More Kitties Sleeping

Virginia Torsch, my Santino's first Mom, sent me this photo at my request.  Without fail, every time I see Santino duplicated many times over, I go crazy with envy and ask Virginia if I can move in with her and her husband.  (She ignores me.:-) but, many people do.)

The only reason I have only one Balinese is that I was unable to find one.  When I went to find a Siamese in 1990, I got Zippy who did not look like any Siamese I'd ever seen.  Much later I learned that he fit the description given for a Balinese.  He was, by far, the smartest, wisest, and most loving creature I had ever met!  I promised myself that there would ONLY be Balinese kitties in my life.  Each time I had an "opening" for an addition, I searched and searched. in vain.  I took in, one at a time, two Siamese, one Abyssinian, and one stray.   (It's a lot like getting married to Mr. "Good-Enough", actually.)  Then I found poor sick Blue who only lived for two years.  So, Virginia, I am so very happy with Santino and if I can find some Youth Serum, I want several more!  (I do think about their future should I die first.)

By the way, Virginia says that this is HER side of the bed all the cats have chosen.  I think it speaks well of her.:-)  Oh, and I think you chose the color of your bed cover very well.  You were much more practical than I, though.

Sleeping Cats

This is what the cats look like sleeping in March, 2010.

It's the first thing I see when I wake up and it never fails to make me smile.  My body, however, is less happy, as it has twisted and bent to accommodate my precious kitties...in a king size bed, yet.  I keep promising myself to insist on space on my own bed, but it just doesn't happen. :-)   At least, not often.

Santino has been here a year now, and is KING.  In spite of constantly asserting himself as Numero Uno, he continues to be adored by all.  He curls up with all three, and Sophie no longer gets him all the time.  Sophie....no change.  It's almost a year, and she is less, but still afraid of me, especially when I'm walking toward her and even more so when I lift up a blanket.  I believe her previous owner walked toward her and threw a blanket or large towel over her, grabbing and then dumping her.  She is a really nice cat...never a problem, and it's obvious that she is happy.

She still has trouble believing that she is allowed on the furniture. When she tries a new place, she checks me out carefully, and I have to reassure her that it's o.k.  Yes, I think someone in her previous home hated cats and believed they should not get on the furniture.

Miki now seeks out Santino to curl up with....He has never liked sleeping alone.  My bed, as you probably already know from my photos, seldom gets made up.  There are always cats in it!  I wonder....how many pictures of sleeping cats can I show you?

Rudy

Yesterday, Petsmart was unusually well staffed and I asked what their best selling dry catfood is.  The answer:  Iams and Science Diet.  

The minute I received this answer, I guessed that I had asked the wrong question.  This is NOT an area of  "cat worshippers".  It is rare that anyone knows what a Siamese is, and, it follows that Abysinnians are "Abby WHATS?" and  my Balinese is a "fluffy Siamese".  This is Dog Country!  (I now go to a 32 year old vet who does know the breeds...and I think he is SO smart!:-)

Oh...Petsmart....I asked about Friskies, and was told "It's like feeding McDonalds.  And, Iams and Science Diet?  Better Foods.  And, what is best?  Yes, all the foods which cause Rudy to vomit.  I asked what  ingredient all these "best" foods might have in common which would cause vomiting....and, I really don't know why I had not thought of this....They are much richer foods!  It's not an allergy at all, but a digestion issue.  And, not only does Rudy have a sensitive digestive system, I think he is sensitive PERIOD.  Now, I understand his diarrhea during and after the move from California. 

Everybody is fine with Iams but I would love to feed a better food. 

Cabin Fever?

Can cats who have never been outside (only Sophie is the exception), get cabin fever?  Well, if such a thing is contagious, they got it from me.

 I was mostly home bound for two weeks when my car was in the body shop,  The entire time I felt kind of discombobulated...unable to relax, settle down, and feeling lost.  Then again, my cats could have been behaving oddly ALL along, and I only noticed it now when I was home so much. :-)

Miki's favorite thing to do was to stagger around on my work table, inside a plastic bag which he always found, sometimes dragging the liner out of a trash can. His choosing my the table in my studio where I was working added a touch of drama.:-)  

Santino, my golden chocolate child who loves everyone, has begun asserting himself.  It looks like he thinks he should be Number ONE Cat.  Oh, and what a bratty look he has on his face when he does this!  Miki calls him on it, Rudy screams like a baby, and Sophie doesn't mind.  SHE is probably urging him on!  And, speaking of Sophie....She has gone from rubbing up against the boys to backing up in front of them, presenting her rear end for them to smell.  They are not interested.  I can imagine them muttering "Weirdo!".

Rudy, who has never groomed others, is now attempting to wash everyone!  Oh, he tries so hard...but, it's obvious he doesn't like it!  He gives a few licks, stops, shakes his head slightly, starts again, makes a face, and walks away.  Miki and Santino are happy to bathe him anyway....maybe he'll get the hang of it. 

Everyone is barely eating.  They are holding out for Friskies, I think. And, they are looking better and better.  Wish I were.

Going Higher

Rudy tried to convince me that he could not get down.  I knew better.  Surely he doesn't remember that I went and got a ladder when he was a kitten? 

Only Miki and Rudy visit this high perch occasionally.  Santino looks and looks, but has not figured out how to do this.  Neither did Blue. 
And, I really can appreciate a non-climbing cat!  

Zippy, also a Balinese, taught both Miki and Rudy.  All three have walked the 9 foot high drapery rods....which I'm grateful to say...they have stopped doing. The fact that I've learned to remove any possible furniture from which they can launch themselves....and, now that they are older, things like ceiling fans have lost their interest...has helped! 

You'd think an old lady who has raised 4 human children....several of which seemed to have a death wish....would not bat an eye if her 4 cats swung from the ceiling fans....I have no chandeliers.....but, no...I am ever vigilant.:-)

But, what I really wanted to write about and forgot...is short of cooking for my cats, since Rudy cannot tolerate any of the "good" manufactured dry foods.....what do I give them????? 

What Are They THINKING?

People who don't particularly like animals maintain that animals are not capable of thought, and people who don't like cats claim a cat is not smart enough to be able to think.  What foolishness!  I think these people are not very observant.

But, though I am certain that a cat's brain (at least MY cats' brains!) is constantly processing information and forming opinions, I am not able to always follow their logic.  Oh, I understand jealousy behavior, food preferences, and much more, but what about bathroom habits?  Thank goodness, my cats have decent bathroom habits, and I am only questioning how they make decisions.

I have read that a good cat mommy has a litter box for each cat plus one extra.  In reality, that's pretty ridiculous.  I have plenty of space for four cats but no way could accommodate five litter boxes!  But I do have TWO, one in my bathroom and one in the laundry room.  The one in the laundry room was an addition when Sophie and Santino joined our household.  I clean them every morning...and have thought about going to twice a day litter box duty.  But there I stop...at the thought....because a tiny voice inside my head screams "NO WAY!".

There would be no issue if all four cats used both boxes, but only Rudy and Sophie use the box in the laundry occasionally ....as much as I can tell....on whim.  What are they thinking?  Their decisions appear to be made randomly.  but of course, I realize that cats are too smart to do anything randomly!  I must figure this out. :-).....obviously, I don't have a life!....or, I can just be grateful that they always DO use a place I have intended for their bathroom.

Oh, The Cuteness!

I don't think any human baby, and certainly not cats, were ever photographed as often as my crew!  But, they are just so cute, and I am having fun with it.:-)

Have you any idea how difficult it is for me to keep my hands off Sophie?  No, she still won't allow me that close.  I don't know what will happen if I need to get her to the vet.  It's good that she doesn't sharpen her claws on the furniture, though, since I can't clip them.  (Last night she rubbed herself against Miki.  He wasn't sure what was going on!:-)

Santino loves to sling one of his paws casually across someone....me or the boys, doesn't matter. 
I had just ruffled his fur...which he loves....He is winter fluffy!   I would have brushed him, but he doesn't like that.  I call him "Prince Fluffy". :-)

Shortly after my ruffling his fur, he rolled over.....and over.

And here we are, all calm and collected again.  

There have been several men over (doing a bathroom facelift).  Santino has been right there with the other two boys supervising their work!!!  They have spoken Spanish with him.  I didn't even know Santino knew Spanish! :-)