The Story of Blackie McPercy

I first met Blackie, our rogue cat, when he was I think aprox 6 months. He was a sleek black cat with a long thick tail and had beautiful almond green eyes. He was across the street, yowling up a storm. So as I did with most cats, I gave a courtesy yowl acknowledgement. He looked startled like “where did that come from”, then came prancing across the street. He was hungry and maybe thought I was asking him if he wanted a snack.

From that point forward, he started coming and paying us a visit around dinner time and would sit on the porch. As he got to know us, he would come up to us so we could pet him. In the evening when we got home he would come prancing up to meet us and we would climb the steps foot to paw in a perfect synchronistic gait. He had a certain cadence for greeting me a sort of sound that was distinctive from other cats, so when he would make his sound of greeting, I would mimic him as a way of saying “hi”.

There were times he would disappear for months and then one day, usually during the summer, show up on our porch asking for dinner. We used to joke to people that this was his summer home. There was one period of time where he seemed to be gone for a whole year. But then one evening he showed up on our porch. I loved his spirit. He was a scrapper, we knew he could take care of himself and that he had these thick monster claws that I am sure knew how to use in battle.

But with us, he was sweet, gentle, polite and when I would go and talk to him or sit on the porch, he would rub hmself on me to tell me I was part of his territory. But I felt intuitively that I wasn’t just another human in his territory, he saw me as his surrogate mom and I would pet him and give him a full body kitty massage as I sung his special song that I made up just for him. In the last few months he got the courage to come into our home for brief moments. And it was a real treat. He would come and let me pet him. I actually picked him up at one point.

Being that he was a feral cat, not used to a lot of human contact, we considered it a high honor of trust, that he allowed us to give him affection. We always treated him with respect on his own terms. He may have had other humans he visited, I knew we were his favorite family. I used to feel sad at times that he didn’t have a real home, but then he was a feral cat and the whole world was his territory.

This past weekend, he showed up again and he looked like he had gotten in another scrape. David cleaned his wounds and gave him food. Even though he was obviously in pain, when I would go out to see him, he would come up to me so I could do our special ritual. I told him I was glad he knew to come back home when he wasn’t feeling well. We couldn’t get him in the vet until after the weekend. So we took care of him gave him a special bed outdoors because he couldn’t stand being cooped up in the home. I tried not to show him how sad I felt that he was not feeling well. Instead I would talk to him about the first time I ever saw him and how much we love seeing him, the things we shared together-And glad he is part of our extended family. I could get the sense he liked the story I told him and his purr was his confirmation.

When David took him to the vet, the Vet said, he had not gotten into a fight, he had a tumor that was absessed and he had cancer. So David knew it was time for him to go on to the next step of his journey. He went back into spirit at 1030 Tuesday morning. I was at work, But when I got a text message from David to call him, I knew it was about our Rogue cat. I am going to miss seeing his furry face, hearing him call me with his special throaty voice. But I take comfort that of all the humans he could have gone to, he chose us, his family to come home so we could be there for him when it was time to leave the earth. I still get a sense that is he here with us. I feel he liked being part of our family and will continue to hang out in the garden, we call our magical garden because I am always surprised because all sorts of plants just show up. There are also the trees the cats like to lay under that I feel the Deva spirits live and bless any being who gives them respect. So now Blackie McPercy is a part of that.

You cats stop that right now!

I was in my computer room, the one I share with Reggie our 2 year old lop bunny and as I was checking email I heard this thundrous voice of David yelling "you cats stop that!" Oski and Fiona were going at it, playing a little too rough and they can sound like a herd of buffalo running through the house. Typical kids rough housing without regard to the books, magazines and TV remote on the coffee table, if it is in the way as they sprinting through the house it may end up on the floor. Sometimes a glass of water will end up there too if we forget.

As I am hearing this verbal command from David I have to smile a bit, because we talk to the Cats as if they were human kids. They listen to our loud voices and respond. It's been a long time raising and living with multi-species kids that I started realizing that they do listen to what we say and will honor the boundaries of the house and the humans who share it with them. It astonishes me how well they do understand and respond. And it is a good thing, because these beings in the home could do major damage if they didn't honor our boundaries. We would have no furniture intact, they could rip the upolstery to shreds in one fell swoop or take down the drapes with a single swipe. But they understand us. Don't get me wrong, sometimes they will still try to scratch on the sofa, but they stop as soon as we say "stop that, what are you doing?

Sometimes I only have to give them the "mommy" look and it stops. And yes, they do have scratching posts in various rooms in the house that they like and some cardboard cat scratchers to sharpen their claws and it's fine. We have such a happy household. It is peaceful and quiet and most of the time you will hear the classical station playing in the background. All the 4-leggeds in the house including the rabbits enjoy it. If you were in our home, you would hear things like "Oski, what are you thinking, you know the rules of the house". "Are you sure you are hungry now?" A phrase Tachi, our 15 year old minature panther will look at me questioning "what do you think", "Fiona, stop that Kitten-mew voice", Reggie, be safe when you are on the coffee table and I will guide down" I can use the point and tap method to guide him to safety. Oski just came up to me on the dining room table where I am writing this blog and I ask him to give me a kiss and he presents the top of his head so I can kiss it. Maybe not the exact words, but he understands i want to share affection with him. Yes, we have a great household and a wonderfully tranquil environment. How many other pet parents talk to their four-legged kids as if they understand every word? I don't think it is that rare. Having 4-legged kids is after all the new American Family.

Reginald Von Rabbit, III

It is hard to believe our baby bunny is 2 years old! but I can tell how much more affectionate and comfortable he is and showing his authentic self to us. Reggie is mischevious, rebellious, independent and has a good sense of humor -over all a very a happy bunny. My husband re-named him Reginald Von Rabbit III and Reggie does have a very commanding presence. He can be very impatient and will rattle his cage in the morning to tell us it is time for him to come out. When he does, he always presents himself to me so I can pet him and tell him how fabulous he is. then he will re-explore his room to see if there have been any changes to his environment. Then he will find a place to stretch out for a bit, do some chewing on his various pieces of card board and then start running around like a crazy bun. When he has gotten my attention he will leap into the air and turn around like a dancer. It is amazing to watch. Sometimes I will join in and imitate him in my own human dance steps and we dance together. he is so much fun to hang out with.

This morning he decided to go into the kitchen with the cats and I decided to give him a slice of dehydrated bananas-yummy. Fiona came up and asked me for a treat also, then the other cats, Moon and Oski said "yes" we will take a treat too. So I got out the Tastations for the cats and they all had treats together. Then hung out together which for them is sitting or laying in the same vacinity.

Reggie can also be a little temperamental at times. When we need to go out and need him to go into his cage, if we are not asking him in a respectful way, he will growl at us to tell us to stop. When we ask him nicely and reward him with a bit of mint of another piece of banana, he is very nice about it. And why not? Reggie has a lot of pride and expects us to treat him with respect. A good lesson to all.

Oski Grows up

Oski is now Seven years old. They say when a cat is 7 years old, they become a senior cat, but when I see how active Oski is, speeding around the room, leaping on top of the TV or the ledges in the dining room-to me I still see him as an adolescent two year old. He is still energetic, but he now sleeps through the night (he used to wake us up at 3am to keep him company). He takes more naps during the day. There are days he doesn't have to go to his time out room because he is wound up too tightly and he is riccocheting around the room. He has become quite a Gentle-cat in his Seven years.

He is also more responsive. He knows how to sit when we ask him. He even gives us a high five to get a treat. He is learning to get our attention in more subtle ways than instantly knocking things off the table. He and I are so tuned in to each other I can give him "the mommy look" and he knows I want him to stop what he is doing. Sometimes I wish I had a webcam throughout the house so people could see all the things I describe. They would be amazed.

I am amazed at how well he hears me. How mature he has become. How polite and courteous he is. Sometimes he will yowl in another room so I can play the twisty tie toy game with him. The twisty tie toy game is long twist ties that I slide across the kitchen floor so he can stalk it and pounce on it. He has a certain way he likes me to throw it so it is exciting for him. Yes, Oski is an excellent "human" trainer. He communicates silently without a single sound being made.

That is not to say that he doesn't make any sounds. He will still use his high-pitched cadence to greet me in the morning, so I can pick him up and give him a big hug and a kiss and hold him in my arms for a bit. He will also go up to David and give him a greeting. Sometimes I will be holding him, David will come up to us to give me a morning kiss and Oski will put his arms out to him so David will hold him. Oski isn't partial to either one of us. he has tremendous affection for both of us. He also will bug each of us when he wants a snack to see who will respond the quickest. It has been a long, long, long journey teaching Oski to understand the rules of the house and honor boundaries, and as he gets more mature, it gets easier and easier. Even Reggie and he seem to have reached a truce and the other day, I saw them playing together, Reggie initiated it. And sometimes he will lay next to Oski and my boys and I spend time together in Reggie's room.

Yes, I am so thankful and grateful that Oski is here with us. He is a sweet, loving affectionate cat. When I think about other families that have challenges in multi-species house holds and we, who have a big family, I am more convinced that with communication and patience, the foundation becomes more solid and secure.

The Healing Paws of the Shelter

I have been volunteering at the Benicia Vallejo Humane Society for 5 months now and am enjoying doing my part to help our adoptees find wonderful new homes. I love our shelter. Everyone seems to have so much love and compassion for the adoptees, they are like our own 4-legged kids.and our organization is growing in leaps and bounds. We have a resident dog trainer who seems to know how to counsel the volunteers and staff in helping each dog over come prior trauma or abuse the dogs may come to our shelter.


We have a cat committee designed to socialize and make each feline feel safe and free to play in our cat playroom.

I am part of the holistic team. I and a new animal Reiki practioner are now doing reiki healings on the adoptees and working with any "special needs' adoptees-adoptees that may have fear issues or behavior issues that could keep them from a new family.


We also have a woman who is a dog nutritionist and teaches people how to make their own food or find the right food for their dogs.

We also have a Homeopath who can provide Homeopathy remedies for physical issues and emotional issues.

We are even starting a Trap and Release program.


Yes, we are getting to be a full service Shelter. Any Vets who want to do some Pro-bone-o work we would love to have you donate some hours here.


I have a vision of our shelter being number one in finding and matching more families than anywhere in the country. I see it opening up in that direction every time I am there. So many hard working staff and volunteers to spread the love and compassion that is the birthright of every being on the planet.