We try not to eat too much chicken in our house because when we do we attract vultures, otherwise know as cats, who want to take our food off our plates. Yesterday we ordered pizza and chicken wings for lunch. We ate the pizza for lunch and saved the wings for dinner. This is what happened at dinnertime.
The technical quality is not great because it was taken in very low light without a flash, but I think my wife’s timing was perfect. It really captures the story well. I guess a picture really is worth a thousand words.
A few weeks ago, my wife ordered a new office chair that had a retractable footrest because her foot started hurting around the time this lock-down started and she wanted to be able to raise it while she was working. Unfortunately, she did not find the chair to be comfortable and gave it to me with the instruction to get rid of my old chair, which I happen to like. Garbage pickup was several days away so I had two chairs in my “office” while I was waiting for trash day. I didn’t find the chair to be as comfortable as my own but I needed to get rid of one of them because I didn’t have much room for both and I couldn’t see getting rid of the new one after she spent so much money on it.
During that time Chris would lay on my lap while I was working and annoy the crap out of me. He constantly claws at my chest like he wants to climb up or pull me down. It is something he started doing several months ago and I can’t get him to stop. If I put him down he just starts biting my legs.
One day I put a pillow on the new chair and put Chris on it and he stayed there. He was right next to me and I was able to pet him while I worked so it was all good. Now when he is annoying, like he is now while I am writing this, I can move him to the chair.
Notice Frankie already put holes in the new chair.
There are times when that doesn’t work. Now, for example, Frankie is on the chair so I can’t put Chris there.
Other times putting him on the chair doesn’t work and he comes right back to bother me some more. When that happens I do the only thing that works and I get up to put a little kibble in their bowls, which I just did so I could finish this sentence.
So it looks like I will have to deal with having two chairs in my way until something changes.
On a sadder note, I just learned that Yoda passed away yesterday. You may remember my recent post about losing Jerry. Yoda and Jerry arrived at the shelter where we adopted Chris in 2006 and never left. They were best friends in 2009 when I volunteered there and met Chris, and they were best friends until the end. I suspect losing Jerry was too much for Yoda so he left to join him at the Rainbow Bridge.
Yesterday our little boy turned four and we missed it because I made a stupid mistake. We actually don’t know his exact birthday but I was told that Floki and his brother were left in a carrier at Walmart on Memorial day and they were about six weeks old at the time so I did the math and came up with April 18th. I then had Alexa remind me of that date but for some reason thought Saturday was the 16th and I had made a mistake. It reminds me of the old joke, “I thought I was wrong once but I was mistaken.” This time being wrong about being wrong was a mistake.
I’m four years old? What is that in dog years?
In either case, my wife wanted to celebrate “early” with a cake. I told her it would have to be a tuna cake but she din’t like that idea but she wanted me to pick up some tuna for him as a treat. Since I had to get cat food anyway, I looked for something special and found something called Churu that were squeeze tubes of different flavors of treats. I chose the chicken recipe.
I opened two of the four tubes and squirted it on paper plates for the cats. They all loved it.
Rose decided since it was Floki’s birthday I should open up the other two packages and give that to them too. I did and they gobbled that up as eagerly as the first two. Hopefully, next year I will get the date right.
If you want to read more about Floki’s early days, check out the links below.
Our latest incarnation of Fort Box lasted longer than any other, perhaps six weeks or so, but my wife is tired of tripping over it and wants it gone today.
I have another box ready to go so I will give it a few days and then start over.
At the end of March I was in my least favorite store that may or may not start with a “W.” Anyway, I noticed a package of cat grass as I was heading toward the register and I thought it was something I should get for the cats.
My past experience with cat grass has not been good, mostly because the cats would tip it over and make a big mess. It also was expensive and wouldn’t last long. My plan this time was to buy a pot that would be the right size and difficult to tip over. I found that in the same store as well as a small bag of potting soil. I don’t remember what I paid but I think it was all under $20.
Six days after planting the seeds the grass was coming up quite nicely.
Two days later Chris was outside and he stumbled upon the cat grass. I let him eat a little but encouraged him to leave after a minute or two because the grass wasn’t ready yet.
Three days later I thought it was long enough to bring it in the house.
All the cats seemed to enjoy the grass, especially Chris and Frankie. I left it out for them for a few hours and then brought it back outside. After a few days I brought it inside for a few more hours and then put it back outside again. I think I will repeat that cycle about twice a week and see how long this lasts. Hopefully I can keep it indefinitely.
What do you think? Have you had success with cat grass?
We are having our house painted and, of course, when the painter arrived this morning to pressure wash, Frankie ran out the door. I put my shoes on and went out to look for him as soon as I was done talking to the painter. I found him ten or fifteen minutes later in front of the neighbors house but he went under their car when I approached. Since the car was relatively tall and since he was not very far under it I decided to try to grab him. I reached under the car and got the scruff of his neck and dragged him out. He didn’t resist as I picked him up and carried him to our house.
He didn’t resist at first but by then the painter was pressure washing the house. The pressure washer was running to the left of the door and the guy was spraying to the right of the door. Frankie was not happy about going through the middle of that and made every effort to get away. I held tight, despite the pain, and quickly opened the door and let him jump to safety inside.
Ten minutes later Floki was hiding under our bed and Frankie was on the bed paying very close attention to the noises outside. Chris then joined Frankie on the bed and promptly fell asleep while Frankie kept his ears and eyes on where the noise was coming from.
Here is a post from 2014 for Throwback Thursday. Normally I cut the handles off of bags, especially since Floki got stuck one day and completely freaked out. Maybe I thought it was safe since I was there watching. I hope so.
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?
Bad Cat Chris 