If you’re as old as I am, you might remember a little poem about “The gingham dog and the calico cat.” Well, how about a Camouflage Cat? Paddy O’Cat has been studying the art of camouflage He has learned that there are times being invisible is a good thing. For instance, when he sees the cat carrier come out of the closet — nothing good ever comes of trips in the cat carrier. Also, when he sees Lop Ear stalking toward him or when Smokey snarls at him and he needs a quick getaway. Fortunately for him, I have a blanket that is the almost exact same colors as his fur. He is so successful at disguising himself on this blanket, that several time I have started to make the bed not realizing that he is on it. Blackjack, my sweet but not-too-bright little kitty, was impressed at Paddy’s idea… Read More »
My Cat is blackmailing me
Can a cat actually blackmail someone? you ask. Well, okay, blackmail may not be the exact right word, but I don’t really don’t know what else to call it. Here’s the story: About a month ago when I got into bed, I was surprised that the sheets were so cold. Then I realized they weren’t just cold — they were wet! I jumped out of bed and discovered a big wet spot by the foot of my bed. What on earth is going on? As I pulled back the covers, I realized it wasn’t just the blanket and sheets, the mattress pad was wet clear though. With sinking heart, I felt the mattress underneath and yes, it was damp. How could this be? Well, obviously it was a message from one of my cats, but which one? I suspected Paddy O’Cat, because the foot of the bed is where he sleeps. I was… Read More »
The great cat food bargain.
Remember when you were in grade school and one of the kids would get to the drinking fountain and drink while everyone else waited? Finally someone would yell, “Hey! Leave some for the fishes!” I thought of that today because a few weeks ago I stopped by Lowe’s to check out their marked-down plants. They mark down the plants at the end of the season or the ones that are drooping and past their prime. This particular day there was nothing on the shelves, but a basket behind the cash register was stuffed with droopy green plants with a few faded flowers hanging off the ends. “What are those?” I asked the nursery-man. “Oh,” he said giving a quick glance, “those are Gerbera daisies. Or at least they were.” “Are you marking them down?” “Yeah, they’ll be a dollar.” I picked out two plants that weren’t all that droopy and set… Read More »
A “Cat Nap.” Really?
Okay, I want to know why they call it a “Cat Nap.” People say “I’m just going to take a little cat nap,” meaning a brief snooze. Have you ever noticed how much cats actually, really-truly sleep? I’m told that cats sleep an average of 16-18 hours a day. That being an average, means that some sleep more and some sleep less. My cats weight that average heavily on the “more” side. Case in point — yesterday I went to do errands and marketing. “I’m going out for a bit,” I told Smokey and Black Jack who were curled together on my bed, sound asleep. They didn’t hear me and they didn’t care. I went in search of Paddy who was asleep on my desk, just like he’d been for the last hour. “I’m going shopping,” I said to the comatose cat. Not even an ear twitch. Lop Ear was… Read More »
Nobody OWNS a cat!
One day on the way to work, the radio DJ had one of those call-in contests: “What percentage of households in the United States own a cat?” Well, I immediately realized it was a trick question because nobody owns a cat! Since you are reading this, you most likely share your home with a cat — or several. For many years I had A (single) cat, but somehow in the past few years, I seem to be accumulating them. They keep moving into my house. I don’t invite them — they just show up and demand entry. The most recent is Lop Ear — so named because, well, see for yourself. He was the neighborhood stray for a number of years, and finally settled on my yard, my patio and (eventually) my living room as his chosen abode. He’s a really sweet guy — at least to me. If he could figure out… Read More »
