Herd your cats here

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

We've had a lot of squirrel, bird, and bunny activity here that's kept our three glued to the windows.  Even had a few instances of ill-advised pounce attempts hitting the glass, and one almost-broken screen that means they now only get open-window time when we're right here supervising.

Youngest evil cat loves to watch the birds and chipmunks that frolic in the yard. Skinks and lizards are starting to emerge and she will soon be glued to the window watching them.

If at all feasible, I highly recommend installing a "catio" they can go out into through a window. A kit can be had for a few hundred bucks. I've mentioned here before how much mine LOVE being out there. They'll spend hours watching the wildlife and basking in the sun, then come in go to sleep-- no more crazy cat energy behavior issues. They've also started carrying their toys out there, which is pretty cute (and sometimes but not always bringing them back in).

I'd love to do this but we need to put our porch back in first. :) Youngest evil cat will walk on a leash and harness and basically spends her time looking at and smelling things.

[OneMoreYear]

Ah, the joys of being a cat in Springtime. So many things to watch and stalk!
Ninja joins us in our fenced backyard when we are on the porch relaxing/grilling.  This weekend, she spent several hours outside in kitty bliss prancing in the grass and rolling in the sun.  At one point, we noticed that she was very intently watching something near the fence.  Then, she bolted across the fenceline, and we saw a bunny bound on top of a wood pile and jump the fence into the neighbor's yard.  Ninja spent the rest of outside-time watching the fence for the bunny.  The bunny declined to return. [no bunnies were harmed in the writing of this post]

[the_geneticist]

Maestro is great! Keep the stories coming our way.

In Evil Cat news.... Eldest evil cat has started howling more when she's unhappy. We suspect that she may have vision and hearing issues (and possibly dementia) at the age of 18 years, which may be part of the reason she's doing this (according to the vet).

Now this cat can project her voice with some intensity! Imagine a teeny tiny black cat that suddenly destroys the calm peaceful silence with a tremendous yowl. Yes, I am trying to grade and I was brought back to reality by her earth-shattering screams. I worry because it sounds like she may be hurting herself (I mean she's really putting her back into creating noise), but I should know better. As soon as I let her into the room she commences with her chirps and 'happy cat' noises. What a butthead!

Buddycat also got VERY loud as his hearing declined.  On the plus side, he was no longer terrified of the vacuum cleaner.  I could even use the hose attachment on his heated cat bed while he was sitting on it.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Elder evil cat brought his blanket upstairs again. I noticed it when I got up this morning.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Double post.

Elder evil cat is lying next to me on the couch and he just licked my armpit. And he has horrible gas.

[OneMoreYear]

Elder evil cat is lying next to me on the couch and he just licked my armpit. And he has horrible gas.

Elder evil cat sounds like a trip!

Ricochet does not lick us, not even our fingers as some cats may do.  If she allows us to pet her for a few moments, she immediately follows the petting session with a furious cleaning session to lick the human off. Perhaps we smell bad to her?

[Puget]

I had a couple colleagues over for a patio meeting this afternoon. The cats have become incredibly socially phobic during the pandemic-- the other humans weren't even inside, and yet when I came in afterward Panther Boy was hiding under the throw blanket on a living room chair. Little Calico was slightly less freaked out and was sleeping on the couch, but was certainly not going to go out in the catio while they were there. They are going to need some re-socialization to other people plus adjusting to me being gone more.

(They recovered, and went back out to the catio-- I had to bribe them in with catnip when I wanted to close the window for the night).

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Elder evil cat is lying next to me on the couch and he just licked my armpit. And he has horrible gas.

Elder evil cat sounds like a trip!

Ricochet does not lick us, not even our fingers as some cats may do.  If she allows us to pet her for a few moments, she immediately follows the petting session with a furious cleaning session to lick the human off. Perhaps we smell bad to her?

That's an understatement. He's very clingy and will basically try to meld his body with mine, which he did tonight (pushed me up against the arm of the couch). Heck, he used to push me off the bed!

Hmm. Not sure. Maybe she likes to taste you indirectly? Or maybe you need some cat cologne? Actually, this reminds me of a video I saw of a woman who got her cat to 'like' her by wearing a fake beard. Her husband has a beard and their cat loves him, but her not so much. She bought a fake beard and the cat started loving on her! You've got to find a way to trick them!

[the_geneticist]

Elder evil cat is lying next to me on the couch and he just licked my armpit. And he has horrible gas.

Elder evil cat sounds like a trip!

Ricochet does not lick us, not even our fingers as some cats may do.  If she allows us to pet her for a few moments, she immediately follows the petting session with a furious cleaning session to lick the human off. Perhaps we smell bad to her?

Sir Puck and Lady Jane with both do the furious bathing if we pet them at the wrong time.  Like "Ugh!  It's going to take forever to get this fur back in order and get the human germs off!  Gross!  Ick!  I am Most Displeased!" 

[Puget]

It's been raining all day and the cats have reverted to sleepy winter mode. It struck me that I could create a cat clock, with time measured not in hours but in changes of cat sleeping locations. Today has gone something like this:

1. Panther Boy on the chair next to me, Little Calico on the heated cat window seat
2. Little Calico on the footrest with my legs as a pillow, Panther Boy on the window seat
3. Little Calico in the cat basket by the fire, Panther Boy still on the window seat
(Panther Boy jumps down and visits Little Calico's basket. Brief interval of mutual grooming.)
4. Panther Boy takes over the basket, Little Calico decamps to the couch
(We all have lunch)
5.Panter Boy on the chair with me again, Little Calico back on the couch
6. Panther Boy on the chair alone, Little Calico still on the couch (this time with me).

What exciting further developments might this evening bring?!

[mamselle]

It's been raining all day and the cats have reverted to sleepy winter mode. It struck me that I could create a cat clock, with time measured not in hours but in changes of cat sleeping locations. Today has gone something like this:

1. Panther Boy on the chair next to me, Little Calico on the heated cat window seat
2. Little Calico on the footrest with my legs as a pillow, Panther Boy on the window seat
3. Little Calico in the cat basket by the fire, Panther Boy still on the window seat
(Panther Boy jumps down and visits Little Calico's basket. Brief interval of mutual grooming.)
4. Panther Boy takes over the basket, Little Calico decamps to the couch
(We all have lunch)
5.Panter Boy on the chair with me again, Little Calico back on the couch
6. Panther Boy on the chair alone, Little Calico still on the couch (this time with me).

What exciting further developments might this evening bring?!

Is there any observable regular periodicity to the shifts of sleeping places?

Any patterns of instigation--does one initiate more often than the other, or all the time, or do they take turns?

Is the observable time frequency of changes adaptable to the vibrations of quartz?

Who yawns first?

M.

[Puget]

It's been raining all day and the cats have reverted to sleepy winter mode. It struck me that I could create a cat clock, with time measured not in hours but in changes of cat sleeping locations. Today has gone something like this:

1. Panther Boy on the chair next to me, Little Calico on the heated cat window seat
2. Little Calico on the footrest with my legs as a pillow, Panther Boy on the window seat
3. Little Calico in the cat basket by the fire, Panther Boy still on the window seat
(Panther Boy jumps down and visits Little Calico's basket. Brief interval of mutual grooming.)
4. Panther Boy takes over the basket, Little Calico decamps to the couch
(We all have lunch)
5.Panter Boy on the chair with me again, Little Calico back on the couch
6. Panther Boy on the chair alone, Little Calico still on the couch (this time with me).

What exciting further developments might this evening bring?!

Is there any observable regular periodicity to the shifts of sleeping places?

Any patterns of instigation--does one initiate more often than the other, or all the time, or do they take turns?

Is the observable time frequency of changes adaptable to the vibrations of quartz?

Who yawns first?

M.

Clearly more research is needed. A quantum entanglement theory may be needed to explain their motions.
The current data point is Panther Boy on the chair next to me and Little Calico on footrest (which is certainly one of her preferred spots).

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

It's been raining all day and the cats have reverted to sleepy winter mode. It struck me that I could create a cat clock, with time measured not in hours but in changes of cat sleeping locations. Today has gone something like this:

1. Panther Boy on the chair next to me, Little Calico on the heated cat window seat
2. Little Calico on the footrest with my legs as a pillow, Panther Boy on the window seat
3. Little Calico in the cat basket by the fire, Panther Boy still on the window seat
(Panther Boy jumps down and visits Little Calico's basket. Brief interval of mutual grooming.)
4. Panther Boy takes over the basket, Little Calico decamps to the couch
(We all have lunch)
5.Panter Boy on the chair with me again, Little Calico back on the couch
6. Panther Boy on the chair alone, Little Calico still on the couch (this time with me).

What exciting further developments might this evening bring?!

Is there any observable regular periodicity to the shifts of sleeping places?

Any patterns of instigation--does one initiate more often than the other, or all the time, or do they take turns?

Is the observable time frequency of changes adaptable to the vibrations of quartz?

Who yawns first?

M.

Clearly more research is needed. A quantum entanglement theory may be needed to explain their motions.
The current data point is Panther Boy on the chair next to me and Little Calico on footrest (which is certainly one of her preferred spots).

Spooky action at a distance.

[Larimar]

Twerp just ate a camel cricket. I have no idea how it got into the house. In any case, Twerp said it was the best breakfast she'd had in ages.


Now, back to our regularly scheduled kitty positioning data collection.

[OneMoreYear]

Puget, love the cat clock!

Ricochet's cat clock:
Time period 1: kitty zoomies
Time period 2: the cat is . . . somewhere, possibly another dimension, definitely not findable
Time period 3: standing on human time!--2 minutes max
Time period 4: safe space time
Time period 5: the cat is . . . somewhere, possibly another dimension, definitely not findable
Time period 6: safe space time
Time period 7: safe space time
Time period 8: safe space time
Time period 9: kitty zoomies

It is much less useful clock.