Thanks, everyone, for the adoption tips. Thanks for the adoption shelter, mayflowers. I'll likely visit several to find my next soul mate (or two).

CAT does do some fostering and they move the kitties out of crates and into (I call them party) rooms to interact with other kitties and their volunteers. They assess kittties and owners to do a good job of matching them up. They give kitty personalities cute names like "Leader of the Pack" and "Personal Assistant." Anyhoo, the cats aren't always in crates but I can definitely see the advantage of adopting from a shelter than only fosters kitties.

As far as cats on a counter. LOL. Ebby geebies are everywhere. Live with it!

I am traveling. A few days ago, in a filthy bathroom, I saw someone in a restaurant bathroom put their purse on the icky floor and then proceed to walk to the table and put the purse on the table. Basically, anyone who then touched the table was doing no different than putting their hands on the bathroom floor. That purse (and most bags I would guess) are traveling germ nurseries. Even if they didn't put the bag on the table, I am sure their hand touched the bottom of the purse and then proceeded to touch other surfaces.

Germ-a-phobes make me laugh.

I am obsessed with not letting company see them on counters but the beast does whatever he wants - I've taken him off 2 times today. Of course I clean well before food comes out! Our old kitchen was so cluttered he didn't get up that often. And I like to think they are cleaner than a public bathroom floor - yikes that pocketbook story is gross. I meant to comment on the paper towels. I wanted an open, under counter space for them but my husband was afraid of daily unrolling by cats. One is crazy for paper. We have unique built in tp holders in both bathrooms with a push button door so they can't get to that.

Silken1, I'm curious about poor Stanley playing A Christmas Story on your fence. How did you get his frozen tootsies off the fence? (When I was a little tyke I stuck my tongue to the fence, and, you guessed it. Ugh.)

re germs -- I am always amused by food service workers who think the latex gloves are to protect their hands from touching the food. Or somehow magic. I have seen then talking on phones; ringing people up and handling money; going to the freezer to get a can of something that was delivered, set on some floor, and touched by who knows; sneezing; all sorts of things; and then go back to preparing food without changing gloves and washing hands in between.

I like to think it all strengthens our immune system :)

My DH really really loves me. And how do I know that? When we were first married a kitten adopted us by walking in one day and just staying. Turns out my new husband is allergic to cats (now had I known that before we got married the marriage may not have happened but I digress....) He spent two years taking allergy shots so that I could keep the kitten. I have always appreciated him.

bpathome, Stanley was truly a Christmas cat! We found him on Dec. 23rd! I'm afraid my hubby didn't realize he was stuck to the fence and just lifted him off since he was hollering and just a little kitten. So over the next day or so he seemed to be limping and it looked like he had hurt his back or something. Of course we didn't know his story on how his tail got damaged or what and here we are with Christmas and places closed. So he had emergency surgery for the tail the day after Boxing Day and after that they X-rayed and couldn't see a problem with his back. Then they discovered his little paws had been peeled and the pads frozen. Even with his cone on from surgery and the sore feet, he was a holy terror! He booted one of the other cats out of their bed right away. Got himself hung up on his cone suspended between a footstool and a chair within a few minutes of being home with it. They said leave the cone on for 2 weeks. Try 2 minutes. He had it off so fast and was a danger to himself with it on so we left it off. All our cats can do tricks for treats. They will sit, stand up on hind legs, and turn round in a circle.

This thread is brilliant. I love you guys and all your cats. My Bessie is on my lap right now, telling me to Like everything!!!

And as for home decor? The above photo, with a water color filter, is framed and over the toilet in my remodeled guest bath. I know my priorities.

Blfenton, my DH loves me too. :) He's not the same level of pet person that I am. Every time I say it's time to get another pet, he says he doesn't want another pet. :) He's the most affectionate with all the pets in the house and uncomplainingly trips over a bedroom with two dog beds and a cat bed. He takes me shopping because I hate to go alone, for pet stuff all the time. And he takes the dogs to the beach on Sunday mornings so I can wake up slowly... It takes me a while to be convinced that morning should be greeted.

Has your DH tried to see if he reacts to the Siberian cat? The Siberian is supposed to have the lowest reaction from people with allergies. See there is a way for (almost) everyone to have a cat. Mwah hah hah!

Did everyone see the Home Decor site's pet thread referred to by Linelle? Another fun read. :)

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3406808/pets-as-decor

What beautiful kitties! I've had cats my entire life, and not sure why some people do not like them. I currently have two, but this one likes to help me work (what cat doesn't like to lay on paper?!) and I found him in the pantry (only once) several years ago.

Allison, your pantry is perfect for your kitty.

When we brought Charlie home from the Animal Services shelter, he immediately ran and hid..... in the shower of the basement bathroom, which is ALL glass. My DH told the cat that hiding behind a glass wall wasn't really hiding.... we still laugh about that. I think Charlie understood, because for the next few days we found him hiding in the pantry. No pictures, but Allison's pic reminded me of those early days!

silken1, what kind of motion detector? And may I ask where you got it? We need one of those for Stuart, our youngest, who came to us (literally, we think) from a frat house. He WILL get on the counters, and makes a game of stealing food -- especially carbs. It's been hell here since I learned to make no-knead bread . . .

Our cat does two things in the kitchen:

1) Whenever you walk into the kitchen, she will sprint into the kitchen after you and yowl hysterically and try her darndest to trip you in a desperate effort to convey just HOW MUCH no one ever feeds her.

She does this even if food is actively in her bowl.

2) She squeezes under the cabinets (the toekicks are not yet installed) and comes shooting out at random times like a greyhound at the beginning of a dog race.

Here she is performing her very important duties as my ace office assistant (I work from home):

The laptop is actually resting on her. We have silent, but very pointed arguments about just how much of my lap is owed to the cat vs. owed to the laptop.

possibly, best thread - ever!

MizLizzie, We actually have 2 different ones. The one I use most, I think DH just got it from a liquidation store, but I will check with him. It is battery operated and just a 3 inch long oval orange plastic box. There is a 5 " cable from it with an Eye. Turn it on and set it on the counter. When you get in range, it emits a series of loud nasty barking and snarling sounds and somewhat like a haunted house. It may even be a Halloween thing because it is orange. The other one plugs into a socket so if I decide to use 2 because lots of things are on the counter I plug it into a backsplash outlet near what needs guarding. It is called Safe & Sound. A white box that doubles as a flash light or night light. It has several settings such as the alarm can be a chime or a siren. The orange one has no name or anything, just made in China! I hope that helps some. I just found a link to the exact plug in sensor that we have. DH confirmed the other was just a cheap purchase at a liquation store. But it works very well! Plug in motion sensor

I've never heard a motion sensor for guarding food...what a great idea...I just put stuff in the microwave then proceed to forget I put it there! My kids laugh at me "mom you forgot stuff in the microwave again." If the little stinkers would stay off the counters this wouldn't be a problem. I'm sure if I stopped putting them down on the floor with loves and kisses this would no longer be an issue. Our Quinnie Boy has been taught, by my DD (who is 20), to lean in head cocked to the side for kisses on the lips...from infancy she would grab his face and say "kiss me, love me" so now he kisses allllllll the time! How can you not give kisses to a sweetheart even when he's on the counter? He even closes his eyes as he's leaning in. :)

Just making sure they're safe.

No, I swear, I haven't been eating cookies.

weezil, sometimes I have too much to fit in the microwave. Like cinnamon buns or a couple pans of lasagne I want to cool and freeze. If they are warm I don't want them in an enclosed space, I want them to cool in the open first.

We never had a problem with any cat we have ever had till Stanley came along. Makes you think things thru completely differently. And he gets a scolding and sometimes a swat on the bum too. We used to have to chase him to give him a swat. Then I had a hip replacement and was laid up and slowed down for a long time. So I started ordering him to 'COME HERE' when he had been bad. He doesn't come, but he stops in his tracks, drops down, turns his little butt my way and waits for his swat. He won't do that for DH, its like he knew I couldn't go after him and has just kept doing it ever since. Or he runs to the bedroom where he is put if he is bad sometimes. We have never met a cat like him. I think he is very very smart :)

Carrie B,. I want to steal your Simon! He's got an awesome face. Love his expression!

Mine don't go in the prep sink. Until I leave the house in the morning and come back unexpectedly because I forgot something.

Oh, Kompy. I wish that Simon were still around to be stolen. :(

The three: (Maddie, Simon & Moishe)

Disclaimer-My sister's new kitten, not mine. I would, however, LOVE to have her in my kitchen!

You guys!!! I want more cats!!!

You all do know the objective # of cats that make one a crazy cat lady, right?

It's one more than however many you have at the moment.

In my old kitchen there really wasn't much room for ButterBean to get on. Since we have done the remodel there isn't a place he hasn't been! He goes from the island to counters across the stove to sink area. Bag on counter.

Here's our Luna checking out the new kitchen. She's such a great cat.

And she loves the baby.

I think this is the best thread ever! And Linelle, I can NOT stop laughing at your cookie photo; the expression on that face!!!!!!!!

Linelle, I love that cookie picture.
About water and cats. Don't forget if you give your cats soft food, you can mix water into their food. No salt chicken broth on their hard food.

I am going to try to post mine now. This is my probably 10 year old Kali. She's a long-haired, orange girl. Very unusual. She's tiny, maybe 10 pounds and a skittish snuggler.

We have 4 cats that all found us. This is Katze, which is German for cat. She has been with us 2.5 years. Katze does not drink out of toilets or the galvantized bowl, but has trained us all to turn on the faucet for her or pour her a fresh glass of water. She is the only cat that will get, and is allowed to get, onto the counter. She comes from the back of the couch to the sink and leaves the same way. She also likes to go into the shower right after use. As you will see, I keep water in the sink for the others, but Katze likes it out of the faucet,

This is Itty Bitty. She was tiny when she was born. She is not so tiny now at 2 years old.

Mama Cat wondered up already pregnant and had kittens 3 weeks after arriving.

She was sweet while pregnant but is very unpredictable. She will be very sweet and then bite the crap out of you and hiss. Walk by her straddled on the top of the recliner, and she just might take a swipe at you.

This is Thomas. Itty Bitty's brother John Henry went outside one September morning a year ago and vanished. From our posters, we got a call a month later from a lady who thought she found him. We went to check it out. Turns out it was not John but was another black male cat. He took him in. He was terribly underweight, had severed a ligament in his hind leg, all 4 pads were terribly scabbed from burns, the tip of his tail was missing, his claws were burned stubbs and he had burn spots all over his face. Surgery for the leg, groceries, and love, this is the best cat ever. He has had the best loving temperament throughout.

Here is Buster. He came to me late 2013 from a bar that was closing. The first time I saw him, his little face was slashed and he was scared-slinking. The rumor was that he was thrown from a car. I can't think about that, it hurts me too much. I think he was probably beaten up by the ferals they were feeding there when he tried to eat. Anyway, this boy has certainly filled out since I took him. To this day, this sweet lover stands back until the other kitties are at their bowls. Good thing I take up the food between meals or he wouldn't be able to walk!

Then we have Waylon. He came to us right after our fire with his twin, Willie. Willie died of what we think was a stroke. Waylon is a typical Ragdoll. Snuggly, demanding, and very, very inquisitive. He drinks from the sink and DEMANDS I stand there while he does so:

And Kharma. Kharma has had tough things happen. She and Bentley both survived our house fire. She almost lost her tail to a dog's attack. She's had abscesses from Willie's bites. She's such a great cat that every groomer and vet she's ever seen, has tried -- sometimes not so delicately -- to get me to give her to them. Some almost frighteningly. She's been on a diet forever, because she was too fat to clean her butt. Oh, the poopy butt! She'd lick her paw and rub her bottom. Awful. And awfully funny! Then, I switched her one kibble at a time to this new Blue Buffalo and Wow! She dropped enough weight that now she has a cute, fat, clean butt. She's the one I let sleep with me. :)

and just a quickie of Waylon alone. My beautiful babies.

Oh - the motion sensor faucet I put in the bathroom for Waylon? It comes on to fast and scares him to death. I have to figure out how to make it drizzle, vs. come out like a rocket. :)

CEFreeman - give all your kitties a hug for me with a special one for Buster. They are all so cute.

Awesome cats! CEFreeman, if you have a good shutoff valve under the sink, maybe you could cut it back a bit, and find a happy medium? (My plumber told me it was okay to do that to slow the flow in our powder room. For some reason the faucet there was just a geyser and would splash back up at you out of the sink. I hope he was right . . . )

Bessie and Zephyr, fraternal twins and BFF:

We have outside cats, who were all strays, tossed out or abandoned by low-lifes. (Much too mild a description.) We spay or neuter, feed, and love them--most are very friendly, and would love to live in the house, but I have an allergic DD.

Tiger, the sweetest and most agreeable cat ever, in the barn one sunny afternoon last week:

"I hear something--oh, no it's Johnny!"

Staring down Johnny, his Sworn Mortal Enemy, who richly deserves the title:

Looks as is he's ashamed of himself, right? No, he's nonchalantly grooming, to let Johnny know that he's not afraid:

Johnny, a big brute who showed up at the beginning of the summer, wreaking havoc on our peaceable kingdom. Now that he's neutered, and the testosterone has dissipated, he'd maybe like to be friends, but too bad--he's burned his bridges with the older cats:

Beyonce, our semi-feral with a sweet voice, always on the periphery, and if I'm alone she'll come over for petting. She seems to enjoy the affection, and will let me pick her up, but won't allow me to carry her. I think she still resents the spaying ordeal:

New baby, Gargoyle (my grandson thinks she looks like one when she's wet), who was tossed out at the end of the summer, not old enough to be weaned, flea bitten, worm infested, skinny little waif, getting coochy-coochies from me:

And to prove that Johnny isn't all bad, here is he with his adoring fan, Gargoyle, who wasn't around for most of Johnny's wilder days:

(The mess behind the barn is the debris left after having some structural work and re-siding done--the cats and I are slowly working on hauling it to the burn pile ;).

Lots of smiles, laughs, and "awwwws" while viewing this thread.

Christine, I never fail to think of you when I have a big bowl of cookie dough.

Thank you, Linelle! I think that's very nice. LOL!

I am allergic to cats. (That's why I never clean.) I found Claritan-D changed my life. Zirtec-D is also great. I take one 24pill a day, and think nothing else about it. I can have them all sleeping on me & fur everywhere and I'm fine. Oh, my nose runs a bit, but that's a life-long problem. Shudda invested in Kleenex when I was born. Anyway, the most important thing about Claritan-D?

I can drink wine.

Benadryl (OTC sleeping pills, in case you need an antihistamine in a pinch) + wine?

ZONK! Asleep.

MizLizzie, I'll give that a try. I don't use that sink, so what the heck!

This is my probably 10 year old Kali. She's a long-haired, orange girl. Very unusual.

CEFreeman - you have the elusive orange female! When my DD was four (14 now) all she wanted was an orange female. HA! I had no idea how rare they are. I ran myself ragged looking for one. Newborn DS had just had open heart surgery and I wanted to give her something to make up for my uber distractedness. There was also a dearth of kittens that year, something about the wet spring, so that added to the rarity factor. We ended up with an amazing orange male rescue named Milo who lived with us for almost six years. Miss him all the time.

Here's our Nahla giving me the evil eye.

And Dipsey, who thinks she's a princess.

Love seeing all your beautiful cats. I've never seen ours on the counters in the kitchen. Nahla does get on our bathroom vanity for a running water drink, and Dipsey thinks our garden tub is her playground to chase water around the tub. Dipsey is very smart: where Nahla likes to chase a laser pointer around the room, Dipsey realized right away there wasn't anything actually to catch. She looks at Nahla chasing it like she's an idiot or something. Dipsey also drops balls down the steps and retrieves them.

I know. :) Not only is she a she, but she's a long-haired little girl, too.

I'm sorry you lost your Milo. There's always a hole when they're gone.

My understanding is that about 20-25% of orange tabbies are female, so, definitely a minority. Male calicoes & torties are very rare, and usually sterile. Based on my past volunteer experience with City Kitties Rescue that sounds about right. My vet & vet tech friends swear that the orange kitties, boys & girls are the friendliest of all!

Been years since I redid the kitchen (and sold that house) but still come here most every day to see what is new - I "personally" have one cat, Heidi, she just turned 13. Until this Spring I also had Harley who was 13 in the Spring. Sadly, the time came to tell him goodbye due to his almost unmanageable overactive thyroid. He was my orange and white tabby. Heidi is the brown/gray one, she evidently has a double coat because most weeks I vacuum up enough hair to 'clothe' another cat. She loves to drink out of the toilet and she is my acrobat. Perhaps she thinks that if her feet touch the floor something terrible will happen. She is a totally inside cat, as was Harley. I keep my lounge chair and couch covered with inexpensive quilts because Heidi shreds upholstery.

Six years ago my daughter and grand-daughter in law brought home a tiny kitten, maybe six weeks old, I named her Miss Kitty, she is outside part of the day and inside the rest of the time (we live on five acres and my home is closer to the back property line than to the road). Miss Kitty was not properly handles while a kitten (I was still living at my previous home during the work week and only out here on weekends. My sister in law lived next door and 'cared' for Miss Kitty but she has always been stand-offish. Miss Kitty insists on drinking from the water faucet. Miss Kitty is the only one that loves the kitchen counters.

Then there are the boys - the actually are the grandson's cats but I feed them, vet them, bring them in when the weather is bad. Kitty Boy is (I think) either 3 or 4 years old. Brad brought him home to be a barn cat (keep in mind this little cat was maybe 8 wks old and just leaving him in the barn alone was iffy, at best). Because Mo (Mogley), the huge tuxedo male had no intention of befriending Kitty Boy. The are somewhat friends now. Mo is (I think) 6 years old.

Miss Kitty

We no longer have any kitties but we still love all cats! The photos here are priceless and bring back good memories of our old feline friends. There's a wonderful local cafe that helps older and disabled cats get adopted, so we signed up to send them monthly donations.

Anyway, this slideshow just appeared in our local paper. Altho not cats in kitchens, the outpouring of photos from Belgium catowners is so heartwarming after the city went on lockdown to hunt for other terrorists in the post-Paris attacks crisis.

Belgians flood Twitter with cat pics when told to stop
tipping off suspects on social media

http://www.sfgate.com/news/local/article/The-Latest-Brussels-wakes-up-to-2nd-day-of-6650782.php#photo-9002755

Carrie, I think that's generally true about orange tabbies. My boy Cosmo had the sunniest disposition and was a real good slow dancer. However, next door they have twin brothers, longhair orange boys. They are extremely shy, although one has made peace with me.