The Scamperbeasts at One: Today You Are a Cat
Posted on September 6, 2016 Posted by John Scalzi 35 Comments
The Scamperbeasts came to us on November 1, 2015; at the time we were assured that they were eight weeks old, i.e., old enough, just barely, to be taken home to us. Working back eight weeks from November 1, took us to this week in September for them being born. So, somewhat arbitrarily within the confines of that week, we’ve decided that today would be the day we mark as the Scamperbeasts’ birthday. Happy Scamperday, you adorable monsters!
Today being their first birthday, it’s also the day the Scamperbeasts graduate from being kittens to being cats, with all the rights and privileges that accrue unto, which really are no different from the rights and privileges they had yesterday, since they already get free room and board and roam the Scalzi Compound at will. And honestly, the Scamperbeasts neither know or care that it’s their birthday. It’s just another day at the Compound for them. As it should be. They have a good life, and are good cats.
Be that as it may, I know that at least some of you will be excited by my kittens graduating into catdom, so I hope you celebrate this auspicious day in the manner that seems most appropriate to you. I suggest petting your own cats or other pets and telling them you love them. They may or may not care, depending on species and personal inclination. But it’s still a nice thing to do. The Scamperbeasts, I’m sure, would approve.
Happy ScamperDay, Beasties!
Since I acquired Night (well, she adopted me; there are witnesses as to which of us did the choosing) on August 29th last year, that date gets celebrated as her birthday – and since she was twelve when I got her, there was a mild celebration of her thirteenth this year (a tiny amount of the water from a people-food tuna can, a few bonito flakes, the usual catnip…)
I thought there was a rather knowing, amused smile on the face of the feral cat who lives near my parking in the garage. He was sitting on the roof of my car this morning when I arrived to take the car out …
I will certainly give Bill the Cat some extra pets in honor of the Scamperbeasts.
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Happy Scamperday!!
Happy Everyday is Cat Day to the beasties.
To the Beasties: Be nice to your servants, aka The Scalzi’s, to thank them for their year of loyal service. John especially likes it when you lay on the keyboard.
Is it just me, or do they look a little evil?
Scamperbeast Day! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!’
Happy Scamperday, beasties!
:-)
Time for a Cat Mitzvah?
Yay, ScamperDay celebration! I love the picture showing one of the Beasts crouched in the grass. My family’s cat used to do the same thing and everybody joked about the cat getting in touch with his furry roots.
Woke up my slumberbeast with a hug and a kiss. She stretched, whuffled, and went back to sleep.
Happy birthday, you amazing cats! :3
“They have a good life, and are good cats.”
I like that sentence. I think there is a difference between people who have pets (even animals like horses) and many of those who don’t (I group animal abusers with all other types of abusers). All the pets my family has owned over the years – many dogs, many cats – live[d] wonderful lives never wanting for food, water, treats, attention, affection and even adventure. Pet owners in general seem to me to be kinder, gentler, and more giving than a lot of non-pet owers I know; not all, certainly.
Here’s something that occurred to me a few years ago while sorting through an enormous box of photographs (Google it if you must) that had never found their way into one of our many photo albums: almost every snapshot of one or both our two boys has a pet in it, and, in aggregate, we have more photos of pets than the boys. I cannot even imagine life without at least one dog and one cat around the house. (Well, except maybe for my wife’s evil Miniature Schnauzer. Seriously!)
Most of our friends – not all, but most – are pet owners just as most – maybe even all – are recreational readers and fans of music. Having worked in academia my entire adult life and having also been a lifelong musician probably explains the latter two but I place pet ownership right up there. Some of our friends we’ve met because of our pets, like neighbors we began speaking with while the dogs sniffed one another on the street, or folks we got to know at the local dog park.
Yep, gotta have some critters in your life!
Happiest of Scamperdays to Sugar and Spice!! Long may you scamper!
And long may we all enjoy the tales of epic battles for the sunshiny spot on the stairs, duels with Zeus, and scouting expeditions to protect the Scalzi Compound from the derp-dogs of the neighborhood, along with shoulder-cruising, foot-wrassling, and ear-nibbling activities as needed. You ladies and your staff provide a consistent bright point in my day, and I wish you long lives, great health and bountiful happiness.
Happy Birthday kittercats!
And Quick E. Cat shall bask in the sunlight ’til his fur be bronzed, for that is the feline way.
Could they BE any cuter? Mickie, Faerie, Sacha, Jackson and Sady send their wishes for a happy celebration of Sugar and Spice’s first trip around the sun.
Hooray for Scamperday! Is there cake? Please tell me there is cake!
Excellent! After losing our beloved 13-year old Monty in April, this week we’re bringing home two new kittens from the shelter – assuming our dog passes his “cat test” by not trying to eat them. Even with two boys (ages 9 and 11), the house just isn’t chaotic enough without at least one cat around.
My cat decided I should look at HIM and not the Scamperbeasts, so I will be off to celebrate by showering him with love, attention, and treats.
PURRRRRRRR
Live long and prosper, Scamperbeasts.
Happy Birthday to Sugar and Spice, two of the cutest Scamperbeasts ever! We have two twelve year old sisters and their thirteen year old MamaCat that we still refer to as “Mama and the Kittens.” Kittens they shall be, now and forever. I shall give each of the five Beasts here, as well as the Dog, an extra pat or six in honor of the Scalzi Compound Scamperbeasts. May they have many more to celebrate!
(Miss Spice looks very like our Miss Amber- one of the aforementioned Kittens- right to the look on her face in that first picture)
Danger and Mama Socks say ‘Happy ScamperDay,’ and suggest that it be celebrated with tuna.
They can still be kittens until/if you get another kitten. I have three 14 lb., 7 year old ‘kittens’ because they are still the youngest…
@Theophylact: Your Bill looks very much like my Charlie Bigfoot — does Bill have extra toes too?
@RJ: I like your reasoning, but…I see lots of casual animal abuse where I live; dogs tied up outside coffee shops for an hour or more, in the hot sun with no shade or water, that kind of thing. Some days I just wanna thump people.
Happy Birthday to the newly-promoted CATS!
Happy ScamperDay!
Happy Scamperday, Sugar and Spice! They’re as adorable as when you first shared showed us their pictures. Thanks so much for sharing them with us: they really improve the internet.
Such beautiful cats. Thank you for sharing them with us.
Their promise as kittens is dramatically fulfilled as they attain adult cathood.
I mentioned this to my 15-year-old grumpy-old-man-masquerading-as-a-cat, Gremlin. He looked at me as though he just realized I’m a crackhead (I’m not, but that doesn’t matter. If he thinks it, he must be right – so sayeth The CAT). Then, he walked away, which is his way of saying “BORED!! Talk to the tail!!” Later, he yowled his demands for tuna in his normal Afternoon Complaint, followed by Pouting and Silent Indignation after I gave him some tuna (I didn’t serve it on the Fine China; I am totally incompetent). Then he relaxed in his Late Afternoon Snooze. Life is predictable; All Is Well.
It seems I celebrated Scamperbeast Day before I knew it was Scamperbeast Day. Thank you, roommate’s cat, Skeeter. (and yes, your Human will come home to you tonight.)
In keeping with “Today, I am a cat,” a Bar Mitzvah haiku (traditional 7-5-7 syllable form):
“Today, I’m a man.
Tomorrow, I will return
To the seventh grade.”
“Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.”
Happy Birthday, Scamperbeasts! My first thought was, “Man, that year went by fast.” Of course, I haven’t been taking care of them for ten months, so . . . ;-)
“Today, you are no longer glorified rats. You are cats.” (/feline Antonio Ruiz) Happy birthday, Scamperbeasts!