Thoughts Behind the Looks

So I was holding Firestar this morning. He wanted to fight (play) and I didn't. So he didn't want to hang around me. I wanted to calm him down so he would quit biting so I didn't let him go right off. I just kept petting him until he actually did calm down. I was actually amazed he let me think it worked.

When I let him go my nice clean shirt was covered in cat hair. I complained, telling him I had cat hair all over my chest. He looked at me with doleful eyes as if to say, "What are you bitching about? I have that all day every day, dummy."
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Firestar's Diary

Hello. It's Sunday (I'm told). First or last day of the week, depending on your perspective. For myself - I don't care. My days are all pretty similar.

Let me demonstrate.

5:00 a.m. Sleeping on rocking chair. Bevie gets up and turns on light. How rude.

5:30 a.m. Spouse gets up and wanders around making noise.

5:45 a.m. Spouse leaves apartment. I now wander around meowing loudly. This is to get Bevie's attention.

6:00 a.m. Sitting on chair beside Bevie. Every time Bevie's arm moves close I bite it. Not hard. Just enough to entice play.

6:15 a.m. No play. Just back scratches. Not bad, but not what I wanted. Go to bedroom and sleep on Bevie's bed.

8:00 a.m. Return to main room. Sleep on rocker.

9:00 a.m. Son is up. Son comes to rocker and gets bit.

10:00 a.m. In Son's room sleeping on Son's bed.

11:00 a.m. Back in master bedroom sleeping on Bevie's bed.

12:15 p.m. Fill out blog entry and return to bedroom. Sleeping on Bevie's bed.

These busy days just wear me out.
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Temporary Shelter

So, it has been about a month since the last post on this blog. We haven't disappeared entirely, although it might seem like it. Life just isn't filled with a lot of happiness at the moment. Of course we are aware of others who are suffering far worse than ourselves, so that our approach to our own unhappiness seems even petty. But there it is. It's all we've got.

Not a lot to say. Just felt I should let those who might be interested know we are still alive and as well as we can be at the moment. Still waiting for that rainbow to shine a pot of gold upon us. Maybe tonight, right?

It hasn't all been unpleasant. In fact, I believe I can honestly state that of the four of us (myself, Spouse, Son, Firestar) there is one who is still happy about the move. Spouse and Son were excited - until we actually arrived. They've changed their tunes (as I knew they would).

But Firestar is happier, or seems to be most of the time. I think I know why. Stairs. He doesn't have to navigate any now.

The house was five levels, and we spent most of our time on levels one and three (with one being the highest floor). Firestar's personal bathroom (litter box) was on level four and his food was on level three. He liked to sleep on our bed, which was level one, and he liked to watch the rabbits from ground floor, which was level four. So, here is a typical day in the life of a cat in a five floor house.

Wake up on level one and go down thirteen steps to level two. Go down four steps to level three. Go down thirteen steps to level four. Use the litter box. Come back up thirteen steps to level three and get something to eat and drink. Go bother Bevie at the computer. Go back up four steps to level three. Go back up thirteen steps to level one and take Bevie's place on the bed. Repeat this scenario several times during the day.

Here at the apartment/flat there are three rooms. The living room is nearly filled with boxes, two office chairs, some banquet tables, a glider rocker, a treadmill (which won't work at the apartment), and a desk. There is a two foot wide path allowing passage from the kitchen to the sliding doors.

Son's room has no space for walking. His mattress takes up the room's center, his dresser one corner, his book shelves an entire wall, and his saxophone and tuba another corner.

The master bedroom actually has the most open floor space, but no wall space. Boxes have been stack too high.

So, Firestar never has to go very far at all before he has reached the end of how far he can go and has to turn around. We have the same problem, but it doesn't seem to bother him as much it does us. Even so, I think he misses the rabbits. And he has been going stir crazy more often this past week. Perhaps the novelty of living in a different place is wearing off for him, too.

For your (possible) enjoyment/amusement, here are some pictures Son and I took at our current place of residence.

Son doing his daily exercise under Firestar's intense tutelage.
Actually, this becomes my sanctuary to escape snores in the middle of the night.

Firestar after one of his campouts.
Actually, Firestar has a penchant for crawling into sleeping bags, under blankets and towels, and going to sleep.

Another good idea shelved.
This is one of two desktop shelf units I used at the house. After this picture was taken the shelf units were both moved and now I haven't a clue where they are - beyond some place in the apartment.

Local friends having a quiet chat.
When we first arrived there was a flock of swallows who were convinced our deck belonged to them. Haven't seen them now in more than a week.

Reflections of a cat's life.
This was taken from the deck. Firestar is in Son's room looking out. The glass is reflecting the pool area and parking lot below.

It isn't home and it isn't sweet, but this is where we live now.
It's a corner apartment, so the first two windows from the deck are Son's room and the master bedroom. The air condioning box on the wall has to cool off the entire apartment. That's all right this year because it's been so cool. My plastic white rocker, which is older than Son, is finally cracking apart. But I kept it anyway. It's one of the more comfortable chairs we have. We can't keep windows open long because absolutely everyone around us smokes and the smell congregates in that corner. Son actually gets sick and has to go back inside. I grew up around cigarette smoke, so it's only a nuisance for me.

What a bath tub!
Actually, it's our pool area, shared with about one hundred other units. The sign claims forty people can be in there. Maybe. If they're all leprechans. For normal sized people, though, I would say ten to twenty is max. And on the best days that is about how many are in there. Son and I had it to ourselves one day - when it wasn't too cold.

A symbolic end to a day and an era.
This was taken by Son from our deck, which faces west. It wasn't the prettiest sunset we've had, but it was nice. We're out of the house now, and unless it starts to rain money down upon us we will probably never again see the inside of one we call home. I must say, none of this makes any sense to me. But then I've always been thick.

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Lazy Days

We've successfully emptied a couple of rooms now. The play room is mostly emptied. What remains is a mattress and a sleeping bag. Firestar found the sleeping bag and decided to play camp out. He crawled inside and popped his head back out. Then he fell asleep.

The other day Son was making a stuffed bunny dance about. Firestar found it interesting.

Ane here is the bunny.

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The Easiest Way to Use a Treadmill

So once again I go down to the fourth level (sounds like something from a video game: You have now reached the fourth level!) to weigh myself this morning and what do I find - Firestar in the middle of the room, sitting like he's waiting for something - or someone. It isn't me, because he hardly gives me any notice. Just enough to let me know he'd rather I ignore him. Didn't have the camera with me at the time, but I returned and found that while he had shifted position, he was still waiting.

I think it's for rabbits. There is a warren of them nearby and they like to come to our yard where the play area used to be and eat grass and clover and such. Sometimes they come right up to the house. Possibly, Firestar is waiting for them to get close to the door so he can play the big "boo" on them. As long as he doesn't smash his face in the process.

Since I was down there with the camera I took a couple of shots. Son had taken some a couple of days ago, too. Here they are.

I appreciate you all doing this for me, but really, Bevie, when are you going to make your bed?

Now don't go ruining anything. I've got a plan.

Ah, shucks, Bevie! I knew you'd ruin it. Bunny's gone now.

Well, since you're here, why not get on the treadmill and walk? C'mon, it's easy. I'll show you. Lose that weight.

See? It's easy. Now, if I can just figure out how to turn the dang thing on.

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Pranks, Purring and Playing Rough

Our garage sale is over. Officially. Unofficially, a few people have showed up anyway and bought some things. We made nearly $100 without being open.

But Firestar has not been a happy kitten since we shut the garage sale down. He had got used to going out to the garage and sitting in his kennel cab and watching everything. Now we don't spend time in the garage so he doesn't spend time out there.

The other day Spouse left for work and Son left to visit. When the door closed, leaving Firestar inside, I thought someone had come in and was beating him to death. Such a commotion. I called from where I sitting and said I wasn't going anywhere either. Silence. Then he shows up at my side and we commiserated together.

Sometimes Firestar and I are good buddies. Other times he seems to go out of his way to make my life - interesting. He likes to play with my shoes. My shoes. Not Spouse's shoes. Not Son's. My shoes. What he does is stuff his fluffy toys into the toe area. That way, when I put my shoes on, my foot gets uncomfortable. With my feet now numb it can be a long time before I realize what kind of discomfort is being put on my feet.

With warmer weather I have been wearing sandals more and more. Firestar has tried his fluffy toy thing with them, too. Fortunately, I'm not likely to get caught with this prank.

Not bad in a sandal, but try walking around all day with one of those tucked inside your shoe.

He was chewing on my stockings the other night. What he wanted was to play. Before I knew it I had a raving lion at my hands, trying to tear the stocking away. Firestar bites hard when he plays. So I took the stocking and stuck it on his head. Son thought it was funny and snapped a photo. Firestar thought it was - something - and bit me thoroughly. I tossed the stocking away and suggested we calm down and sit quietly. So he lay by my side (not a lap cat) for about twenty minutes and then walked away.

He likes to play rough, and he interpreted the stocking on his head as a go-ahead for all out play. So he got quite rough.

When he got especially viscious I pulled it down. Mistake. That made him mad. So I took it off and apologized.

We're good buddies, although I cannot say I have ever had any other friend bite me.
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Firestar's Compromise

Been having a massive garage sale. There are dozens more across our little town. This week has been Carnival Week. They call it, "City Days". We've attended none of the festivities. Too exhausted.

It's been a good week for Firestar. He's been outside a lot. True, he has been outside in his kennel cab, but he's happy with the compromise. (He would like to roam free.)

When he is in the garage with us he is frequently the center of attention. People who come with no intention of buying anything (why are they here?) will fuss over him. Several have offered to buy him. Spouse always says he's not for sale. I take a different approach. I tell them, "He's quiet now. That means it will cost you $5,000 to buy him. When he starts meowing the price starts to drop."

A man with two young boys came by, making sarcastic comments about all of the things he could buy. He ended with, "and a free cat". I corrected him with my $5,000 price tag. The boys knelt by the cat and wanted to know if I was serious. I said I was. They rushed to their dad, impressed that they had just seen a $5,000 cat. Firestar turned to me and began meowing in his annoyed voice. I told him to hush up. Five thousand dollars is a lot of money. No one is going to pay that for me. He went quiet. (I may have told you this before. Told it to someone. My old brain just can't remember who.)

Yesterday we did some rearranging and Firestar got the premiere position in the center of the garage doorway. He got to see everyone who came, most before we did. He was quiet all day. Son taught him that when he meows too much he goes back into the house. So he saves his cries for those times when he wants to eat, drink, use the facilities, or just stretch his legs. Then he rushes back to his kennel cab and waits inside for one of us to see he's ready to come back out.

He's probably going to be all upset with us when we quit going out to the garage to sit.
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What Does the Cat You Choose Say About Your Personality

Humans love to take silly tests. Real tests seem to fluster them to no end, but give them a silly test and they rush to complete it.

Probably the most silly of all are the so-called "personality" tests. Give me a break. Humans don't have personality. Only cats do. Besides, don't they already know what they're like? Me - ow.

Anyway, Bevie's sister sent him another one and of course there was the big rush to complete it. And of course the results were exactly what Bevie wanted. Isn't that how these things are supposed to work? The humans decide what result they want and then answer accordingly. Anyway, since a lot of humans sneak into this alley I thought I would throw a test at them, just to be nice. Cats know how to do that, you know?

So, without further meows, here is the test. I have adjusted it slightly to better fit this blog. Word of warning to you humans: think carefully before answering. Your answer says a lot about you.

Question: Suppose you went to a shelter for homeless cats intent on helping one of the little darlings out. You see five cats in five kennels. The cats are as follows:

1. Orange Tabby - male


2. Bengal - male


3. Persian (white) - female


4. Norwegian Forest Cat - male


5. Russian Blue - female

Remember, think over your answer and be sure before reading what it says about you.

Here is the personality profile:

1. Orange Tabby - male means you like male Orange Tabby cats


2. Bengal - male - means you like male Bengal cats


3. Persian (white) - female - means you like white female Persian cats


4. Norwegian Forest Cat - male - means you like male Norwegian Forest Cats


5. Russian Blue - female - means you like female Russian Blue cats

I hope you learned something about yourself. [puurrrrrrrrr]
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Comprehension Without Speaking the Language

Every day I become more and more convinced Firestar has a complete grasp of the English language. Time and again he will sit, or lay, quietly while I talk to him. Then I'll say something he disagrees with and he'll correct my thinking. It happened again yesterday.

Spouse and I were in the garage pricing items for our garage sale. Firestar was whining about being left in the house so we brought him out. Now unlike other cats, Firestar is not allowed to roam free through the neighborhood. The number of dogs around here has increased exponentially, and they all hate cats. And there are no trees to climb, so Firestar would be in a constant state of attack. Therefore, when he goes outside he has to be in his carry case. It's not his first choice, but he likes being out of the house. I think he feels he's closer to the birds.

Actually, I will, on occasion, let him roam free in the yard. Just not for long.

Anyway, Spouse and I were talking, discussing pricing agreements and such. Spouse keeps pricing her items at $5 and mine at $0.25. Son gets a compromise. His stuff is priced at $1. While this 'debate' rages, Firestar goes quiet in his box. Then, Spouse makes this comment.

I guess he's asleep now. I don't hear anything.

Immediately - and I mean immediately - Firestar meows.

Later, he and I were in the house while Spouse was in the garage. He stood by the door demanding to be let out. Finally, I told him he was being annoying. He denied it. I assured him he was. So he comes over to me to rest on my shoulder and purr. He returned to the door and repeated his demand, only softer. I told him it was still annoying and that if he didn't knock it off I was going to put him down in the office. He quit.

He's been by three times already this morning, each time wanting to be on my shoulder. Normally he only does that once. I assured him I don't find him annoying at all.
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Chain Yanker

Firestar has been around three times already this morning. He had been down on the fourth level looking out the walkout door. Rabbits like to graze across our lawn just before dawn. Then, when the sun wakes up, various birds have their walkthrough.

But some mornings he will come quietly up the steps and over to where I sit in front of the computer. I learn he is there when he rubs against my legs. Other times he stands in the dining room, which is about three feet higher than the family room where I am, waiting for me to see him. Once I do he comes down the four steps so I can rub his back, beginning at the ears. I put one finger on either side of his head and slowly scratch backward toward his tail.

When he's feeling especially friendly, like this morning, he will put his front paws up on my hip. This is his signal for me to pick him up. I cuddle him up in my arms and he purrs while I lift him to my head. Then, cat-like, I rub my forehead against him. I try to communicate with him using the same methods he uses with me. Doesn't always work. I'm not that familiar with the language. But he shows little interest in learning mine.

Son has taken to doing some of the things, too. Spouse, on the other hand, does not. Spouse insists Firestar learn and understand our language. So when he gets in one of his aggressive moods, it becomes an endless barrage of, "No! Bad! Stop that! I said no!" It goes on ad nauseum. Spouse tells Firestar to knock it off, and he gives a right cross. Spouse tells Firestar he's bad and it's a left jab. Sometimes he bites.

I don't do that. I hiss. I can make him stop doing something without hardly moving a muscle. He can be on the other side of the house. If I see him doing something he's not supposed to do I just hiss and he stops. Sometimes, if he doesn't think he was violating any rule, he will meow at me. Other times (and this is so cute) he will half run away, meowing as he goes. The effect is a kind of vibrating meow which sounds absoulutely pitiful. This usually happens when he is interfering with a print job. He loves to play with the printer.

Firestar is amazing. He has the power to make me feel so loved and wanted. Then, just a few minutes later, he will show me equally how I am about the most useless piece of sh*t in the place. I couldn't get him to come near me if I opened a can of tuna. (I know. I've tried this.) And there doesn't appear to be much of a rhyme or reason for it. It's whatever his mood is.

He knows he has the power, and sometimes he just likes to use it. He's a chain yanker. That's what he is.
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A Cat's Pornography

So I've always wondered about Firestar, and now I know. He's a bit of a pervert.

The other day Spouse and Son were playing cards in the living room. They called me to come and see what Firestar was doing. He was at the window, very interested in some mating activity going on with some ducks. Now true, the ducks should have booked a room. There's a hotel just under two miles from here. Very nice. Pool and everything. They were doing a threesome, you know.

I suppose he has to get his jollies somehow. We don't have any x-rated films about the house. Nor do we get the dirty magazines. So this was probably quite the spectacle.

By the time I could get back with the camera the ducks had left and Firestar's intense posture had settled into something more relaxed. All he needed was a cigarette. But we don't have those in the house either.

What? I'm not doing nuthin'.

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How's About These Colors

Okay. I think I've got the right combination of Blog colors now. Blend the post in with the regular background and set the sidebar to the lighter blue. I like the colors, and I can read the text at the edge again.

Some people like to put clothes on cats. Not sure why they do that, but I am mostly certain that the cats aren't especially keen on it. I have an idea of what would happen should I attempt anything like this with Firestar.

Shut up.

Not exactly keen on playing Santa Claws.

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A New Roost for King Cat

A new try with the colors. Any thoughts?

We're putting out some things in preparation for the big sale in a couple of weeks. Firestar was happy about us clearing off Son's old computer desk. He likes to sit up high.

Okay. Snap your picture. See if I care.

Now are you doing?

I think Firestar's going to be a bit torked when some of our things go away. He's going to have fewer things to jump on. What does he care about the problem of moving things? He doesn't have to do it.
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Some Basic Rules We're All Aware Of

Good morning, fellow Alley Cats. Have you got a house to run? Well, I found a web site with a few tips. Nothing really new. Just common sense stuff.

If you have to throw up, get into a chair or on the bed quickly. If you cannot manage in time, get on an Oriental rug. If no Oriental rug is available, shag is good. When throwing up on the carpet, make sure you back up so that it is as long as the human's bare foot.

Do not allow closed doors in any room. To get door opened, stand on hind legs and hammer with forepaws. If this does not work, reach under the door pulling it towards you. Should this fail, stand at the door and scream until one of your humans responds. Once the door is opened, it is not necessary to use it.

After you have ordered an outside door open, stand halfway in and out and think about several things. This is particularly important during very cold or very hot weather, rain, snow, and mosquito season. Swinging doors are to be avoided at all costs.

Quickly determine which guest has allergies or hates cats the most. Sit on that lap. If you can arrange to have "fish 'n Glop" on your breath, so much the better. For a guest who claims, "I love kitties," be ready with aloof and disdain.

Always accompany any guest to the bathroom. It is not necessary to do anything ... just sit and stare.......

If one of your humans is engaged in some close activity and the other is idle, stay with the busy one. This is called helping, otherwise known as hampering.

Following are the rules for hampering:

• When supervising cooking, sit just behind the left heel of the cook. You cannot be seen and thereby stand a better chance of being stepped on and then picked up and comforted.


• For book readers, get in close under the chin, between eyes and book, unless you can lie across the book itself.


• For knitting projects or paperwork, lie on the work in the most appropriate manner so as to obscure as much of the work or at least the most important part. Pretend to doze, but every so often reach out and slap the pencil or knitting needles.


• When a human is holding the newspaper in front of him/her, be sure to jump on the back of the paper. They love to jump.

Any small item is a potential toy. If a human tries to confiscate it, this means that it is a Good Toy. Run with it under the bed. Look suitably outraged when the human grabs you and takes it away.

Always watch where it is put so you can steal it later.

As mentioned above, in order to have enough energy for playing, a cat must get plenty of sleep. It is generally not difficult to find a comfortable place to curl up. Any place a human likes to sit is good, especially if it contrasts with your fur color.

There's a lot more. I just took some of the high-lights.

Feel free to offer your own.
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Spring

So Firestar is enjoying the spring. He gets all excited that the windows get opened, and the doors. He's not so keen on the screens.

This year he has been making a greater effort to get outside. He's not supposed to be out, however. Although tough and feisty, he has no front claws with which to defend himself. And there are a variety of dangers in this neighborhood, including several oversized dogs who like to chase things.

Spouse offered him the chance to be outside in his carry case, but he wasn't keen on that. He remembers the last time he was in there (when he nearly died and was forced to endure tubes and things) and no longer likes it. Besides, sitting in a small box is hardly being outside. Right now I wish we still had our octagon screen house. I remember BJ and Baby Boy loved being in there. It was eleven feet across, and with cat furniture, food, and a litter box included it made for a nice place. Sorry, Firestar. The screen house was destroyed in a wind storm.

But there are windows all over this house (except on the west side, where we only have two - which Firestar cannot get to). He will go to one and watch something of interest, and then suddenly bolt and run to another window. We think he's following birds in flight, but we're not sure. Firestar plays a lot of imaginary games, such as war. (I caught him at it.)

I've included a picture of Firestar by the sliding glass door in the dining room. He's sitting atop the chest freezer and giving me that, "Leave me alone so I can play," look.

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Time For Tidbits

From this site.

Of all families of predators the cat family is the one that varies most in size. Biggest of all is the tiger which may weigh several hundred kilos. The smallest of the small cats is the black-footed cat in South Africa which weighs only just over one kilo. There are many similarities between the two multi-specied genera. Both have retractable claws, all are stealth hunters, i.e. they approach their prey stealthily, and all except the cheetah are skilful climbers. All except the lion live alone.

The large cats can roar, but not the small cats.

Far to the north, the Norse goddess Freya, is portrayed as riding a chariot drawn by cats, and is always surrounded by cats. The Norse, being seafarers, revered shipboard cats for their rodent control abilities.

A 13th century Egyptian sultan left his entire fortune to the needy cats of Cairo. For many years afterward homeless cats received a free meal daily.

A cat's got her own opinion of human beings. She don't say much, but you can tell enough to make you anxious not to hear the whole of it. -- Jerome K. Jerome, English author

Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want. -- Joseph Wood Krutch
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Another Round of Tidbits

From this website about cats.

Another cat? Perhaps. For love there is also a season; its seeds must be resown. But a family cat is not replaceable like a wornout coat or a set of tires. Each new kitten becomes its own cat, and none is repeated. I am four cats old, measuring out my life in friends that have succeeded but not replaced one another. -- Irving Townsend

Maybe the reason that so many people love the cat is that she is the only example that you can breathe in the presence of man without becoming his slave -- and maybe that is why, so many people hate her. -- Heinrich Saas

Cats are a mysterious folk. There is more passing in their minds than we are aware of. -- Sir Walter Scott

An ordinary kitten will ask more questions than any five year old. -- Carl Van Vechten

Confront a child, a puppy, and a kitten with a sudden danger; the child will turn instinctively for assistance, the puppy will grovel in abject submission, the kitten will brace its tiny body for a frantic resistance. -- Saki

Sir Isaac Newton, who first described the principle of gravity, also invented the swinging cat door for the convenience of his many cats.

Albert Schweitzer: There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.

Gotta go with you on that, Albert.

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Physics and Cats

Courtesy of Fairyhedgehog, here are some facts regarding cat physics. The information has been garnered from this site.

Here are just twelve of the laws. (And these have written in stone.)

Law of Cat Inertia
A cat at rest will tend to remain at rest, unless acted upon by some outside force - such as the opening of cat food, or a nearby scurrying mouse.

Law of Cat Motion
A cat will move in a straight line, unless there is a really good reason to change direction.

Law of Cat Magnetism
All blue blazers and black sweaters attract cat hair in direct proportion to the darkness of the fabric.

Law of Cat Thermodynamics
Heat flows from a warmer to a cooler body, except in the case of a cat, in which case all heat flows to the cat.

Law of Cat Sleeping
All cats must sleep with people whenever possible, in a position as uncomfortable for the people involved as is possible for the cat.

Law of Cat Acceleration
A cat will accelerate at a constant rate, until he gets good and ready to stop.

Law of Dinner Table Attendance
Cats must attend all meals when anything good is served.

Law of Obedience Resistance
A cat's resistance varies in proportion to a human's desire for her to do something.

First Law of Energy Conservation
Cats know that energy can neither be created nor destroyed and will, therefore, use as little energy as possible.

Second Law of Energy Conservation
Cats also know that energy can only be stored by a lot of napping.

Law of Refrigerator Observation
If a cat watches a refrigerator long enough, someone will come along and take out something good to eat.

Law of Cat Composition
A cat is composed of “Matter” plus “Anti-Matter” plus “It Doesn't Matter”.
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More Tidbits

From this website about cats.

In the 9th century, King Henry I of Saxony decreed that the fine for killing a cat should be sixty bushels of corn.

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As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows, cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human mind. -- Cleveland Amory

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As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat. -- Ellen Perry Berkeley

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Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you later. -- Mary Bly

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Of all God's creatures there is only one that cannot be made the slave of the lash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with a cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat. -- Mark Twain

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If I called her she would pretend not to hear, but would come a few moments later when it could appear that she had thought of doing so first. -- Arthur Weigall

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Some humans are actually quite wise. Amazing, isn't it?

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One Hundred Posts Strong

Got no suggestions for a 100th post, so I figured I would post pictures of - me!

Yesterday, I slipped outside when Bevie opened the sliding screen to tell the little boys they shouldn't play on the yard equipment without asking. I saw my opportunity and made it out easily. I padded down the patio (a monstrous thing) until I allowed myself to be caught around the corner. Bevie must have been annoyed, because all of a sudden I had two little boys I had never seen or smelled before running their hands on me. I didn't hiss or growl. They weren't rough or anything.

But this morning Bevie opened the door again and let me out so I could pose for some pictures. I didn't mind. Lots of things out there I've been looking at for a long time.

I'm at a crossroads. Where do I begin? I guess at square one.

Ah! Weed. That's what they called it in the sixties.

Now what's that over there?

How do I cross this? Those rocks hurt! What's this? Grass? Bevie! You're a dopehead!

A bridge! This is more like it.

Actually taken yesterday. This is the top of a display stand Bevie and Spouse used to show musical motion dolls they sell. It's four feet high with four shelves, each shelf smaller than the one below. I climbed it like stairs. Then Bevie joked about selling me. I'm worth more than those dolls.

And so there you have it. One hundred (100) posts on Cat in the Buff. Maybe I'll do something like this for 250.