Friday cat blogging on Tuesday

This is what happens when I open my kitchen window. Tim, Tommie, Jellico and LittleOne. PuddyTat never gets involved in this sort of closeness.

Cat trap

Maria posted a photo of cats in boxes entitled "Cat traps" on my Facebook page. So I put a couple of boxes out to see what would happen. Tommie immediately climbed in. PuddyTat sat outside. Later LittleOne and Jellico were in the boxes but left as soon as I opened the door to take a photo. Ineffective traps.

Saturday cat blogging

See. I told you they are always there.

Friday cat blogging

The boys have been in these positions all day. Jellico on top and LittleOne below. Actually they are usually there most of the time from breakfast on. Lazy like me.

After breakfast

This is the usual morning scene after breakfast. Jellico finally discovered the top of the new catbox. Tim has been up there but she doesn't hang around long. I didn't put the car away last night so she is under it watching the world go by. PuddyTat goes wherever she goes. Tommie and LittleOne bathe then snooze.

Finalized cathouse for now

Tommie and LittleOne are not interested in what I'm doing.  This is their "pet me" posture. The new catbox is as finished as it's going to get for now. There is insulation on the top and in each box. I can lower the sides of the rug to provide more protection from the weather when it gets cold. I'd like to put a board across the bottom to hold the blankets in. I suspect the raccoons will pull the blankets out. Have the board. May or may not do it later. Do need to wash their dishes.

New catbox approval

Apparently these three approve of the new catbox even before it is finished. PuddyTat was in the left space most if not all of the night. This photo was taken after breakfast. Guess I don't need to worry about the right space being too small. PT and Tommie have always cuddled.

LittleOne was still there three hours later. He must have interesting nights.

And, no, his buddy Dude has never returned. sniff...

Tim never gets into a box. She has her canoe, the tractor seat and wherever else she finds to roost in the barn. Jellico is sort of an outcast. The others either don't like him or don't trust him. They will head butt with him but they all tend to chase him away from food. He is desperate for my attention now and seems to have abandoned his habit of trying to claw me after I withdraw my hand. Yea. I think he sleeps in one of the cardboard boxes below. One of those needs replaced before winter but the others are ok.

Meanwhile LittleOne sleeps on well into the afternoon...

New catbox

I put together a new catbox. It isn't exactly what I want or need and it is too "tall" to be warm but it will work with a few modifications. If you look at the post below you will see what a mess the raccoons have made of the traditional cardboard boxes. The cats are pretty destructive too because they like to climb up on top. It usually takes four replacements per year. I need to get a short 2 X 4 to straighten this up as the top extends beyond the sides. The current board is too thick. Eventually I will nail a ledge to the outer side to keep blankets in the box.

I was concerned that the right side was too small but the largest cat Little One is in there and was curled up within earlier. On the left is Tommie.

To allow the critters to sit on top, I plan to scrub this blue thingie and fasten it to the top then drape it underneath to create a smaller space within.

Poor Jellico. He peed on the thingie then spent many minutes trying in vain to cover his deposit. He is not the brightest of the clan. He worked at this for many minutes. I gave up watching so I don't know how long he tried. Hee.

Happy cats

Down one cat?

Dudie has not come to eat since I came home. Perhaps he has found another place to stay. Perhaps he doesn't realize I'm home. Perhaps he is gone. I don't miss the messes he made but I miss him.

Rutland, VT

Being within three hours rather than the 10 hours from home, I went to church at Trinity Episcopal in Rutland, VT. I'll admit that my primary purpose was not the eucharist. I could have had that in Sheffield, MA, a mere 10 minutes or so away. The priest at Trinity is a long time internet friend Caminante otherwise known as Lee Crawford. We had never met in person. The people were very friendly, many offering their name and a handshake. (They are well trained.) The liturgy was done well tho they have no sanctus bell. They even have a summer choir. Lee is a soprano and sings with them. She has a clear voice and is easy to hear and understand. It is always more interesting when the readings happen to contain a message for a current situation as was the case today. I didn't know how appropriate till after. Godde has a great sense of timing.

This sign is in their parish hall. Hmmm.

Unfortunately this is blurry but there it is anyhow.

After church it was cat tour time. There are four. This is my favorite Miss Funky Paws. Lee has other names for them all.

Some people believe that internet relationships are superficial, not "real" somehow. Perhaps with some they are. I'm blessed to be part of several tribes who know and care for each other and sometimes meet in person. Once companies destroyed families and churches by moving employees around indiscriminately,  they forced us to create temporary friendships that served our needs at the moment - before the next move. The internet has allowed people with histories to reconnect and new friends to keep in touch in ways that transcend time and location. Now, if Michelle and I can find a few minutes to get together this week and Fran and I can connect on my way home...

Friday cat blogging on Tuesday

This is what I face in the morning.

Finally everybody gets to eat.

This is the first photo Lady has allowed me to take. She doesn't come in the morning.

Meanwhile it didn't look like Besita was very interested in moving across town.

Photos at home

These two found some remains to clean up in the field across the road. The next day there were 16 more in the same place so the find must have been significant tho it isn't visible. It was too windy to get a good photo of the mob.

The man who owns this property yelled at me when I parked briefly to take this photo. I yelled back what I was doing and he said OK.

Three of the feline residents on the cathouse roof. Tim munches while LittleOne (who is really quite large now) and Tommie watch me.

Friday cat blogging

It was a lazy morning in the cathouse.

Until the tuna was offered.

PuddyTat always wants petted before eating.

Friday cat blogging on Monday

The crew at breakfast this morning. Tim ate then demanded scritching. She is the most vocal of the bunch. At the top is Jellico who is eating with Tommie. PuddyTat (orange) is eating with LittleOne. Dudie is barely visible on his own level.

After they ate all retired to one place or another. LittleOne and PT were in the boxes while Jellico decided that the top of the boxes was a good place to do his toilette. I had to put reinforcement up there because he kept collapsing the boxes.

The heating pads are still out - one is barely visible under LO. I keep hoping I can remove them but I had to have the heated water bowls on a couple of days ago when the temperature plunged to 28. Someday our spring will come.

Friday cat blogging on Sunday

Tommie and LittleOne share supper while Tim mugs for the camera. PuddyTat's tail is visible in her box.

Dude doesn't like the flash.

This new little black cat showed up Saturday.

It ran past while I was trying to get a photo of this new cat who usually runs away when I appear.

This critter was not happy when its meal was interrupted.

This critter wasn't happy either but is now in its happy hunting ground, I assume.

Friday cat blogging on Sunday

Jellico stayed still long enough for me to take a photo of him on the cathouse roof.

It's hard to see because of the dirty window but PuddyTat is on top of Tommie in the right box. Tom is in terrible shape. I need to get some flea stuff on him but that isn't easy as he isn't fond of petting or scritching.

This new lovely showed up again? this afternoon and didn't see me before I got this photo.

Now I'm going to wash all the windows.

Friday cat blogging

All but LittleOne came for breakfast. Left to right: PuddyTat, Tommie, Dude and Tim with Jellico below. iPhone photos.

Friday cat blogging II

This is the first time since she discovered the boxes on the cathouse roof that Tim has had Dudie next door.  She just kept looking at him.  He usually vacates the box eventually so I expect PuddyTat will be there later.

Told ya.  And Tim is still watching.