David Raynes

Since I'm posting other pictures of the cats, I thought I'd put up this one of Franz and Hans that I took last week. They can be cute little guys when they want to.

While taking pictures for Jenn tonight, we caught Gizmo in a yawn. The picture is just too goofy not to post it. :)

Franz was the second cat I got. He came home two days after I picked up Hans. I had only actually seen him once before, but I wasn't looking at him; I was looking at his brother, and got on his brother's list. When I was at the shelter for Hans, the lady there remembered me, told me that nobody had adopted Franz yet, and asked me if I'd like to take him home. He was the biggest cat from the start. He was already past two pounds then. He was pretty sick recently, and had dropped to as low (as far as we know) as eight pounds, but he's much better now. Heck, he's put on about four to five pounds in the last few months.

He has earned himself the nicknames Moo-Cat, Moo-ber, and various other ones involving "Moo" thanks to his distinctive meow, and his constant use of it. :) He has also got to be the most enthusiastic pet-ee I have ever seen, to the point of somersaulting while he is being petted.

My first cat. Got him when he was a kitten from the Howard County animal shelter at the end of September last year. He had already gone through two names when I found him: Spanky and Houdini. He has also recently earned the nickname Chinmaster for the odd little way that he likes to stick out his chin.

Well, I think I've found it: the ultimate litter box.

Absolutely, 100%, the best litter box I have ever used. Having four cats, one becomes quite the appreciator of innovations in litter box technology. :)

I swear since we first found out about his liver problems back in mid-August, when he was skin-and-bones and only 8 lbs, Franz has practically doubled in size. I just looked at him today and it hit me; I honestly thought had had grown an inch or two since I had left for work this morning.

Either way, though, he is doing great now. We found out about his liver problems after he had stopped eating for a few weeks (possibly even a month or more). It can be hard to tell if one cat is eating when you've got four of them. But now, good lord, I don't bother with my alarm much in the morning, because Franz is always in the room in the morning whining hungrily. Just like he is when I get home. Just like he is when I'm getting ready for bed. That formerly sick cat is now a certified eating machine.