Tuesdays With Murray (Chapter 38)

posted by mihow on April 1st, 2008

If somebody from Animal Planet contacted you about taking part in a reality TV show about pet weight-loss (Biggest Loser for pets) would you consider it? Murray’s so fat! Speaking of Murray…

TobyJoe and I have talked about how Murray will most likely be considered Emory’s first childhood pet. Tucker and Pookum are much older and unfortunately, he probably won’t get to know them very well. But Murray should be around for a while.

Lately, Emory and Murray have started to actually play with one another. They have their toys mixed up a bit. For example, Emory really likes to play with the blue cat toy shown above but it doesn’t really bother Murray too much considering they can knock the ball around together. And they do.

Murray and Emory tend to find the same things amusing, take the Swiffer, for example. Both of them love the Swiffer! Which I find really quite strange and since neither one of them speak English, I can’t get a straight answer as to why.

I thought today might be a good day to put together a video of clips featuring how Emory and Murray interact. I want to share it with you today to thank you for all your support lately. (I received some pretty great email last night and when I find the time, I do hope to write everyone back personally.)


Lastly, and this may sound a little silly, but when I watched the final video, it brought tears to my eyes. I hope you enjoy it as well.

UPDATED TO ADD: Lisa posted a video of Murray when he was just a wee little man. Check it out.

41 Responses to “Tuesdays With Murray (Chapter 38)”

  1. CC Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 09:47 AM

    Oh Murray looks lovely!

    One of my dogs is a bit podgey…but that might be because he always tries to eat my other dogs food when I’m not looking!

  2. mihow Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 09:49 AM

    CC: I thought I’d start really regulating Murray’s food intake, so now we have specific feeding times and amounts. And all he does is wait until I’m not looking, finishes his food from his bowl and then takes over Tucker’s.

  3. heathercoo Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 10:11 AM

    Aww Murray looks so soft and squishy. Is he heavy? Like does he feel solid when you pick him up? I have a cat that doesn’t look that big but when you try and pick him up you get a shock to how much he weighs. Feels like a tonne.

    As for the regulating his food intake, I have to do that with my dog. If I left her food out all of the time she would be HUGE! She already weighs 60lbs so she doesn’t need any help. haha.

    Oh and Emory is so darn cute too.

  4. erica Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 11:01 AM

    just commenting here to answer your question since the other comments are closed:

    basically, any student in nyc is guaranteed a spot at their “zoned” high school. but if you don’t want to go to that school for whatever reason-bad neighborhood, doesn’t have programs in the stuff you’re interested in, etc-you can apply to other schools. some you have to take tests to get into, some you are admitted based on your standardized test scores, some you are admitted based on your grades, some you audition for, and some have other application processes. the same thing happens with junior high but to a lesser extent.

  5. Milissa Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 11:03 AM

    What I love is how you just know what each of them is thinking:

    Murray: “It’s OK, Em. I’ll let you play with my toy.”

    Emory: “It’s OK, Murray. I’ll let you play with my toy.”

  6. jenny Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 11:04 AM

    LOL! I’m in the middle of a “Biggest Loser Feline Edition” friendly competition with some other bloggers to see whose cat can lose the most weight in 3 months. So far my cat has lost 0.2 lbs and I’ve gained 3 lbs.

    I’ve become totally obsessed with trying to get my cats to eat more protein because I learned that dry food is to cats what potato chips are to humans.

    Let me know if you want me to send you the link that shows you how to make your own healthy cat food… by grinding up chickens and rabbits. :)

  7. CanadianMommy Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 11:09 AM

    That is a fantastic picture. Murray doesn’t look too big, my sister in law has a cat who is easily twice the size he is and its all in width, she looks like a furry beach ball with legs. Man your kid is cute!

  8. Gillian Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 12:26 PM

    I also live in fear of getting the Fat Cat lecture from my vet.

    PS Your kid is cute as hell. You must daily have to defend him from strangers who want to drizzle honey on his little baby fingers and gobble them up. Nom nom nom.

  9. Tara Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 01:20 PM

    Would Murray get paid in money or only in fame? Money is better.

  10. mj Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 02:00 PM

    I LOVE how Emory screeches when he’s excited – totally adds to that adorable video.

  11. Becky Y Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 02:16 PM

    Aww! The video made me laugh AND brought tears to my eyes too. Sparty waits for Max outside his bedroom door every morning. I let Max out of his crib and open the bedroom door where he makes a beeline for the cat to give him a pat and says…something. I can’t make out what Max says, yet. But I’m guessing it’s something like “good morning Sparty!” LOL

    As for your previous post, I can’t believe someone called you racist! I totally got your fish metaphor and the word “racist” never entered my mind. I saw the teens as a faceless (colorless) teaming mass. shrug Don’t let the turkeys get you down.

  12. Monique Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 02:21 PM

    Omg, Emory is sooo cute. I love how he scooches across the floor.

    Murray looks like a kitten in some of the shots, like when he’s checking out what Emory is doing, eyes all big watching the ball move. But he’s got the pudge going on in the belly area. He looks all cuddly!

  13. Julie Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 02:55 PM

    Oh my goodnesssssss… it WAS Tear inducing!! That song… what were you doing to us with that song! So perfect. Thanks for sharing it with us… as a lover of cats and babies, it was lovely.

  14. KidKate Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 03:45 PM

    Awwwwww! And LOOK WHO’S CRAWLING!!

  15. aimee Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 03:59 PM

    AWWWW!!! That was awesome.

    I had the same problem with feeding and one cat scarfing everyone else’s food too. I solved it temporarily by feeding everyone in different places around the apartment – B ate by the bathroom, 7 ate in the office, K ate on the kitchen floor and P ate on the kitchen counter.

    Then I switched to a different food – one that they don’t seem to like as much – and voila! No more scarfing! The kids get California Naturals and 7 gets Wellness Indoor.

  16. Michele Chaves Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 05:41 PM

    You have the cutest, happiest little guy! That little movie is adorable. My daughter LOVES watching Emory videos, she asks for them all the time.

    Just yesterday when I asked her the name of her new baby doll, she said “baby Emory!” She then proceeded to reenact your movies with her baby Emory—wiping his nose, tickling his tummy. It is hilarious.

  17. mihow Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 06:09 PM

    Michele: that’s really, really strange. Reason being is (and I hope that she reads this) our nephew, Shep, is the same way with Emory and his videos. It’s really strange! He’s apparently always asking to see the movies over and over again. SO freaking funny!

    And your daughter is just lovely, so beautiful, so amazing. Maybe they can go to prom together one day! Oh, wait, Emory is much younger. Maybe they can date sometime after college! Or something. :]

  18. mihow Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 06:16 PM

    Errr, by “she” i mean my sister-in-law. She tells me the same kind of stuff about how her little boy feels about Emory videos.

  19. katie Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 08:17 PM

    I love how Emory’s legs get going when he’s excited. I thought the swiffer clip was hilarious.

  20. Laura Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 08:39 PM

    I just love your blog (and Murray, of course!). I’m not much of a baby person, but it looks like you got a good one with Emory. ;)

    We have three indoor cats and one has a tendency to be overweight while the other two are not so much. But all of them have to eat the same kibble, so they each get 1/4 cup of Science Diet Hairball Light 2x a day. And boy, do they whine that they’re starving when it’s a few hours till kibble time. I think they suck in their cheeks and flop over to say, Look how weak with hunger I am!

    BTW, I’m not a terrible cat mom, they do get a snackie every once in a great while. :)

  21. EricaLucci Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 08:47 PM

    Your movie was so beautiful.

  22. corie Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 08:55 PM

    Perfect.

  23. Jessica Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 09:01 PM

    OK, so I cried watching that video. We are expecting our first child, and we have 3 cats. I hope that they are as good of friends with my baby as Emory and Murray are. :)

  24. melhow Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 10:05 PM

    Shepard is totally going to love this! His second favorite thing, after baby Emory videos of course, is Daisy so a cat WITH Emory will make him so happy:) Sadly, I had forgotten you had posted a video until after his bed time.

  25. Mrs.Strizzay Says:
    April 1st, 2008 at 10:28 PM

    Totally sweet!

  26. charm Says:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 05:30 AM

    absolutely LOVE this video

    my cat is just like murray… and i worry that he’s getting fat but then he’ll just have a really really energetic week and be all trim again.

    i hope when i have a baby boags (my cat) will be as tolerant as murray seems to be.

  27. Cindy Says:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 08:58 AM

    Love, LOVE, love! the video and picture of Emory and Murray! They’re great buds, and will continue to be, you can tell.

    My kitty Apollo is a chunk while his sister Bella isn’t. My co-worker adopted their kitty aunt and she looks the same as Apollo in the weight department – so we’re thinking it’s a genetic thing for him. Do you know of any Murray’s blood relatives and if they’re a bit chunky too?

    Thanks for the video, it made my day brighter!

  28. siobhan Says:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 10:08 AM

    Amazing video. I didn’t tear up but I did sigh happily and smile brightly. I loved it.

  29. claudia Says:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 11:11 AM

    of course you teared up…those are you two babies! i almost teared up (though probably because im pregnant and have a kitty like murray that i just adore…)

  30. Leah! Says:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 01:46 PM

    Delurking to say: “Best. Video. Ever.” -your cousin (or second. whatever.)

    I’m gonna have to come over and play with Emory AND Murray now. Once school finishes next month, I’m making a beeline for Brooklyn…or wherever you are by then…

    PS – I have a question for Toby. Could you give him my e-mail address (or vice versa)?

  31. Wendy Says:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 04:33 PM

    I don’t have sound on this computer, so I couldn’t hear it, but loved the video!

    About the food-regulation, a friend of mine has the same problem. Her male cat bullies the female one and eats all of her food. So the female cat has a collar with a microchip, and her food dish is kept inside their end-table which is enclosed, but has a kitty door on one side that only opens when the microchip is right next to it. So if the boy cat is being mean, she can escape inside. And he can’t get her food. He has a food dish with a timer, so it clicks open at a certain time every day (or several times, not sure) with his food in it. It seems to work for them.

  32. lisa Says:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 06:01 PM

    Well, they say the camera adds 5 pounds right? Thank you for this. It’s for all the people who dump their animals when a baby is on the way and miss out on the joy. I remembered this kitten clip… it’s a little long but the end is worth it, Murray throws his weight around!

    http://www.vimeo.com/172537
  33. jenchung Says:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 06:08 PM

    AWWW! That video is so great—those two are lucky to have each other as friends.

    And Curtis loves the Swiffer too.

  34. Tanya Leavy Says:
    April 2nd, 2008 at 09:31 PM

    What a lovely video, that made my day, thanks for sharing Tuesday’s with Murray with us!

  35. Lillet Says:
    April 3rd, 2008 at 11:50 AM

    YOu just made me cry so hard at work! Best video ever!

    (And Emory is just….so… sweet and perfect!!!!)

  36. dietsch Says:
    April 3rd, 2008 at 04:26 PM

    That’s beautiful, mihow. Jen and I really needed that today.

  37. Cynthia Says:
    April 3rd, 2008 at 10:34 PM

    I wrote to you last when I was still pregnant, now we have a beautiful son “Bruce” and he is also “owned’ by our very lovable cats! Our little guy is only seven weeks old, I will be very happy if Bruce ends up friends with LilOne, (he remidns me very much of Murray), what a heartwarming video, thanks for sharing. and p.s. I really enjoy all you share about motherhood, all your writings about everything you’ve gone through/going through really help me.

  38. Amy Says:
    April 4th, 2008 at 02:35 AM

    That video is so cute! I found your blog when I was pregnant and have been reading it for a while now (my daughter is now 4 months old). I can identify with a lot of the things you’ve gone through, and appreciate your willingness to share. Thanks for making me smile :)

  39. Laurie Says:
    April 5th, 2008 at 11:16 AM

    loved that vid mihow! I smiled a goofy, senimental smile the WHOLE time

  40. mary Says:
    April 5th, 2008 at 11:25 PM

    Lisa turned me onto your blog (I know her from BARC) and it’s such a joy! Thanks for letting us keep an eye on both of your babies as they grow up together.

  41. ashbloem Says:
    April 6th, 2008 at 02:28 PM

    Aw that was so damn sweet I almost welled up.

    One of my cats is so ridiculously fat.

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