Shelter Kitties

Recently a good friend who works with Community Cat Connection asked if I'd be willing to paint some kitties for them to use on fliers and the like. As many of you know, Ryan and I have two rescued cats and so I was only too happy to lend my services to the cause! Here are some of the cats I painted.

Shelter Kitties

Did you know the majority of orange tabbies are boys?

Black cats have a harder time getting adopted, because
some people still believe they are bad luck. Isn't that sad?
(Also, isn't that stupid? It's as stupid of people as it is sad).

Of course I had to throw a Siamese in.

Big stretch!

Who doesn't love a fat cat?

And some kittens, too.

If you live in the Rhode Island/Massachusetts area, check out the Community Cat Connection! You can take a peek at the cats they have up for adoption here. Shelter cats are wonderful, our lives would not be the same without Puck and Lupin. Sometimes people think the animals in shelters have problems, but it's usually the folks who owned them previously who were lacking--not the animal. Many people dump cats in shelters simply because they are moving and can't be bothered to take the time to find a new apartment that allows pets (or don't want to). Or they have kids and suddenly can't be bothered caring for a pet (good luck kids, looks like Mommy and Daddy aren't really into responsibility). Or even worse, they got a kitten and grew tired of it once it grew up. (Good luck again, kids. I'm guessing once you're in high school those parents are going to start tuning you out because you're not cute anymore).

As you can probably tell, I don't have a lot of respect for people who take on pets only to abandon them later. Pets are family. Period, end of story. I think that the folks who throw their dogs into the pound are probably the same people who never visit Grandma at the nursing home. People have tried to defend it to me in the past, and my eyes glaze over. I'm sorry; I've faced having to leave a place in a hurry too. I've had a weekend's notice to move out and find a new apartment. I've left places with just a suitcase in one hand and a rat cage in the other. I've moved plenty with pets--they have come with me always. The only time in my adult life that I moved back in with my Mom (hey, only for five months) was because I couldn't find a place that would take my rats, Vlad and Rex. Taking a step back with them was more important than a step forward without them.

Heck, Elvis traveled 3000 miles across the country with me (and grew pretty enamored with life in hotels). Was it easy traveling that far with a spunky Siamese cat in the car? Nope. It required a lot of stops, treats, water breaks, litter breaks (can you believe he waited for the litter every time? Elvis has yet to have an accident. He is one litter dedicated cat), a carrier, a leash, and patience. However, not taking him was never an option; moving without him would have equaled not moving at all. I wouldn't have gone if he couldn't come, because that would not have been right. He's my cat, and I love him dearly. Some people don't understand that, and I don't understand them. Owning a pet is a commitment. There is a lot of work, and a lot of reward.

Elvis, overseeing the packing process.

His first night on the road, he was not very happy.
Here he is clinging to me in a hotel.

Two days in, he began to get the hang of it.
Here he is glaring at me over his toy "Huggy Bunny".

Days 3-6, Elvis was one chill little hotel kitty.
He loved exploring new smells, and he owned every room.

If your heart is open and you're a big boy/girl when it comes to responsibilities, owning a pet is an amazing experience. Winning and holding an animal's trust, watching them light up when you come home and rush to greet you, feeling them curl up around your feet in the middle of the night--there's nothing like it. Nursing them through ailments, protecting them as they grow old builds a unique character to one's heart. If you're thinking of owning a pet, or adding to a family of pets, a shelter animal is a great choice. You can be the second chance a creature gets to feel safe, loved, and secure for the rest of its life. You can be absolutely certain that the shelter pet you bring home will never have to be scared or lonely again, because you'll be the one there who can play with it, nurture it, and keep it happy.

Plus, they're awesome.
Lupin and Puck, both shelter kitties from Purrfect Pals here in WA.

People ask us all the time, where did we find such beautiful, wonderful cats?
They were rescues! You can find them too :)

Beautiful boys!

And Elvis, (adopted from a litter in a newspaper ad) his life
has been greatly improved by the addition of our shelter cats too!

He has friends to cuddle and play with.

And he loves them so much.

They love him too...

...Even if he is a little needy sometimes.

Pets make a house a home.

Music Makers

I finished my latest illustration, 'Music Makers'

Music Makers

Raccoon Fiddler

Originally, only the raccoon had an instrument. Then I realized I had drawn the owl directly over the mouse. Now, in my happy, whimsical illustration world this owl and mouse are great friends. However, in the real world an owl hovering over a mouse at night is much more sinister, and to my horror the illustration turned into a very different story at a second glance.

So I gave the owl a tambourine.

Whew! Close call.
(He's a vegetarian, anyway).

That mouse knows how to get down.

I just listed the print of this illustration in the shop here. Happy Wednesday!

One Year!

Ryan and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary yesterday! We went out to a fancy-smancy dinner at the Metropolitan Grill in Seattle and reflected on our first year of marriage. I can't believe it's been a year already!

It's been a wonderful first year. Dinners at home, trivia with friends, encouraging each other's projects, attending tournaments, trips back east for Sci-Fi marathons, an arcade machine, and a new kitty.

Halloween

Our first Christmas card!

Christmas

Silly faces.

Horror Movie exhibits.

Boston Sci-Fi Marathon

Meeting llamas!

The Snowacalypse of 2012

Narwhals are real?!

Meeting that super nice Penny Arcade guy.

48 hour "What would Molydeaux?" Game Jam

Pink hair!

Have at thee, tumors!

Summertime

Lupin joins the family!

Such a sweet cat.

Lupin's first morning at home.

Roller skating!

It's been a year full of good times and fun (if not wonderfully dorky) adventures! Even when I had my brief bout of sickness in June, we faced my operation together with our humor and got through it with flying colors. I don't know what I would have done without Ryan. I feel very fortunate to have such a silly, sweet husband. (Not to mention handsome).

One year down, a lifetime to go!