Apple TV is a router that connects my computers to the TV (amongst other things) and uses my photo library as a screensaver when I use the TV to play music or listen to the radio. So when we finally manage to connect my daughter’s ipad to the network, all of a sudden some new photos arrive.

 

And mostly they show just how keen kittens can be to find new improved places to sleep.

And to make the most of the 16 hours they spend sleeping each day.

When not perking up and demanding a bit of love and attention.

25th February 2015: Cat Butt

The only problem with photographing three cats, is the amount of cat butt that inevitably fills every shot.

Having gone outside to take some snaps of the garden, to help remember what’s been planted where through the year, the cats came too and decided that the best toothpicks in the garden were to be found on top of the wisteria gazebo. It now has a severe list at one end – difficult to tell whether the wisteria is pulling it over or holding it up, either way it gives them an easy run up.

The smallest, the silver bronze tabby is the fastest and, at least when it comes to climbing, the bravest. She is first up and easily the most sure-footed.

Where the runt leads, the ginger tom has to follow but with quite a few more pounds to carry, he’s nothing like as light on his feet.

Until eventually even the calico girl is persuaded that the wisteria is the place to be.

In between sunshine, hail and rain a fox briefly grabs a bit of shut-eye in the neighbour’s garden, only to be driven on by the orange boy. At nearly a year old, he’s almost got his full weight and with full claws and a cat’s agility, most foxes would rather avoid the fight.

The fox limped away from the neighbour’s garden.

With Spring and pups on the way, let’s hope other gardens are more welcoming.

 

1st April: Spring

My tomcat is frisking around the garden, chasing leaves and chewing on twigs. His tiger tabby sister is made nervous by the wind but he loves it and is bounding around, totally joyful.   There are many reasons for loving pets, for enjoying having the around, but the simple pleasure of watching a creature enjoy themselves can be astonishing. It is something akin to watching an absorbed child playing in the school yard with their friends or singing their heart out in a junior choir.

As we grow older and more self-concious we seem to find it so much harder to just enjoy the moment and I’m not quite sure why.

On average cats sleep for sixteen out of twenty-four hours each day. Their waking hours are spent eating or playing, though the latter might well include a serious amount of mock (or real) hunting and torturing of little creatures.

But the contradiction in my own little pack of cats is that the biggest, the tomcat is also clearly the most gentle. He might make it to the food bowl first, but if his little sister arrives and fancies his bowl she’s very happy to put her foot down on his head and push him away. And he lets her. When the fox arrives or the pushy white tom cat, it’s my calico baby who is most likely to stand her ground. For animals not naturally sociable, they spend an awful lot of time choosing to play together, to sleep together

And there is a great pleasure in simply watching them sleep, feeling them warm on our laps

20th April: Superheroes

Three cats and only two cat baskets – a problem with only one obvious solution according to the girls: superman!

One superman cat harness purchased and delivered later we’re all gathered around a very chilled out tom cat trying to work out how best to put the thing on. The adults in the room were totally convinced the boy was about to go ape and the daughters would cave at the first sign of distress.

Thank God for industrial strength velcro – no need to try to put anything over his head just wrap it around.

After a couple of reverse moonwalks in a vain attempt to shuck the harnass off, and a couple of very comical dives to the floor in a drunk looking attempt to rub it off, he was more than adequately consoled with some cat treats and a play with his favourite cat toy.

And now I can’t decide whether it’s because he’s so good natured or just dumb.

We’ve been instructed to make wearing the harness pleasurable, to reward him with walks outside but since he’s allowed out during the day, it might have to be midnight walks around the garden or maybe a trip to the woods for a good sniff about. The family are now muttering about more harnesses for his sisters. Somehow I don’t think they’ll be either as good-tempered or as dumb about it.

Stressed?

City and suburban cats are said to be increasingly stressed out by their lives.

Not so convincing when I look at my own cats. The calico girl gets a bit frustrated when her catnip mice get kicked under the piano, and my little bronzed tabby jumps at sudden noises but honestly…

My ginger boy is clearly convinced he’s a pin-up or playboy despite the lack of gonads.

  And taking a look at them then and now, the change in size and attitude is extraordinary.

Though it’s a little bit funny that they still line up at the bowls in the same order each day even if the bowls do look so very much smaller now.

Still, eating and sleeping with the occasional hunt to add the spice of murder and mayhem doesn’t seem to be such a bad life.

 

 

Max & Min

When I first moved to London I adopted two ginger queens from a shelter. They grew old with us and were much loved: