This Pretty Kitty Needs A Job

As a beautiful persian cat, it has never occurred to me that I would ever need to move beyond naps, Animal planet, and a-purr-able playing with catnip toys in order to support myself in this cruel world. Of course the world wants to sit and admire my beautiful paws! My life is intended for leisure and decoration, not the toil and struggle of the working class! I am so bitter that my capitalist leanings have betrayed me; all these years, I thought the proletariat was underrated. Now I know, I should have known that Paris on Gilmore Girls was right when she said:

PARIS: Hey, boss. It's interesting, you know. Karl Marx has come alive for me today. I never understood what he was yammering about before, and now it just seems so obviously wrong that those who control capital should make their fortunes off the labour of the working class . . . I bet they all have money, too. Every one of those commodity fetishists.

Meow, you ask? Meow so bitter?

Well, as you may have heard, Katie and Baxter are moving to Rochester this summer in order to provide a better life for this here Hippo. They are looking at several apartments, some townhouses, and a few floors of houses. And at almost every turn, they are confronted with the need for pet rent.

Pet Rent! How ridiculous! I have never used $20 of services in any apartment I have yet occupied, and I would think that sheer cuteness would be giving back more than that amount to the world at large. My fluffy fur and precious face are an asset to whatever residence I occupy, and I resent any implication otherwise.

However, I feel it unfair for my beloved owners to take all the responsibility onto themselves. To that end, I have been furiously pushing loose change under the edge of the bed to create a stash for my July rent, but lord only knows what I will do if they make me pay my own security deposit! (Honestly, I think that bravado and good looks will get me through that one; after all, Katie gets an anniversary present every month, so I figure I'm due a few back presents to make up for lost past gifts). But now, only input will save me -- how shall I get a job?

These are the occupations for which I think I have the requisite skills.

I would make an excellent Nielsen Kitty, since I find television to be cat-tastic.

I could be a purr-sonal grocery shopper - I have learned excellent shopping skills from my family.

I could definitely be a purr-sonal meow-sistant, since I heart the computer, although after awhile, keyboards do cause me to need a catnap.

My only other idea is to let people take ridiculous photos for money, since, unfortunately, such photographs pop up now and again and I might as well be making a little rent money for them.

Luckily I still have the gift certificate I got for Christmas from Baxter's Dad and Erin to Petco to help take care of my expenses -- Maybe that will count for the first month?

Here Comes Hippo Cottontail . .

Meowin' down the kitten trail,

Hippo-ty, Hoppity,

Hippo-ty, Hoppity,

Easter's on its way.



Bringin' every girl and boy

Baskets full of Easter joy,

Things to make your Easter bright and gay.



He's got jelly beans for Baxter,

Colored eggs for sister Kate,

There's an orchid for your Mommy

And an Easter bonnet, mate.


Oh! here comes Hippo Cottontail,

Meowin' down the kitten trail,

Hippo-ty hoppity, Hippo-ty, Hoppity

Happy Easter day.

Nap Time is the Best Time for Kitties

I am not sure if I have meow-ntioned adequately how absolutely purr-tastic it is to have friends home all the time. Since Katie and Baxter re-purr-ed home from their last debate tournament (an activity, by the way, that I am purr-sitive I would be meow-tastic at, since I meow loudly and insistently, which I could use to get the judges to always vote for this pretty kitty), we have played and cleaned and played some more. They have this nasty habit of taking way too many purr-tographs, but I use that to my advantage by showing my beautiful fur off for all to see on this here website.

(However, we have not taken Easter photographs as of yet so I am reserving judgement on the soundness of allowing so many photographs to be taken of my precious puss.)

Having the house clean means that there are so many more places for me to nap, not to mention observe the action. For example, there is the back of the couch:


Baxter's Laptop (which I also adore because we are super-kitty-fans of the Green Bay Packers):


Not to mention the lovely coffee table, which is es-purr-cially clean and I just purringly adore:


But honestly? The best part is that I can sleep comfortably on the top of the world, right by the air conditioner, by Eeyore and outside birdies.

April Showers Bring Hippo Flowers

I am attempting to purr a Hippo-resolution that I update my blog more often. I don't have much of an excuse, except that Baxter and Katie have left me for long periods of time without an internet connection, and my paws begin to hurt when I have to purr-ance to the library in order to check my Hippo-email. And by the time that I pad all the way over there, give the lovely librarian my cat id, and then get my email checked and blogs read, I am simply too tired to update this blog. But I feel like my creative kitty energy is being sapped without the outlet that is this magical online forum, so I will strive to update more often.

Katie and I began cleaning the apartment yesterday. Her blog makes it sound like I am mildly Obsessive Cat-pulsive, when in fact I just prefer to have as much space to lay and purr as possible. How would you see how cute I am next to the sewing if there were piles of junk to impede my purr? (Please excuse my yellow eyes - this pretty kitty has not mastered Photoshop just yet.) I am pleased to re-purr-t, however, that my fur is looking luscious and cared for, and Katie and I have spent many a day just meowing around and noting my beautiful coat.

Did I mention that it is spring time in Lock-purr-t? It still seems cold out, at least from my vantage point at the window, but Horace and I have been enjoying the sunshine and tanning in the windows. (Horace and I, we used to have a slightly antagonistic relationship in that I preferred to have him as a snack than a sibling, but we have since worked out our differences and lay together, chatting about the weather and sitting with the carebears on the windowsill.)


I try not to watch television purr-grams that Baxter and Katie enjoy while they are out of town, since then I have to watch them again when they get home and my short kitten attention span is displeased with that arrangement. I will meow-mit, however, that I oc-cat-sionally watch a program when the TiVo is running out of space, since I know it will be deleted anyways and I just can't bear to miss my favorite purr-grams. Last night we watched Las Vegas, which I do enjoy, though not as much as American Idol (did I mention how purr-terbed I was that Mandisa was eliminated?!? Is there NO JUSTICE in this world? I mean, I know she's a little bit too religious and meow-viously, we disagree on the subject of GLBT rights, but wow could she sing).

This pretty kitty must be leaving now, since Katie's lap has appeared and I am in the mood for a good tummy rub. This tummy is always available for rubbing.


Purrs and Smooches,
Hippo