(from left to right....)
HADJI, SNUFFY, RATTY RASCAL, PUNKIN AND SPOOK
It is funny how we sometimes take our critters for granted – or worse, complain and grumble about having to feed them, clean up after them – I won’t even mention the vet bills. Sometimes they can annoy us, drive up the wall, keep us up at night, jump into the newspaper as we try to read it or insist on a lap when we really have some serious reading or work to do. But, most of the time, they have to put up with our schedules which do not necessarily fit their little biological clocks, they listen to horrible noises on TV, put up with our friends who do not always have good pet manners, who ignore them, push them away, even kick at them when they think we are not looking.
There was a time in my life when I did not have any 4 leggeds living in my house. I did not have to vacuum all the time. There were no towels over the furniture to quickly pull off when company came. People could just walk right in and sit anywhere they wanted and not get up with a tiny tumbleweed of cat fur sticking off their butt. I didn’t have to worry if the litter-box was clean or if someone had had an accident on the rug. I could go places over night and not worry about the mess I would find when I came home. Shoot, I could go away for weeks and not have to worry about someone coming to feed anything or how I was going to pay the kennel bill when I finally did come home. I did not have to worry about being invaded by hoards of hungry fleas!!! Ahhhh, freedom!
That freedom was short lived, and though I would like to be able to just take off for a week-end every now and then without lugging 3 cats to the kennel and arranging for someone to come by and feed the outside critters, well, there is something to be said for a warm furry lump curling up in my lap and purring until he snores, or following me around the yard rolling over ever 5 feet to try to get his belly rubbed or yowling at the back door because he is unhappy with the weather.
Last Friday night Snuffy had a seizure. Not a big one, but big enough to scare the life half out of me. He tried to jump up on my lap, stumbled and fell, tried to regain his spot. I grabbed him and he looked dazed, tried to move his legs but they didn’t seem to want to move for him. It took about 5 minutes though it seemed like 5 hours. It was a quiet seizure compared with the kind he had years ago with lots of thrashing and yowling. To be honest, I thought we were about to lose him – that he was having a stroke - he was going to die in my arms. I have been accused of spoiling him rotten. Well, he has had 4 or 5 surgeries, 2 cancer surgeries, 2 surgeries on his tongue just this summer. He has been on one medicine or another ever since we have had him, 10 years it is now.
He eats baby food because it was so hard for him to eat with the tongue surgery.
True, he does not NEED it anymore, and certainly does not eat it off a spoon now, but he loves it. I mean, he polished off a good portion of prime rib just the other night, so he CAN eat. OK, I cut it up real fine, but still… and he is not the only cat I have bought dinner for when we go out. I eat the vegetables and take the meat home. No wonder there is a big sign out front that says SUCKER LIVES HERE! GOOD EATS!!! Well I have not actually seen it – but I am sure the sign is out there somewhere.
Now, don’t get me wrong, the others are not neglected in favor of Snuffy. I spent $8 on a 12 pack of genuine faux fur mice for Rascal at Pet Smart on Sunday. I am glad that store is 65 miles from here. I can’t afford to walk in their door! But, Ratty (Rascal) was just about out of meeses and well, you know how it goes. Ratty helps me so much when I try to sit and meditate. (yeah, right) Here he is practicing, paws folded just so,
ignoring all temptations, mice, toy faux fur ferret (say that 5 times.) And on days of high stress, he washes my hair for me. 
Hadji no longer plays with the mice. He is not a lap kitty, but if you sit on HIS sofa, you MUST pay attention to him. He has a degree in counseling, I am sure, so if you come to my house and are burdened with troubles, just sit on his sofa and he will make you love him.
He rolls, turns upside down, shows off his whiter than white belly and meows very loudly if you should try to ignore him. Yeah, good luck! He and Snuff came here from the SPCA 10 years ago. Hadji is a BIG cat, well, for a house cat. (see the towels?)
Out in the yard, Punkin is seldom out of sight, even when it snows. He loves being around people.
His favorite thing is rolling over in front of you wherever you are and meowing loudly until you are forced into paying attention to him.
Spook, on the other hand, is, well, a bit spooky, often hiding around the corner or watching the goings on from up in a tree. Can you see him way up there?
He is quite the climber yet he is always able to get back down – 
when he is ready. Spook loves to “attack” Punkin, sneaking up on him from behind. I love it when he thinks he is invisible. 
We consider them outdoor cats – but rest assured, they have 2 heated “houses,” their favorite we call the nest next to the back door.
It is funny how we sometimes take our critters for granted – or worse, complain and grumble about having to feed them, clean up after them – I won’t even mention the vet bills. Sometimes they can annoy us, drive up the wall, keep us up at night, jump into the newspaper as we try to read it or insist on a lap when we really have some serious reading or work to do. But, most of the time, they have to put up with our schedules which do not necessarily fit their little biological clocks, they listen to horrible noises on TV, put up with our friends who do not always have good pet manners, who ignore them, push them away, even kick at them when they think we are not looking.
There was a time in my life when I did not have any 4 leggeds living in my house. I did not have to vacuum all the time. There were no towels over the furniture to quickly pull off when company came. People could just walk right in and sit anywhere they wanted and not get up with a tiny tumbleweed of cat fur sticking off their butt. I didn’t have to worry if the litter-box was clean or if someone had had an accident on the rug. I could go places over night and not worry about the mess I would find when I came home. Shoot, I could go away for weeks and not have to worry about someone coming to feed anything or how I was going to pay the kennel bill when I finally did come home. I did not have to worry about being invaded by hoards of hungry fleas!!! Ahhhh, freedom!
That freedom was short lived, and though I would like to be able to just take off for a week-end every now and then without lugging 3 cats to the kennel and arranging for someone to come by and feed the outside critters, well, there is something to be said for a warm furry lump curling up in my lap and purring until he snores, or following me around the yard rolling over ever 5 feet to try to get his belly rubbed or yowling at the back door because he is unhappy with the weather.
Last Friday night Snuffy had a seizure. Not a big one, but big enough to scare the life half out of me. He tried to jump up on my lap, stumbled and fell, tried to regain his spot. I grabbed him and he looked dazed, tried to move his legs but they didn’t seem to want to move for him. It took about 5 minutes though it seemed like 5 hours. It was a quiet seizure compared with the kind he had years ago with lots of thrashing and yowling. To be honest, I thought we were about to lose him – that he was having a stroke - he was going to die in my arms. I have been accused of spoiling him rotten. Well, he has had 4 or 5 surgeries, 2 cancer surgeries, 2 surgeries on his tongue just this summer. He has been on one medicine or another ever since we have had him, 10 years it is now.
He eats baby food because it was so hard for him to eat with the tongue surgery. True, he does not NEED it anymore, and certainly does not eat it off a spoon now, but he loves it. I mean, he polished off a good portion of prime rib just the other night, so he CAN eat. OK, I cut it up real fine, but still… and he is not the only cat I have bought dinner for when we go out. I eat the vegetables and take the meat home. No wonder there is a big sign out front that says SUCKER LIVES HERE! GOOD EATS!!! Well I have not actually seen it – but I am sure the sign is out there somewhere.Now, don’t get me wrong, the others are not neglected in favor of Snuffy. I spent $8 on a 12 pack of genuine faux fur mice for Rascal at Pet Smart on Sunday. I am glad that store is 65 miles from here. I can’t afford to walk in their door! But, Ratty (Rascal) was just about out of meeses and well, you know how it goes. Ratty helps me so much when I try to sit and meditate. (yeah, right) Here he is practicing, paws folded just so,
ignoring all temptations, mice, toy faux fur ferret (say that 5 times.) And on days of high stress, he washes my hair for me. Hadji no longer plays with the mice. He is not a lap kitty, but if you sit on HIS sofa, you MUST pay attention to him. He has a degree in counseling, I am sure, so if you come to my house and are burdened with troubles, just sit on his sofa and he will make you love him.
He rolls, turns upside down, shows off his whiter than white belly and meows very loudly if you should try to ignore him. Yeah, good luck! He and Snuff came here from the SPCA 10 years ago. Hadji is a BIG cat, well, for a house cat. (see the towels?)Out in the yard, Punkin is seldom out of sight, even when it snows. He loves being around people.
His favorite thing is rolling over in front of you wherever you are and meowing loudly until you are forced into paying attention to him.Spook, on the other hand, is, well, a bit spooky, often hiding around the corner or watching the goings on from up in a tree. Can you see him way up there?
He is quite the climber yet he is always able to get back down – when he is ready. Spook loves to “attack” Punkin, sneaking up on him from behind. I love it when he thinks he is invisible. We consider them outdoor cats – but rest assured, they have 2 heated “houses,” their favorite we call the nest next to the back door.
6 comments:
Enjoyed meeting your boys... though I'm not to big on animals....
Your plants in front of the window sure look healthy... love the curtains...
Ohhhh, I loved reading this post!! You told it all so well, but they are such a joy to have around! All your cats are so pretty!! I sure enjoyed meeting your furry friends!
Thanks for the tour of the animal world. However, you did describe in the first part. I'm the one pushing them off of the couch.
I'm glad you have them and enjoy them. I was okay till I saw the part about the prime rib. Come On!
Pretty impressive storm damage pics below. Wow.
Your cat eats prime rib? I rarely get prime rib. Invite me over - I cut up my own.
Ralph
Pitiful, isn't it? I try to be a vegetarian, but then end up with a protein deficiency so my Dr MAKES me eat meat at least once a week. So, I usually order prime rib (I love the garlic and cannot have it at home) I eat as much as I can - and so the cats get most of it...
You are welcome anytime you get to the Eastern Shore of VA. I promise you the best Prime Rib you ever ate - and seconds if you want! Just email me and let me know when to expect you!!!!
And thanks for cutting up your own!!!!!!!!!
Beautiful boys, they are! I have 5 cats as well - all indoors, only 1 male. He's the snuggler of the bunch. Isn't it funny how they all have their own separate personalities?
Post a Comment