Cats of the Farm: The Pride Goes On

[dressagetraks]

Decided to start a new thread. The old one was getting long and isn’t just about the cats I inherited from Cat Lady anymore.

Things are doing fine on the Farm o’ Cats, and they are adjusting to the new house. Good for galloping in for the inside cats and for prowling around for the outside cats, though they are still a bit miffed that they can’t get under it.

Sarge, my tamed feral who went to the vet with a hurt paw, is doing better. He’s a bit gimpy but not three-legged anymore.

Funny cat moment from the housewarming. My Dad and Stepmother were here. All cats, of course, went WHOOSH! and vanished under the couch covers. The cats love those couch covers, which are tunnels, caves, and games all in one. I have unintentionally created a sport while trying to protect the new couches. Anyway, the cats immediately shot under the couch covers of the couch opposite the front door, and I had a row of lumps on the couch, right up against the back, thinking they were invisible.

Pilgrim alone came out a few minutes later. He was cautious but curious, and Pilgrim must know what is going on. He eventually got petted by everyone. After we had finished eating lunch and were just sitting talking, I stood up to retrieve the Temptations bag and reward Pilgrim for being a Good Boy. He came to rapt attention, those yellow eyes just riveted. I dispensed a few, and then Stepmother and I caught sight of the couch across the way. That couch cover was undulating. It looked like a private earthquake was going on. Up to the edge, retreat, up to the edge, retreat. You could see the painful dilemma. Temptations vs. strangers. Which will win? Nobody else came out, but I wish I’d thought to video the tossing couch cover.

Here’s a pic I took for National Pet Day. From left, Pharaoh (dumped at Cat Lady’s), Solo (trapped from a feral colony), Mystery (it’s a mystery!), Atticus (dumped), and Pilgrim (dumped at someone else’s house as part of a litter of tuxedos).

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Here’s Ms. Willow, Atticus’ sister, in the driver’s seat on the mower. Would that she could use it!

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Cats sun bathing in the new house.

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And Cotton on the Bench of Purring. He is such a soft, plush fellow. He has wonderful pile.

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[Zu_Zu]

Loved this ‘lunch’ story ~ great pics !

[CanadianTrotter]

Lol!

Thanks for the great pictures!

[dressagetraks]

Funny picture of the day. A friend a few weeks ago gave me two bookcase-top decorative cat pillows for the new house. One is sitting with tail dangling over, and the other is reaching down. So this morning, I was in the library happily continuing the Grand Book Sort for a few minutes. I haven’t had all my books together for two years because I moved most to a climate-controlled storage space to decrease weight on the floors of the old place. I’m very much enjoying organizing the all-together-now library in the new house.

So I turned around from a bookcase opposite and did a double take. Not two decorative cats on top of the bookcase but four with Pharaoh and Atticus included. Or could be three, depending how you look at it. They were as still as statues up there, and I had plenty of time to focus a picture.
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[shiloh]

So glad they - and you! - are happy in the new home.

[TC3200]

Happy for you and all your kittehs.

[dressagetraks]

We had an Adventure today!

I’m trying to squeeze in 30 minutes a day carrying stuff over from the old to new houses. I even have a little cart that I balance bulkier stuff across - there are still things beyond me on the “get help” list, but this works with the stuff that’s just awkward, not impossibly heavy. Today, I decided to move my old bed. I’ve had this bed since forever. My new bed in the new house is much larger and nicer, and I am enjoying it, but for the moment, I’m going to put my old bed in the guest room. My guest list is incredibly limited; cannot think of any overnight visitor, family included, in over a decade. But I do now have an official guest room, and I’ll stick this bed in it for the moment, to be replaced with a larger bed when that hits the top of the stuff-to-buy list (and it’s nowhere close).

So I loaded up the mattress, box springs, and base across my cart, pulled them over, and unloaded one by one. Setting it up was incredibly interesting and sniffworthy. These cats, keep in mind, have known this bed their entire acquaintance with me. It’s far from a stranger. Still, you would have thought it came from a galaxy Far, Far Away.

Here are some pictures including Mom’s beloved cat quilt added when I made it up. I ordered that quilt for her when she was in the nursing home, and she got a lot of pleasure out of it at a stage when not much anymore would draw her focused attention. Someday, when I don’t have a bed to fit it anymore, I’ll make it a wall hanging or such. Meanwhile, it can be a cat display. Mom, the Patron Saint of down-on-their-luck stray cats, would approve.
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And, funny picture of the day, here’s Solo seizing Mystery’s tail. Yes, Mystery’s tail is as big as Solo’s head. That tail amazes me; I’ve seen it daily for well over a year, and I still find myself staring at times. Mystery is the “spare” black cat who just appeared one morning in the chow line as if ordering from the menu, and I went along my rounds feeding, then did a double take. “Wait a minute! I don’t have three black cats outside!” Solo is my official member of Former Ferals Anonymous, one of the very few cats I got through a program, a TNR that an aide client supports. I don’t usually go looking for cats, since I can find plenty without looking.
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[Polydor]

That is one beautiful fluffy tail. Glad you and the cats are loving the new house!

P.

[CaliforniaDreamer]

Love your updates! Beautiful quilt, it certainly is cat approved

[dressagetraks]

Here’s proof that Mystery does indeed have quite a tail.

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Emily Dickinson supervising the mower guy. She keeps on trucking along, though her “spells” are getting more frequent. My stepmother thought she was dead at one point Friday. Not yet.

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“Someone else dragged the couch cover. I’m completely innocent.”

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And Cotton aloft.

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[dressagetraks]

This holiday weekend, Cotton, who is always soft, stretchy, and comfortable, would like to remind everyone to take some time to kick back and relax.

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[Larksmom]

darling kitties!! darling quilt!

[dressagetraks]

Pharaoh has always been definitely food oriented. Of course, Pharaoh was the scrawniest, runtiest kitten you’ve ever seen. Took months and several vet visits to get this cat healthy, and we still are managing allergy issues. That litter was dumped far too young, and Pharaoh is the one it really seemed to make a difference with.

I’ll never forget that day on aide shift, the day that American Pharoah won the Triple Crown. I was in the kitchen, and Cat Lady was in her chair in the big living room. The front door was open, as it was a nice day. Suddenly, there came a 'SQUAWK!!!" fortissimo. Cat Lady, who couldn’t see that well at a distance, said, “What’s wrong, baby?” She thought it was Cotton or Poly, her two recently adopted kittens. I went into the living room to see who was hurting whom, and here came Pharaoh wobbling across the floor from the door, shrieking all the way. There was a bowl on the far side of the living room from the door, and Pharaoh was heading straight for it (no problems, obviously, with Pharaoh’s vision). Reached it and climbed in, and here came another black kitten. Pharaoh immediately started growling and defending the bowl. The kibble was really too big to eat; that was the dog’s bowl. But the kitten was sure trying.

I told Cat Lady, “There’s a black kitten in the floor.” She raised an eyebrow. “A black kitten?” Cotton and Poly, of course, were blond. “A black kitten,” I confirmed. “And another black kitten.” I looked toward the door, and there was a third black kitten peering around the threshold. “Three black kittens.” I retrieved Pharaoh from the dog bowl and set the kitten and the second black in her lap. Tiny little mites, especially Pharaoh. I think they were probably 4ish weeks, judging from the size on the healthy ones. But they knew that food came in bowls, and they had no fear responses to people.

I got a can of Friskies, and with CL feeding the three blacks, I went outside to call around. The little tiger, Satin, popped out of hiding at “kitty, kitty.” Never could find any more. I’ve always hoped there were only four. CL sent me to the store for more cat food, and when we got to naming the kittens in subsequent days, I proposed Pharaoh (with spelling corrected) for that first one who had won the race to the bowl. She agreed but said if I named one, that kitten was mine. Of course, they all wound up being mine after her death, but only Pharaoh was intended as such.

Anyway, last night, I went to the fridge to retrieve myself a drink. I keep the bag of Temptations in the fridge, and I immediately had ample feline attention. They don’t get a treat every time or even every day, but I decided to oblige that time, so I took out the bag and got a handful. I then, per standard policy, scattered that handful on the floor in front of the assembled cats.

Just as I happened to be looking that way, I saw Pharaoh promptly reach out with a front paw and put it over a treat. Out came the other front paw and went on top of another treat. Then Pharaoh ate all off the floor within reach while the other cats did the same, with those two Temptations safely buried. They finished vacuuming the treats up, ambled off, and Pharaoh had the two hidden under the paws for dessert.

Cracked me up. Anybody who says animals don’t think hasn’t been around them enough.

[2DogsFarm]

I have not visited this forum for a while, but was glad I did today & saw your update(s).
Sounds like all is going extremely well for you & your feline crew.

My own 2 cats - Supposed-To-Be-Barncats from a local shelter 3yrs ago this May - are adapting to Life Upstairs.
Where they were relocated from my basement in December for repairs to foundations.

Bounce - who resembles your Ms Willow - has made it known he has no intention of living outdoors. EVER.
He is my BF(eline)F & keeps me company, demanding bellypets & racing me to the BR when he sees me headed for bed.
Still shy with strangers, but there is Hope.

His orange tiger & still-very-feral cohort - Cheeto - is now resident under the daybed in the guestroom that houses their feed & litterboxes.
I have tucked up a corner of the coverlet so he can be seen, but retreat out of sight & his bowl for wet food resides there as well.
I can now talk to him & even reach out for a touch, w/o him squinting in the I Do NOT See You way.
And on the rare occasion, he allows himself to lounge on top the daybed, but adioses if seen.

Sigh… maybe in a month or more he will even venture out of the room?
Eventually I would like to relocate him to the barn, where I believe he’d be happier.
Right now visiting stranger cats are keeping the rodent population in control.

Progress is Glacial, but still Progress. :encouragement:

[dressagetraks]

This morning started out interesting from the git-go. I took a quick shower soon as I got up. It wasn’t daylight yet. I didn’t have the lights on - I never turn lights on in my house unless I truly need them for the current activity to save electricity. Typing, walking around, showering, etc., I can do fine in the dark.

So there I was in the shower in the dark scrubbing away when I dropped the bar of soap. That’s actually the first time I’ve ever done that while showering in the dark. I don’t recommend it. So I was bent over groping around while the waterfall ran on my back. Meanwhile, Solo, the strange ex-feral who actually likes water and who often explores the shower while it is running, was in there. Unlike me, she had no problems seeing in the dark. The only thing more fun for a cat than a loose soap bar in the bottom of the shower is a person waving hands all around.

I retrieved the soap finally and finished up, but we had quite a game going for a bit. I was thinking, if it weren’t for the lack of clothing (and the lack of light), that could have made a great funny video for one of those funny home video shows.

[dressagetraks]

I’ve been moving furniture the last week, trying for a piece a day. I once again have possession of the trailer I bought for Mom way back in 2005, since my brother has moved on to his next phase of life a week ago. That trailer still has much of Mom’s furniture in it. My new house came with a nice starting package of furniture, so I don’t need a lot of it. Many things will be for sale, and I have already given away two pieces to aide clients. However, I’m taking a few pieces, including Mom’s chest and dresser and also anything resembling a bookcase. Mom had several bookcases, and you can never have too many of those.

So I’ve been moving the furniture I want to keep. To move bookcases solo, I use the lawnmower cart, which has been marvelously handy this year in this transition. Below is a shot today of a full-sized bookcase in transit. Valuable supervision was provided by Melody.

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Also, there are two pieces leaving the new house. Mom’s good wooden dresser and chest are heavy, high-quality, older than I am, and have cat-proof drawers. These will be replacing my two Walmart assemble-it-yourself chests which are lighter, flimsier, and do not have cat-proof drawers. So I started the other night moving those two chests back over to my old place to store there until all the furniture to be sold is ready to view. In the interests of multitasking, I tucked a drawer under each arm as I headed out in that direction anyway to feed critters. I deposited the two drawers on the front steps of the old place, made the rounds of the feeding stations, then came back to move them on inside. Meanwhile, Bagheera had staked a claim.
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Finally, Ms. Solo poses on top of Mom’s dresser and beneath my “Cats Welcome, People Tolerated” sign. My stepmom gave me that sign. She found it in a shop and immediately thought of me. I love it.
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[dressagetraks]

Playing with the camera and Cotton at sunset last night.

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[shiloh]

Great pics! I love the colors in the sky in the pic of Cotton looking down.

Love your cat stories. Glad to see all is going well and everyone - esp, you - is happy!

[dressagetraks]

In honor of International Cat Day, here are a few pictures of the pride from this week. They are having an interesting week. I’ve been waiting in line with a construction company to get a nice front porch added with the new house. Wasn’t sure I could swing that at first, wanted to see final figures on getting the house done, so it wasn’t in Phase One, but it turns out I can squeeze it in. However, meanwhile, it got to be construction busy season, so I’ve been waiting.

My number is up this week, and I had a crew yesterday! They put in a very busy first day, and I’ll get them again tomorrow, hopefully to finish. So please keep in mind that what you are seeing is not complete, though I already love it. They are building it well. Also, the front yard is only temporarily looking like this.

But the cats are fascinated. They checked over all the materials from the lumberyard, and then they came out after the men left yesterday to inspect progress.

Cotton, Bagheera, and Rascal, all original Cat Lady cats, inspect the lumber.
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Rascal, left, and Bagheera, right on post, check out the developing but incomplete porch.
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Bagheera and Satin (foreground) and Rascal and Cotton (distance) think that the perspective into the front door has changed. Yes, cats, that was deliberate. All sorts of space between the door and the steps so that you can greet me on solid, level platform. Atticus peeks into the shot at lower right. He’s inside. Door between, and you can see how tightly they leveled that. I told them I wanted it to have enough clearance to open and that was all. Same level inside and out, no step down, not until several feet away.
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[Marla_100]

Oh, you’re cats will LOVE the new porch. Mine hang out on my 2 porches and love it cause even if it rains, they’re dry.
And I think they feel safe on the porches.
Thanks for the update and pics. Sounds like your new place is coming along nicely.