Life With Cats 24/7
This is what our life has come to…most evenings. If it were up to the cats, it would be 24/7, but humans need to do a four-letter word called w o r k.
Domino has blended into the family as if he’s always been there. Every time we come home from an evening out though, I half expect to see him waiting on the front steps as he did for years, as a feral. Now he has an assistant. We’ve come along way baby! Domino loves to sit on and massage Merlin every evening while making transatlantic phone calls and who knows what else. But first they act out their power struggles.
Domino often hangs onto Merlin’s neck fascinated by his healing stone collar.
For the first time, Domino sat on my lap last night but not for long. He’s likes my petting and brushing but he’s a daddy’s boy. This morning, while snuggling Merlin in my arms, I felt a cat crawling on my legs assuming it was Odin who likes quickie undercover snuggles, but it was Domino. Another first.
All week, I kept thinking how different every day is with these cats. Every day is a re-calibrations of moods, energies and behavior in a never ending dance of inter-personal dynamics. I know some cats lives are more or less the same very day, but it’s up to us to provide stimulation, active play and entertainment for them! Scroll to the end for suggestions.
Our biggest adventure lately is the continued sighting of Mystery Miss almost every day which may prove problematic. We still don’t know where she lives. Odin loves her. Domino loves her. MM likes Odin. Domino, not so much. That’s not the problem. Domino, as former feral is given free reign outdoors. He’s stays on or close to the porch. Except when MM lures him with her charms (note: all our cats are neutered).
Our friend Deb Barnes who has written a book about her Bengal cats Zeezoey.com thinks that MM is a snow Bengal. Odin has good taste in felines, but he’s a high energy cat who requires more exercise than any cat I’ve had. That’s where the trouble lies.
MM has grown friendly towards me, allowing me to pet her, except the last time. She looks like she’s snarling (below) but she’s just about to yawn. If angry or defensive, her ears and whiskers would be flattened close to her head. She has a lot of spunk and snarky meow. This miss looks like she’s used to getting what she wants.
It’s no wonder Odin is smitten. We go for walks daily. He’s trained to come when called but this week he followed MM through a thorny thicket I couldn’t manage without a machete. Without one handy, I scraped my way past in their general direction and I found them together sitting on the old stone fence, communing, much farther than I’d like by the eastern perimeter of the property. Then playtime on my other neighbor’s lawn…
From this point, a 100 feet of lawn, fence, brambles, bushes and small trickle of a stream separated us. Would he leave his girlfriend and respond to the “come” command? He ran towards me like Christian the Lion to my relief but…
yesterday, he didn’t respond until far past my comfort zone. MM clearly knows where Odin lives and who his mom is. She refused to let me pet her, as if I’m the bad guy keeping Odin away from her. What if MM lures him further? He’s micro-chipped but I’m not taking any chances and have decided to put a collar with ID on him when we go out. This story is far from over. We haven’t even touched on Merlin and Gris Gris and the adventures indoors. Sigh. Time is up for this week. Life with cats is 24/7. What adventures are your cats up to?
P.S. My Cat From Hell is on at 9 PM on Animal Planet with Jackson Galaxy. If you are unable to tune in, may I suggest an Internet radio and TV station specifically for cats to listen to and also watch? Another cat man, Nohl Rosen from Arizona launched his out of this world Cat Galaxy twelve years ago and reaches listeners all over the world. He’s the D.J. with assistance from his cute cats.
18 Comments
Eli
Hi, Neat post. There is a problem with your site in internet explorer, would test this… IE still is the market leader and a big portion of people will miss your great writing due to this problem.
KatzTales
Sorry it took us so long to get back to you. We couldn’t find your blog from your name tag. Your cats look soooo happy! Pawsome.
BTW, Target is much better. Thanks for the purrs!
Mary Matthews
I LOVE your cat stories!
Julia Williams
Your life with cats is really quite interesting. Never a dull moment, it would seem!
Katnip Lounge
And here I thought the dynamics at my house were complicated. I love reading what your crowd is up to. Last night, Johnny snuggled under the covers with me, rumbling like a freight train. He hasn’t done that since he was a wee tot and I was so happy! He is a Daddy’s boy, too.
boomermuse
@rumbling like a freight train. That’s music to my ears.
Julia and Mary, thanks. It’s our real life 🙂
Carolyn
The power struggle to gain lap control is fascinating! I wondered about MM being part lynx because of the ears! She certainly is an exotic puss with an allure that it seems no mancat can resist! It can only end in tears lol
Nadbugs
Hey 101! Fantastic to get hooked up with you. You are clearly the prerequisite to all higher-learning and we need to sign up pronto. So excited to be in touch. Your new friends –Nadbugs and Bugs @ Catself
boomermuse
Welcome, we love new friends! See you at the pawty!
@Carolyn, yes, she’s heart breaker.
Cheysuli
Things sound quite exciting around there! None of us are wanderers–or ever were but at the new house we look out the doors and consider…
Marg
Oh it is so nice to see Domino all snuggly inside. I sure would keep your eye on Odin. That silly MM just might lure him off, she has so much fun with him. Maybe don’t let him out unless he is near a meal and kind of hungry. Anyway, hope it works out for all of them. I truly is an adventure every day especially with nineteen of them.
Bernadette
A siren, luring the boys to the rocks!
What I like best about Domino is the dot on his nose. I think Merlin told him to come in!
Brian
Domino has done so good, it was just mean to work out the way it did!!!
Deb Barnes - Zee and Zoey
I love the power struggle of territorial “lap snuggling” between Domino and Merlin. That is certainly a clear sign that Domino is far more domesticated that he would care to admit!!
MM is a beauty and quite a temptress. She almost looks like she is part Lynx! If she indeed is Bengal, then yes, she will get what she wants!! No cat knows that better than my Zoey!!
Have a great weekend!
Ingrid King
I just love seeing the photos of Domino in his new indoor life. Just amazing.
Max the Quilt Cat
Great pictures…..
Thanks for the reminder about the Cats from Hell program. We’ll try to remember to watch it.
pawhugs, Max
Fuzzy Tales
Well, life with your feline family certainly isn’t dull. 🙂
Domino’s story–his wonderful progress to indoor life–just warms my heart.
Things are pretty quiet here, it’s desperately cold and of course we’ve had our first real blast of winter, so the boys are inside all the time and mostly napping. They get play time with me before and after work, but otherwise mostly ignore their excessive number of toys. Typical. LOL.
And of course there’s the occasional through-the-fence run-in with the nasty dog next door. 🙂
Happy weekend to you all!
boomermuse
LOL, never a dull moment. The cold really changes everything doesn’t it? It means means more napping.
@Max, thanks and hope you watch.
@Ingrid, every day D does something new and endearing.
@Deb, part lynx you say? definitely self-assured.
@Brian,Domino is so gentle with Merlin except when he squashes him 😉
@Bernadette, I worry about that dot and keep an eye on for skin cancer. I think he likes being needed and kneaded by Merlin 😉
@Marg, that’s a good tip. You have 19 now?!