DANTE AND CAMILLE: MAY NEW ACQUAINTANCE BE FULFILLED!

It's New Year's Eve and Dante would proudly like to announce that he has found a lady love.  Her name is Miss Camille Suzanne from "Our family cat-a-blog".  Dante and Camille have been flirting for quite some time now, but tonight is their very first formal date.

They refuse to disclose their location for fear that the pawpawrazzi may intrude.  So, I am allowed only to post these photos taken before the actual event.

First, here is a portrait of the lovely Miss Camille Suzanne.  Her pristine and delicate beauty is without equal in the feline world.

And here is the handsome and debonair Lacocoon Dante who has so fervently declared his interest.

One thing they have in common, for sure, is that they both look good in white.

Another thing that seems to point to their destiny together is that they each have submitted their pictures for "The Calendar Cats" for January.  Take a look!

Miss Camille Suzanne is indeed a stunning Ice Princess!

And Dante is her mancatly King!  He is a most leonine of felines -- and was actually born in January, too!

Here they are, together for the first time, declaring their love for all to see.  I give you Miss Camille Suzanne and her Lacocoon Dante!

Both Dante and Camille would like you to help them celebrate their fledgling romance by lifting a glass and toasting to love.  For love spans the years, and the decades and lives through time immemorial!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!

P.S.  If you'd like to know more about Dante's New Year's Eve date with Miss Camille Suzanne, go see "Our Family Cat-a-Blog" to read about it.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: WHAT DOES DANTE SEE?

DANTE SAYS: IT'S BETTER TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE!

These pictures were taken a year ago at Christmas. You will notice that Dante is sitting beside a plastic bag that contains the gift he thoughtfully made for me. I preserved it for posterity!


Dante is very proud of this gift because he made it himself from scratch (so to speak).



It was especially difficult because he had never done this sort of thing before.



Here's Daddy holding up the big boy so you can get a true appreciation of where this present came from!

And here it is! Unveiled in all it's glory! An 8-inch hairball wrapped in green ribbon! Isn't it lovely? Only a Maine Coon could come up with something of this magnitude!

You must realize how special this is, though, because prior to this Dante had never had a furball before in his entire six years of life. I think this one was indeed facilitated by the lovely green ribbon that adorns the gift. (Good thing, too, because we wouldn't have wanted that ribbon to make it's way through Dante's system.)

Dante has a real penchant for ribbon, but I think in this case he swallowed it deliberately, just to make his gift all the more special for Christmas. It's a thing a beauty, and I will treasure it always.

Merry Christmas to all, and may efurryone get the gift they truly deserve. Sometimes the homemade things are actually the best! They're made with LOVE.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM DANTE!

(Biggify for maximum effect.)

THE CATURDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS WITH DANTE

Christmas is less than a week away now, but Dante has been allowed to open one of his presents early. Just look at his new Christmas sweater! Isn't it a beautiful colour?

Dante actually likes his sweater and will even wear it indoors. What he isn't liking at the moment is the cold temperatures outside. We've been in a bit of a deep freeze lately.


Dante actually doesn't mind the snow at all, as we've shown earlier this week. Here he is coming back from a short walk with Daddy. We put on his scarf for a little extra added warmth. It's actually funny how much smaller Dante looks when his floofiness is all covered up and encased in wool.


As soon as he could, Dante headed back to the doorstep to make sure I get the idea to open the door and let him in. I wasn't quite finished with my photoshoot yet, though.


So, poor baby had to be patient and wait for mommy to finish! By the way you may notice this strange cat sculpture and plant in the background. These are both courtesy of my good friend Debbie. The cat was last year's Christmas gift, and the plant (which Walter calls a "giant Chia pet") was this year's Christmas gift. Apparently, this plant, which is basically grasses, is encased in cement which keeps it alive in any kind of weather, with little or no moisture (just like a Chia pet!). It is supposed to stay outside all year long, and is dormant at the moment, but will become very green and lush when spring arrives again. Cool, huh?


Daddy took a picture of the back of Dante's new sweater so everyone could see the lovely reindeer and Christmas tree pattern.


Here's a close-up of Dante in his red scarf, looking rather sauve, I think.


Dressed like this, he could pass as one of Santa's elves!!!


Finally, with this last plaintive look, I succumbed to pressure and let Dante back in the house. He had been extremely patient and I let him know what a good boy he was and how much I love him. He always gets lots of hugs and kisses while taking off the apparel.

That begs the question, does this qualify as "gay apparel"?

If so, I guess we could change the lyrics of the classic carol "Deck the Halls" for Dante as follows:

"Dante in his gay apparel
Fa la la la la la la la la
Troll, the old one we call Carol
Fa la la la la la la la la

Gave to him this Yuletide treasure
Fa la la la la la la la la
More for laughs than for his pleasure
Fa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

He's decked out like some old Trolly
Fa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
What's fun for us is Dante's folly
Fa la la la la la la la la

But Dante's got it all together
Fa la la la la la la la la
He's decked out for wind and weather
Fa la la la la la la la la

And that old Troll, the one named Carol
Fa la la la la la la la la
Gave away her warm apparel
Fa la la la la la la la la

Dante told her "Yule regret it"
Fa la la la la la la la la
Now she's cold and can't forget it
Fa la la la la la la la la

Once inside the Yule log's burning
Fa la la la la la la la la
Dante's heart for Trolls is turning
Fa la la la la la la la la

"Yule come on in and join us, Carol"
Fa la la la la la la la la
Welcome all, both tame and feral
Fa la la la la la la la la

Deck our halls with boughs of holly
Fa la la la la la la la la la
Then all together, we'll be jolly
Fa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

And they had the last laugh, together! Troll and Maine Coon were one in spirit -- and nice and toasty warm, to boot!

DANTE ON THE HUNT!

Fin over at "Housecat Confidential" is hosting Hunt Week, this week. And what better participant than my Dante in his endless quest to nab the evil black squirrel!

It's a lovely sunny day, with just a light dusting of snow. There's a flake or two still falling from the sky. Dante's on the front porch keenly watching for any sign of those dark, dastardly introoders!


Quick as a flash, he was off the porch and around the tree, narrowly missing the little blackguard!


Thwarted for now, Dante retreats.


It's time to regroup (even though it's just him and not a group). Dante gathers his thoughts and renews his resolve.


Aha! The target is in sight once more. Dante hunkers down to the task of stalking his quarry.


Another rush at the little rapscallion only makes it flee back to the tree for safety.


Dante can only watch once more as squirrelly scales the heights of his sanctuary.


This is the reality of the hunt. To stalk, to advance and to retreat again until you have a better chance. There is always a next time. Dante has the true heart of a hunter. He will never give up. He's always watching for the right opportunity. One day, he'll have it!

He's watching you!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: DANTE -- RIDE 'EM COWBOY!

DANTE: THE RETURN OF SUPERMANCAT!

Many of you were remarking on the "cute" Superman shirt Dante wore on his Wordless Wednesday post. This is not the first time he has sported it. And he doesn't like to think it makes him look "cute". He prides himself on being very mancatly, and when he wears this shirt, he feels Super Mancatly!!! Call him handsome, or studly, but never "cute", please!

Besides, now that he has a lady love -- the gorgeous Miss Camille Suzanne, he wouldn't want to have his image tarnished in such a fashion.

The weather turned decidedly colder, so the shirt also provided an extra layer of warmth for Supermancat, although his considerable furs should not require any assistance. His mane just doesn't want to stay tucked in. It's so wild and woolly that it escapes at every opportunity.

So, take a look at Dante, Supermancat, in his latest photoshoot, and marvel at his mancatliness (but not how cute he is).












"Hello, Domino!"


Great big red riding hood!


Supermancat at large!






In the garden with the Christmas lights.




Supermancat surveying his domain!


As a side note, Dante really doesn't mind being dressed up. In fact, I think he secretly likes it. He just goes about as normal. He's a far cry from his brother Dylan who runs away and skulks about in the basement, or Domino who walks as if she's in chains and shackles, when dressed.

Dante is a very amenable pussycat. He's very easygoing and gentle. Something that Miss Camille Suzanne should appreciate, being from the South. Dante is a gentlemancat to the core (even when he's super)!