Chris, Frankie, Puck, Floki and family want everyone to have a very happy Easter.
“Did you just lay an Easter egg, Frankie?”
“Of course not, Chris. My breakfast was carrying it in a basket.”
Happy Easter
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Tag Archives: Cats
A Not-So-Friendly Meeting With The Neighbor Cat
When I took Frankie for a walk on Saturday (after he smelled my tires thoroughly) he walked right past the neighbor cats who were watching him from the window. Frankie pretended not to notice and walked on by.
On the way back I had to carry him because he rarely comes back on his own. As we passed the neighbor’s house, I could see one of the cats looking out the window near the door. The other cat was further away looking out a different window. I put Frankie down on the sidewalk in front of their house just to see what he would do. As expected, he walked right up to the nearest kitty to say hello.
I thought Frankie was a gentlecat but the female cat inside was not buying his pickup line and he was greeted with a lot of hissing. Fearing the neighbor lady would hear that and think (or know) I was contributing to this invasion of privacy, I quickly picked up Frankie and brought him home. That was close.
Who Peed on My Car? A Bobcat?
Yesterday Frankie and Chris both got their time outside in the sun. Frankie always goes first on a cat-harness and leash and then when we return I let Chris outside without a leash. It works out good that way because he usually runs out the door anyway as I try to bring Frankie in.
As soon as Frankie got outside and walked near my car he stopped to smell my front tire.
This smelling went on for a long time.
I thought an animal might have peed on my tire but I didn’t see any discoloration. This happened over Christmas on the front bumper of my wife’s car (see here). Frankie would not stop smelling the tire so I pretended like I was going to pick him up. That got him moving.
After our walk, I brought Frankie home and carried him inside. As predicted, Chris ran out the door. I removed Frankie’s harness and went outside to watch Chris. Once outside, I noticed Chris had already discovered the pee on the tire.
I knew it had to be pee at this point.
I just wondered who was doing the marking. Since it also happened to Rose’s car there is a good chance it happened in our driveway but I never see any loose animals around here that would do that. We live in a well-kept 55 plus community (because living with a bunch of people older than you makes you feel young). Outside cats are not allowed here and dogs must be on a leash.
Perhaps it’s a bobcat. I was told there were a couple of bobcats around here a few years ago. I can understand why since there is an endless supply of rabbits but I was also told nobody has seen them in years. I wonder about that after what I saw last week.
Frankie found what looked like bunny parts.
I don’t know what did this but it looks like a policy of indoor only cats is a good idea. I would hate to think of Chris or Frankie outside with a bobcat or some other large predator.
Hello Neighbor
Our neighbor on the north side of our house moved in a few months ago with two cats. I often see one cat or the other, sometimes both, sitting on their patio and looking out the window. I see them but I have never been aware that any of our cats had noticed them. Our patio, also known as the cats’ room, is on the opposite side of our house and the cats don’t look out the other windows too often except when they hear me pull into the driveway after work.
Chris and Frankie have been outside countless times since the neighbor moved in but every time they both seemed blissfully unaware of the other cats’ presence, even though they were only 10 feet away at times. Of course it helps that the other cats just casually watch Chris and Frankie without making a fuss. I found it hard to believe that they couldn’t smell them but I guess they were both just busy enjoying being outside.
The other day I brought Frankie out for a walk and he surprised me by walking right up to their patio door to say hello, like he knew they were there.
Unfortunately, the cats were not on the patio so we missed an opportunity for a meet and greet, but maybe next time. I guess Frankie knew all along there were kitties next door but chose not to let me know that he knew. Or something like that.
Photo Friday: Musical Chairs
It seems whenever I briefly get off my chair, one cat or another is lying on it when I return. Usually I’m too nice to kick them off so I replace that chair with a less comfortable one. Then I lose that one.
Photo Friday: Washing Station
Okay Puck, you’re clean. NEXT!
Photo Friday: Sleeping Partner
A cat can sleep with one cat one day and another cat the next day and nobody gets jealous. This rule does not apply to humans.
Frankie: The First Three Years – Part Three
Today we continue with the third and last part of Frankie’s three year adventure with us. If you missed one or both previous parts, you can click here for part one or here for part two.
We start in February, 2016, long after Frankie has proven he can be a bad cat at almost the same level as Chris. Even badder in some ways.
Here, Frankie has escaped and is hiding under a large bush to prevent capture.
Frankie went through a phase where he would lie in front of the television and partially block the remote control sensor.
Frankie’s ability to be cute has not waned in two plus years.
Frankie still likes to escape.
He also likes to lie on keyboards, although I can’t imagine why.
Lying in the sunbeam is his favorite thing to do that does not involve getting into trouble or being annoying.
Our new kitten, Floki, arrives in July and competes for attention.
By August, Frankie is still enjoying his walks and he is still getting along with Chris.
By November they are best frenemies.
Frankie proves to be quite an acrobat.
Frankie is usually the center of most fights in the house but he also can get along with everybody if he wants to.
See what I mean?
Well? What do you think of Frankie? Should we keep him? I think we should give him another 20 years and then re-evaluate. 🙂
Photo Friday: The New Fridge Perch
My wife had a metal try on the refrigerator to help keep the cats out of the cabinet. It didn’t work. They would just push it to the side and open the cabinet door anyway. One day, one of our boys pushed that tray off the fridge and dented the wood floor. That’s when I decided to not put the tray back. I instead put up a makeshift lock using a spatula. Rose then put a rug up there and voilà, instant cat perch.
Chris and Floki
Cat Food Too Good to Buy
I have been buying our cats the same canned cat food for a few years now, Earthborne Hollistic’s Chicken Catcciatori, but I have been wishy washy about choosing a good dry food. Lately I settled on the Earthborne Hollistic’s brand but a few weeks ago the store was out of it so I bought another brand that happened to be on sale during the month of January. What I bought is called Whole Earth Farms Grain Free Recipe with Real Chicken.
I soon discovered there is a major problem with this food. The cats like it way too much. In a similar situation many years ago, our cat Tigger almost died because I bought a new food that was too good. He ate so much food so fast that a clump of it had become stuck in his esophagus and he was having trouble breathing (see story here). We had to find an emergency vet open at night. The difference between then and now is that the food I bought back then was a much lower quality. It should be noted here that I was not paid nor did I get free or discounted food for talking about this product (although I am an Amazon affiliate).
I don’t worry so much about another vet visit but I do worry the cats will get fat(er) eating so much food. I did buy a second bag hoping that they would get used to it and like it less, but that hasn’t happened yet and the bag is almost gone. Since I already let their food bowls remain empty for parts of the day, I think I can get around the problem buy not giving them more food They will just have to deal with having empty bowls for longer parts of the day. Another possible solution is to try a different flavor that they might not like as much. I could also go back to the last food I gave them. What do you think?
Bad Cat Chris 