Cat @ MindSay

November has, so far, been very warm in my neck of the woods. Sunshine is in my heart. and I'm feeling great. To find out why, first check out Foreverknight's blog for wonderful pix of our October visit together!

I really have nothing to complain about. Life has been good. Just ask Mr. Snuggles:



Nothing like a cat to remind you to enjoy the simple things in life.



A stick becomes a wonderful toy worthy of Mr. Snuggles' full attention.







Stalking his prey, hiding under a tarp, ready to pounce...



POUNCED!



Still pouncing!



Pounced. Hitting.



Suddenly bored.



Mr. Snuggles and his shadow. Notice "dead" stick on ground.



A quick moment shared underneath the cedar branches. I like how one of the branches fell over my forehead and how Mr. Snuggles' neck curved about my face.



Words can't describe how panther-like Mr. Snuggles looks when he walks. He has this swagger that cool cats all around the world try to imitate, but only a truly black Tom cat can perfect it. Don't let his cute name fool you. Mr. Snuggles shows his true hunter nature when I get him outside.



I have to leave you with this last image here. Mr. Snuggles and I outside the door of my apartment. I'm holding him up and yet somehow accidentally get my face in the picture. Beyond is the apartment and all around us are the rays of the sun. It was a very good day. We won't have many more days like this once the snow hits the ground. I'm glad I could share the warmth with my cat for a little while. And thank you for sharing our moments with you!

For this, I must first explain the pet situation.

The dog hangs out on a lead-run outside during the day when no one's here, sleeps in the basement, and is usually brought in the house once a couple of people are home. This is mostly because he's very much a people-dog. Has to be around people. Loves people. He has no concept of guarding ANYTHING. If you are a person, you must be there to play with him. He's very much Didi's dog - Mom will comment that in the eyes of the dog, Didi is God. Somewhat sacrilegious, but almost captures the situation.

He misses her terribly because she's up at school. Normally, when she's home, he follows her everywhere around the house, and half the time sleeps in her room.

The cats belong to my other sister. They are completely different personalities - one fat, sleepy, and purrsy, the other skittish, predatory, and often antisocial. Of course they're from the same litter. Given their tendency to mark when no one's looking, the cats are NOT allowed in the house. Santas' room is a very gray area, on that subject. She'll haul one up when she's napping, and the cat sleeps on the bed with her.

So, last night, we had our usual late-night arrangement. She's sitting on her bed with her laptop, I am sitting on the bed chatting with her, enjoying a nice warm cup of tea, and the dog is lying on the floor, regarding us with big plaintive eyes for any morsel of affection we might inadvertently drop to the ground. Santas regards my cup and saucer, then turns her gaze of interest (this never bodes well) to the dog, and then to her half-finished bowl of strawberry gelato. When I'd first come in, said pup was very interested in my cup of tea, despite numerous assurances on my part that, no, he really didn't want this.

Santas then proceeds to take my saucer (as I'd finished with the teabag, it was making a little brown crescent-puddle on one side of the plate), add a teaspoon of gelato next to the teabag...and feed it to the dog.

Yes, he ate the teabag. I stared at her, struck absolutely dumb for a few seconds, as she collapsed deeper into herself, giggling with satisfaction. "You are never allowed to have a dog in the future!"

Cats are far more finicky. Cats will not eat anything that smells remotely suspicious, like broccoli, dish detergent, or cat food. The chances of my sadistic little sister successfully feeding a teabag to a cat are far reduced. A good thing, to, as the feline digestive system is far more finicky than a dog's.

I'm not overly concerned about the dog. They'll try anything, and God knew this when he made them, so he gave them a digestive system that'll process almost anything. The only time we've ever really worried was when he got loose and got into rat poison. I've a friend with a giant labrador, and if she wasn't so busy, she could post a weekly blog, "What Will Duke Eat?". Newspaper. Ten pounds of dog food (that's like you eating sixty pounds of steak). Three rolls of toilet paper. A sponge (that one had us a little worried. It was one of the big soft foofy kinds - second cousin to a loofah).

While I'm writing this, the house phone rings.

It's Santas.

In her bedroom.

(This is across the living room and just up the stairs from where I am now.)

Asking me to bring her a cat.

Because she doesn't want to get up.

*facepalm*

There are days and nights, times, when I can't leave the house. It's sometimes due to laziness or anxiety, but it's not just my own I have to contend with...

Mr.Snuggles pulls fits when I attempt to leave sometimes. I have to share with you, in photographs, just how cute and severe his anxiety separation from me can be!



It starts with Mr. Snuggles blocking the door and giving a disheartened howl.



If the howl doesn't get my attention, he soon puts his claws to use and begins to climb up my legs...

It's not as painful as it looks. His claws are sharp, but he manages to only catch my clothing, careful not to sink those needle toes into my flesh!



Yeah. A 14 pound cat climbing up my pants. Pretty soon I have to pick him up so he doesn't claw my tits to shreds!



He start to settle down once I pick him up, but he knows I might set him back down, so he grabs hold of my neck real tight.



He always wins me over, of course, but it's still a struggle to calm him down sometimes. Look at that triumphant look on his face! He lifts up his chin in defiance and ultra-cuteness.



So eventually I'm not in such a hurry to leave the house. If anyone wonders what keeps me home, you're looking at him right here! My kitty is so manipulative.

Everyday Mr. Snuggles brings me pure joy. Lately he's been the one to wake me out of my deep sleep, motivating me to go outside to enjoy the sunshine, and he's also been the little one I talk to all the time. Poor kitty. I hope I make him as happy as he makes me! I don't think any of these images needs explaining. They're just peeks into the world Mr. Snuggles and I inhabit!



And, yes, in the first two images I used Photoshop to make my eyes match closely to Mr. Snuggles' gooseberry green eyes. Normally I don't wear that bright of lipstick either! Oh, well. I try to look my best next to my kitty love.

Well the first entry of this blog. The idea of this blog is very simple. We want to keep you updated of all the funny animal-movies, pictures and stories we find around the globe. So if you have any please send them to us and we will try to post them ASAP. For starters we post our very own favorite: