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The White Flag!

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I think it has been three weeks since Gallahad and Shiro moved in. They are my son’s cats and since he was starting a new job, he couldn’t have them with him and so with a sad heart, he left them with me. I wasn’t too keen on the idea because I knew how much work they would be plus Chachi, the cat, was used to having this place all to himself. Bringing all three together was a daunting task and lots of work.

It was hard and still is. They are getting used to each other. Gallahad, is a British long-haired cat with dark fur and bright orange eyes. Shiro is all white with big eyes and looks like the cat on the Gourmet Food ads. They are two different personalities. Galli is soft and sweet and even though he looks menacing, he is a gentle giant. Shiri is the princess and she knows it! She was daddy’s little girl and was spoiled rotten. She is also a no-nonsense type and that turned out to be a problem for Chachi, the Little Macho.

Anyway, it has been three weeks in and the “thaw” wasn’t taking place no matter how hard I tried. Chachi had a hissy fit the first week which rolled into the second week. He decided to get along with Galli but Shiro was a different matter altogether. He has started tolerating Galli and lets him play with his stuffed toys but Shiro still gets a hiss whenever he sees her.

However, yesterday he did a 360 and decided to roll out the white flag. Don’t ask me why. It happened and the Little Macho woke up with a glint in his eye as if he had this bright idea. The idea turned out to be, let’s lay down arms and be friends BUT on my terms! Little did he know that the other two had other ideas. No deals were their stance. Sound familiar to what is happening in the real world? Anyway, the morning started out fine.

Chachi: “You can play with my toys Galli,” tail tucked between his legs.

Galli: “I’ve been playing with them. I don’t need your permission for that you little Snort.”

Chachi: “You weren’t brought up well, were you? You have to ask first.”

Galli: “Okay, thank you!”

Just then Shiro walks in and takes a gander at what is going on. Immediately, Little Macho throws down the white flag and goes into a hissy fit. I think he doesn’t like females, yours truly excluded of course.

Shiro: “You sure have a loud hiss for a little thing. I can take you down anytime Little Bubba.”

Chachi: “Who are you calling Little Bubba? By the way, I think you should get some sun. That pale look doesn’t suit you.”

They did the Mexican standoff for a few minutes and then decided to let it go but not before Shiro decided to get the last word in.

Shiro: “You should learn some manners and what’s with the John Wayne swagger? You are way too big for your britches.”

Chachi: “MOM! What did she say?!!”

ME: “She said you are adorable and cute. She wants to be friends.”

Chachi: “Yeah, I am and I know it. Glad that she sees it too. I think she is afraid and wants to make nice. Okay, we’ll try it. Shiro, you can play with my toys too but one false move and I’ll be on you before you can swish that pretty tail of yours!”

Shiro: “Thank you Chachi but keep your distance. You are too full of yourself but I will take you up on the offer.”

She walked over to the toy basket, picked out Chachi’s favorite stuffed bird and walked out with a swish of the tail and an elegant stride out of the room.

Chachi: “Mommy!”

Me: “It’s alright. You’ll get it back. Play nice and make peace.”

Chachi: “I DON’T LIKE HER!”

This went on for a while until Little Macho decided to give in and make friends. Afternoon found all three in the bedroom taking their afternoon siesta. Galli on my bed, Shiro stretched out on the floor and Chachi snoozing next to me.

Peace at last! Will it last? I don’t know but I’m enjoying the temporary ceasefire!

Have an amazing day.

The Thaw

Is it Day 6 or 7? I can’t keep up anymore but it has been several days since Shiro and Galahad were left in my care. They are cats, if you’re wondering. Shiro is a Persian cat, all white with startling blue or perhaps green eyes, and Gallahad is a British long-haired cat with dark fur and brilliant orange eyes. Yes, they are pretty and belong to my son. Where is he? He has moved to another state to start his new job. Leaving them behind was hard and still is for him and exhausting for me.

Chachi, the cat, my little guy is spoilt beyond repair and he was lord of the jungle until these two walked in and took command. Galli took his window seat by the kitchen and Shiro has claimed his basket upstairs. They were his favorites and giving them up hasn’t set well with the Little Macho. Every time I tried to get them to play, the little brat decided there was no way in hell he was going to do that. This is his place and besides you don’t take stuff away without asking first. He is someone with principles or rather he was brought up to toe the line. So, he froze them out and every time he got a glimpse of them, he would HISS and let it be known that he wasn’t going to put up with their presence. He has been spending a lot of time in my bedroom with the door shut! Now, he hates me as well! Life as Chachi knew it is a thing of the past and the Little Snort is shooting daggers at me and acting like he is a block of ice!

However, today he decided to turn things around. I guess spending time alone in the room hasn’t set too well with him OR he is trying a new tactic. He is not called Little Einstein for nothing. This morning, he looked longingly at the closed door so I opened it and warned him to be nice. Galli sashayed past him without batting an eyelid. Chachi sniffed and went, “Grrr!!!”

ME: “Chachi!!”

HIM: “I was just kidding. He is not that big close up.”

ME: “Behave!”

HIM: “You want to play big guy?”

GALLI: “Sure, we can play.” Silently thinking, wait till your mommy turns her back on you!

So, I left them, ran down the stairs, got the vacuum cleaner, I vacuum two or three times per day now and it is exhausting. Oh ok, I said that already. Anyway, I ran back upstairs and my little guy was in his bowl elevated off the floor with Galli sitting beneath and looking up at him. So far, so good. Then Chachi decided to up the ante. He reached out with one paw and swiped Galli on the head! Big mistake. The big thaw was now freezing back up again. This was Galli’s chance and he took it. He came in with both paws and before he could land a POW WOW on Chachi, I stepped in.

Chachi yelled, “You’re a spoilsport mommy! I could have taken him!”

GALLI: “You’re right Chachi. She is that but I like her.”

Chachi: “Come here Galli, I want to show something. You’ve been begging for it!”

I stepped in and shooed Galli out of the room and Chach went under the bed leaving a slight growl hovering in the air.

I shut the door and so it has been for the last hour or so. The “thaw” is taking place but it is going to take a few more days before I can trust them to play together. What’s with Shiro? She’s a girl and as long as everything is nice and clean, she’s a happy camper. She is under the stairs, eyes closed and enjoying herself. Boys? They are a different matter altogether!

For now, it is life as usual at “Casa de gatos.”

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.

Stop Caring Too Much

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There are people who just care too much about anything and everything. And then there are people who don’t give a flying flip about what you say about them and these are the people who seem to be leading better lives. The ones who don’t let anything get more than skin-deep and if something does land on them like a pesky insect, they are quick to give it a swipe and off they go none the worse for wear.

“Life is better when you stop caring too much.” Unknown

However, there is another group who takes everything to heart. They just care about what has been said, how it was said and what did it mean?!! These people have cubbyholes, a place they go to where they can sit in silence with their woes and take them apart, piece by piece, one action or comment at a time. These are also the people and I include myself in this group, who have a hard time letting go, who swirl in self-doubt because some mean person didn’t want to see them do better or because more often than not, they are doormats. They let people walk all over them leaving wounds, hurts, and a sense of deep unrest in their wake. The truth is there are people whose only goal in life is to put people down. Why? It’s because they are in a bad place and they want someone or anyone to keep them company. Misery loves company as they say.

Knowing this, how do you learn to stop caring too much?

According to one source, you need to set firm boundaries. You don’t have to please everyone and say “no” to situations that drain you.

Put yourself first. Focus on your own well-being and mental health. Take care of yourself.

Invest in personal growth. Pursue your own passions, activities and goals that bring you enjoyment.

Practice mindfulness. Embrace the present moment and don’t let your feelings control you.

Embrace imperfections. Accept that things will go wrong and people may disappoint you.

Build self-compassion. Treat yourself with kindness as you would a friend.

Lastly, let go of people and situations that don’t contribute to your well-being. If every time something good happens to you and they are there to tear you down, let them go. Negativity brings more negativity. Throw that “doormat” mentality out the door and look for positive strokes that make you feel good, fill you with positive vibes and one that puts a smile on your face instead of a frown. YOU deserve only the best.

Have an amazing day.

Houston, we’ve got a problem!

Chachi, the cat, hates changes. He’s like his mom in that respect. However, I learned just how steadfastly he holds on to his routines and all that he is used to a couple of days ago.

I love Googling and I came across this article on cats and their feeding utensils. I realized I had been doing it all wrong. They suggested a flat plate for food so that it doesn’t hurt their whiskers. I decided to rectify the situation and pronto! Amazon was on speed dial and the plates were on the way. They arrived the next day.

Little Einstein had his eyes trained on me as I opened the packages. He eyed me suspiciously.

HIM: “What are you up to?!!”

ME: “I promise you’re going to like them.”

HIM: “WHAT?!!”

He came closer and sniffed the package. I took one flat silver-coloured plate out and placed it in front of him.

HIM: “What’s this?!!! If you think I’m going to eat from it, you’ve got another thing coming!”

The battle lines were drawn and I didn’t know it at the time but I was on the losing end!

Evening rolled around and I put his food in the new plates and carried it upstairs. Little Macho followed, his pug-nose showing disdain and a walk that spoke volumes but I wasn’t paying attention. I sat the plates down and with a flourish said, “Wow, brand new plates. They look lovely!”

He turned around and with those big eyes spitting fire, well, it would have if he could, but instead he walked to the plates and proceeded to bury them with his paws. Oops, I was in for a fight but what else is new? So, I went back downstairs and filled the other bowl with water and came back upstairs. Cookie Dough was on the ground thumping his tail.

ME: “You’ll get used to it.”

HIM: “That’s what you think! I’m going on a food and water strike starting NOW!”

The next morning, his food and water were untouched and Little Macho looked grumpy as hell. To make matters worse, he hadn’t done his big or his little stuff! It’s the first time this has happened and I was worried. I was on “Poop and Pee Pee” watch. Nothing was happening and the little thing had a smirk on his face!

Two days later and with no results of either kind, I was more than worried. On Day Three, I gave him his water in the old bowl and the little warrior went to town quenching his thirst. Then he turned to me and looked at the food.

HIM: “What about those? BRING ME BACK MY OLD BOWLS!”

ME: “Buddy, I gave in on the water but you’re stuck with the food plates!”

I got this look of disbelief but he decided to reel it in. He walked to the plate and gingerly took a bite. Then a few more bites and when he had had his fill, he pushed the rest of the food on the floor and trounced out of the room!

A few hours later, I heard him in his toilet. It was like waiting for manna to fall from heaven! When I heard the familiar sounds, I let out a sigh of relief. It was a done deal. I didn’t win the battle but I got a compromise and believe me, you take what you can get where the little guy is concerned and be happy with it.

HIM: “The next time you get one of your bright ideas, check with me first!”

Spoiled? Absolutely.