DANTE AT THE OLYMPICS: KEEPING US IN THE LOOP!

Dante is one of the Canadian competitors in the Biathlon at the Sochi Winter Olympics.  He is competing in the 'Men's PURRsuit'.

"The word biathlon is of Greek origin and means “two tests”.  In this case, the two tests are skiing and shooting.  The sport has its roots in snow-covered Scandinavia where an important survival skill was the ability to hunt on skis with a rifle slung over the shoulder.

Biathlon would make its official Olympic debut at the 1960 Winter Games in Squaw Valley.  Women would compete in Olympic biathlon for the first time at Albertville 1992.  There are now five events each for men and women as well as a mixed relay which will make its debut at Sochi 2014.

The men's event is 12.5km while the women's event is 10km. This event features the top 60 biathletes from the sprint starting at intervals based on their finishing order and times behind the winner of the sprint race. Essentially everyone chases, or pursues, the sprint gold medallist. There are four rounds of shooting, the first two in prone position and the last two in standing position, separated by five laps of a 2.5km loop for men and a 2km loop for women. The punishment for missed shots is to ski the 150m penalty loop. The first competitor to cross the finish line is the winner."  (from the Canadian Olympic Team Official website)

(Biggify for detailed view)

Here is Dante 'in the loop' at the Sochi Olympics.  He has a rather unique one-pawed technique for shooting his rifle.  It obviously works for him because he's one of the top biCAThletes in Canada.

Dante first started to cross-country ski in PURRsuit of non-hibernating rodents.  However, they proved to be a little too quick for him.

So he took up shooting because he thought it would slow them down.  The squirrels were none too happy to be used for target practice, let me tell you.  However, Dante was such a bad shot, initially, that no rodent was physically harmed in the PURRocess (although he almost frightened them to death, and the mental trauma lingered for some time to come).

So the local squirrel population took to the tops of the trees to stay out of  Dante's sights.  'Out of sight, out of mind', they hoped.  

Meanwhile Dante was happily improving both his cross-country skiing and shooting skills.

You'll just have to wait to see his Olympic results, though, because he's still 'in the loop'!

P.S.  If you'd like to see Dante's brother, Dylan in the Alpine Skiing Event and his sister, Domino in the Ladies Figure Skating competition, just go to Wendy's 3-D Cats.

DANTE'S HIDE!

Dante appears to be hiding under the deck bench in the back.

 "Yoo may fink I'm hidin' out ...

... BUTT I'm jus' tryin' ta covah it -- my HIDE, dat is!"

 There's one thing that Dante should know.  Just like there's more than one way to 'skin a cat' ...

... there's more than one way to HIDE it!

DANTE BIG FOOT: THE MISSING LYNX?

???

DANTE: ALMOST BACK TO NORMAL

This is Dante post-veterinary intervention.

 Efurrything looks quite normal and ...

 ... he seems happy to be getting a breath of fresh air.

 BUTT looks can be deceiving because not efurrything is as it was before the V-E-T used her 'shear' terror tactics.

"Boy wuz it a close shave!" exclaims Dante.

So, although this isn't quite the end of the tail ...

... it's always good to know, that things could have been much, much worse!

DANTE'S GROUNDHOG DAY TACTICS!

Last year Dante successfully thwarted the groundhog on Groundhog's Day by not allowing him to see his shadow.  However, this year he has taken even greater precautions due to a terrorist threat to keep us in PURRpetual winter.

February 2, 2014

Dante is a memPURR of a secret Underground Organization.  His assignment was to dig up the Groundhog on Groundhog Day's Eve, to subdue him and take him to a secure location until Spring arrived.  So Dante put a blindfold on the Groundhog and tied his wrists together snugly.

He also put this hat on the Groundhog to make sure that he would be identified as an "Enemy of the State". Anyone who is in kahoots with terrorist forces and plots to forestall Spring deserves nothing less.

 So Dante 'groundhog-tied' the Groundhog to his sled ...

... and off they went to their secret destination.

By this time it was getting light and there were plenty of shadows being cast by the sun, so it was a good thing that Dante had blindfolded the beastly beast.

It was a short journey to the Fortress of Catitude, where another memPURR of the secret Underground took charge of The Groundhog.  It looks like this one's an officer of the R.C.M.P.  (Royal Canadian Meowing Pawlice)!

And so The Groundhog was locked in the dungeon and all the lights were turned out!  You may feel sorry for him, but he had all the creature comfurts he could wish for.  They gave him lots of yummy food to eat so his tummy was full, and a mug of hot chocolate (laced with a little sedative).

 His pillow was so soft and billowy, just like a cloud.  It was no time at all until he drifted off to Dreamland.

His attendants put out a note that said "Don't wake up till Spring", but they couldn't resist tickling his feet with feathers and watching him twitch.

And the Groundhog dreamed of warm weather, green grass, flowers and clover, and when he woke up ...

... it was SPRING!!!

Dante's 'Opurration Springtime' was a real success after all!

DANTE DOES SOCHI CHIC!

Dante is all excited about the upcoming Olympics in Sochi, Russia.  The games begin on Friday, February 7th, so there's not much time left for him to get ready.

No wonder Dante is so interested -- one of his cousins is an official Olympic rePURResentative!

Here is Dante all decked out in his Russian 'Budenovka' hat with a coordinating wool scarf and faux fur boots.

"A Budenovka is a distinctive type of hat and an essential part of the Communist uniform of the Russian Civil War, and later. Its official name was the "broadcloth helmet".  It is a soft, woollen hat that covers the ears and neck and that can be worn under a helmet. The cap has a beak and folded earflaps that can be buttoned under the chin."

When it's warmer, Dante keeps the ear flaps snapped.  Here he gives his Russian hat -- and the Sochi Olympics -- a big RED thumbs up!

"Yoo GO, cuz!", says he.

DANTE'S JANUARY 'THAW'

Dante has always been the THAWtful kind of pussycat, and this only goes to show it ...

"I CAME ...

... I THAW ...

... I CONKERED!!!"

At least we'll have some firewood tonight!