Today is Black Cat Appreciation Day and our resident black cat, Puck, is very much appreciated, most of the time. When he poops or pees on the floor, which he is still doing, the appreciation level drops.
Last weekend I was at Dollar Tree buying poop bags. I buy the four-gallon garbage bags that come 50 to a pack for one dollar. I’m cheap like that. Anyway, while standing in line I saw a pen/stylus/flashlight/laser pointer all in one for a dollar. I have a laser pointer at home but I figured it would be easier to buy another one than to try to figure out where the heck it is.
So I bought the laser pointer and imagined myself traveling back to 1960 and showing it to the guys at Bell Labs, and then telling them what I paid for it and what people use it for n 2017. But I digress.
When I got home with it and turned it on, it surprised me that I was able to get the attention of all our boys at once.
Do your cats still get excited by the laser pointer?
I think Frankie is a very photogenic cat and this picture proves my point. Do you agree?
Finally, I have a box to myself.
Whacha doing, Frankie?
Go away, Floki. I was here first.
What’s going on here? Oh, where did that box come from?
Why can’t I have just a little peace?
I have my own box, Frankie. I don’t need yours.
It’s my box now, Frankie.
I don’t care, Chris. I have a new box.
Saturday afternoon I took Frankie for his weekend walk. We walked across the street and up three houses. Frankie did his usual plant sniffing while I waited in the hot sun. Even though it was close to evening, it was still fairly hot.
When he was done smelling everything he led me behind the house where the edge of the community meets the fence that separates us from the power lines. We stood under a tree while Frankie did more investigating with his nose.
Suddenly I heard a crackling noise that was followed by a bright flash and almost instantaneously came the very loud bang of thunder. For about two seconds both Frankie and I were frozen in shock, especially since I didn’t even notice a dark cloud until after it happened. I didn’t see exactly where the lightning struck but it was very close and I became aware right away that we were standing under a tree. My first thought was to scoop Frankie up and get out of there but before I could move, Frankie ran and jerked the leash out of my hand.
He ran straight home and hid under my car while panting heavily. I tried to talk him out but he wasn’t budging. Finally, I decided to take his picture and pulled out my phone. That is when he exited on the other side of the vehicle.
I didn’t get the picture but this is a picture from the past that shows what he looked like under my car.
Once he got out from under my car he went for the back door and waited for me to open it. That was something he rarely does.
Once inside, Chris was relentless with his begging to go out. He knows he goes out after Frankie and he would not let me forget it. After a short time, I decided it was safe and let Chris out.
He was so happy to be out, no matter what the danger.
Lately, “taking Frankie for a walk” has become “taking Frankie for a smell.” It seems he has to stop at every bush, shrub or flower and give it a good long sniff before we can move on.
That means I have to stand and wait for him to do his business, even though Frankie’s “business” is to smell every plant in the neighborhood. 
I can’t imagine what he is smelling that would be alluring to a cat.
Maybe he was a gardener in a past life.
Or maybe he thinks he’s a dog and just has to smell everything.
When Chris goes outside he will eat some grass but he does not go out of his way to sniff plants. What do you think? Is your cat a plant sniffer?
The sofa is a great place to lie and look out the window but I’m not sure how hanging over the edge is comfortable for Floki.
Recently, friends of ours lost both their cats not too far apart from each other. After a short break, they decided to adopt a kitten named Carter. A couple of weekends ago they went away and needed a cat sitter. My wife immediately volunteered, even though she was going to be out of town, at least for the first visit. That meant it was my job to take care of the little fellow.
It turns out Carter is a very affectionate kitten with a loud purr and it was a pleasure to spend a little time with him.
He seemed to take to me like he knew me his entire life.
Very few cats can be so intimate with a stranger. It is one of the appealing qualities Chris had that made me want to adopt him.
How common is this? Do you have a cat that likes strangers?
Yesterday’s post highlighted Floki and Puck’s civil time together on top of the china cabinet. Today I show the other side of Floki, the side that can’t resist a good fight.
More than one cat on the china cabinet almost always leads to a fight. When Floki sees Puck up there he cries at me to help him up. Usually, I say no because I know what will happen but I helped him up there this time and he was good.
The next time he was not so good. Stay tuned.
