pets – Page 2 – Site Title

Chachi’s Softer Side

The little macho in the fur coat does have a softer side and he has decided to show me his feminine side.

He has toned down his cat antics and now, it’s all about taking “lovey-dovey” to a new high! I’m loving it but it is also a tad scary. I see a “mini-me” in the making. I used to be fearful and a clap of thunder would make me jump. We had a thunderstorm two days ago and when it rolled in, Mr. Macho was nowhere to be found! He only came out of his hiding place when things quieted down and the coast was clear and then he looked at me as if I had caused all that racket!

Working out is getting to be next to impossible. My “workout cat” not only joins in but weaves in and out between my legs making it impossible to continue and then decides it’s “kisses galore” time! Try resisting those puppy dog eyes! Yes, he’s got that one down pat. If you can’t beat them, join them? Exactly what happens. It is only a matter of time before we are down on the mat in a lovefest exchanging snuggles, kisses and hugs! Not that I’m complaining.

Another thing I’ve noticed is that Little Einstein is not what he makes himself out to be. He’s a scaredy cat in every sense of the word! Our morning routine hinges on going down together. He waits patiently until I’m ready to go down and then he dashes down the stairs but not before. I wanted to see if I was just imagining it so I went down with him this morning and left him in the kitchen and went back upstairs. Unbelievable! Within minutes, he was back upstairs “mommy meowing” until he found me!

To top it all, his fur is accommodating his new-found softer side! Suddenly, he is soft as silk and holding him close is a joy indeed. What happened? I don’t know but his new nickname is “Softie!” It suits him just fine and I’m loving this sweetness and gentleness he is showing. However, I know that this softer side will not last. It is only a matter of time before the little guy who wears the pants in this household will show up with that John Wayne stride and with that grin plastered on his face and believe me, it will be sooner than later!

Have an amazing day.

I Love Sundays!

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I do love Sundays. It is a day of rest and meant for time well-spent with family, friends and yourself. Well, it should be and every weekend before Sunday rolls around wearing bells and whistles, I have exactly that in mind but it never works out that way.

I had that talk with Chachi, the cat, and you guessed it, it went in one ear and out the other! The little guy in the fur coat marches to a different drumbeat and he makes his own rules! Last night started out well enough and the little rascal toed the line until he decided that it was not something a cat should be expected to do, toe the line that is. He was off and running and kept me up most of the night with his antics. I decided to let it roll off my back like water off a duck’s back. If you can’t beat them join them…..well, I decided to let him have his way and went into a nirvana state of mind but only in my head, everything else was riled up and revving to go! You guessed how my night went.

I even went to bed wearing a t-shirt that said:

SUNDAY CHECKLIST

EAT AND DO NOTHING

DO NOTHING AND CHILL

CHILL AND SLEEP

No luck there. Reading is not what he is about. He, the little munchkin, was up at his usual time and his first cry was, “Mommy!” We went downstairs at around 5:30 and I made my breakfast with my well-meaning t-shirt full of creases just like my dreams of having a cozy time in bed! Now, I am sitting at the computer and the little guy just came back up and jumped on the chair behind me and has his back up against me! Mommy’s boy? Definitely!

Sundays are meant for relaxing and I’m going to make it so. It is storming outside and it feels cold inside the house. I’m happy about the rain because the ground has been parched and a good dousing would do a world of good as far as the plant world is concerned. So rain on! I’m going to get my second cup of coffee and TRY to CHILL!

Have an amazing Sunday.

Who would I like to talk to soon?

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I would say it is my little love. The guy with the fur coat. He has been acting up and wants to have things his way, I am okay with it to a point but when he comes in wearing the pants that’s when it’s time to pull the plug!

Last night was another one of those nights when Chachi, the cat, or rather Little Einstein as he likes to be called decided that he was going to run riot and show me who’s the boss! It started with him doing the cat walk back and forth from my end to the other end of the bed and it went on and on. When I put a stop to it, he jumped off to get a drink of water and some food. Then he decided that the dry food pieces made good football material. He kicked them around for a while until I raised my voice and he took off running. After a minute or two of peace and quiet, I called him and he was a no show. So I went looking and as I rounded a corner, he jumped out with what sounded like a bark and ran up the stairs with a giggle no less! Sometimes I think he was a dog in his past life.

The problem is talking to the little brat is almost impossible. He knows when he’s in trouble and before I can say a word, he walks up to me, brushes against me and looks up with those puppy dog eyes. He’s a cat but the little guy plays dog tricks very well! Anyway, I plan to set aside some alone time tomorrow and me and the little man who wears the pants around here will pow wow together. I know he’ll pull out every trick in his cat arsenal to get away with murder but tomorrow’s the day. I’ll keep you posted as to how it went. If you’re thinking it will be a losing battle, you may be right. He may just walk out of that meeting with his John Wayne stride intact, pants hitched up higher than ever and with a grin plastered on his face!

Daily writing prompt

Who would you like to talk to soon?

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Love of Another Kind (Archives)

Update:

Nothing much has changed, if anything he has grown on me like a barnacle on a rock! The little bundle of fur is a part of my life and he’s there from the minute I wake up to the time I go to bed. Kisses and hugs are plenty and so are his complaints but he knows and I know that we wouldn’t want to change a thing!

Albert Schweizer said:

“There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.”

He didn’t know at the time just how much truth there is in that one little phrase. My little furry friend walked into my life in the arms of my then boyfriend, in the form of a British short-haired variety and disguised as a birthday gift. Our eyes locked and he meowed his dissatisfaction at being forced to leave everything he knew behind, more specifically the safe haven of his mother’s embrace. He stretched his long neck towards me peering suspiciously at the human before him. I reached out and rubbed one hand over his tiny head and the purring that followed had me hooked from day one.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I see him watching me, his big dark eyes trained in my direction. ”What’s my next move to get her out of bed?” he seems to say. He has tried everything from his reservoir of cat arsenal and it hasn’t worked. Jumping on the bed hasn’t worked. Purring in one ear hasn’t worked. Rubbing his face against mine hasn’t worked and running one paw through my hair hasn’t worked either. ”This human is beyond my comprehension!” he meows and not too softly as he sits waiting and not too patiently!

Nothing new here. Our signals are often crossed but one thing is for sure, we love each other and there are no ifs or buts about it.

He’s been there through the thick and thin of life and everything in between. When I lost my friend the same one who had brought this tiny bundle of joy into my life, he was there to tamper the pain and make it lighter. I remember crying into his fur and holding him close. He took it like a champ even though I had soaked his fur with tears that were running down my face. He was there when I had something to laugh about. He would sit staring out the kitchen window as I moved around explaining what had happened to put that smile on my face and he would look back with that, “I’m happy for you” look or at times he would look at me with that, “I don’t know what you are droning on about but it is alright.” Talking to him has become a daily occurrence and we have an understanding of sorts. He has his world and I have mine but the love we share is of the non-negotiable type. It is there to stay and I can’t see my world without him.

Today as I roll out of bed and head on downstairs to make my first cup of coffee, he takes his spot by the kitchen window staring out at the world before him. At times, he will hear me humming and at times he will hear me whisper his name as I plant a soft kiss on his head and whisper, “I love you.” Everything is right in his world and in mine because his presence in my life is a Godsent and if there is a love never-ending, then this is it.

His name is Chachi and he is my love of a different kind.

“I have felt cats rubbing their faces against mine and touching my cheek with claws carefully sheathed. These things, to me, are expressions of love.” James Herriot

Have an amazing day.

Einstein’s Check Up

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Every year, Chachi, the cat or Einstein as he likes to be called gets a thorough check up. This involves everything and I mean everything.

I don’t look forward to it because Einstein usually has a panic attack and me more so. It takes preparation and lots of it. I trim his nails, give him a good cleaning and his coat gets a thorough brushing the day before the check up. The dining area needs to prepared. I usually lay a blanket on the table and his cat pass is close by.

This year was different. Half an hour before the vet showed up, I put Einstein in his carrier. He immediately put up a fight and let out a heart-wrenching meow. I spoke softly to calm him down but he kept on meowing making a strange sound. He wanted out of his confined space and pronto! When that didn’t work, he went quiet and bided his time till he could show me just how much he hated this procedure.

The vet showed up on time and we brought Einstein to the dining room area. However, the little guy was more than ready. The minute I unzipped the carrier, he took off like a bullet. The only room he could escape to was the fireplace area. He wasted no time doing just that. Taking refuge behind the sofa, he stayed there as quiet as a mouse. The vet decided to step in and somehow managed to grab him and brought him back to the table. It might have gone smoother had we gone to the vet’s office but too late now!

The vet proceeded to check Einstein’s ears, his teeth, his eyes and finally his butt! It was an all clear and then it was time to give him his yearly shot. I thought here we go again! However, Einstein decided to play dead and took it like a champ. The last part was the deworming pill and that was it. I picked Einstein up but I noticed that he had flattened the top of his head and his ears were pointing outwards like a little Yoda. What came next was totally unexpected. Einstein decided to show me just how PISSED off he was! He scratched me on the collarbone as I opened the door to let him out. He was gone in a blinding second as he dashed up the stairs and into the bedroom.

Shaking his head, the vet said cats are unpredictable creatures and they love to scratch and bite. The problem is Einstein never scratches but I guess he decided to show me that he was just going to put up with so much and NO MORE! The rest of the day was calm but Einstein kept his distance eyeing me with suspicion each time our eyes locked. It took a while before he thawed out and by bedtime, he snuggled up to me and spent the rest of the night there saying, “A cat’s life is not easy especially when you’ve got a human loving the hell out of you!”

This year done, next year is another story.

Cat Fact: Once you own a cat, the probability that you bring up cats in conversation increases by 200%.

@mickeyandmort

Ain’t that the truth!

The Perfect Match

I would compare myself to a cat. Why? I seem to have an affinity with and for them and I see their qualities reflected back in me.

First of all, I don’t just see them as animals. Chachi, the cat, is my constant companion, my baby, and a confidante of sorts. He is quiet, introspective, independent, loves his alone time and affectionate but on his own terms. Exactly the way I am. He loves working out, yes working out, and joins me when I start my workouts. Nature is his preoccupation and he loves spending time at the big window in the kitchen watching life go by and since he is not an outdoor cat, it’s the best part of his day. We have a connection to nature in that respect.

We love to cuddle and we talk to each other, well I talk and he meows. The little things make us happy and life as we know it is on an even keel and that is how we like it. Hygiene is of the utmost importance, his is to fastidiously clean himself both morning and nights and sometimes in between as well! I ditto that concept. Cleanliness is next to Godliness as they say and cats are incredibly clean creatures.

Finally, we don’t like to be touched unnecessarily. Hands off is my stance and it is the same with him. However, he has a harder time saying no since I pick him up and shower kisses whenever I feel like it and he puts up with it even if at times he shows disdain for this “human” showing affection thing! We are connected in so many ways and we are at peace in each other’s company and sometimes I have this feeling that I used to be a CAT in a former lifetime! Perhaps that’s the connection between us.

Daily writing prompt

Which animal would you compare yourself to and why?

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Someone Else for a Day?

I can say a lot of things here and pick some influential people who changed life for the better but I’m going to go with someone who makes my life a joy and one who is there from the moment I wake up to the time I turn off the lights and go to sleep.

If I could, I would like to be Chachi, the cat, or rather Little Einstein as he likes to be called. Some might say pick a person but this little furball is a person to me. I would like to see life through his eyes for a change. Sometimes I wonder what he thinks as he looks at me with those big green eyes, I see love but it might be something else altogether! I want to see what is missing in his life and what could be made better.

The little bundle of joy has me wrapped around his paws in more ways than one. I think a cat’s life can’t be beat well I am speaking about HIS! There is nothing to worry about, life is a breeze and now that I’ve removed the big Japanese cherry tree from the kitchen window, Chachi has a wide-screen TV! He spends his days following me around like a second shadow and his needs are taken care of. When he is bored, he sleeps the day away and when he feels like company, it’s Mommy time! Cuddles, hugs, and kisses are all part of his daily existence and he gets plenty of those. So I say, I would like to be Chachi for a day. The laid-back existence is appealing and “no thinking” and “no worries” makes it a life I would like to experience for a day.

Daily writing prompt

If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be, and why?

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It’s Grooming Day!

I’ve got everything laid out on the table along with towels to dry Chachi, the cat’s wet fur after giving him a thorough cleaning. The little rascal is eyeing me suspiciously!

Grooming Your Cat

Although most cats spend their time grooming themselves, they sometimes need some extra help from us. This includes:

Brushing Your Cat

Bathing Your Cat

Brushing Your Cat’s Teeth

Cleaning Your Cat’s Ears

Clipping Your Cat’s Nails

It has been said that cats typically spend between 30 to 50 percent of their day grooming themselves and the rest of the time they sleep! Unbelievable? Mine loves cleaning himself and right before bedtime, he has a ritual that begins from the top of his head to the tips of his paws! The little guy is fastidious as he gives each part of his anatomy the attention it deserves and it’s all done with the help of his hard-working tongue. It must be exhausting so today I’ve decided to give him a little help in that direction.

The little macho is not dumb. He’s been sitting on the stairs watching my every move and each time I head towards him, he dashes up the stairs! We’ve been through this before and he knows exactly what is coming up.

Once I get him on the table, he lets out a loud meow showing disdain and apprehension for the process. It’s his way of saying, “I can do this myself human, I don’t need your help!” I agree but from time to time he needs a little help of the human kind so to speak or even an over-obsessive human going bonkers where he is concerned. Whatever the case maybe, it is happening and he needs to take it like the “sweetheart” he is.

I have to say that Chachi doesn’t put up much of a fight or much of a resistance either and takes it all in stride, even the nail clipping part so long as I coo softly and mumble gibberish. The kisses help as well. When it is all said and done, he looks like he’s been through a wind tunnel, his fur standing on end but smelling wonderful.

To this he says: “I’m a cat and smelling sweet is not in my department!”

Once done, he shoots up the stairs to hide from me in case, I have other ideas. Like rubbing his teeth with a tiny gloved finger to clean them. Today, I’m sparing him that part although I did spray some plaque remover in his mouth, it’s supposed to cut down on the pesky plaque and keep his mouth smelling fresh and minty.

Oh, Lord have mercy! Exactly what he says too!

Cuddling tonight will be a pleasant experience although I love holding him close every night. I really don’t think cats smell bad, perhaps because they know how to keep themselves clean. “Cookie Dough” is back downstairs meowing softly. Perhaps he is saying, “I thought I’m the master and you the slave.” True but once in a while we reverse roles and that is alright too!

Have an amazing day.

Chachi’s Night

It was a night like any other or at least it started out that way. Chachi did his nighttime routine of eating, drinking, using the toilet and cleaning himself. All was calm in this household and I thought I was going to have a quiet and peaceful night. I thought wrong because the guy that wears the pants in this house had other plans!

First, he did the catwalk. Yes, the catwalk where he has this John Wayne stride and the only missing is his holster with the gun in it. I usually find it entertaining but not tonight. It went on and on. He would walk up to me, his back stretched out as he took one long stride after another and once he reached me, he would look me in the eye, rub his face against mine, do a turnaround and head to the other end of the bed. This went on and on and my patience was wearing thin.

Me: Chachi, stop that!

Chachi chuckles or what sounds like it but he wasn’t done yet.

Just as I was about to put him in his bed, he decides it is time for bed and for cuddle time with mommy. He pushes his back up against mine and stretches out for the night. Within minutes he is snoring and I mean SNORING! Cute but just a tad unsettling. I reach over and place a kiss on his head to reassure him that he is safe and he goes quiet.

Great! Time to get some rest. Just as I am dozing off and not three minutes later, Little Chachi decides he has had enough sleep and it’s time to play! He jumps off, goes to his toy basket, picks out the new stuffed bird I got him, the other one that tweets is gone now. At least, he’ll play quietly I thought. Well, I thought wrong. Chachi loves proving me wrong. He gets down on the floor with the poor frightened bird clutched between his paws and goes to town with it. It must be some sort of passive aggressive thing and if that bird had been alive, it wouldn’t have stood a chance against the onslaught. Within minutes, the stuffing was peeking out and he threw it aside as he jumped back on the bed and landed just inches from my face. I don’t know how he does that but he has got that down to a science, missing my face I mean.

ME: Are you ready for bed?

He grunts and plops down pushing his back paws under my back. Again, within minutes he was off in dreamland or wherever cats go in sleep. Half an hour later and having woken me up from sleep with a slight pat of the paws on the back of my head, he sits there staring at me. I swear he was grinning!

You guessed it. It was a very long night to say the least. I am thinking of getting some kind of “calm” spray to get him to settle down. The thing is, the little guy thinks he is king of the castle and he runs the roost and it might well be but I need my beauty sleep even if he doesn’t. He is beautiful enough as he is and did I mention as cute as a button? Well, he is. Now, if I can only get him to settle down and teach him that he’s not the BOSS, all would be well in my world. It will be a painstaking ritual and success might not be in the cards as far as that is concerned because “cuteness” knows it will be a losing battle!

Have an amazing day.

We Made Up!

Chachi, the cat, declared “Mutiny on the Bounty,” a night ago and decided to run riot for most of the night with no end in sight. The little “Night Terror” showed me that cats are unpredictable creatures but more than that, they have a mind of their own.

That was then. Today, the little sweetheart is back to his normal self. He is all kisses and is made of snips, snails and puppy-dogs’ tails. We went to bed early last night, lights out at around 8 p.m. and the little furball was pooped and so was I. We slept through the night and most of it was peaceful until I heard the snores. Yes, he snores and loudly at that! I decided that was nothing compared to what he put me through the night before.

If you’re wondering what happened? Read my article, Out of Control” and all will be made clear. I don’t know what that night was about but it was something. It could be that just like “humans” cats have their moments too. Whatever it was, I’m glad he’s decided to reel it back in and is behaving like the lovely thing he is.

However, I did look up about getting some training for him but nothing like that exists for cats. They have plenty of dog training classes but absolutely nothing for cats. I’ve come to the conclusion that cats are highly-evolved creatures and they don’t need training, it’s the other way around!

According to Laurie Fletcher:

Cats are fully aware of their regal and divine attributes and treat their humans accordingly.

Their meetings occur right in front of their subjects if they share a home. That staring contest? Ernest discussion. That burl/trill as they pass one another? A brief report or sharing of data.

Cats don’t do long meetings. They’re firmly in control and bureaucracy cuts into nap time.

AND

According to Margaret Smith, another cat aficionado:

Because dogs have owners and cats have staff.

Because the Ancient Egyptians treated cats as GODS, and cats remember.

That says it all, doesn’t it? Sometimes I do feel like “staff,” where Chachi is concerned. He decides when I get to kiss him, when I get to hold him and when we cuddle. He does expect that he has clean water, loads of delicious food and that his toilet is kept clean at all times! If that isn’t God-like status, I don’t know what is.

Anyway, we made up and royally! He seems calm and is content sitting in his window seat watching the world go by. It could be that he’s found a new-found interest. She’s black as the night with bright green eyes, a beauty no less and they’ve been eyeing each other. I call her the Girl from Ipanema and the neighborhood is her playground in more ways than one! Chachi is way too innocent for that kind of stuff but she doesn’t care. She sits on her perch on a garden hut facing him directly. She seems to be asking, “Wanna play handsome?” Or it’s more like:

He met Marmalade down in old Moulin Rouge

Struttin’ her stuff on the street

She said, “Hello, hey Joe, you wanna give it a go?

Oh, uh-huh

Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, da-da (hey, hey, hey)

Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, here (here)

Mocha Chocolate, ya-ya (ooh, yeah)

Creole Lady Marmalade.

ME: Chachi!!!

HIM: What mummy? I’m busy right now!

Me: Get away from the window!

Yes, something new everyday with little furball. If you thought he’s reeled in his rebellion faze, think again. He missed his toilet meaning “IT” landed just short of the toilet! He has never done that before. Perhaps, it’s a message that he’s not done with teaching me a lesson yet. Lord, have mercy!

Have an amazing day.