behavior – Site Title

It’s Awfully Quiet!

I woke up this morning and something seemed off. There was no noise. The last three months or so, I have been woken up by the sounds of Shiro knocking on the door and meowing to let me know that it was time to wake up. It didn’t matter that it was 5 in the morning, it was TIME to get up!

This morning there was none of that. The two, Shiro, the white Persian, and Gallahad, her brother have moved on. They are back with their daddy, my son, and according to him they are busy exploring his new place. He has a pretty nice apartment, bigger than before, but the one complaint, he has to keep the windows closed and it is unbearably hot! Yes, we are going through another heatwave! How many does that make? I don’t know but it seems like one flows into the other seamlessly! I’m waiting for fall to roll around and to give us a much needed break from the current weather. I don’t like sweating and I don’t like feeling like you can’t breathe! When three showers a day don’t help to cool you down, then it is time for this weather pattern to go and pronto!

Coming back to the quiet. I walked downstairs and there was no sound of feet following. No purring either. You guessed it. I’m missing them! However, a friend told me, “It is time for you to take care of yourself. Enjoy the peace and quiet and LESS WORK!” I agree but still I’ve grown close to them and I miss seeing them here.

Chachi, my little guy, has been missing them too. Last night, he decided to show his sadness by doing nothing at all! He was like Jello and picking him up was a problem. After a few kisses and close hugs, he perked up. This morning, he rushed downstairs looking for them. Then he plopped by the window seat and stared outside, looking downright confused. It took him a long time to get comfortable with having them here, and just when he was getting used to the Little Buggers, they are gone! Life is not fair is his current daily whine.

My mission today is to pick him up as much as I can, give him a boatload of kisses, and to keep him close. I know it won’t do much for the way he feels but at least he is back to being NUMBER ONE!

Time heals all things as they say and I hope it works the same way in cat world!

It’s Time to Say Goodbye

Goodbyes are never easy but it is time to do exactly that. Shiro, the Persian, and Gallahad, the British long-haired cat with orange eyes will be leaving soon and I am sad.

I’ve had them for over three months now, keeping watch over them because my son, their daddy, is concentrating on his new job and they would have been a distraction plus the temporary apartment he had didn’t allow pets. So, mom offered help and with a heavy heart he accepted. Now he has an apartment that is much bigger and he is looking forward to having them back again.

The two cats were not easy. It was extra work for me and they love getting up at 5 in the mornings! Fine and good but the problem was or rather is that they want the “food lady” up as well! Now, Chachi, my little guy is joining in the fun! Somewhere along the way, he has learned that being a cat is not a bad thing after all! They are teaching him how to get what he wants, how to run riot if he doesn’t, and how to BUG mom till she gives in.

Yes, life hasn’t been easy but it hasn’t been all work and no play either. I’ve come to know them pretty well. Shiro is my little princess or rather the little girl I never had! She is sweet and sassy and takes no nonsense from the other two. Gallahad is the quiet one. He observes but where food is concerned he jumps in and turns on the charm! Those orange eyes do the rest and I find myself feeding him more than I should!

They will be leaving on Sunday and a little piece of me will go with them. I will worry about them and wonder if all is well with them as well. Chachi will miss them too. It will be back to being Number 1 for him but with no one to play with. Little Miss Ipanema still shows up now and then. She’s his girlfriend from across the street and they have this “love” thing going. Just through the kitchen window. She showed up a few days ago and saw Shiro sitting at the window staring out and her claws came out!

Things will be a lot quieter around here. I will miss the sound of running feet on the stairs, the soft purring, the loud meowing, and the shows of affection. I won’t miss the work, the constant cleaning up, and picking up behind them and getting up early in the mornings.

Time to relax and to let them go. Farewell my lovelies!

The Time is Nearing

It is getting close. Shiro, the white Persian, and Gallahad, the British-long hair, will be leaving on the 9th of August. I’ve had them here for almost three months. Funny, how time flies.

No, I wasn’t having fun. It was WORK and at times more work than I wanted to deal with. There was also the problem of trying to get all three to work together as a unit. Unity is not what cats are about! They have their own characters and they want what they want just like I do!

Shiro wanted her daddy back. She had to deal with me and her spoiled ways had to be curbed because the nice lady wasn’t putting up with her antics. She learned that quickly. She loves meowing and she learned to curb that as well. I must say, she is a well-behaved little girl now! I will miss her.

Gallahad is looking healthy and active as well. However, food is still at the top of his list. He has lost some weight but his butt still waddles when he walks. The little guy is a sweetheart and has grown close to my heart.

Chachi is learning to share although it has been hard on him. Unfortunately, they will be leaving and he will be on his own again. I have a toy box filled with his favorite toys and the two, Shiro and Galli, have been playing with the toys. I decided to get them their own toy box as a going away present. I got an identical box and filled it with some of Chachi’s old toys, the ones he doesn’t play with, and some new ones. He walked in, took one look and looked at me. I left the room and when I walked back in, the toys were on my bed and pillow! It was his way of saying, “I would rather you have them!” He still has a hard time sharing but he is not so much of a macho now. I guess Shiro has him whipped!

It will be hard to see them go. I won’t miss the work and getting up at 5 in the mornings because Shiro and Gallahad have decided that they are hungry and the “food lady” needs to get moving!

It’s funny how the things you are against are the very things you will miss. Life has a way of changing things. I know that my son, their daddy, will be over the moon to see them again. So, that is a good thing but I will miss “the two” and their personalities.

I’m sure there will be a next time but not too soon please! I need a break.

The Three Update

They are still here. Shiro, the white Persian, and her big brother Gallahad. I think they love it here. They have everything they need and throw in a maid at their beck and call, and life couldn’t be better for them. I’m learning about their personalities as well.

Shiro is the princess or so she thinks! She loves anything that smells sweet and wonderful but that doesn’t stop her from cavorting in the litter box! She uses that box about 10 times a day! A little much? Tell me about it. I’m the one with the scooper keeping things clean and some days it is exhausting. She is also the ringleader. The “macho” pants are on, she got them off Chachi and is wearing them with pride. The little Shiro is also a drama queen. If she doesn’t like something, she lets it be known. The meows kick in and she doesn’t stop until I say, “Enough!” Most days, she is my companion. What happened to Chachi? Well, he not only gave up his macho pants, he is content sleeping the day away and keeping his distance from her!

Galahad is the guy who is all about the food. His life revolves around food. The minute he sees me, his high-octane purring takes off. It is not because he is happy to see me or that he loves me, maybe a little of both, but because he sees “food” flashing past his eyes. You wouldn’t believe the number of kisses I get from Mr. Roly Poly. It stops when he has achieved his goal. Yes, he plays me like a well-worn fiddle! He has grown close to my heart and I will miss him royally.

Chachi is getting used to them. His world revolves around them now. Some days he has a hissy fit and on other days he watches them like a hawk. Galli is his best buddy. Shiro is his arch rival. He still shows his tiny teeth whenever he walks past her. Lately, he is reeling that in. Shiro is the smart one. She wants to take his place so she PRETENDS to like him. My poor little guy doesn’t stand a chance but I know that it will never happen. Replacing him is an impossible thing to do but he doesn’t know it. So he watches her and when she snuggles up to me, I hear a growl coming from the little guy.

Here’s the thing. They were supposed to go back to daddy, my son, at the end of this month. My son has moved in to his new apartment. It was a stressful time. It still is. He is doing his business trips as well. After the move, he was off to a city in Germany for a week. He is back now but off again next week for another week. I asked, “What happens when the cats get there and you have to be gone for a week or more?” He says, “I’ll ask a colleague to look after them.” Not sure about that but we’ll cross that bridge when the time comes. Now, I find out that the cats can only be there on the 15th of August because his dad has more important things to do!

I don’t mind watching over them. They are sweet and cute albeit a handful at times. Chachi loves the company and I’m getting used to their ways. However, I need a break so they need to go. I know that Chachi will miss them as well and he will be back to being the ONE and ONLY!

That’s one way of looking at it.

Have an amazing day.

The Three Update!

I haven’t written much lately because I’ve been up to my neck with the three that take up my time and my energy!

Shiro, Galli, and Chachi are a handful. They run the roost and although Chachi, my guy, started out as the boss, he has turned it over to the other two. He is happy spending his days under the stairwell and sleeping his day away. Shiro, the white Persian is the ma’am and she dictates how everything goes. Galli, the long-haired British cat, is the observer and the thinker.

Together, they are a team. A brother and sister twosome. They look out for each other, they are very close and it shows. Unfortunately, this doesn’t set too well with Chachi, the little macho. Shiro has shown Chachi who wears the pants around here and even though he hates it, he has given up and keeps out of her way. She, Shiro, spends most of her time in my bedroom pretending to be asleep but in actuality she is watching everything I do! She loves it when I spray some scent on her. She is a GIRL and there is no mistaking it. Galli is the food guy. He waits around and whenever I head to the kitchen, he is right behind me with the Oliver Twist line, “Please, sir, I want some more.” It was driven by unbearable hunger but in Galli’s case, it doesn’t matter if he is hungry or not, he just wants food!

Lately, I’ve been observing the two and it is amazing how they interact with each other. Every time Shiro meows, Galli comes running to see what is going on. He is her knight in shining armor. This morning, she wasn’t feeling too well so when she finally got up and went to get some food, Galli came walking up to her and gave her a small kiss on her cheek and she returned it. I wanted to gather the little guy in my arms and to smother him with kisses! He is a sweetheart.

They will be gone in a month’s time and I must say, I will miss them. I won’t miss the work and the early morning meowing but I will miss having them around. I bet Chachi will too.

I am learning that I LOVE cats! They are beautiful creatures and there is much you can learn from them if you open your mind to them.

Amazing!

Shiro and Gallahad are two cats who have moved into my place as temporary residents. They will be moving out in about two months but in the meantime, they are learning to cope with a new environment and it hasn’t been easy for all of us.

Shiro, the white Persian is a beauty and she knows it. She loves lovely scents, loves being a girl, but she also loves clean toilets! Some of her time is spent finding a clean litterbox and taking refuge in it! So, I have to clean her up twice a day. Gallahad, the British long-haired cat with the orange eyes is quiet and observes the world as it goes by. He looks menacing but is a sweetheart with a gentle way about him. They are brother and sister. I think he is the bigger brother and she, the younger sister. They watch out for each other.

A few weeks ago someone told me that cats are not humans. I agree they are not humans but it is incredible the human traits they possess and sometimes, they do one better than humans!

I observed this behavioral trait yesterday. Galli is always hungry. He is all about the food and he loves me because I’m his “food lady.” Whenever he gets hungry, he looks for me, rubs up against my leg, and purrs up a storm. Those love-filled orange eyes always get me and it did the same yesterday. We went downstairs and I got his favorite pack of food. Yes, they are spoiled rotten and now, they are into gourmet food! Anyway, I opened the pack and turned around to put it in his bowl when Shiro showed up. She was hungry as well. I emptied the food into Galli’s bowl. He headed towards it when Shiro cut in front and proceeded to eat from his bowl. I thought Galli would try to push her away but I watched in amazement as he stood right next to her and watched as she chomped away! He did not push, he did not shove, he just waited patiently.

After she had eaten, she placed a kiss on his cheek, he kissed her cheek back and then proceeded to eat what was left in the bowl. I was amazed at Galli’s behavior and the tenderness he showed his little sister. Just for being the little gentleman he is, he got an extra pack of food and a kiss on his forehead.

Animals have many layers to them. Some may see them as “just” animals and nothing more but if you observe them, you will see the subtle nuances that make them stand out, ones that make you look at them with different eyes as I did.

A Sad Day

It started out as usual. Running around like a chicken with its head off is normal here now that the other two cats have moved in. Mornings are not mine anymore. The meowing starts around 5 in the morning and doesn’t stop until I open my bedroom door and see the two, Shiro and Galli looking at me expectantly. They know the “food lady” is up and they can relax.

My little guy, Chachi, hates this ritual. He used to be the one and only but now finds himself sharing everything with the other two and it is not setting too well with him. He is quieter than usual, keeps to himself, and growls a lot. I put it down to territorial behavior but things escalated this morning.

I got up, fed the two, cleaned the litter boxes, all before breakfast! Then, I brought Little Macho (my guy) his food. He grunted and walked to the window and ignored me. That was the first sign and I should have paid attention but instead I picked him up and whispered to him telling him that I know it is hard for him. He glanced over with hooded eyes and it happened. He slapped me with his paws on both side of my face and I went, “Ouch!” It hurt. I couldn’t believe that he had done what he did. I rushed downstairs and looked for the disinfectant. Yes, I’m a germaphobe! I proceeded to disinfect the sides of my face and luckily it wasn’t that bad. He did break skin in a few places but I’m sure it will heal. What hurt more than that was the fact that my “little sweetheart” was capable of hurting me.

I Googled and it said that it is normal behavior for a resident cat to feel like his safe space has been invaded by strangers and it is also normal for him to direct his aggression towards me as well. The solution or rather suggestion was to keep them separated for a few days. Keep everything separate, litter boxes, food and sleeping space including play area. I had thought they were getting along but I was wrong and now I am sad. The article also went on to say that I should wash my hands after touching the other two so that he doesn’t smell them on me! It seems they need time to adjust and to do it slowly.

SAD? Absolutely. I love my little guy and I am sad that he is feeling left out. I like the other two as well and they are growing on me like barnacles on a rock! The little white one loves hanging around me and this morning I sprayed on some scent after my shower and she watched me and then started sniffing the air like she approved. So I let her smell my wrist and Chachi started growling! Gallahad is learning to play with a tennis ball. His idea of playtime is to let me do all the work! He hits the ball down the stairs and waits till I get it for him. Exactly why he is overweight and loving it!

Now, I have to work at getting all three to play together. It is going to take a few days of separation and I’m not sure how I am going to go about it but I will keep you posted. I have to get Chachi happy again and that is a priority. If there is a will, there is a way as they say.

Fingers and toes crossed and hopefully the scratches heal with no dire consequences!

Have an amazing day.

Mutiny on the Bounty!

I run a tight ship where my household is concerned but ever since the two, Shiro and Gallahad moved in, it has been hard to keep an eye on everything. They are used to running things their own way and DO NOT like rules! The question they often ask is, “WHY?”

They’ve had their haircuts. The white one, Shiro, looks like a poodle now and the other, the grey one with the orange eyes, looks like Mufasa! We had a hard time getting him to behave so the lady did the best she could and so now he has tufts of hair sticking out in awkward places. It will grow out, I tell myself. However, every time I look at him, I want to give him an extra hug and kiss for what he went through.

Coming back to the topic at hand, I thought they had adjusted quite well to life at casa de los gatos. Think again! All was well until last night when all hell broke loose. The two decided that abiding by rules was for the birds and they declared mutiny on the bounty!

It started out as usual. They got fed, they got cleaned, and they had fresh water and food for the night. Shiro gave me this side-eyed glance which should have cued me to what was coming but I gave her a kiss on the forehead, much to Chachi’s disgust (that’s my cat) and gently placed her in her bed. I did the same for Galli but I left out “the putting him to bed” part. He’s a big guy. All was quiet as I shut the door to the bedroom and settled for the night. Chachi wanted a lovefest and he got one. We cuddled and he got lots of kisses and hugs as well.

It was the calm before the storm. Two hours later, the first inkling of what was to come happened. I heard Shiro in her toilet stirring up havoc. She loves toilets and just sitting in them is something she does on a regular basis. Only last night, she kept at it moving the litter around. It got on my nerves. I opened the door and asked what was going on.

HER: “When I got to go, I got to go!”

ME: “What’s with kicking up the litter?”

HER: “NOTHING!”

The little snort has a flat face, she’s a Persian, and an underbite that makes her look grumpy all the time. However, she is as cute as a button and knows it! I gave her one of my no-nonsense looks and shut the door behind me. Little did I know that Shiro would be the ringleader. Just minutes later, it started. I heard them running up and down the stairs, things being overturned with a loud thud and scratching and knocking at the door! We froze. Chachi looked at me and went, “I told you they are not well-behaved. I hate them!” Well, he has this love-hate relationship with the two of them. Sometimes he adores Galli, his best buddy, and at other times NOT! Shiro to a lesser extent.

Anyway, I waited to see what else they would pull and it looked like they had plenty in their arsenal. They started meowing loudly and in sync! It was back to running up and down the stairs and throwing things around. I had had enough! Opening the door cautiously, I looked outside. They were not there. I noticed that someone had overturned the cat tree and another smaller play item. I proceeded downstairs and the little white one who now seemed more like a giant rushed up to me.

HER: “I want in the bedroom! How come that little snort gets to be in your room at night? We have rights you know.”

I wanted to remind her that they were taking temporary residence here but instead kept my mouth shut. Just then, Little Mufasa showed up, his hair standing on end what was left of it anyway.

ME: “Cut it out! I’m not putting up with this, do you guys hear me?!!”

They reeled it back in whatever it was that got them riled up in the first place. They sat there looking at me meekly with destruction all around them. Food plates turned over, water bowls empty with water all over the floor and other stuff, not broke, but not where they should be.

It was time to clean up the mess. I did so quietly and the two watched me cautiously with not a meow to be heard. After cleaning up, I gave them some fresh food and water.

Galli: “It wasn’t me. Shiro started it.”

If there ever was a tattletale, this guy was it!

I told them to quiet down and went back upstairs. As I walked in, Chachi piped up. “Are you throwing them out? They deserve it!”

I ignored the little snort and got into bed. The rest of the night was peaceful and went as usual. Lord, have mercy!

Have an amazing day.

The Saga Continues

It has been three weeks since the two moved in. They are Shiro and Gallahad, my son’s two cats. I agreed to take care of them while he’s away starting a new career and his new temporary apartment doesn’t allow pets. It was an excruciating decision on his part to let go of them for a short while.

Shiro is a little princess and a spoiled little brat. She likes things her way. However, she loves litter boxes. Every time I clean the litter box and walk away, she moves in. I mean she jumps in and stays there! It could be the Aloe Vera scented deo that I add to the litter box that makes it smell like pure heaven to her but the little princess turns into a tramp and doesn’t mind spending time in the gutter! Gallahad is the quiet guy. He looks wise with his orange eyes but he’s all about the food. The minute he hears me approaching, he follows, his fat behind waddling as he pierces me with those eyes as, “Give me food please,” oozes out of every pore! He is overweight but he doesn’t care. I think he loves being who he is. Give him food and his world is a brighter shade of pink! The rest of the day he spends upstairs on the bed enjoying his time alone!

The two are a handful. Shiro more so than Galli. She is loud and if something doesn’t set well, she lets it be known. Her goal is to con her way into the bedroom. She knows that Chachi has that spot now but that doesn’t matter to her. She has her sights set on that coveted prize. Did I tell you that she has big, beautiful eyes? She does and that pitiful meow can tug at any heartstring. Her goal is to befriend Chachi and to oust him from the bedroom. She has a better strategy than Trump! Anyway, they are friends for the moment but Chachi is smarter than he looks. Little Einstein has been proving why he has that name. He has been spending a lot of time upstairs with the cat toys. The kind that helps to make your cat think. Believe it or not, he has managed to get the balls out of one maze and the other one has a piece missing and that is the end of both of them! He is a thinker and I am finding out that the little guy is not as nice as he seems as well. He has taken to snarling and showing his cute little teeth!

His girlfriend, Miss Ipanema, showed up last night. She spotted him sitting at the window seat and set her sights on him. The girl knows how to do that well, she is as loose as they come. A pretty one at that. She is all black with gorgeous green eyes but I’ve decided that she needs to go. Chachi is too innocent for her so I moved him away from the window and the little guy put up a fight and turned his “snarl” on me. He got the riot act read to him last night.

He is learning some not so nice things from the other two. The once sweet and laid-back guy is twice the “macho” he used to be. Yes, I have my hands full but I have to say that they are fun to watch, their different personalities are interesting, and I am learning that cats are not as simple or as clueless as they seem.

Have an amazing day.

The Three!

I woke up to Chachi, the cat, having dry heaves! It doesn’t happen often but it did seem that way this morning because Shiro, the Persian cat, had a problem yesterday. She threw up and had a slight case of the runs. Galli, the British long-haired cat, was alright and keeping a watchful eye on everything.

I spent most of yesterday doing the wash, cleaning up behind them, and taking care of Shiro who seemed to be out of sorts and spent the day sleeping and looking poorly. Stressful? Absolutely.

This morning, Chachi decided to get in the act and had me up at 5 a.m. and after cleaning up, I noticed that he had been eating too much of the dry food so I removed it and decided that I must be doing something wrong as far as these three are concerned. Just as I suspected, the other two were waiting outside the door looking at me like I was manna from heaven or rather, it is where their manna comes from!

ME: “Cool it guys! I have some cleaning to do before I can get to you two.”

SHIRO: “How come Chachi gets to stay with you all night and we have to be outside. It is totally unfair!”

GALLI: “I’m not saying anything but she has a point there.”

I wasn’t in the mood for small talk! I ignored them and got what I needed to clean the mess up. Then I removed the dry food and gave him just wet food until his stomach settles down. Not too happy with the situation, I took a deep breath, piled my hair on my head, and decided to go get my cup of coffee. Just then I noticed that the litter boxes needed to be cleaned up! The day was taking off and leaving me behind. Okay, it was something that needed to be done so I did it. I disinfected it and added some deo to it. As I was heading downstairs, I noticed that Shiro had jumped into the litter box and was lying in it! The girl has a problem. She looked up at me with googly eyes like she was thoroughly enjoying it.

ME: “What’s the matter with you?”

SHIRO: “It smells so good here! I can sleep in it.”

GALLI: “She never used to do that when we were with daddy.”

SHIRO: “That’s because daddy never kept it this clean!”

CHACHI: “Mom, what are they up to?”

SHIRO: “Would it help if we called you mom?”

ME: “Nope!”

GALLI: “I know what your problem is. You need to let your hair down. Piling it on your head like you do is not a good look for you. If you want the guys to come calling, wear it down.”

CHACHI: “Thank you Galli. I keep telling her the same thing but she never listens. We should talk about the creeps who come calling! I can go on and on.”

ME: “Enough! Don’t worry about me. Stop throwing up, having the runs, and expecting to be fed all the time. You’ve had breakfast and now you’ll have to wait for several hours before you get more food. Is that understood?”

GALLI: “Bummer! I was enjoying the all you can eat buffet! Anyway, that attitude doesn’t suit you as well. Try being nicer, things might just change for the better.”

Ignoring the three, I headed for the kitchen. I NEEDED my coffee real bad. Shiro and Galli followed.

SHIRO: “We need to talk.”

Galli looking wise with his orange eyes took a seat on the stairs.

ME: “Guys, we are not talking. It is way too early and I don’t want to hear it!”

Them in unison.

“We want to go back to daddy! This is no fun and that little guy up there hasn’t been brought up too well. He growls and hisses all the time and you never say anything. Instead, you kiss him all the time and keep mommy’s boy protected from us. This is a no go!”

“Okay, we will have a pow wow later and I promise we will come to a solution. I need my coffee now.”

SHIRO: “What about Easter?”

ME: “What about it?!!”

GALLI: “Give us some special food and if you do, I will grant you a wish. One that brings the right guy into your life. You will be very happy, I promise.”

ME: “What are you?!! A fairy or rather a genie in disguise?”

GALLI: “I am more than meets the eye.”

ME: “Oh Lord, have mercy. Chachi thinks he knows everything and now, I have a budding lord only knows what on my hands!”

Coffee made, I headed back upstairs. Walking into the bedroom Chachi pipes up.

What was that about?

ME: “Don’t worry about it. Come give mommy a kiss.”

THEM: “We rest our case!”

Have an amazing day.