In The Jungle

The Hubby has since mowed the lawn, but prior to that, Sweetie and Patty O'Malley enjoyed exploring the jungle created by all the recent rain.  I am amazed by how easily Sweetie, an all black cat, can disappear in the plants.  Now, that is some serious stealth!

Jungle cat!

Zeroed in on Sweetie's face below...

Can you see her eyes?

As usual, Patty gets between me and Sweetie

Look At The Camera, Angel!

Nope...

...More Nope...

....Nuh-uhh...

...No way!...

...Ha, I'm pretending...

Maybe I'll look down...

NOPE!

(Hover over each photo for Angel's internal dialogue)

Riding The Storm Out

Go ahead and hover over the photos;
I usually leave messages there...

"Rain, rain...go away!

Come again some other day!"

Yesterday, I sat on the front porch to wait for the rain to stop, so I could start my usual neighborhood walk.  Before too long, Patty O'Malley came along to sit with me (and complete his toilette), then Sweetie joined us.  My bottom started getting too cold on the concrete, and the rain did not stop, so I was forced inside again. Neither cat wanted to come inside with me.  I dutifully grabbed the kibble box, and went BACK outside...in the rain...to walk around the house and dole out their evening treat.

Although heavy at times, in general the rain was more like a really heavy mist, which reminded me of my long-ago trip to Ireland.  I'm told that Oregon and Washington have similar weather; hope to someday visit the Atlantic Ocean coast to experience it for myself.

Yes, I know I could have grabbed an umbrella and exercised regardless of the rain, but I enjoyed my porch time with Patty and Sweetie instead.

Bummer...Bummer...YAY!

Patty and Sweetie, waiting for noms on the front porch

Bummer, so much for Progress!  Since I had just boasted about Patty and Sweetie venturing up The Stairway To Heaven, they have reverted to waiting for meals by hanging out on the front porch.  Does not do me any good to step out on the balcony in the backyard, when they are in the front yard!  What the hey?

And yesterday, I so proudly brought home a new bed scratcher, just like the one we'd received months ago from Cat Chat With Caren And Cody.  I set up the double-wide...and nothing.  Angel jumped up, looked around, and then jumped down again, and went off to lay in the front window.

Double-Wide!

I was crushed; what another Bummer!  I slunk off to take a hot bath, while gripped about how I should have just left things alone.  The Hubby shook his head, and told me I had no faith!  Soon, he was off to sleepyland, while I sat watching TV shows that I had recorded (DVR'd).  You know, stuff like "My Cat From Hell" on Animal Planet, and "Antiques Roadshow" on PBS.  It was pouring rain outside, which suited my mood.

Then...Angel jumped up, and made herself at home in her new double-wide scratcher!

Angel, getting the feel of it

"This will do, Mama!"

"Look at all of the room!"

I couldn't help but snap some photos, even though it was late.  She purred up a storm, and I petted and sweet-talked her until my eyelids drooped, and went off to my own human-sized beddy. YAY!

😽😻😻😻😻😻😽

Fear not; you think I'm going to give up on The 'O' Cats and The Stairway To Heaven?  Oh, no way! During the warm months, I'll keep coaxing and working on it.  Even if I have to convince The Hubby that we need to build human-sized stairs (like someone's old, not-needed spiral staircase that we can have for free...hint hint) so I can play Follow-The-Leader, with the cats trailing behind me.

WOW! Angel is famous!

Lookee!

Cat Chat With Caren and Cody has Angel in today's post!  How cool is that!

Angel really loves the scratcher bed that Cody gave her months ago, and today I received a 2nd scratcher, to make it a double-wide!

The new bed, in it's wrapper!

Angel simply loves to laze around

I purchased the 2nd Kitty Couch myself, after receiving the first one months ago as a gift from Cody. When we are home, The Hubby and I will place the two couches face to face, so they become one big, wide bed for Angel...and Chuck too!  Angel gets the bed about 80% of the time, and 20% for Chuck.

Meeting up with Caren was a blast, and we'll find a way to meet up again.  We both live in Metro Detroit, after all!  I hope to meet Cody and Dakota too, someday.

Saving Birds

My boss has a robin that keeps pecking at the window in his office! We think the bird is seeing it's reflection, and so tries to run off 'the intruder', not understanding that he's after himself!  At an old job, we had a pair of cardinals that pestered the office window every morning in Spring, even though the employees tried to tape paper up to discourage them.

So, I purchased some WindowAlert Decals, to persuade Mr. Robin that he's got no beef with that window.  I have NOT received compensation for this product; I'm merely reporting on an item that I found online, and purchased for my work.  

This is the packaging

Two of the four butterfly decals

How the decals look on the outside

Decals from the inside

The decals were created to prevent window strikes, which is when a bird flies into glass due to the reflection. I figure it should do the same thing for Mr. Robin; to make him aware!

I will report on any changes in Mr. Robin's behavior.  I have two more decals to use, and I found a perverse enjoyment at rummaging around the outside of the office building, where no one else ventures except the grounds crew.  Obviously, a bit of Mother Nature is all I need to make my day!

P.S. My apologies,  Trout TownTabbies! We know that you dislike birds, of any kind.  Please forgive us this time of being nice to birdies. (And I'll answer your email soon!)

Progress!

I have managed to coax Sweetie and Patty O'Malley up the Stairway To Heaven a number of times recently, but have only managed to snap a few quick photos as evidence.  I step out onto the balcony, shake the kibble a bit, and first one cat and then the other pop out of the hole and come over for snacks and lovin'.  On this day, I left the storm door closed, but since that time I leave it open wide enough for a cat to walk in.  Sweetie is quite inquisitive; she goes right inside and takes a good look around.  I want her to keep that up, because her actions may pull Patty along with her, as he will only peer in so far.

Sweetie, looking in the cat flap

Patty and Sweetie, lured up by kibble!

Patty peering in the cat flap, as Sweetie watches

This morning, however, I stepped out onto the balcony, but there wasn't a cat in sight!  I called and shook the kibble...but neither cat appeared.  So, I went back inside, down the stairs and out the front door...and around to the backyard.  Patty and Sweetie were under my car, in the driveway.  Hmmm. May have to work in a sound to 'call' them, like a small bell (something that doesn't drive the neighbors crazy, like a cow bell...LOL!).  The idea is to get them used to coming up and down to eat, and then inside.  Once they go inside, I'll close the door, and teach them to use the cat flap.  If they can 'flap', then I can let them inside at night, and out again in the morning, with only the wooden door open for the brief time it takes them to go in or out.

My summer project!

Newest Wooly Migration

Imagine my surprise, to have discovered that Chucky was herding wooly socks again!  Three woolies, and each one made it a bit farther than the last.  I figure they are trying to escape out of the front door, and Chuck was diligently offering them encouragement to go for freedom!  Don't know what a sock can do outside, but I'm not a sock...with sock dreams and goals.  How nice of Chuck to play mentor to the woolies!

"Aw, shucks...I was just being helpful to the woolies!"

Tricked Ya! Thursday

Answers to yesterday's post:

Picture #1: Stranger Cat

Picture #2: Stranger Cat

Picture #3: Stranger Cat

Picture #4: Patty O'Malley

Picture #5: Patty O'Malley

Ha ha HA!  That Stranger Cat looks an awful lot like Patty!  I did not see her last night, but you know I'm always on watch for kitties in the neighborhood, like the wee black floofy kitty below:

See the little black cat on the sidewalk?

Patty with a spot

Here is this morning's photo of Patty, with a Advantage Multi spot on his neck.  He was not a happy camper and tried to pull away as I started the application, but I told him that he's been scratching the fur off of his ears and he needs the stuff.  He relented, but he gave me the back of disapproval this morning.

Tough as nails Angel

Then again, he got chased by Angel last night, who didn't enjoy his close proximity to her front porch perch.  AND, Sweetie pushed him off of his dinner bowl last night; she really wanted that tuna!

Sweetie's typical stance: one front paw raised

Patty's three ladies messed with his poor mind; I think he's down in the dumps today.  No worries, I'll give him lots of lovin' this evening to build his self-esteem back up again.

Who Is It Wednesday?

Picture #1

Picture #2

Picture #3

Picture #4

Picture #5

Imagine my surprise when I was greeted by a Patty O'Malley look-alike while out and about yesterday!  So I thought I'd let you all guess:  which photos are of The Stranger, and which are Patty?

Footprints Of Love

The front porch

It was pouring buckets of rain when I got up this morning.  Weather like this makes me wonder: should I run out now with food for Patty O'Malley and Sweetie, as I do most every day...or wait, to see if the rain slows or stops in a little while?  Today, I decided to pour kibble out, and run it to the backyard for them.  However, Patty was already on the front porch, and he was soaked*!  

Once I was finished with my food delivery, the resulting foot- and paw-prints on the porch amused me. The Hubby was out in the rain too, since it's trash-pickup day.

*I've noticed that Patty is scratching a bit, so it's time for a flea and tick preventative treatment.  I really dislike putting chemicals on him, however any holistic remedy that I've tried has been ineffective. Yesterday, I was ready to squeeze the little vial of DIE-BUG-DIE stuff on him, but somehow got distracted and did not do it.  Glad that I didn't, because it would have all washed off of him in the morning rain!  Why was he out in the rain, anyhow?  My silly Patty!

Selfie taken on Saturday...when it was dry!