I knew that something was strange when I opened my email Friday morning to find it stuffed with an unusual amount of emails. I opened the emails in the order they arrived with the first one being from my dear friend, Sassy. In her email, she explained that she was feeling sorry for me since my birthday passed by without much of a celebration. Since it was also Roscoe's birthday (we were litter mates) I had decided to hold a wake for my dear brother to celebrate his life. Sassy thought I was in need of being cheered up, so she organized a card shower for me! She contacted everyone she knew (and then some) inviting anyone and everyone to send a card my way.

And so over the weekend, my email box and comment box began to burst with well wishes from friends old and new. Here are some they sent...

From Sassy

She sent me a new van, but I think I will keep it for backup. I just can't seem to part with my magic, flying van. There are just too many fun memories of my brother connceted to that van.

From Jan the Funny Farmers

From Mickey, Georgia and Tillie

Maggy & Zoey and The Zoolatry Human, Ann

Wally, Ernie & Zoey
The Island

From Asta

From Momo, jumping out of the cake! hehehehe!



From Chris and the gang

I also received a ton of e-cards which I am not able to post, but I thank you all for sending me birthday wishes. It sure wasn't the same this year without my brother here to celebrate, but you all made me feel so very blessed. It is wonderful to know that there are so many wonderful animals and humans out there in the Blogosphere who care! I thank you from the bottom of my heart; you have made an old cat so very happy. And even better, you were able to make my human smile (which isn't easy these days).

I will be sending you all personal emails, but please give me a little time. My human hasn't allowed me my usual computer time. As IF she has a life of her own! I promise to get back to each one of you who left me a comment or sent me a card or email.

"The only way to have a friend is to be one."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thank you for being my friends....

Happy Birtday Bella Asta!

I awoke this morning in sort of a daze. I knew that there was something I was missing, something I was forgetting. My human tried to convince me that I am just going with all of the stress we have been under, but a cat knows what a cat knows. Checked the refrigerator and found it to be full of cat food and milk. So I went on to check my cat box which was found clean and in good smelling condition. I counted all of toys and none seemed to be missing. Not knowing what else to do, I went over to have a look at my calendar. There it was in black and White. The "something" I just felt I was forgetting.


Today is Asta's birthday! Lucky for me I live in the future as Italy is a few hours ahead of New York. This gave me time to get everything place for her birthday. Without wasting time I jumped into the flying van and headed for the Netherlands where I picked up Ruis. Then we headed to Australia where Momo was waiting for us. The three of us then rushed over to America where we grabbed Karl and Sassy, who were both still sleeping, before rushing off the 24 store. There we picked up a balloons, a beautiful orange cake, and dozens of gorgeous orange roses. Then it was off to New York!


We arrived just as golden sun peaked up from the horizon, bathing the "city that never sleeps" in warm, honey hues. Asta was still in bed when we sneaked in to surprise her. There we showered her with her flowers, cake, and the birthday tiara. I also gave her a very special gift; a giant photo of Asta, Roscoe, and me in a big, beautiful frame.

Who knows what the day will for the birthday but one thing is for sure, with Asta involved it will be a fun day indeed.

Happy birthday dear friend.
May all of your birthday wishes come true!

Buon compleanno e tanti tanti auguri!

TODAY: Remembering Roscoe

Today is a day of celebrations. It is the third anniversary of Cat Naps in Italy. It also happens to be my thirteenth birthday. But that is not what we are going to celebrate today.

Just thirteen days before his thirteenth birthday my dear brother, Roscoe, crossed over the rainbow bridge. We are so sadden by our loss, but today we will push our tears inside. Today we will remember the little cat who made us smile EVERY day.




Join at Remembering Roscoe, us as we celebrate his life. Share your favorite photo, poem or crazy Roscoe story.

We will remember him always with love and laughter....

Roscoe: A Celebration of Life

On Monday, September 22nd Roscoe would have turned 13. Rather than be sad that our sweet little one left us too soon, we have decided to use his birthday as a day to celebrate his life rather than mourn his death.

Between now and Monday, we are asking you to post your favorite Roscoe photo, leave a card or tell us about your favorite Roscoe story.

Click on side bar photo to go to Roscoe's Remembering Blog.
The log in is: rememberingroscoe@gmail.com and the password is: weloveyou

We ask you save your post as a draft and on Monday, September 22 we will publish all of the posts. We will also turn on the comments for anyone wanting to leave one.

Please post this graphic on your blog should you like, and spread the word.

****If you wrote a tribute post about Roscoe, could you please email us the link at catnapsinitaly@yahoo.com. We would like to have a link list of all his tributes. GRAZIE!****

We hope you will join us as we celebrate Roscoe's life on our 13th birthday!

I Dare You!

On July 8, 2007 Anastasia of the Cat Realm dared us all to put on her pink wig. And with that dare began a tradition of daring animal bloggers and their humans to do crazy, fun stuff. Sadly Anastisia went missing one month later. As a way to honor and remember her, the Cat Realm continues to dare bloggers from around the world.

Knowing Roscoe, the first thing he did when he crossed the rainbow bridge was to "borrow" Anastasia's pink wig!

The second dare was challenging pets to make friends with a NOMS (not of my species) pet. The third dare, which we proudly took part in, was to "dress up your staff" (our human was NOT amused).

Texas went to the bridge at the start of September, but before he left he sent his dare to the Cat Realm. His entry has been chosen as a honary dare. Texas dares us to do something to raise money for cancer research, especially for cats. My brother had a tumor on his kidney that had grown so big, the kidney was completyly blocked. As you can imagine, this dare is very near and dear to my heart. Cat Naps in Italy will participate in this dare and we will post about it as soon as the dare is complete.

On the first anniversary of Miss Anastasia's disappearance, the Cat Realm challenged us all to the greatest dare of all dares; to come up with a dare of own! A panel of judges were asked to vote on the all of the entries with the winning entry being chosen as the next dare. I was honored when Karl and the crew ask me to be a judge. It wasn't easy with almost 50 entries submitted.

In the end, Mr. Chen won with his environmentally friendly dare.

Mr. Chen dares you all to come up with one creative, fun, useful way to save the environment and put a picture of yourself doing it on your blog!

On behalf of my wonderful brother and in honor of Anastasia, I accept your dare Mr. Chen!

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The humans are always talking about conserving water. This can be done several ways: don't let the water constantly run while brushing your teeth or washing dishes, take faster showers, reuse old water to water your plants, our humans even catch rain water in giant barrels to water our garden with. Of course with all this talk of conserving water, we think we have the BEST idea for not letting the old H2O go to waste.

Simply don't TAKE showers or baths! It works for us cats!

Just have your best friend wash behind your ears
and you will be set to go!

Thank You Friends

It has been one week since our little Roscoe left us, strange because it feels like he has been gone for months. Needless to say it has been a rough week. My husband and I have been planing a garden that we will make for Roscoe in the spring. Concentrating on that has helped. I am just so thankful that we were able to bring our baby home, laying him to rest in our own yard. I had feared that some strange Italian law would prohibit us from doing just that. I was so relieved when the vet helped me wrap Roscoe in his favorite blanket to bring him home. Can you believe that in Italy you get a death certificate for your pet? I think it is fitting that there is an official certificate showing that Roscoe was here, as he was such an important part of our life.

Roscoe trying to keep warm on a cold winter day

Opus has been doing better than expected. When the boys were born, they bonded instantly. Though there were other liter mates, Opus and Roscoe's bond was speical; you never found one without the other. The woman who owned the kittens noticed this and did her best to find a home that would take both kittens as she didn't have the heart to separate them. One by one, the other kittens found homes until there was only Opus and Roscoe left. I hadn't planed on having two cats, but who could break up such an irresistible set? Having two cats was the best decisions we ever made. Though they never liked being left alone at home, they always had each other for company.

Cat napping in Italy

A few times in the night Opus has been caught wandering the halls, calling out into the darkness. We always pick him up and tuck into bed with us. Immediately he begins to purr and settles down for a nap. Opus has always been a needy cat (he sits on my lap now as I type) but this week he has become an even bigger "mamma's boy". Having him glued to my hip has been good for me, together we will get through our grief. One thing we have noticed is that Opus has been very playful these past few days, acting more like Roscoe than himself. We joke that he may be possessed by our more out going Roscoe.

One thing that has given us hope during this dark time are the kind words of friends and strangers. My husband, a non- blogger, is amazed at the amount of comments, emails, and candles lit, and photos made all in the memory of our sweet Roscoe. Knowing that others care and understand what we are going through has been such a big help. Your kindness has meant the world to us. For every person and animal who has stopped by to offer encouragement, support and love, we will remember you always.

From the bottom of our hearts we thank you.

Me and the boys on my wedding day, 2005

Opus and Roscoe's birthday is September 22ND. Poor Roscoe went to the bridge just 13 days before his 13Th birthday. We have chosen that day to celebrate the life of Roscoe with a wake. It will be a happy occasion as we remember our fun-loving, free spirited cat. Gather up your favorite Roscoe photos or stories and be ready to share them. More details to follow.

My Poor Sweet Roscoe

***Click here to light a candle for our sweet, little Roscoe.***

"As long we we can love each other, and remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away. All the love you created is still there. All the memories are still there. You live on-in the hearts of everyone you have touched and nurtured while you were here".

-Morris S. Schwartz: Tuesdays With Morrie

Just when I think that I can't cry any more, an entire new flood of tears come. I am swallowed by a grief so deep, that I feel my heart is caving in. Early this morning our beloved Roscoe went over the rainbow bridge. He took a sudden turn for the worse late last night. At 4am we rushed him to the closest 24 hour clinic located near Bologna. The vet worked with Roscoe for hours, doing everything in his power to save our sweet baby. Roscoe's system seemed to be shutting down. Three times he quit breathing on his own and three times he was intubated and assisted with his breathing. Three times he came back to us. The vet pushed onward telling us that Roscoe's heart was very strong that he was putting up a good fight. He was convinced that if we could just get Roscoe stabilized, that there would be hope for treatment.

The fourth time sweet Roscoe stopped breathing, I wanted to scream "STOP IT!" as the vet intubated him for the fourth time. I didn't want to be the one to give up, but I didn't want Roscoe to go through anymore. Somehow that sweet little cat saved me having to do it. Before I could utter the words his little heart gave up and death came to carry him gently over the bridge.

We lovingly placed Roscoe in a beautiful wicker basket. He was wrapped in his favorite blanket and surround by photos of his family. We also placed in a few of his favorite toys, including a catnip sack his Grandma had given him and a red mouse from his friend Asta; red was Roscoe's color. We secured the basket and placed a photo of Rosoce on the top, along with his name and a poem. He sleeps now under the beautiful plum tree in our yard, near a fragrant lavender bush.

I don't know if I will continue this blog. There has never been an Opus without a Rosoce; going on without Roz seems wrong. To all of you who have sent along your prayers and well wishes, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I promise to respond to each and every one of you, but for now I will take some time off to grieve and snuggle with Opus.

Roscoe will live on forever in the hearts and minds of those lives he touched....

Cyn

Update: Roscoe is feeling better

Understanding medical jargon is hard enough, but try doing it in a language that is not your own. I understood that Roscoe would under go a Doppler test this morning and then we would know just what we are up against. I found out this morning that I had misunderstood. What the vet had said was that we would call this morning to schedule the test (because the machine and the tec will be coming to our vet's office).

This morning we have had some encouraging news. Roscoe has been eating small amounts of cat treats (only if smashed) and soft cat food. He has also gone to the bathroom several times, a very good sign. He isn't interested in drinking, but his vet says that he probably doesn't feel thirsty due to all of the fluids he has taken in via an IV. He is able to walk better though he is still leaning to the right. The really good news is that he passed a neuro test which he had failed yesterday. We were also very happy to hear Roscoe protest when we was scooped up to be taken to the vet. He meowed all the way down the stairs and out the door! These are great signs that he is improving.



Opus has been keeping a constant vigil. He stays close to Roscoe, being sure to kiss from time to time. Last night the three of us were stretched out in bed together and Roscoe wrapped his paws around his brother. They laid there for quiet a while, entwined in each others arms. Of course Roscoe's delicate state hasn't kept Opus from acting like a brother. After gobbling down his own breakfast, he made a bee-line to Roscoe's dish. Roscoe was in no mood to put up a fight, but I was there to lovingly push Opus aside before could steal one morsel.

We are trying not to get our hopes up. A tumor was found on his kidney which has the kidney completely blocked. His good kidney is extremely swollen, probably due to all of the extra work it has been doing. That being said, his good kidney is still working well as he is using the bathroom and his blood tests all came back normal. His Doppler test is scheduled for tomorrow morning. Once that is complete we will know more about the tumor and if it has spread. Then we will go from there...

I thank each and everyone of you for your thoughts, prayers and kind emails. As many of you know, this type of thing is very difficult to go through. It helps to have kind friends to see us through the dark hours. Whether you have been friends for years or are stopping by our blog for the first time, thank you for your support.

Keep up the good work, your thoughts are prayers seem to working.

Opus and Roscoe's Mom

Roscoe's Health Update

HEALTH UPDATE

Roscoe had a morning visit from the vet today, she made a house call, and was given another IV. Roscoe spent most of the day resting and didn't eat or drink anything all day but was aware of his surroundings listening for his mom's voice. Before bedtime tonight Roscoe was offered to lick on an ice cube, which he liked. He then seem interested in eating and was offered some of his favorite cat treats that were broken up in small pieces for him, he ATE FIVE!

I have been worried about my brother and am letting the humans know about that. They have been really good about giving me time with hugs, pets, kissess, and assuring me that things will be OK. They said the best thing we can do is to let Roscoe know how much we love him.

Tomorrow they will take Roscoe to the doctor's office and we should know more about what is going on with things. Please keep your prayers going and all of your kind words and thoughts have made our family feel a little better.

If you would like to light a candle for Roscoe to get better soon please take this photo with you, if you want you can pass it along to your friends too.

A big thank you to Sassy for making the photo of Roscoe with the candle. We would also like to thank Zoolatry for the wonderful photo they made of Roscoe in front of the Italian flag. They told us that the colors of the flag represent faith, hope and charity. We are keeping the faith, we have much hope, and we thank you all for your charity in the form of your kind thoughts.
I will keep in touch with you and let you know what is going on.

Thanks for all of your support,
Opus

Roscoe Needs Prayers & Love

Our sweet Roscoe fell terribly ill yesterday. He is home with us now and has an iv. He is not eating and doesn't want to drink much. More tests will be done tomorrow and then we will know what we are up against. Opus is the ever nurturing brother and is staying close. Please keep Roscoe in your thoughts and prayers.

Arrivederci Africa!

To some of our readers, this was the safari that never ended (hehehe). But as they say, ALL good thing must come to an end. And so it was with deep sadness that we said good bye to Africa and all of our new friends. It has been a summer, filled with adventure, laughter and, most importantly, wonderful friends. It is time to return to our homes, our family, and our normal, everyday cat lives. But we will always have the memories of our African Adventure. Here are a few of our favorite ones....

One night we sneaked into Ruis and Karl's room to play a trick on them but they came home early and almost caught us. We leapt under their bed in an effort to hide. They stayed up HALF the night talking! It wasn't until 3am when they finally fell asleep and we were able to sneak back out!

(click on each photo for a better look)

On Momo's birthday we decided to play a game of hide and seek. We had all been hiding for about an hour, thinking that we had found the PERFECT hiding places because it seemed that Roscoe wasn't able to find any of us. When he never turned up, we peaked out from our hiding spots only to find that Roscoe had fallen asleep while counting to ten!



And speaking of games, Momo thought that Africa would be the perfect place to play Thundering Herd of Elephants. What Momo didn't know was that African elephants are incredibly good at this game; they play it ever day. We almost got trampled when Momo yelled "Thundering heard of elephants!!!!" but we got away just in time.



We had a lot of fun playing with the African animals. One day we thought it would be neat to have races. Can you believe that Sassy was able out run the cheetahs????



Roscoe on the other hand didn't have as much luck when he raced the hippos!



Then there was the afternoon that Opus came up missing. We found him sleeping in the bathtub with Momo's tiara and Roscoe's rubber ducky!



On our last night at the lodge, we were all feeling sad that we had to go back to our homes. We felt really bad that Karl and Ruis had to say good bye to each other. In an effort to cheer them up, we treated to them to a dinner theater.




In honor of our trip to Africa, we performed "The Lion King" for them while they enjoyed a romantic dinner.



After the show, all of our new friends came over to bid us a fine farewell.

(photo by Sassy)

Then as the African sun started to dip below the horizon, we all jumped in the magic flying van and headed back to our homes.

(photo by Sassy)

Be sure to stop by Sassy's blog and Karl& Ruis's blog to see MORE of our favorite photos!

Happy Birthday Momo!

Today is our dear friend's birthday! We couldn't let the day pass without a small celebration! Momo's sissy, Asta, teleported on over to spend the day with us! We got up bright and early (it was almost 11am) to get everything ready for Momo's speical day. Once all was in place, we tipped-toed into Momo's room and surprised her with flowers, breakfast in bed, and her own special birthday tiara!

(click on each image for a better look)

Then we filled up the tub and treated Momo to a relaxing bubble bath.


After all of the excitement of the past few days, we decided it was best to spend a quiet day at the lodge. There we toasted Momo with Don Nipiton and presented her with a beautiful, birthday cake!

We will spend the rest of day relaxing by the jacuzzi. Be sure to stop by Momo's blog to wish her a very happy birthday!

Birthday Wishes for Sweet Momo

(by Asta)

(By Karl)


Flowers for the birthday girl from her love, Socks.


click here to view a card from Scylla & Charybdis


**If you would like add a birthday card or photo for Momo,
send it to catnapsinitaly@yahoo.com
and we will add it to this post.