Whiskers & Purrs

Richie's Got A Little Problem

Hi to all the peoples on the innernets.  Uh...I'm a little worried 'bout somethin' and I ain't sure what I should do.  See...I don't want to hurt nobody's feelin's or anything but...my name ain't Richie.   When I first went to live at Aunt Doktor Dugan's office, all them peoples that work there thinked my name was "Sprout".  I was just so happy to be on the inside and have lots of supper to eat so I wasn't gonna tell 'em that they had it all wrong.

Then...my new mommy decided to bring me home.  I heard her tellin' Aunt Doktor Dugan that my name wasn't "Sprout"...I thinked to myself..."Oh thank goodness!  Finally they'll git my name right."  Then I heard my new mommy say "His name is Richie Burton Graves III."  Well Lord Have Mercy!  That ain't right either!  I've been goin' along with it 'cause I'm skeered it will make mommy mad if I tell her she's gots it all wrong.  What if she throws me outta the house?  I mean, I'm already used to them 47 cans of Fancy Feast we git every day here...but remember, we DO NOT BUY THEM FROM UKROP'S...you can read all 'bout that here.  I'm also real used to the tummy rubs, kisses, head butts and sweet talk I git pretty much 24 hours a day from my mommy.  I don't wanna do nothin' to make her mad 'cause she just might stop all that good stuff from comin' my way!

But, see, I'm not a Sprout or a Richie.  Them names just ain't me...they is borin'.  I likes to dance...dance everywhere I go.  My favorite step is to slide all the way 'cross the floor when I starts to runnin'.  I can do that 'cause we gots floors that is made of wood.  I git to dance and slide all day long.  See, with all my dancin' abilities on top of the fact that I'm a very well-dressed, fancy lookin' little man, my name just can't be Sprout or Richie.  My name is Freddy!  Freddy Astaire Graves III! 

I think I'm gonna tell mommy 'cause I just gots to be me.  I heard her tellin' somebody on the phone yesterday that little people like us have a way of lettin' people know what their name is.  Last night when she was dreamin', I started whisperin' in her ear that my real name is Freddy.  I'm gonna have to keep it up 'cause I just ain't no Richie.  Plus, I heard her tellin' somebody that every time she calls me Richie it makes her a little sad 'cause it reminds her of my big brother, Ricky.  Ricky went to heaven a long time ago and mommy still misses him lots.  And I don't wanna make my new mommy sad...it might stop her from givin' me my Fancy Feast and all them tummy rubs and kisses that I am now so very accustomed to.

So...from now on I wants the world to know that my name is Freddy.  Three-Fingered Freddy Astaire Graves III. 

Very truly yours,
Freddy

PS...I just told my brothers and sisters 'bout my real name...they is real stressed about it.  Look how worried they look:

Richie Tells Some Secrets!

Hi.  This is Richie speakin'.  My first night in my new home was fantastical!  I have discovered that snugglin' is somethin' I REALLY like!  I like to crawl into mommy's arms and wiggle 'til I git to just the right spot and then purr real real loud.  When I git relaxed, I like to pass some gas.  Ya know, I heard mommy talkin' to somebody on the phone yesterday about how expensive gas is.  Dang...I gived her 'bout $47,000 worth of it last night.  I think she's already seein' what a real asset I am to this family!  That's important to me...I don't want her to think I ain't willin' to do my share 'round here!

So, I'm gonna start lettin' the peoples in this house git to know me today.  I'll tell you my first secret...I only gots 3 fingers on my front paws!  I showed my hands to mommy this mornin'...she said, "Richie, this is a sign that you is a very important and powerful man!  I just knowed you was supposed to come live with us the minute I saw you the first time!"  Gosh...it sure is nice to be appreciated for all the wonderosity that is me!  I mean, I love Aunt Doktor Dugan and all them very sweet and nice peoples that work for her, but I sure do love sleepin' on the big bed with the magical blanket that is all warm and toasty and havin' a mommy to kiss me and and all these pretty girl cats to look at!  Dang!  This sure beats livin' in the kitty condo!

I've also discovered this here thing called a computer.  Mommy taked my pictures this mornin' and I supervised her gittin' 'em ready for all the peoples on the innernets to see.  She says maybe I'm gonna be a movie producer or somethin'...we'll see...I gots me so many talents that I am gonna have to think long and hard about what I'm gonna be when I grow up.  Stay tuned, I will let you all know as soon as I figures it all out!

Very truly yours,
Richie

Richard "Richie" Burton Graves III

Hi.  My name is Richie.  I'm new here and just tryin' to figure it all out.  See, a very nice lady that works for Aunt Doktor Dugan rescued me.  I was just a little squirt that lived in the woods with my mommy.  It was cold and we was hungry.  The nice lady scooped me up and bringed me inside and then she taked me to see Aunt Doktor Dugan.  For a long long time I lived in a kitty condo in Aunt Doktor Dugan's lobby.  There was also a Mama Cat and her 2 kittens in the condo with me.  Everybody keeped ooohin' and ahhhin' over the kittens 'cause they was real cute and little.  The whole time they was little and cute, I keeped growin'...nobody ever even looked at me.

Well, one day a couple of weeks ago, mommy had to take my new sister, Fergie, to see Aunt Doktor Dugan and Unkle Doktor Moon.  Mommy keeped gittin' upset that nobody was lookin' at me.  She didn't really talk to me...in fact, I thought she was ignorin' me just like everybody else did.  Well, a couple of days ago, she had to come back in to see Aunt Doktor Dugan...she saw me still sittin' in the condo and still havin' people ignore me.  She walked over to the cage and opened the door...I jumped into her arms as fast as I could and started purrin' real loud.  See, you may not know this 'cause there ain't never any pictures of mommy on this here blog, but she's got the word "SUCKER" written all over her face! 

So mommy had Aunt Rosemary go ask Aunt Doktor Dugan if she could adopt me.  Dang...I was gonna be real mad if Aunt Doktor Dugan said no to my chance to find a forever home!  But Aunt Doktor Dugan came out and said "YES!!!" 

So...on Thursday I had my you-know-what cut off.  Now, I gots to tell you that I don't unnerstand what that was all about. I'm just glad that I gots me some good kinda foggy drugs to take when Aunt Doktor Dugan was snippin' my stuff.  Mommy taked this picture when she stopped by to visit me after my operation...I can see right now that we need to invest in Picture-Takin' Classes for mommy...she cut the head off of the very nice man that works for Aunt Doktor Dugan...Geez, mommy...that's awful!

So, today mommy picked me up and taked me home.  I was really skeerd...I've never been able to leave Aunt Doktor Dugan's office...only other cats git to do that!  I didn't know what to think!  This is what I looked like in the car as we was drivin' home:


So now, I am safely in my new forever home.  I'm gittin' to know my brothers and sisters...so far, everybody seems to be real nice.  When I first got there, Felix came and washed the inside of my ears...that was very very nice!  It reminded me of when my real mommy used to do the same thing.  And then, Mazie Grace came and licked the tips of my fingers.  That was very nice, too. 

I also noticed that there's some very extra beautiful girls in this house...you can tell that they is all worked-up 'cause I'm here...I think I might be 'causin' just a little bit of stress...what do you think?  Don't they look worried?

Well, I gots to keep explorin' my new house.  Until next time!

Very Truly Yours,
Richie Burton Graves III