Blackso: "Awwww! I'm so tired!"
Noodles: "Play me a lullaby".
And there's still Ginger, the 'Problem Pussy':-
I suppose Ginger comes here because he gets it easy, with as much to eat as he wants, as well as receiving the ready affection from me which may be lacking in his own home. In addition, being youthful in cat years, he provides high quality entertainment with his antics in taunting, running after and jumping on Blackso and Noodles, both of whom, in their advanced adulthood, are never particularly amused. He's such a little sweetie himself that it's impossible to ignore him, not to say horribly cruel too.
I'm going away for the annual visit to my sister for a few days in a couple of weeks time and have booked my own two for the cattery, but I fear that Ginger will be sitting on the window sill, pawing at the glass and wailing to come in. So what I'll have to do is to ask the chap who lives under me to keep an eye out for him and see that he gets fed occasionally with food and milk which I'll leave for him.
These three have taken over my entire life - but they also help in a big way to make life worthwhile and more tolerable, bless their little furry paws!
Yay! Pretty Kitty Pics. I love that you state Ginger is technically someone Else's cat, but you feed him, let him into your home, and he is part of your family.He may have another family, but he is definitely part of yours.
ReplyDeleteI fear that you're right, S/b. I'm trying to avoid thinking of the possibility that Ginger is seeing me as his principal owner, even perhaps now his only one.
DeleteNow, would you believe, there's yet ANOTHER cat who comes in at least a couple of times each day? Though at the moment just to hoover up any food the others have left. Oh, why am I such a big softie?
Blackso is my favorite !
ReplyDeleteBlackso is particularly affectionate, and not only when he wants something to eat. I only have to pick him up at any time and he starts purring and rubbing my face (maybe it's my beard that's an added attraction to him!). He'll regularly sleep through the night in my bed with me, something Noodles has never done - though Ginger has a couple of times. But Blackso's affection towards all and sundry when he's sitting outside makes him a vulnerable easy target for any cruel by-passers, so he does cause me more worry than the others.
DeleteYour worry about Blackso is very understandable. I prefer an outdoor cat to be mistrustful of people as there are so many crazies and meanies out there.
ReplyDeleteHope the chap downstairs looks after Ginger, although the night will be a problem. Hate to think of Ginger outside during the long night.
Paul, thoughts about whether Blackso is safe are always either on top of my mind or just below the surface whenever I'm away from home for a couple of hours or more. Trouble is, a lot of people DO stop to pet him and so he naturally assumes that everyone will be friendly. But only two weeks ago I saw him sitting on the park wall on the other side of the road just as an Indian lady in sari went by (she's quite well-known by sight around here) and with a sideways swipe she knocked him off the wall making him run out into the road. My heart almost stopped. He was okay, thankfully, but she walked on with a big self-satisfied smirk on her face, in which I could have put my fist - and might well have done if Blackso had been run over.
DeleteGinger tends to be out all night. I'll only be away for four nights anyway - and this might be a good chance for him to be forced to go back to his 'real' home - and at least remind him where it is. I'll have to block out any thoughts of him sitting on the window sill. I'll be more concerned about my other two in the kennels, sitting there miserably sulking that I've let them down!
Now, that's house-full of adorable. The shot of Blackso is very funny; so difficult to get a good photo of a black cat. I think I'm in love with Noodles. Would love to hear him play the piano. Ginger is a sweetheart. And now you have another visitor? Be careful. My nephew and his wife are a couple of softies and they now have 13 cats living inside their house.
ReplyDeleteMitch, if I could I'd want my place to be chock-full of cats - but, under the terms of my tenancy agreement, I'm not supposed to have ANY pets at all. So although it breaks my heart, I don't want to push my luck any further than it's been pushed already.
DeleteBoth Blackso and Noodles decided they'd rather live with me than in their own (separate) homes - and it's now probably the same with Ginger. I'd rather not have any pets whatsoever as they just taken over my entire life. But once they come here I'm so smitten that I could never shut them out.
Noodles is very stand-offish as compared with Blackso. He only pays attention to me when he wants to eat - and after that ignores me again. He won't let me pick him up and will never stay in my lap, unlike Blackso (and Ginger) who'll take any opportunity to jump up on my lap, purring loudly, whenever I'm sitting down.
Having 13 cats your nephew and wife must be paying out a fortune to keep them fed. Already with just the 2 (or 3) of them I spend more on cat food than I do on food for myself. And then on top of that there are also the vet bills......
Raybeard:
DeleteIt is so easy to want to adopt every cat that's looking for love. I asked our landlord for "special dispensation" so we could have the two cats. He very kindly agreed!
Our nephew and niece DO spend a lot on cat food and vet bills... especially since all their cats are rescues. We bailed them out of veterinary debt in the past, but can no longer afford to do that. Fortunately, I think they're able to manage the expenses better now. They definitely give up a lot out of love for their cats.
We love lap cats. Dudo can be coerced into our laps and then settles down happily, so there's hope for him. Moose clearly does not like to sit in laps or to be held. So, we'll have to adjust. He loves to be with us and loves affection, but requires us to get on the floor and cuddle with him (or he'll lie next to us in bed). Maybe we should try to get him to come to us instead of the other way around.
And I know you don't really mean you'd rather not have any pets whatsoever. They bring so much into your life (along with taking it over)... and they lower your blood-pressure.
Mitch (thanks for your second visit here), yes, I'm afraid it's true that any animal, despite the pleasure we give each other, puts such constraints on my life that I can't get on with the rest of it. If there was someone to fall back on as reserve in case of my wanting to be away, or having to disappear for a bit, that would be different. But there isn't, and I'm terrified what would happen to them if I suddenly wasn't around. Earlier this year there was a momentary scare that I might have to go into hospital. Even though I've never been in hospital before my uppermost thought was "What would happen to the cats?" No, I just love all animals too much to be able to be dispassionate about them when needed, as well as being fair to myself. The ideal would be if I could visit other people who have cats or dogs (or horses, rabbits, goldfish....) to enjoy their presences without having the concern and expense of caring about them as much as I do.
DeleteYour Moose seems seems to like affection only on his own terms. But Noodles never shows me any, except when he wants to scoff, when it's just a bluff to get what he wants. However, that makes him all the more fascinating - and a right royal challenge. The home he ran away from had two young girls. I think they must have pestered him as though he was toy, not letting him sleep or giving him his space. So I always let him do his own thing at arms-length. I still love him to bits, though. You'll have long known yourself how each cat his its own personality.
At my age, a major concern is what happens to any pet which survives me, but IF I were to get another cat I too would go to a rescue centre - but ask that a cat be chosen for me without my inspecting those that needed a home. If I caught sight of others which I couldn't take I'd be in my personal hell for ages afterwards.
As for cats and blood-pressure, well since high B.P. is a feature of my life (currently taking four daily tablets to control it - and then there's the diabetes on top of that!) perhaps I do, after all, need yet more cats - though I can't think that my worry over them is exactly B.P.-lowering.
pussies! such sweethearts!
ReplyDeleteAren't they just, Anne Marie? Trouble is, they ALL are - and they know it!
DeleteNoodles is the cutest :)
ReplyDeleteNoodles is certainly very attractive, Tai. Pity that he's the one who is the least responsive to my friendly approaches. I think he must have had a tough kitten-hood. He was already about 5 years old when he left his home and decided to move in with me and Blackso. He's never shown any sign of knowing how lucky he's been to be allowed to stay here, unlike Blackso who never stops showing his appreciation.
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