tabs

Sometimes divas need a break, ya know? It’s hard to be on all the time. That’s why it was nice to see Tabs take some much-needed time off this weekend. While I was visiting my friend Jen in San Jose yesterday, Tabs held down the fort here at home/MBB headquarters.

He made pasta, read some magazines and caught up on a ton of his favorite TV shows recorded on the DVR, like Dogs 101 and Giada at Home. He rarely gets any downtime, so he cherishes the weekends where he can just veg and do cat things, like climb trees, study mixology, surf the web for low-fat gravy recipes and practice scratching on his DJ turntable.

Heck, I can’t even remember the last time Tabs spent a full weekend just chillin’ like this at home.

I worry sometimes that he works too hard…but at least he doesn’t have a really busy week ahead of him. No international travel, which is nice, but he does have to meet with his local tech team on Wednesday to discuss an upcoming project. He’s been thinking about starting an e-commerce store catering to high-end cat clientele. I can’t reveal any details yet, but I can say that the words “Chanel cat accessories” have been tossed around.

As for me, I’m taking it easy tonight. It’s not even 9, and I’m already in my stretchy pants with a cup of Sleepytime Tea. I don’t want to miss it, but I don’t know if I’m gonna make it to see the Curiosity landing on Mars.

Oh! — almost forgot. Tabs always likes to share his kitty modeling exploits. Here are the most recent pics from his portfolio. 🙂

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Tabs excels at many things — really, he’s like the da Vinci of American Shorthair tabbies — but he sure could use a lesson in subtlety.

Take today’s pet poll. Tabs felt we were overdue for one, but instead of asking nicely for my help, he bit my elbow and barked, “Meow!”

Which is fussy tabby code for, “Get cracking!”

Whatev. There’s no point in arguing with him when he gets like this. It’s better to just concede. 🙂

Who is Tabs the Cat? About five years ago I befriended a stray, flea-bitten tabby cat with a bad case of worms. I could see he’d fallen on hard times, but his profound knowledge of high fashion and department store cosmetics led me to believe that he was more than meets the eye. We became fast friends, and now he’s actually my boss (and a successful kitty model).

The Sundays With Tabs Sunday Pet Poll

Same idea as the Monday Poll. Just copy/paste the list below into your comment. Tabs and I love hearing about your furry and fur-less friends (he also sees it as “researching the competition”).

1. How would you describe your pet in five words?

Husky diva kitty supermodel/entrepreneur.

2. Which Hollywood star would play your pet in a movie about his/her life?

Obviously someone charming and good-looking (obviously). 🙂 And he would have to have some meat on his bones and be able to play a bit of a rough-and-tumble thug. Maybe Christopher Meloni?

3. What’s one thing your pet does that melts your heart?

When he sleeps in our bed through the night, which he rarely does. Most nights he sticks around for a few minutes of lurvies, then leaves once he gets his fill.

4. Are there any foods your pet refuses to eat?

Absolutely. In fact, he’s the only one in this family who doesn’t like Trader Joe’s.

Tabs loves to eat — sliced turkey, wheat bread (yes, wheat bread), seafood, and pretty much anything in gravy) — and he fancies himself as a bit of a feline foodie, but he cannot stand Trader Joe’s cat food. He won’t touch it.

5. Does your pet get along with other animals?

Only animals of the human variety, to which he’s very sweet, but he’s hyper-territorial around other cats.

If he so much as catches a glimpse of a cat far off in the distance, he crouches low, grumbles angrily and puffs up his tail. And if the cat approaches, Tabs takes off after it like an angry lion!

Big sigh… I’ve wanted to get Tabs a sibling for a while, but I’m afraid he’d be a bully.

6. How does your pet feel about cosplay, or playing dress-up?

Big paws up for both! He loves playing dress-up, and he has quite a wardrobe, actually. He’s particularly fond of his yellow submarine costume and shark sweater.

But his favorite outfit by far is his tweed newsboy cap, which he loves to wear on casual Fridays.

7. Do you ever give greeting cards on behalf of your pet?

LOL! Yes. In fact, Tabs just gave a birthday card to El Hub. It was one of those musical ones and had a DJ kitty rapping and scratching over a hip-hop beat.

It got a good laugh. 🙂

8. What’s the longest you’ve spent separated from your pet?

A few years ago El Hub and I spent 12 days visiting his parents in Hawaii, and it was very hard on Tabs, even though he had a pet sitter keeping him company.

He doesn’t deal with change very well…and I know he missed not having me to boss around. I missed him terribly, too.

9. Is your pet naturally athletic?

In a word, no. Let me put it this way: Tabs did not make the kitty Olympic team this year.

I’m sure he thinks of himself as sleek and graceful like a jungle cat, but he’s much more Garfield than Simba.

Back when I knew him as a stray, I would watch him walk along the top of a narrow fence behind our apartment to get to our front door, and every time, I’d hold my breath because his back legs would slip a few times along the way. He always managed to catch himself with his sharp claws, but I was always afraid he’d fall.

1. How would you describe your pet in five words?
2. Which Hollywood star would play your pet in a movie about his/her life?
3. What’s one thing your pet does that melts your heart?
4. Are there any foods your pet refuses to eat?
5. Does your pet get along with other animals?
6. How does your pet feel about cosplay, or playing dress-up?
7. Do you ever give cards on behalf of your pet?
8. What’s the longest you’ve been separated from your pet?
9. Is your pet naturally athletic?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen