This picture is so bad ......

..... but I couldn't resist!!

The Staff here. Well, you know cats! They don't do posing. He was like this for about half a nano-second, just enough time for me to grab my phone and take a quick shot. Actually, if I were to be honest, that one above was not the first shot! The first shot was .....

So, by the time I had got myself organised, Austin, thinking he looked a right prat, was starting to twitch and I was shaking with rage and laughter. That combination does not a David Bailey make! 

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In other news. Austin went to the vet yesterday! Need I say more? 

Ok, I will! 

It was just routine - flea shot, weigh-in, mouth check and mani/pedi. You'd think the BBC had just announced Armageddon! By the time we arrived, the anthem of his people had gained several more verses and a five part harmony. I'm thinking of entering him for Britain's Got Talent. 

Anyway, the vet was pleased :) He said the mouth was doing exceedingly well after the second cryo-surgery, (he has feline stomatitis) there are no lesions and no teeth are in imminent danger! He weighs 5.35 kgs (purrfect). It took just one attempt to administer the shot, but several to achieve a full mani/pedi. There WERE scuffles and the words "clip art" have taken on a whole new meaning! AND at one point the vet assistant and I were grasping each other instead of Austin, who was half way to the door with full bottle brush tail and bristling whiskers! But all's well that end's well and we made it home in time for some treats and a lie down. What Austin did, I have no idea! :)

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You remember I won a lovely print from Maria (Katzy) Strom! 

Well she is very generously offering 20% discount at her Etsy shop for readers of CATachresis right through until December 25th. All you have to do is use the coupon code CATMAS20 at the checkout. Remember, Ch******s is coming :)

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proposer - someone who poses for money

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Sunday Selfie Stand-in!

I really really really couldn't be bothered to grapple with the whole selfie thing today and anyway, my paws took a vote .......

The result is unanimous. 

Not one paw will lift a claw to press the button!

However, The Staff insisted we had to participate somehow, so after a great deal of discussion about percentages, screen time and repeat fees, I managed to get a stand-in .....

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I fear Mini-Me is trying to big up his part! 

As always the Sunday Selfie blog hop is hosted by Kitties Blue. Click on the badge to see the other blogs participating :)

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historical - is what The Staff gets when she realises how old she is

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Harry - who came before!

Long, long ago during the age that nestled somewhere between the Box Brownie and Kodak Instamatic The Staff had a kitty who warmed her cockles and her toesies. His name was Harry! She has mentioned him in passing before when she was writing an extremely boring series about her travels and studies.

He looked a bit like Tigger!

In those days The Staff didn't take very many photos mainly because it was difficult to get a kitten to pose when you are having to work within the constraints of twenty-four exposures!  So, this was Harry as a kitten. As you can see he was quite a cutie! Maybe there is some Bengal in him?  

He apparently loved cuddles *Staff looks meaningfully at Austin* and they lived together quite companionably for a couple of years and then The Staff went abroad to foreign parts and sadly Harry couldn't go with her! No worries though, as he landed on his feet, fell in with a couple of other cool kitties and moved to Ipswich!! He lived a good life there getting fat and lazy and spoilt ......! 

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apparent - someone who is a father or a mother

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I'm ready for my close-up ..... !

Today I am again joining in with Kitties Blue and their Sunday Selfie blog hop :-)

My offering this time is a pretty nifty eyebrow-and-rear-nearside-paw combo! This is very difficult to say let alone do under normal circumstances, but as I am a highly trained cathlete at the pique peek peak of my performance, I was able to co-ordinate body parts and then man catipulate the camera with my versatile tail .. or as it is known locally, my versa-tail.

I think I was on the cusp of being successful!

Click on the badge below to join Kitties Blue and see the other participating blogs :-)

A while ago now I also won a prize from the Kitties Blue. One of a limited print painted by Marie (Katzy) Strom.  I was ecstatic when I received it and now tadaaah ........

....it has been framed!! Sorry about the side-on view and shadows, but I really love it and The Staff adores it. It is so cheerful and bright and is called Cat Dreams. Here is Katzy's Etsy shop. Check it out! Ch******s is coming ;-)

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local - reduced in calories

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The Morning After!

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indicate (from the Latin indicat) - a feline who is hip and happening and alternative and totally cool man

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Cat flap saga - episode #42761

Five years on! A story in pictures .....

Staff training is proceeding satisfactorily!

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saga - a story that goes on and on and on and on ............

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Another attempt to do a selfie - with gratuitous poem!

It's awfully hard when you're a cat,
To take a selfie - that's a fact!
The paw's too short, the tongue's too long,
The photo's blurred; it looks so wrong!
But one thing's true, you can't deny,
This tuxie dood is fit! Oh My! ;-)

We are once again joining in the Sunday selfie blog hop with The Cat on my Head. Click on the badge to hop over and visit the other blogs participating :)

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determining - discourage excavation of mines

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Austin The Impressionist!

Some of you might remember my world (in)famous impression of a bear skin hat! In the same fashion ....

... here I am doing my impression of a riding hat!

Once again, I was so successful that my services were engaged at the Show Jumping Championships at Hickstead .....

... where I am happy to say I achieved a comfortable first in the Mixed British Championships! Yes, you read correctly.  I came first, the horse came second and the rider came third, as we parted company at the second to last fence which was a rather tricky triple bar! The judges ruled that it was of no consequence which part of the team arrived at the finish first!

I am now recuperating at home and will be able to receive visitors very soon :)

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bifurcation (from the Latin bifurcat) - the act of purchasing a feline with fur

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Epic selfie fail, but nice whiskers!

No! I meant it, really! Today's selfie is highlighting my tuxie black and white fur integration. Note the seamless way the furs blend and weave into the purrfect tuxie chesticle! The collective noun for this is a "concatenation" of furs.

We are once again joining in the blog hop hosted by our good friends the Kitties Blue at The Cat on my Head. Click on the badge below to check the rest of the participating blogs.

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concatenation - the fusion of different coloured furs 

(or a nation of feline convicts)

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Caturday Art!

This was done on PiZap on my iPhone using the black and white effect as it seemed to enhance the shadows. Added the meme and frame and voila!

We are joining in Athena and Marie's Caturday Art blog hop for the first time this week so hope the links work ok!!! You can pop over to see the other blogs participating. Just click on the badge below.

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Caturday - every day is caturday

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Loafcat does Wordless Wednesday

...with complete paw tuck!

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paw - the opposite of rich

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