Apache, My Calico Cat 04-24-1996 to 11-28-2011

Apache joined me and Muffy, my other cat, in 1996 and we became a family of three. We lived in West Hollywood, California then. A year later, we drove up to Ashland, Oregon to begin my life as a full-time artist. They were the Heartful Art cats, and today is the end of an era. Muffy passed into Spirit during the closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics in 2008, shortly before moving to the Gulf Coast of Florida later that month. Apache passed from my arms into the Heart of God this afternoon. During the past 17 years, my cats and I moved dozens of times and through it all they were by my side and adapted to whatever came next. From Ashland we went to the San Francisco Bay Area. What loyal creatures they are. Big hearts. Faithful companions. Soft fur. Love in a purr. I will miss Apache most in the nighttime when she came close to be with me. I send my love and light for the highest good to both of my beloved felines, but at this time, especially to Apache who is free now in Spirit. Namaste.
- Raphaella Vaisseau

Sudden Inspiration to Build a Kitty Shelf

I've been dreaming of building cat environments since I first read Bob Walker's book, The Cats' House years ago. I've been successful at getting various cat trees by the windows in my home, but yearned to build climbing things for my kitties. A few weeks ago I had a moment of inspiration and made a make-shift shelf for Diana who sits for hours and hours in the front lanai watching for lizards. I had two acrylic display cubes leftover from my gallery in Sausalito, and I bought the board and pole for $10 at Home Depot. I had the sisal in my garage. Voila! A kitty shelf.

If you like such things too, you'll probably love this blog, Modern Cat. Two of my favorite discoveries a la Modern Cat are Catpods and Power Towers. Enjoy! - Raphaella Vaisseau

Bravo Hisashi for Great Cat Pictures on Flickr

L1050065.JPG,
originally uploaded by hisashi_0822.

I love kitties. They are all adorable. Thanks to hisashi_0822 for this great photo.

My Cat, Diana ... justifying her existence

There's an Abraham-Hicks seminar I remember where they were talking with someone who made the comment "I am worthy" and Abraham said they didn't need to justify their existence. Then Abraham told the story of Party Cat who jumped in Esther and Jerry's window during a seminar and laid down in the center of the room and flipped over on his back like my Diana. They asked Party Cat what he was doing and the answer was, "this is about as far as I go to justify my existence." I always think of that when I see my Diana laying on her back and it reminds me I don't have to earn my being alive. I am alive. I am who I am and where I am. That's it.

FACES - Etsy Treasury curated by Raphaella Vaisseau of Heartful Art

I'm happy to share my latest ETSY Treasury with you.  It's a collection of artists I've discovered while browsing the many shops of artists creating art from all over the world. Enjoy!!!

New Cat Painting by Raphaella Vaisseau

My girlfriends and I meet once a week to create art together . We make art & crafts to enjoy creativity and friendship for the sake of creativity and friendship. However, we also make things to help raise money for the Venice Cat Coalition and the Key West Cat Society and their work to reduce the cat overpopulation through TNR (trap/neuter/return).

So far we've made jewelry, collage, drawing, painting and last week we learned face painting. Tomorrow we're making cat toys. I've been loving this weekly communion with my friends in the spirit of creativity. Last week I started a new Etsy site (Rescue Cat Club) for us to sell our creations for the cats. I'll let you know when it's up and running. Meanwhile, enjoy "Diana".

A Mother's Love - Love for Mother

This picture, taken on the kitten's 21st day of life, and Mama Cat's 21st day of Motherhood, illustrates the adoring love shared between them.

Kittens now 16 days old

Here they are at 16 days old. I managed to get them away from their mother for the quick 5-minute photo shoot by bribing her with delicious kitty morsels in gravy. The kitties are still a little wobbly but they can see and hear now I think. They notice me when I come by to check on them. Meanwhile, Princess Diana hisses when she sees them and Apache hisses when she sees Diana. The kitty drama continues at my house but I am loving it.

Earth Day 2009 - festivites at Oscar Scherer State Park

Heartful Art, Hypnosis Venice, The Key West Cat Society and The Venice Cat Coalition will celebrate Earth Day on Sunday, April 19th (10am - 5pm) at the 20th Annual Earth Day Festival at Oscar Scherer State Park in Osprey, Florida.

FYI:

Earth Day is always observed on April 22. International Earth Day is celebrated on the March equinox.

Reason We Celebrate Earth Day: To call attention to the environment.

History of Earth Day:
- Former U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson was Earth Day's co-founder.
- The first Earth Day was in April 22, 1970.
- Senator Nelson got the name after reading about San Francisco’s Earth Day celebration which was held on March 21, 1970.

Cats, Cats, Cats

I'm loving being a Feline Foster Mom. Diana, my amber angel, is a sweet, sweet being. She's learning to trust me and getting to know how to hang out with me (right by my laptop where Muffy used to sit) while I work. We take breaks to play and I feed her yummy things as part of her taming-training.

The kittens are nine days old today. They can't walk very well yet, or hold up their heads for more than a few seconds at a time but they sure are cute!

Update on Foster Kittens and Princess Diana

What a great day. It's my birthday. First of all, I'm 62 this year so my social security checks start coming in June. Yippee!!!

Second, I am having a potluck party tonight to celebrate all of the new friends I've met since moving to the Gulf Coast of Florida six months ago. I'm celebrating my old friends as well. To quote an old girl scout song about making new friends and keeping the old: "One is silver and the other gold."

Third, Princess Diana, the 6 month old foster kitten who might be a permanent part of my family, came to me to ask for a treat today. She's been following me around for weeks but afraid to let me touch her or pick her up. Theresa Foley, of the Key West Cat Society, taught me that to "tame her up" I should sit with a towel on my lap and a feather or some yummy cat food in my hand and let her come to me to eat. Then I would touch her and pet her while she was eating. Well... it's working. Two days of that and today she made the connection. We'll keep up the training until she knows she can come to me for love and treats and I can enjoy her sweet presence close to me. She's also feeling more comfortable exploring the house.

Fourth, my little foster kittens are opening their eyes today - they are 8 days old. I'm so excited to see their little eyes. How precious they are.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Mother Cat Gives Birth at My House

This beautiful (and maybe exhausted) mommy arrived at my house last night for me to take care of her during her pregnancy. We figured it would be two weeks. But around 4 am this morning she began birthing the first of her four little kittens. All is well. The kitties are 12 hours old in this picture.

Theresa Foley and the Venice Cat Coalition

The Venice Cat Coalition (VCC) is a group of small cat rescue organizations working together to save the cats of Venice, Florida and nearby communities. The Key West Cat Society (KWCS), a 501 C3 non-profit, was founded by Theresa Foley to help outdoor, homeless, abandoned and feral cats and kittens primarily by means of spay-neuter and Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programs. The two groups have trapped and fixed hundreds or cats in Key West and dozens in Venice. The Venice Cat Coalition was formed in 2008 to bring together trappers and colony caretakers working with feral cat colonies in South Sarasota County. Theresa's cat rescue organizations are involved in fostering kittens, finding permanent homes for adult cats and kittens, increasing the number of volunteer trappers, teaching members of the public to trap and spay-neuter the cats they feed on their property, and raise funds to pay for more surgeries for cats. Their mission is to "conduct the maximum number of spay-neuter of cats, primarily free-roaming outdoor cats, in the Venice-Englewood-Nokomis area of Sarasota County, and in Key West, Florida, as possible, with the objective of seeing cat euthanasia rates in Sarasota and Monroe Counties drop to 10% per year of all cats turned into or caught by shelters there by 2010."