Sumpin's Up!

A certain cat seems to know that something is happening - that a change is coming. I really feel for this guy, the earthquakes have changed him. Hercules is somehow less settled & a lot jumpier than he used to be....& a whole heap thinner. I know he'd be my constant companion when he's here.... if only it wasn't for that darn dog that keeps hanging around his human.

Today, right when I was feeling a little peeved at the lack of a man around to help lift & move the "heavy schit" which it appears I'm not much good at at the moment, Hercules reminded me exactly what use men are when something needs to be done that only I can do because I want it done a certain way (& we all know men have selective hearing) or only I know where stuff has to go.

In this instance I was trying to restore a semblance of order to my desk as it seems that it has been piled with books & paperwork in the throes of 'being sorted' for far too long now. Ok - so in my little world two hours is far too long.....  can you imagine what two weeks has done to my brain???

I'm almost there, getting excited because I can actually see the surface of my desk & have such a short way to go....when up jumps Hercules & what does he do?

Bookish Hercules  5.35pm

Yep, he settles down on top of the books I was about to go through!!! I petted him for a few minutes & not having the heart to disturb him, thought "Ok - I'll go out to the garage & make a start on tidying my workstation" which got landed with a whole heap of glass frit & other objects during our pre Christmas shake up...& I did. The first time I turned away to get something out of the cupboard look what happens....

"I'll get her attention somehow while feigning disinterest" Hercules 5.48pm

And he kept that exact place & pose while I returned inside to grab my camera. Oh the parallels I could draw between this & the human male.....

Contrasts

Last night was a little chilly here.....& it is way to early in the season for the nights to be getting cooler if you ask me....which you didn't.  But hey it's my blog & if I want to voice my disgust at the lack of a real summer I jolly well shall ( all the wile blatantly disregarding the fact that I have spent the last few weeks stuck inside sorting things anyway.lol!).

So while I'm sorting & shivering, trying to arrange for vast amounts of possessions, people & pets to be shipped across the sea, the man is sitting over there in Brisbane talking (daily!!!) of the heat & the balmy evenings. Every time I mention the wind or the cold - I get told exactly what temperature it is there, what the wind is & the relative humidity - the whole 9 yards. Yeah - real subtle!

As if that isn't enough I get sent photos such as this;

The man was called outside on a frog alert & went armed with his cell phone. Now why couldn't a frog have come that close while I was there??

 Later a much better photo was sent through taken with a bigger camera (well done Blake!!!)

The contrast here is the fact that while the mailleman sits outside (while I'm shivering inside remember) looking at cool critters one of the two furry feline critters, who shall remain nameless, here that share my bed has kindly bestowed me with a 'gift' - possibly so that I don't feel too unloved or short changed.

Upon walking into my bedroom last night there on the floor at the end of my bed is a fledgling...in pieces, many pieces. I'll spare you a photo of that & let you use your imagination.

Oh yeah  -  I feel so loved...

Thanks so much Bizkit - I know it was you & have your number buckwheat!!

And The Cat Came Back!!

About an hour ago a certain feline walked through the door after his longest absence yet. Never have I been so happy to see him. He's a lot thinner than he was & his very distinctive & usually quite loud "meow" was more of a kittens mewl at the front door - so much so that I wondered if I was hearing things & didn't think it was Hercules!

No one is quite sure how long he's been gone, whether it was during last Saturdays 4.8 (he usually takes off & hides but doesn't stay away if it's under a 5 mag) or before that. I know that this Mondays 5.5 mag wouldn't have helped. At any rate it's been at least 5 days & he seems a little weak so I'm hoping that things stay quiet so he'll hang around long enough to build up his reserves again.

Welcome Home Hercules.

Oh, To Be A Cat!!

A wonderful Monday spent pottering around  in the garden. It was such a lovely day, no breeze, a clear blue sky & warm, so wonderfully warm! I got out a deck chair & took a few minutes just to lay back & feel those rays on my face.

No sooner had I got up out of it & turned my back, than a certain Ginger Ninja made himself quite comfortable in it, thank you very much.....

A few minutes later & the heat had obviously gotten too much for him, & he took refuge in the shrubbery.

  

Soon he was joined by Bizkit, who positioned herself precisely in place for a Yin & Yang cat formation.

Polar opposites these two - so quite appropriate I thought!

Later when the sun started to dip & the patio got some shade, a certain lad thought the chair looked good for a spot of personal grooming after such a busy afternoon spent watching me garden!

Blissed Out!

Hercules is gradually settling back in - as only he can!

It's funny as I thought I had both of the cats personalities pegged. Bizkit  was always 'Psycho Kitty' aka 'Scatty Cat'... jumpy & grumpy, would flee at the slightest thing. Hercules was the beach bum, stoner  dude,  totally chilled out, just hanging around for the next wave...of food!

What he hasn't hung around for is each aftershock. Over the last weeks he's made himself scarce at the slightest tremor, much to my distress, often disappearing for days.

I think he may finally be relaxing. Either that or he has found a good crop (of catnip) somewhere.

Two Days of Rain

...and I do mean rain!! We got 152mm (6inches), which is quite a lot for this part of the country in a 48 hour period. Still it is winter & to be expected.


Even the cats were pleased to see the sun again this morning. Pleased enough that they were oblivious of how near to each other they were...

You know the sun still has some heat in it when the fence steams as it dries!

IN...& Loving it

I've been remiss! We moved in & so much has happened since that it would be impossible to even try & catch up here.

Life can sure get eventful, especially when you have things you need to get done it seems. How about I catch up in pictures....

Everyone is happier!

Happy kids, who it seems can never be too old for a cardboard carton & a small slope....

The Loner cat

The Stoner cat...

Cattitude

Have I mentioned before that a certain cat that adopted us manages to keep me endlessly amused?

I mean for a cat that doesn't really do much & seems to live solely to eat & sleep, one would wonder what can be amusing about that.

When he is actually awake he only makes a noise for one of two reasons - he wants food, or one of his special rubdowns. The rubdowns look positively vicious to me, but they rid him of loose hair & Hercules the Hedonist enjoys them immensely! So much so, that the second the Mailleman walks in the door from work - he'll run to the door, turn to look at the Mailleman & give his very distinctive 'Meow' to get out there.

Come to think of it - every time the Mailleman walks outside, Herc lies down in his 'ready for a rub' position. Hedonist!

Nothing cracks me up as much as that cats sleep positions though! I don't think a day goes by when I don't take a photo of him sleeping....after all it is pretty much all he does!
Some of his positions even have names - although I don't have a photo of the one we call his 'road kill' position.

"Noooo - not that neighbour again!"

"Take Me - I'm Yours!"

"I was here first human!!"

A just so I don't seem to be playing favorites here is one of poor Bizkit. She certainly appears more dignified than she used to be before Herc walked into our lives...even if she is sitting on my newly sorted cross stitch flosses!

"We.do.not.need.another.cat.in.this.house
- even if it is just a cat needlework!"

Of course like any typical kid - he decides to come awake just when I want to snuggle down with my book.

"C'mon - you really don't want to read."

Herculess the Hairy Hedonist...

Age: approx 18 months old
Gender: Male'ish
Occupation: Hedonist
Favorite Colour: Inside Eyelid Pink
Favorite Pass Times: eating, sleeping, winding up the other psycho cat that I am forced to share my territory with.
Leaving fur wherever I can be assured that my female human will sit & pick it up unsuspectingly on the seat of her pants.
About Me: I am impressive - but not easily impressed. I have figured the way to my humans conscience is to now curve the wonderful straight tail I used to hold so proudly up into a ? instead, thereby ensuring that she does NOT forget, for one second, what she did to my masculinity.

Having decided that my human's favorite place to to blob out is now mine, I am totally capable of looking as if butter wouldn't melt in my mouth.

It doesn't matter what shape she leaves it in - I will find a way of sleeping on it.

See!!!!

And just when that 'other' cat decides to get comfortable on the floor - I will go as near to her as I can & plop myself down & ensure that I look even more comfortable.

(she doesn't like me at all - so this is a lot of fun!)

Selective Tolerance

This is Bizkits new "standard" when it comes to Hercules.

"If I'm busy eating & your bowl slides across the floor closer to mine while I am partaking of my sustenance - I will pretend I don't notice! I mean food is food ...right??"

"But dude - this is MY bed, so why are you all totally chilled out on it, oblivious to me?? I'm not oblivious to you Mr - I'm keeping an eye on ya!"

"C" is for Cat's affected by Colour

Yes - you are correct, even cats are affected by colour!
Take this morning for example. Hercules was scheduled for a trip to the vet....or rather THE trip to the vet but he wasn't to know that.

I caught Big Boy & put him in Bizkit's cat carrier, the reaction was immediate;

"Hmmmm, Hang on a minute, this is pink....pink? Pink is no colour for a studly young male of my magnitude, what the blazes is happening here...is the woman trying to subversively emasculate me??"

"Uh oh - did I say 'emasculate', hey back up the truck, I know what's going on here!! I.Must.Escape.Now"

"That didn't work!! I'll try this. Must.Get.Out.Somehow"

"Ok, that didn't work either... maybe if I give her my pleading "Puss in Boot's from Shrek II" look she'll think of Antonio & let me out...."

The last two weeks have been interesting for young Herc! Long story - but he got rather ill & became literally skin & bone within a couple of days & could hardly walk. It was pretty darn scary.
A trip to the vet & we had to wait overnight to see if he had something deadly (Feline Aids or Cat Leukemia). Thank goodness it was neither & the verdict was either poisoning or an infection from a scrap with another cat over some female when he had been out gallivanting around at night.

The vet said he was full of hormones (I have another term for it!) & to keep him confined inside. Bring him back & get him neutered when he finishes the meds.
Easier said than done for an over sexed tom cat in Spring. So 10 days worth of antibiotics & a special diet (read: was spoiled rotten!!!) & he was fit as a fiddle. Due to his confinement the same can't be said of the house.


We knew he was feeling a lot better at 3am one morning when he decided to call out of my bedroom window & let the 'gals' know that he was available to give them what he felt they needed....HIM!
The rat bag kept up that racket most of the night & the following day decided it would be acceptable practice to mark his territory! (something he had not done until that point)
I could tell a lot more tales too about a certain young lad with the testosterone levels of an adult movie star.
Let me put it politely (cos I'm a lady after all!) - Big Boy & his family jewels were a legend in his own mind, & he felt his sole purpose on earth was to share the joy! He became a veritable Houdini!

Until then I had been having serious second thoughts about removing those impressive things, somehow it seemed almost sacrilegious & they'd had an indefinite stay of execution.

But this morning, feeling really bad about it still, I put him in the cat carrier & took him to the vet. Even the vet was impressed!!
I picked him up at lunch time by then he was Herculess.

Apart from a slight stagger when I let him out of the carrier - he doesn't seem any the worse for wear, the first thing he thought of was food! Typical!
After that instant weight loss too ;o)

Bro aka Big Boy aka (you'll have to wait & see)

looks set to stay - well for as long as it suits him anyway. I do believe that he is a bit of a mercenary & will happily visit where ever there is food down & a warm spot to lay.

He's a free spirit & good on him I say! Yeah - I'm envious.
The maille man is calling him all sorts of mean names though (just jealous I feel!)

The other day he fancied himself as guardian of the knitting - & managed to leave hairs all over the couch - ick!

This morning he spotted Bizkit playing with her toy & batting the ball around, he quickly overcame his reserve of getting too close to her & decided that a good scratch of the scratching part was in order before settling in for the duration! Pleased to see he is ignoring her nagging.

Then off he goes for a wander. How could I have ever mistaken him for anything but a 'He'???!!

His name is Hercules - it had stuck in my mind after Ang had commented about his full name on my blog - but was used for a whole different reason!
A character in the kids book "Hairy McLeary from Donaldson's Dairy" by New Zealand author Lynley Dodd inadvertently popped into my mind when one of my sons made reference to a horse. One of Hairy McLeary's doggy friends is a Mastiff "Hercules Morse as big as a horse".... say no more!!!

Besides - it's an adaptable name - when he get's neutered he can become Herculess!
That's if I can bring myself to get it done.

C'mon Big Boy ....

'Bro' is still with us - 5 days & counting. I've been hesitant to name him - last time I named a stray he was claimed the next day. Although I do have a name in mind, as it turns out one of the names in Ang's little lineup, but for a whole different reason. The name in particular has a bit of a story attached to it, it may be a little risque to post here...the story, not the name ;o)



Now 'Big Boy' is very settled & extremely relaxed - at the moment that's what I address him as, & that alone has double meaning.......



Bizkit, on the other hand is in a permanent state of PMS - completely disgusted at this interloper, & she has no qualms at all about letting everyone know. If looks could kill, we'd all be dead by now - especially Big Boy.

The maille man is positive that she's trying to nag him into leaving - I think he's probably right. Fortunately Big Boy is very dignified - he simply turns a blind eye to whatever method of 'nag' that Bizkit attempts & quietly carries on with whatever he is doing...usually relaxing majestically somewhere. I mean this lad is a master at ignoring - he doesn't flinch or even acknowledge the psycho one.

Sadly Bizkit isn't the sharpest nail in the box & fails to realise that by sitting at the top of the stairs & speaking in tongue to Big Boy every time he tries to leave our bedroom at 3.00am in the morning is not going to have the desired effect. In fact quite the opposite - because the lad just jumped back up onto our bed & settled in for the duration.
Big Boy: 1
Bizkit: 0