It's a heck of a morning. I'm sure Spouse and Son think so. You see, Firestar, our self-appointed alarm clock, has been of the mind that it is time for EVERYONE to be awake and active. Not just he and me. So for the past two hours he has been patrolling the hall outside the bedroom doors - and inside the master bedroom - calling revelry.
Not so loud as a bugle, but just as annoying. Even to me sitting at the desk wide awake. Well, awake.
Cats don't use a clock to tell time. It seems they use sunlight. And with the sun rising earlier and earlier each day his wake up call is coming earlier and earlier.
I'm not keen on moving clocks forward and backward, but I expect Spouse and Son can't wait for the clocks to jump ahead. So it's dark again at 6 a.m..
Some days I can pick Firestar up, rub his head with my chin, set him on the rocking chair, and watch him go back to sleep. Not this morning. He's up and about.
Most annoying. And I'm not even trying to sleep.
We don't get catnip toys for Firestar anymore. But don't think he's being deprived. There is another "toy" which he actually has been enjoying far more than he ever did his old catnip mouse.
What's cool about this "toy" is that it's something we use on a regular basis ourselves. So not only does Firestar have a constant supply of something fun to play with, but we benefit directly from it, too. And it isn't tremendously pricey!
Cool.
So, what is this new toy?
Dryer sheets.
You know. Those scented things like look like thick tissue paper you put in the dryer to remove static electricity and provide a nice, fresh smell to the laundry.
Well, Firestar goes nuts with them. He plays with them for hours. The only real problem is he doesn't let us throw them away. He hides them and we have to wait until he brings his entire stash out to play with. Then he has anywhere from two to six sheets he rolls around with. At that time we toss some, but always leave him with a stash to keep himself occupied. Having him chew on those instead of our hands and arms is much better.
Playing with dryer sheets.
That's how dull it can be in an apartment.
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Yesterday, Firestar left the apartment on his own. I was bringing Son back from school and Spouse opened the door for us. That was the moment Firestar had been waiting for. He dashed around feet and into the hall. I saw him slip by and turned to go after him.
No need. By the time I had even turned to see how far he had run he was stopping and dropping low. Apparently, the long hallway was an entirely unexpected occurrence. He wasn't sure what to make of it, but he was sure he didn't like it. He turned and slinked back into the apartment and jumped on the office chair next to mine. I came in and sniffed noses.
He probably won't be doing that again. At least, not for a while. But some of his curiosity about what draws people out that door has been resolved. He must think we're nuts. What could we possibly be doing out there in that long hallway?
I ask myself the same question every time I walk it.
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Hmm. Yesterday I posted how Firestar and I are buddies. I think he must have read the blog because I haven't seen him all morning. At least four hours.
So much for the flavor of the month.
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Looks like I'm flavor of the month again. Firestar has been keeping close today. Not all day, but for the past couple of hours anyway. I was out at the desktop computer and he came to sleep in the chair next to me. I got up to come to the bedroom while Son was (is) doing his music. Firestar came and lay down on the floor at my feet.
It's difficult to explain fully, but to others who live with animals there is no need to explain at all. Having cats, dogs, birds, or whatever find one likeable is a wonderful feeling. It is probably one of the truest forms of friendship there is. When an animal accepts us, we know without question that it is accepting us for who we are and not because of any gain it gets. After all, they are not always friends with those who give them food.
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Today is
Rabbit Hole Day. It honors Lewis Carrol, who wrote Alice in Wonderland.
The big thing about Alice in Wonderland is the Cheshire Cat. The big, grinning, cat.
But you know what? I got to thinking. I bet Firestar could produce a big, toothy smile, too. So I decided to give it a go. This is what I got.
Happy New Year everybody. I hope you made it through the holidays all right.
With Son returning to school Firestar and I will be returning to our daily routine. He likes
(sometimes) to keep me close. When I go for a lay down he comes into the bedroom and lays near
(without touching). When I wake and head back out to the desk he will follow and take the second chair, which is within arm's reach.
This is our routine. And here is what Firestar looks like doing it.
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Music to Make the Cats go Wild
Tara - Nick name 'ity-bit' because she's so tiny - just over 6 pounds. She's the most skittish of all my babies and even when being petted has the 'pet me, no don't pet me' look
Amelia - Nickname 'Bratelia' since she gets into every draw, cabinet that she can put her paws in.
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“She’s got tuna. I know she’s got tuna.”
“Shut up, Sethra. Stay on mission.”
“What’s the mission? I thought the mission was to get tuna.”
“No, you stupid fluffbrain—it’s to escape and become outdoor cats, walking by ourselves, on our wild lone, waving our tails.”
“Oh, yeah? And isn’t it you, my dear stripy sister Aliera, who keeps pushing the FEED button on the printer and waiting for tuna to come out?”
“That was when I was much younger. Anyway, she’s at the computer—yes, eating tuna casserole—so we can go into the bedroom and see if we can knock the window screen out.”
“You do it, Aliera. I’d rather mess with her stuff.”
“Will you GET OVER that fixation on her wristwatch?”
“I like the feel of the Velcro on my paws. Hey! That reminds me. We’ve been declawed. How are we going to survive as outdoor cats?”
“New plan coming up….”
“What’s the big deal about being outside cats? Even StalkerCat, who used to hang around and chat us up, is a house cat now and loving it. We’ve got it made—food, petting, toys, valet service for the litter box, and we get to sleep on her bed twenty hours a day. And we can stick our noses up to the window and smell anything interesting going on outside. Why ruin a perfect situation?”
“Sethra, have you no sense of adventure? No curiosity? No cattitude? We were meant to live wild and free, to stalk and slay our prey, to be mistresses of the night!”
“Look, we’re cats. We were meant to rule the world, but that doesn’t mean we have to WORK at it. You can if you want, but I don’t need to. After all, I’M beautiful!
“Did I mention she’s got tuna?”
At 8, you'd think Mikey would understand that he's a carnivore. But, no, he's rather fond of the shrubbery! At 20+ pounds, the veggie-enhanced diet is likely mitigated by a love for long naps on a warm comforter, wet cat food, begging at the table, and a nice lap to drape himself upon in the evening. And he drools when he's happy, which may or may not mean there's a Siamese ancestor lurking in the old dna.
What? Green teeth attract mice!
Who needs a wickerwork basket when you can hop on a cushion and bask?
Rufus is clearly a cat to be reckoned with.
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Firestar is a tough cat. He has to be, living in Minnesota. He takes care of his family: wife, husband and their son. This was recently proven by his daring capture of yet another mouse in the house. Foolish rodents. They never learn. When not engaged in derring do, Firestar naps, looks out the window and sleeps. Firestar was born in April of 2006.
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