I am of the feeling a house isn’t a home without at least ONE cat. Yet I was at a loss as to what I should call my group of feline furry babies. Then I found out and with that I found out what to call a group of feral felines because we all know the furry babies that purr on our beds are different from the wild ones that mouse the warehouse and run from humans. So what’s what when it comes to cats in groups? Let me tell you. (more…)
Last week I introduced you to Happy the outgoing cross dressing yellow tabby. Well this week it’s his dignified loving bigger brother Secret. (more…)
Okay I have to say I’m exhaustipated (too tired to give a sh**t) today. Doggie rehab is tough when one is working. Today is my first day off since we got back. She goes in for e-stim today and then when get her physical therapy info today. Though she is improving. She met me on shaky legs when I got home from work last night. She now gets her front end up when I sling her back end.
So I don’t have the energy right now to go though the trip pictures so I tell the tale of the box throne last night…
As you know Mr. Blue belongs to the box of the month club and he thoroughly enjoys his boxes. However, they are HIS boxes being the alpha of the animals. Last night the wannabe alpha Mr. Red got into Mr. Blue’s current box! I know, I know, I hear your gasps of horror, shock, and indignation. I too was astounded at the outright gall it took. I watched as I did Rappy’s massage therapy. Mr. Blue stood up from his chair and yowled at the usurper.
That led to a big cat fight of screeches, yowls, growls, and posturing. He hopped down and went back to claim his cardboard throne. There was much noise and odd body postures that led to a few slaps (no claws). Red went from “what, what?!?” to challenging then to submissive and slinked out of the box and away to take the cat bed in the office.
Mr. Blue being triumphant sat in his box throne for a long time before settling in for a nap. Yes we think no less of our feline alpha for napping in his box with his catnip mouse. He had show regal restraint while asserting his authority after all.
Time for the vet trip. Until next time!
In the introduction of my furry family members we are now to the last of the clowder – Mr. Red. His full name is Puss Red but like his brother he prefers his last name. He may be the last feline covered but not the least by any means. He’s physically the largest now. Like many of us as we age the spread sits in… he was once a lean lanky Tom for most of his prime but as chronic kidney insufficiency set in so did the spread. He’s now a hefty kitty. I just say he’s a lotta kitty lovin’! Also I’ve taken to shouting thunder, Thunder, THUNDER-BUTT HO! as he runs down the stairs. Our personal tribute to Lion-O and the Thundercats . Mike likes to use the Donkey line from Shrek 3 “Whoa that’s a whole lotta kitty! Can we keep ‘im?” Either way Red has a big butt we can’t deny!
He’s always been the outgoing but insecure one. Kinda reminds me of the characters that swagger once safety has been established by the real heroes. Except they are lovable and well meaning chickens that long to be macho. That’s my Red. He ‘s not the gentletom his brother is because he tries so darn hard and is so anxious to be the ONE! He wants to but dang it’s scary. As a result of this personality he often gets into trouble – he does naughty things to get attention. If there’s a crash in another room I guarn-damn-tee-ya it’ll be red walking out with tail high looking all surprised. What? Did you hear that? What happened? I was being good in that room and suddenly A CRASH!
Also he’s always had a disposition to eat anything. That’s why his nickname is Mr. I-Eat-IT! He has a penchant for chewing through earbud wires and crunching up the buds. We have to keep those safely tucked away in drawers, pockets, purses, or brief cases when not in use. He’s actually had dental surgery due to this quirk. He cracked a tooth and wedged a piece of black plastic in the crack when crunching up a bud. A few hundred dollars later we had a drunk kitty with a still partially numb mouth staggering into the kitchen trying to steal gushy doggie food. The problem that had him yowl in frustration was the dang food wouldn’t stay in his numbed mouth! Rappy just said “Ew all my gushy food has cat slobber on it!”
For all his faults and quirks Red is a lover just like his brother. He loved to cuddle, purr, and be petted. He’s not a lap cat as much as a next to you cat. Which is okay given the thunderbutt status. Except here you know quirky tom has to have his own twist to this – he wants to lick your hands and face like a dog. I kid you not he’s a not a kitty kisser with head butts like most cats – he’s licker kisser. Sure it feel strange with that rough tongue and I try to discourage it or let it be my fingers. However, fall asleep and your nose is his for the kissing. You’ve not startled awake until you’ve had a sandpaper tongue dragged across your nose!
Also he’s the only cat I’ve ever know with a diagnosed mental illness. He took to tearing all his hair out on his belly. Took him to the vet and had all kind of tests run – finally nothing physically wrong. We began to see that he did it when a family member was gone for a few nights. It was his new stress reaction! As the vet said “He’s either psychotic, neurotic, or demented. Without being able to question him I can’t tell you which it is.” The answer is mild sedation if it gets bad. We chose to just love love him through it as long as it was cosmetic fur damage and now harming his own skin. When someone is gone we take special time to reassure Red he’s loved and safe. Still even then when I was gone a week he de-pants-ed himself. So we have to watch him and do lots of reassuring.
Sure Red is a bit odd and needs some extra care but he’s a sweetheart. He tries to do his best and live a fun life but he’s such a fretter. I do adore him and his antics. He’s always sweet just trying to please you and be the alpha tom his gentlemanly brother is. I just wish he could understand I love him as he is (except maybe minus the earbud munching but I’ll take it if it has to come with him). He’s worth putting earbuds in drawers, doing daily pill sessions, take extra time to reassure him he’s okay & loved. His antics and cuddles make it all worth him being my kitty boy with more kitty for the lovin’!
Until next time!
I promised a post on each of the furry boys. Today I’d like to introduce the gentletom leader of our clowder – Mr. Boots Blue. He’s a great leader with many of the aspects I’d look for in a human leader. Like his litter mate brother he’s getting some age on him. Unlike his brother he’s not getting middle age spread. Instead he’s gotten a distinguished sprinkle of grey about his shoulders where mane would be on a lion. He wears his mantle well, with style and grace of Mufasa.
He’s a cat that tends to think the best of everyone including dogs and people, yet he doesn’t lose his own caution that such can be dangerous. ‘You are poised to be my friend unless your actions make that impossible’ is his initial stance. Unlike Miss Mo who figures everyone is out to hurt her until they earn her trust. He welcomes people into our home and greets them with a friendly “meow-meow” said very quickly.
Ahh, there is his shortcoming, he’s the Mike Tyson of toms. He’s big, he’s burly, he’s fit, he has a high pitched voice of a kitten. Yes, his greeting sounds like that of a kitten but one look and you know you’re dealing with an able tom. Still, many masculine males in the world have had to deal with high voices. Poor Blue is just one of them.
He’s very magnanimous about sharing his affection. If it’s the two of us (humans) at night relaxing in front of the tv, Mr. Blue will be sure that he shows affection to everyone in the room. Even Rappy gets an acknowledging head butt (a sign of kitty affection equal to a human kiss on the cheek) and happy upright tail shake on departure (a kitty sign of marking territory – thank goodness he’s neutered!). He’s mostly in Mike’s lap and just like Mo is my cat, Blue is Mike’s. Still if it’s a lazy football Sunday, Blue is sure to periodically come over to my lap to give and receive affection.
He’s the only house cat we have that has an interest in going outside. Mo is too much of a sacredly cat to go out, bad things happened to her out there. Blue desires to be a great hunter, despite coming to us in a declawed state. He’s the only one that has ever caught a rodent. He and his brother were great mole cricket hunters at our house in Oak Ridge. Blue’s great rodent kill is fodder for yet another post on another day.
Mr. Blue has become more vocal in his old age. I think he’s become secure in his clowder leadership (which includes Rappy who considers Blue a pack senior and me the pack leader) and thus comfortable with his kitteny voice. I’m big on talking to my cats and responding to their talking to me. We develop tones and mixture of words and kittyese to communicate. He calls for me with two quick mews – short and choppy but cheerful, unlike Mo’s call for me that’s long and sounds like a scared MOM! If he wants a door opened it’s commanding yowl with an upward lilt at the end. If I ignore it, like say his wanting to go out on the screened in porch when it’s too cold out. The ending lilt goes away and it sounds more like a backyard fence cat. If I tell him no, he’ll leave the front door but not the door to the basement, there he’ll paw it – “Woman MY bathroom is DOWN THERE and I HAVE TO GO!”
The interesting thing is when Aaron is gone, Blue doesn’t ask to go upstairs. Aaron’s room is upstairs. When Aaron is there and for a few days after Aaron leaves, Blue will ask to go up. If Aaron’s here I’ll let Blue up to say hi. If Aaron’s gone we’ll have a human/kittyese conversation to that effect. Then he’ll walk away happy not the disgusted stomp away like he does when the porch is cold and he’s denied entry.
Over all Mr. Blue is our brave gentleman tom. He adores Sara and treats her as an honored member of the family. He loves to follow her about with happy purrs and chirps. I love to see him regally content on Mike’s lap in the evenings. They both just exude contended happiness and security.
Here’s to the honorable Mr. Boots Blue (who rarely uses his first name) long may he reign as king of our clowder. Until next time!
Honestly my furry boys each deserve their own post. They are two distinctive personalities. Still they share the same origin story of how they came to be part of our family. So despite being two fine feline fellas they will get three posts. One on their origin story and one each on their unique personalities.
It all started when I struck up a friendship with a single mom of seven where I used to work. She was younger than me and had this weight of responsibility on her shoulders. Long story short through a series of tragic happenings she wound up being the sole parent of these kids ranging in age from 19 to 5. She was working hard as were the older kids to make ends meet. Then an better opportunity happened – except the job was in California. I was asked to foster her two cats until she got settled there. Then the plan was to send them out to the family. I couldn’t say no.
That’s how two 1 year old cats named Puss and Boots came to be part of our household. They had become part of her household due to her finding them. You see P&B came in a shipment of radioactive waste to a processing facility. When they were discovered due to their mewling they were quickly rescued by the workers one of which being the single mom. The kitties were dubbed Puss and Boots as they moved through the decontamination process. My friend was the one in charge of the process. Once complete the decision was to the pound with them or to a home. Being like me unable to turn away that cute needy kitten face – the two came home to the crowded house with seven kids.
Now they were in our home with us, Mo, and Belle (an elderly golden lab). I have to say the furry boys were shy at first staying in the basement and work room. We didn’t push just made the main floor available to them when they wanted. Puss (aka Blue) was the first to come up and meet us all. Within a week he was at home, it took Boots (aka Red) a few more weeks due to the dog but he came around.
We’d had them for some time and gotten a few checks from my friend for the expenses of the boys. Then the letter came that she just couldn’t take them back. The expense of getting them out there and managing that was more than she could do with her large family. She guessed they’d have to go to the pound any way.
Oh no! They’d been in our home and become part of our family during the months between. There was no way I’d ship them off to an uncertain future. These were my furry boys! So I let her know they were a part of our family now and we’d be more than happy to keep them. She was relieved they’d found a forever home.
Thus they were ours and got collars with names on them and our address as contact information. Back in those days they looked very much alike so the quickest way to tell them apart from a distance was by their collar color. Boots had a blue collar and Puss had a red one. Eventually as they grew into manly feline maturity and out of the long legged gawky stage the no longer looked cutesy like Puss and Boots names so they came to be called Blue and Red. More manly nicknames that suited their maturity and their new collars for beefy necks bore the names Mr. Puss Blue and Mr. Red Boots to recognize that they were indeed full grown cats.
The two were always and still are best buddies. Early on they would always travel in the same carrier to the vet. You couldn’t take one without the other going too or both would wail themselves sick for the missing brother. I guess when you’d been through what they had been through but always had your brother at your side – separation even for a check up at the doctor’s is traumatic. They eventually grew out of it and prefer the full carrier for the more full bodies of the mature feline.
Today they are edging into senior citizen territory. Still they are active healthy cats. They still romp together and groom each other. They talk to one another and me. They curl up and sleep together but it takes the couch or a bed for it the chair is just too cramped for two to doze comfortably. Blue is definitely the leader, the Alpha of the clowder. Red is the mischievousness follower. As I said at the start each is his own feline. I’ll tell you more about each in their own post.
Until Next Time!
Mike says he can always tell when I’m coming into a room because I’m preceded by my furry entourage. Currently there are four members, and yes at home you generally find them with me. Part of that is I work from home and they are social creatures, so we hang together. Part of it I like to think is because I’m the Queen, the leader of the pack, the big honcho of the house, you get the idea. To show no particular favoritism we’ll go in order of age with oldest first.
Meet Miss Mo. Her name is Mohican because she’s the sole survivor of her litter. I’ll tell her full biography in her own post. However when Aaron was little he dubbed her Kitty Mo. Over the years it has become Miss Mo about the time the furry boys got their Mr. designation. Her position in my entourage is princess. She’s the most verbal of the entourage so she does announcements such as “The stinky dog is getting up and stirring up her doggie smell.” Now that she’s older there’s many “pick me up and put me_____ .” She’s arthritic now being old and can’t jump up on seats or beds as easily as before. So once we settle into a room like my office she might shout to be put on the chair next to me. Generally she brings up the end being knocked kneed and all.
The next two are brothers, litter mates even. So again in no particular order we’ll start with Mr. Boots Red aka Mr. I-eat-it.
He and his brother were fostered by us and came named Puss & Boots. However when I got collars by chance he got the red one since the brothers look very much alike (more so when they were young) Mike took to calling them by their collar color. Along the years they got full names with Mr. on them.
His job is being the troublemaker. If there’s a crash in the room he’ll be the one casually strolling out tail up trying to look nonchalant. “What crash? You heard a crash?” He’ll dart around the entourage very unregal like – much to the disgust of his very proper brother and Miss Mo. Also if there’s anything new he’ll eat it. You have to put ear buds in drawers because he’ll eat the cords and gnaw the buds. He’s the only cat I’ve ever known that will eat fruit. Thus his nickname is I-eat-it because that’s what he says when he encounters something “I eat it!” then he inspects it. He’s the least verbal of the felines but will speak if he feels he needs my immediate attention.
Meet Mr. Red’s brother Mr. Blue our gentleman feline. He’s the alpha among the animals of the house but defers to me or Mike in a very courtly manner when we’re present. He’s very nice and polite. He’s always tried to divide his time evenly among those humans in a room. He’d visit each person to sit with them. When I’m writing like now chances are he’ll be lounging on the back of my chair with his front paw on my shoulder. When he enters a room he always greets me with a short chirped “Meow-meow.” I do the same in return and it’s become a way I can call just him.
Finally one you saw yesterday Arapaho’s Ace aka Rappy. She’s a retired racing greyhound. She’s a very timid girl but over the years of retired life she’s come out of her shell. Still she’s the gawky large member of the entourage that always waits for the others to get settled in the room then she settles. She’s bossed about by the felines, yes a dog who made her living chasing small furry things on sticks cowers now follows the small furry ones in our house. Honestly she’s not the smartest animal I’ve ever known. Actually she’s one the slowest and simplest animals I ever met second only to Chatterbox (a cat I’ll tell her tale another day).
So that’s my in house entourage. From the gentleman feline to the demur simple greyhound. I love them all each has a special place in my heart.
As always thanks for reading. I’d love to hear from you feel free to comment or contact me. Also likes and star ratings make me smile. Until next time!
Mary Louise Eklund 