STEPPING

Blaise is really keen to invade Cat City. Marvel at my daughter in action as the scaredy cats look on.

===KEN

PLASTICINE

This 4-5 minute animated serial captured my attention back in 1990 on Channel 4 - a cartoon short called Mio & Mao. The show is currently on Channel 5 weekday mornings and I’ve discovered it again.

Mio and Mao is a stop motion show starring two kittens. This playful pussycat duo are always exploring their surroundings and come across something new every episode. The ‘something new’ is normally a different animal they are curious about and end up making friends with by the end of the episode.

The concept is actually more entertaining than it sounds, for the way the model characters act and behave in both a surreal and surprisingly realistic manner (on the cats part mainly) is fun to watch. Like with Pingu, the Mio & Mao cartoons are in their own speaking making it friendly viewing for anyone whatever their language.

Of course, the theme-song of Mio and Mao sung by the duo themselves is never forgotten so easily.

So here’s a Youtube link to an episode. I hope you are won over by its colourful cuteness. They remind me somewhat of my own two cats:

AGENT

Zip is on a spying mission for Soundwave :)

CUTE

Today on the eve of my own birthday marks the 1st birthday of Zip and Star.

Zip and Star my wonderful kitten brother and sister duo are just a pleasure to have and a joy to be around.

Here’s to Zip and Star.

EXPLORER

Zip and Star have been getting braver these last few days now they have started to venture in the garden.

I caught this photo of Zip playing in the grass and enjoying the sunlight. A different story for when it is nighttime, as Zip is in true Nightwatcher mode making the backyard network of Keynsham his New York City.

TURF

Zip and Star had an adventure in the back garden.

They both looked around and explored a lot and were getting a general feel for the outside.It got dark and they were left to it, half an hour later there was a THUD! on the patio door.

I went over to investigate and saw that one of the HUGE and nasty Tortoiseshell cats that live over the back fence had gotten in the garden. I went out and shoo'ed the cat away but Zip and Star were nowhere to be seen. Rushed back into the kitchen (where the cat flap is) to find Star was very shaken and frightened but Zip was still not back. Moments later, Zip came back in through the cat flap but not frightened, his tail was all frizzy as cats get like that in a stand off.

It would appear Zip stayed outside against the bigger and nastier cat from over the fence before I chased it off. I could'nt see him in the dark at all since he's so pitch black in colour. I was pretty proud of Zip who stood his ground and for his sister. He could have easily made a retreat as opposed to staying outside having a showdown with a meaner cat 3 times his size.

I feel the territory wars have just begun.