Suspicious Chuck

Suspicious Chuck

When we had Shadow/Loretta, we used the parlor as her safe room.  Now that she has gone to her furrever home, the parlor is empty again.  However, when I was in there this morning ...and closed the door behind me...Chucky prowled the exterior, and I think he half-suspected that I was going to reappear with another cat, like the last time!  He had a suspicious look on his face, and he was definitely wary of what I was doing.  When I came back out, I assured him that there were no new cats, and that he was still the Alpha cat around here.  I think he believed me.

The South

Like the rest of you, I've read and heard some pretty intense stories about folks in Atlanta, or other places in the South, that were hit hard by the cold.  My hats off to all the folks who tried to make people comfortable, or who passed out food and water, or kept the store open so people could have a roof over their head.  The West is in a drought, Alaska is melting in the warm temps and rain, and the Mid-West is frozen.

Here's hoping Punxsutawney Phil predicts an early Spring on Monday, Groundhog's Day!

Cat Food Dream

I dreamt that I was visiting a pet store.  I remember everything was in color; the white counter tops, and the fish swimming in their tanks and the stacks of dog food and cat litter.  Could hear the bubbles in those fish tanks...that's how real the dream was!  But the funny part was how people asked for cat food; they sung the advertising jingle to an employee, who then quickly walked to the aisle where that food was stored!  Strange, huh?  Why would I be dreaming of an advertisers perfect idea?  Such a strange dream!

Angel would be dreaming of cat food if I'd stop clicking the camera!

Phew...again

All three 'o' cats came running out to greet me this morning!  It felt as if they just wanted to show off; to prove that they were okay and rarin' to go.  Seeing them frisk about made my heart lift like a helium balloon.  Right now, the snow has ended and the sun is out, as the temps start to plummet.  Looks like we won't see 20's again until after mid-week next week.  Somehow, those three cats are doing okay!  Above is a shot of the pile of ice chunks that I break off of their water bucket twice or more each day.

Old Man Winter

Here are a few photos of the 'o' cats taken yesterday, before it got really windy.  We heat up their bowls and food, hoping the warmth will keep everything mushy enough so they can get a full meal, before it starts to freeze.  On a day like today, however, with wind chills in minus, I've only put out kibble...which freezes too, but after a much longer time.  Sammy did not show up for breakfast or lunch, but he ate a good dinner, and so did Mia.  Patty has been acting a bit strangely; darting around, hiding in a box and NOT in a shelter, and he runs off to the neighbor's garden.  I cannot tell if all three are bunking together right now; my guess is that at least Mia and Sammy are.  Needless to say, my cat mama worries are on high alert; I hear the wind howling in the trees, and I am concerned about my three little furry friends.  Once the snow starts, the temps are supposed to rise...weird, huh?...and the wind will slowly ease.  Old Man Winter is having a himself a splendid time this year, don't you think?

Cat Impression

Grumpy Angel

Little Angel is doing a pretty good Grumpy Cat impression, don't you think?  Check out Grumpy Cats to see what I mean!

P.S. Please send purrs to Amber in Florida; she's been to the veterinarian a few times and  test results on her jaw will be in on Friday.  They thought it was an infection after a tooth extraction, but the x-rays may be showing something else.  Stay healthy, Amber, and let your mom hug and snuggle you!  Sending you warm fuzzies from Michigan.

Angel in the window

Are you looking at me?

When I get home from work, I often see Angel in the window.  Not sure if she's waiting for me, since I pretty much arrive at the same time daily, or if she's watching the world go by, but it's kinda fun to see her there.  Makes the house a home, having a cat in the window.

Gazing out the front window

Angel in the Watch Tower

Foot traffic can easily see Angel's black and white fur, so they too see her in the window.  We watch folks swivel their heads as they stride by, as they play "I Spy" with her.  She's a regular fixture in the neighborhood!

I kissed a cat...and I liked it!

Mama Mia on bottom shelf, Sammy on top shelf

Funny thing with this nasty, cold winter...it's made Mama Mia into a love bug!  She purrs now, and allows me to pet her so much more than ever before.  Sometimes, she won't start eating until she's gotten her fill.  And yesterday, the three 'o' cats swirled around, getting as much 'hands on' time they could get from me, and I leaned over and gave her a big smooch on the noggin!  She did not back away, and...lucky for me..she did not swipe at me with her sharp claws.  Maybe she's witnessed my repeated kisses to the others, so she just decided to give in.  Yippee!

Been smooching kitties since Angel and Chuck were kittens.  Sometimes, I look like Gomez from the Addams Family, when he's kissing Morticia's arm.  Smooch, smooch, smooch down Chucky's back, or even Angel if I can get a hold of her squirmy body.  When Patty O'Malley allowed me to pet him, and now demands petting, head bunts, and licks of my hair (!), I started smooching him too.  Then Sammy got in on the act, and now...ta da!...Mama Mia.  How cool is that?!  

A downside to kitty smooching...fur and motor oil.  Yep, one can get plenty of loose hairs stuck to one's lips and face.  And, of course, the time that I discovered that hubby's old car leaked oil, because a cat hid UNDER that car and I got more than I had bargained for.  Pfft!

Gone to her Furrever Home

Received a text message yesterday, that Shadow/Loretta was being adopted by a super couple who have no other cats.  She will be the queen of her own home, and they were picking her up Sunday afternoon.  I managed to get to the PetSmart about 30 minutes after she'd gone, but that's okay...why make a big, teary scene when she is going off to her happy home?  Goodbye, sweet Loretta...you'll live forever in my heart.  I hope your new humans keep in touch.

Luna

So, I spent some time with a few of Shadow's kittens, including Luna.  What a doll!  She has silvery fur, and big grey eyes.  People just stopped to stare at her, and there were a ton of folks shopping today!  Paws for the Cause are terrific people, and they care so much about feral and tame cats.  Hubby had to plead illness to get me outta there!  

P.S. Please send purrs and healing vibes to my friend Orbit at Peeballs and Pooplogs.  Orbit is a rascally old fellow, who isn't feeling 100% and is going to the veterinarian.  Wishing him a quick recovery from whatever he's got going, and a special hope to his humans who are beside themselves with worry.

Whaz dat on the floor?!?

???

Came home for lunch today, and this sight greeted me.  Oh noes!  Could it be?

I got closer, then closer still.  No smell, but it certainly looks like...

I sucked in a deep breath, and let it out.  The thing moved!  It rolled, actually.

Carefully, I reached out a hand...and grabbed it.  A whole pecan!  Where'd that come from?  Must have fallen from the table, knocked off by a cat paw, or a neglectful human.

Whew!

Life Lesson at Minus 13 Degrees

I was in a car accident on the way home from work last night; my rear bumper has a new hole punched in it.  I'm fine.  However, the time it took for the officer to show up (State Police) and to get the paperwork done (costs $10 to get a copy...grrr), and the whole time I was worried about the 'o' cats.  I'm usually home at the same time at the end of each workday, and that's when they get their dinner.  I called the hubby after a half hour went by, and he gamely donned a coat and hat to put out a bucket of fresh water and kibble bowls for them.  None of them showed up for me when I checked on them when I finally arrived home.

And yet, this morning at minus 13 degrees (don't really want to know the wind chill), all three cats came out of the one big shelter, and Patty and Mama Mia danced for me for petting!  Sammy stayed near the shelter door, and scrambled back inside it when I reached over to place a new kibble-filled bowl nearby.  Unfortunately, the deck is mostly covered in rock-hard snow, and I could tell that they really didn't like standing or walking on the stuff.  Can't blame them!  But all in all, they look good and so yummy that I just wanted to grab each one for a hug.

So once again, the 'o' cats prove that worrying will just give a person wrinkles.  They are weathering this storm.  I wish I had their courage-under-fire, so to speak.  I've been a complete mess these last few, very cold days, and that was before getting rear-ended.  My heart wants to make these three cats a warm, comfy home...inside.  My head says that they ACT and LOOK like pet cats, but they are not.  Maybe they once were, and maybe they could be again, however I do not have the resources to readjust them to being house pets.  And it's my desire, not theirs.  None of them follow me to the open door, except Patty, and I swear he's doing it to make sure I'm out of his territory for the night.  I've opened that door for him many times, but he won't come in.  I love them with all of my heart.

Life Lesson at Minus 2 Degrees

Mama Mia, in her winter fur

I worried all night about the 'o' cats.  It's bitterly cold here in Michigan, and I don't know if the three cats are buddying up to keep warm, or staying single.  In my mind, it's brutal out there.

And yet this morning at 7 a.m., the three greeted me with chirps and meows, and Mama Mia wouldn't eat a bite until she'd gotten enough petting.  

So, if I am able to learn from this experience, it is that looking at a situation from the outside and trying to make decisions or base emotions on that view, is a mistake.  Worry, fear, dismay are worthless to a cat.  They live NOW, and they make do and they make it work.  Are they dreaming of an 80-degree day?  Or are they dealing with what they have right this very minute?  A big ball of joy was delivered to me, by three cats who live outside.  My negative emotions did no one any good.  

Can't swear that I'll never worry or be fearful for my outside friends, however I will try to trust THEM to handle it.  They have food, they have water, and they have shelter.  They have me, and I have them.  How wonderful!