Why do it yourself if others can do it for you

We’d been talking about a vacation, a real vacation, for years. So far, when we took time off work, we stayed home because we have four cats and we have nobody to look after them. But after a particularly violent illness, I decided we should take a vacation and as far as the cats were concerned, I would make a plan.

Continue reading at:
https://vocal.media/stories/why-do-it-yourself-if-others-can-do-it-for-you

Moments of Confusion

You might be able to relate

We’ve all known moments of confusion. Times when we go to the kitchen or bedroom to get something, and don’t remember why we went there in the first place. Or looking for reading glasses while wearing them. But at the Manero house, confusion takes on a whole new meaning.

https://medium.com/writers-blokke/moments-of-confusion-1a12e8d7d25b

Can cats tell time

If you’ve ever wondered if cats can tell time, I can tell you with absolute certainty that they can.

Some cat owners will agree, knowing that their cat greets them by the front door as they come home from work. But it goes further than that.
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Take Mickey for instance. Mickey can be in a deep sleep, but come 6:15 p.m., he wakes up and moves to the kitchen. He knows that around that time I start dinner, and he gets his food. He doesn’t say anything, he merely sits there, looking at me. If he were able to talk, no doubt he would say “Hu hm, can you feed me?”

But speaking of talking talking ... Mickey never learned how to meow as such, but he’s a great singer.
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For instance, last week my son Dieter went to Home Depot after work. Usually Dieter comes home around 4:45 p.m., but on that particular day 4:45 p.m. came and went, there was no sign of Dieter and Mickey got agitated.

He started pacing through the whole condo. First he walked up and down the living room a few times, next he went to check the bedrooms, he even took a look in the bathroom, and when he couldn’t find Dieter he started “singing”.

Yes I call it singing, because what Mickey does you can’t call meowing. He hits a note and holds it. He will hit another note for a few seconds, then go higher or lower for a few second more. All the while walking to and fro.

Each time Dieter announces that he will be late because of a meeting, shopping or a date, I dread it because Mick turns from a regular cat into an opera singer.

Gabriel can also tell time and is an equally great singer. Perhaps even better than Mickey because depending on the sound he sound he produces I know exactly what he wants.

Gabriel knows that, during the week, Dieter wakes up at 6:00 a.m. During the weekend he doesn’t set his alarm because he wants to sleep in, but Gabriel doesn’t know that. So, when Saturday and Sunday morning comes around, and Dieter doesn’t get out of bed around 6:00 a.m., Gabriel reminds him that it’s time to get up. And believe me, he doesn’t meow softly, he has quite a voice on him. A voice that says ... come on, get up, you’re late!
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Another reason why he meows (if you can call it that) is when he wants a drink from the sink. He has a full water bowl in the kitchen (I make sure that the bowl is full when I got to bed), but every now and then Gabe wants to drink from the bathroom tab. He meows, or shall he sings, so loud and so persistent until I get out of bed and comply with his request. When I get to the bathroom, I find him sitting on the toilet and then he looks at me and sings in a tone that says ... what took you so long?

Another reason why Gabriel flexes his vocal cord is when he wants to be on top of the cabinet. He has a fondness for high places, but getting there presents a bit of a problem ... he can’t jump. He rather, he sometimes lacks the confidence to jump. 

To get onto the wall unit, he has to jump on the cat tree, and for some reason Gabriel doesn’t trust that thing. He will manage it ones, twice or even three times just fine, and then the fourth time he will doubt himself and doesn’t dare the jump. So I have to lift him up, or at least steady the cat tree for him to get from a to b. To get my attention he produces a sound that almost says ... Help me! Please!!!

Ah cats ... you gotta love 'em

The cats' noses are out of joint

The cats’ noses are a little out of joint because they can’t go outside. Quite frankly, my nose is out of joint too.

In the first week of March, the temperature reached 12 and even 14 degrees (that’s 53.6 and 57.2 degrees F) and everyone thought spring had sprang early.

I washed heavy winter jackets, sweaters, scarves and gloves, all to be put away clean, until we needed them again.

While I washed and cleaned, the cats enjoyed a watery sun on the balcony. Yes, it was still a bit chilly, but in their fur coat they seemed comfortable. As the balcony door remained open they could come and go as they pleased.

That’s to say, Charlotte, Mickey and Gabriel came back in when it got too cold for them, but Holly had her own set of rules.

She sat by the door, and meowed when she wanted to come in. When I said “Come on then, the others managed, you will fit too,” she gave no sign of movement.

So I opened the door a little more, enough for a poodle to fit through. Holly remained seated. 

I opened the door wider still, fit for a German Sheppard to come in, still no movement on Holly’s part. So I opened the door so wide that a horse could have galloped in and yes, now Miss Holly daintily stepped over the threshold. Honestly, that cat has illusions of grandeur.

Of course, now that they were used to going outside, they couldn’t understand (when the weather turned colder again) why they couldn’t go on the balcony any longer. Mickey, Charlotte and Gabriel took it in their stride, but Holly kicked up a fuss.

She sat by the sliding door, looked over her shoulder and meowed. When the door didn’t open to her wishes, she meowed louder and more insistent. When I said “It’s too cold Holly,” she stretched out her meow like a concerto in D major.

Eventually, she gave up and slunk off somewhere, but it was clear that she was not happy.

As for me, I’m not exactly happy either. I’d grown used to walking outside without having to bundle up. While I still wear a scarf and gloves when venturing out, I refuse to wear my heavy winter coat again. It’s been cleaned, it’s been put away and it will stay there until December.

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Help the homeless kittens and cats with a donation. Any donation no matter how small is appreciated. Thank you. 

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/toronto-cat-rescue/bowlathon/team/grumpycats/