Labour Day!
Generally it is considered to be the end of Summer. Kids return to school and pretty soon it will be Halloween, etc.
It is hard for me to picture what it is like in a schoolroom now.
Even harder to imagine what it is like growing up in this day and age.
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An old friend visited briefly the other day, only because Grant noticed him walking past and called out to him.
He sauntered up and accepted some kibble then took a quick tour of the house as if to make sure it was in its usual state of disorder.
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“Where you been?” asked Dee Dee while Toby had a sniff at the other end!
The boy didn’t have much to say for himself, as if his thoughts were elsewhere.
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Nibbs always used to be excited to see us, running up and giving enthusiastic head bumps.
Now his nose is in the air. If Grant had not seen him he would have walked right on by.
We must be thankful he dropped in so we can stop imagining something bad happened to him. We last saw him at the beginning of July.
He looks healthy but he’s obviously had an attitude-changing experience.
Or maybe he’s just grown up and become a more dignified version of the old Nibbs.
Someone told him cats are not supposed to suck up to humans!
But he did remember leftovers!
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One has to concentrate to keep up with cats, which is a challenge when there are 11 of them. It’s a battle to remove your own thoughts from the equation.
When Lucy quite suddenly went blind, my mind went into overdrive figuring out how to help her.
Making sure her basic needs were nearby, I had to let her work it all out for herself, while monitoring the others to make sure they didn’t get stroppy if she walked into them.
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“Get stroppy?”
“Are we ruffians?”
“That’s a human thing!”
Dee Dee was incensed. And the fact is that there were no altercations.
Lucy has always been standoffish and a bit of a Miss Bossy-boots. If anyone intruded on her space she used to scream “murder!” but I have not heard that alarming wail since she went blind.
Everything appeared to be going well till Lucy began her nightly wail.
As I had failed to understand, Lucy escalated it to an all-nightly wail which would get anyone’s attention.
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Additionally, Lucy took to spending a lot of time beneath a bench.
How could I not have noticed that Lucy wasn’t eating and that Blackie was gobbling her food?
Behaviour modification was required!
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With the addition of Forti Flora to her food, Lucy recovered her appetite and Blackie soon took aboard the message that she must not take food from Lucy’s bowl.
“But I was only eating her leftovers.”
“Waste not, want not. Right?”
She was just trying to be helpful.
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Grant decided to broaden Lucy’s narrowed horizons. At breakfast he started bringing her to sit beside me on the sofa.
Soon she was looking so comfortable, we left her there and now she stays most of the day.
Lucy always hated being picked up but now she no longer struggles, purring her approval instead.
Her other bed is on top of a plastic tub and now we just transport Madame on her flying bed.
She stands at the front making like:
“Queen of the World”
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Lucy has regained her joie de vivre!
In the end there was nothing very complicated about it and we wondered why we hadn’t thought of this in the first place. I think though, that she needed to adjust to her darkness and to expand her world at her own pace.
With Lucy now always in view, we have realised that her preferred method of taking nutrition is all-day grazing. A little soft food and a bowl of kibble always available.
We may have difficulties persuading the others that they are not on the all-day plan.
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In these last warm days of summer, the walkers are insisting on afternoon outings.
Doors are thrown open.
This morning I was trying to trap a fly when I realised that this was rather a pointless exercise!
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Lily is very keen on the afternoon walk, disappearing into the bottom field or up the road to see the chickens, down the storm drain in search of adventure.
She has to be fetched back for supper.
That’s if you are able to grab her before she shoots off again.
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Grabbing cats is beyond my ability currently as I bruised some ribs while wrestling with a hedge. I needed to lop off some tall bits that kept getting in the way of my photographic efforts.
The hedge fought back but I was relieved that the pain had been only temporary.
Two days later it was suddenly painful just to breathe. Last night was uncomfortable however things are no worse so I shall survive as long as I am careful. Ha.
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Elsewhere in catworld, Willow was put out that Blackie was on the treetop perch.
She doesn’t have to protest. Posing and body language say it all.
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By whatever means, Blackie got the message and this morning Willow reestablished her claim.
But after five minutes she was elsewhere.
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This afternoon they are on the floor together, everyone in siesta mode.
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Prior to their afternoon escape.
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Sophia and Patches are half-sisters.
Grant thinks Sophia wants to venture out. She has apparently not been outdoors since she was a kitten. Until recently I could rarely get a photograph of her. Now she likes me to pet her. There has been a shift!
So will she?…
Thank you, Carolyn, for the update on things happening in your cats world. Complex.
Joanna
Relationships seem to be on the up and up. Let’s hope it continues!
I giggled at His Nibbs change of attitude 😁. What if he gets leftovers from another place too – maybe Dee Dee had a stern (cat) talk with him! I hope your ribs are on the mend soon – leave the hedge to Grant. I know, I know … sometimes we don’t want to wait and do it ourselves 😉. Sophia would surely love a bit of walking around outside (if you, Grant and Dee Dee keep an eye on her, it should be fine, don’t you think)?