As you may or may not know, Chris has taken over his Facebook, Twitter and Google+ accounts (although I think he is slacking on Google+). The problem is, he is still having trouble learning the correct way to use the keyboard and I always seem to have to come to the rescue and type for him. What is even more of a problem is that when I am typing for him he suddenly remembers how to tap on the keys. Is it too much to expect a cat to type his own posts?
Our cats are not normal. It’s true. I don’t know how else to word it. Even Puck, who is as normal as they come, sometimes gets caught up in the craziness.
Yesterday evening, just after sunset, I looked out our back window to blackness. There was plenty of light still coming through the front window but I could see a major storm was coming from the east. Then the rain started, slowly at first but soon it was pouring down and the wind was blowing it through the screens into the patio. Soon there was lightning all around us and the loud thunder was cascading through the house.
Any normal cat would have been under the bed at that point, and that is exactly where I expected Puck to be, but he wasn’t. He was on the patio with Chris and Frankie, standing on the wet floor and watching the lightning show from the best spot in the house. I wish I was able to get pictures of that but Rose shooed them inside before I had a chance to get my camera.
I don’t think I will ever fully understand cats, or at least not my cats.
Paper or Plastic? Our cats are very conscious of the environment and much prefer paper. Of course, that could just be because paper bags are easier to climb inside of. Here is Frankie and Chris making good use of a paper bag.
I know what you’re thinking, Chris.
That’s an interesting bag you have there Frankie. Can I join you?
No! It’s mine! Go away!
C’mon Frankie! Look at all the room.
Fine! Take it! You always get your way, Chris.
Don’t be mad, Frankie.
Frankie, Look! There is room for both of us… Frankie?
Frankie has about a half-dozen “favorite” places that he likes to nap. One of them is on the patio blocking the cat door. Recently Chris and Puck decided to join Frankie and they all lined up against the wall.
About a week ago, we noticed that Puck was spending a lot of time in the bathroom. No, he does not have a medical condition. He would just hang out in there. Sometimes I would see him sleeping in the bathroom and other times he would be staring up toward the ceiling.
Rose and I wondered if there was a bug that the other cats failed to notice. Perhaps there was the sound of a rat in the ceiling. We didn’t know but we found out the other day. The call came from Rose while I was in the kitchen. Chuck! Come Quickly! Oh my God! Hurry!
I thought she hurt herself or one of the cats was in distress. I hurried to the bathroom to see Rose pointing at the wall. Just above a large picture on the wall was what looked like a
Mediterranean Gecko. It is not native to Florida and looks so different from the lizards we usually see (there is a variety but most are called Brown Anoles) that it caused Rose to get pretty excited. We think it was hiding out behind the picture and Puck knew it was there. It was missing its tail so I assume Puck came close to catching it.
Brown Anole
Mediterranean House Gecko
I got a towel and with much effort finally managed to catch it and bring it outside. Puck did not realize I had caught it and he is still holding vigil in the bathroom, three days later, waiting for the gecko to slip up. Or he’s just looking to save fifteen percent on car insurance. I cant be sure.
Puck still looking for the gecko
Note: If you live outside the U.S. and don’t get the car insurance joke than click here.
I want to start out by saying how sad I am to hear about the passing of Sparkle The Designer Cat. She has been blogging for many years but I only just discovered her earlier this year. In that short time I feel I have gotten to know her well (even though I know it is her mom that does the writing). She will be missed but the blog will continue.
When Frankie arrived in our house he seemed to take over all of Puck’s favorite spots, including what we call “Puck’s Perch.” Recently Frankie has given up Pucks Perch in favor of some of his own favorite spots. In spite of that, he has still retained use of Puck’s basket.
It happens every time. Whenever it is time for Chris to come inside, he gives me a run for my money. I suppose I can’t blame him. When I let him out I have to watch him and I rarely have the time to just hang out and babysit a grown cat.
Lately, Chris has been the only one allowed outside. Frankie turned out to be a runner so it is not safe to let him out. He’s been out twice and both time we had to chase him through the neighborhood to get him back. I’m afraid we will lose him if it happens again. Puck likes to go outside and he generally stays close but sometimes he gets nervous and wants to go back in right away so I don’t feel bad leaving him inside.
Chris makes getting out the door his mission in life. I often let him out just because it is easier than trying to stop it. For example, if I have a lot of groceries to bring in I let him out so I don’t have to fight with him on every trip. Sometimes I don’t let him out but he slips past me anyway. In either case, I usually give him a few minutes and then try to retrieve him and bring him back inside.
That is when he gives me the most trouble. He knows when I am ready and he goes out of his way to avoid me. I think that is also when he starts looking for a lizard because he doesn’t want to go back in empty-handed (or empty-pawed).
Here is a recent attempt of me trying to get Chris to come inside.
I am often amazed at how cats can nap in what seems like the most uncomfortable position. Here is Frankie showing us an example of that.
The first time I heard the word “woobie” was in 2005. Rose heard her mother use it to refer to a blanket that her brother would carry around with him like Linus from the Peanuts comic strip. I thought it was a made up word but it really exists and it means “security blanket.”
I was introduced to the word after we adopted Tigger and Flash. Initially, Tigger was adopted by Rose’s mother, but the next day the shelter called and said they wanted him back because his brother Flash was in much distress without him. We tried to talk her into adopting Flash (they had different names then) but she only wanted one cat at that time so we ended up adopting both of them.
They lost their mother at a very young age so Tigger developed a habit of sucking on Flash’s belly. Rose referred to Flash as Tigger’s “woobie” and would jokingly say to tigger “No sucking on the woobie!”
Tigger sucking on Flash’s belly.
Tigger and Flash with Alex watching.
Later we bought a fleece blanket and discovered that the cats were attracted to it like catnip. Soon the blanket was referred to as the “woobie blanket” and we bought several more over the years.
Last week Rose put one of the woobie blankets on one of the chairs in the living room and it instantly became Chris’s new favorite place to nap.
Chris napping on the woobie blanket
Related Post: Life Before Chris
Recently I gave the cats a nice box that they liked to play in and then I took it away because we had to ship something and it was just the right size. I felt bad about it so when I came across another box at work I grabbed it.
I decided to make this one better than the last so I taped the top closed and cut two openings; one on the front and one on the side. I then cut a few peep holes in it so the box could feel like a little fort with spy holes to watch the “enemy.”
I named it “Fort Box” and the cats took to it right away, especially Colonel Chris who took over command of the fort.
I hereby assume command of Fort Box.
I know you’re there Frankie
Okay, Puck. Your turn to stand guard.
It’s scary in here. I’m shaking.
Puck! You’re supposed to be inside the fort.
Like this. I’ll show you.
I wonder if there is an attic?
I can see you guys so don’t try anything.
You can have your turn Frankie, when I am done lying here doing nothing.
Finally! What’s this?
Yuck! Tastes like cardboard.
C’mon Frankie! It’s my turn again.
Where did you go Frankie? I was just kidding. You can come back. I’ll share.
Bad Cat Chris 