Thursday 24 July 2014

Heart-stopping moments I have to put up with. (First pic - he's only sleeping!)

And both these occasions happened just over the last couple of hours. He only does this in Summer when it's hot. Please don't think that the returning driver would automatically notice Blackso before driving off; we have right-hand drive here! And notice, below, his tail already edging under the wheel.



These times he wasn't too hard to spot from my window but sometimes he goes right under the car, so when I know he's outside somewhere, every so often I have to go and check under nearby cars, me on all fours on the pavement, khaki-shorted arse in air, gawped at by passing pedestrians, looking for all the world like I'm looking for or planting a bomb, or I'm on heat, waiting to be mounted. (No takers so far - sigh!)
When he's too far to reach and pull out my coaxing tends to be ineffectual, at least at first. All I get is a look that says "Oh, leave me alone" or "Go to hell!". But I can't leave him there in peril so persistence is required.

Unlike Noodles, Blackso took over my life from the moment he moved in. I had wanted to go and see much-praised, new film 'Boyhood' today, but it's only showing (today, final day) at the least easily accessible of all my regular cinema venues and would have meant my being away for around seven hours (the film alone is nearly three hours long). Yesterday's 'Apes' film, showing at my closest cinema, took me just three hours away, and even then my thoughts kept coming round to wondering where Blackso would be on my return. If anything had happened to him I'd never have been able to live it down. So, no 'Boyhood' then, thanks to this little scamp.

On the subject of felines, here are a few recent pics of:-

Looking like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, Noodles came in yesterday not with butter but with a bird in his mouth! Eek! He doesn't do it often but even once is once too many. Thankfully, the poor victim looked dead. I shooed Noodles out of the window with his 'gift', and he remained on the window sill, apparently eating up the entire little body, feathers, legs, beak the lot! At least I saw him eating and next time I looked he was sitting there, licking his lips and paw and washing his face, not a remnant scrap in sight. Yum yum, indeed! Naughty, naughty boy!


Some time ago I mentioned that my newest regular visitor was a long-haired shaggy with a Persian-type face of which someone had tried to cut his beautiful coat - very inexpertly.  This is him retreating in his pitiable state. Thank heavens that his coat has grown back again in all its luxury, and he really is a beauty, though all the other cats are puzzled or even hostile at him, because he doesn't look like your 'normal' cat. I only hope he doesn't have to undergo another daft person treating him as though trimming a hedge amateurly. He's  nervous towards me (though now starting to trust) but will face up to any other cat, wailing loudly like a banshee whilst challenging them.


Above, inside, are two of my current visitors - little Tortie and fatty Patchy, both from nearby houses - but outside is the dear late little Ginger whom I found run over in April. A shock which has left a scar in me.

And finally....................

Blackso again, showing what he thinks of all my worrying about him - by sticking his tongue out. Charming!

16 comments:

  1. blackso, you are giving your daddy the vapors - STOP IT RIGHT NOW!

    "khaki-shorted arse in air...looking for all the world like...I'm on heat, waiting to be mounted. (No takers so far - sigh!)" - my thoughts exactly when reading this! :(

    pretty pussies all! :)

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    1. I'm sure he does it just to annoy me, A.M. He's the only one who has this habit, not Noodles or any of my visitors. When I pick him up he's all sweetie-purrs and rubbing against my beard and nose, but underneath he's laughing at me 'cos he knows he's got me under his pussy-thumb.

      As for the 'mounting' bit, well one has to live in hope, doesn't one? Otherwise what purpose is there to life? ;-)

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    2. Btw: I've only just noticed that my reflection is showing in the top pic, but I can promise you that my legs aren't THAT skinny. It's like one of those fairground distorting mirrors. (At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

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    3. Honest Injun, J.G.! My legs are not Samson's pillars but they ain't knitting needles either.

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  2. Loving the cats, but Blackso?
    I'd be freaked out every time he left the house not knowing how many of his nine lives he has left!

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    1. He's taken over my entire life for FOURTEEN years now, Bob. If it wasn't for him I could be out all day, knowing that if I left the window open Noodles would be reasonably safe and he and visitors could go in and out as they pleased.
      I think Blackso must have 9 X 9 lives. He's also never been ill nor injured in his long life which is itself remarkable (nor has Noodles, actually). In a way, I feel quite envious. But if something happened to Blackso because of some neglect on my part that would be really hard to come to terms with.

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  3. I had a heart-stopping moment when I saw the first picture and assumed the worst. Thankfully, at least today, all is well.

    My cats never go outside. They are all rescues and have never shown any interest in leaving the house. That is how I prefer it. There is enough worries about their health without worrying about the dangers that exist outside

    You should be very proud of your little family. They are all precious.

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    1. Wanna swap cats, Paul? No, I love mine just too dearly, though they do accelerate the disappearance of my hair on top. If only my duo had agoraphobia!
      I am indeed proud of them - though in my case the difference is that they chose me to live with, absconding from their own separate homes on this same road, recognising the big softie that I am who'll do anything to keep them content, including spending a fortune for their little tummies.

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    2. Paul, I had actually wondered if the first pic might cause some alarm, so I've extended the blog's title which, hopefully, might lessen the chance of it happening for others coming here. Thanks for pointing it out.

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  4. I get more nervous with Albert and cars than ever I do with anyone else..

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    1. I know, J.G. I suppose it goes with the 'territory' that they're unaware that they're so vulnerable. I do declare I'm going to have a heart attack about Blackso one of these days. Not that he cares! (Though he would if I wasn't here to feed him.)

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  5. I love cats Ray! What a wonderful post! Oh how I wish I could have cats but Bill doesn't like them. Maybe someday. I should introduce you to my friend Larry. He has a household full of cats. I think he's down to 12 now. He's (and his wife and daughter who works at the ASPCA) have had as many as two dozen. They only rescue the "hard cases" than no one else wants. Bless them and bless you Ray.
    Ron

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    1. I'm fully aware of your affection for cats, Ron, as I am for the reason you don't have any.
      If I met Larry and his brood I shouldn't want to leave. His place sounds like heaven - and, incidentally, one of the reasons I gave up on religion, particularly, R.C., was the teaching that "animals have no souls", hence heaven must be animal-less. Not MY idea of a heaven, that's for sure. I wouldn't want to go there!
      Before you start bestowing benedictions on me, for which I'm grateful anyway, I ought to point out that if anything happened to my own two I would NOT look for 'replacements', as owning pets means that I cannot live my own life. Also, at my age, I couldn't be sure that they wouldn't outlive me. I'd hate to think of my expiring with expectant feline attempts to wake me up, as well as the thought as to what would then happen to them. On the other hand, if another cat happened to choose ME as its owner as these two have done, I'd certainly be too soft to refuse it hospitality.

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  6. oh but i miss my little black Tiberius. I always enjoy seeing photos of the black pussy-cats.

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    1. When a pet goes from us it's of a different order to that of departing humans. I'm not saying it's a greater loss (or lesser), just that it's different. They take away a part of one when they go, a wrench that leaves a painfully poignant gap.

      Btw: Your comment here gives me much-needed reassurance after a recent posting of yours (which we dare not mention) - but I knew I didn't really need any anyway.

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