halfwhiteboy

Happy New Year! And good riddance to the year that was! Now what's up with me in this photo, you might ask. Well, I got...

And 2016 has begun! Before the clock struck midnight, though, we managed to squeeze in a little family portrait for New Year's . We were all complete--me and Kwittiegirl in our ugly but cute Christmas sweaters , and our four cats Kwittie Boy, Foreman, Thordis, and Little Boy. We haven't done this in a really long time and our last attempt two years ago was a total disaster. It was already difficult doing a Halloween family portrait back when we only had two cats--how much more with four! They've got claws for chrissakes! Getting that usable photo above took quite the effort. First I had to set the camera up since I'll be using the timer. Next Kwittiegirl had to position herself with two cats in the frame before I start the timer, grab the remaining two cats, and get ourselves in the frame. And then of course we had to control all four of them for a good couple of minutes. Here are some outtakes (or should I say bloopers?) from our little amateur shoot:

Shortly after leaving our gate last Friday night for an errand, an energetic little kitten appeared out of nowhere and came running toward me. It was the first time I saw him in the neighborhood and of course I was delighted. Full of spunk, this little kitty. After a brief interaction with the little fella I went ahead. But when I came back from the convenience store he came running toward me again. It was like he wanted to play with me or something, so I gladly obliged.

I know, how cute is our dear Kwittie Boy. But he's not happy at all that all these New Year's Eve paraphernalia are being shoved in his face. And apparently our three other cats share the same feeling. Well, it's Chinese New Year and I thought we could use all those old cardboard trumpets for fun. It's still a New Year celebration, right? So what happens when you force this idea of Chinese New Year (even though we're not Chinese) on all four of our furry friends? Here's what...

It was around September 2008 and we were about to move into a new apartment. My Bibe, who at the time was into online shopping on Multiply , came across something rather different from what she normally checks out on the now-defunct site. It was a kitten, a black one to be exact. He was up for adoption, hence, the "ad posting," which described him as a "quiet cat." It hasn't even been two years since we got our first cat Kwittie Boy and I wasn't prepared for another one. My Bibe wanted him and I looked at each photo closely, looking for signs of his behavior or something that would support my hesitation. Secretly, though, the thought of having an all-white fluffy cat (that's Kwittie Boy) and an all-black shorthair seemed exciting to me. But after some discussion between us and while My Bibe checked out the Multiply post about this kitty almost everyday, we decided to adopt him. The cat formerly known as Snowflake, here with his former mom Rej. ...

Kwittie Boy is my and My Bibe's first pet as a couple. We adopted him on Nov. 19, 2006 and this was the very first picture we took of this adorable furball as he peeked out of the old laundry basket that housed him as he made the trip from Parañaque to Makati:   Peek-a-boo! Kwittie Boy's first glimpse into his new home. While My Bibe had lots of different pets before, I've never had one for myself (although we once had two family dogs named Oliver and Monay). So when she brought the idea of Jecco, a friend of ours, who's adopting his cat out, I didn't know what to do. Not used to having pets, I was already thinking what if he turns the house upside down along with other ridiculous thoughts. Well, it really didn't take much convincing on my part and I ended up meeting Jecco at our office one Sunday morning. Manny Pacquiao had a fight then against Oscar Larios. There he was in the car's front seat, inside a broken laundry basket with crisscrossing st...

I haven't posted anything about our cats in a very long time. Anyway, yesterday we finally brought our oh-so-furry Kwittie Boy to the groomer because it's just so hot. Imagine wearing a fur coat day in and day out at temperatures between 34 to 36 degrees Celsius! I'm sure that's how he feels. ( Just look at him here . ) Time to go, Kwittie Boy. Our cats aren't used to going out of the house that much, so whenever Kwittie Boy sees me bringing out the pet carrier, he scampers away. He hates it. Just look:

A week ago, we welcomed into our home this tiny, furry fella: We've been hearing a kitten's incessant crying for at least two days already but had no idea where the little furball could be. So when I went to check what all the banging was about inside the school next to our apartment (worrying they were damaging our wall), I saw this teeny-weeny black kitten. The workers said it was abandoned because they never saw any mother come for it. One of them also said that it had just opened its eyes, and that he cleaned them, but added that it wouldn't eat. I looked around and saw just scraps of rice and chicken. It was a kitten for chrissakes! It needed milk! But I was still hoping the mom would come back; maybe she was just wary of all the workers there. So I left.

Last Friday night ( Katy Perry's song is starting to play in my head ), we were treated to a pleasant surprise when we got home. Just as I was done parking the car, two kittens, presumably strays, came into view from across the street. Giddy at such a sight, I motioned for them to come. They were hesitant, understandably, but after patient coaxing I sort of gained the trust of one, who came really close to me. The other one also came near but skirted around to avoid any direct contact with us. Already, I saw two different personalities. My Bibe and I each managed to grab one kitten before I went inside the house to get them some cat food. It didn't take long before we decided to let them inside the house even for a few minutes. Both were just so adorable with their cute meows, which startled our own cats. Realizing where the meows were coming from and what we brought into the house, they hissed and growled. Not surprisingly, they were upset ( and they made sure to blog a...

(Apparently the cats snuck into our room while we were asleep, tinkered with the Mac, managed to locate last Friday's photos, got lucky I didn't log out of my Google accounts, and blogged away.) ************************** Foreman: Oh yeah, that's me, a black cat who's unfortunately been stereotyped with bringing bad luck on Friday the 13th and all that crap -- which is grossly unfair, by the way. Guess what, it looks like I was the one presented with bad luck last Friday -- yes -- the 13th. Kwittie Boy: We were looking forward to a stress-free weekend, patiently waiting in the dark for our human slaves to arrive from work (although I'm not sure if they've actually been working). F: We heard the sound of their car, then the gate. We were expecting the door to open, but then it seemed like eternity.

It's already become such a cliché that dogs are often regarded as man's best friend. Unfortunately, this doesn't ring true in so many cases, like in this article I read yesterday on The Huffington Post that left me in near-tears (I was fighting it) and with a heavy heart. This puppy below? Cute, you might think, especially with the way he sits, how his ears are perked up, and how he looks adorably into the camera. You can't help but fawn over. But this pup isn't simply here for some fancy photo shoot. Little does he know that after the photographer is done, he'll be whisked away by vets to be put down. Put to sleep. Permanently. Via lethal injection. But why, you might think. This puppy is just one of countless others in several shelters across Taiwan that have no owner and are never getting one. He's a stray, abandoned perhaps by humans whose enthusiasm over owning a pet may have simply faded away. And his imminent death is but one of around 80...

So our lovely feline duo -- Kwittie Boy and Foreman -- have made public their true feelings about that Tagaytay trip of ours ( read their blog post here ). There was the incarceration, the motion sickness, the unfamiliar territory, the bathroom, the jealousy, and the treating them like dogs. Little did I know that they were secretly plotting something on us, their human slaves. I absentmindedly left the bedroom door open last night and the two cats pounced on the chance to sneak into the room. I take it that they were too preoccupied with their plan because they didn't notice me come in. I was stunned as they were right in front of the Mac intently checking this  out : Okay, I thought. So let's see how these cats are planning to take over the world, one human at a time...

Bringing pets to Tagaytay sounded like a really nice idea, so after finding a pet-friendly bed and breakfast where we could all stay together, we did bring along the cats to Tagaytay over the weekend. Apparently, however, the cats weren't too happy with the experience. They talked to me and demanded that I post this account of theirs on their behalf or else they'll release incriminating photos of me that they secretly took while I was in the shower, the toilet, and when I was asleep, among other instances. I can't believe they blackmailed me! So here I am, left with no choice but to publish "their side of the story." *************** Kwittie Boy: Hello, my name is Kwittie Boy. I am the fluffy, white cat that my pathetic human slave sometimes refers to as his "stuffed toy." Frankly, it's embarrassing. My human slaves named me as such, thinking that adding a "w" within the word "kitty" was cute. And I don't know why they sp...

The extreme lack of pet-friendly hotels here in the Philippines can be quite frustrating for pet owners like me who would just love to bring our furry friends along but obviously cannot. Time and again when going on a vacation or even someplace not that far away, we always have to leave them behind. Last weekend was different, however. As I was booking a room at Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay last week, I chanced upon the FAQs section of their website and noted -- with much delight -- that they allowed pets (which I didn't know about before)! It was a no-brainer; we had to bring the cats. Our cats rarely go out, and with me and My Bibe being the only two persons they regularly see, they're not used to seeing a lot of people. When at times we bring them out the door at night, they cautiously explore their surroundings but scamper away at the slightest disturbance on the street. Yes, we do need to bring them out more often. And so last Saturday we packed an overnight bag, br...

Bow & Wow , the Philippines's first all-natural pet foods store, will be hosting a benefit dinner for CARA Welfare Philippines, a non-profit organization that's all about compassion and responsibility for our furry little friends. The event is scheduled on June 30, 2012, 6:30pm at The Rockwell Tent in Makati City. I first learned of CARA in September last year when they held a pet adoption event at Greenbelt 5 and I instantly felt their cause ( see why I fell in love  here ). The organization aims to inspire and educate Filipinos about animal welfare, animal population control, and proper treatment of animals. It's run by volunteers, so if you can't adopt one of their rescue cats or dogs, kindhearted donations will provide tremendous help for them in caring for these animals. [Photo from CARA's Facebook page ] The dinner will be preceded by fun-filled activities that both pet parents and their furry little friends will enjoy. There will be a "pledg...

I was saddened upon learning that Japan's popular cat cafés are in danger of closing down because of a new Animal Protection Law. Once the law takes effect on June 1, there will no longer be any displaying of cats and dogs after 8pm. While the law is meant to shut down 24-hour pet stores in the country, where felines and canines alike are on brightly-lit displays 24/7, it also impacts on cat cafés whose peak hours, they say, are between 8pm to 10pm. And we know how active cats are at night. Funny how the Japs couldn't be more specific with their legislation. What cat lover wouldn't want to spend time here? [ Photo source ]

They're not really monsters. I mean, how could they be when they're man's adorable and furry best friend? But underwater, they look like savage beasts. The other day I came across these wonderful photos by Los Angeles and Chicago-based photographer Seth Casteel. I thought the photos were pure genius. Shooting dogs with a high-speed camera as they dive into the pool and fetch balls can apparently create an illusion of sorts. The loose skin around the dog's mouth reacts fluidly with the water, baring lots of fangs. Casteel maintains a website,  http://littlefriendsphoto.com/ , where samples of his work are on display. Prints are also available for purchase. The photographer specializes in lifestyle pet photography, in which he shoots dogs and cats alike at their most relaxed and natural state, resulting in spontaneous and priceless moments. How I'd love to fly him over and photograph our two cats! At the moment it's still wishful thinking, though.

So the cute one trumps the doberman at the inaugural Golden Collar Awards, which honors canine actors in film and television. Uggie, the Jack Russell terrier of "The Artist" fame, claimed the trophy for Best Dog in a Theatrical Film last Monday (Feb. 13), edging out last-minute nominee and fierce rival Blackie, the doberman from "Hugo." Uggie at the Golden Collar Awards ( Photo source ) Just last month Martin Scorsese, Blackie's director in Hugo, successfully campaigned for the doberman's nomination ( see related post here ). Since then, Blackie and Uggie were constantly pitted against each other as frontrunners for the award, with their "rivalry" heating up as the ceremonies drew close. Scorsese even had to defend Blackie from rumors that the doberman's performance was a product of CGI. Very Hollywood! But all in good fun, I suppose. Although Blackie skipped the ceremony, fans were in full support where at least two Blackie lookalike...

Yes, acclaimed director Martin Scorsese's campaign worked! I'm not talking about the 11 Oscar nods his film Hugo received but the late inclusion of his canine star Blackie the Doberman in the list of nominees for Best Dog in a Theatrical Film in the inaugural Golden Collar Awards. Yes, there's an acting awards derby now for dogs, and rightfully so. Blackie, essaying the role of Maximilian in Scorsese's Hugo . It was in an LA Times op-ed that Scorsese lamented the snub and rallied for the canine's recognition. He pointed at all the fuss over Uggie , that Jack Russell terrier who stole the show at the recent Golden Globes, and who received two nominations, one for the Oscar contender The Artist and another for Water for Elephants starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin On our first day in Ko Phi Phi in Thailand ( see posts here and here ), My Bibe and I had the pleasure of meeting this little fella: He was such a gorgeous cat with a relatively thicker fur than most local cats here in the Philippines. We were instantly charmed. We got to pet him a bit and take photos before he sauntered off the beach like it was his domain. Little did I know that it would be the start of several more encounters with his kind, and I'm glad to show them all to you. There's a lot of them, and I mean a lot!