Maybe they just need larger scratchers?

You know you are too chubby when you don't fit on your new cat scratcher.

Typical redhead - Freckles!

It's that time of year again....

You know, where you start to feel overwhelmed and stressed, and boxes and decorations suddenly come to life. 

How come the cats love all of this chaos so darn much? 

I broke her kitty...

So we welcomed my girlfriend's cat, Lucy,  into the family.

 

The family being myself, my son, my daughter, our cat Maddux and our other cat Irish. Poor Maddux is outnumbered.

My girlfriend made a point of telling me and the kids that her cat is very independent, does not like to be petted, picked up, or given treats.  I think she even used the word "skid-dish" when she described how Lucy was around other people, even members of her own family.

Well...Lucy, you had only met me once prior to the move in, and now...she is my pal.  Lucy takes treats from me, lets me pick her up, lets me pet her, and has even slept on my feet.

Initially Lucy just hissed at Maddux and Irish.  Poor Maddux, our resident Lothario...he was sooo trying to woo Lucy.  He followed her everywhere, she would just hiss at him.  Irish was constantly on the attack when Lucy was out.

Now...Lucy is breaking up cat fights between Irish and Maddux.  My girlfriend saw Irish and Maddux fighting at the top of the stairs and Lucy just watching...watching to make her stealth move.  She accessed the situation, jumped and landing right in the middle of the fight.  Irish and Maddux scattered, one went upstairs, the other down.  Lucy then sat guard at the top of the stairs.

Now Lucy wants to be freed from her little bed in the master bedroom closet.  She paws the door to get out, just like the other 2 cats.  She's also padding around the house, not caring if she brushes past one of the kids (early on she would hiss and run).

So the other night my girlfriend said "you broke my kitty".  And I said "great title for a blog post."

Lola
From Lola's Diner

BB Goes A-Wandering

When we lived in a house the Beebster was not interested in outside. Now that we live in an apartment building outside isn't so scary...

Red Kitties are the Warmest!

Early frosts, colder nights in the camper but Red and Mariah have it right!!  Less than 3 weeks 'til camground closing day and I'm finally beginning to organize my new townhouse so we can "move indoors" all together, very soon.  I'm so relieved I'm getting to the end of this unbelievable summer.  And I'm very sure that soon, when Dakota (the dog) and the three cats are all back in a "real house" they will (first) freak out totally and then (second) make it their new home.

Meanwhile, with nights in the lower 40's and lower still, I benefit from kitty heat, too.  Purrmeister sleeps on or near my head, Red Kitty prefers my left side and Mariah likes my feet.  Of course, when they are all weighing down my comforter like that, I'd better not plan on moving. 

Happy Autumn Days, everyone!

Now You See Her...

Now you don't!

Meet our new addition...Bubba

Bubba officially moved in Saturday night and spent up until this morning hiding in various spots in the master bedroom.  Yesterday I started working on cleaning out my closet and I nearly jumped out of my skin when I pulled a box out of my closet and there she was.  She would not let me take her out, Ms. Attitude would have none of that.  She didn't eat, drink or use the litter box until this morning when I told my gf that she needed to put her in the bathroom where her box and food were and just shut the door.  She'll figure it out eventually.  She did, she used the litter box and had a snack.

After about 2 hours my son let her out of the bathroom when Irish and Maddux were out.  It was kind of like a prize fight where they kind of circled around each other and gave each other the evil eye.  Then Bubba made a beeline for her sofa, stood on the arm, plotting her exit and jumped down and under the end table and hid there until Irish and Maddux went back upstairs.  Maddux did manage to hiss at her once, that was about it.

Lola
Lola's Diner

Dog Days. hrumph.

Dog Days? I think not. Cats somehow seem to have the corner on chilling when it's extra hot.

Well, at least Hobbes does.

The term "Dog Days of Summer" comes from the dog star, Sirius, being high in the sky at this time of year. Is there a cat star, I wonder? There should be.

Beat the Heat (Cold Air Sinks)

The heat wave is unrelenting, unless you count a handful of cooler nights.  The camping kitties are no fools.  There's an air conditioner directly above this part of the camper.  So lounging cats litter the floor.  It looks REALLY funny when they are all on their backs with tummies splayed upwards.  Kind of reminded me of a battlefield aftermath at first glance....ewwww....

Hope you're all either a.) beating the heat in your own ways or, better yet b.) not subjected to this record breaking taste of hell that has descended on parts of middle America.  We're in a serious drought here.  The pond is at least a foot low; the corn crop is probably ruined after a beautiful start; I'm becoming concerned about some of the trees that, despite their deeper roots, are showing stress now, too....

Still praying for rain.....

Garden Slug

Life is good when you are orange and stripey....and napping in the garden.  It doesn't get much better than that. 

Red Kitty Camping - Life is Good!

 Security snuggle (you can't see me)

Red Kitty fills up all available space

More lessons in making a camper cat friendly.  Staging new and different sleeping spots so the 3 camping kitties can change it up.  Are we having fun yet?

Chopper...

Sometimes...

You've just got to take refuge in your paper bag...



Baby Billie

Camping Cats

We aren't really roughing it here, but it sure is a huge change of scene! Red Kitty, Mariah and the Purrmeister spent their first weekend in my camper. We had a tricky adjustment period, that first 24 hours, and then, since all the comforts of home are right here, things settled down.

We'll probably make a habit of this: weekends at the campground. My theory is this is good practice for the "big move" we'll make to the new home later in the summer. Though Purrmeister lived here a couple of summers ago, the two older cats have never been anywhere except to the vet....so it's all a grand experiment.

I arranged a rug collection on the bed for them to lounge upon, and installed a little table for window watching. I plan to hang a few bird feeders in view for their pleasure, and so far, not too much fighting with me, a dog and three cats jockeying for space to move around. Sorry for the iPhone photos and I'll get better ones as we get settled in!

Wordless Wednesday--Sleepy Cat

Linking to Wordless Wednesday with Alicia.

Hide, Kitty!

Smiley Kitten

Smile for the camera, Billie!

Who needs a ground hog when you've got Hobbes?

If you are wondering if Spring is near,
the answer is "yes".
Or so a certain somebody's warm belly tells us.

Chopper has a perfectly good water dish....

It even has an orange cat at the bottom!

But he still prefers to drink from the big dog water bowl.  When he was a kitten he would get very wet, but now that he's bigger it's just his elbow and leg...depending on how deep the water is.

  What's your cat's quirk?

Seeing Double

Sleeping Kitty