Tag Archives: moving

22

Welcome to the Neighborhood

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Cats Follow Me Into The Front Yard

Herb and Marj had just moved into their new home. They had wanted to move into an inter-species neighborhood with good schools to raise their kittens. After much searching, they thought they had found the perfect place in Whispering Pines. They moved into a nice bungalow that had been owned by a hound couple. They were starting to unpack when they heard a knock at the door. They opened it to find a squirrel standing there.

Talking Squirrel - Apps on Google Play

Harry: Hello folks! Welcome to the neighborhood. I’m Harry, and I live right across the street.

Herb: Hello, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Herb, and this is my wife, Marj.

Harry: The pleasure is mine. I see you bought the Bassetts’ place. Lovely couple. I’m sure you’ll find everything in great shape. They were very happy here.

Marj: It does seem very well-kept. Did they move?

Why Try Catnip On Your Cat? And How It Works. | Preventive Vet

Harry: It was kind of strange. They were such a beautiful couple. One day they were here, the next they were gone. No one guessed that they were running an illegal catnip operation.

Marj: Oh my. What is illegal catnip? You can buy it at any store.

Harry: I don’t really know. This was very high-grade stuff. Sometimes cats would come and you wouldn’t see them come out for hours.

Herb: This used to be a catnip den? For getting blissed out for hours.

Cat | Breeds, Origins, History, Body Types, Senses, Behavior, & Heredity | Britannica

Harry: That’s the rumor. I’m sure they cleaned it up before they sold the place to you.

Herb: What about the clients? Do they know the place has been sold?

Harry: I’m not sure. I wouldn’t worry about it. They all seemed like decent folks.

Marj: I guess we’ll see about that.

How to make your garden hedgehog-friendly

They hear another knock. They open the door to find a hedgehog.

Penelope: Hello. I’m your next-door neighbor, Penelope.

Herb: Hello. It’s very nice to meet you. Is everyone this friendly here?

Penelope: Pretty much so. A few animals were thinking that we should start limiting the number of some of the species, so we don’t end up with too many cats or dogs. But I think that whoever wants to live here should be allowed to live here.

This Hedgehog and Cat make the cutest pair! The Odd Couples

Marj: Some of our neighbors didn’t want cats moving in?

Penelope: Well, it’s nothing personal. I’m sure it will be fine for you.

Marj: No one told us that cats might not be welcome. I thought all species were welcome her.

Harry: Don’t listen to her. She just likes to talk.

Two baby hedgehogs are standing on a ledge, looking at the camera. Scene is playful and cute 49857231 Stock Photo at Vecteezy

There’s a light tapping at the door.

Penelope: That must be Lisette. She’s my sister. She lives over a couple of streets.

Lisette: Hi! I’m Penelope’s sister, Lisette. I wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood.

Marj: Thank you. Do any of you have children? The main reason we moved here was because of the schools.

Domestic cat kittens playing in garden - Stock Image - C041/6994 - Science Photo Library

Lisette: Oh yes. Penny and I both have little ones.

Marj: Oh, that’s wonderful! Where do they play? Is there a park close by?

Penelope: Well, there is a park. But we don’t really spend much time there.

Marj: Why not?

cheetah ready to pounce

Lisette: Some of the bigger animals like to play a game they call “Pounce”. It involves them jumping out at the little ones. We can’t get them to understand that the smaller animals don’t want to feel like prey.

Herb: There should be rules against that.

Lisette: Apparently it’s not against the rules unless they actually jump on someone. It’s rather scary for the little ones.

Herb: I can imagine. Is this a pretty quiet neighborhood?

I hear coyotes howling. Does that mean they have just killed something? - Why do coyotes howl and yip? | Urban Coyote Research

Harry: Oh yes. No one is allowed to make loud noises from sundown to sunrise.

Penelope: Except it only really applies to machines and music.

Marj: What other type of noise would their be?

Lisette: They don’t really think of it as noise, but the canines are allowed to howl whenever they feel the need.

Scared Cats - What to Know and What to Do - Edmonton Vet | Gateway Veterinary Centre

Marj: That sounds rather frightening.

Harry: It’s really not bad once you get used to it.

The animals talk for a while longer before leaving Herb and Marj. After they say their good-byes, Herb and Marj look at each other.

Herb: I wonder if it’s too late to change our minds.

How to Introduce Two Cats: A Step-by-Step Guide for a Peaceful Transition - Perfect Petzzz

Pictures courtesy of Google Images

22

A Tale of Two Tabbies

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Hi everyone! It’s Sgt Stripes. I’m here with one of my favorite tabby cats, Thunder! As you may know, Thunder was a frequent contributor to our blog until recently. I’m here to interview her and find out what’s been going on with her. 

Sgt Stripes: Hi Thunder! Long time, no talk. It’s been pretty quiet with just one tabby around here. 

Thunder: Hey Sarge! It has been a while since I last wrote… a lot has happened in my human’s life, which has affected me greatly. 

Sgt Stripes: So I understand. At least you’re still beautiful… almost as beautiful as me! 

Thunder: Thanks… I think. 

Sgt Stripes: So, what’s been going on? Can you give us an update? 

Thunder: Well, you should know most of it. After all, 3 of my 4 humans ended up with you. 

Sgt Stripes: Yeah, I noticed. I’m willing to keep Blondie, and probably the mini blonde human that gives me pets and tries to feed me. But you can have the other mini human back. He’s loud. And they’re both smelly. I don’t know why you let them touch you. 

Thunder: You get used to it. And you learn where all of the really good hiding spots are. But they also have a lot of stuff that comes in boxes or is good to nap on, so it balances out. 

Sgt Stripes: If you say so. So, what’s been going on? 

Thunder: Well, in September, both of the mini humans had a birthday. They’re kind of like Got You Days, except for the inferior species. And the older one, his birthday went pretty well. But the younger one… 

Sgt Stripes: Went not as well?

Thunder: Exactly. See, they both got cakes baked for them. The cake lasted more than one day, though, so the humans were eating it even after their birthdays. And on one of these days, the oldest mini human was tired, and not in the mood for cake. So he threw it on the ground. 

Sgt Stripes: He does that here sometimes, too. According to Snoops, he never gives anything good though. It’s usually pasta or fruit. 

Thunder: That sounds gross. After he threw the cake on the ground, the big humans started yelling. They yelled mostly at each other. They called it fighting. They’d been fighting a lot, especially over the past year. But I don’t know why they called it fighting when there was no hissing. 

Sgt Stripes: Yeah, humans are weird. 

Thunder: So they fought, and I just thought it was going to be another loud night. But then the next morning, they were still fighting. I tried to sleep through it. Human fights are boring. 

Sgt Stripes: Agreed. Most human activities are. 

Thunder: They went off to work like normal. Usually, when they went to work, they were gone for hours and hours. Sometimes I thought they’d gotten lost at the hospital they worked at. 

Sgt Stripes: It wouldn’t surprise me. Blondie has a horrible sense of direction. 

Thunder: Well, Blondie came home a few hours later. She told the babysitter that she had to take the mini humans and move in with her mom. That she and my human were getting a divorce. 

Sgt Stripes: That must have been the day my world got turned upside down. But I don’t get it. I’d rather have you than the mini humans. So how did I end up with two monsters and no tabbies? 

Thunder: Well, Onyx, Angel, Gypsy, and I were alone that night. And the night after. Apparently you live pretty far from me. Like, it would take hours to walk. It almost takes a full hour to drive. 

Sgt Stripes: That’s a long time to be stuck in a car. 

Thunder: Yeah. Well, a few days later, she came back with her brother (I think he’s your human). And she got Onyx, Angel, and even Gypsy. But she left me all alone. I was very sad. And lonely. And I wasn’t sure what was going on. 

Sgt Stripes: Yeah, she made the wrong choice. I think I’d like you better than at least Angel. And we could play Pounce! 

Thunder: Ooh, yeah. I love playing! But, as I’m sure you know, she didn’t take me. It turns out that I had to go with my human, and the other 3 had to go with their human (Gypsy didn’t really have a human, but the mini blonde human is really attached to Angel, and Blonde is really, really attached to Onyx). 

. 

Sgt Stripes: Well, if Gypsy didn’t have a human, couldn’t you two have stayed together? 

Thunder: No, there are… outside factors… that prohibited her from staying with me. 

Sgt Stripes: Is it her dilute coat? Snoops says that should disqualify her from being a calico. 

Thunder: No. It’s worse than that. I had to move in with two dogs.

Sgt Stripes: Dogs? Really? You poor thing!

Thunder: Yes, it’s been traumatic. Apparently, my human had to move in with his stepmother. And she has two dogs that have been here forever. The only good thing is, I get total run of the basement. 

Sgt Stripes: Well, that’s a bonus. But why did you stop writing? While I certainly don’t mind being the star tabby, I’m sure that people miss you. 

Thunder: And I miss them. But my publisher was Blondie, and she’s gone. She doesn’t even stop by to get new photos of me. 

Sgt Stripes: Speaking of that, Mr Google thinks you and I are the same cat. We should really talk to him. 

Thunder: Yeah, my tail is far superior. But without contact with Blondie, there’s no real opportunities for me to write for the blog anymore. 

Sgt Stripes: Oh. That’s sad, but that makes sense. Do you miss it? 

Thunder: Sometimes. I liked the people. And it was fun. 

Sgt Stripes: Well, maybe every so often, we can Zoom and do an interview. I like Zoom! 

Thunder: That would be pawsome! 

Sgt Stripes: Well, thank you for your time. Keep being beautiful, and I sure we’ll talk again in the future. 

Thunder: Thank you, Sarge. Keep the pawsome purrsonality.

Can you tell who is who?

25

Who’s Our New Neighbor?

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Image result for rich cat

Everyone was excited in Calico Corners, an exclusive subdivision of mainly executives in the food industry. It sounded like they finally had a buyer for the Foster property. It had been empty since Suzy Moggy-Foster had been reassigned to the research facility in Paraguay.

It was unusual for the house to still be on the market since it was an extremely desirable location, and houses often sold before they could be listed on the market. Many cats wondered if it had something to do with Suzy’s rather odd hobby of breeding and selling muskrats.

Image result for muskrat

Suzy’s replacement was an outsider who really didn’t understand the business. Luckily, he and the company decided it wasn’t working out before he had bought a house. They had no idea who would hire a Rottweiler to be lead taste tester over a team of cats.

It had been four months and the neighbors were really hoping someone would buy it. It was annoying to have those real estate people in the neighborhood. And some of their client cats tromped through the gardens as if they owned the place. Those cats would never fit in at Calico Corners.

Image result for cat and gardens

Now it looked like it had been sold to someone. Cielle Calico, heiress to the family who had started the company, told the head of the private school, Tracie Tuxie, to expect some new students. Cielle wasn’t sure how many, but probably 10-12.

The cats were appalled. What type of cat family had that many kittens? Didn’t they know it was bad manners to have more than one litter with all the overpopulation issues? In fact, some couples were choosing not to have kittens at all.

Image result for tabby cat

At the homeowners’ association meeting, the cats wanted answers.

Tammy Tabby: Is it true that you finally sold the Foster house?

Cielle: Yes, we did. And they’re lovely animals.

Sammy Shorthair: What do they do?

Image result for cats and construction

Cielle: The tom owns a construction business and he’s opening a branch here.

Frankie Forest: What breed of cat are they?

Cielle: I’m not really sure. I’m working with a broker.

Frankie: Well, where are they coming from?

Image result for african cats

Cielle: Somewhere in Africa.

Tammy: Wow. That’s a long way. It will be exciting to have such interesting neighbors.

Sammy: I can guarantee that they’ll have short fur like me. When are they moving in.?

Cielle: As soon as we have their property ready.

Image result for cats new house move

Tammy: What are you doing to it?

Cielle hesitated.

Cielle: We’re taking out all of the grass and bringing in extra dirt.

Image result for cats in dirt

Frankie: What? We don’t want that in our neighborhood. Do you have any idea what that’s going to look like? It’ll ruin the appeal of the entire subdivision.

Morrie Manx: That’s for sure. Exactly what type of cats are these?

Image result for curious cat meme

Next week: The new neighbors move in.

 Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

11

I Don’t Remember it Like That

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We dropped our daughter off at college last Sunday. I’d always heard that it would be like a flashback to my own college days. I guess you could call it that.

She is going to a much smaller place than I did. There was no mistaking where you were going at the University of Michigan. Or when you got there. Or the thousands of people around wherever you wanted to be.

This place is in a residential area not far from where I grew up. There is no real signage except on the freeway right below. The freeway that has been closed for construction for the summer and will be until November.

No problem, right? You grew up there. True enough. We found the school with no trouble. And a parking lot. Was it the right parking lot? It had to be – it was the only one near the dorm. Yep – one parking lot, one dorm. No rushing memories yet.

We went inside. While she registered, we sat on a sofa. There were a few other kids filling out paperwork. No pandemonium. No feeling of being lost in a crowd. Hmmmmm. I was channeling high school more than college.

But wait. Something did feel familiar. Ahhh – a large building in the late summer with no air conditioning. The strange mustiness of a building that has been unoccupied for several months and is now full of sweating people.

Paperwork done, we went to the third floor. Where she had to talk to another person. She got a checklist for the current room condition. Once she filled out the form, she could have her key. I just had to identify myself and get a key. One point for large bureaucracy.

We went down the hallway and found her room. The girl at the end of the hall said it was open. It was not. Luckily her roommate was on the other side of the closed door. As we waited at the door, I noticed the girls in the room across the hall watching us. Open doors, people watching. That’s familiar. A little creepy, but familiar.

The room looks a lot like the one I had. But smaller. Dorm rooms are not known for their spaciousness, but this was the smallest double I had seen at any school. I swear that the girls could lay on their beds, hold out their arms and touch each other. I thought private schools were supposed to be more luxurious than the public ones. I guess this is part of the reason hers isn’t particularly expensive.

The roommate did remind me of some of the girls I knew in the dorm. Very sweet. And very aware of the strategic advantages of being the first to the room. Her side of the room was totally decorated. She had two rugs which covered two-thirds of the room. (In her defense, I don’t think they make rugs for half a room that size.)

The closets are on her side of the room, next to each other. Next to her desk. She took the one that is closest to my daughter’s side. It’s more easily accessible. The sink is on my daughter’s side. She took all the jewelry hooks she needed.

Actually I understand all of that. Don’t appreciate it. But I understand. The girl has never shared space with a stranger before. She doesn’t realize that parents can turn feral in defense of their offspring.

But that wasn’t the strangest part. Trying to make conversation, I asked about pictures she had pinned up of a dog and a bunny. I knew the dog was her pet. What about the bunny? She said they owned a rabbit farm. Some rabbits were pets and some were for sale.

This one? He was for sale. You have a picture of a rabbit you ate? Yes. That’s strange. OK, he can be a pet. So you are a little sick putting up a picture of a meal-to-be or you think you can freak me out by telling me your family raises rabbits for sale. Either way, I’m glad I’m not your mother.

We finally brought the stuff up. In the hot, humid weather. They had handcarts, but most of the people didn’t bother to take them back down when they were done. So it was an obstacle course. Did I mention the hallways were also strangely narrow for a dorm?

Downstairs I held a door open for a couple of guys with a sofa. It was the second one they brought in. Some of the people in my dorm built lofts for their beds and used the room as social space. With the size of the rooms and the size of the sofas, I’m guessing these guys have a very intimate social circle.

Sweaty guys. Tired, frustrated parents. Embarrassed, nervous students. They were right. It was beginning to remind me of college.