DenmasterAs part of the Cat Scouts merit badge program, a group of Cat Scouts got together to tell stories and share poetry and photos about Thanksgiving. What a great group of cats!
It seems my Mom is better at helping me build cars than telling a story!
There is so much to be thankful for….where do I start?
I guess the first thing to be thankful for is the Pilgrims. They came all the way across the ocean and didn’t even get a Merit Badge for it. I’m thankful that they had turkey for the first Thanksgiving and not…dare I say it……cat! Those Indians and Pilgrims were smart, they knew we would be great mousers and fine companions.
I’m thankful that I am a Florida Furkid and a Cat Scout in the Worldwide Wildcats Troop. I’m thankful for the Denmaster, without her there would be no Cat Scouts and there would be many hooligans on the loose! Most of all, I’m thankful for my forever home. Mom and Dad, my sister Ellie and my little brofur Raz. One more thing…..I’m thankful for TURKEY!!! The turkey in my picture is nice but not very tasty.
Here’s my Thanksgiving story. Believe it or not. 🙂 Did you know that there almost wasn’t turkey at the first Thanksgiving?
Here’s what happened. As Scout Buckeroo told us, there were lots of cats that came over on the Mayflower to America. One of those cats was named Chauncy.
Chauncy was a big ol’ brown tabby mancat known to be rather fat and lazy. Now on the day of the big Thanksgiving feast, the Pilgrim peeps were all running around trying to get stuff ready for the big dinner.
The uncooked turkey was sitting in a pan just waiting to go into to oven. Then the Indian peeps showed up. While the Pilgirm peeps were welcoming the Indians, no one saw a vishus deer walk up to the food table…no one ’cept Chauncy who, being the lazy cat, was laying under the table hoping a scrap or two of food would fall onto the floor for him. Chauncy saw that vishus deer sniff the turkey and then grabbed it in his big vishus deer mouth and run off with it.
Now Chauncy was kinda afraid of vishus deers…as most of us cats are…but he knew he couldn’t let that deer run off with dinner. So he ran after him. The vishus deer ran to some trees still holding the turkey in his mouth. Chauncy got about 10 feet away from the deer, raised up on his back legs and let out the loudest meow he could muster. MEEEEEEOOOOOWWRRRRRR!!
The vishus deer, thinking there must be a lion around, dropped the turkey and ran away. Chauncy waited a few minutes to make sure the deer wasn’t coming back. Then he went over and grabbed the turkey in his mouth and dragged it back to camp.
By this time, the Pilgrim peeps realized that the vishus deer had stolen the turkey and they saw Chauncy run after it. Then they heard Chauncy’s loud meow. It scared them, too! Before they could react, they saw Chauncy walking towards them dragging the turkey along with him.
A cheer went up! ”Yay Chauncy! You saved the turkey!” The Pilgrim peeps took the turkey and washed it off, because it had gotten dirt and stuff all over it, not to mention it had vishus deer cooties on it. Then they put it in the oven to cook it.
At dinner, the Pilgrim peeps gave Chauncy his very own plate of turkey to eat. If it wasn’t for Chauncy, there would’ve been no turkey at the first Thanksgiving, just mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Cat Scouts. *saluting*
PS: I just wanna say that I’m thankful for Cat Scouts. What a great group of cats we are doing fun stuff like sitting around the campfire telling stories, earning cool badges and competing in the Cardwood Derby. If it wasn’t for Cat Scouts, I’m sure I’d be a hooligan and getting into trouble.
I am thankful for my hoomins who rescued me from the junkyard. I am happy to be a house cat now! And, I have some turkey jokes for thanksgiving:
Q:What did the turkey say to the computer?
A: Google, Google, Google
Q: Why did they let the turkey join the band?
A: Because he had the drumsticks.
Q: Why did the police arrest the turkey?
A: He was suspected of fowl play.
A Thanksgiving Poem by Bobcat Mauricio
Sometimes my mother calls me a turkey.
But I know she must be joking.
I don’t have feathers but black and white furs.
And though I can be really loud,
I don’t gob…, gobble, gobble, but meow and purr!
Just in case I’m not a cat,
but a mutant Thanksgiving turkey,
I’m going to find a place to hide
‘til dinner- time is well finished,
so I won’t be plumply stuffed roasted,
carved and served.
Besides…I think I am More of a ham than a turkey.
Thanksgiving is a very special time for me. I was adopted early in November and Thanksgiving was the first holiday I got to spend with my new family. I was very lucky to be adopted. My Mom and my brothers and I lived outside in a trailer park in Miami. The people there were kind to us but really couldn’t afford to take care of us. A wonderful rescue saved us and now we all have forever homes. I am very thankful for my forever home and for the kind people who do rescue all over the world. If you can, thank a Cat Rescue person today. They help kitties like me have good, loving homes and great lives!
The first picture is of me last year – wasn’t I little? The second picture is me now. Mom tried to get me to pose the same way but I wanted to pose sitting down. Mom says I still have my cute kittenish face. I’m thankful for my Mom and Dad and for my two sisters. And, of course, for Cat Scouts and my great troop the Worldwide Wildcats!!!
Thanksgiving is always special for me cuz I was adopted in October. I remember some of what it’s like to be wandering the streets in the rain and cold. I’m so very thankful to M & D for adopting me. I am very thankful for my nice, warm, dry home with food in my dish (well if it wouldn’t be for this silly d.i.e.t.) a warm bed to snuggle in with my humans and for being treated like the king of my castle (which I am) he he
If I’d been at the very first Thanksgiving I would have been UNDER the big table where all the food was brought for the settlers and Indians to eat and every time a bit of turkey or ANYTHING dropped on the ground I would have been the FIRST to grab it and and take it back to my hiding spot behind the village where my family would be waiting for me…..I would have shared the food with them and been VERY thankful that we had something to eat because not a lot of feral cats back then ate very well…..just what they could hunt. I’m sure that the cats who were at the very first Thanksgiving were just as thankful as the humans.
As for now, I am thankful every day that my parents adopted me as a feral kitten from the shelter 13 years ago – my life has been wonderful all these years. I may be a little achy in my joints and maybe I don’t hear as well as I used to, but I give thanks every day for all I have…..
This Thanksgiving I am thankful for a warm home and a full belly. And a family that loves me. Cause I know there are many kitties that don’t have a home. And I am hoping I can get a piece or two of turkey if I sneak around the table enough.
Stealin’ Home Strollercat Jake
Jake is wearing the Thanksgiving-inspired costume he modeled at the recent Westchester Cat Show in White Plains, NY, where he was honored as CAT OF THE YEAR!
Angel eats the turkey while Jake models his frou-frou outfit.
Sassy Sushi and her mom
Sushi, shown above with her Mom, is thankful she recently survived the typhoon in the Philippines, where she lives. She also has a lovely Thanksgiving story:
One day I heard Mom and her friend talking about my Grampa while I was trying to catch some Zzzz. They were talking about Grampa’s love for cats and why it came about. You’ll see at the end of the story why I’m very thankful things happened the way they did.
It was early evening. Bobby was on his way home from school. There were no clouds and the full moon shone brightly in the sky. As he passed by a cluster of trees, Bobby saw a man stepped out of the shadows and began to follow him.
”Now, who would be following me at this time of the night?”, he thought.
”Couldn’t be one of my friends… None of my friends are that big!”
”Besides, all of my friends are scared of the dark! None of them would be caught dead walking here!”
”Wait a minute, why is he walking faster now? And, what is that thing he is pulling out of his waist? It’s a… knife!!!”
Just when Bobby was about to run away, a cat from a tree jumps on the guy’s shoulder. He heard a loud ”Meowwwww!!!” followed by an even louder ”Aaaaargghhhhh!!! Get off me!!!”
Bobby looked back and he saw a light gray cat with all of its claws firmly embedded in the creepy man’s shoulder! It was the same cat that he had been feeding that week. The creepy man was now crying out in pain. As soon as the man began running away from that place, the light gray cat let go of the man’s shoulder and ran after Bobby.
Bobby saw the cat. He stopped running and knelt down to pick up his furriend.
The cat walked up to him, purred gently and climbed up into his arms. That light gray cat saved Bobby’s life. He cradled the cat and brought it home with him.
Bobby is Mom’s Dad, my Grampa.
It turned out that Meow-be was a trained cat scout looking for a new home and he found one!
Mom obviously got Grampa’s love of cats. I remember how Mom kept telling me that she couldn’t sleep after seeing me. She said that she had to have a cat just like me. A few weeks later, we saw each other again. This time, she was not just any human. She became my mom!
What am I thankful for? A lot!!!
I’m thankful for Scout Meow-be for being very brave in saving Grampa’s life. Without Grampa, there won’t be Mom. Without Mom, I won’t have my furever home.
I know that my mom does some crazy things…sometimes. (Yes, Mom, you do. Remember that time you put that sitcker on my nose?) But I wouldn’t want anyone else to be my mom. Too bad I didn’t have the chance to meet Mom’s Dad. I’m sure that he’s a swell guy!
I am thankful for my mommy. She adopted me from a no-kill shelter. She gives me good food, water, treats and a little milk. I like milk.
Buckaroo Foobar
This is a pikcher of Guvner Willyum Bradferd, the ferst guvner of Plimmith colony. He is my lady’s 10th grate grandfather. So I have ferst-hand nolidge of whut wint on at the ferst Thanksgiving.
Guvner Willyum Bradferd was a reel cat persun. He brot lots of cats on the bote they rode to Amarika on becuz he new that cats loved to eat rats and botes were full of ’em. Win they got to Amarika, Guvner Willyun Bradferd and his cats made frends with the Indiuns.
The ferst Thanksgiving wuz GRATE! Becuz the pilgrumz came frum Englund, they only new how to make English foods like spotted dik and todes in the hole and cullen skink. And they slatherd Daddy’s Brown Sause all over evrything to make it taste not as bad. The Indiuns shode them how to make fresh terkey with Peppridge Farms stuffing and gravey and jello mold and pumkin pie. Ixsept the pumkin pie wuz not served with reddy wip or cool wip, wich frankly, is the best part of Thanksgiving next to the terkey. But the ferst Thanksgiving wuz a Fansy Feest, wich is how that cat food got its name.
The pilgrum cats had to eat at the kids’ table, wich wuz better than not gitting to eat at all. Or gitting eaten. The Indiuns were funny that way, so the pilgrim cats had to be kind of vijilunt around the Indiuns. They tride to stay a little on the skinny side becuz Indiuns did not bother to eat boney cats.
I am thankful that I am part of such an illustreeus famly. I am ixsited about gitting to sellubrate my ferst Thanksgiving, and am espeshully thankful I won’t have to sit at the kids’ table. In fakt, I’m thankful I don’t live with skreemy kids.
THE END.
Scout Obi told this story:
*clears throat*
It took the pilgrims many days to get to Plimmith. And once they got there, they stayed on the ship because of a rly bad winter, and finally in teh springtime they sed O HAI, I can has friendship? to Squanto teh Indian.
Squanto taught teh starving pilgrims how to grow corn and stuff like that. But Squanto’s kitteh taught all of teh English kittehs how to scratch maple trees and not get sap in yoor furs, open cans of toona, and not to bury their doody wif poisonous plants. He also helped them make moar friends with the nearby Wampanoag Indian tribe and not to get nommed by them.
After teh first successful corn harvest, Guvnor Willyum Bradford organized a beeg fancee feast and invited their new Wampanoag friends. The feest was full of yummeh things – corn stuffed squeekers, fresh burds, toona, and wheat & oat grass salads topped wif catnip. It was the first time a meal of this kind was had in teh USA. Usually the kittehs and the Indians had to eat outside and not at teh table using the gud china and silverware.
I’m thankful for all those who who strive to make homeless cats’ lives better. And I’m Thankful for mah family, and for catnip, and for mah Big Sleeky Scritcher in teh living room. And for CatScouts, because you all make me smile every day!
Okay, mine will be a lil’ different, but it’s something I just learned and me and my meowmy are so happy about it, I wanted to share it with all of you!
My meowmy helps a group called Underground Railroad Rescued Kitties Network – she helps transport kitties to get them to their forever homes. Well, she had signed up for a transport early in September for two cats named George and Heather. George had been rescued from a shelter and taken to a special cat sanctuary where he bonded with a young, three legged tortie cat named Heather. The two soon became inseparable. A lady across the country heard their story and offered a forever home to the two together, which was just amazing. The transport group put together a transport to get them from Washington state to Indiana. Well, there was these two people who had worked with the sanctuary before and they offered to bring the two cats with them on an airplane, which everyone was happy about, since it saved two whole days of travel time for the cats. So they cancelled the URRKN transport and we all wished George and Heather a safe flight instead.
Next thing we hear is that one of the people who were traveling with the cats suffered some chest pains on the plane, so when they transferred planes, the people got off while the one went into the hospital. We were all very worried for the lady. The next day, she was better, so the couple rented a car and were going to drive the rest of the way to Indiana. Along the way, the lady suffered more chest pains, so she went back into the hospital. There, the story stopped. The foster home and the new home spent a week trying to contact the couple who had George and Heather, with no word from them! They left countless messages, they checked with the area hospitals, rental car agencies, etc, trying to locate the couple. If the lady was seriously ill, then the foster home and URRKN wanted to get George and Heather and continue to help them get home. But still… no word. We all began to get very worried. Where were George and Heather?? Were they safe?? Were they together? Remember, George and Heather are very bonded. Were the people okay, and WHY weren’t they getting in touch? Where was everybody?? Why was there no word from the couple that had the cats?? Was the lady okay??
For the past month and a half, George and Heather have been missing. They just disappeared into thin air. Two cats, on their way to their forever home. The foster got the police and local animal control involved in the search. Soon, word trickled down that perhaps the two people who had offered to fly George and Heather weren’t the kind, generous people they were supposed to be; that they may in fact have been abductors instead of helpful transport. The police soon warned the foster home and the people involved not to say anything in social media because the ’abductors’ may be watching. The whole situation escalated to a super worrysome and stressful affair, even more so than before. Where were George and Heather?? What happened to them? Were they, God help us, even still alive??
Today, November 25th, word came that they are safe!!!! They are SAFE! This is the message the foster parent was allowed to show:
”OMG!!! HEATHER AND GEORGE ARE SAFE!!!!!!!! We are not allowed to give any more details, so please don’t ask, but they are safe, healthy, and together!!!!!!!!”
They are absolutely, 100% positive that George and Heather are safe and together and WILL SOON BE GOING HOME!!! Finally. What an incredible journey for these two cats. And, they were found during Thanksgiving week. I don’t know if they will make it home before Thanksgiving, but I am so grateful they were found at last, and are safe, and are together. That totally makes me and my meowmy’s Thanksgiving.
George and Heather
The ABC’s of Thanksgiving A~America where the first Thanksgiving was held. B~Boat that brought the pilgrims to America. C~Corn D~Drum Stick E~Eating food F~Feast G~Gobbling turkeys H~Harvest I~Indians joining the celebration J~Jolly laughs K~Kids playing L~Love of family and friends~ M~Mayflower N~Nuts O~ P~Pilgrims Q~Quickly filling your plates R~Rock where the Pilgrims landed, Plymouth Rock~ S~Squash T~Turkey U~Upset tummy from eating too much delicious food V~Vegetables W~Wigwams where the Indians lived~ X~X marking your spot at the table ~ Y~Yams Z~Catching some zzzzzs after a big meal. I hope you liked my ABC’s of Thanksgiving. Now I would like to take this time to say that I am thankful for my forever family. They are the bestest of the best. I added a photo of my folks and one of our grandbeans. Wishing you, your loved ones, and your friends a very Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Story
By Tiger
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Since my mom is part Native American, I am going to honor her & tell a story from the point of view of a native kitty named ”Nuttah,” which is Algonquin for ”my heart.”
Once upon a time many moons ago, Nuttah was chasing some birds on the beach when she saw some strange vessel floating from the big waters up to a big rock by the shore. She was curious about this unusual sight so she hid in some tall grass nearby to watch. Nuttah saw people dressed in strange regalia stepping off of the vessel. She became a little scared and ran back home to the village where she curled up on a warm wool blanket.
A few weeks later, Nuttah heard talk around the village of the new comers and decided that the curiosity was too much for her. She hiked out to where they were camping and crept around snoopervising the activities. They talked in a strange language and seemed very stressed. Just then Nuttah heard a timid ”meow.” Then another… Who could that be? Then she looked around and saw a kitty just like herself!
”Hello, my name is Nuttah. Who are you?”
”I’m Percy. I came here on the Meowflower from a land far away called England. My job was to eat mice & rats on the boat. Now that we are here, we are struggling to survive. I am finding a good number of small animals for hunting but my people are in trouble…”
Nuttah told Percy not to worry that she would talk to the humans in her village. Her people had been here many years and they were prospering in this land. They were good people and perhaps they would be willing to help Percy’s people. She asked Percy to come with her to the village.
When they got there, Nuttah took Percy back to her wigwam. She found her mom and introduced her to Percy. Nuttah told her mom that Percy’s people needed help. They weren’t able to survive and Percy was scared and sad to be losing so many people. Nuttah’s mom said she would ask her brother, Squanto, and some of the others from the village to help Percy’s people.
Over the next several months, Nuttah & Percy became the very best friends. Nuttah’s family and friends taught Percy’s people how to survive in the new world. They showed them how to grow crops and live off of the land. They taught them about hunting and how to preserve food. Before anybody knew it, Percy’s people were prospering in the new world. Percy was so happy!
One day Percy came running into Nuttahs village. ”Nuttah, Nuttah! Guess what!? My people are inviting your people to a harvest festival to give them thanks for all of their help! Nuttah, would you ease come also as my guest? Your help and friendship has changed my life.”
”Of course I will, Percy! Your friendship has changed my life too. I’m so glad we met.”
Nuttah and Percy had a wonderful time at the festival of thanksgiving. They remained close friends for the rest of their lives. Two cats from far away worlds who came together to help others.
The End
Well, thanksgiving in Canada did not start with one big event, like the pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock. The great explorers such as Martin Frobisher, seeking the Northwest Passage and Samuel de Champlain brought the European and English customs of the fall harvest feasts to Canada in the 1500 and 1600’s.
The Order of Good Cheer was adopted by the explorers where they shared the bounty of the harvest with the 1st. nation people. After the American Revolution, some of those that were sympathetic with Britain moved to Canada and brought the customs of turkey, squash and pumpkin. Our Thanksgiving is about a month before the American Thanksgiving and probably coincides with the actual harvesting of pumpkins, squash etc. This is nice but what about the cats that came from the old world and the States….how did they celebrate Thanksgiving?
Canadian cats were pretty tough and had many difficulties in just surviving. The weather was pretty cold and hunting became difficult as the fall months wore on. However, as we look into Andre’s window we see him, his wife, nip and their 2 sons fric and frac singing and playing games. They have just finished a dinner of smoked mouse and cranberry sauce. Thanksgiving to this little family means loving and togetherness. May your Thanksgiving be as plentiful.
I am thankful that no one decided I should wear a turkey outfit. I am very thankful that I have Chey’s head to sit on and that I have Gemini to chase and Mom’s lap to sit on and lots of treats to eat. And cat food. I’m thankful for cat food.
Those Thanksgiving stories and poems were awesome. I am very proud to be included in the company of these fine cat scouts. I was so surprised to see my picture and name I almost wet myself!! Mom shoved me off to the kit lit just in case. Thank you Denmaster and all the hoomins that had to type all these words.
*salute* *pawclasp*
The Thanksgiving stories were all very nice to read. Make me feel warm and fuzzy to hear of the many blessing we have.
Love all the Thanksgiving stories!! Us cats have so much to be thankful for ☺ ♥ ♥ *Pete salutes* to Denmaster & fellow Cat Scouts
Proud to be part of all these wonderful stories.Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.
What a bunch of SUPER DUPER stories and photos…..this was one of the BESTEST Thanksgivings ever……I hope everyone had as wonderful a time as I did. Now bring on the next holiday!! YAY!
Scout Sam
I loved reading everybuddy’s stories and poems and seeing the pictures. I hope you had a very nice Thanksgiving, Denmaster, and got some whipped cream. I did…and it was the best! *salutes*
Enjoyed reading everycat’s entry. Denmaster, I hope you had a very wonderful thanksgiving. I’m also wishing and purring that your MIL gets better and recovers from all these very soon.
Denmaster, hope you and Mr TF and Tripper and Mao and Buckaroo had a good thanksgiving.
Thank you, Scout Fleetwood! It was nice even though Mr TF’s mom was in the hospital. We had a quiet celebration, and LOTS of turkey for the kittehs. Hope you had a good Turkey Day as well! [salutes]
Dear Denmaster, It is so cool to have this compiled. Thank you so much. I really enjoyed reading everyone’s stories. Happy Thanksgiving! Purrs, Mauricio
Thank you for the great poem, Scout Mauricio! [salutes]
Such great Thanksgiving stories!! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
*salutes* *paw clasp*
Scout Raz