Author Archives: Charles Huss

Store Cat

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There is a store near me in Largo, Florida that is literally named “World’s Most Unusual Dollar Store.” It is like a mom and pop Big Lots with a lot of cheap, Chinese made products but also some unusual items, hence the name. I was in there recently when I heard a cat meowing over and over again. I turned to see where the noise was coming from and saw a cat walk by the end of the aisle I was in. 

I followed him (I use him generically but don’t know the sex) but he was gone by the time I reached the end of the aisle. Fortunately, I was able to follow the meows and caught up with him a few Isles down.

He was very friendly and seemed to love it when I pet him. After a couple of minutes, I took my phone out and took his picture. This photo below is not perfect because he was moving but it’s good enough to see what he looks like.

As I was checking out I asked if that was their cat or did a stray get in the store? The lady said it was their cat but when I asked about the sex, she didn’t know. I didn’t pursue the matter. I just assumed it was a stray that they allowed to hang out in their store and probably fed.

If it was me, I would have brought the cat to the vet to have him fixed and checked for health issues. That is not to say I think badly of the store owners. Quite the contrary. Many store owners would rather call animal control than allow a cat to roam their store so I respect them for that.

What do you think?

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Photo Friday: Frankie’s Turn

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Chris is almost always the one who goes to Frankie for attention. He will wash him and sometimes annoy him enough to make him get up and leave. Actually watching Frankie return the favor and wash Chris is a rare treat.

cat Frankie washing Chris

You Can’t Hide Catnip Gifts From Cats

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My wife ordered new Kitty Kick Styx for our boys for Christmas to replace their old ones. They arrived when we were away in St. Augustine for a long weekend. The neighbor, who was watching our cats, brought the mail inside. She noticed Chris tearing up the package so she put it in the hall closet. She then noticed that Frankie was attacking the rest of the mail, which probably had a catnip smell,  so she put that in a kitchen drawer.

When we returned, the neighbor came by to tell us where our mail was. When we retrieved the package from the closet, Chris immediately started trying to get into it. We then felt like saving it for Christmas would not work so they all got an early present.

Frankie went absolutely crazy with his Kitty Kick Styx. 

cat with kitty kick styx

cat with kitty kick styx

Chris was a little more subdued but not much.

cat with kitty kick styx

Floki was cautious but he eventually warmed up to it.

cat with kitty kick styx

Has anyone tried these? What did your cat(s) think?

Chris’s Belated Gotcha Day

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My A.D.D. has got the best of me again and I forgot about Chris’s gotcha day. We adopted Chris on November 14, 2009, at a shelter called Sav-R-Cats near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We don’t know his origin story. I just know he was brought there from another shelter west of Myrtle Beach, but I don’t remember from where. He was also adopted once and returned the next day because of bad behavior.

Chris on adoption day, 2009.

Chris has been a very difficult cat to raise but the rewards in entertainment and especially love and affection have been incalculable.

The Cocoa Incident

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Monday evening my wife wanted to watch a Christmas movie and I, being a good husband, sat and watched it with her. Of course, one can’t watch a Christmas movie without hot cocoa so I, being a good husband, got up and made hot cocoa for both of us.

I made it through about half my cup when Frankie got on my lap.

cat on lap

Frankie on my lap at a different time.

I was then stuck with a half cup of hot cocoa in my left hand but couldn’t drink it because Frankie was lying partially on my arm. Soon after, Chris noticed where Frankie was and he suddenly needed to lie on top of me, next to Frankie.

At this point, I wanted to get rid of my cup so I said to Rose something like, “I’m stuck with this cup I can’t get rid of.” I didn’t want to ask her to get out of her seat but I was hoping she would volunteer. She didn’t. Maybe she was not paying attention. Fifteen seconds later, disaster struck.

Frankie decided Chris was annoying and got up to leave. As he was leaving his back foot landed inside my cup and tipped it over, dumping the contents on my pants and on the sofa. He then proceeded to walk across the sofa with his cocoa foot and then down to the carpet.

I got up and went into the kitchen to get some towels but Rose insisted I wipe the cocoa off Frankie’s foot first, so I got a wet paper towel and followed him into the bedroom. I was able to only get one swipe at his foot before he disappeared under the bed. I then went back to the living room where Rose handed me a wet towel.

I started wiping the cocoa off the sofa but Rose chastised me for doing it wrong. I was not clear on what I was doing wrong. Perhaps it was “no up down go side side.” I don’t know but she took over since she was the only one qualified to do it right and I went to change my pants.

Maybe popcorn will be on the menu for the next Christmas movie.

The Uncontainable Floki

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Trimming Floki’s nails is just about the most difficult thing my wife and I have ever attempted. Before Floki came along Chris was our most difficult cat but at least trimming his nails was possible. I started bringing Floki to the vet for his nail trimmings but getting him into the carrier was nearly as difficult as trimming his nails.

Since moving in late August, his nails have only been trimmed once by a pet groomer that I don’t want to go back to. The local vet here requires his vaccinations to be up to date which they are if you are from the local animal control reading this.

We decided to catch Floki the other day and try again to trim his nails so we wouldn’t have to go through the hassle of finding someone to do it and then trying to put him in the carrier. We were inspired by Chris’s ability to hold him down.

You may remember me talking about how Chris would hold Puck down by the neck. Sometimes he would even drag Puck across the floor. I’m sure Puck didn’t like it but he would tolerate it from Chris. Floki doesn’t like it either but Floki is not afraid to let Chris know he doesn’t like it. He screams and hollers the way Siamese cats do until Rose or I release him from Chris’s grasp.

It is important to understand that Chris, one cat, can do what two grown humans cannot. Rose was convinced that holding Floki by the scruff of the neck was the key so she assigned me that task. I tried that before so I was skeptical that it would suddenly work this time but I said okay.

We found Floki lying on our bed Sunday evening so we set our plan in motion. Rose quietly got the trimmers and I sat next to Floki and pet him until Rose came near and then grabbed him by the scruff while wrapping my other arm around him and putting my body close on top of him. He squealed, twisted and bucked like a stallion. Five seconds later he was free and I had scratches and puncture wounds on my arms and legs.

I now have to find a vet or groomer and bring him in this week.