cat – Site Title

My Funny Little Valentine

He is sweet, he is gentle, he is rambunctious, he is smart, he is my companion and he is funny most days. It is Valentine’s Day and I decided to pay homage to my little love. The little furball who runs my world!

Things haven’t been on an even keel for the last couple of days. The Little Rat has decided to take matters into his own paws and when it comes to getting attention, he is a pro! I’ll agree that I haven’t been giving him as much attention as he deserves because I’ve had other things on my mind. I’ve been going out more than I’m used to and this is not setting too well with the little rascal. He gives me this evil eye when I walk in and with a PISSED OFF swish of his tail, he lets it be known that this is not alright with him. In his book, the one where cat rules are written, I am neglecting him. This is not the case at all. He gets more than his share of love but he wants more and that is the problem.

Little Einstein has found new ways to show me his disdain and I see it clearly. He is like a “glue stick” meaning he keeps close to me every chance he gets including sleep time when getting a good night’s rest is becoming a problem because the little brat has decided that the best sleep position for him is to cuddle close to mommy and since that is not enough, let’s plant the whiskers right on her face! He keeps constant watch and he does it better than a hawk, I must say.

Last night, he was in his element. This morning, the TV cabinet was left open and the bedside drawers were left opened as well! How did he manage that? I don’t know but he is not called Little Einstein for nothing! The little guy is trying to tell me something but I don’t know what it is yet. He is eating well, doing his stuff as he usually does so nothing wrong there. However, this constant need for attention has me baffled. It could be jealousy. Do cats get jealous? I looked it up and this is what I found.

“Cats experience emotions similar to jealousy — rooted in anxiety, possessiveness, or insecurity — when their territory, routine, or bond with their owner is threatened.”

Attention-seeking is one component of this behavior.

How do you manage jealous behavior?

Maintain routine, create safe spaces, and give lots of individual attention.

Hmm…for normal cats this might just work but we’re talking about a highly-evolved one. My little guy is smarter than most since he claims to have lived more than nine lives! It is going to take some detective work to appease him!

Anyway, he is my Funny Little Valentine! Today he will get all the attention he craves and much much more! Hopefully it works to keep him satisfied for a little while at least.

Have an amazing day.

The Zoomies

What is that?!! Well, I found out the hard way. Chachi, the cat, decided that it was time to let his “Zoomies,” out and not in a nice way! Last night was a horror trip.

It started out as usual with me getting ready for bed and Little Einstein doing his bit as well. He was into cleaning himself but in an aggressive manner as he let out some snorts as he went about his business. I guess he was frustrated. Who wouldn’t be? That little tongue of his does a mighty big job and last night was no different. When he finished, he eyed me with a look on his face that I hadn’t seen before. It wasn’t “love unconditional” but something else and soon the horror trip would begin.

It started out with slight bunny hops across the bed. Not too bad. I thought, whatever floats your boat. Then he ran across the bed with a loud meow. I asked, “What is wrong with you? Settle down!” Nope, it wasn’t working. He decided to take it a notch higher. He ran around the room, over and over again. Oh God, I was in for it. A few minutes later, he jumped back on the bed but this time he wanted to get my full attention. He ran across from one end of the bed to the other and as if that wasn’t enough, he JUMPED over my head! Not once, not twice but over and over again! Jumping out of bed, I tried to get him but the Little Snort was a lot quicker and he dashed under the bed and stayed there meowing his you know what off! I was at a loss for words so I GOOGLED. Yes, my go to bible for everything that is wrong with this world. Mine, I mean.

I found out that cats get the Zoomies now and then. Another word for it is (FRAPs) or rather Frenetic Random Activity Periods. It is primarily done “to release pent-up energy from long periods of rest, satisfying their instincts as crepuscular (dawn/dusk) ambush predators by mimicking hunting sprints, and sometimes due to excitement or even post-poop stimulation, providing a natural, healthy burst of cardiovascular exercise and endorphins.”

Lord have mercy! I knew I was in for a sleepless night amongst other things. The article further went on to say that “Zoomies mimic the chase, pounce, and sprint of hunting, tapping into their core predatory nature, even if they’re just chasing a dust bunny.” I guess I was the dust bunny!

How to Manage Zoomies

Schedule playtime. Help them to burn up some pent-up energy. Provide scratching posts and toys to keep them busy. Be consistent. More stimulation during the day leads to less frantic behavior at night.

Hmm…the little rascal gets enough stimulation BUT he prefers to sleep during the day, goes to bed at 7 in the evening and is up before the sun comes up! His toy box sees a lot of activity during the night and the stuffed birds cower in fear when he gets a hold of them and rightfully so!

Last night was something to remember. I had never seen him that way before but this little furball has lots up his furry arm that I’m not aware of. It was a rude awakening BUT I’ll take it in stride as I do with all the other stuff that he puts me through. Yes, he has got me wrapped around his paws and that is not going to change any time soon. AND he knows it!

Have an amazing day.

My Favorite Animals

I’ll go with one. CATS! Not every cat but the one I have had and the current one I have, Mr. Know It All, are my favorites.

The first one I had was called Twitty. I met him one cold November evening when I saw him with his two siblings wandering around behind the apartment complex. He was an orange cat with deep dark eyes and his siblings were all black but unlike Twitty, they wanted nothing to do with me. Each time I approached them, they would hiss. My adorable Twitty would look at me with those big eyes and there was an instant connection. One day, a friend caught all three because they were just a few weeks old and winter was approaching. I had to take two of them away but I kept my sweet Twitty. He was a gentle and lovely companion. I lived in a “No Pets Allowed” apartment complex but the maintenance guys knew of his existence and said nothing! Twitty would spend his days sitting on the windowsill until I came home from a long day at the university and the minute he heard me opening the door, he would do this happy dance on two legs! I brought him to Europe with me but he passed away a few years later and it was a devastating loss.

A few years later, Chachi, the cat walked in. I wasn’t ready to embrace another cat because I didn’t want to feel that kind of pain again but life had other plans. Little cuteness walked in, took one look at me and decided “he was all in!” I love him to bits and I know it will hurt if and when he leaves but I am prepared this time around or maybe not.

I think cats are lovely creatures. They are smart, loving, make good companions and they listen or at least they pretend that they do! Chach is my second shadow and his world revolves around me as mine does around him. Some days, he is disgruntled because he wants to be out there like his girlfriend, Miss Ipanema, an all black cat with beautiful green eyes that roams the neighborhood. I bet she has seen more than Chachi ever will! Let’s keep it that way. Anyway, Chachi wants to go beyond the “garden fence” like Honey dreams of in my book. It’s not going to happen!

Cats are my favorite animals, not all but the ones I’ve come to know. There’s more to them than meets the eye.

Daily writing prompt

What are your favorite animals?

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Chachi’s Say!

Waking up early this morning, I had a plan in mind. Breakfast, take out the trash, clean-up a little, put on my sweatpants, t-shirt and head on to where I feel the most comfortable and where my creative juices get to rev up. I did all of that except for the walk. It came to a screeching halt when I took the plastic trash bin out and realized that it was HOT!

I checked the weather forecast and it is going to be hot today. I’m not into sweaty weather so I came back in with another plan in mind. I have an appointment tomorrow so why not look my best. I decided to slater on the new black mask which is supposed to clean out any unwanted stuff on your face. Thirty minutes and your skin can breathe again. Instead of getting started right away, I decided to get lunch going. It was still early but I love to plan everything ahead of time.

On the menu today is stir-fried Chinese style noodles with Bok Choy and minced or ground meat. The sauce is spicy made more so by the addition of Gochuyang Hot Pepper Paste. This is my go to now when I want things spicy. It does the job pretty well and it tastes great. Anyway, I went out to the garden to see if I could add more stuff to the pan. Sure enough, the chilies were ready. They look like Jalapeno peppers so I added one to the pan. The cherry tomatoes were ripe so I added a couple chopped up as well. Looks like it is going to be a good meal.

Then it was back upstairs and I put the mask on. Chachi, the little Munchkin, walked in and immediately took a step back. The look was somewhere between I can’t believe this and yucks!

HIM: “MOM, you need to get a grip on things! This look is not going to do if you want to attract your one and only.”

ME: “What do you know about that? Anyway, you don’t like any of the guys.”

HIM: “No, I don’t like any of them especially the cheesecake guy! I’m glad he is a no show now! Still the sloppy look and now this is an absolute no go.”

ME: “You’re far from an expert.”

HIM: “Back in the day…..”

ME: “Back in the day?!! What day?”

HIM: “I know things and this is not going to do. You look like the creature from the Black Lagoon!”

I picked him up and brought him downstairs and laid him gently in his basket by the window. Look out there, maybe Little Miss Ipanema is out and about. That’s his on and off girlfriend. She is all black with piercing green eyes and she is known as the village beauty amongst other things! She was sitting on the shed sunning herself but her eyes were trained on Chachi.

“I’m going back upstairs to get some peace. Don’t get any ideas about that little thing out there. She’s not for you!”

Just then she turned her eyes on me.

“Hey Chach, your mom’s a B I * * H! You are a pretty boy but that mother of yours looks like she could scare the hell out of anyone!”

That’s it. I’ve decided that she is not a suitable candidate or rather good girlfriend material for my little guy. So dream on about the pretty boy and that’s where it’s going to stay!

Just then, Chachi piped up.

“See I told you so. That look is not taking you anywhere!”

Just the start to another day in Chachi Land!

Have an amazing day.

A Sunday Like Any Other

I had made plans to be productive today. It didn’t matter if it was Sunday, a time for rest and relaxation. I was dead set on doing something and that something was to clean out my office area, get rid of the massive amounts of paperwork taking up space in every corner of the room and to discard as much of the unwanted stuff as possible. The plan was put in place last night.

Around 6 o’clock yesterday evening, I had this bright idea of bringing everything up to date and looking at what was staring back at me, I knew it would take all day Sunday to get it done. I looked at Chachi, the cat, and got to work. The poor guy didn’t know what was going on, just that changes were coming! He gave me one of his, “She’s at it again! No peace here and I’m at my wit’s end!” kind of look. He watched as I carried massive amounts of paperwork into the bedroom and set them on the floor. I made three huge piles. Then I moved the shredder into the bedroom as well. He gave me another look and inspected everything carefully. I could tell he wasn’t happy because he got jumpy. I stroked his forehead to assure him that all was well, nothing to worry about. Just his mom and her crazy ideas!

Then I got to work. I shredded some papers and then got tired of it. I just tore them apart and tossed them in a bag. The bag was getting full and I hadn’t even started yet! The piles of paper looked the same and nothing seemed to be getting less! I was getting frustrated at this point so I called it a night and left everything as is and ready to tackle it on Sunday. Chachi was restless for most of the night and if I moved a little in bed, he jumped off and went under the bed! He is a real scaredy cat!

Sunday dawned bright and early and I was up early even before the birds were! Okay, first breakfast, shower, get back into a fresh pair of PJs and hit the road running. I tried, believe me I tried. I had to make sure I wasn’t shredding stuff that was needed so it was a painstaking process of going through each piece of paperwork and making piles again! Toss! Keep! Maybe or rather I don’t know! God, Sundays are not made for this kind of BS! There is a reason why Sundays are rest days. Well, I knew that but “ambition” got in the way and now I’m stuck. Chachi, eyed me suspiciously with his, “I told you so,” look.

Close to lunchtime, I carried the piles of paperwork back into the office area, found a space for them and promised I’ll get to them when I was in a better mood. They whispered back, “We don’t care! Just leave us alone!” Chachi, the cat, jumped off the bed and walked into the office and looked back at me, his big eyes speaking volumes. “Sometimes your eyes are bigger than what you’re capable of doing! I’m worn out. I’m going to go take a nap!”

So folks, that’s my Sunday so far. The office is till messy but who cares! I’m going downstairs to make some banana muffins because the cheesecake is screaming at me to come get some and my mind, the one that takes care of me is saying, “Don’t you dare!” Banana muffins are healthier so that’s it for today AND watching ghost or horror movies. I just love spooking myself and doing nothing!

Chachi’s Continuing Saga

Perhaps I spoke too soon yesterday. Chachi, the cat, was doing fine earlier in the day but he took a turn for the worse later. When evening rolled around, he was looking lethargic again even though he had slept most of the day away and his eyes didn’t have the brightness they usually have.

There was no constant meowing and he was eating and drinking like he usually does. However, something seemed off and when he took to hiding under the bed, alarm bells started going off. Still, I held my calm and tried not to panic. It was hard not to do. I tried talking to him but he was quiet. Later in the evening, he walked out and after eating some food, he jumped on the bed. Holding him close, I whispered softly that all will be well. He purred and fell asleep. I made a mental note to clean under the bed. The dust bunnies have gathered and they’ve made that space their party central!

We had a goodnight’s sleep and I slept longer than usual. Wakeup time, according to Little Macho is 5:30 a.m., but this morning, I only woke up at 7 a.m., not for lack of trying from Chachi’s end!

However, I noticed that he was up and about and going about his business. When he heard the slight movement from the human, he came running and looking up, he went, “GET UP ALREADY!” He was back and his eyes looked bright and his walk was full of energy. We headed downstairs with the little macho leading the way. While making breakfast, I noticed he was running up and down the stairs like a mad cat!

ME: “You feeling better Chachi?”

He stops and winks, one slow and two fast winks and takes off again, this time to the cellar. It was quiet for a while so I headed downstairs and noticed that the runner was all bunched up. He does that all the time. Then I saw him sitting in the corner getting ready to pounce on something. It was a tiny little spider that he had cornered and had in his sight. It stood no chance against the seasoned hunter. I quickly picked it up with a tissue and flushed it down the toilet!

ME: “Stop eating creepy crawlies! You’ve probably messed up your stomach eating one of these things.”

Summer and winter brings in the occasional fly, spiders and such so nothing new there.

HIM: “You’re a party pooper mommy!” Just because you have no FUN doesn’t mean I can’t have mine!”

He’s right, mom is a stick in the mud and “FUN” is not part of her lifestyle right now but I wasn’t going to let this little snort tell me that. So I shooed him up the stairs and said, “I’m going to clean under the bed after breakfast!”

He stopped, turned around and went, “NO! NO! NO!”

ME: “Why not?”

HIM: “I’ve got STUFF!”

ME: “What stuff?”

HIM: “Boy stuff!”

ME: “What do you mean boy stuff? May I remind you that you’re not a ……”

I stopped mid-sentence knowing full well that he’s right. He’s a little boy in my mind and whatever “boy stuff” he’s talking about, I really didn’t want to know!

So I ran a wet mop under the bed to clear the dust bunnies who put up a fight as well as the little macho stood watching me. Whatever else was there I left as is. Some secrets are better left alone.

The royal pain in the you know what is running around caught up in his world of make-believe and I’m happy that he’s happy. He’s doing much better and I hope it stays that way. Fingers crossed!

Have an amazing day.

Einstein’s Bout with the Unknown (Update)

He is back to his normal self and this morning started really early with him tapping my head to get me out of bed! Then followed, “MOMMY!!” It was a signal that all was well again and he was raring to go. The little motorized mouse wasn’t moving anymore but that’s par for the course. Little Einstein plays rough and he has this passive-aggressive thing going. The mouse looks fine but psychologically, I can’t vouch for it!

The little guy in the fur coat hasn’t been feeling well for a few days. It could be the heatwave or the thunderstorms that followed but Little Einstein looks like he has had it up to here, if you know what I mean.

He’s been moping around and energetic he is not. His whole demeanor speaks of someone who has had a tough few days. Mom had to step in and with the help of Google, I’ve tried soups to soothe an upset stomach, thick green paste especially for gastrointestinal problems and lots of water but all to no avail. They only helped for a day or two.

So I brought home a little friend. I thought that would cheer him up. A motorized little mouse, cute as a button, that had his tail wagging for a while and then he slapped it down with one paw and that was the end of that. This morning I woke up to find his toy basket overturned and all his stuffed toys on the floor along with the stuffing!

ME: “Did you have a party last night Chachi?!! It must have been a wild one.”

A snort and a Garfield stare later, he goes, “I have nothing to say!”

I tried a different ploy. I got some stomach oil from the pet store. A few drops in his food and it should do the trick of getting him on the mend again. He’s not called Little Einstein for nothing! The food is still sitting there untouched and each time he goes past it, he makes “burying” motions with his paws and looks up at me!

If things don’t get better, a vet’s visit will be next. I’m not looking forward to that so I’ll try lots of kisses, hugs, attention and cuddles to see if I can cheer the little fella up. The white flag is up and tonight he gets his favorite tuna with nothing mixed in! The things I do for the four-legged baby short of standing on my head and doing circus tricks!

He’s worth it!

Have an amazing day.

Einstein’s Bout with the Unknown

ME: “Did you have a party last night Chachi?!! It must have been a wild one.”

A snort and a Garfield stare later, he goes, “I have nothing to say!”

He’s worth it!

Have an amazing day.

A Long Night

I had prepared for a peaceful night but it didn’t turn out that way. Sometimes things don’t go as planned. We had a really hot day here yesterday and everything was starting to feel sticky including yours truly. I had my evening shower as usual. donned my BIG t-shirt and was feeling pretty good when I heard Chachi, the cat gagging. It was a low sound but one I had heard many times before.

I waited and listened instead of running out there to see what was wrong. It’s my new way of handling things. I’ve put my “helicopter” away and I’m learning not to jump at everything that comes my way and to offer assistance right away. My two boys, my Chachi and my son, are learning that mom is taking a step back and not jumping at every little thing, but it is a hard thing to do from my end.

Anyway, after a few minutes Chachi walked into the room, his face a little drawn and his “macho pants” nowhere to be seen. He meowed softly and looked at me with a look I didn’t understand. Picking him up and walking out to the landing I noticed a puddle of vomit on the floor. He felt warm to the touch as well but I put it down to the heatwave we’ve been having. Suddenly, he made those weird noises again, jumped out of my arms and threw up again. Alarm bells started going off. I wear many hats but the “mom hat” is one I take very seriously. It was time to get the big guns out, I reached for my iPhone and started Googling! I usually have everything at my fingertips where Google is concerned and sure enough, it told me what to do and then to watch how the situation progresses.

I put out lots of water in case he was dehydrated. I also put out a bowl with some soup, cat soup, for moments like this. He sniffed it and looked at me with a look that said: “Are you kidding me?!! I’m not touching that thing with a ten foot pole!” So that was a no go. Then I realized I had something that would settle an upset stomach. A tube that contained some thick green paste and it helps with gastrointestinal problems as well. Cat stuff again. I gave him some of that and he took it without a struggle. Then he went missing! Finally I found him under the bed. Another clear signal that he wasn’t feeling well according to Google.

After an hour or two, he crawled out and headed straight to his food. He ate the wet stuff but not the soup. Then he went to use the toilet and came back in looking a tad better. I decided it was cuddle time so we cuddled and he went quiet and then the snoring started! I stayed up listening to that sound and the soft heaving of his stomach and kept my fingers crossed that all was well in his world again.

This morning, he woke me up at 5:30 a.m. and was ready to go. Time doesn’t matter in his world, it’s all the same to him. He seems to be none the worse for wear and whatever was bugging him has taken a hike. I hope it stays that way for the rest of the day and “mommy” can get some well-deserved rest!

Have an amazing day.

A Sleepless Night

“The soul usually knows what to do to heal itself. The challenge is to silence the mind.” Unknown

I came prepared. Meditation done, breathing exercises done, a hot cup of something soothing downed, had my shower, did my nightly beauty routine and with my favorite PJs on, I was ready for sleep when the phone rang. The voice on the other side said, “Don’t tell me you’re ready for bed already! It’s not even 9 o’clock!”

I yawned and he went, “Oh, you’re sleepy! Sleep well and we’ll talk tomorrow.”

I hung up to see Chachi, the cat, on his divan looking at me. He hates it when the phone rings. “WHO was that on the phone mommy?!!”

Turning off the lights, I prepared for a goodnight’s rest. My eyelids were heavy and I was ready. Expecting to be asleep in a matter of minutes, I waited for my mind to switch off. I waited and waited……then the tossing and turning began and the gale force strength winds outside didn’t help matters much either. Suddenly, thoughts, unwanted thoughts started appearing. They were rigged to go and I entertained each and every one of them as they appeared!

It was 2 a.m. and I was in the grips of insomnia land! Gritting my teeth, I turned on the TV but it was a big mistake. It was more fodder for an already overactive mind! I turned to my last resort. His eyes lit up as he saw me approaching. I picked him up and he curled instinctively as he cuddled closer, a soft purring filling the room. I felt myself relaxing and those unwanted thoughts flew out the window and to wherever they had came from. I was at peace again.

It was a short night but instead of my usual 8 hours, I got a couple of good hours of uninterrupted sleep with Chachi by my side. Morning came early and today will be a long one. I’m hoping that sleep will come without being coaxed into staying tonight. I can only hope.

The little guy in the fur coat is a “sleep inducer” amongst other things!

Have an amazing day.