Ruby’s Reflections

Ruby’s Reflections: sometimes a girl just needs a hug

hugging cat

Hi everyone, it’s Ruby! Today, I want to tell you about hugging. I just discovered it, and it’s so nice! Well, I guess I didn’t just discover it: Mom hugs me all the time. But until recently, I’ve never hugged her back. Don’t get me wrong, I love it when she hugs me. I purr, and rub my face against her arms, and sometimes, I get so excited from being hugged, I roll over on my back. But in all that time, I never tried hugging her back.

Until last week. I was sitting on Mom’s lap while she was working away at the computer, and even though it was nice and cozy, I was feeling a little ignored. So I sat up, and looked up at Mom. When she still didn’t stop typing, I stretched myself as tall as I could! Then I leaned against her, rubbed my head against her neck, and reached my paws up. That did  it. She stopped typing, and hugged me back. You can see from the smile on her face that she really liked being hugged by me!Continue Reading

Ruby’s Reflections: Birthday Girl

 

It’s my birthday today! I’m two years old! I’m all grown up now!

 

Mom still calls me her kitten because I’m still pretty tiny, but not nearly as tiny as I was in this photo, which is the one that Mom fell in love with when she first saw me on the website of the SPCA of Northern Virginia.

Even though I loved Mom from the minute I first met her, I was nervous about coming to my new home. What if my big sister AllegraContinue Reading

Ruby’s Reflections: Why I love Mom’s Kindle

cat_with_Kindle

Hi everyone, it’s Ruby! Mom is taking a blogging break today, and she said Allegra or I could write something instead. Well, I beat Allegra to the computer, so it’s my turn!

Mom has been busy putting the finishing touches on her new book Purrs of Wisdom, which is going to come out very soon. It’s going to be the best book ever – because I’m on the cover!

Purrs_of_Wisdom_Conscious_Living_Feline_Style_Ingrid_King

Mom says it’s going to be published on something called a Kindle.  What the heck is a kindle? Is it a kind of small cat? Mom says it’s the thing she’s been reading books on lately. It doesn’t even look like a book, it’s just a flat tablet in a cool pink case. Mom says not all Kindles have that cool pink case, though. But then, it’s no secret that Mom loves the color pink, so I suppose it was inevitable that she would get a cover like that.

love Mom’s Kindle!Continue Reading

Allegra and Ruby: good office help is hard to find

cat_computer_desk

My office is my favorite room in my house  – which is a good thing, since I spend so much time in it! I have a big, white corner desk, a window with a beautiful view of the trees in my backyard, book shelves filled with treasured books and mementoes ,and a comfortable chair in one corner, which serves as meditation chair, editing chair, proofreading chair, and, of course, kitty cuddling chair.

Allegra and Ruby in office

Since I spend most of my day in my office, it’s not surprising that Allegra and Ruby do, too. They both like to hang out on the window perch next to my desk. They also like to help me work. You didn’t think I get all this writing done all by myself, did you?

As you can see in the photo at the very top, Allegra likes to sit right in front of my monitor. Continue Reading

Allegra and Ruby like it hot

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Their mom, not so much. Actually, I do like hot weather and don’t mind temps in the 90’s – but not when those 90’s are inside my house.

We were affected by the massive power outage that hit the Mid Atlantic after a severe storm known as a “derecho,” a term I don’t ever want to see in a weather report again, came through here this past Friday night. But why don’t I let the girls tell you what happened.

Allegra: Friday night, we were all snuggled up in bed with Mom, and I had just started to drift off to sleep when out of nowhere, this rush of wind hit the side of the house. It felt like the whole house was shaking!

Ruby: Wha? What’s happening? I was sleeping!

Allegra: I jumped off the bed and ran to my safe place.

Ruby: Mom? Why are you getting up? We just went to bed!Continue Reading

Allegra, Ruby and The Taste Test

Pawgevity_raw_rabbit_cat_food

September 2022 update:

Back in 2012, friends of mine started a small company making safe, locally sourced pet food. They were involved in every aspect of the food they made, from farm to bowl. Their meat and produce was sourced from local farmers who follow humane practices. Pawgevity owners Carole and Norman King personally visited each farm they work with. Sadly, the company didn’t survive.Continue Reading

Ruby’s Reflections: Ruby and the Tree Branch

Ruby-window-perch

Hi everyone, it’s Ruby! Mom has been hogging the blog, and it’s about time that I get to write something. I’ve been a busy little kitten, helping Mom work, playing with my sister, and trying really hard to stay out of trouble.

But what I really want to tell you about is the excitement we had here a couple of days ago. Let me set the scene: we have a lot of really big trees in our backyard. I love sitting on my window perch next to Mom’s desk, and looking out over the backyard. There’s always something going on: there are birds, and squirrels, and occasionally even bunnies and foxes. And one of the big tree branches was so close to the window that sometimes, I came eye to eye with a bird or squirrel! I love that!

Well, apparently, Mom doesn’t love that particular branch as much as I do, because I’ve heard her muttering that “we need to do something about this.” I didn’t know what that meant. What on earth could be wrong with a tree branch that provided daily entertainment for me?Continue Reading

Allegra, Ruby and the moth

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The other day, I was sitting in my living room reading when I heard a commotion on the landing below. I got up to check, and found Allegra and Ruby intently following the movements of a small moth, and occasionally pouncing on it. They rarely play together, so even though I felt sorry for the moth, it was delightful to see the two of them in cahoots like this.

True to form, Allegra mostly watched and waited, while Ruby batted the moth around. Occasionally, Allegra would take a half-hearted swat at it, but she seemed to have more fun watching Ruby play. After a minute or two, I went to get the camera.

As I was filming the video below, I reflected on how this was a reminder of our housecats’ true natureContinue Reading

Allegra and Ruby’s surprise

Allegra: Ruby, do you know what day it is today?

Ruby: Of course I do, Allegra. It’s Mom’s birthday! Happy Birthday, Mom! Allegra, do you think she’ll get mad at us for sneaking into the computer room in the middle of the night to post this?

Allegra: I don’t think so, Ruby. I think she’ll like our surprise. We should do some other nice things for her today. You know how she always makes our birthdays so special?

Ruby: We should make her a tuna cake! Yay!Continue Reading

Ruby’s Reflections: First Anniversary

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Today is my first adoption anniversary! I’ve been here with my Mom and sister Allegra a whole year!

I had no idea what to expect when Mom picked me up at my foster home. But look how happy Mom was that day! Even though I was really nervous about what was happening, her happy energy made me feel good.

Ingrid with Ruby

I know my new sister wasn’t too crazy about me when I first arrived. Mom broke all the rules of proper cat to cat introductions, and just let me out of the carrier when we arrived at my new home. I immediately started exploringContinue Reading