Day 4: Can cats talk

Between You, Me and the Lamp Post

Day 4: Can cats talk

Oh dear, it’s only day four and I’ve already hit a bit of a snag … I can’t think of anything to write about.

At times like these, I turn to my cats: Charlotte, Holly, Halley, and Greyson. Cat lovers will agree, our fur kids are a constant source of inspiration.

Take Greyson for instance. He recently celebrated his first birthday and with it, he developed an appetite for wallpaper.

Don’t for a moment think that the poor thing might be hungry because I can assure you that he’s not. Greyson, along with the others get wet food for breakfast and dinner and they have a constant supply of dry food to snack on during the day.

So why does Greyson go for the wallpaper? Just to be clear, he doesn’t eat it, he merely tears off pieces and then spits them out on the floor. First, he attacked one of the walls in the bathroom, then he moved on to the kitchen and finally had a nibble in the living room.

See for yourself …

Shortly before his first birthday, Greyson also found his voice and he’s been using it ever since. For the longest time, he was a quiet cat, his Toronto Cat Rescue foster mother described him as a Zen kitten. When there’s nothing Zen about him anymore.

He starts in the morning, practicing his vocal cords with a series of meows. Once warmed up he goes quiet.

Then he starts again in the evening. He talks to us, he talks to the other cats, he even talks to the walls. Now that creeps me out. He will sit by a wall, look up and start a flood of ‘words’.

Sometimes it gets so bad that we have to shut him up with a firm ‘Greyson, enough!’ He will go quiet for a while and then start again, talking to another wall.

When Greyson isn’t talking to walls, he tries to climb them. He will sit, calculate his move, and then jump as high as he can, front paws outstretched. Of course, he’s not going anywhere as he slides right back down. That doesn’t discourage him though, he’s a firm believer in … if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. Which he does. Over and over again until he gets tired.

And when he gets tired, he curls up, or rather drapes himself in his favorite spot. This has been his favorite spot ever since he was a kitten. Once again, see for yourself.

When he’s awake, Greyson is a rather curious cat. Lately, he’s taking an interest in potato peeling, dishwashing, and laundry. When he sees me taking the potato bag out of the cabinet, he wants to see what I’m doing. 

When I fill the sink with water he will come and stand by me and let out a loud cry. That’s my cue to pick him up and put him near the sink. He’s afraid of the water and the soap bubbles, I can see that, but he will sit there and keep an eye on me.

The same with laundry. When I fill the machine with clothes, water, and soap, he wants to see what’s going on. When I pick him up he’s not just scared, he’s terrified, but cranes his neck to see. In the meantime, I’ve learned that a safe distance is of great importance to Greyson.

When I first pick him up he lets me know … a little closer, please. A step closer and he cranes his neck to see better. Closer still and he starts to squirm. One more step closer to the machine and the message is clear … that’s far enough.

Can cats talk … you bet they can, you just have to know how to listen.

Day 163: Be careful what you wish for

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 163: Be careful what you wish for

Many years ago, I asked a Ragdoll forum member if this breed of cats can ‘talk’. “Can they talk,” she replied, “The question is, do they ever shut up!”

Once I had a Ragdoll myself, a rescue we named Gabriel, I was somewhat disappointed that he was a rather quiet cat. Occasionally he would utter a meow, but on the whole Gabriel was too laid back to make a fuss about anything.

A few months after Gabriel passed away, we adopted two more rescues, Halley and Greyson. I hoped and wished that one or both would be ‘talkers’, but for months they remained tight lipped.

Overnight that changed when Greyson found his voice. For the longest time he was a quiet little kitty cat, but no more. Ever since he found out that he can produce a sound, he's been talking non-stop. He cries for food, he cries for attention, he cries when he can't find one of his toys, he cries for everything.

And he's got different kinds of cries. Food has one cry, for attention has another cry, and when he can’t find his spring or toy mouse that’s another cry still. If you were to hear his cry for attention you would agree … it can melt a stone heart. Yes, it’s that pitiful.

In case you’re wondering why he cries for food … I have no idea. Greyson, along with the others get breakfast, for during the day they have dry nibbles, and around 7:00 p.m. they get their dinner. So they never go hungry and there’s really no need to cry.

Neither is there reason to cry for attention, as Charlotte, Holly, Halley and Greyson get plenty of pets and kisses. 

The thing is, when I’m peeling potatoes, Greyson wants to see what I’m doing. If Dieter is doing dishes, he wants to inspect the works, and when the beds are being made, Greyson makes sure the wrinkles are smoothed out (every cat lover will know what I mean by that). If Greyson is kept out of the loop, he cries.

As for crying if he can’t find one of his toys … well , that’s a different story altogether. Greyson’s favorite toy is a spring. When we first adopted him, Jackie (his foster mother) send him off with a packet of 10 springs, we bought an additional packet and later on another packet. That’s 30 springs altogether and he systematically lost them all. He knocks them under chairs, under the washing machine, the fridge, a cabinet … you name it. Every now and then when we clean under the sofa we find a few of those springs, but things are a little more difficult when retrieving them from under the fridge or the washing machine, those things are heavy.

Greyson knows this, where he put his springs I mean, not that the machines are heavy, and wants us to lend him a hand in getting them back. When we tell him no, or that we can’t do it, that’s when the crying starts. So what do I do … no, I don’t move the fridge or washing machine, I’m not Wonder Woman, I go on Amazon and order new springs.

Just goes to show, I wanted a talkative cat and now that I have one ...

Day 162: Toronto Cat Rescue Bowl-a-thon

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 162: Toronto Cat Rescue Bowl-a-thon

It’s that time of the year again. The Toronto Cat Rescue (TCR) is hosting their annual Bowl-a-thon to raise funds for the cats and kittens of Toronto.

Since Dieter and I love both cats and bowling, we registered for this event and are active fundraisers.

The first year we took part, our group was very small, and the organization barely raised $6,000. Last year, the group counted over 200 people and we raised over $40,000.

How does the Toronto Cat Rescue? It’s not a cat shelter in the traditional sense of the word. Cats are not housed in cages, but rather with foster families, their picture is taken and displayed on the TCR website, after which the cats are up for adoption.

The organization needs money though. Before each cat or kittens goes to their new home, they are spayed/neutered. If a cat or kitten is sick, it’s taken to a veterinarian.

If you can spare a few dollars, I would kindly ask you to make a donation. This can be done in three ways:

Canada Helps:

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/toronto-cat-rescue/p2p/bowlathon2019/team/paws-claws/captain/conny-manero/

My PayPal account:

conny.manreo@gmail.com

or via a bank transfer.

A donation of $20 or more will get you a tax receipt.

The cats and kittens of Toronto are counting on you and thank you in advance.

Day 157: Halley and Greyson

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Ideas

Day 157: Halley and Greyson

Does anyone remember the two little kittens we adopted from the Toronto Cat Rescue last year? 

Well, they are not so little anymore and let me assure you, they are packets of trouble.

It starts in the morning. Halley jumps on Dieter’s bed and wakes him up by ever so gently touching his nose. When he shows no intention of getting up, she touches his nose and cheek again and again. When her gentle approach has no results, she resorts to plan B. She jumps off the bed and goes and scratches a cardboard box, something that sounds like pounding a drum. In the event that that doesn’t have the desired result she pulls out all the stops and slams the door. How does she do this ... she stands on her hind legs behind the door and pushes with her front paws.

Meanwhile, Greyson takes it upon himself to wake me up. He does this by trampling all over me, followed by licking my ear. He doesn’t just lick though, he sticks his ice-cold nose in my ear and goes krrrrrrrrrrr krrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr krrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. You try staying asleep with a helicopter next to your head.

Once we’re up, showered and the cats are fed, Halley and Greyson take up their position by the balcony door ... they want out for a breath of fresh air. If it’s too cold they get a clear and decisive ‘No, it’s too cold’, which brings about a series of complaints... pitiful meows that translate to ... ‘Pleeeeease.’ They could melt a stone heart with their cute pleading faces and voices.

If it’s not too cold I open the door and they just about clamber over each other to get out. Halley loves catches snowflakes, while Greyson adores rolling around in the snow. When they’ve had enough they come inside because now it’s time for breakfast.

But then the trouble starts, they want to go outside again, and again, and again. In summer this is no problem as the balcony door remains open, but now, in winter, it’s a nuisance. Every time they want to go out I have to put up with their crying, or get up and give in. Then, of course, minutes later, I have to get up again to let them in. These cats need a bloody doorman!

When they had their fill of fresh air, they will either come inside, or I have to call them in. Halley is usually quite willing, but more of than not, Greyson's attitude is ... kiss my furry butt. 

When they are inside it's time for the daily race. Greyson will bite Halley’s behind or slap his head which results in Halley going in hot pursuit of the biter. She will chase Greyson from the living room to my bedroom, after which the two of them will come storming back, make a sharp right back into the living room, a left into the dining room, straight through the kitchen, another left into the living room and all the way back to the bedroom. Then for some reason, when they come racing back, Halley is no longer chasing Greyson, but Greyson is chasing Halley.

If you’re imagining this race, don’t think that the chase goes flawless. For Halley it usually does, but Greyson has an accident or two along the way. He’s got lots of fur around the cushions of his feet, causing him not to have as much traction as he would like. As a result, he often loses his footing while taking corners, or he can’t break fast enough and slams into something. Does that teach him a lesson? Neih, he gives himself a shake and goes right back to what he was doing.

When the two of them are tired, it’s time for a nap. A nap that usually lasts from 12:00 until 5:00. 

When they wake up, it’s playtime again. Poor Halley doesn’t get a chance to play with anything though. If she plays with a ball, Greyson takes it away from her, if she’s having fun with a spring, Greyson will steal it and hide it. If I give them each a spring, Greyson will go and run with his spring to my bedroom, come back, steal Halley’s spring and make another trip to the bedroom. Halley doesn’t seem to mind though, she loves her little ‘brother’ and indulges him.

But speaking of springs ... since these colorful toys are a clear favorite of Halley and Greyson we stocked up on them. All in all we they must have had 25 springs yet suddenly we couldn’t find any of them. So, we went looking. We found 17 under the sofa and 8 under the fridge. And it’s the same with other toys: balls, birds, mice ... they will be here one day and gone the next.

And so it gets evening, they get their supper and after a quick wash, Halley and Greyson (along with Holly and Charlotte) retire for the night. By the time I want to go to sleep, I have a problem ... my bed is occupied by two or three cats. Holly always stays with me in the living room, but Charlotte, Halley, and Greyson make themselves comfortable on the duvet or even my pillow.

So I squeeze into bed as best as I can. Will they move? ... forget it, they were there first and if I want a space I have to be content with what’s available. Then again, snuggling up against a cat has its benefits ... it’s nice and warm.

The next morning it all starts again. 

Day 151: How to Put Together a Cat Tree

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 151: How to Put Together a Cat Tree

The cat tree has finally arrived. It was supposed to be here last Wednesday, but due to the Canadian Postal strike, the delivery got delayed.

When the box arrived it immediately had the attention of cats, Halley’s in particular. She parked herself on top of the box and no doubt wondered what was inside. When Dieter came home the message was clear … how soon can you put this thing together?

As soon as Dieter started the works, Charlotte and Holly kept a safe distance, but Halley and Greyson assumed the role of foreman and supervisor. This is how it went down …

WHAT A MESS. CAN YOU FIGURE IT OUT, DADDY?

WHEN YOU'RE DONE, CAN I HAVE A LOOK AT THE MANUAL?

YES, THAT'S WHERE THE SCREW GOES

I THINK YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK

DOES IT LOOK ANY BETTER FROM DOWN THERE?

OKAY, I'LL HOLD THE TREE STEADY FOR YOU

GOOD JOB, DADDY, YOU'RE ALMOST DONE

NOW FOR THE FINISHING TOUCHES

MAKE SURE THAT LADDER IS PROPERLY SECURED

I THINK THERE SHOULD BE ANOTHER LADDER DOWN HERE

ALL DONE

Initially, all of them were afraid of the new cat tree and preferred the box over the actual item.

So, one after another we introduced Charlotte, Holly, Halley, and Greyson to the tree and halleluiah, it was a success. 

THANK YOU, DADDY, THIS MAKES GETTING ON TOP OF THE CABINET SO MUCH EASIER

IT'S A TIGHT FIT, BUT IT WILL DO

Day 147: Happy Birthday Halley - From Kitten to Cat

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 147: Happy Birthday Halley - 1 Year Old

We adopted Halley from Jackie (a Toronto Cat Rescue foster mother) when she was a three-month-old kitten. 

 

From day one, Halley made herself right at home. She explored the house, made friends with the resident cats, and tried different places to sleep.

She was a rather curious kitten, exploring places such as cabinets, drawers and even the inside of the fridge.

 

When Easter came around, Halley took a close look at the ornaments and told them in no uncertain terms to move over. 

 

Since she took a liking to one chicken, in particular, we let her have it and it was love at first sight.

Right from the start, she had a particular liking for colorful springs, which she batted all around the house. Unfortunately, in the process, quite a few of those springs went missing. When we cleaned under the sofa, we found no less than 15 of those springs, along with rubber balls, stuffed mice and even a Christmas ornament. Other toys of preference are a rotating ball and a life-size fish, both toys she claims as her own and is not keen on sharing.

Halley is very much Dieter’s cat. She’s made it her business to wake him up in the morning, but unfortunately, her inner clock is a little off. While Dieter has his alarm set for 6:00 a.m., Halley often wakes him with kisses and headbutts sometimes as early as 4:30 a.m. Neither does she know the difference between a work day and weekends. As you can imagine, a wake-up call at 5:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning is not appreciated.

When Dieter is on the computer or working on his tablet, she likes to keep him company. At times she merely sits on his lap or shoulder, other times she likes to get a really close look.

The same with watching TV. For Halley it’s not enough to watch from a distance, she prefers a front row seat.

When Dieter is busy with diamond painting, Halley is there, keeping an eye that he does things right.

When it’s time to relax and unwind, there’s nothing like cuddling with daddy in his arm.

 

When summer came around, this opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Halley is a keen birdwatcher, and an inspector of construction works of the parking lot. She also took an interest in fish.

After sundown, Halley could be found in the swing, or in the company of Greyson.

When winter comes around, Halley is almost sure to fancy a walk in the snow and I'll be sure to have my camera ready.

Happy birthday Halley, what will your second year bring?