What I am Thankful For

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Today in America we celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a time to celebrate and give thanks for what we have. With that in mind, I would like to list some things I am thankful for:

I am thankful for Chris. Even though he can be a big pain in the you-know-what, he gives us plenty of love and brightens our day with his antics.
I am thankful for Puck. He reminds us what a good cat should be like.
I am thankful for every one of my readers. I love writing and you give me a reason to keep it up.
I am thankful for my parents. They made plenty of mistakes yet they were perfect parents.
I am thankful that I was blessed with a son, in part, so that I may appreciate my parents.
I am thankful that I live in Florida, where a cold winter day might require a jacket.
I’m thankful that I am healthier at fifty than I was at forty.
I am thankful that I still have my hair, even if it is whiter than it used to be.
Most of all I am thankful for my wife, Rose, who not only puts up with Chris but also with me, which isn’t easy.

More Outdoor Fun: The Video

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I wanted to add a video to my last post but my video software keeps faulting and shutting down. I finally was able to put it together using the software that came with my Canon camera. It’s funny but I did not even know I had it.

This video was taken after I took the photographs and about the time I wanted to get the cats inside but Chris and Puck would have none of it. They were having too much fun and wanted to stay outside and play. If they were kids they would whine a little but eventually listen. Cats don’t listen and need to be chased down, which isn’t easy.

Photo Friday: More Outdoor Fun

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Work was slow last Friday so I had the day off. Of course, when that happens I am not allowed to play all day and usually have a honey-do list that involves cleaning the house. I did have some free time though and decided to let Chris out for some fresh air.

Ahh… Grass eating time.

I didn’t want to let Puck out because he is such a pain to catch and bring back in but after seeing the look of rejection on his face I couldn’t refuse him.

You forgot me again!

What? You’re letting me out? Oh boy!

C’mon Puck, let me show you how to have fun outside.

First, you have to get some sun on your belly.

Then we can build a fort.

I don’t know Chris. I think I just want to go exploring.

I was glad they had a chance to be outside. Puck raced across the yard a few times getting exercise that is difficult to get indoors, although he does do some running around inside. Chris ate some grass, which he likes to do when he is outside. He caught a lizard too, which I did not get a picture of. Both had fun in a safe environment and, as predicted, puck gave me a run for my money when it was time to go inside.

Two Sick Cats

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Chris has been sick for almost a week now. By that I mean he has been sneezing a lot. Other than that he seems fine, which is why I thought he was having an allergic reaction to something that is in season now. I no longer think that because Puck started sneezing yesterday and, as far as I know, allergies are not contagious.

It seems Puck may be more affected by this cold (if that is what it is) than Chris is. This morning he got on the bed before I was quite finished making it and lied down where I needed to put the last pillow. I decided to leave him there and let him rest, which he did until we were almost ready to leave for work. That is when Chris jumped on the bed and started bothering him.

“Chris,” Rose scolded, “Leave Puck alone. He doesn’t feel good.” I had to remind her that Chris was sick too but she pointed out that Chris was tougher than the average cat and I couldn’t argue about that. Hopefully they will both get over this soon. I will have to keep a close eye on them and make sure they don’t get worse.

Photo Friday: Payback

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A few times a week I catch Chris holding Puck down by the scruff of the neck. I assume he does that to remind him who’s boss. On the other side of the coin Chris will also lie down next to Puck and wash his face and ears. I think he expects Puck to do the same for him, and sometimes Puck does, but other times he gets up and leaves.

The other day Chris was lying with his head resting on Puck’s head. It was a very cute picture opportunity but by the time I returned with the camera, the cuteness was over.

What are you doing with the camera?

Shortly after I took the above picture, Puck apparently had enough of Chris invading his space and was holding him down by the scruff of the neck. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The student was now the master.

Just so you know… YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!

I noticed yesterday that Chris is sneezing a lot and I believe he is not feeling well, which may be why he is seeking a little more attention from Puck than usual. Last night he was on the couch again in what I thought would be a repeat of the other night, but Chris was a little less obtrusive this time and Puck decided to put up with him.

100th Post

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Wanna know a secret? This is the 100th post on Bad Cat Chris.

The 100th post! I’m shocked!

This makes me want to dance.

The party’s about to start. Where is everybody?

We’re coming. Don’t start without us.

Well, my 100th post is finally here. It has taken longer than expected to reach this milestone but my busy life has left me less prolific than I would like. Even so, I a so glad I started this blog for several reasons.

First and foremost, it introduced me to a community of wonderful, caring and compassionate people with helpful advice and interesting stories to tell. I also discovered how much I love to write.

I would like to take this opportunity to point out a few things worth mentioning about this blog.

My longest follower is Coleen. She is a friend and cat lover from South Carolina. She lived near me when Rose and I lived there and helped get me involved in volunteering at Sav-R-Cats, the shelter where I found Chris.
My longest follower who also has a blog is Andrea Kelly at The Hand Written Life. She is not specifically a pet blogger but she is a great writer and I encourage you to check out her blog.
Fozziemum has the honor of being my biggest commenter. She blogs from Down Under and I always enjoy hearing from her.
The most commented post was Are Ginger Cats Friendlier?.
The most viewed post was Goodbye Homer. This was shared on Gwen Cooper’s Facebook Page, Homer Blind Wondercat, which accounted for the spike in traffic. Gwen Cooper is the author of the book, Homer’s Odyssey. The second most viewed post was Are Ginger Cats Friendlier?.

I want to thank all my readers for sticking with me and especially those who have left me likes, coments or have shared my work. I also want to thank everyone who has left a comment about my book, Bad Cat Chris, on Amazon. I hope you have enjoyed the blog so far and I will see you at 101.

Photo Friday: Puck the Overseer

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After watching Chris get on top of the china cabinet over and over again, Puck finally decided to overcome his fear and make the leap. Now that he knows he can do it, he spends more time up there than Chris does.

I am the lord of the cabinets… at least until Chris sees me up here.

Wake Up Call Gets Earlier as Daylight Saving’s Time Ends

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Chris used to wake us up every morning at 4:00 a.m (see Four O’clock Chris) but eventually that changed to 5:00 a.m. It didn’t occur to me at first but Chris’s time didn’t change, ours did. That is why I somewhat dreaded the return of standard time.

Last night Chris started playing under the sheets as we were getting ready to go to bed. We decided not to lock him out and give him a chance to prove that he could stop being a bad cat for one night and sleep on our bed without being a huge pain in the you know what.

Surprisingly, he was pretty good for a while. He lied across my chest with his back feet on my pillow for 30 minutes without bothering me. Unfortunately I couldn’t sleep like that because his breathing was very fast and loud and his heart was racing faster than Carl Lewis, despite the fact that he was sleeping, or at least trying to sleep.

I changed position which then started the biting and treading on my face and neck. I tried for several minutes to get him to stop but in the end I had to get up and put him out. I then locked the door and went to sleep.

I slept until 4 a.m. when Chris jumped on our bed and woke me up. How does he do that? I checked the door and it was open but still locked. Perhaps he used a credit card. No… That’s silly. He’s a cat. Who would issue him credit?

Photo Friday: Party Cat

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Here are some pictures from our cookout party on Saturday afternoon. As I mentioned in my last post, Stubborn Cat Chris, it was an all day struggle to keep an eye on Chris as he ran out the door every time someone opened it. I let him stay outside as long as I felt like watching him and then I would put him back in until the next time someone came through the door and it started all over again.

Before the party even started Chris would not stay off the table we set up on the patio.

Of course, once out, Chris has to lie in the dirt.

No, wait! That last spot wasn’t dirty enough.

Hello in there. Come on out. I just want to play.

Time to explore.

It looks like Chris failed to read rule #4.

Maybe he read the rule but didn’t care.

What would a cookout be without fish?

Chris finally decides to relax and watch the party. Do you see him under the chair?

Stubborn Cat Chris

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We had a party Saturday afternoon for Rose’s staff. I moved the bikes outside and we put a table on the patio for food and refreshments. It was something different and too much for Chris to resist. He kept jumping on the table and we kept making him get down. But being a bad cat is in Chris’s nature so he would not stop getting on the table.

Bad Cat Chris on party table

Rose wanted me to put him in the house so I pulled him off the table twice and put him inside. After the second time she realized the cat door was still open. I knew it was open but I felt bad about locking him inside. Rose didn’t feel bad and closed the cat door. That only worked until the first guest arrived and then Chris was on the patio the first time the sliding door opened.

The patio was just the first step. From there it was outside. The party was an outdoor event so people were constantly coming in and out of the patio and our bad cat Chris was constantly going outside with them. I would usually let him stay out for a little while because it was easier to watch him outside then try to keep him inside.

When I got tired of watching him I would put him back inside the patio. Sometimes I even put him in the house, but he would get out as soon as someone went inside to use the bathroom. He would then be completely outside when that person came back out. I sometimes feel like I have a two-year old child again.

It was a great party but it was also a long, exhausting day. I thought for sure Chris would be tired and let us sleep through the night. I thought wrong.