#pipin the papillon

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I printed a cat wheel for them and Leo is more interested in mugging for the camera than exercising.

Valid, buddy.

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Not just dogs. Meet Leo, he of 14lbs of determinedly stocky floof. Yes, that is my head peeking over his back as he lands one massive paw squarely on the most painful spot.

But dogs, too. Pipin isn't much better because his paws are tinier, meaning there's more force per square centimetre than Leo's big mashy paws.

But Pip's ABSOLUTE favourite spot is... on my head.

Does anyone else’s small dog climb their tits like a mountain goat trying to reach higher ground or are my tits just especially climbable? Asking for me.

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Today's face to face intro day for Gaia-kitten! She's been cleared by the vet and the adult cats no longer have any reaction to her scent, and have done a number of little positive exchanges!

I think it's gone well:

Everyone is on the same bed, napping in peaceful calm. I am very amused that Pip has been banished to the foot of the bed while the cats hold the prime positions (near my hands and in the dip of the blanket along my legs) but he's happy nobody is fighting, as he's been playing (biased) referee and bodychecking anyone who makes Alisaie grumpy.

Also, is it a Maine Coon Thing to make themselves as Long As Possible, along with the Mysterious Wetness?

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Gaia's breeder: She really likes feet... 😓

Me, at the time: ... Okay???

Me, now: Ah. Well, at least she's not actually using her claws.

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Er. Well. Here're my pets:

Sully (d.2023.02): The original gremlin-child, a cavalier x rescue who came back with me from South Korea and appreciated the company of cats far more than she did other dogs. She had the worst health, as is kind of expected from king charles cavalier spaniels. Sully loved Alisaie-cat, and it was mutual.

Alisaie (3-y.o. Ragdoll; Seal Lynx Bicolour): Alisaie, or Nyalisaie, is from LaCatDolls Ragdolls in Kingston, ON. She was initially offered to me as a cat who could be happy as a solo kitten: she's very independent, opinionated, but sometimes lacks a bit of confidence in dealing with her brothers' idiocy. She also Will Not Smack A Baby, which caused Pipin to think he can get away with anything. This seems to be a thing in her maternal line - her mother preferred to stay with her litters far past the usual time, and so does her full sister who's still with LaCatDolls, though she just had her final litter last year.

Alphinaud (d.July 2023): Alphinyan was Nyalisaie's half-brother. He was a cream bicolour ragdoll, which means he was Very Orange and rarely had possession of the braincell, but he was the sweetest boy. He passed of heart failure last July; his breeder and I did all our due diligence with genetic testing and everything, but there're only (last I checked) four genes on two sites that are identified and testable, and both his parents were double-negative as carriers, tested multiple times, and none of the others have shown signs of it. For reference, there are hundreds of identified genes on many sites in humans that have been ID'd.

Anyway, Alphinyan was outgoing, happy, and utterly gorgeous. I miss him a lot.

Leo (3-y.o. Ragdoll, Blue bicolour): Leo is Alphinyan's littermate who stayed at the cattery as a potential sire and eventual show cat. When Alphinyan passed and I was ready for a cat, the breeder offered me Leo, because he's EXTREMELY similar to his brother: sweet, gorgeous, and kind of an idiot. He's a classic Ragdoll: he loves everyone and was VERY DETERMINED to aggressively groom my face within two hours of arriving at my house. He is, however, kind of immature and a bit of a brat sometimes, and Nyalisaie has only just recently started to smack him when he's annoying her. He and Pip are Best Buddies.

There is not a braincell in that head, just love and floof:

Pipin Tarupin (1-y.o. Papillon, tricolour): Pip is a pretty typical Papillon boy: full of sass, too big for his britches, and extremely determined to be within 6' of me at all times. He is, however, incredibly good: he comes to the office with me and behaves himself very well, and is very good at seeking out people who're having a bad day and clowning around to make their day better, or just hopping into a lap and cuddling. He adores Leo and desperately wants to play with Nyalisaie ALL THE TIME.

Someday, I want a Maine Coon, but alas, it hasn't worked out yet

I now have Gaia, aka Ashvale’s Gaia Loghrif. She’s a black tortoiseshell without white, and is the only girl in a huge litter of 8, and is the smallest of all, but she’s still nearly 10lb at 6mo (as compared to her largest brother, who is something like 13-14lb at 6mo). She’s got tortitude, but also has manners and a great deal of patience for the other cats’ shenanigans, and Pip’s.

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I swear that Pip views Nyalisaie as a mother. She's always the first of the floofs he checks in with and defends vigorously from Leo being a brat.

In return, she tolerates him and seems to view him as her weirdly-shaped and intensely strange grown up kitten.

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Gaia-kitten's coat will wind up being a soft mix of all of these colours, but right now, it's still short enough to see distinct patches.

She has Too Much Business to do (the blue jays are back at the feeder, as are the chickadees!) to laze in the sun, but she did come check up on Pip.

Look at the prettiness of a black tortie.

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These two get along so well.

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From @zhanael 's tags:

#op has named their cars after FFXIV girlies and I love that #alisaie is absolutely gorgeous as is gaia

Thank you! I had Alphinyan to go with Nyalisaie, and I miss that boy every damned day:

I also have Pipin Tarupin the Papillon, who is outweighed by every single cat in the household but still wins wrestling matches and referees the occasional spat.

Places Gaia will not fit when she finishes growing.

Bonus: the deadliest of stares from Alisaie:

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Boop them. You know you want to.

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Pipin and Leo have very different priorities when I get home.

Pip: WE WILL WALK. OR I WILL PERSIST IN ANXIETY-FUELLED ANTICS.

Leo: you WILL stay here and cuddle and nap, I will bodily enforce this.

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I have made a terrible mistake. I sat down in a briefly uncomfortable position and...

I am now trapped.

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I have been baking cookies. The boys have taken my being upright and thus not on the couch as a personal challenge or offense.

I have to get up in two minutes now to get the last batch of cookies from the oven.

ETA: the last trays wound up a little bit crunchier than they should but still tasty.

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Pipin the Papillon made it home yesterday and has been settling in well.

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Leo: YOU WILL CUDDLE.

Pip: ... I was here first muuuuuummmmmm why oh I'm a good boy okay.

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While Pip WAS out 'helping' me rake and bag leaves, Leo was not, and yet Leo has laid claim to the warmest spot.