Dewey the Library Cat

His full name is Dewey Readmore Books, very apt for a library cat, adopted by staff at the Spencer Public Library, in a small town of Spencer, Iowa.

A chat with Nassim over teh tarik after last Friday's night ride in Larkin, triggered my bookstore visit yesterday. It's been a while since I read a novel, so I'm hunting for one to read.

I was in MPH City Square Johor Bahru browsing for a Crichton's Pirates Latitudes. They only have it in hardcover (read: expensive), so I guess I'll just have to wait for the paperback version. I picked up one of Azizi Ali's book on property investment, looked at the backcovers of all books Toyota management (because they are all plastic-wrapped), while holding Umar in arms. Man, he's getting heavier day by day. Naza took care of selecting the children's educational books, and the payment at the counter (of course, with my $).

I lingered at the non-fiction (Albom, et. al.), and I saw Dewey posing innocently to the camera on the book cover. The backcover stated his full name (yes, this one's also was wrapped in plastic), and I'm hooked just by reading his name. So, I brought his story home as well. A true story would be much better than a novel if it involves cats, I think. Paulo Coelho (probably The Zahir) just have to wait until next month to reside on my bookshelf.

A quick research this morning returned the links scattered in this entry. Interesting, indeed. Especially for an ex-librarian (in MBS Sentul), book lover, and feline adorer in me.

Up to this point, I'm only at the first chapter. I'll continue reading during lunchtimes. Meanwhile, have a load on Dewey's photos in Spencer Library's website. He's also on Facebook, by the way.

photo credit goes to Spencer Public Library

fat cat bed

Hehehe...
I read about this just now, it's cute and funny.


http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/2009/01/bedtime-for-titina.html

Hope you cat lovers out there like this one too!

Miao!

cats

ahhh... those charming little creatures.

indeed they are, depending on their mood. well, most of the time they are.
well, i don't know that much about cats, but I've been living with them more than half of my life.
Naza shares this liking with me. Her sister even more - brought back a cat from Manchester, and now living with two big cats in KL (one rescued from RSPCA Ampang, another brought back from Plentong).

i like cats. why?

therapeutic
stroking their body gives a nice sensual feeling to your hand (or feet - try it).
even when looking at them from far, would induce a smile on my face.
it's a welcoming sight to see them walking lazily, grooming busily, fast asleep without a worry in the world, or my favourite - kittens wiggling their backside while in a stealthily low stance ready to pounce another kitten.

friendly
especially of the siamese breed (like the one in the photo).
i don't really know about cat breed, but i just refer to the likes of the siamese breed.
they are very fond of human. whether you're at a friend's or a stranger's, their cats of that breed will surely come up to you and twirl around your leg. take it as a complimentary massage.
i love those.

clean
yes, they spent many hours of the day grooming (besides sleeping).
they bury their droppings.

tough
they say cats have nine lives.
of course it's not true, but i do know one truth - they are tough creatures.
once i had a birman who was in a sorry state. she had bad wound on her ear, and went missing for few days.
housefly went on her and laid eggs on the wound. later it turned into maggots and had eaten up her left ear, and part of the head. yes, it is scary. the stench is unbearable even for me.
still, she marched on and not a hint of pain displayed through her face.

playful
even the king of cats and his cubs living in the savannah are playful.
especially kittens, they play all the time, like my kids.
but unlike my kids, they don't play while having their meals.
i used to come to school with fresh scars. my teacher casually quipped: 'i see you've been playing with cats'. only a cat lover would know another.

left: cumi. male macho cat. dearly missed.

ats come and go. some just went off without saying goodbye. some were found lifeless somewhere around the house - the result of previous night's brawl. two died on my lap - one hit by a car while happily crossing the road coming towards me, another slowly losing her life (and unborn kittens) due to poisoned rice meant for rats.

over the years, the yard around the house in Plentong is like a pet cemetery. i never counted how many of them, and they were not marked. My late Abah did one tombstone for Keng (Akak's cat from Man), though. It's always a sad thing to bury a cat, a kitten very much so. I wish I wouldn't have to do it, but it's inevitable.

the house in Plentong is like a cat magnet. often there'll be a cat coming round the house. and stay for good (of course, where else they could get Iams for free?). many times also kittens are brought back home - Naza's the one who does this. The latest, we brought home a kitten from Jusco Tebrau. It was raining, and he was lost, treading alone on the divider.

i like the fact that there are cats around the house. they somehow bring the air of peacefulness.
while typing this, i'm smiling thinking of them.
ahhh... those charming little creatures.