The Adventures of Scarlett and Melly

Melly's Perch

2012-03-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Here is Melly in her favorite high-up perch. It's the highest point in the apartment that the cats can access (I stood on the arm of the couch to get these pictures), and Melly loves it.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-03-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Melly on the Speakers

2012-03-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

I love when Melly looks all proper and dignified since, as you know, she is neither of those things. But it's pretty cute when she tries to pretend.

Scarlett is sitting on my lap as I'm typing this, batting at my hands and the keys. I think she's saying hi.

Hats of Hope for Judi

2012-03-05T22:21:00.001-08:00

Just squeaked this under the wire! Judi of SASS has been struggling with some medical problems lately and we are sending her many healing thoughts and prayers.

Window Excitement

2012-03-05T06:00:00.002-08:00

We don't get a lot of wildlife around here, so when the cats saw some chickadees outside the window, they were excited enough to put aside their differences to better observe the birds.

After a while, Melly decided they were her birds and booted Scarlett off the window sill.

Happy Weekend!

2012-03-03T06:00:00.001-08:00

Sneaky Melly

2012-03-02T06:00:00.001-08:00

Here is Melly, laying on a few of Geoff's freshly washed shirts.

Geoff and I were in the room when this was going on, and Geoff insisted that Melly was covering his shirts in cat hair to torment him. I, of course, defended Melly and said she probably just liked the spot.

Well, Geoff left the room a little while later and Melly got down off the shirts. When he eventually came back into the room, Melly hopped back up on his shirts.

This happened several times over the course of the evening.

I have to admit, Melly may have been intentionally tormenting Geoff. Little sneak.

Scarlett in the Window

2012-03-01T06:00:00.003-08:00

Something adorable has happened the last couple of nights: kitty snuggles. Well, sort of.

Melly likes to sleep under the covers with me when it's cold (it's great--she's like a tiny fuzzy heater), and she usually burrows way down by my feet. Scarlett always sleeps on top of the blankets on the left side of the bed, and she is generally not very tolerant of Melly being within a foot or so. But the past couple nights, Melly has snuggled up next to me under the covers, and Scarlett has snuggled up next to her on top of the covers. So cute.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-29T06:00:00.001-08:00

Belly up!

2012-02-28T06:00:00.004-08:00

I realized recently that it had been a while since I'd taken any pictures of Melly in her signature belly-up pose. I worried that maybe she'd outgrown it, but it turned out my fears were unfounded:

Scarlett on the Sill

2012-02-27T06:00:00.001-08:00

Here is Scarlett, enjoying a bit of sun while keeping an eye out for the Melly Monster. You can tell when she's looking at Melly because her tail goes bananas.

Sleepy Melly

2012-02-25T06:00:00.003-08:00

This is what we at chez Natalie have on the agenda for this weekend:

It's going to be lovely. Happy weekend!

Lap Kitty

2012-02-24T06:00:00.001-08:00

Scarlett is a very determined lap cat. If one's lap is occupied with a book or a glass of wine or a computer, she is not thwarted. Here, Geoff was holding a glass of champagne, and when Scarlett jumped on his lap, he used her as a coaster. Scarlett wasn't pleased, as you can see by the airplane ears, but she remained glued to Geoff's lap anyway.

The Cat Behind the Curtain

2012-02-23T06:00:00.002-08:00

The unfortunate red curtains are still up in the bedroom, but Melly doesn't mind them. She just hangs out between the curtains and the glass and watches the birds and squirrels hungrily.

Cute Snuggly Scarlett

2012-02-22T06:00:00.001-08:00

And here is Scarlett, enjoying her turn on my lap.

In which Melly shows off her teeth

2012-02-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a little behind-the-scenes shot from yesterday's adorable photo series.

Snuggle Bug

2012-02-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

Work and life have been a little stressful lately, so I spent a good portion of the weekend recharging and relaxing... by which I mean, vegging on the couch in my PJs watching Doctor Who.

This, of course, resulted in lots of snuggle time with the kitties. For once, they were pretty good about taking turns, and not having knock-down, drag-out fights on my lap.

Scarlett

2012-02-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

I had a friend over for dinner yesterday, and she'd never met the kitties before. Melly, unsurprisingly, was her usual charming and adorable self, and was pleased as punch to make a new friend. I warned my friend upon her arrival that Scarlett would probably be standoffish, and indeed she was. She even went so far as to take a few swipes at my friend, although she did keep her claws in. I was pleased that Scarlett actually hung around with us instead of hiding under the bed--I'll count that as progress!

Comment Troubles

2012-02-17T07:14:00.000-08:00

I've gotten a couple comments from people having issues with the word verification, which seems to have been unhelpfully "upgraded." So, for the time being, word verification is turned off.

New Technology

2012-02-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

"Oh, yes, I approve of this! Improved tech for you to broadcast my cuteness on the interwebs, and loads of cardboard for me to play with. Eeeeexcellent."

The Favorite Spot

2012-02-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned, Melly has claimed this spot on the bookshelf for her own.

But recently, while Melly was snoozing in the other room, Scarlett took the opportunity to check out the bookshelf. Unfortunately for her, it only took a few moments for Melly to sense the intrusion and come running.

"Seriously, can't I have 5 minutes up here in peace, you irksome tuxie fuzzball?"

"No, I did not say to come closer.

Let's try this again: go away."

"That's right. Off you go, floofybutt."

"Ahhh, much better."

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

I don't have a Valentiney cat post for today, but I do have a recipe for festive cutout cookies. Happy Valentine's Day, friends!

Meyer Lemon Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Adapted from Recipe Girl
Yield: 3 to 4 dozen cut-out cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons milk (use whole or 2%)
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice, freshly squeezed
zest from 2 and a half medium Meyer lemons
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Combine butter and sugar. Beat until smooth but not fluffy.

3. In a small bowl mix eggs, cream, vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest. Add this mixture all at once to the butter and sugar. Mix just until combined. The mixture will appear 'curdled.'

4. In another small bowl, whisk the flour, salt and baking powder. Add these dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients in the mixing bowl. Mix to form dough. This dough does not need to be chilled before rolling!

5. Flour a work surface. Knead the dough a few times to smooth it out and with a rolling pin- roll the dough. Add flour as needed, if dough appears sticky. Cut into desired shapes. The dough scraps can be re-rolled and cut several times.

6. Bake about 10 minutes, or until edges turn golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Icing recipe follows. You can also make sandwich cookies with lemon curd (recipe below), which is extra delicious!

Icing

Ingredients:

2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (regular or Meyer)
3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

In mixing bowl, beat egg whites with lemon juice. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Tint with food coloring if desired. The icing needs to be used right away or transferred to airtight container because it hardens when exposed to air. For thicker icing for piping or writing, add additional powdered sugar.

Meyer Lemon Curd

Ingredients:

1.5 ounces (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated Meyer lemon zest

Directions:

Beat the butter with the sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the egg and yolk. Beat for 1 minute more, then stir in the lemon juice. The mixture will look curdled. Do not panic.

Cook the mixture over low heat until it becomes smooth, then increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, without letting it boil, until it thickens enough to leave a path on the back of the spoon when you drag your finger through it. If you want to go by temperature, you’re looking for 170 F.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. Press plastic wrap on surface to prevent a skin from forming and chill in the refrigerator.

Model Melly

2012-02-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Usually it's Scarlett with the blurry tail in pictures, but every so often Melly's tail gets a bit swishy too.

[swish swish]

"Oh, this being beautiful thing gets exhausting."

Pretty Tabby

2012-02-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Scarlett is such a sweetie. I love her stripey little face.

Ted left a comment on yesterday's post with info about Scarlett's toy:

Aha! I wasn't quite sure that was the one we sent. Yeah, that's the "KONG Cat Cozie Kickeroo Catnip Toy." Amazon link: http://amazon.com/dp/B0051BGO4E

They are awesome because they have catnip, crinkes, and soft bits. How cool is that?

Window Melly

2012-02-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

There was a question yesterday as to what kind of toy Scarlett was playing with in the video, and the answer is, I don't remember. It was sent to us by Ted, so hopefully he can provide more detail in the comments. It is similar to a pink one sent to us by Cat in a Paw it Forward package forever ago, and this type of toy (crinkly body, fuzzy tail) is definitely Scarlett's favorite. She bunny kicks the bejeezus out of one of them, if not both, on a nightly basis.

Scarlett and the Crinkle Toy

2012-02-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

Please excuse the background noise in this video. I have two air filters and a dehumidifier that run almost 24/7 so I normally pull the sound out of videos before uploading them, but I forgot this time. Sorry!

Mellybelly

2012-02-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Melly is utterly shameless when she hears a camera. She was calmly sitting on the desk when I snuck up to take a picture, and by the time the camera was on, she was like this:

She did humor me with one serious photo, though.

Spring

2012-02-07T06:00:00.001-08:00

We had beautiful sunny weather over the weekend, and I celebrated by opening the windows in the apartment. The cats were very excited.

Cute as the Dickens

2012-02-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

I was working on a couple of cooking projects recently that started with a whole chicken, and Melly was very fascinated by the butchering process. She hung around the kitchen doing her best to look adorable and shamelessly begging for chicken (which of course she couldn't have until it was cooked).

"I love chicken. Please give some to me."

Sweet Scarlett

2012-02-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

This video is only about 20 seconds long, but it is the perfect example of Scarlett being her sweet self. If you turn your sound up, you should be able to hear her purring.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Creepy Synchronicity

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

I walked into the living room and discovered this:

Positively eerie. Fortunately, Scarlett looked away and broke the spell.

Proof

2012-02-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Remember this post, in which Melly insisted that she was innocent of rifling through my purse and eating its contents?

Well, look what I found when uploading the contents of my camera to the computer:

Gotcha, Mellybean. Gotcha.

Warm and Toasty

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Scarlett's latest favorite napping spot is on the bed directly in front of the heater. It's the perfect place to stay nice and warm while still being able to keep an eye out for Melly.

Snoopervisor Melly

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

I decided a while ago that my next computer would be a desktop, but before getting one, I thought I should probably get a desk. After searching high and low for one that was small but sturdy, I settled on one from Target. Geoff helped me assemble it and Melly kept an eye on him as he did so.

After a while, she started to get in the way, so Geoff moved the Squirt Bottle o' Discipline onto the desk in hopes that it would repel Melly.

It didn't.

Baby Otter, and a Sewing Project

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

One of the otters at the Seattle aquarium recently had a baby, and on Saturday, I went to visit the cuteness.

The baby, which was recently discovered to be a girl, doesn't yet know how to swim. Which is ok, since she is too buoyant to sink, and also her mom makes a great raft.

Also this weekend, Geoff's daughter and I commenced a sewing project we'd been planning, which is to make beds for the kitties at the Humane Society. It was Geoff's daughter's first experience with a sewing machine, and sewing a lot of straight lines on a forgiving fabric like fleece made this a great beginner's project.

Geoff's daughter, sewing away like a pro.

Two of the finished beds. They're purple fleece on one side and patterned fleece on the other, with two layers of batting in the middle.

Sneak Attack

2012-01-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

Melly likes to hide on the pushed-in kitchen chairs, crouching in wait to ambush any humans or tabbies who happen by.

"Who, me? I would never sneakily attack Scarlett.

I am deeply offended by your accusation.

Hmph."

Silly Melly

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

Melly's peevish moods never last for long. Here she is demanding attention:

When attention was not forthcoming, Melly got a little more aggressive.

My camera cord is looking a little frayed.

Sourpuss

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

"As hard as this may be to believe, I'm not in the mood for pictures today."

[sulk]

Literary Kitty

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

A little while back, I relocated the catnip quilt to the top of the tall bookshelf in the living room. From that spot, Melly can see the whole room. She can also absorb the kids/YA books by osmosis.

"My name is Melly, but oh, please do call me Cordelia."

Grumpy Kitty

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

I was trying to take pictures of Scarlett while she was sleeping, but the camera shutter woke her up. She was not pleased to be awakened, but she warmed to the photo shoot eventually.

Then, she noticed that a certain scene-stealing tuxie was on the dresser, trying to, well, steal her scene.

"Hrmph. You keep that camera pointed at me, missy.

I am way cuter than that black-and-white fuzzball."

Helpful Kitties

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

I was doing some work at the kitchen table when Scarlett decided to help.

Then, because she realized photos were being taken of someone other than herself, Melly came and joined us. And, for extra attention, she naughtily perched on the table.

Tsk tsk.

Innocent

2012-01-21T08:59:00.000-08:00

"No, Mom, I definitely was not rummaging through your purse and trying to eat its contents. Why on earth would I do such a thing?"

Thank you all very much for your suggestions yesterday! Last night, Melly very acrobatically chased da bird until she was thoroughly tuckered out, and she was much more agreeable after her energy was expended. So, we'll just keep up this routine of tiring evening play and see how it goes!

Polite Kitty, and a Request for Advice

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

We managed to survive yesterday's ice storm unscathed and were fortunate enough not to lose power. (So far, anyway - I'm typing this Thursday evening.) At any rate, the weather is supposed to be improving, and hopefully we'll be done with this icy snowy business for a while.

Moving on...

"Hi. Don't mind me.
I'm just enjoying being near you while you do your boring computer stuff."

"Ooh, is that a pen? I love pens."

"Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt."

"I'll just go back to sitting here."

This brings me to the advice part. See the patches on the outside of Scarlett's right ear? It would seem that Melly is getting more aggressive with Scarlett, sometimes to the point of drawing blood. The cuts aren't bad, but that's beside the point: there shouldn't be any cuts at all.

I've started adding Rescue Remedy to the cats' food and water again, and I ordered a bunch of refills for the Feliway diffuser as well as some Feliway spray. I was thinking about another cat tree to add some more vertical territory to the apartment, but I don't think that's really the issue since the current cat tree doesn't get much use. Keeping the cats separate isn't an option since I live in a one-bedroom apartment where the only interior door that closes is the bathroom.

Does anyone have suggestions for other things I can try?

Editing to add this photo:

Snow Day!

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Western Washington got quite a lot of snow yesterday, and by "a lot," I mean five to ten inches. I grew up in the Northeast where it was common to have a foot of snow in late October and it took several feet and whiteout conditions to cause a snow day, so I am definitely no wimp when it comes to snow. But here in Washington, there are so few plows and salt/sand trucks, not to mention a lot of hills and fluctuating temperatures (leading to melting and re-freezing), that a few inches of snow is enough to shut down the whole region.

On the plus side, I am fortunate enough to be able to work from home occasionally, so that is exactly what I did yesterday.

The cats were not sure what to make of the white stuff so they kept an eye on it until it stopped falling from the sky.

SOPA

2012-01-18T08:22:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late to the party, but wanted to post something about SOPA because the more I read about it, the scarier it sounds.

There are two internet censorship bills that are working their way through Congress, SOPA and PIPA. If passed, these bills will have a huge effect on the internet as we know it, and not just on the big sites like Google, YouTube, Facebook, etc., but also on blogs like mine and yours. You can watch this video for a crash course:

Photobomb

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

I was taking pictures of Scarlett in her favorite spot when I noticed that Melly was trying to steal Scarlett's spotlight.

This is what she was doing:

Silly goose.

Scarlett and Geoff

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

I was taking out my contacts yesterday when I heard Geoff yell, "YEAAAGH EUUGGH AAARGGH" from the other room. Thinking that something must be horribly awry, I inquired as to the cause of his alarm. His response: "SCARLETT LICKED MY EAR!"

I'm still giggling.

Here is Geoffrey after the incident, sternly lecturing Scarlett for her transgression:

Also, Melly is not still waiting for the package. Which is good, since I had it shipped to my office. Heh.

Huzzah!

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much to Trish and the Lounge Kitties for our gift certificate to MrChewy.com! I actually checked out the site after reading Trish's review (she had me at free shipping), so I'm glad I only saved my cart instead of actually ordering.

Here is what I ordered with the certificate:

Not the most fun order, really, but I just recently stocked up on treats.

Here is Melly, keeping a lookout for the shipment:

Monsters in the Closet

2012-01-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

After her first excursion into the closet, I keep finding Melly napping on my suitcase, or on the stacks of folded clothes. The closet is very poorly lit (I lightened the photos below), so it's hard to see Melly in there. It's really unnerving to reach into the closet in the morning to pick out my clothes, and suddenly feel something reaching back.

An Accidental Kitty Toy

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

I recently had to add some extra shelving to my closet (I swear, my shoes are multiplying). The zip-ties and cardboard packaging from the shelving unit were irresistible for a certain tuxie.

I wasn't fast enough with the camera to get a picture of Scarlett hanging out on the cardboard but even she enjoyed the tunnel formed by the box. I left the cardboard in the living room for a couple of extra days so both cats could play.

In the Cat House

2012-01-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

Melly has mostly claimed the cat tree for her own, but every now and again, Scarlett gets a chance to take a brief snooze in the little house.

But Melly always comes along sooner or later to kick Scarlett out.

Dresser Time

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Sarah took care of Scarlett and Melly while I was out of town over the holidays, and she commented that she'd never seen Scarlett and Melly sleep together on the dresser before. It's become such a common sight these days that I don't think twice about it, but not too long ago, these two couldn't stand to be within several feet of each other. It's nice to be reminded how far they've come.

Thank you all for your lovely birthday messages for Melly! Melly was particularly snuggly last night, so I read her your messages while she sat on my lap. I think she enjoyed them.

Happy birthday, Melly!

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

Melly is two this year! I can't believe it. My* little** Mellybean is all grown up.***

Modeling her new collar, a gift from my sister.

*Not really my Mellybean. She belongs to herself and graciously permits me to provide her with all necessities and luxuries.

**Not really little either. I try to tell myself she's just floofy, but two vets have said otherwise. Sigh.

***Yesterday's video is evidence to the contrary.

Manic Melly, and Advice

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

This little munchkin has not changed one bit since kittenhood.

And on to the advice part. There was an anonymous comment on Friday's post that read:

I have a tazmanian devil at the vet myself (he's drawn blood from a none-too-happy vet) and Ace is our best friend for his visits now. You also have to warn the office staff so they get you in right away vs letting the cat freak in the waiting room for 20 min before. And..look for a cat only vet office, ours has helped reduce his stress levels a lot. Interestingly, we have problems of our two cats fighting intensely at home after the scared one has been to the vet. I'm assuming it's smell related, so have tried fur wipes and tons of Feliway, but if anyone has suggestions of how to shut down the after-effect fighting I'd be very appreciative!

I have two suggestions, both of which I received from you all when Melly arrived:

1) When you get home from the vet, put several drops of vanilla extract on both cats' foreheads. The strong smell of the vanilla should mostly drown out whatever unfamiliar scents the cats would otherwise detect on each other.

2) Bring the other cat to the vet with you. You don't even have to take him out of the carrier. The logic is, if you keep both cats together all the time, they'll each have the same set of smells on them (home, car, vet, etc.). I do this with Scarlett and Melly and it works well for them.

Does anyone else have any ideas for Anonymous?

Sadieday!

2012-01-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

As those of us who follow Beaded Tail know, Saturday is Sadieday. So, in honor of the day, I'm featuring a Sadie too.

This Sadie was recently adopted by my uncle after his beloved rottweiler, Attila (yes, like that Atilla), died.

Sadie was brought into the humane society only a few days before my uncle went there, and she had been severely neglected in her previous home. Her ribs stuck out horribly, and she had a badly healed break on her right foreleg. Despite the fact that she has obviously suffered, Sadie is very sweet-tempered and affectionate.

My uncle is a pretty gruff guy and not given to displays of affection, but he is completely over the moon for Sadie. He is more than making up for the affection she missed in her previous home!

Scarlett and the Vet, Part II

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Giving Scarlett the medication was surprisingly easy. I followed the vet's advice and fed Scarlett a succession of treats, first a couple of empty pill pockets, then the one with the pill, then another empty ones. Scarlett didn't even notice.

Because Scarlett hides when visitors arrive, the vet recommended keeping her in a confined space where she'd be easy to access (as opposed to, say, the bedroom, where Scarlett could hide under the bed). Additionally, because the medication makes cats a bit unsteady on their feet, the vet recommended keeping Scarlett confined for her own safety.

I set Scarlett up in the bathroom with a bed (her blue blanket from the dresser), food and water, her favorite toys, and a litter box. The litter box was the one from when Melly was imprisoned in the bathroom as a tiny kitten, and the whole setup struck me as an interesting role reversal for the two cats. Melly hovered by the door during Scarlett's confinement, mewing squeakily at me periodically.

April 12, 2010

January 5, 2012

I hung out with Scarlett in the bathroom for a while, and she was clearly affected by the medication after only about 15 minutes. She moved in slow motion and seemed slightly dazed, but she was in good spirits, purring and snuggling.

When Dr. Cutting arrived, she brought another vet with her to help hold Scarlett down. They brought a stack of towels that had been drenched in Feliway in hopes that that would help Scarlett relax. While the vets were getting set up, Melly trotted over and gave the towels a thorough sniffing.

When Dr. Cutting and the other vet were set up, I scooped Scarlett up in a towel and deposited her in the living room for them to examine. Scarlett was moving slowly and actually allowed both vets to pet her a little bit, but after a few minutes, the screeching and escape attempts started. The medication made her noticeably quieter and slower, though, so the vets were able to wrap her up in towels, burrito-style. Dr. Cutting held the towel-wrapped Scarlett down, and the other vet administered the vaccines (distemper and rabies). After the first vaccine, Scarlett started spraying, but fortunately for her, the ordeal was over quickly and she was ushered back into the bathroom to hang out until the medication wore off.

During the whole ordeal, Melly sat in the hallway, watching the action while staying well out of the way and preparing to bolt just in case she was to be next.

The vet noticed that Scarlett's triggers are being touched on her underside and chest, so she suggested I try to condition Scarlett to get used to those types of touches. Scarlett already lets me do pretty much anything, but I am going to try anyway. Scarlett is about ten, so it would be handy if she could get an actual vet exam at some point!

Obviously this wasn't fun for Scarlett, but because of the medication, odds are she won't remember it anyway. So, all in all, I'm feeling pretty good about how the whole thing went: Scarlett got her vaccines, and no one was injured. (Except my living room floor. Thank goodness I had some enzyme cleaner.)

Scarlett and the Vet

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

I think I have talked before about how difficult trips to the vet are for Scarlett. She is completely traumatized by the visits, and the vet staff members are forced to resort to tactics like wearing giant leather gauntlets to hold Scarlett down, which only makes her fear worse. It is very tempting to avoid the vet altogether, but the state of Washington now requires rabies vaccination compliance.

The cats' usual vet recommended sedating Scarlett for future appointments, but I was extremely reluctant to try something so extreme. I decided to try a different option: having a vet come to us. Dr. Cutting came over the week before Christmas to give Scarlett her vaccination, and the visit was a total failure; Scarlett had a complete meltdown and refused to let Dr. Cutting do anything at all. It was actually worse than when we go to the vet office, which I didn't think was possible.

So, despite my initial misgivings, it seems that medication is the way to go. Tonight, Scarlett will be getting an anti-anxiety medication, which will also have a mild sedative effect. Dr. Cutting will then come over and hopefully be able to vaccinate Scarlett. Wish us luck!

Home again, home again

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

I got back Monday afternoon from an eventful trip back east for the holidays, and am finally all unpacked and organized. Scarlett is finally done scolding me for my absence, and I have endeavored to make up for lost snuggles with both kitties. Due to an overnight delay on my return trip (thank you, O'Hare airport), I'm wiped out and a little jetlagged, so please excuse my continued lack of commenting.

Melly sulked and refused to acknowledge me while I packed for the trip.

Later, she shredded a pair of underwear.

Cutest Yawn

2012-01-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

Yep, she's adorable.

A Real Melly-Snuggle

2012-01-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned a while ago, Melly's brand of snuggling is quite aggressive. She has a knack for doing it when there's no camera handy, but recently, I got lucky and had my cell phone nearby.

I was sitting at the kitchen table when Melly jumped onto my lap and decided that it was time for some affection. She purred and headbutted and climbed most of the way up onto my shoulder.

And then Melly discovered my hair band.

"Ooh, what is this? It's stretchy and delicious and is clearly meant to be a cat toy!"

"CHOMP!"

Ah well. It certainly started cute.

Adorable Melly

2011-12-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what was up with my camera work in this video (talk about shaky), but I thought you might enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at all those belly floof pics I post. Here is Melly being quite cute and shamelessly mugging for the camera:

I hope you all have a fun and safe New Year's Eve! Anyone making any resolutions?

Scarlett and Geoff

2011-12-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned before that Scarlett is a total lap cat. She especially likes when the lap is located at the kitchen table, since that usually means that the human attached to it will be sitting for a while. Here, Scarlett has joined Geoff for a bit of online gaming.

"This is my lap. All mine."

Pthbbt

2011-12-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Observe this cute sleeping kitty:

Adorable, right? But wait, there's more!

Could it be... why yes it is: a protruding tongue.

I'm impressed that Scarlett held this pose long enough for me to squee, flail, grab my camera, and take about 25 pictures. She's very patient.

Dignified and Contained

2011-12-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

I love her ears in the last picture.

Laundry Day

2011-12-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

Melly loves laundry day, because it means I get out the ironing board. (I don't iron-I use the board as a drying rack. Classy, I know.)

And Melly has discovered that cat hair sticks to damp clothes like glue, which means she doesn't have to work quite as hard to cover every item of my clothing in floof.

"All done. Have fun with your lint roller.

Bwa ha ha!"

A New Hiding Spot

2011-12-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

I went to throw some clothes in the closet and was surprised to see two bright yellow eyes staring out at me!

It would seem that Melly has commandeered my jeans as a napping/hiding spot.

Melly's camouflage is pretty good, so here's a hint if you didn't spot her:

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

Have a wonderful Christmas, everyone!

Happy Christmas Eve!

2011-12-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Last year on Christmas Eve, I posted these pictures of my parents' cat Star in his Christmas best. This will be the first Christmas since Star passed away, and it will be very strange not having him there, taking part in our holiday celebrations. (And by "taking part," I mean "chewing all the bows.") So, I would like to keep Star's memory alive by making these photos a Christmas Eve tradition.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Eve, and that Santa is good to you!

P.S. I'll be internetless (shudder) for a while, but will be back to my usual blog visiting after the holidays. In the meantime, I have scheduled posts through New Year's Eve, so I hope you'll be able to keep visiting!

Melly's Box

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Geoff's daughter's present came in a conveniently Melly-sized box, so I put the catnip quilt in the box and put it in Melly's favorite nap spot.

Melly was skeptical.

"Boxes do not go in the nap spot. What is this nonsense?"

"Ok, fine, I'll try it out."

"Nope, that's not going to work. Not one bit."

"Yes, this is better. Good job. You are forgiven for your error."

"Yumm, cardboard."

Helpful Melly

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

Melly very much enjoyed ~~getting in the way~~ helping with wrapping presents and putting together cookie shipments. Sitting on boxes and trying to eat ribbons are her specialties.

Mischief Managed

2011-12-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

"Hi there. I notice that you're paying very little attention to me.

You do know that telling me to stop climbing your jeans doesn't count as attention, right?"

"You see those cookies up there? So do I. And I know how upset you'll be if I 'accidentally' knock them off the counter.

So bring on the scritches. Pronto."

An Award, and a Sort-of Snuggle

2011-12-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

Sparkle and 5-Cat Style & The Flyer both bestowed the Liebster Award on The Adventures of Scarlett and Melly! Thank you both! I really like that this award, which means favorite or beloved in German, helps to draw attention to blogs that aren't too well known.

Upon receipt of the award, one is to:
1) Link back to the blogger who gave it
2) Paste the award on the blog
3) Choose 5 blogs to pass this award to (they must have fewer than 200 followers)
4) Let the recipients know about their nomination by leaving a comment on their blogs

I am passing the award on to:
1) It's All About the Cats
2) Cat's Cats
3) Simba's Antics
4) On a More Personal Note...From Ms. Stella O'Houligan
5) 9 Kai and Chani Hokulani

And on to the almost-snuggle:

New Neighbor Kitty

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

A delicate little calico ladycat has been hanging around the apartment building recently. I think she might belong to the building next door (she has a collar, so she definitely belongs somewhere). She's very skittish and won't let me get close, but she has come near the window to "meet" Scarlett and Melly.

Here is a short video from their first meeting. I was going to edit out the part where Melly smooshes her floof into the camera, but then I thought it was sort of like a virtual snorgle, so I left it in.

Floof

2011-12-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

It would seem that while Scarlett teaches Melly etiquette, Melly teaches Scarlett... anti-etiquette. I kept waiting for Scarlett to roll all the way onto her back, but this was as far as she got.

Also, Geoff, his daughter, and I are celebrating Christmas tomorrow, so I made another batch of the gingerbread cookies. And this time, I took a picture:

Melly's Beloved Quilt

2011-12-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

This corner of the back of the couch is Scarlett's usual spot, not Melly's, so I moved the catnip quilt there in an effort to give Scarlett a chance to use it.

That didn't work too well since Melly still wanted to snooze on her quilt. But since she isn't a fan of this napping spot, she sulked all the while.

"I am protesting the placement of this quilt. Watch me as I pout."

Lemon-Rosemary Cookies

2011-12-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

Don't they kind of look like those big stone lions you see on old gates? Creeps me out a little.

You guessed it: I didn't take pictures of these cookies either.

Every year, I like to try making one new type of cookie in addition to my old standbys. Last year, it was the molasses sugar cookies; this year, it was lemon-rosemary slices.

A couple of years ago, I had a rosemary-lemon bar at a local bakery and was immediately hooked on the flavor combination. Unfortunately, this wasn't something the bakery usually made, just a leftover from a catering order, so I tried to duplicate it myself. I still haven't had any luck with the bars, but these cookies do a great job of featuring the two flavors.

Lemon-Rosemary Slices

Adapted slightly from Betty Crocker's Ultimate Cookie Book

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (you can also use 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary)

2 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Instructions:

Mix 1 cup sugar, butter, 1 tablespoon lemon peel, rosemary, and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Shape dough into a roll 12 inches long. Wrap and refrigerate about 2 hours.

Heat oven to 375F. Mix 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon peel. Roll dough in sugar mixture to coat. Cut into 1/4 inch slices. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet.

Yield: approximately 4 dozen cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

2011-12-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Because I neglected to take any pictures of the cookies, I offer you two photos of the precocious, ridiculous Mellybean.

Now, on to the recipe.

My aunt sent me turkey-shaped gingerbread cookies for Thanksgiving, and they were so delicious that I requested the recipe to use for Christmas. My old gingerbread cookie recipe made something like a million cookies and the dough was incredibly tough to work with. This one made a much more manageable number of cookies—a few dozen or so—and rolling out the dough was a breeze. I had some issues with the icing and managed to cover most of my kitchen in green icing glops, but it worked well once I got the consistency right (note to self: do not put really thin icing in a piping bag).

Gingerbread Cookies
Recipe from my aunt Nadine

Cookie ingredients:

3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I did heaping spoons of the spices for extra pizzazz)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup molasses

Icing ingredients:

2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups powdered sugar

Directions for cookies:

In large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, & spices. You can also whisk these ingredients together instead of sifting them. In mixing bowl, beat butter & sugar until fluffy. Add egg & molasses. Add flour mixture. Divide dough in half, & wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Flour cookie cutter & cut out cookies. Place 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes, depending on cookie size (they will be quite soft when you take them out of the oven, but will harden up as they cool). Cool for 1 minute on baking sheet, remove from pan & cool completely before frosting & decorating.

Icing directions:

In mixing bowl, beat egg whites with lemon juice. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Tint with food coloring if desired. The icing needs to be used right away or transferred to airtight container b/c icing hardens when exposed to air. For thicker icing for piping or writing, add additional powdered sugar.

Edited to add a photo:

Snoozers

2011-12-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

We are still recovering from the cookie-a-thon. (Back muscles... ow...) Sometime in the next couple days, though, I will post the two new cookie recipes from this year.

Cookie Winners!

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm typing this at 7:48 pm Sunday and have just finished the very last batch of cookies. Good gracious, am I ever exhausted. As soon as I box up the last of the cookies, I will be joining Melly on the couch for some serious relaxation.

And, without further ado, the winners of the giveaway are: Ted & Camelama! Please email me your addresses and I'll get the boxes in the mail.

Now, onto the serious business of...

ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Random, unscheduled post from Geoff, The Fiance'

2011-12-10T18:33:00.000-08:00

Hey all you dwellers in the Cativerse section of the blogosphere, I just wanted to pipe up and share a rather adorable moment. Earlier today Natalie and I picked up the Christmas cards that will be sent out soon and Natalie is diligently writing notes on them and getting them ready to send out. In the midst of that, Melly decided to participate and hopped up on her lap. So, it would seem that Melly, in particular, send her fond wishes.

Happy Holidays from Geoff the Fiance'!

Happy weekend!

2011-12-10T08:59:00.001-08:00

In the frantic prep for Cookie Day, I neglected to get a post ready for today. Oops. Well, Melly's sitting on my lap as I type this, purring and mewing. Mellyspeak is difficult to decipher, but I think she says hi.

Have a fun weekend, and we'll see you Monday!

Sacked Out

2011-12-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Melly leads a very busy life of sleeping, destroying things, sleeping, tormenting Scarlett, sleeping, and eating. Naturally, this routine can be quite exhausting.

Thanks for your encouraging comments yesterday- I really appreciated them.

Also, to enter the cookie giveaway, leave a comment on yesterday's post. Entries accepted until 12pm Sunday!

And also (late-breaking edit): Rene over at It's All About The Cats just got some horrible news and I think could use some supportive thoughts, prayers, vibes, etc.

Lights, Cards, and Cookies, Oh My

2011-12-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas was always a tradition-heavy, family-focused time of year for my family, but this year is the first Christmas since my parents' divorce and I've been in a bit of a holiday funk. Naturally, the first step in snapping myself out of said funk was to hang Christmas lights all over the apartment:

The cats are a little confused by the glowing strings, but since I covered the lights in hot sauce, they're leaving them alone. And I am loving my twinkly new lighting.

The Christmas card exchange was step 2 in Project Snap Out of It, and that has been quite a success as I've been getting emails all day. I haven't quite figured out what I'm using for cards yet, so you're still welcome to email me if you're interested.

Step 3 is Christmas cookies. There are six pounds of butter in my fridge and I'm not afraid to use 'em! So, without further ado, I bring you:

The Adventures of Scarlett & Melly

Second Annual Christmas Cookie Giveaway

If you're interested in receiving a box of cookies, just leave a comment on this post. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winner (or winners, if I have enough cookies). Sorry, but this contest is only open to readers within the US. Entries must be posted before 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Sunday, December 11th.

Spooning Kitties!

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

Scarlett and Melly, as you know, are not the best of friends. The blue blanket on the dresser is a neutral zone and the site of frequent side-by-side napping, but for the most part, non-confrontational physical contact is rare. (When I'm here, anyway. I think they snuggle all the time when no one's watching.)

Recently, Scarlett and I were sitting on the couch when Melly decided to join us. She snuggled right up to Scarlett, an action which usually causes Scarlett to growl, swat Melly's head, and jump off the couch in a huff. This time, however, she stuck around, and even gave Melly's head a few slurps.

And then they just chilled, spooning. And I pretty much melted.

Here you can see that Scarlett is starting to get a little irked:

Or maybe a lot irked.

Also: if anyone is interested in exchanging Christmas cards, shoot me an email at scarlettandmelly[at]gmail[dot]com!

Bird Watching

2011-12-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

Responses to some of yesterday's comments:

Katnip Lounge said: Say, I remember Scarlett had chin acne a while back, what was it you put on it to clear it up, and do you think it worked?

I emailed Trish directly, but in case anyone else is curious, Duoxo pads cleared Scarlett's acne right up.

Rene said: I am thinking you need to set up a video cam during the day to see what "really" happens when you are gone!

I agree! I have been meaning to see if my webcam can do that. A live feed, perhaps.

Sparkle said:
Melly looks quite a bit bigger than Scarlett! I didn't know there was such a size difference. Or is it just the camera angle?

It's partially the camera angle, but Melly is bigger. They haven't been weighed in a while, but Melly weighs about 2lbs more than Scarlett, and her floof makes her look even bigger.

Interactions

2011-12-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

I have recently spotted Scarlett pestering Melly, chasing her around the apartment, and even swatting her tail. Scarlett always looks rather delighted with herself on these occasions, and I can't really blame her.

This particular series of photos comes from a more typical Scarlett-Melly exchange.

Sigh.

Bookshelf Time

2011-12-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

Happy weekend, all!

Silly Scarlett

2011-12-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

I love her look in the second picture. And how she went back to being composed and contained right after making the silly face.

Look Familiar?

2011-12-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

Jennhi commented on my October 28th post that the picture of Melly on the scratching post reminded her of the adorable "Oh Sally, You Slay Me" pictures on Pitter Pats, and since seeing her comment, I have been trying to get Melly to duplicate her famous pose. Of course, trying to get a cat as willful as Melly to do anything is an exercise in futitilty, but these two pictures are close. Ish.

Photo by Sue at Pitter Pats of Baby Cats

Sometimes, when I'm having A Day, I go to Sue's blog and look at Melly's baby pictures. They cheer me right up every time.

Grump

2011-11-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

No one makes a grumpy face quite like this girl.

Melly Snuggles

2011-11-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

For some reason, I rarely have the camera around when Melly decides to snuggle, but this time, it was within reach. This is pretty tame for Melly: usually, her snuggles are more like full-body tackles. She leans into me, head-butts me, and even wraps her arms around my neck while nuzzling under my chin.

Thank you for your suggestions yesterday for keeping the drafts out!

New Curtains

2011-11-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned before, my apartment is old. Really old. It's pretty drafty, and my winter heating bills are a little painful. So, in an effort to cut down on the drafts, I reworked an old set of curtains and put them on the bedroom windows. Unfortunately, they're red and my walls are green, but hey, it's almost Christmas anyway.

The cats aren't very fond of this new development, but they're adjusting.

Loafer

2011-11-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

"I'm making myself as small as possible to hide from the Evil Vacuum of Doom."

And now, reverse

2011-11-25T08:30:00.000-08:00

Odd little fuzzball.

I hope you all (in the US) had a good Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

Scarlett, Melly, and I wish you a very happy day!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

Melly and the Spider

2011-11-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

Please note that this video contains close-up footage of an arachnid, so don't watch it if you're squeamish about creepy-crawlies. Or if you don't want to watch Melly in huntress mode.

Oh, Mellybean

2011-11-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

"Do you really need to point that camera at me?"

"Oh, who am I kidding. I love it."

"Rawr."

"I am exhausted. Pet me."

Scarlett's Favorite Spot

2011-11-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

I flipped Scarlett's blue blanket around because the corner she always lay on was getting smooshed, but now there's a big lump in her favorite spot. I was hoping she'd just sit on it and smoosh the lump down too, but she is so far thwarted by it.

Happy weekend, all!

P.S. I've been dealing with some eye strain lately - I sit at a computer all day for work - so my blog visiting may be a bit sporadic for a while. (On a related note: I don't always comment, but I do read your blogs, I promise!) I'm scheduling a bunch of posts in advance to minimize my screen time at home, and hopefully I'll be back to normal soon.