) in my garage and brought her food and water. She was so hungry and thirsty! I made a bed for her by lining a small desk drawer with a towel and left a lantern-type flashlight burning. I spent about 20 minutes with her, and although she didn’t mind being petted, she didn’t want to cuddle. I think at that point, what she needed more than human contact was a safe place to sleep with access to food and water. It made me feel good that I was able to give her all three.

When I checked on her later, she was sleeping in her desk-drawer bed.

In the morning I put her in Luna’s carrier and took her to our shelter. It’s small, so she’s been transferred to the Humane Society (no-kill) in Santa Rosa. She didn’t have a chip, so I’ve put CAT FOUND flyers around the neighborhood. I’m going to visit her before I leave on a 2-month trip to Britain at the end of this month, and if no one has claimed or adopted her by the time I get back, I may adopt her myself, if she and Luna can get along.

This is the poster Rhiannon made.

I wouldn’t have rescued Stella if it hadn’t been for the Teachings of Otis. I used to think that cats were fine outside, able to feed themselves and find water, etc. But Otis and your boys and Mama Cat have done a good job of educating me.

I thought you’d like to know that Otis’s spirit continues to work in mysterious ways, performing wonders, and probably enjoying the odd catnip banana.”

If Stella was lost, the posters Rhiannon hung may help reunite her with her family. If she was abandoned, like I once was, she now has the opportunity to find a loving, forever home in The Promised Land. She will not be doomed to live in The Shadows like so many of our feline brothers and sisters are.

Thank you, Rhiannon, for truly showing what it means to Be The Miracle!

In Otis’s Name,

Sir Thomas

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Abe Has Been Swept Up

Disciples of Otis,

Brother Oliver here.

A week after Olive was swept up in The Capture, Abe returned, and he was a living testament to why kitties should not be forced to live in The Shadows. Here is how Abe appeared back in December when the Guardians first started to work with him:

Here is Abe in late December.

When Abe returned this week, he looked very different. It was lankier, and his eyes looked haunted.

Here is what Abe looked like when he returned.

A closer look revealed the toll life in The Shadows was taking on this poor kitty. Abe’s head and neck was covered in wounds. Many of them were deep gashes that were clearly the result of fights with other cats. Patches of fur were missing around the wounds. This may have been due to ringworm or mange, or secondary to the wounds themselves.

The world without walls is a harsh place. All kitties deserve a better life than this.

The Guardians did not want to see Abe spend even one more day in The Shadows. They set the same live trap they had used to capture Olive a week before and then waited. Abe took an immediate interest in the scent of food coming from the trap.

Abe took an immediate interest in the food in the trap.

Abe moved in closer to investigate. Like all cats, he was cautious, but he was also very hungry.

Abe was wary, but the scent of food was irresistible. Note that the right side of his head is also riddled with scratch marks and missing patches of fur.

After several tense minutes, Abe entered the trap and was captured. He was taken to a nearby Bad Place that will transfer him to the same shelter that Olive, Jack, Theo, and several other Shadow Kitties from our neighborhood have gone.

Abe was frightened and angry in the trap, but he also showed signs that he was not completely unsocialized. He now at least has a chance for a life in The Promised Land, and I sincerely hope he can make that final leg of the journey. Even if he can’t, at the very least he will no longer be scared, alone, and suffering, while slowly wasting away in the world without walls.

All kitties deserve better than to be doomed to a prolonged, painful fade into The Shadows. It is up to all of us to bring as many of them as we can out of the darkness and into the light. Please continue to join me, Brother Henry, Sir Thomas, and the Guardians in our crusade to make sure all cats are happy, healthy, and safely confined.

In Otis’s Name,

Brother Oliver

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Olive Has Been Swept Up!

People and fur people who are Disciples of The Leader Otis,

It’s Thomas.

Earlier this week, the Guardians put out the same tricksy trap in which they captured me and they successfully swept Olive up in The Capture! He was a little afraid at first because he did not realize that his life had just changed for the better.

Olive was a little scared in the tricksy trap, but he calmed down enough that he ate his food while he was in there.

The Guardians took Olive to a nearby Bad Place that is a drop off point for the local animal shelter. There he was scanned for a microchip, but none was found. Olive was very tolerant of the the poking, prodding, and handling at the bad place so the good people there were confident that he would find a good home. Oh, and the shelter he was being sent to does not have time or space limitations for adoptable kitties, so he will be in excellent hands.

So another kitty has been taken out of The Shadows and brought into the light of The Promised Land. Now, we are all hoping that Abe will start to come back regularly again so he can soon follow in Olive’s footsteps. The Guardians will do all in their power to ensure that he does.

In Otis’s Name,

Thomas Out

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Abe and Olive

Disciples of Otis,

Brother Oliver here.

First off, let me just say that Brother Henry is still recovering from his mouth surgery. He’s had several “ouchy” moments in recent days which we are all hoping is just because he is not yet healed, and not because his original problem is still bothering him. It’s too soon to tell at this point, but please keep him in your thoughts and purrs. Now, on to today’s business.

Limbo kitty Abe was making steady progress toward trusting the Guardians. They set up a little lean-to Toastitron on the front porch to keep him close, and he was using it all the time.

This photo was taken before the Toastinator was added, but this is what Abe’s lean-to Toastitron looks like.

The Cookie Hothouse 3000

Disciples of Otis,

Brother Oliver here. As Brother Henry mentioned in his post earlier this week, we are all doing OK and processing The Leader’s passing in different ways. One of the ways the Guardians have been processing their grief is highly visible in our front yard.

Look closely, and you will see how the Guardians have been processing their grief.

It’s Toastitron Time…But One Kitty No Longer Needs One

My Disciples,

If you live in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere like we do (Brother Oliver told Me we do, anyway), the days are now getting shorter and colder. It’s time to fire up the Toastitrons for all of the kitties that are still out there in Limbo or in The Shadows. If you don’t have any Toastitrons, they are very easy to build! I wish Toastitrons weren’t necessary, but as long as there are some humans that still think it is fine to leave cats outside, these poor kitties will need all the extra help they can get. The Limbo kitties in our neighborhood sure have used them over the years.

Many Limbo and Shadow kitties have used the Toastitron in our yard over the years, including Whisper.

Mama Cat always refused to go into the Toastitron, even though she clearly needed the warmth. That is why the Guardians eventually built her the Mama Snuggle Shack 3000.  But you know what? She doesn’t have to worry about things like where she can go to stay warm anymore. Nope, now she has the ultimate Snuggle Shack.

Mama Cat no longer needs the Mama Snuggle Shack 3000.

Actually, that sight is so beautiful, let’s look at it again. Winter is coming but Mama Cat is happy, healthy, and safely confined.

It’s a beautiful sight. Let’s look at it again.

I wish every single cat could be so lucky, but I know it will take a lot of time and a lot of changed minds to turn this wish into reality. My Disciples, I hope that you will all continue to do everything you can to make the world a better, safer place for kitties, and that you will spread The Good Word far and wide to help us in our crusade to keep kitties happy, healthy and safely confined.

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Fire Up the Toastitrons!

My Disciples,

It’s starting to get cold outside, at least here in My neighborhood, so it’s time to pull out the Toastitron 3000’s, clean them up and turn them on. Many people send their cats outside regardless of the temperature, and a Toastitron will provide those poor kitties with much needed shelter and warmth. I know Whisper has appreciated the Toastitron in our backyard this week.

As the weather gets colder, Limbo kitties will be very happy if you provide them with a nice Toastitron 3000. Just ask Whisper!

If you do not yet have a Toastitron 3000, they are very easy to make. I even have a “Make Your Own Toastitron 3000” blog post that will guide you through it! Build one today. The Limbo kitties in your neighborhood will thank you for it!

So Sayeth Otis

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A Cold Day For Limbo Kitties

My Disciples,

This morning I awoke to hear Brother Henry shouting for Me from the living room.  I ran in to see what he wanted and found him sitting on top of the cat tree in front of the window.  He said, “Leader Otis!  There’s white stuff falling out of the sky!  What does it mean!?”  Through the window behind Brother Henry, I could see that we were having a snowstorm.

For some reason, Brother Henry always forgets that it sometimes snows.

I shook My head and said, “Brother Henry?  Do you remember that this same thing happened last year, and almost every year before that?”  He paused for a moment and said, “Oh yeah…it’s snow, right?”  I confirmed that it was indeed snow, and Brother Henry looked a little bit embarrassed.  Honestly though, I can understand why he always forgets.  I spent My first winter wandering in the wilderness.  I remember the awful feeling of cold snow under My paws.  Brother Henry has always been in The Promised Land, so he’s only seen snow from the inside of a warm house.

The memory of My cold, snow-chapped paws immediately brought a flood of concern for all of the neighborhood Limbo cats that might be locked out of their house during the current snowstorm.  I ran to the back window to look out into the yard and see if I needed to alert the Guardians that someone needed help.  That’s when I remembered that the Guardians had already provided a safe shelter for cold kitties in need, and at the moment the neighbor Limbo kitty Zephyr was taking advantage of it.

Zephyr had escaped the snow by entering the catnip enhanced, Toastitron 3000.

Zephyr was once again sitting in the Toastitron 3000.  He was surrounded by catnip that the Guardians had placed in there, and he looked quite warm and content.  I hoped that the other 16 or more Limbo kitties in the neighborhood had found similar shelter, or that their guardians had at least been kind enough to let them inside while it was snowing.  I wished I could do more to help them all, but it was some comfort to know that at least one of the Limbo kitties was currently toasty and warm on this cold and snowy day.

So Sayeth Otis

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Make Your Own Toastitron 3000

My Disciples,

After I posted the story about the Toastitron 3000 that The Guardians had made, I had a few requests for more information about how to construct one of these wonderful kitty warmers.  It took Me a couple days to make the Guardians understand that I wanted them to take more photos of the Toastitron, but they finally did it, so now I can explain the device with a few helpful images.  Let’s start by taking a look at the entire Toastitron and its relevant parts.

The Toastitron 3000

As you can see, the Toastinator 3000 uses a standard, plastic pet shelter (we do not call them dog houses) to provide the dry enclosed space needed to properly toast a kitty.  The Guardians used a Petmate Barn Home III medium-sized pet shelter.  One can be purchased for around $50 on Amazon.com.

Inside the barn home, the Guardians have placed a catnip infused Comfy Cloud.  Well, a Comfy Cloud is what I like to call it anyway.  They like to call it “a towel”.  Above the Comfy Cloud is the key component of the Toastitron, which is the Toastinator.  We will look at that in closer detail in a moment.  On the right hand side of the photo above you will notice the Drippy Loop.  The Toastinator is electric, and the Guardians say that it would be very bad if it got wet.  They said they made sure that the cord from the Toastinator reached its lowest point just outside the wall of the Toastitron 3000.  That way, when it rains, any water that runs down the cord will not be able to get inside the Toastitron where it could dampen the Comfy Cloud or short out the Toastinator.  The water will simply slide down to the bottom of the Drippy Loop and drop harmlessly into the grass.

The last features to point out in the photo above are the stickers that the Guardians were too lazy to remove.  These are optional, of course.  Still, I would recommend you remove them and replace them with something more appropriate like this and this, or perhaps a Limbo sticker so it will be clear to the kitties who the Toastitron is for.

All right, now let’s take a closer look at the heart of the Toastitron 3000, the Toastinator.

The Toastinator

The Toastinator is a dome-shaped heat reflector and electrical socket doohickey that is equipped with a ceramic heat whosamawhatsis.  The Toastinator has a clamp with which it is attached to a slotted vent at the top of the pet barn.  The Guardians secured the clamp with wire because they did not want the Toastinator falling down and setting the Comfy Cloud on fire.

The Guardians said there are many different heat reflectors and heaters available, but they used a Zoo Med deluxe porcelain clamp lamp and a Zoo Med Repticare 150 watt infrared heat emitter.  They also said that they chose the ceramic heat emitter instead of a heat lamp because they thought kitties would like the Toastitron better if it was nice and dark inside.  I agree.

Since the Toastinator emits quite a lot of heat, it is important that it is placed so that there is plenty of room between it and the Comfy Cloud.   Remember, there will hopefully be a kitty on that Comfy Cloud, so you will want to make sure that the Toastinator will be far enough away so that kitty gets toasted but not burned.

Make sure there is plenty of space between the Toastinator and the Comfy Cloud.

The Guardians said that if you use the 150 watt ceramic heater thingy, it should be at least 14 inches away from the Comfy Cloud.  They also said that you can buy a lower powered 100 watt version if you are making a smaller Toastitron and the heater has to be closer to the Comfy Cloud.  Whatever you use, you’ll definitely want to feel the Comfy Cloud after leaving the Toastinator on for a while to make sure the temperature is not too hot.

In the photo above, notice that the electrical cord travels downward as it moves away from the Toastinator.  It passes through a gap in the wall of the pet barn.

Cord passing through the wall of the pet barn.

The top of the pet barn snaps onto the bottom.  The Guardians just left one corner unsnapped to allow the electrical cord to exit.  They said they could have also drilled a hole for the cord, but they decided that pet barn would stay drier if they made the cord exit this way.  Just outside the wall the cord drops a few inches lower to the Drippy Loop before swinging back up and over the fence to an electrical outlet.  The Toastitron has been up and running for over two weeks now, and it is still dry and toasty inside.

So, that’s pretty much it.  Please feel free to let Me know if you need any more guidance.  If you do decide to build your own Toastitron 3000 for the Limbo kitties in your neighborhood, I would love to hear from you about how it is received.  I’d also love to see any photos of kitties enjoying their new toasty retreat.  Oh, and if there is an abandoned kitty in your neighborhood whose trust you are trying to earn, you should definitely consider making him or her a Toastitron.  Never underestimate the power of a constant supply of toastiness to melt the heart of a frightened or suspicious kitty.

So Sayeth Otis

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