cat about the house

i freaked out yesterday

2006-09-11T18:42:00.000-07:00

it's been a while since i posted on my blog, and for that, i apologize. it's been a busy few months, and i enjoy sitting in the windowsill all day - it sure beats typing on a computer.

anyway, i thought i'd relate my experience from yesterday. i should preface by saying that like most cats, i enjoy chasing insects just as much as the next cat. there's nothing quite like that rush of circling your prey, knowing that at any moment, he could escape you by flying clear across the room, sending you into a furry tailspin, as you try and whack him with your paw, simultaneously attempting to wheel into gear to chase him to the other side of the room.

and when the moment comes that you finally have him, you reach out and squish him, looking away at the last minute, both because you're ever-so-squeamish, but also because you want to avoid getting bug parts in your fur. and there he is, still squirming, but immobile, flat against the window, and you bat him again, making him fall to the ground. ah, those are the bugs that taste the best.

but yesterday, i saw a bug that simply spooked me out. i wasn't even sure it was a bug at first, i thought it was another new pet that my people acquired. but when i saw it creep across the floor, i knew it was a bug, and while my immediate instincts were to pursue and attack, i was intimidated by its size.

"intimidated" might be understating it somewhat. let's just say i flipped out. i went to hide under the bed, and didn't come out for hours. i didn't even nap down there, i was just huddled in a corner, hoping it wouldn't find me. later on in the evening, punch saw him on the wall, and nearly freaked out himself. he must not have noticed how big it was, because he began to chase it. but soon he went running out of the room, and the people took over.

as i write this, i believe the intruder has been captured and executed. much ado was made by our people, and there was celebrating, possibly with champagne. i'm not sure, since i've never had champagne. but suffice to say, this was one of those times when the people actually helped us. i think i will let them pet me later, in thanks for their efforts.

cat food is falling from the sky

2006-06-17T18:11:00.000-07:00

it's true! i was minding my own business by the food bowl this morning, and all of a sudden, i was pelted from above by cat food. it was truly a wonderful sight, and it felt great on my fur. i just wanted to stretch out and enjoy this tasty precipitation. but it didn't last long; it was just one of the people who feeds me, toying with my emotions. and so i shall have to get him back at some point.

anyway, after that incident at breakfast, i spent much of the day lying behind the chair upon which i usually sit. but it was cooler back there, and i knew that i wouldn't be bothered. punch wandered around a bit, i think he napped under the coffee table, and then spent some time investigating the piglet. (for more on the piglet, see my other recent posts - we have a new addition to the family, and i believe it is a small pig.)

at one point, he saw himself in a mirror, and freaked out - it was pretty comical. for a cat who's been around a whole extra year than me, you would think that he could tell the difference between himself in a mirror, and a strange cat in a window. i don't believe i would make the same mistake, but one can never tell.

suggestions and theories

2006-06-05T23:25:00.000-07:00

well, it's been a busy few weeks - it seems that what i thought was just a visitor is staying indefinitely - I don't see any suitcases that would indicate it is leaving anytime soon. and our time with it hasn't been entirely unpleasant. punch and i did, for a short time, conceive of a plot to kidnap this creature, or otherwise rid our house of the uninvited guest. but it turns out that the people who feed us (eric and melissa, you may recall) have a particular attachment that seems to be unique, and i am hesitant to disturb what may be an otherwise delicate and harmonious balance.

but i have also constructed a loose theory of the origins of our guest. to date, my best estimate is that they took a trip to the 100 acre forest and picked out one of these to bring home:

yes, that's right - a piglet. but ours has smaller ears. other than that, the details match. most of the time, our piglet is not bothersome, but there are times, especially during my regular naps, that there is a great deal of screaming going on. so far, i don't see the advantages.

playing with a rubber band

2006-05-04T21:58:00.000-07:00

i found a rubber band lying on the coffee table this afternoon. it looked like it might be something i might try eating, so i picked it up with my mouth and started to bring it over to my food bowl - since after all, that is the proper place to eat things. except for bugs, since you need to eat them before they sneak away.

in any case, on my way to the food bowl area, i dropped the rubber band, and i kind of accidentally stepped on it. it got caught on my paw, and this is when i realized that it would make an even better toy than a snack. in no time at all, i was chasing it around the room, and pretty much acting like a maniac.

i thought i would tell you about it, since it seemed like such an interesting story. i began my experience with one expectation, and ended it with an entirely different one. and i'm just a cat. anyway, i decided to keep the rubber band, and i played with it again this evening, before my third post-lunch nap. now i'm awake again, freshly groomed, and i think i'll go and see about getting some food in me before another go at it.

whoa....THAT is not a kitty

2006-04-21T22:11:00.000-07:00

so it's been a few days with what i thought was our new kitten, and it turns out, we didn't get a kitten after all. it doesn't have the soft fur of a kitten, nor does it have paws, whiskers, or triangular ears on top of its head. so i guess it wasn't a birthday present for punch (he turned four years old last week), or a gift for me. i'm not entirely sure what's going on, though.

there is definitely a new creature around, and it likes to scream a lot. it's almost like a small version of the people who feed us. but that doesn't make any sense, does it? i don't know. i'm still in the information-gathering stages, and will certainly keep you apprised as to what's going on. but here's what i know so far: something that wears a lot of pink shirts has been garnering a lot of attention lately, and seems to scream or cry a lot, sort of like a person.

and it seems to take lots of naps like a cat, which would make sense - though i haven't seen a lot of the standard grooming habits going on. so there isn't enough evidence to support this new addition being a kitten. more information as it develops....

yay! we got a kitten!

2006-04-19T22:55:00.000-07:00

things have been weird around here lately, and then i realized it's because we must be getting a kitten! i've always wanted one, ever since i was a kitten myself. it's about time. so they brought the kitten home today - everyone has been making such a fuss over it, but i haven't even seen it yet. i want to play with it, and bat it around, like punch bats me around. it'll be good to be the bigger cat for a change.

so many different people have been coming by the house to see the kitten, which i find odd, because we're strange creatures, and don't usually like company. i know that my brother and i tend to scurry away whenever we hear the doorbell. maybe this new kitten is more social, i don't know.

i wonder where this new kitty is. i will go prowling around the house tonight to see if i can find it. i have already looked in the usual spots (near the food bowl, under the coffee tables), and haven't seen anything. i will keep you posted, of course.

taking care of business

2006-04-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

the other day, punch and i were involved in a routine mutual licking session, and fortunately, the cameras were rolling.

click on the photo to watch the video on www.youtube.com:

that's about it for now....going to go nap or something. tomorrow maybe i'll write about my latest catnip experience. i was trippin'.

regards,

pratt

feed me!

2006-02-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

feed me feed me feed me feed me feed me feed me feed me feed me feed me feed me feed me feed me feed me feed me feed me feed me !!!!!!!!

man, i'm hungry. meow! the people have taken to only feeding us at certain times of the day. that does not suit my aloof, carefree nature. so i think i will run around like a maniac until something is done about this.

it's funny, because even as i type this, i know what'll happen: i'll start to bother them, i'll try and get attention, they'll just want to pet me incessantly, then i'll go sit in my chair and fall asleep. so i will last another few hours until i'll really need food again.

maybe i could do police work

2006-02-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

so, now that i'm three, i think it's time for me to get a job. and i've been putting some thought into the kind of jobs i could do. one thing that came to mind is a couch and mattress tester. i would imagine that the people who make this furniture would want to make sure they're comfortable for sleeping, and i could certainly do that.

then again, i only weigh something like 12 pounds, so maybe they need something heavier. ok, i'll put that on my "B" list. what about a chef? i've always loved to cook. well, i've never done it before, but i imagine that could be fun. a little poached salmon, a side of creamed mouse ears, that could be delightful.

i've also considered being a police cat. i know there are police dogs, so why not cats? i bet we could be as helpful in tracking down criminals, if not more so. i offer many services - in case the siren doesn't work, i could meow loudly out the window of the cruiser. or if we're trying to sneak up on a bad guy, i know my paw pads wouldn't be heard, and then i could pounce at the last second! and if we were trying to catch a fish thief, i could track down the scent, and share in the spoils when we got him. i think that's how it works, right?

i'll keep considering other job options - for now, i guess i'll just stick around here and be a house cat.

reflections on turning three

2006-02-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

so, my birthday was the other day. i think it was pretty normal - long periods of rest interrupted by intermissions of eating, and a boisterous catfight with my brother in the evening. and it occurred to me, what does it mean to be three years old? i've been through so much in my life, but at the same time, i know there's so much i have yet to experience.

i would like to spend some time outdoors in the coming year, during which time i would like to make my first kill of a live mouse or bird or something. and i'd like to get a kitten of my own, you know? i'm tired of being the youngest around here.

anyway, hope you celebrated my birthday this year - and if anyone out there is my age, or even older, then i'd be happy to hear any advice about what to expect in my fourth year of being a cat.

morning vignettes

2006-02-05T08:55:00.000-07:00

i look out my window onto a grey morning. a bird flits by. a light breeze blows a branch around, and it catches my attention. but i am not interested in the branch, and turn back toward the spot where i saw that bird. but in the process of doing so, the top of the curtain brushes against my fur, and it startles me.

and so i decide to attack the curtain, and see what happens. i claw and bite at it, and find this fairly amusing. but it's a little too much activity for this early in the morning, especially since i have been play fighting with my brother punch this morning. oh, and speaking of him, he has wandered back into the bedroom, and has found a spot to rest on the pillow next to melissa's head. he looks so peaceful there, with his paws on her hair. if i were the type of cat that liked the closeness of people, i would surely sleep there sometimes.

but i'm not, so it's back to the curtain i was in the process of destroying. after this, punch and i will see about getting our food bowls replenished, and nap on our respective couches.

this patch of fur needs extra licking

2006-01-10T23:51:00.000-07:00

see this fur right above my tail? well, i guess you can't see it. but i can. and even though i had spent a good part of my afternoon grooming myself, i can tell that it's not quite up to my usual standards. it doesn't have that silky sheen that i prefer. before i set myself to fixing that area of fur, i may take a closer look to see what might have caused this inconsistency.

it might be dust or something, it's hard to tell. i napped in my chair for most of the day, and there's no dust there - so i don't think it's that. food? nah, it doesn't smell tasty. it does smell familiar though.

anyway, rather than ponder that question much further, i decided to just get to licking myself for what seems like the twentieth time today. after a few licks, and smoothing down the area with my paw, it occurred to me that the stuff in my fur was eerily reminiscent of kitty litter particles. yes, that's what it must have been. dust from my litter box. that's just fantastic - i just spent ten minutes licking cat litter.

of course, i recognize the great irony in this. but there's a different approach a cat like me takes to grooming one's self normally, and after a visit to the sandbox. maybe it's just a mental thing, but man, that wasn't pleasant for me.

new year, fresh litter box

2006-01-08T08:55:00.000-07:00

happy new year to all cats and friends of cats out there. another 8 cat years gone by, and here we are. i was given some catnip as part of the new year's celebration, and my brother punch and i got totally wasted on nip, it was awesome. and to start the new year off right, my litter box was nice and fresh, so i'd like to thank whoever took care of that.

and here is an odd piece of news: there is a giant penguin in my house. it is at least the size of me, and it wears a hat. it hasn't meowed or said anything, it just kind of sits there. i don't like it. yesterday it was sitting in my chair, so i was relegated to the couch. fortunately, when i woke up from my nap, the penguin was moved, and i went back to my chair. it was nice and warm, and i fell asleep for another nap almost right away.

anyway, to all my friends, may the next 8 years bring happiness and crunchy treats.

kitty christmas

2005-12-27T00:33:00.000-07:00

well, another holiday season is about over with....we had a mischievous and exciting christmas. on christmas eve, we were well aware that there was not to be a creature stirring - not even a mouse. So punch and i traded shifts and happily took mouse patrol. that was fairly uneventful, except for when we thought we saw a mouse, but it was just a shadow from the night light.

on christmas morning, we had some fun playing in and around the assorted wrapping paper that lay strewn about the floor. and we were given some catnip stuff - some mice, treats, etc. that would keep us busy for a while. it certainly kept punch active for most of the morning.

later on, when no one was around, we realized that melissa had left our treats in an unsecured location. i figured i'd play it cool until the people were asleep, but punch couldn't resist it. so he set to them, tore apart the bag and dug in. i guess someone heard him crunching away, because it wasn't long until the treats were taken away. punch totally gave away what could have been a sweet stash tonight.

oh well.....guess i'll go log out and get to napping, i'm a little behind on my sleep due to all the activity. meowy christmas to all!

i spy something that begins with "b"

2005-12-24T01:00:00.000-07:00

i decided to watch the sun rise in the back yard today....i was able to get a spot on the windowsill in the bedroom, and get a nice view, as well as the added benefit of making my fur all warm and toasty. as the colder weather has set in, it's not always a given that those with fur are the warmest. we still have to snuggle up sometimes (and punch is usually good for that, except when he starts biting), and if there's a spot on a blanket, that's even better.

so this morning, the sun was welcome. and i got an extra treat as well: a bird decided to perch his plump little self right next to me, on a branch that reached down by the window. naturally, the window provided just enough of a barrier to be somewhat frustrating to me - i considered reaching out with my paw to tap on the glass, but i thought that might only scare him away.

i decided to play it cool - i didn't let him know i was there, but instead just relished the view, as i watched the early sun beat down on his feathers. i really would have enjoyed a morning snack, but alas, it was not to be. and so, after i sat there for a while, fell asleep, for my first nap of the morning. i dreamed of roasted quail, with pan-seared leeks and a red wine reduction, served with creamy polenta and asparagus tips.

my hiking experience

2005-12-14T16:42:00.000-07:00

it is dark....early morning. the sun is not yet up. i awaken from a nap to find myself outside. i don't recall going outside, because the doors are usually kept shut, but here i am. i am in the forest, having snuggled up beside a tree for my nap.

since i am now an outdoor cat, i know my food bowl is not within reach. perhaps it is a day's journey, maybe longer. i will make my way, keeping out of the sun, surviving on edible plants and river water. for now, the safety provided by this pine tree is enough to want to sleep a little longer, but i know i must be on my way.

i peer out from between the branches, and spy a mouse. a mouse! how lucky i am to spy a tasty treat on this journey. i get ready, and when i think he's not looking, i pounce! - and i realize that this is not a real mouse, but one of my play mice. i must have brought it with me when i went outside into the forest.

from this vantage point, i see the tree i have been sleeping under is very pretty, with all sorts of lights and shiny orbs on it. and then it hits me: it's christmastime, and this is what happens every year. i'm not even three years old yet, but i've been around this block a couple of times. i understand now that i am not outdoors, i am still the same indoor cat i have always been, and that my food bowl is easily accessible.

i think i will go have a snack, and then come back and take some of these decorations down. i will just reach up and paw at them, and the shiniest ones will fall first. that strand of lights looks like it's hanging quite nicely, but i think it belongs on the ground.

yes, this is more like it, more what i'm used to.

trains and fun

2005-12-09T09:58:00.000-07:00

it's getting to be christmas time again, and eric has taken out his toy train set to put around our tree. while my adopted brother punch is busy attacking the tree, i have taken to destroying the trains while they are running around the track.

it's funny, because i don't find them all that menacing - i don't even mistake them for mice. i just like the way it feels when i knock the train off the track, and watch it roll over. of course, then my fun is through, until eric decides to put the train on the track again and let it run around. i carefully watch it, because i know i only get once chance - if i miss, then eric will shoo me away, and i won't get to play anymore.

so i get ready to pounce, and as the train comes around the bend, i take one little jump, and bat the train with my paw. oh, the satisfactory sound of a derailed toy train! i wish the trains would stay out all year, and not just come out in december.

new dangers and obstacles

2005-10-15T02:53:00.000-07:00

earlier today, i was sleeping on the couch, minding my own business, and melissa grabs me and shoves me in the bedroom and shuts the door. a few minutes later, in comes punch, same deal. so here we are, locked in the bedroom. what is happening? we decided to groom each other and fight a bit, then were about to nap again, when the door opens, and we are let out.

but lo and behold, what do i see? there are some new things in the living room, the most obtrusive of which is a big cabinet in the corner where i often sit. so that's what the ruckus was about. furniture delivery or manufacture of some sort. so we begin to explore the new additions, all the while i know in the back of my furry head that i need to begin scouting out new places for sitting. i can't believe they would just take away my corner like that!

the very top of this new cabinet looks kind of inviting, but it poses two problems. one, how do i get up there, and two - once there, how will i get down? i know i can land on all fours, but at what cost? sore paws? probably not worth it.

and so our lives change again. maybe it's a small thing, but a large part of our kitty world feels very different tonight. i think i'll just sleep under bed for a few nights, until i'm used to this new furnitures.

letters from the readers

2005-10-07T22:04:00.000-07:00

every so often, other cats or people will send me an e-mail, or leave comments on my blog posts. most comments are self-explanatory, or do not require any reply: "nice blog!", or "i'm also a cat, and i like to read", or some such comment.

tonight, however, i think i will share a recent bit of correspondence:

DEAR PRATT - I'M A GREY TABBY IN SAINT LOUIS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOUR FAVORITE TOY IS. MINE IS A MOUSE THAT IS STUCK IN A PLASTIC CIRCLE, AND I CAN BAT IT AROUND WITH MY PAW. IT DRIVES ME NUTS AND I LOVE IT. I HOPE YOU CAN WRITE ME BACK AND TELL ME ABOUT YOUR TOYS. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK! SIGNED, (CORDIALLY) - PRINCESS THE CAT

well, thanks for writing, princess. it's a good question, and i'm glad to answer. in between meals and naps, i often pass time by chasing things. one thing that is fun to chase is a spongy ball that the people throw, and i sometimes bring it back to them. sort of like "fetch", but for cats. and there are times when i can amuse myself for hours on end, even if there is no one around to throw the ball. i can attach it to my claw, then whip my arm back and forth until it goes flying across the room, and i chase it.

the other day, i discovered a new item - a tape measure. one of my people (the girl, and her name slips my mind right now) was taunting me with it, and i happily and curiously obliged. here is a picture of the antics:

well, that's about it for now. thanks for writing, and enjoy your mouse!

-pratt

water glass preferences

2005-10-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

if you have been reading my blog in the past, then you know that i enjoy drinking water from peoples' glasses. if the water level is high enough to reach, i can just lap at it as i would drink from my normal water dish. but if i can't reach, then i can just dip my paw in and lick it off. while slightly more time consuming, it is still thirst-quenching.

anyway, as the humidity of the summer wears off, the people who i live with have taken to bringing a glass of water to their bedside in the evenings. my big tabby brother punch and i take this opportunity to share in their water. this seems to annoy them to no end. they try to put objects on top of the glasses so we can't get to them, but ever resourceful, we can just knock them over to get at the contents of the glass.

and so it has come to be that in addition to a glass of water, the people have set aside a glass of water for just us cats. this way, everyone is happy, and no one has to drink paw-flavored water if they don't want to. a simple compromise. i would like to specify, however, that our water comes without ice, and in one of the shorter juice glasses, which makes it easier to stick our whiskers and face in without risk of knocking the whole glass over.

and while it has been suggested that we drink from our designated drinking bowl, we pretty much prefer to do it our way. we do appreciate the suggestions, though.

the dresser is mine!

2005-09-29T23:45:00.000-07:00

well, at least for the night. punch overate tonight, and is passed out under the coffee table, with his back paws sticking out from underneath. he looks kind of silly, really. in fact, i'm tempted to go and groom him a little bit, but have decided to take the opportunity to stake my claim to the prized sleeping spot - the dresser in the bedroom.

we both especialy like this spot because most of the time, there is a shirt or a pair of pants that was supposed to be hung up or put in the laundry, but has not been. it is nice to curl up on a shirt and let your tail hang over the side of the dresser, out of the way, and just fall asleep.

naturally, i felt the need to quickly stop into the computer room and post about it - but i shall cut this short, and retreat to the bedroom now. i don't expect to hear a peep out of my brother for some time, and i shall enjoy the solitary napping.

to the pets of the Gulf Coast

2005-09-09T23:54:00.000-07:00

to all of the cats in Louisiana and Mississippi, i hope you were able to stay safe and dry. i hope you didn't have to use all of your nine lives at once. if you ever visit arizona, look me up - we've got comfy couches, and people who feed us. and lots of things to scratch.

anyway, just thinking of the cats less fortunate than me this evening.

-pratt

dangerous grooming habits

2005-08-28T05:24:00.000-07:00

nine lives, and i almost lost one today. it was pretty close, i think. i was minding my own business, just sitting on a high shelf, grooming myself. i was getting pretty into it, and there was a slightly matted piece of fur i was working on, and my licking got more and more intense. all of a sudden, i licked myself hard enough to cause enough momentum to send me closer to the edge of the shelf than i originally intended.

once i realized what was going on, i was falling off the shelf! i tried to grab something, anything, to help steady myself, but it was too late. i knew this was not going to end gracefully. i just hoped that i wouldn't bounce too hard on the desk below.

as it turned out, melissa (a person who lives with me and feeds me) was watching this entire incident unfold, and attempted to catch me as i fell. however, a falling cat is quite difficult to catch, as there are paws seemingly in every direction. and so it happened that fur met wood, and the soft thud of a kitten on the desk was the next thing i remembered.

i immediately jumped onto the floor and tried to indicate somehow that i had intended for exactly this result. however, i think that ship sailed. and so i snuck off sheepishly, and napped for a few hours.

i unleash my wrath upon bugs

2005-08-23T21:22:00.000-07:00

i sit in the shadow of the dining room table, in my usual corner. i appear to be at rest, but i am in fact vigilant. there is a spider or something slowly making his way up the leg of the table, and i am observing his movements. while i appear relaxed, quite the opposite is true. my paws are in pounce position, my ears are straight up, and my tail, while curled around my back paws, is fluffed up.

i am waiting for just the right moment to make my approach. the spider stops for just a moment, and i think it looked right at me. it knows i am tracking it, and i could sense the fear in its beady little eyes. now is the moment! i leap from my position, almost slip on the tile floor, but manage to swipe my paw out - but it is too late! he scurries up the table leg, and the chase is on!

i am at the foot of the table now, and watch as the spider crawls up further. but he knows his minutes are numbered. he starts to crawl along the underside of the table, but appears to lose his footing, and falls. he shoots a spider web up to get his balance. but i am smarter than him - instead of going after the now-moving target, i reach up and grab the spider web.

this turns out to be the correct strategy. the spider falls to the ground, and before he can steady himself, his life is ended with the impact of one fluffy paw. i ate him and took a nap.

what if i just.....pounced on you....

2005-08-02T20:38:00.000-07:00

i was sitting on a high shelf today, right above the desk where the computer is. one of the people (melissa) was sitting there, typing away, and i just watched as she performed this daily ritual. and as i sat there, it occurred to me that i could just jump off of here, and land on her head or shoulders, using my claws to gain traction. it would totally take her by surprise, and she would probably not be very productive on the computer.

yes, i could definitely jump on her. the question is, do i have the distance? can i make a leap of this length and successfully land on her? or would i fall short, and come crashing down on the desk, making an utter fool of myself, while simultaneously disproving the theory that cats land on all fours? i tell you, i don't want to be that cat.

so i considered it, and licked my paws for a minute, and then somehow, i must have falen asleep. when i woke, the light was out, and melissa was gone. not only that, but she shut the door behind her, so i was locked in here! i figured i might as well log in and post, while i've got nothing else to do. and after this i will claw and scratch at the door, meowing loudly until someone comes to rescue me.

i shall reward them by ignoring them for the rest of the evening. so there!

my paw is sticky

2005-07-29T17:12:00.000-07:00

i must have stepped in something. i don't know what, and i don't remember anything out of the ordinary, but i woke up from my second nap this morning and noticed that one of my front paws had something sticky on the bottom. so i set to the task of grooming it. it had a slightly sweet taste - perhaps i squashed a spider earlier, and don't remember.

anyway, i took care of that, and decided to nap again, to let my paw dry off from all of the licking. i dreamt of a food bowl, overflowing with catnip.

in other news, i see that someone remembered to scoop my litter box today. it's about time!

decisions, decisions

2005-07-25T10:10:00.000-07:00

so i was sitting in the dining room today, licking myself while inspecting the table legs, and i heard the familiar sound of the garage door being opened. typically, this signifies the arrival of one or more people who live here with me, and since my food bowl needed a little replenishing, i was glad to hear this sound.

but instead of getting up to greet them at the door, i decided to play it cool. i just ignored them, and acted all aloof. after a short while, i got up, walked around the corner, and sat down again - as if that made a difference. after all, it was pretty much the same view, just a different angle.

i would have gone over to the food bowl to check its status, but frankly, i was more in the mood for a nap than a meal. and i was certain that if i started crunching away on cat food, i would wake my brother punch, who was napping under the coffee table. and then he would push me out of the way so he could eat. i felt it was just as well to put off eating for a little while, and groom myself instead.

i lack judicial experience

2005-07-20T03:39:00.000-07:00

it seems that for the first time in my young feline life, we will have a new justice on the Supreme Court. now, i'm not upset that i wasnt considered, but i wonder if i would make a decent judge. i would definitely support kitten suffrage, and would shorten the amount of time dogs spend in the pound before they are "taken care of". i would be fair, and interpret the Constitution as i believe it was intended by the framers, back in the 18th century.

but again, i'm just a cat, and have never even been to Washington, let alone presided on a court of any kind. in fact, i lack any sort of credentials necessary to even be considered, let alone confirmed for a position on the high court.

and so my lifelong dreams must be again put aside. instead, i will examine wildlife outside the living room window, expound on the lack of variety of kitty treats i am fed, and continue to wreck the chair in the family room, until they threaten to declaw me.

that reminds me - we need stricter laws about declawing.....

keeping cool

2005-07-09T01:05:00.000-07:00

well, summer is here. for many cats, that's not a big deal - but here in arizona, that means temperatures well over 100. now, i'm an indoor cat, as you know, so it's less extreme. but i'm a bit of a drama-laden cat, so it's not surprising that i'm making a big deal of it, right?

anyway, here are some tips to stay cool during those summer months, when your fur just feels like a big bear on your back.

don't fall asleep on the windowsill - at any time of day. even if it's midnight, chances are you'll just nap there until it gets too warm, and then you'll be extra toasty.

drink lots of water - and if your water dish is empty, don't hesitate to seek out your person's drinking glass. if it is a nice wide glass, you can usually just stick your face in there and lap it up. but for the taller, skinnier glasses, you need to use those paws, and reach down there, dip your paw in the water, and lick it off. in addition to getting a drink, you'll be grooming yourself at the same time. nice!

avoid the carpet - during those hot days, i'll go find a spot on the tile floor to nap. the tile is much cooler on my fur, and the floor isn't as hard as it looks.

sleep alone - while i usually like to sleep with my older brother punch, we have found that our usual method of cuddling just causes too much cat to be in one spot. so we have taken to sleeping in our own spots, even for daytime naps, and we'll catch up later on for some grooming and fighting, as necessary.

that's it for now. remember - walking in the heat is for people and dogs! us cats know how to stay cool.

a declaration of independence

2005-07-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

we don't need you anymore. that's right - for too long, there has been a "conventional wisdom" that cats are these domestic pets that require attention and love. perhaps you're confusing us with dogs. that is a truly domesticated animal, that does things on command, requires walking twice a day (even in extreme temperatures), and gets their hair and wet paws all over the place.

cats don't do any of that. we can just hang out by a window, or sit on furniture, or whatever. we'll visit the litter box and food bowl on our own time, and rearrange your lives any way we see fit. after all, we're cats.

well, we may need a person around occasionally to fill the food bowl. oh, and to scoop the litter box when we need you to. and i did mention a few days ago that i sometimes need petting. and to open the drawer where the kitty treats and catnip are stored.

maybe we're not so independent after all. but we're still American, so happy Independence Day!

petting

2005-06-30T21:42:00.000-07:00

i was sitting by my window earlier today, watching the evening birds in the yard. i think punch was passed out under the coffee table, and my people were watching television. and while i am a pretty independent cat, there are times when it's good to have people around. obviously, i need to be fed often, and the cat food is on a high shelf, where i can't get to it. (by the way, i think this is done on purpose, but i can't prove it.)

anyway, it was on this particular evening, that my fur was feeling a little ruffled up. i tried grooming myself, but i think i had too much static electricity, so it wasn't getting all nice and flat. it was at this point that i decided to call upon the services of my roommates and owners, melissa and eric.

if you haven't been following along lately, you may need a little background on these people. they adopted me from the county shelter when i was a kitten, and have been bothering me ever since. but i suppose it's better than the shelter. and i have a brother, who was adopted a year before me.

anyway, i wandered over to the couch, and made myself available for petting. and i think it worked - as i nuzzled up against whoever's hand was nearest, i felt my fur get less fuzzy, and i was able to go back to my window and curl up for a little nap. yes, a catnap, in case you were wondering.

i was rolling around on the floor

2005-06-26T21:55:00.000-07:00

i'm taking a little break from my evening of napping, eating and grooming, and thought i'd log in and post a little bit. there are some little bits of paper and dust in my fur, and i think they got there from before, when i was rolling around on the ground underneath a table.

eric (one of the people who lives with me) was throwing around a catnip mouse with me, sort of keeping just beyond the reach of my paw, but i managed to grab it at one point. so i was attacking this mouse, and trying to get to the catippy goodness inside. an unavoidable result of this process was that i got kind of dusty from the floor. i guess sweeping isn't always necessary when you have fluffy cats with natural static cling around.

i should point out that our litter box was freshly scooped quite recently, and that is much appreciated. there's nothing quite like visiting the ol' sandbox and having it nice and fresh, so we can play in there like it's a sandbox. you know what i mean?

the solstice makes cats weird

2005-06-22T03:04:00.000-07:00

well, the summer solstice is upon us, and i think it has affected me. i couldn't find a comfortable sleeping position yesterday afternoon, and even though my food bowl was full, i just didn't feel like eating. but i was fine after midnight, so i don't think i need to go to the vet. in fact, allow me to reiterate that i definitely do not need to go to the vet!

anyway, it's a good thing yesterday was the solstice. it's the longest day of the year, and i had plenty to do. punch (my big brother) and i had a good old-fashioned fight over who was going to get to play with the catnip mouse (never mind that there was an extra catnip chicken available, i wanted that mouse!), and i had to spend a good portion of the day at my front window, observing the arizona flora and fauna. i saw a person walking down the street today also.

there was a knot in my fur that i had to take care of, so i spent a while licking myself, and getting my fur all nice and fluffy. really, there is nothing quite like the feel of the sun on your freshly-groomed fur. i recommend trying it sometime.

thoughts about water

2005-06-14T06:27:00.000-07:00

i sit on the windowsill in the bedroom, and watch as the sun gently begins to kiss the palm trees in the back yard. the reflection on the swimming pool brightens the morning, and it is times like these that i was an outdoor cat, and liked water for purposes other than drinking. i would certainly enjoy a quick dip on a hot summer morning like this. but alas, if i even get a sprinkling of water on my fur, i freak out uncontrollably. and so i shall not ever go in a pool.

the curious exception, of course, is that i do like to dip my paw in drinking glasses and lick it off. but if the water is too cold, or if there is "ice" floating in it, then i may skip it. but regular water, at a reasonable temperature, is good for drinking with a paw, or for dipping catnip mice and playing with them in the water bowl.

the sun has made me sleepy, so i will take a nap right here on the windowsill as the day arrives. later today, i will visit the other side of the house, the side without a pool, to watch birds, insects, and cars.

prowling

2005-06-11T03:52:00.000-07:00

i just finished my nightly rounds of the house, in which i make some basic checks: any doors open that aren't usually open, drawers that might contain treats or catnip, or any new toys on the floor. i explore any new developments, and finish it off with a spirited grooming session.

we have some visitors, and i'm not sure who they are, but they were able to convert the couch into a makeshift bed. interesting. maybe they're melissa's parents - though for some reason, i fancied melissa's parents to be cats. i'm not sure why. i guess i just assume cats for most things, and take it from there.

so i ventured under this makeshift "sofa-bed", and found nothing of major concern. the coffee table has been moved to make room for all of this, so i hung out under there for a while - just for a change of scenery, you know.

then it was over to the litter box for a quick visit, and then to my usual spot by the window, to see if there was any late night bird or bug traffic. not much going on out there, so i decided to log in and tell you about it. i think it's time for a nap now. yeah, definitely.

if i can read the word MEOW...

2005-06-09T05:03:00.000-07:00

...then it means the bottom of my food bowl is visible! this sort of occurrence is quite unacceptable to me. exactly what must i do, and who must i wake in the middle of the night to ensure that i am not a hungry kitty? i paw my way about the house so as not to disturb anyone, and am very careful to not step on peoples' heads when i am walking across the bed, and i don't make a point of clawing furniture in front of everyone. i do that when no one is looking.

so here it is, sometime before sunrise, and the bowl is empty. i scrounged around behind the washing machine to see if there was anything that fell back there, but there was nothing worth eating. my older brother punch is sleeping off our most recent catnip incident, and he'll probably get up later this morning to lick himself for a while.

i guess i'm on my own this time. here i go, to try and make enough of a racket so that someone will get up and feed me. hm, maybe i'll go and try to pry open the drawer where my treats are. that could be a tough job, for not much reward, though.

by the way, i suppose i should mention that i haven't been posting much lately - been quite busy, you know. summer is about here, and that means lots of bug chasing and dozing off in sunny spots, as well as an increased amount of kitty fighting.

you can also check out Kitten War, a site where you pick cute kittens. i'm doing pretty good so far - kitty battles are hard work! you can find my stats here.

checking in

2005-05-23T12:56:00.000-07:00

hi everyone, i'm just popping in to say hello - i have been very busy lately, what with all of the licking and mousing i do. i nearly killed my fish last week, i was jumping down from the ledge onto the desk, and kicked the fish bowl with my back paw. it fell over, and melissa saved the fish and put him back in the bowl before i could snag it and put it on a triscuit.

i also have found that if i sleep by the north-facing window in the morning, i get just the right amount of sun to make me a toasty cat, but not too much to make me too warm. and all i have to do is paw my way to the water dish and have a drink, and i'm back in action after a catnap.

today is a very special day. well, no it isn't, but you never know. punch and i will sleep on the dresser together, and it will be irrestistably cute. a mutual licking session will probably follow, and the evening will be spent trying to bother eric and melissa, and maybe get some kitty treats out of it. ideally, catnip will be profferred, but i am not going to push my luck.

depth perception and claws

2005-05-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

i had a little mishap this afternoon, and my buddy eric just happened to take the brunt of it. i was batting at my fish in the fishbowl, seeing if i could snag it for a quick snack, and i decided to jump up to the ledge above him, to get a better angle. the ledge is a good two feet up or so, and i have made the jump successfully a number of times.

but i think the fishbowl was not in its usual place. i didn't realize this at the time, however. i only know it now because of what happened next. i steadied myself for the jump, got my back paws firmly set, eyes on my target, and raised my front paws just a bit to prepare for lift-off. having done a proper flight check, i thought i was ready. i left out two critical pieces of information, however: my distance from the target, and the surface material of my launching pad (the desk).

the desk is more slippery than the bed, or the carpet, where i often make routine jumps. so i was unprepared when my back paws slipped ever so slightly backwards, when i made my jump. and i underestimated how far away i was from the shelf, and wasn't able to adjust for that until too late. while in mid-air, i saw that i was going to be well short of the shelf. eric was watching all of this unfold, and i think he realized it too, and he tried to grab me before i fell on my furry behind.

it was all very rushed, and everything really happened at once, and it was all instinct, so when i landed a claw right in eric's side, it was really not my fault. it was just kitten nature to send out the claws when in danger - and let me tell you, i was in danger of losing one of my lives today. anyway, he put me on the floor, and i slunk off, meekly. took a nap on the living room floor, and waited until no one was around before coming back in here to post on my blog and taunt the fish some more.

how to escape from people

2005-04-27T00:58:00.000-07:00

every so often, eric (the person i live with, and who feeds me) tries to chase me and pick me up. sometimes i'll be asleep and he'll catch me off guard. i think he likes it when i'm sleepy and warm, and when my fur is extra soft. but if i'm awake, the chase is on! there are times when i don't really mind him picking me up, but i have to put up a fight, if only for show.

punch taught me some places i can go where eric can't get to easily - under the bed, or under the coffee table. i've been heading for the area under the dining room table lately, but i keep forgetting that the chairs are easily movable, so i get rooted out from there quickly. sometimes i try and fool him by jumping up on the bed, and then flopping down on my side. if i scrunch up and make myself really really small, maybe he can't see me lying there.

i used to head for my ledge by the window, mostly out of instinct, but i keep forgetting that i'm easily catchable there. i've got nowhere to run if he corners me there.

it's pretty late, and it sounds like everyone is asleep. maybe i'll go visit the food bowl and find a place to nap for a while...

gone fishin'

2005-04-24T06:10:00.000-07:00

i wish i could go on vacation. just a little break from the daily routine of grooming, eating, and sleeping that i do here. don't get me wrong, i know that it is my role in these nine lives to perform these activities on a regular basis, and to report to you my findings from time to time. but wouldn't it be neat if i was able to take a little trip somewhere, and learn about new places?

i can see myself on a beach in the Carribean, basking on the sand, getting sand in my fur (please, no "sandy claws" jokes!), a catnip margarita at my side. at night, i could go nap on a golf course, and go snorkeling with a net during the day. i would visit ancient ruins like the Sphinx, who i'm told has giant paws.

however, i am an indoor cat, and indoors i shall remain. i look out my window and contemplate the world outside, but i know i've got it pretty good in here. in fact, i think i will go seek out the fishbowl and see if i can taunt melissa's pet fish for a while. it's not quite a Carribean beach, but it will do for today.

pouncing drills

2005-04-22T03:22:00.000-07:00

a little while ago, i was on the dresser, and spied a sock on the floor by the closet. it was the perfect moment to practice the art of pouncing. so i jumped down onto the bed, and one of the sleeping people stirred a little - so i bit it on the foot. satisfied, i jumpd off the bed onto the floor, and began the exercise.

i squinted my eyes, and spied my target in the darkness. i crouched down really low and tried to make myself really small, so i wouldn't be spied. i looked around - first to one side, then the other, making sure the coast was clear, and that i wasn't setting myself up for an ambush.

there are varying philosophies on how to execute the most successful pounce. some cats would rather take their big jump early, surprising their target sooner, and hoping that the surprise factor allows them to get closer after the initial attack. the other approach (and the one i employ) is to get as close as possible without being detected, and then make the jump right onto the kill zone. the risk here is that you leave yourself exposed longer, which may allow your target to see what you're up to, and flee the scene. but the advantage is that if you can escape detection before making the jump, your pounce has a much higher success rate.

so i creep in closer, keeping my head to the ground. ears are back a little bit, tail is fluffed up but not sticking too far up in the air. and the moment has arrived.

...and i POUNCE!!!!!! onto the sock, and in the same motion, roll over, grabbing it with a claw, and biting it, wrestling it to the ground. ah, the sweet victory! if it were a mouse, now would be the time i would shake it back and forth in my mouth, and maybe bring it to eric or melissa to show them my kill. but instead, i put the sock back on the floor and prepare for my next practice run.

i am not a wholesome snack!

2005-04-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

it has become a ritual for my big brother to get a little bitey with me lately. we'll just be napping on the bed, or maybe the dresser, and maybe doing a little mutual grooming. nothing wrong with that, and sometimes our paws get a little tangled up, but otherwise there aren't any problems that i am aware of.

but then he'll just nibble on my ear, and then wrap his paws around my neck, and just take a big bite. as if i'm filled with catnip, and he must get inside to the herbal goodness, like i'm some sort of a feline pinata!

perhaps i should suggest to my owners that it's time to put punch down, as they say. he's still a pretty decent cat, but hey, if he's going to attack his own kind, then maybe he's had enough days basking in the sun. but i still find some use in him, so maybe that's not the best idea for now. he doesn't mind waking up people in the middle of the night to feed us, and of course, his grooming skills are unmatched.

anyway, i just wanted to vent a bit. this morning he got me good, right in my furry neck area. although i had my paws up, ready to block him, he was able to fake to the right, then come at me from the left. clever kitty. i'll figure out how to get him back, you can count on that.

a comment about furniture

2005-04-17T05:11:00.000-07:00

it has been recently suggested to me that i cease and desist from using the living room chair to meet my scratching needs. there has been a scratching post on the wall for several months, and now we have been given a brand new scratching post, which looks like it is much more advanced than our previous one. it is mostly straw, and looks very durable.

however, i feel that the furniture in the house serves my purposes quite nicely. the stripey chair in the living room is mine, really. i sit in it all the time, and no other cat in our house does. i sleep there at least 4 times a day. and i have taken to shredding the side of this chair as i see necessary. and i often see it necessary.

perhaps i will try out this new scratching post sometime. but from my point of view, why should i change my current habits? my existing method suits me fine, and that's what matters most.

happy birthday, punch!

2005-04-15T03:22:00.000-07:00

well, today is my big brother's birthday. he's my adopted brother, really. actually, we were both adopted, and it was a year apart, so we're not even really brothers. but when you share a litter box with someone, and you routinely lick each other, i think 'brother' is about as appropriate a term as any, don't you think?

i didn't know this at the time, but apparently, i am punch's cat. i was a gift for his first birthday, because apparently he wanted a kitten to play with. i hope he doesn't want another one, because all i got him was some catnip. and i had to steal that from the drawer in the kitchen, i wasn't able to go out and buy any.

so i will be nice to him today, and let him take the good spot on the dresser for all of his hourly naps today. and if our people give us any kitty treats, i'll make sure he gets his share, instead of trying to grab them first. oh, and there's a special bird feature on the pet channel, so i'll try and tape that for him.

happy birthday to my big furry brother! he is three years old today! (i am two.)

ah, the sweet fresh air of springtime

2005-04-12T23:44:00.000-07:00

melissa opened some windows today, and it was really neat. i was so curious, i thought i'd try and sit on the windowsill and feel the cool spring breeze on my fur. however, it was kind of a small windowsill, so i mostly had to stand on the floor and put my paws up on the windowsill (it is a big window that goes almost to the floor). punch came to join me, and we watched outside for a little while.

not only was it a change of pace for us to have outside air coming in, but this window was a view we don't ordinarily have. we could see the driveway from there, as well as the front door. we didn't get any visitors, though.

more than anything, i wanted to claw the screen on the window. it really looked quite inviting. but eric was around, and the water bottle he uses to reprimand us was nearby, so i didn't try it. i could see he was keeping his eye on both of us.

later on, the windows were closed again, so punch and i returned to our regular positions - under the coffee table for him, and i jumped up into my favorite chair in the corner. naptime.

a drought in the desert

2005-04-10T03:57:00.000-07:00

for those of you who may be new readers of my blog, i should let you know that i am what they call a "desert cat". that is, i live in arizona. it should be noted, however, that i am solely an indoor cat, so i am not as susceptible to the intense heat and dryness that we experience here.

but tonight, our water bowl ran out. we have a tall tower-like water supply, and no matter how much we drink from it, there always seems to be plenty available. one of our people fills it every couple of days, and we don't have any complaints (other than the usual cat complaints, of course). so when i went to take a drink after visiting the litter box, i was quite surprised to find it was completely dry.

i immediately went to go find punch and consult with him on what our plan of action should be. the first strategy we employed was to find melissa, who had a nice tall glass of water on the nightstand next to her. and we took turns drinking from the glass - punch lapped it up with his little pink tongue, and i dipped my paw in, as i often enjoy doing.

she didn't seem to get the hint. so we decided to take it to the next level. now, i don't typically get in the habit of waking up melissa or eric, but punch has been known to make himself "available" at odd hours - so it was decided he would take upon the task of notifying the people of our need, which was growing more urgent every minute.

he jumped up on the bed, and tried sticking his paw in eric's mouth, and that didn't seem to work, so he stepped on melissa's head, and bit her ear. she woke up, and followed punch to the water bowl, where he showed her it was empty. so she filled it, and all is well. my thirst is quenched, and we let her go back to sleep. i think i'll log out now and take a little nap myself. too much typing makes for some tired paws, i tell you.

a nippy night

2005-04-07T06:39:00.000-07:00

man, what a night that was! punch and i were minding our own business last evening. i was by my window, waiting for the sun to set; punch was grooming himself on the loveseat. our people were watching tv. all of a sudden, we were coaxed into the family room by the sweet scent of catnip. we really had no other options, you see.

they let us eat some of it, and for good measure, sprinkled some on the rug, and on both of us. naturally, we went crazy. rolling around on the carpet, paws akimbo, trying to take in every last bit of the herbal goodness that is catnip. it is really hard to lick yourself while flailing about, by the way. my brother was having an equally wild time on his section of the floor, and there were times when we were sort of rolling around together - half cuddling, half trying to eat the catnip off each other's fur.

then one of our people got out a cat toy, and had fun watching us try and corral it. it's a synthetic bunny foot tied to a string, and while i usually have pretty good reflexes (catlike reflexes, ha ha), when under the influence of the nip, i'm pretty sure i was seeing double, and chasing the wrong toy.

later on, i collapsed in my stripey chair, and slept it off. punch continued grooming himself on the floor for a while, but i don't know where he is now. maybe under the bed.

reflections on spring

2005-04-06T22:52:00.000-07:00

i sat on the ledge by my bay window for the larger part of the afternoon, and noticed that the weather has gotten warmer lately. when i place my paw on the glass, it is not as cool to the touch as it was a few weeks ago. the wildflowers by the curb are not quite as vibrant as they have been, as they begin to give way to the warmer desert temperatures. as the sun overhead shines with a slightly greater intensity, the people walking on the streets have shed their jackets and sweaters in lieu of lighter clothing.

i am, as you know, an indoor cat. it is a mild existence that i lead: the only "weather" i experience is when my brother punch is feeling especially drooly when we nap together. otherwise, my perception of the seasons is taken in through the various windows in my suburban ranch-style home. the front window has the best views by far, and sometimes there is a comfy blanket for me to sit on. i could nap for hours on a blanket near a window.

tonight, i think i will retire to the dresser, as i saw a pair of pants that was not put away. if i can get there before punch, i can take the good spot, and hopefully he won't be compelled to push me off. i think he's stretching out on the couch for now. ok, i'm going to log off, visit the old sandbox, and head off to sleep. maybe i'll get up in a few hours and prowl the house for a bit.

paw musings

2005-04-02T04:04:00.000-07:00

i was a sleepy kitty today. i must have spent the entire afternoon in my stripey chair. no one was around, so i wasn't bothered. my brother punch spent most of his day under the bed - hiding from what, i'm not entirely certain.

just thought i'd log in briefly - i'm going to go see what's in the ol' food bowl, then maybe catnap under the dining room table. when i get really sleepy, i stretch my paws waaaaaaay out, and i pretend i'm reaching for a celestial mouse in outer space. as silly as that sounds, it's kind of a fun image for me.

hmmmm, that's interesting - while typing, i notice that there is a crumb of some sort on my paw. this is going to need some attention. where is the best place to spend an hour licking myself? probably the stripey chair. the nap will have to wait!

i face my nemesis

2005-03-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

the midday hour approaches. i have spent my morning preparing for what may be my toughest battle yet. each paw is perfectly groomed, my fur is soft and warm, and i have visited both the food bowl and litter box. i have completed my stretching exercises, and am ready to fight.

on days of challenges like this, i am not merely "pratt, cat about the household". and he is not simply "punch, the lazy but strong tabby". we have assigned each other our fighting names. he is "syracuse", and i am "batman". and the ritual begins:

at opposite corners of the living room, we pace back and forth, eyeing each other until the clock on the entertainment center strikes 12. and all at once, we are both in fight position. syracuse (so named for his orange fur) comes at me, at a galloping pace. i stand my ground, ready for the attack. with a flick of my paw, i, batman, begin to defend. a fake to the left - a quick right paw to the furry part below his chin - and knocks him back, but only for a moment.

i jump on the coffee table, ready to use the height to my advantage. syracuse isn't expecting this, and retreats to the corner near the loveseat to regain his composure. the early points go to batman. but strength and speed are syracuse's biggest virtues, and he comes back with a vengeance. he jumps onto the coffee table, and i jump off, running to the family room, where i can use my agility in the larger space.

syracuse follows me into the family room, but i take him by surprise by charging him while he is still on the tile floor of the foyer. his paws aren't ready for the surprise attack, and he slips on the tile. i jump in the air and land on his back, knocking him to the ground. he reaches a paw around, and has me in a headlock. we clutch each other, each trying to gain the advantage, and roll over each other, until we are in the family room. i extricate myself from his grip and jump up on the stripey chair - my turf, and i know he dares not attack me there.

i catch my breath, and in a bat-instant, am ready to fight again. syracuse has his tail up, ears flared back, and claws out. i'm ready for him. again i try using surprise to my advantage, but he is ready for me this time. we wrestle each other, and i am able to bite his paw in the process. he bites my ear in return, and we retreat to opposite corners yet again.

later today, we will go back to being punch and pratt, and we will probably find a soft blanket to curl up in together, licking each other's head and ears, and will take a nice long afternoon nap. but for now, i am preparing myself for the second round of this epic battle.

i close my eyes. i am....batman. and i am ready to fight.

increase your productivity!

2005-03-25T03:16:00.000-07:00

i'm sure you are familiar with the "7 habits of highly effective people", and the associated books:

the 7 habits of highly effective people, families, teens, and maybe others:

and it seems to me that now that i am two, and have a good understanding about what it means to be a cat, that i could assist my fellow felines out there with an offering of my own. and so i present to you:

THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE CATS

clawing your way to the top: hey, the paws are great for sneaking up on your enemies, but we've got these claws, and they're meant to be used. so don't be afraid to extend a "claw of fear" from time to time. use it wisely, and you will exert influence on birds, mice, even your bully brother, if you have one.
if the early bird gets the worm...: then the early cat gets the bird. and the cat that is early to rise gets the best spot at the food bowl. you and i both know that we are a sleepy bunch, and that the nap is more than just a ritual, it's a necessity, almost every hour. but to start your day off right, you need to get to that food bowl when you hear that familiar pouring sound, and not have to wait your turn.
landing on all fours: your biggest asset is your paws. from functionality to showing off how adorable you can be, the paw is critical to your success as a cat. so keep them groomed, and don't be afraid to be a show-off on occasion.
nine lives to live: cats are especially lucky in that we have nine lives. people only get one, and dogs don't always get even that much. but with so many chances at life, there's no reason to not take advantage of that situation. take risks, and know that the worst thing that can happen is that you go to kitty heaven, and come back the next day as the same exact cat. keep good count of how many you have left, though!
meow: meow meow meeeeeow, meow mrrrrrrrrreeeow, meow.
the worst-tasting mouse is the one you don't hunt: nothing is better than hunting your prey, and finally tasting that sweet mouse of victory. but if you let them run all over you, you will never achieve your full cat potential. grab that mouse or bird by its largest extremity, and give it a good clawing. that's what they're there for.
sunshine on my shoulders (and ears, and tail...): take time each day to bask in the sun, and let your fur get all nice and toasty. if you're an outdoor cat, lying in the grass or near a tree can often be pleasurable. for us indoor cats, learn which windows get the best sun in the mornings, and soak it in. but don't let yourself bake too long, or else it will make you sleepy all day - and we all know there's nothing less productive than a sleeping kitty.

so that's it. in your quest to be the best cat you can be, keep these concepts in mind. it's not all just eating, sleeping, and grooming. well, it's mostly that - but being a cat can be a complex experience, and i invite you all to make the most of it.

i trapped a spider

2005-03-22T22:42:00.000-07:00

earlier today, i was basking in the sunshine on the windowsill, when something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. a bug was crawling up the wall right next to me! and so i considered it my responsibility as a house cat to rid the world of this bug, and i set to this task immediately.

my first strategy was to just reach up and try to smash it on the wall with my paw. but he was too quick, and began to get away. i quickly got up and was able to reach higher, but he took a quick left and headed toward the window. my eyes followed his every move, and my tail raised up, to show everyone that i was in pure attack mode.

a quick left paw stopped him in his tracks, and as he was about to go the other way, i had my right paw ready for him. he was able to dodge me yet again, and he got caught in the tiny crevice between the window and the windowsill. i was unable to reach in there, since even my little paw is too furry and big to get in that little spot. but i knew i had him cornered, and i could sense his fear as well. and so i decided to wait it out. he couldn't stay there forever.

transfixed on my inevitable kill, i had my paw ready for the final blow, if and when the spider decided to make his move. we stared at each other (i think) for a few minutes, and then he began to move. he climbed out of that little crevice, and i was prepared. his short life was ended with a strong paw to the exoskeleton, and i ate him in one bite.

it was time to retire to the couch for a long nap.

how to waste an entire morning

2005-03-19T22:14:00.000-07:00

many days, i find that my schedule is just packed solid with various things to do. whether i'm chasing shadows on the wall, admiring the neighbor's lawn through my window, or trying to avoid an ambush by punch, it seems i'm always on the go. today, however, i really didn't feel like doing any of that. punch was being a sleepy cat, because i think he was up late, scratching the furniture. i had taken a spot on the dresser early in the evening, and had a very restful night. so this morning, i was up early, and was pretty much caught up on all of my usual activities earlier than i am used to.

and so i set about finding a way to pass the time until my next nap, or until i was hungry, or until punch woke up so we could play fight. i went out to the living room, where there is plenty of room on the carpet to frolic without banging into too much furniture. there was a little bit of early sun streaming through the window, so i basked there for a bit, and let my fur get all warm. after that, i rolled around on the carpet, and got a little dusty from that, so i hopped up onto my favorite chair, where i groomed myself.

i must have fallen asleep, because i woke to someone making a lot of noise. melissa was vacuuming the carpet (probably because i left some extraneous fur there), so i retreated under the bed, so as to avoid getting sucked up by the vacuum. there are old cat legends and ghost stories about unfortunate kitties who lost a paw to a vacuum, and even a few who were never heard from again. so punch and i make a habit of hiding when we hear that sound.

now that my brother was awake, we spent the afternoon as we usually do - some mutual grooming, some play fighting, and synchronized napping on the couch. even when there's nothing much going on, the days still go by pretty fast when you're a cat!

hey, i got a new bowl!

2005-03-15T04:34:00.000-07:00

in my travels earlier this evening, i noticed that our standard plastic blue food bowl has been replaced with something that is far more decorative, and more appropriate for discerning cats like myself and punch.

first of all, it is ceramic. it is brightly colored, and it says "MEOW" on it with a picture of a fish. i believe the point of that is to identify the bowl as specifically for cats. that suits me just fine, and while the food that is in it is still the same food, the hourly dining experience is that much more enjoyable as a result.

earlier this evening, i was napping on my stripey chair when i heard the food bowl being filled. although i was a little groggy, i tried to scurry over there before my brother punch got there, so i could get the good spot at the bowl. it was to no avail, and though i tried to nuzzle my way in, punch wasn't having it. and so i went to the water bowl first, and dipped my paw right in there, just to taste it. i waited my turn, and when punch slunk off, i chowed down.

later on, i thought i'd rest on the dresser, but eric grabbed me and brushed my teeth. afterwards, he made the mistake of leaving the little red brush on the nightstand. and so later on, when he went to bed, i grabbed it in my mouth, and brought it out to the living room. i'm trying to find a good hiding place for it, so maybe i won't get my teeth brushed anymore! i'll let you know what i did with it.

cat on hiatus

2005-03-13T16:02:00.000-07:00

good afternoon, my faithful readers! it's me, pratt, and i must apologize for my lack of communication lately. a few things have been going on around the house, and that has prevented me from keeping you up to date with the latest cat-happenings.

first of all, i think i've been over-blogging. a few weeks ago, i noticed a nagging strain in my right paw, even when i wasn't using the computer. so i decided to take it easy. it turns out that even cats can be victimized by repetitive stress injuries. so for any pets who reguarly use the keyboard, make sure you set up your desk space to reduce strain on your paws, wings, flippers and fins.

other than that, i've been pretty busy. i have been working on my jumping, and now regularly jump down from the tall dresser, right onto the floor, without using the bed as a go-between first. those first few times were pretty scary, though! and the weather has gotten nicer, so it's not uncommon at all for me to start out the day by looking out my window, and just nap there all day. yesterday i even forgot to go visit the food bowl until after dark. boy, was i hungry!

i hope to continue writing in my journal, but will probably have to take it easy for a bit. as always, feel free to leave me comments. i try to respond to fan mail every so often.

O, to have a thumb! (a sonnet)

2005-02-25T07:05:00.000-07:00

such obstacles a cat must overcome
such work it is to try and open doors
would all be moot were i to have a thumb!
to reach new heights and open all the drawers.
and once inside, i'd find the kitty treats
a bag of nip, no longer freshly seal'd
the scent of fish and other tasty meats
would all at once to this cat be reveal'd!
with claws retracted, such an easy kill
my extra furry digit does assist
and nigh, this cat may never have his fill,
i'd grow too large; unable to resist.
do i dare say i've found my only flaw?
perhaps 'tis better off with just a paw!

late night mousing

2005-02-23T14:52:00.000-07:00

i slept in today, because i was up all night chasing what i thought might be a mouse, but only turned out to be a crumpled up piece of paper. i had gotten confused because i heard a rustling under the coffee table. so i went to investigate, and since it was dark, it was not readily apparent what the object was. and so i batted it around for a bit.

i should note that while it is true that cats have excellent eyesight in the dark, it is not impervious to shadows obscuring the true nature of any particular object. in this case, it may have been that the shadow of the coffee table leg created the effect of a tail on this paper "mouse", even though it was slightly out of proportion for a regular sized mouse.

and so i played with my kill, and eventually knocked it underneath the end table, and in the corner where i couldn't quite reach it. some sort of boxed game or puzzle was in my way, and i couldn't move it upon the strength of just my own paws. punch was sleeping, or else i would have retained his assistance. but at this point, i wanted that mouse for myself. i finally reached back there by going up on the couch, and jumping down behind the end table from the other side.

it was at this point that the sun began coming up, and shining through my window. and when it was light enough, i noticed that the mouse i had been seeking all night was just someone's thrown away paper. embarrassed, i snuck away meekly, and curled up on the couch for a few hours. it was kind of a silly way to spend an evening!

birthday wishes and more rain

2005-02-21T04:44:00.000-07:00

if i'm not mistaken, today is the birthday of my friend, personal servant, and roommate, eric. he is a tall guy who feeds me, pets me a lot, tries to pick me up when i'm not in the mood, and is a general annoyance, except when he is providing me with essential services. oh, and he helps me with the spellchecking for my blog. so, happy birthday! just for today, i will not destroy any furniture or mail. tomorrow, i'll be back in business.

it rained a lot this weekend. if i was an outdoor cat, i'd be sad, since it meant i'd have to stay in, or else risk getting muddy paws. but i am a perennial indoor cat, and so i spent a good portion of the weekend watching the front yard get wet. it seems that the flowers and plants in the front yard seem a little more colorful just after a storm, as if they were replenished by the rain, and are again embracing the sun. i wish i could do that. i suppose in a way i do - when the sun comes back out, there's nothing i love more than to find that warm spot on the floor, as the sun shines through, and just let my fur bake in its warmth.

but for today, it looks like more gloomy weather. it's still early, but the day is just starting to become light - and the sky is mostly filled with puffy grey cirrus clouds. i shall see about finding a nice sweater or blanket to curl up in for a while - it just seems right on this kind of a day.

a couple of accidents

2005-02-18T23:39:00.000-07:00

i am feeling particularly clumsy this evening. today, i was involved in a few mishaps, and maybe it was just a coincidence that it all happened on the same day, but it was odd all the same. first, i was walking on top of the entertainment center (a place where i am typically not allowed to go, mind you), and my tail whacked into a picture frame. the frame fell to the ground. i don't believe it broke, but i was unable to put it back where it belonged, as i am a cat.

i was a little startled by this, and i had turned my head quickly to see what i had knocked over, and my head banged into the clock that sits there. it didn't fall over, thankfully. so i jumped down from there, and headed over to my window for a catnap (ha, get it? catnap!). later in the morning, i was drinking out of a water glass someone had left on the table. i reached in with my paw, and licked the water off of my paw. i do this all the time; it should be easy to accomplish. but this particular glass was nearly empty, and so i had to reach almost all the way in (and this is a tall drinking glass, not a little juice glass). anyway, it fell over, and rolled a few inches closer to the edge of the counter, where it rested against a spoon. many thanks to the spoon, for saving what would have been an unfortuntate accident, and one that surely would have earned me a squirt from the water gun.

this evening, eric came home from work like he usually does, and he put his jacket on the chair - usually, he puts his bag on the chair. but tonight, he put the bag on the floor. it was shortly after this that i was about to learn an important lesson in physics. punch and i were chasing each other around like maniacs, having just eaten, and needing to work off a little energy. i headed into the dining room, and under the chair, where i was safe, temporarily. he lunged at me with a fierce paw, and i hopped out of there, and jumped onto the chair. i jumped off, and that must have been just enough to send the already-out-of-balance chair over the edge. i was well into the living room when i heard it fall over.

punch and i both stopped suddenly when we heard the crash. we headed back into the dining room to see the chair and jacket lying on the floor. eric heard it too, and was in the process of picking it up. i don't think he was too mad about it, since he didn't even chastise us for running around like that.

so it's late now, and things are quiet again. i like the way the house sounds late at night - only the occasional humming of household appliances, and the clicking of my paws on the keyboard. time to go find a good sleeping spot for a while. i hope i don't break anything tomorrow!

i would make a pretty good mop

2005-02-16T00:29:00.000-07:00

i think that if one were to attach a long wooden handle to me, i would be an excellent multi-purpose mop. you could swish me around a tile or linoleum floor, and my furry coat would pick up dust and small debris. if i wasn't asleep, i might even grab larger objects, such as pennies, with a paw, and deposit them in your wastebasket.

you could use me to reach for the cobwebs that may be lingering in the dark corners of your garage or basement. spray me with a household wood polish and slide me down the banister a few times. use my little arms to get in between chair legs and other hard to reach places. and my tail can function as a handy feather duster, for tending to delicate places, such as fragile objects on a fireplace mantle.

when you are finished, you could just take the handle off and leave me by the litter box, where i will shake myself free of all the dust i have collected, and then i will retire to the stripey chair, or possibly the dresser, where i can spend the rest of my evening licking myself, and preparing for another day.

i hope you do none of these things, but it was just an idea i had.

bye,
pratt

reflections on a brilliant sunset

2005-02-13T22:43:00.000-07:00

as i watched the sun set from my usual vantage point by the bay window, i noticed that the wild daisies in the yard next door are in full bloom, even this early in the season. the vibrant oranges and yellows cling to the day's last lights, and set the yard afire. i pressed my furry nose against the window, not minding the cool of the glass on my whiskers, and watched as another day gave way to another night. and then i licked myself for about twenty minutes.

i felt a shiver in my fur as the street grew dark. the daisies were barely visible, as they wilted ever so slightly, awaiting another morning. the street lamps (and the little lights by the driveway) turned on at their pre-programmed times, and i decided it was time for either a bite to eat, or a nap.

i couldn't decide which, so i just did both. that was definitely the correct decision. i slept on the dresser in the bedroom for a little while, until i was awakened by a toothbrush-wielding eric, who grabbed me, pinned me down, and brushed my teeth. i was trapped! and still a little disoriented from my nap. afterwards, he gave me a couple of treats, and i slunk out to the living room to go find something to scratch.

i am so furry today

2005-02-12T01:54:00.000-07:00

well, maybe i'm no furrier today than any other day. but i sat on the windowsill, basking in the sun for a while, and my fur got very warm. i had to go sit in the shade under the bed to cool off a bit. and spent some time grooming myself, and probably had a nap down there.

and then i sat on the nice cool tile floor in the dining room. it was at this point that i realized that even though the floor is very hard, i don't feel it, because of how furry and cushioned i am. i suppose people wonder how we can sit on the floor, or a wooden table, or what have you - and the secret is that our fur plays a big part in the feasability of such activities.

later on tonight, i bothered eric and melissa while they were having dinner. i stuck my paw right in their drinking glasses, just because i was thirsty, and too lazy to walk over to the water bowl. and so i drank from my paw. i probably ingested a little fur too. after doing this for a while, i hung out on the ledge by the window, then used the couch as a scratching post, and called it a night. i just got up for a little bite, and thought i'd log in. back to sleep now - tonight's sleeping spot of choice is the stripey chair, which is definitely "my" chair.

roles and responsibilites of an older cat

2005-02-09T05:01:00.000-07:00

well, now that i've had a couple of days of being two years old, i have had some time to think about and reflect upon what it means to be my age. for example, it is now time for me to stop taking instruction from punch (my older brother), and take initiative on my own. if the food bowl is empty, i must take it upon myself to wake up the people who feed us - and if that includes biting feet, then so be it.

as far as furniture goes, i now should feel free to rip up anything i want, and not necessarily wait for the go-ahead. i've done some of this in the past, but now i can do it without remorse or guilt.

and i understand that some cats my age are outdoor cats, and that is a whole separate set of responsibilities. however, i don't believe my people will let me out of the house. that is a bit unfortunate, as i know that there are greater opportunities in the world beyond my bay window - but until i get the approval from those that feed me, i shall remain inside. though every so often, i get curious when i see that front door open, and think about sneaking out for a bit.

but only an immature, one year old cat would do something so foolish, without considering the ramifications. i am two now, and i understand the consequences of an action so rash. no, i will stay inside, take my petting like i always have, and walk with the four-legged swagger of a cat who is twice the age he was a year ago.

happy birthday to me!

2005-02-08T03:37:00.000-07:00

it's early in the morning, and everyone's asleep - punch is passed out on the dresser, and the people all went to bed earlier. i'm still up, because yesterday was my birthday, and i have spent the night playing with my new cat toys, and getting wasted on catnip.

i am now two years old - yay! i'm two! i know that some people like to multiply that by eight to find out how old i "really" am, but let's face it - i'm two. just a year ago, i was only one year old. and it wasn't long before that when i was just a small kitten - here's some photos of me from when i was very young, even before i shed all of my baby fur:

for my birthday, eric gave me some extra petting, and refrained from playing rough, like he likes to do sometimes. melissa played with me for a while, with a cat toy that is basically a bunny rabbit's foot attached to a bouncy string. she would try and keep it out of my reach, but as i get older, my paws have gotten quicker, and i was able to snag it a few times. she also gave me some catnip, which was especially appreciated on this special occasion.

punch was pretty well-behaved for my birthday - he let me have the good spot on the couch for one of our naps today, and he groomed me while i was sleeping. we watched the sunset together, through the bay window in the living room. then he let me have access to the food bowl first. i bet everything goes back to normal tomorrow, but for one day, it was nice to be the center of everyone's attention! and now i'm two!

planning my day

2005-02-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

just woke up from my second mid-morning nap of the day, and thought i'd give the paws a little workout on the old keyboard. i must admit that it's hard to sit at the computer and resist the little fish in his bowl, so i also dipped my paw in a few times to try and grab him. naturally, i was unsuccessful.

on my agenda for today (other than a visit or two to the food bowl, and a couple of naps) is to examine the shrubbery in the back yard, from my vantage point on the bedroom window sill. i imagine i will stare out the window for several minutes, imagine i am an outdoor cat, playing among the bushes, and enjoying the warm sun on my fur. perhaps i will spy a field mouse, and i will gladly give chase. if he manages to outrun me, then i will just sit on one of the big rocks and sun myself for a while.

later on, my imagination will give way to a growling tummy, a reminder that the food bowl awaits me - i hope i get there before punch eats it all!

i saw my shadow this morning

2005-02-02T22:25:00.000-07:00

well, for all of you winter lovers, you're in luck - i saw my shadow today! here i am chasing it around:

some of you may be skeptical, and may not want to follow this tradition if it is not specifically a groundhog that performs this annual test. but this is only my second groundhog day, so i hope you will indulge a young cat, and trust me on this one.

perhaps your concern is that i am an arizona cat, and our winters here are not harsh by any means. or maybe it's the fact that i'm specifically an indoor cat, and my seasons are measured more by my daily gazing out the window, rather than by growing my fur extra long, hibernating, or migrating, or whatever else outdoor cats do.

in any case, i hope you enjoy your groundhog day, and stay warm for the next six weeks, wherever you may be!

close encounters of the bird kind

2005-02-01T04:23:00.000-07:00

sitting on the windowsill earlier, i saw the moonlight fill the yard with its eerie glow. though it was nice and toasty-warm in the house, the glass felt cool on my fur. it has been an unseasonably cool winter, i'm told. as i sat there, a bird came to rest on the planter right outside the window. my initial reaction, of course, was to grab him by the wing - alas, it was not meant to be. paw meets glass, and goes no further. the bird must have noticed me, for it turned its plump little head my way, and took a step or two closer.

and so i stood up on all fours, fluffed up my tail, and hoped he might come inside. i don't know how he would do that. maybe i could trick someone into opening the door? i'll have to work on that. it wasn't possible tonight, as everyone is asleep (including punch, who is probably long enough to reach the doorknob, but alas, unable to open it with his paws). i took a step or two back, just to get a better view of the bird, and --

-- and fell right off the windowsill. i was just so focused on this bird that i forgot where i was, and just stepped right off. i managed to land on the dresser without much problem (though i think i made some noise when i rattled against the alarm clock). but when i jumped up again to see the bird, he had flown off. i just wanted one last look! instead, i headed out to the living room to see if there was anything interesting outside my bay window. after resting there for a bit, i licked myself for a while, then headed in here to log in and post on my blog. hm, maybe i'll go check out the food bowl, see what's left from yesterday.

a long throw

2005-01-29T04:41:00.000-07:00

it poured rain for a little while today. there was also "hail", which i had never seen before, and it was somewhat scary. it was right next to my window, and i could almost reach out with my paw and grab it, if not for the window itself. the weather cleared up a bit later, though, and i went about my afternoon as originally planned. a nap in the laundry basket, followed by a spirited licking session, and capped off with a visit to the litter box and another nap, this time on the loveseat.

in the evening, melissa and eric were watching tv, and i was batting my sponge play ball around the living room, to everyone's amusement. i'm getting a little better at learning how to throw it farther. i sort of stick my claw right in the soft part, and when it's good and stuck on my claw, i whip my paw back and forth until the ball is dislodged by the sheer physics of it all. one time tonight, i managed to throw it over the coffee table, and it landed on the sofa, right next to the people watching tv! i think they were suprised at that. and i'd like to say it was intentional, but in all honesty, it was just a lucky throw.

and so i spent the rest of the evening tumbling around on the floor, looking pretty cute, and accepting extra petting. i wanted to sleep on the dresser tonight, but was bullied off by my adopted, yet much larger brother. oh, and i was yet again tricked into getting my teeth brushed. i don't know how you people do it every day!

is that what you're wearing?

2005-01-26T23:36:00.000-07:00

really - are you going out of the house dressed like that? it has fur all over it! i've been using that shirt to sleep on for about a week now, and punch naps on it in the daytime. we both shed the regular amount of fur a cat should shed, so by now, it is pretty much covered in fur. you look ridiculous with that much fur on a shirt that is ordinarily not covered in that much fur.

not that it's my place to judge, i suppose. after all, in most circles, i would be chastised for looking like i do in public. i am quite a fluffy cat, and many would say i'm too fuzzy to go to places like restaurants and the movies. so instead, i stay inside, watching the world from my vantage point in various windows, and finding the best napping spots, and spend a great deal of time grooming myself.

it may not be much, but it's what cats do. so if you want to go out with a fur-covered shirt, that's your prerogative, i guess. but if you get ostracized for your appearance, don't come to me for extra petting and cuddles. i'll be curled up on your jeans.

feline rituals

2005-01-24T21:41:00.000-07:00

i watched the sun set down the street from my usual vantage point at the bay window today. i was feeling a little jumpy after that, so i ran around like a maniac for a little while, for no particular reason. one of the people (eric) was watching television, and i let him pet me for a bit, and then we played fetch. as usual, he threw the ball into the living room, and i retrieved it for him. sometime i would like to try it the other way around, and have him go running after the ball. but i need to work on my throwing distance a little more. i'll try and give my throwing paw a workout and see how it goes.

i noticed a fresh pile of clothes in the closet, so i think i'll see how it holds up as a resting spot this evening. i hope to sleep peacefully tonight. eric just brushed my teeth, as he does every couple of days, and i hate it. i couldn't wriggle free, and i think i got cat toothpaste on my whiskers. so it was a stressful moment - i'm looking forward to a little alone time, you know?

that's about it for today. it was pretty much more of the same - frequent naps, followed by periods of inactivity, with snacks in between. yes, it's pretty good being a cat!

that was a hairball

2005-01-23T01:49:00.000-07:00

sorry i haven't posted the past few days. after the incident with punch, we were both grounded from using the computer. punch doesn't blog, but he likes playing games online, and bats the mouse around a lot. i typically spend my time catching up on the latest cat news around the world, and working on my blog.

anyway, this morning i woke up all of the people very early, but it wasn't my fault. i had spent a good portion of the evening doing some thorough grooming. but i fell asleep right after, and forgot to visit the water bowl to rinse the fur out. so i woke up coughing a bit, and i was trying to make it back to the litter box when i coughed up a nasty hairball, all over the carpet.

and my loud coughing apparently woke up eric, who went to go clean it up, then he tried to pick me up - for purposes unbeknownst to me at the time. i cowered under the dining room table, assuming he was going to scold me for waking him. but he eventually caught me, and picked me up for some soothing petting. just wanted to make sure i was ok, i guess.

so i took it easy today. more than just a few naps, in various places, and this evening, watched the sun set from my usual spot at the bay window. it's good to have my internet privileges back, so i'm going to read the news at http://www.cnn.com/cats before going back to sleep.

punch is an amazing cat

2005-01-18T21:29:00.000-07:00

good evening - if any of you are new readers to this journal, then you may not be familiar with my brother punch. he is a year older than me, and was adopted by our people when he was just a kitten.

now he is quite a large cat, and very athletic. he can run faster than me, jump higher, and generally pushes me around a lot. but he's a good cat, and looks out for me sometimes too. he always makes sure we have enough food, and doesn't mind bugging people in the middle of the night if they forgot to feed us.

and as i've posted previously, we help each other with the perpetual task of grooming. even with my tongue as long as it is, there are just some places a cat can't reach. and there is the old trick of licking your paw, then sort of rubbing it on your head and hoping that does the job, but it's not always effective. so having another cat around to help with the licking is always appreciated.

he's really quite a good-looking cat, too. i'm pretty fuzzy and i don't always photograph well - but punch is one of those model-quality cats you see in magazines. in fact, i would even say that -

OW! quit biting! i said you were good looking, now leave me alone! go sleep on the couch or something. you're too bossy!

(sorry, folks - punchy was in here and forced me (at "clawpoint") to type a bunch of nice things about him. i'd better go now, i'm probably going to catch it later from him!)

should i tear this to shreds?

2005-01-17T02:10:00.000-07:00

ah, the joys of a catnip mouse. a replica of a regular mouse, but in fancier colors, and stuffed, scented, or infused with the essence of catnip. i think our people have been going light on the catnip lately, ever since my jaunt into the drawer where it is stored. but lo and behold, a light-blue mouse is here for my pleasure.

and so i bat it around for a while, clawing its felt ears when i can. i take it in my mouth by its tail, and sort of swing it around, let it fly, then go racing after it. i wait until it is almost still, after taking a few bounces, then i pounce on it, with all the fury of a cat pouncing on a real mouse. with the mouse in my mouth at this point, i take it into the living room, and put it on the ledge next to my window. i take a moment to reflect on the way the moonlight makes the houses look, and then i notice on the ledge next to me - a mouse! the very same mouse i had just been playing with.

and now the question comes before me again: what to do with this mouse? shall i store it in a safe place where my brother can't find it, or shall i finish this off right now? everyone is asleep, and punch has the good spot on the dresser (on a shirt or something), so he won't be up and about for a while. now would be the perfect time to dig into the mouse's little cloth body with my sharp claws, and breathe in the fragrant nip. but then again, i'm a little sleepy, and maybe i could hide it under my stripey chair, take a nap (in the aforementioned stripey chair), and have some more mouse tomorrow.

these dilemmas strike at the very core of catness. and so i will log off now, and consider my next move.

my brother is a pain

2005-01-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

today was sunnier out, and it was nice to sit by the bay window and watch the day. melissa was out in the front yard, and it looked like she was grabbing tall weeds and just yanking them right out of the ground - but that doesn't make any sense, does it? anyway, punch and i sat by the window together, and he was fixated on a bird that found a perch near his side of the window. just fixated. it was interesting to watch him staring so intently, like if he tried hard enough, the glass window would just disappear, and he could reach out and grabbed a winged treat. his tail was thumping against the window as he watched, and i thought i'd bat at it with my paw a little bit, to see if i could shake his concentration. not even that would distract him, so i went back to watching the bird as well.

he had a better view than i did, though. so i went to the couch and grabbed the good spot on the blanket, and took a nap. when i woke, punch was sleeping next to me, paws on my tail. so i couldn't get up and go eat without waking him. and so i was faced with a dilemma. do i sit and wait, hoping that he would roll over in his sleep, releasing me from his grasp? or do i attempt to quietly, stealthily free my tail from this situation, and take the risk of awakening him? if he awoke, surely he would race me to the food bowl, and he would most likely beat me there.

and so i waited. and waited. i watched him sleep, and resisted the tempation to reach out and play with his tail or whiskers. and i saw a spot of ungroomed fur above his left ear that i could attend to, but didn't want to get started on a project that i was sure would have a violent finish. punch's paws felt like a rock on my tail, holding me back. finally he went to scratch himself in his sleep, and i took the opportunity to squeeze my tail out from under him, and slunk off the couch to go about my afternoon. punch was none the wiser, and i let him sleep.

a realization about cat toys

2005-01-14T16:59:00.000-07:00

i was taking a morning nap in the sunny spot on the living room floor, when i felt one of my play balls whizz past my ear. i opened one eye to see what was going on, and i saw eric, waiting for me to go chase it, as i am wont to do. i happily obliged, as i am a sucker for small objects that move very quickly. so i went bounding into the other room to chase it down, and it bounced off a chair and changed direction quite suddenly. but i lost interest, and wanted to go back to my nap.

however, eric then presented me with a bottle top, which he sent flying down the other hall. unable to resist, i took off. i tracked it down, and found its odd shape very interesting. i was able to bat it around, and sometimes it wouldn't go far, but other times it started rolling along on its edge, so i stopped it with my paw, and repeated the process. i then heard punch stirring about, so i went back to greet him (and to make sure he didn't take my sunny spot). eric had given him the discarded tube from a roll of paper towels, and punch was busy chasing it around and chewing on the end. it looked like fun. and it was clear that eric was in a mood for playing with us cats today.

but then i realized - aside from the play balls, most of our "cat toys" are basically peoples' trash. bottle tops and paper towel rolls? i have also chased crumpled up balls of paper, tin foil, and AA batteries. always under supervision, of course, so i don't get into any real trouble with this stuff. but i wonder - are eric and melissa too cheap to get us real toys? or does it matter? after all, we'll chase after just about any foreign object that moves. they're probably just testing us, to see if we are as finicky with our playthings as we are with our kitty treats and the like.

and naturally, we are not. after all, it's more about the activity of chasing down something, and much less about what that something is. we're just gullible that way. when i realized this, i knew it was one of those frustrating moments that made me feel like i was similar to a common golden retriever. a dog! i immediately felt the urge to groom myself for several minutes, just to feel like a cat again. that was a little better. meow!

letters from my readers

2005-01-12T05:29:00.000-07:00

for today's post, i thought i'd answer some of my fan mail. it's interesting, being one of the only cats i'm aware of who keep a regular blog. perhaps there are other pets who have tried, but i like posting regularly. i like sitting at the keyboard, and that it's called a "mouse" still makes me chuckle.

but on to today's question - this letter is from Mr. Whiskers, a Persian housecat from Des Moines, IA:

hello PRATT - my name is mister whiskers and i am from iowa. i wonder what kind of cat you are. some of the photos look like you are big and fluffy, but some make it seem like you are a standard domestic shorthair. can you clarify? also, what is your favorite kind of cat treat? sincerely, Mr. W.

mr. whiskers, thanks for dropping me a line. the last question is a simple one. "Pounce" makes the best treats available, as they come in a variety of flavors and fun shapes i like to crunch on. my brother punch is very picky, and will only eat specific ones (Pounce Baste'mmmms turkey and giblets flavor), but i will basically go for anything that comes my way. eric likes to make us reach for treats with our paws, and when he brushes our teeth, usually gives us a few each.

as for what kind of a cat i am, you're right - the pictures can be a little confusing. i don't really know if my breed has an official name, but i think i could be described as "medium fur". that is, not too long, not too short. i don't shed a whole lot, but if someone holds me for a few minutes, they'll certainly know i was there. i like it when eric rubs my tummy and pets my head. he likes to make me all fluffy. oh, and my tail can get all puffed up as well, and i use that as a natural defense mechanism, to scare off prowlers and large biting cats (like punch).

hope that answers your question. take care, and keep those paws warm up north in iowa this winter! regards, pratt

__________________________________________

if you would like to ask me a question, feel free to leave me a comment below any post, and hopefully, i will be able to answer it!

in which i ponder the gloomy weather

2005-01-10T20:15:00.000-07:00

as i sat on my ledge in front of the bay window this afternoon, i couldn't help but notice that it was drizzling again. i live in arizona, where i've heard it doesn't rain that much, but it seems like it has been cloudy or rainy almost every day for a couple of weeks.

although it seems that the trees aren't as green, or there aren't a lot of kids playing in the street, there is some other activity outside, perhaps due to the weather. i saw an insect of some sort crawling along the edge of the planter outside, and forgetting for a moment that there was a window, i instinctively tried to bat at it with my paw. i hope no one saw that, it was kind of embarrassing to just slam my paw into the window.

there was also some juicy looking birds passing by. one of them just sat on a bush for a minute and looked down the street, as if he was pondering his next move. in the distance, i heard the unmistakable call of the cactus wren, and the bird on the bush flew off to his next destination. my ears perked up as i heard the wren. perhaps he would come and visit me! and perhaps i could get my paws - claws, rather - on him. and i would take him inside, dragging him in my mouth by the wing, and show melissa and eric what i had done. and perhaps they would help me pluck him and put him in my food bowl.

but alas, the wren did not come closer. maybe i'll take a little nap and dream about the bird some more. oh, look, there's one of my play balls! i could bat that around for a bit, and pounce on it every so often. if only this thing had little feathers.....

so i think i'll log out for now and go play. thanks for reading my blog! -pratt

i might make a habit of this

2005-01-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

as you know, i am a kitten (ok, cat!) who is not prone to cuddling with people. i enjoy being petted, and sometimes i'll roll around on the floor and hope that someone walks along and fluffs me up a little. and i certainly like snuggling up to my furry brother punch. sometimes we lick each other, especially in the ear area, where it's hard to groom with just a moist paw.

but i digress. this afternoon, i was fast asleep on a blanket, paws stretched out, really deep in slumber. and all of a sudden, i feel a hand scoop me up, and there i am, being carried by melissa. she is attempting to maintain the position i was sleeping in. but it was to little avail, as i was partially awake by this point.

she deposited me next to a sleeping person (pretty sure it was eric, though he was napping as well), and petted me gently, in hopes that i would fall back asleep. i was reluctant to give in, but it was kind of cozy. and so i laid my head down on the sofa, snuggled up next to eric, and continued napping. like i said, he was asleep, so i don't know if he even knew i was there. in any case, i had a very restful nap, and a dream about hunting for mice in a sunny meadow made it all the more pleasant. i had almost tracked down a mouse, when i was jarred from sleep by eric, who decided to awaken and get off the couch. i would have petted him, but couldn't reach all the way up there with my little arms. instead, i sort of waved 'hi' at him just to acknowledge that yes, we did indeed cuddle up, and then i went back to sleep.

a short time later, eric was replaced by punch, who took advantage of my warm sleepy fur and we took a nap together. later on there was much chasing and ear-biting, but that's all just part of being a cat.

i think i'm in the wrong house

2005-01-06T23:12:00.000-07:00

this is strange - i'm in the computer room right now, and it looks the same as usual. and so does the living room, and my litter box, and everything else. but i walked into the bedroom, and it looks like someone else's house. everything looked different. i jumped up on the bed, and it just looked weird to me. so i hopped back down and looked underneath the bed, and there was punch, just hanging out.

he didn't seem to know what was going on either, so i continued walking around for a bit. i even found one of my spongy play balls next to a tall dresser. hey, that looks like my tall dresser. only it used to be over....there. is it possible that it is the same room, but everything is moved around? why would someone do that? it gets us cats confused.

the window sill is still in the same place, so that's good. i hopped up there to see if it was still the same backyard, and it looks ok. that's kind of a relief. now i'm thinking that maybe i could use a change of scenery too. what if i moved the litter box over a few feet, and put our water bowl on the other side of the fridge? that might be interesting.

then again, i might forget, and accidentally step in my water bowl on the way to a litter box that just isn't there. and my paws would be all wet, and i'd leave track marks on the tile floor. i think i'd better leave things the way they are for now!

testing gravity

2005-01-05T03:06:00.000-07:00

punch has taught me a new activity that i've been doing a lot lately. basically, what we do is find a small object on a counter, ledge, or windowsill, and see if it will fall to the ground when we knock it off. it's actually kind of fun. for example, there was a penny on the kitchen counter. not being a frugal cat, i didn't have a problem letting it go. so i gently pushed it with my paw until it was near the edge...and then pushed it over the side.

sure enough, it fell to the ground. but it got me to thinking - does everything do this? maybe only pennies fall like that, and other things might just stay floating in mid-air. certainly, more testing was required.

so i went into the bedroom, and lying on the dresser was a hair brush. it wasn't the brush that eric uses to brush my fur, it was something similar though. so i thought that this hair brush wouldn't fall to the ground, but sure enough, there it went. after this, i wandered around the house a bit, looking for other things i could use to test this phenomenon. after depositing several of eric and melissa's items on the floor, i felt satisfied that at least most of the time, gravity acts on objects about the size of my paw, and brings them to the ground. fair enough.

in defiance of my new discovery, i went into the bedroom and leapt from the floor all the way up to the tall dresser, and took a nap on a shirt.

various activities

2005-01-03T21:37:00.000-07:00

today was spent mostly staring out the window at the rain, and toying with my pet fish. he was spending some time near the top of his bowl today, so i hopped up on the table to see if i could get him. he's still faster than my paw, so it took me a while before i decided to move on to other tasks. i decided to sit on the high shelf when melissa was at the computer, but punch wanted to have the space to himself. he tried to push me off, and i held my ground.

that is, until he bit my ear, and i meowed and jumped down before he could bite me again. fine, have the shelf to yourself, you selfish cat! but i quickly forgot about that confrontation, and was distracted by the heavy rain outside my window in the living room. i pawed the shade open to peer outside, and it was pretty wet. it was even wetter than my paw after playing with my fish! it was also windy out - i saw a bird try and take off, but couldn't get going in his desired direction. so he just sort of walked along for a bit, until he was out of my sight.

after a quick visit to the food bowl, i played with a shoe that was lying around, but must have fallen asleep - the next thing i remember is being petted by eric. he picked me up and brought me to the living room couch. but i jumped down and played with his shoelaces instead.

sometimes i wonder how these mundane activities take up all the time in these long days. and then i realize that i spend a large portion of the day asleep. what makes it interesting is the various places i choose to take my frequent naps. ah, the life of a fluffy cat is an easy one!

this is tasty stuff

2005-01-02T18:06:00.000-07:00

punch and i were sorting through the peoples' mail today, and came across some holiday cards that were sent with photos of peoples' kids or families. now, we couldn't care less about pretty photos, but we do find photo paper quite tasty. i'm not sure why, but on more than one occasion, i have taken great efforts to sort through regular, uncoated paper, to find any glossy photos. and once i find them, i just bite the corners a bit.

once we were discovered by eric, we got the water gun treatment, as expected. and so we scurried off to our respective hiding corners, while eric sorted through the damage. i am pleased to report that we destroyed no less than two holiday cards this year.

my brother and i will be pleased to receive any late holiday cards from any friends or family. we thank you in advance.

sorry, i don't make resolutions

2004-12-31T22:50:00.000-07:00

and so the end of the calendar year is upon us again. this is my second new year's eve, and to be quite honest, i don't really remember my first one. i was just a wee kitten back then. eight kitty years ago (not that i really subscribe to that sort of thing, it's really more of a person invention).

i know many people, and some pets, like to make promises for the new year. they like to use the turning of the calendar as a milestone, and set personal goals for themselves in the coming year. i choose not to do this, as i feel i am achieving my goal as a housecat. there are some things i would like to accomplish, but i recognize they will come in due time.

i would like to catch this fish once and for all. i was sitting on the table tonight, watching him, all smug in his little bowl. i figured i'd just reach in and grab him with a furry claw, but don't really want to reach in too far. that would be one wet paw. so i'm still at the point where i'm just dipping in my paw, and then licking the water off. pointless, really. so i'd like to get to the next step in that endeavor.

i'd also like to be able to intimidate punch a little more. we often vie for the good sleeping spots, or the good spots in the morning sun. and sometimes, even when i get the spot i want, punch sometimes decides he wants to bully me out of there, using his size and strength as obstacles for me to overcome. he doesn't mean it personally, since we cuddle up together all the time, and even help each other groom those tough spots (like behind the ears) - but he acts like he owns this house, and i'd like to remind him that is not always the case.

that's about it, really. no resolutions to change my behaviors. i do pretty much whatever i want around here, and have no remorse or guilt about that. and that's just the way it's going to be.

happy new year, everyone!

-pratt

the law is back in town

2004-12-30T01:42:00.000-07:00

well, i guess it couldn't last forever. debbie has been coming over to feed us and pet us, because our regular people haven't been around. earlier today (i guess it's officially yesterday now), instead of the front door opening, i heard the familiar garage door instead. and there they were, with the same suitcases they left with last week. both of them, the guy and the girl (it's been several days, their names escape me at the moment - but it's definitely our old friends).

right away, the guy came to pet me, so i found a good spot on the living room floor and just sort of flopped down and let him. it felt good. punch, as usual, ran underneath the coffee table, but i think he was glad to see our friends back in town.

however, it became evident soon after their return that our antics of the past week were no longer allowed. i got squirted with the water gun, just for walking on the kitchen counters. that seemed like kind of a harsh punishment! and i was shooed away for playing with my fishbowl, when i've invested a lot of time and effort in this particular project. so i guess it's back to the way it was, and we'll have to be mischievous when they're not around with their scolding and cat torture methods.

helper girl "debbie" didn't come over this evening, so i guess that was just temporary. hey, whatever keeps me fed is fine with me!

more mayhem

2004-12-29T01:15:00.000-07:00

today was another day without much in the way of formal discipline. our friend debbie came over to feed us, as she has been doing for a few days now. but most of the day was spent with the house to ourselves. and we had the kind of day only truly rambunctious kitties can have. there's a small area rug by the kitchen sink, and i use this for traction when i'm racing to the food bowl in the corner.

it's also fun to use for clawing purposes, of course. punch and i had a biting/clawing match there today - sort of like king of the mountain, but for cats. he won, since he is much larger and stronger than i. then we cuddled up on the couch for a while, no television (since we don't watch it unless there are people around), then it was on to the dining room table, where we are typically not permitted. we rearranged the neat piles of mail on the table, then nearly pulled the entire tablecloth right off!

my ear is itchy. i'm going to go scratch it now, and see if my brother will help lick it, and maybe see if there is a bug stuck in there or something. i'm sure it is only a temporary condition.

napping on the stove

2004-12-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

i remembered the name of our new friend today. her name is debbie, and she's really nice. she makes sure to pet us when she comes over, and she makes sure our food and water are full. on christmas, she gave us extra kitty treats. she hasn't scooped our litter yet, so i'll have to teach her that at some point. i'm not certain how permanent our arrangement is. those other people have been gone a while now.

took a little nap on the stove today, and forgot to wipe my paw prints. that could come back to haunt me later. then it was over to my window for another nap, and to watch the afternoon sun take its final curtain call for the day. i was woken up by the sound of the front door, when debbie came over to take care of us. she brought the mail in and left it on the table - i may play with it later, that pile is too orderly.

right now, it's pretty late, and after i finish typing here, i'll log out and sleep on the bed, since no one else is. punch has been pretty scarce today. when helper girl - debbie, i mean - comes over, he usually runs away. but naturally, he's more than willing to partake of the offering she has left.

almost time to make some resolutions for the new year. or perhaps not. ha!

i own the kitchen!

2004-12-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

it's been a good week. with my people away, i have taken to roaming the parts of the house where i don't usually go. i spent some time sitting by the bathroom sink, and noticed there was another cat in the next room, through the window. it looked just like me, and copied everything i did! i hate sassy cats like that. we just sort of stared at each other for a while, then we both hopped down (at the same time, mind you) and went about our business.

back into the kitchen for a while, where i may have accidentally knocked over the cat food container that melissa left for our helper girl (i wish i could remember her name). also went exploring in some of the cabinets. i reached up to open one of the cabinets, and there wasn't much space to jump up - it was full of drinking glasses - they're like water bowls for people, you know. so i went back to the windowsill to see the world outside.

i also batted at some of the wooden spoons that stand in the canister on the counter. they have funny shaped heads. they didn't really fight back that much, so i got bored of them quickly.

it's been a busy morning, and i am off to take a nap. i also notice now that my right paw could use some grooming, and i shall tend to that shortly.

meowy christmas!

2004-12-25T11:24:00.000-07:00

today is christmas day, i believe. and punch and i were full of holiday spirit today. we were given extra treats by our helper girl, while eric and melissa are away. and we spent most of the day together, napping, eating, and licking together. it was one of those "i-lick-your-head-you-lick-mine" kind of days. those are nice.

i wish we could spend christmas with eric and melissa, but they're off somewhere, gallavanting about. cats like us have to stay inside and do our usual cat things. that's ok with us, there's always plenty to do.

anyway, meowy christmas to any pets out there, and hope you get all the kitty treats you asked for!

-pratt

breaking rules

2004-12-23T22:56:00.000-07:00

i enjoy walking on furniture, where i am not allowed to go. now that my people are away for the holidays, i am feeling free to walk all over the place. today i jumped up on the kitchen counter, and just watched the family room from there, just for a different sort of view. there is a window by the sink, so i went over there to look at the back yard. from this side of the house i can see a better view of the two trees in the corner, and though there's no activity now, i bet there will be some good bird action one of these mornings.

then i took a nap on the dining room table. there was only a pile of mail on there, and i had no problem pushing it aside to make space and get comfortable. later today, the helper girl came by to feed us, and petted us for a little while. i remembered her from last time she was the substitute feeder, though her name escapes me right now. punch had shied away when she was here yesterday, but came out to say hello today.

we hung out by the family room couch for a while, then the girl left again. it smells like she has pets at her house too, maybe she can bring them over and we can all play! right now it is quiet here - punch is asleep on the bed, and i'm in the computer room, of course. i am going to log off shortly and find a resting place for a while. hey, maybe back to the dining room table, or the entertainment center, where there are fragile things i can move around.

civil disobedience

2004-12-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

this morning, punch and i learned that the people in the house were going to be leaving for a while. the suitcases were out, and full of clothes. looks like somewhere cold, i saw a couple of sweaters being packed. they made all the preparations to leave, and just when it seemed like they were about to head out the door, punch had an idea: we would stage a sit-in, and protest this occurrence.

not that we mind a whole lot - after all, this has happened before, and they have a friend who comes by, so we expect the same this time. but there is the aspect of having a person at our beck and call that we may miss. so punch got up on the bed, and hopped into the suitcase, and just sat there. he refused to move - as if to say, 'if you want to go out on vacation, you'll have to get me out of here first!' my job was to block the door to the garage, so they couldn't leave. one flaw in this plan is that i am of minor size, and they could just walk right past me.

so in any case, the protest didn't really work that well. eric and melissa left, and we are left with a full food bowl and an empty house. later on this afternoon, their friend came by and played with us for a while. well, punch hid under the bed. but i came out for some petting. i think this is the same girl who was here last time eric and melissa were away for a long time. so it seems like this was all well-orchestrated, and designed to pull the wool over our eyes. no chance of that, we're pretty smart cats!

i don't know how long they'll be gone though. i'll have to go and see if there is any furniture we can destroy in their absence.

if i were an outdoor cat

2004-12-21T22:46:00.000-07:00

there are a lot of things i endeavor to do, but many of them require one basic feature to which i have no access: being outdoors. as i have mentioned previously in my blog, i am an indoor cat. yes, this has its advantages - not the least of which is that i am more impervious to random diseases and sharp street objects. it is also softer on the paws in general. nothing like a sidewalk to rough up the pads, you know? i've heard stories of outdoor cats with paw blisters, it's not pretty.

but on occasion, i gaze out the window at the outside world, and wonder what life would be like out there. i could chase birds freely, make friends with other neighborhood cats, and even drag in random dead animals that i killed myself. i think that would be pretty cool. every so often i see another cat from down the street, just minding his own business, and have the occasional yearning instinct to be an outdoor cat - but i am resigned to live this life of luxurious shag carpeting and a regular litter box.

at this time of year, punch and i could go christmas caroling on the street. wouldn't you like to open your door to a pair of cats singing familiar holiday songs? mostly we would just meow a lot, but i would like to think the melodies would be recognizable. one never knows how the execution would go, however. still, it's interesting to ponder.

ironically, i'm dreaming of a white christmas.

you are invading my personal space!

2004-12-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

ok, this post is a little note to my friend and roommate eric. now, we live together, and he feeds me, scoops my litter box, and is generally good to both me and punch, but there have been more than just a few times where he seriously misunderstands the relationship between cat and person. additionally, he needs to learn the signals, and respect them.

for example - if i am sitting on the stripey chair, eyes closed, paws crossed, tail curled beneath me, it is a good sign that i am asleep. take the hint, and leave me be! instead (and this happened just last night), he will invariably pet my head, and play with my tail. i can open one eye and give him my evil cat look, but that doesn't always send the proper message. and i'm not one of those particularly bitey cats, so i don't typically resort to violence when i feel like i am being unnecessarily bothered.

this morning, before eric left for his "job" or whatever, he grabbed me from my perch on the windowsill (where i was watching the sparrows by the pool), and brought me to the couch for some forced cuddling. i say "forced", as it was certainly not my idea, nor did i have a say in the decision to cuddle. but i complied, purring as i am wont to do, and allowing eric to hold me close, for just a few minutes before he leaves. he does this a few times a week, and it's not always a problem, but sometimes i'm in the middle of some activity, and can't be bothered.

all i ask is that the people who i share my nine lives with are more considerate, and understand that while we cats are here to provide comfort and amusement, we also have things to do, and just ask for a little respect.

lazy cats

2004-12-18T21:45:00.000-07:00

wow....i don't think i've slept that much in a long time. i think i slept all day! let's see....after a morning snack and visit to the litter box, i found a fleece blanket that i enjoy sitting on, and just sort of dozed off. i felt a furry paw on my shoulder a little later, and realized that punch (my brother, for anyone new) had joined me. we napped for a while. a long while.

eric came to bother us, and even though we were sleeping, insisted on petting our heads. kind of inconsiderate, really. i relocated to the loveseat, and punch stayed. within minutes, i was out like a light once again. later in the afternoon, i thought i would bask in the sunset, and so i found myself on the windowsill - but not for long. i was too sleepy, and nearly lost my balance. so it was back to the couch, where punch had taken over my spot. no problem, i just bit his ear, and woke him up. he bit back, and after that initial aggression, we groomed each other for a bit.

later tonight, we moved over to the family room - i took my usual spot on the stripey chair, punch under the coffee table. i got up to use the litter box, and quickly log in, but i'm headed back there now, and i assume i will be asleep in no time.

mice would be nice to dream about. dark, chewy mice.

holiday cheer

2004-12-16T22:13:00.000-07:00

this is only my second christmas, but i think i am getting the hang of it. i spent the better part of the morning destroying the lower half of the christmas tree, then played with a candy cane - i batted it around with my paw for a while. then i took a nap beneath the tree, enjoying the scent of fresh pine.

and there's nothing more special than spending the holidays with family. when eric saw what i had done to the tree, he squirted me with the water gun, but later on, gave me some kitty treats. there really is no accounting for the actions of people. so punch and i snuggled up on the couch, while eric and melissa watched television.

just a week left till christmas! i wonder if punch and i are exchanging gifts. and if so, am i supposed to be able to reach his stocking? or just leave his gift under the tree? i should read up on proper protocol.

hope all my readers are enjoying their christmas season! -pratt

some tips on eating and playing

2004-12-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

well, i learned a lesson this morning. and since i probably won't remember it a week from now, i thought i'd share it with you. and then maybe periodically someone can help remind me of the pitfalls of eating too quickly, then romping around shortly after.

it all started last night, when i inadvertently skipped dinner. i believe i had a little snack in the late afternoon, then i went to my window to watch all the christmas lights, while my people-roommates watched tv. punch was napping on the loveseat, where i usually like to nap at this time of day. but i digress.

i ended up grooming myself for an extra long time, as there was a knot in my fur, caused by - well, caused by my extra fluffy self, i suppose. though i have a nice shiny coat, it just happens from time to time. after grooming myself, i decided to curl up on the dresser and go to sleep, since my spot on the loveseat was occupied. and so i forgot to eat before going to bed, and punch must have finished off the remains of the food bowl - because when i woke in the middle of the night, it was empty.

but i didn't fret. i'm a tough cat, and figured i could just wait until morning. certainly there was plenty of things that needed to get done, i barely had time to eat anyway. between redecorating the christmas tree again, attempting to extricate my fish from his bowl, and arranging eric's sock drawer, who has time for cat food? oh, and i was playing with a cane-shaped object with red and white stripes on it. i think it "fell" off the tree at some point, and it was fun to play with.

tonight was one of those nights that punch and i were on different schedules, so i was pretty much on my own for these activities. i was going to log in and post on my blog, but eric forgot to leave the computer room open for me. and i can't reach the doorknob. maybe in a few years when i am taller. even then i think i might need a stool.

so where was i? oh yes - well, melissa woke up shortly after the sun did, and i let her know that the food bowl was empty. it was about this time that punch stirred from his slumber, awakened by our noise. we raced to the food bowl, and melissa took the hint, and filled it. i was so hungry! i gobbled up some cat food, then punch wanted to play fight. we chased each other around for a few minutes, and i ended up under the christmas tree, where punch couldn't get me. ha! then i went back into the bedroom, to watch the morning birds from the window sill behind the bed.

however, i think i ate too quickly. that, combined with the romping, made me feel a little queasy. i thought i could make it to the litter box in time, but as i began to climb down from the window sill, i knew i wasn't going to make it. and so it happened that the cat food i had waited for so long, was not going to stay with me after all.

as i considered the irony of the situation, i saw a look of disapproval from melissa, as she went to fetch the paper towels and clean up the mess. i guess she wasn't too mad, though - i did get some extra petting, since they wanted me to feel better. and it worked - the petting felt sooooooo good on my fuzzy head, and i nuzzled right up to her, and she worked her way down toward my tail.

in closing, i offer this bit of advice to cats everywhere: if you can't plan your schedule around the food bowl, at least make sure you take it easy after eating, so this little mishap doesn't happen to you.

passing time, cat style

2004-12-13T21:57:00.000-07:00

things were pretty quiet around the house today. spent some time in the corner, focusing on what appeared to be an insect, for about 15 minutes. we stared at each other, waiting for the other to blink. finally, i got impatient and batted at it with my paw. man, did i feel stupid - it was just a piece of dust, or a leftover crumb. mmmmm.....yep, a crumb.

after that, i didn't feel like going anywhere, so i just laid down for some rest. i felt someone (probably eric) come by and pet my head, and didn't really acknowledge him, as i was in the middle of a dream about a crippled bird, limping around, and the fear in his beady eyes as i came closer, ready to strike....

tonight, eric and melissa lit more candles for the jewish holiday i mentioned the other day. and then a sporting match was on tv - football, i think. they pretty much all look the same to me. punch and i wrestled on the couch for a little while, then i spent most of the evening by my window. the street is peaceful tonight. took a little break to come in here and log in, but i think i'll go back to the living room and rest my paws by the window until the christmas lights turn off, based on their respective automatic timers.

incarcerated!

2004-12-12T16:26:00.000-07:00

it is early in the morning, and as i sit at the computer, pawing at the keyboard, i am only beginning to relax from our most recent ordeal. tonight, punch and i were locked in one of the rooms, and we couldn't get out!

here are the facts, as i understand them: eric and melissa (people we live with, as you know) came home after dark, petted us, filled our food bowl, and then melissa went to bed. eric went into the back bedroom to get something (don't know what), and we followed him in there. this proved to be a mistake, as you will see by what followed. eric turned the light out, closed the door, and went (i assume) to bed. he either didn't realize that both myself and punch were still in the room, or was punishing us for something.

either way, all of a sudden, we had no way out. at first, we didn't realize it would be a problem - we just figured one of the people would come and get us shortly. punch curled up on the floor and began licking his paws. i wandered around for a little while, then decided to stretch out on the floor and assimilate some grooming tips. after that, i was hungry, and wanted to go to my food bowl. but the door was shut, and no one had come to get us out. it was at this point that i began to worry.

the doorknob was just too high to reach for a cat like myself, and so punch and i took turns meowing, hoping that someone would hear us. finally, after what seemed like forever, eric came stumbling in, wondering what the commotion was. and so we scampered out, and headed toward the kitchen. i went for the food bowl, punch used the litter box. eric followed us, and petted my head as i had a snack. i think he was genuinely worried that we were locked in the room for so long, and he gave us a couple of kitty treats to make up for it.

it was a harrowing experience. my fur was all fluffed up, which is one of my natural defense mechanisms. i was sleepy, but on edge. not knowing when we would be rescued, we nearly had to resort to alternative strategies for escape. unfortunately, we had none. meowing our heads off was about the only thing we could think of.

anyway, all is well now. it seems like it was a simple mistake on eric's part, and i will forgive him. in the morning, i will likely nuzzle up against him and purr, as i often do. as for punch, he will probably go find a spot on the pillow above melissa's head, and sleep it off. i'm going to log off now, and catch up on some sleep!

happy hanukkah to all cats out there!

2004-12-10T01:29:00.000-07:00

the people who i live with (eric and melissa) celebrate two holidays at this time of year. we have already discussed our Christmas tree, which resides in the living room, and is a great source of fun for me and punch. but for a week or so, we are also celebrating the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. i'm not sure i understand all the details yet, but the main event seems to be a candle lighting thing. i think it's cool, but the down side is that it sits in my window, making it impossible to sit in my spot for about 30 minutes each night.

here i am below, regarding the menorah as it is lit earlier this evening.

that's about it for now. the candles burned out after a while, and they took the menorah down from my spot, so i can go look out at the street again. tonight i think i will sleep on the stripey chair in the family room. i'm sort of in a stripey chair mood.

happy holidays to all, no matter what holiday you celebrate!

-pratt

the neighborhood lights

2004-12-08T22:11:00.000-07:00

and so the annual tradition of Christmas lights is in full swing in our neighborhood. i assume it is an annual tradition - this will only be my second Christmas, and i barely remember last year. so as i look out from my usual spot at the bay window, i can see down the street, where some of the neighbors have decorated their houses and front yards. one of the houses has lights all over his roof. i don't know how they did that! but it certainly is pretty.

during the day, you can't really tell anything is different. but after the sun sends its last rays through the palms at the end of the block, the street comes alive with the spirit of the holidays. and so i enjoy sitting by the window a little extra in the evening. since i am conveniently located right near our own Christmas tree, i get to take in the fresh pine scent of the outdoors at the same time as i study the different colored lights on our street.

fell asleep by the window this evening - i don't usually take to sleeping by that window, as there are softer places nearby, such as the couch, or the perennial pile of clothes in the laundry basket. but it was ok - i think my back left paw is still asleep, it feels all tingly. it makes me walk funny.

in which the fish eludes me repeatedly

2004-12-07T19:19:00.000-07:00

i spent a large portion of the day alternating between naps on the couch and strategizing on how to successfully gain possession of my pet fish. ok, it's really melissa's pet fish. but i have taken a keen interest in him as well. he is a blue fish in a large vase, with pretty red rocks beneath him. a couple of times, i have looked through the top and seen my own paw through the glass on the side - this can be confusing, as i lost track of where my paw was. but of course it was right there on the end of my furry arm. but i digress.

i have taken some time to get to know the habits of this fish. he doesn't do much - even less than me, on most days. you may recall that my initial strategy was to reach into the fishbowl and try and grab him. this has proved fruitless (or fishless, i suppose), as the fish is more accustomed to the aquatic life, and is easily able to escape my reach. and i don't like getting my paw too wet. but in this quest, i will sacrifice my dry fur for this finny prize.

it occurred to me that if i can see my own paw when looking through the top of the bowl, then perhaps the fish can see it too. and maybe it doesn't know that my paw can't simply reach through the glass. do you see what i'm getting at here? i will try and fool him into thinking i'm coming at him from the side, and just when he's retreating, i will reach in from the top and grab him.

oh, what a glorious day it will be, when i can hold onto this fish with my own claws, and possibly eat him. but i must practice my agility and dexterity - i must be super-quick to make this work, and i fear that if i show him my strategy before i am truly ready to deploy, then the element of surprise will be lost forever. for now, however, i will continue to use my original method, and lull him into a sense of false security.

back to the couch now! i could use a nap.