Help! I've Hidden and I Can't Get Out

Chester is a clown, as his name indicates.  After cleaning the cats Ripplerug, he decided it was time to adventure by tunneling into the folds of the rug.  Not only was he in search of toy springs, he also figured he'd peek out a hole where he wouldn't be noticed.  Unfortunately, his white nose is like a headlight at night.  His dark body is hidden, but not his face.  And the fact that he weighs around 20 pounds and his butt sticks out the other end of the rug doesn't help his going incognito.  

In addition, upon attempting to leave the confines of his fabric cave, he eventually realizes that his massive mass just won't fit through the small hole. 

All that being said, he and Cinder, his much smaller "sister", do love their Ripplerug.

Time to Get Up

Chester, our cat, is an intelligent goof.  Not only does he know how to breath into our CPAP machines to start them so he can have air blowing on his face, he also speaks his mind. 

Just the other day, unbeknowst to us, he went into the bedroom and tried to start the CPAP machine.  (We unplug them now so we don't come home from work to the roar of air in the bedroom from machines that have been running all day.) In so doing, Chester stood on the bed control and raised the bed to the full upright position. Below, you can see the bed in the "normal" mode, and the bed in the "Chester mode". Whether he did this intentionally or not, when I hollered at him about the bed, he came running in and immediately meowed in a "I didn't do it, it just happened" manner.  Don't tell me cats don't know what they're doing and can't understand.  They know very well.   

Normal Mode - Chester approaches

Chester Mode

                                               

 

Mama Fuzz Takes Kitten to the Hospital

Animals are amazing.  Although they live and act based on instinct, there must be some level of comprehension and intellignence humans don't understand. Over and over, animal stories tell of situations where animals have perceived they, their offspring or even humans needed help and then they sought it out.  Here's one of those examples of a cat in turkey that found medical help at the hospital for her kittens.  

The Fuzzy Story

Peek-A-Fuzz and Other Goofy Felines

Peeking Cinder

As anyone who has a cat knows , they can be quite the goofy balls of fuzz.  They have unique personalities, strange and quirky little behaviors and their own routines for feeding, playing and doing whatever cats want to do.

Check out a few of the pictures of our cats, below, to see what kind of antics they enjoy expressing.  And keep petting those cats and keeping them healthy!

Chester waiting for breakfast

Cinder guarding her toy spring

Oh no! She turned into a Cinder

Chester peeking from the dryer

Cat Caching

My cats are finicky. I've tried so many different kinds of cat food and they'll try it once and then, for some reason, the food becomes heinous and they won't eat it.  The thing that really baffles me is that they'll get some new food, like it, and then they try to bury it!  What the heck? Why would they like the food, try to bury it and then later eat more? I did a little research and found out that most likely what they're doing is "caching" their food, or covering it like wild cats do to protect it from predators and then eat it later.  

On the site, blog.chron.com, I found just such an article which quoted from the English natural history author, Reverend John George Wood regarding this act by cats as far back as 1853.  This is what the quote said.

"She delighted in covering up the remnants of her food with any substances that seemed most convenient. She was accustomed, after taking her meals, to fetch a piece of paper and lay it over the saucer, or to put her paw into her mistress’ pocket, and extract her handkerchief for the same purpose. These little performances showed some depth of reasoning in the creature, but she would sometimes act in a manner totally opposed to rational action. Paper and handkerchiefs failing, she has been often seen, after partly finishing her meal, to fetch one of her kittens, and to lay it over the plate, for the purpose of covering up the remaining food. When kitten, paper, and handkerchief were all wanting, she did her best to scratch up the carpet and to lay the torn fragments upon the plate. She has been known, in her anxiety to find a covering for the superabundant food, to drag a table-cloth from its proper locality, and to cause a sad demolition of the superincumbent fragile ware.”

Well, my cats don't have kittens, so they haven't tried to bury their food with their kids, but it just goes to show the peculiar things animals do.  Check out the full article regarding "caching" here.  

Global Cat Day - October 16, 2020

Today is Global Cat Day.  Check out the Alley Cats website for more information.  Enjoy the Fuzzfest!

Leading a Double Life

Nilo or Angelo?  An intinerant cat leading a double life.  Living with one owner, then living with another. Back and forth he goes.  He's got the best of both worlds and families to take care of him in both places.  Notes exchanged between families via his collar.  This is a unique story and one that has probably been repeated by other felines time and again.  Check out the full article complete with pictures here.

My Friend Charlie

On April 5, 2020, we had to put Charlie down.  He was around a year old.  Charlie was a goof and always loved to play. He also loved to get into stuff which was his demise.  Charlie found a card with shiny ribbon and buttons on it, and unbeknowst to us, ate them.  During the day on Sunday, April 5, he started vomiting.  We thought maybe he ate something that didn't settle right, but that wasn't the case.  By 9 p.m. that night, he had not quit throwing up, he wasn't drinking and he never used the catbox. We took him to an emergency vet clinic in Renton.

After an examination and x-rays, we were given the horrible news.  He'd eaten the items mentioned above and they were in his intestines.  They were bunching up and would not pass through, but rather they'd cause more and more problems, possibly even perforating his intestines.  The only option was surgery, but due to the complexity of it, it would cost $7000 to $10,000.  There was no way we could ever afford that.  Plus, because of the surgery and possible damage already done, he might end up with more medical issues throughout his life. So, we made the heartwrenching decision to mercifully have him put down. 

I've had cats over the years, but for some reason, Charlie had picked me as his bud, although in the beginning he was skittish and wasn't that much of a bud to me.  However, he became such.  I'd come home from work and he'd be on the cat tree rolling upside-down excited to see me.  He talked with me all the time and especially at night when he wanted to play with his springs.  He was a big cat, so when he raced through the house with Chester and Cinder, it was thunderous.  He jumped higher than any other cat I've known, at least 5' or more. And when he got goofy, he'd do these weird flips and rolls along the wall and made goofy, playful sounds to get attention.  He and Chester loved playing in their tube.  He would grab the ball attached to the end of the tube and race down the hallway dragging it behind him. And he was strong. You could literally play tug-o-war with him and he would not give in.  He was tenacious. I miss him alot.

Chester was his pal. Since Charlie's death, Chester has become more clingy and sometimes depressed.  He misses Charlie too.  He's getting better, but you can tell he knows something is amiss.  I don't know if cats can remember, but I think he knows Charlie is gone.

It was a sad, sad day, but we have a year's worth of memories regarding Charlie. And we have pictures.  Still, filling Charlie's paws will be impossible.

Charlie as a kitten

A close up of Charlie the kitten

Charlie on his tray for breakfast

Charlie and Chester in their favorite play tube 

Cookie Eating Cat

Nellie was adopted.  And she lives to eat.  And she's smart, as any cat lover knows.  Cats are inquisitive, intelligent, problem-solving balls of fuzz. Nellie's no exception.  This fun article highlights what Nellie did with a Tupperware container full of cookies.  Intelligent and conniving!

Personalites Have Emerged and the Kittens Have Grown!

Charlie on his TV tray for breakfast

Cinder relaxing

Chester being cute

We've had our kittens for about a year now.  And they've grown into monsters. Not just metaphorically, but literally.  They all weigh around 11 to 14 pounds and when they race through the house it sounds like a herd of horses. 

Their personalities have come out in force as well.  Charlie is a clown.  He loves playing with springs and talks up a storm when it's time to do so. And he has to have his own TV tray when we eat.  Chester is a ringleader when it comes to mischief.  He's always into something and then acts like he did nothing. In fact, if he's in trouble, he'll run to you, meow and then roll on his back to look cute.  It's hard to punish him then. And Cinder has become quite the speedy demon despite her robust shape.  She's quick to play, but doesn't have a grasp of what "keeping her claws retracted" means.  But, being the only female, she does keep the boys in check.

At night, they have a routine which we are obligated to obey. It's called Movie Time.  We go to bed, they gather on the bed and we all watch a movie or the news.  If we don't follow this routine, they meow and get mischievous because it messed up their evening.  And Charlie always has to eat some of the popcorn.  It's his bedtime snack. Once the movie ends, then it's time to shoot a spring down the hall for them to go play with and then we can close the door and go to bed.  That's how every night goes.  And we don't dare change this quotidian custom!

Overall, they're a fun group of fuzzballs and quite the intelligent pack. It would be hard to live without them now that they've grown attached to us like barnacles to a ship.

Cats Have Many Moods - Can You Read Them?

Cats have moods ranging from excited to terrified.  Their body language, facial expressions and physical actions tell us alot about them.  An article from inverse.com shared some insightful information on the above-mentioned comments.  Check out the full article, including pictures of cats in various mood stages and see where you fit in with regard to understanding or being a cat whisperer. 

Catfish Catch?

Brett Hereford made an unexpected catch in a Montana lake recently.  While fishing, he and his family noticed something swimming in the middle of the lake. When they got closer, they noticed an animal struggling to survive.  What they caught was a Bobcat. Check out the article and video on dodo.com.  Wow! What a catch and release this was!

Cats Know Their Names (Duh!)

There are animal critics who say cats are so independent that they don't socialize like dogs and they don't know their names when called.  I've owned cats my whole life, and believe me, they DO know their names, they are social and they are very smart, albeit sneaky, conniving, mischievous and plan-worthy.  This recent article on flipboard.com highlights a study that was done that backs these comments.  Check out the full article. 

Grandpa Mason

Grandpa Mason, a Canadian feral cat, loved kittens.  He took care of them, trained them, cleaned them and played with them. When his owners thought his feral behavior and inability to get close to him meant he'd never be happy, the adoption of a litter of orphaned kittens broke his wariness.  The kittens, crawling all over him, filled him with joy.  From then on, kittens were his saving grace.  Last week, due to serious health issues and a declining quality of life, Grandpa Mason has to be euthanized.  For those who knew him, it was a tremendously sad day.  But the joy he brought them and his love for other felines is his legacy.  Read the full article from Huffpost.com. 

Hats From Their Own Fur

Three cats in Japan have custom made hats made from their own fur.  The pictures in the article represent their real feelings as to how they probably feel about wearing these accessories.  Check it out!

Pet Me. Bite You. Pet Me. Bite You

Ever had a cat that loved being petted and then decided they didn't want to be so they bit you only to turn around and demand being petted again?  This article describes some of the reasons why that might be happening and how to work with cats and not against them. 

Chester, Cinder and Charlie - Fuzzy Time Suckers (FTS)

Chester

Well, we did it.  On July 15 we adopted three kittens. Two boys two months old and a girl, four months old. We picked them up at RASKC, the Regional Services of King County in Kent.  They came home and as would be expected, were very leery of everything.  In fact, they hid for awhile.  And then their personalities began to emerge.

Within the first hour, Chester started sniffing around and came over to us. He cautiously wanted petted, and now he never stops asking.  He is the first to meet us when we get home. He is the one waiting outside the bedroom door when we get up to ask for food.  He is the one that gets into everything to see what it is all about.  And for a tiny boy, man does he have a loud mouth.  You know when he's there!

It took Charlie about a day or so before he'd let us pet him.  He won't run right to you, but he can be approached, petted and held, but not for long.  But when it comes to toys, watch out!  He is the most aggressive one.  He turns into a mini Hulk and bullies everyone out of the way.  After play time, he goes back to the meek and mild fuzz biscuit.  Maybe he's a tiny Superman going from a mild news fluff to a super toy shredder.

Cinder

Finally, there's Cinder.  She basically hid under the couch for four days. When you talked to her or tried to coax her to you, all you got was a hiss and hide mentality.  I kept talking to her every day, showing her that I was petting her cohorts and carefully reaching out to her.  When I gave her some turkey, she was ready to allow me to pet her.  Carefully, and on her terms which meant a few pets, chomping on my fingers that drew blood, a few pets and more bloodletting.  That happened for a day or two.  Now, she'll come to me and demand pets, but I haven't attempted to pick her up.  Those razor claws and wicked teeth might do some real damage.  I dread getting her into a carrier when it's vet time.  She is very smooth and glossy though.  She has let my wife pet her too, but no picking her up.  She has a strong personality and plays just as rough and is just as fast as the two boys.  She's slowly acclimating to our home.

Charlie

The three will be a welcome addition, and as furry tornadoes of destruction, poopers of unrealistic amounts and eaters of everything they see, they are loved.  I think they'll fit right in. 

Chester snoozing

P.S. After several attempts to ward off Chester from walking on my keyboard, climbing me, demanding pets and being intrusive and inquisitive, he has finally decided to sleep next to me on the chair.  Phew.  I got this writing done without much fuzz deflection needed!

Cat-Cloning

Sadly your cat dies.  You've been with them for years. You want them back, but you know that's not possible, at least not physically.  But what if you could clone them.  It would be almost like having them by your side again.  And maybe their personality and looks would be so similar it would be like the dear cat you lost. 

Check out this article about a couple who did just that, cloned their cat and note how similar the two actually turned out to be.  Very wonderful.

Piggy Addendum

My last post shared the sad news that Piggy was sick and then disappeared, presumably dead.  I found him yesterday.  He had died underneath the neighbor's broken down vehicle next door.  Sad though it was, it was nice to have closure knowing he wasn't somewhere out there suffering.  We were also able to bury him next to his three siblings and non-sibling cat.  He was the last of a legacy of fuzzes. 

Piggy is Gone

Our last cat, Piggy, has disappeared, and most likely died.  He has been sick for some time, but holding his own.  In the last two to three weeks, he appeared to be getting frailer, slower and was eating less and less.  We even went to the point of feeding him baby food, which he rather enjoyed for a bit.  Unfortunately, June 4, 2019, was the last time we saw him. 

He went outside and was relaxing in the sun on top of the picnic table like he always did.  However, he refused to eat anything that morning.  When we returned from work, he was gone and never returned. We surmise he either had some hiding spot he enjoyed or another family he visited and went there and died.  It is a sad time as he was the last of our six cats we had when we moved here four years ago. Four of the six are buried in the back yard. One ran away a few years ago, and Piggy didn't return. 

Piggy was so named for his tail when he was a kitten.  The tip of his tail curled like a pigs tail.  Even as an adult, there were times when it would do the same.  Piggy was known for his "I'm a tough cat" veneer as he would stand tall and proud on my wife's lap and look around as if saying "don't come near.  She's mine and I'm protecting her."  One of his trademark qualities was to "hush" her when she got too loud.  If she laughed loudly or yelled for something, Piggy would bound into the room, climb on her and tap his paws on her mouth to say "be quiet".  Other times he would run away because it was too noisy for him.

Piggy was also know for waking me up at night by walking on my head and meowing.  Usually it was because he decided he needed to go outside or be fed.  And as usual, I would get up and do as commanded, being the fool that I am. 

Piggy will be missed, the last of a legacy of four cats, all siblings.  Sadly, all have died within the last couple years.  All from the same litter, now all gone.  They brought us joy and laughter and memories of them will never be forgotten.  Rest now Piggy-pie.