Tag Archives: Cats

We Have a Stalker

After months of fighting, Chris is now going to the extreme in trying to be Frankie’s friend. He always seems to follow Frankie when he notices him get up to leave. He walks alongside him and pushes his head into Frankie’s. It reminds me of the scene in Jurassic Park where the Tyrannosaurus headbutts a jeep as it is running next to it. I’m afraid Frankie is ready to file a restraining order.

He also has to butt in when Frankie comes to me for attention. I’m not sure if he is jealous of me giving Frankie attention or the other way around.

How can I lose this guy?

These Are Not Pussy Cats

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Every time I clean the house, I can’t help being amazed at Chris and Frankie’s total lack of fear of the vacuum cleaner. I have shared videos like this in the past but, at the risk of beating a dead horse, I would like to share one more.

Photo Friday: Photogenic Frankie

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Out of our three cats, Chris, Puck, and Frankie, I am starting to think that Frankie is the most photogenic. That is not to say he is better looking but he does not have the disadvantages that make things more difficult for photographers.

For example, Puck is a good-looking cat but he is all black and it is difficult to pick up fine details, especially when you must underexpose him to keep the background from becoming too overexposed.

Chris’s problem is “eye boogers.” He always seems to have a bit of goo in the corner of his eyes that can be a distraction. On the other hand, he has had that problem his whole life and that may be considered a distinguishing characteristic.

Does anyone else have one pet that seems to be more photogenic? If you’d like, post a link to their picture.

Making the Bed… With Cats

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I have learned that if you want to get a cat’s attention, start making the bed. They could all be sleeping in the other room but once you start to pull the sheets up, you’ve got a party.

I didn’t always know that bed making was a favorite activity of many cats. I first noticed it with our cat Tigger many years ago. I would pick him up and put him on the floor and he would jump right back up on the bed. This became the routine every morning. I started singing a song by Chumbawamba while making the bed; “I get knocked down but I get up again. You’re never going to keep me down.” I never knew the rest of the lyrics so I would just repeat those to Tigger while I struggled to finish the bed.

Now that Tigger is gone, Chris and Puck are happy to take over the duties of making my job as difficult as possible and they are very good at it.

Into the Storm

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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?

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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.

Our cats Frankie and Chris fighting over paper bag.

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?

The Woobie

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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

The Conquest of Fort Box

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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.

Rebuilding Burnt Bridges – Part Two

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Several weeks ago I wrote a post called Rebuilding Burnt Bridges where I talked about how Chris tormented Frankie for weeks after we adopted him but then had a change of heart and decided he wanted to be friends with Frankie. Unfortunately, that came too late and Frankie didn’t trust him. Not only that, whenever Chris tried to be nice, Frankie would attack him.

Since that post Chris has continued in his efforts to make peace and lately I have seen signs that things are getting better. They still fight, and Frankie is by no means ready to be Chris’s best buddy, but there are occasions when Chris moves in close to Frankie and Frankie doesn’t attack him. Indeed, sometimes he doesn’t leave either. I know it is not much but it is much better than what we have been used to seeing. Chris may be a bad cat but he has a good heart and sometimes it shows.

I was shocked to see this scene yesterday. They are actually sleeping while touching each other.

Sorry about the quality but needed to get a quick picture of this before it was over.

Bad Cat Chris

The Baddest Cat You'll Ever Love