Tag Archives: playing

27

Edgar Mouse’s Christmas Adventure

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 Christmas mouse Cute mouse with christmas gift mouse celebrating christmas | Premium AI-generated image

Edgar Mouse was very excited. He was going to visit his sister Polly for Christmas. He was a field mouse, but Polly had moved into town and was now a house mouse. She was renting space in a multi-species dwelling. There was a strict no-intimidation, no-eating policy among the residents.

Woodland Trust🌳 on X: "The yellow-necked #mouse (Apodemus flavicollis) can be easily confused with the more common wood mouse. It is a #woodland species, particularly common in #AncientWoodland, and can be found

Several of the residents were having friends and family stop by for the holidays, so Polly gave Edgar directions directly to her space to ensure there wouldn’t be any problems with the other guests. As Edgar got near, he tried to remember what she had said.

“Hmm. I know there was something about direction. Was it Go to the west, that’s always best? or Avoid the beast. Go to the east? or Dragon’s mouth is in the South? No, that one’s silly. She doesn’t live with dragons. I don’t remember. Now what should I do?

Eating cute little mouse | One of these cute and tiny mice e… | Flickr

Edgar walked around the house, looking in the windows. He didn’t see Polly anywhere. There was a big front door. That couldn’t possibly be right. He wandered around a bit more. Something smelled delicious. He was so preoccupied with the smell that he didn’t notice the small crack in the wall.

“That must be what I’m looking for! It’s perfectly mouse-sized. I’ll just sneak in and surprise Polly.”

The real-life Tom and Jerry: Captured mouse stands his ground and hits cat back in 10-minute battle before escaping

Edgar squeezed into the crack. To his surprise, it opened up into a large dining room. He sat on his haunches for a couple of minutes looking around. What was that delicious aroma? Something was baking. He started to follow the smell. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his tail. He looked back and was horrified to see a rather large tabby cat with its paw on his tail.

The Tabby was looking at Edgar and grinning.

Cat Playing with Mouse - Interactive Scene | AI Art Generator | Easy-Peasy.AI

“Hello, mouse. Would you like to play?”

Edgar shook his head, terrified. The cat let him go. He ran away, but was cornered by a tortie. This cat batted at him a couple of times, but didn’t really seem interested in hurting him. The tabby picked him up in his mouth and looked around. Edgar squirmed and the cat let him go.

10 Facts About Cats and Mice

For several minutes, the two cats and Edgar “played.” He was looking for an escape. Every time Edgar tried to run, one of the cats would put a paw on him. They never hurt him, but Edgar was terrified. Finally, he hid under a cabinet and tried to figure out how to escape. The cats had him cornered there.

Blog - Richmond, VA Homeowners' Complete Guide To House Mice

Suddenly, the big door opened. The cats were distracted, and Edgar raced out the door. Finally, he was safe again. But where was Polly? He looked around, afraid to approach the house again. He heard someone calling his name.

“Edgar! Edgar! Where are you?”

Edgar: Polly! Is that you?

Rodent Exclusion with Hulett Environmental Services

Polly: Oh my goodness, Edgar! I was so worried. Are you okay?

Edgar: Polly! I’m so glad I found you. I had a terrible adventure. There were two cats who had me trapped.

Polly: You’re lucky you got out. My place is on the other side of the house. The cat I live with heard what was going on. He’s the one who opened the door so you could escape.

Winter Rodents | Dobby the Capybara

Edgar: You live with a cat?

Polly: Oh, yes. There are a couple of cats, a family of guinea pigs, a capybara, and a gorilla. There’s also a Bernese Mountain Dog who watches over us all,

Edgar: Will I be safe there?

Christmas Mouse with Bauble Decoration Festive Rodent Celebrating the Holiday Season | Premium AI-generated image

Polly: Absolutely. Just follow me. Like I said, “west is best”. If we go in the west door, my space is just inside.

Edgar followed her in. It was very cozy. After all the excitement, he was very tired and took a long nap before meeting the rest of the housemates. They welcomed him, and Edgar had a very enjoyable Christmas.

Christmas Kittens | Cat christmas cards, Merry christmas cat, Merry christmas pictures

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

20

Cats and Spring Fever

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It’s been a very weird winter here in Southeast Michigan. The humans here have hardly complained about the weather at all. Not much snow and warmer than usual temperatures for the most part. It doesn’t really matter all that much to us cats, although no melted snow on the carpeting has been nice.

Unfortunately, it hasn’t been warm enough for the humans to hang out outside, so we’ve been cooped up with the toddlers for weeks. I think they might be getting on everyone’s nerves. Mom’s been talking about something called Spring Fever. We thought she was just making up a name for being grumpy, so we looked it up on Mr Google.

Turns out it’s really a thing that some humans get. The symptoms are:

  • Feeling energetic – That would be a good thing. More playtime for us and earlier breakfast on the weekends
  • Sleeping less – More time for cuddles.
  • Eating lighter – Hmm. We hope that doesn’t mean less meat. Most of the rest of what she eats is disgusting.
  • Smiling and happy feelings – That would be a nice change. She’s been kinda grumpy lately.
  • Desire to get in shape – Don’t really see that happening.
  • Feeling of romance – Better not happen. There’s already too many humans around here.
  • Taking up new hobbies – Maybe she could learn how to make homemade cat food. That would be cool
  • Scatterbrained and unfocused – Not sure we’d be able to tell.
  • Urge to spring clean – Doesn’t really sound like her.
  • Sense of Claustrophobia – Why would she want to leave the house? We’re in it.

Okay. It might not be a bad thing if Mom got Spring Fever. Then we began to wonder if we could get Spring Fever too. Of course, since humans are so fascinated with us kitties, some have studied this. And we can get Spring Fever!

It’s a little different in cats than in humans. Here are our top common behaviors when the weather gets warmer:

Increased Activity – Generally speaking, we become more active and energetic in the spring. We are more prone to zoomies. And we like to spend more time playing and exploring. Part of that may be because there is more sunlight. And warmer temperatures mean we don’t have to spend energy keeping warm.

Interest in the Outdoors – Even us indoor cats enjoy the outdoors more in the spring. There’s more stuff to look at out the windows. And spring is the beginning of catio season. Some of us kitties even like to go out on leashes or harnesses. (In our neighborhood, it’s not safe to be outside alone. The road is busy and we have coyotes and raptors.)

Increased Grooming – Most of us do more grooming in the spring. We have to clean up the loose furs from losing our winter coats. And we want our warm-weather fur to look spiffy.

Vocalization – Some kitties like to talk more in the warmer weather. We’re just so excited to see the world coming back to life outside.

Playfulness – We generally feel more energetic in the sun than in the cold gloom of winter. Pouncing is a lot more popular this time of year. We also sometimes want more attention from our humans. Mom says she’s not sure she has more attention to give. We’ll have to test her.

Territorial Behavior – New season, time to re-establish boundaries. We may increase our scratching and rubbing against objects. Some of our less well-mannered brethren may even spray to mark their territory. We would like to remind them that it is really only acceptable as an outside activity. We prefer the tactic of taking a spot and refusing to move.

Changes in Eating Habits – All that increased activity can lead to an increased appetite. And the sight of prey outside can make us hungry too (even if we can’t get out to eat it).

We admit that we have never paid enough attention to tell whether we get Spring Fever? Have any of you experienced it?

15

Sgt Stripes: I am Not the Crepuscular One Anymore

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Sgt Stripes here. When I moved in a year and a half ago, Mom used to complain that I got up too early. Every morning, I’d want to get her up at dawn. I was the first cat she had who had lived outside, and I was a hunter. Our feline ancestors hunted at dawn and dusk because of our ability to see well in low light. That’s called being crepuscular (cool word, huh?). It let them sneak up on their prey. Then they’d sleep during the day. I was just following the call of my tribe.

Mom solved a lot of the conflict by having a cat tree in the east window of our bedroom. It let me survey my domain and got rid of a lot of the zoomies. I also discovered that my human brother had a tree outside his window that was really good for cat TV. The three of us got into a pretty good rhythm.

Then Gypsy moved in. That cat is WILD. As soon as it is anywhere near light, she’s racing around the room jumping on things. She jumps on everything – the night table, the jewelry stand, the bed, the armoire. I thought it was obnoxious when she stole my side of the bed. She was NOT getting my tree. So I hang out in my tree, and she races all over the room (including Mom).

I started feeling bad for Mom because Gypsy wakes her up almost every morning. I thought that I would ask Mr. Google how to handle the problem. Mr. Google was not particularly useful in my opinion. Here is what I found:

Play Before Bed – It says you can use up all your cat’s energy by playing before going to sleep. Our human brother plays with us almost every night. I sleep nicely; she’s still racing around. I guess we need to get her a gym membership or something. Maybe she could do cat yoga.

Ignore the Behavior – I wonder how long that’s supposed to take. Mom doesn’t get up or play with her. She just lays there. It hasn’t worked so far. Although I have noticed that Mom is sleeping right on the edge of the bed so she can’t get in her face anymore.

Offer a Meal Before Bedtime –  We get a bowl of kibble to share right before bed. And we have a running fountain of water. The food is supposed to direct our energy toward digestion instead of running around. Also, we’re less likely to wake Mom up wanting food if we’ve already eaten. Maybe she needs to give us a different kind of food. More protein. I haven’t had a vole or field mouse since I came inside.

Don’t Let the Cat in the Bedroom – NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. We all share the bedroom. I am not going to lose access to my bedroom because some other cat can’t control herself. And I don’t want to be locked in either. The door needs to stay open.

Keep the Cat Awake Longer – The human is supposed to keep the cat from taking naps in the late afternoon or evening. That’s crazy. Cats rule. We nap when we want to nap. What are they going to do? Take a stick and poke us to keep us awake?

Keep the Cat Entertained While the Human is Away – I kind of like this idea. They suggest leaving the TV on for us (maybe a nature show). Or using feeding puzzles or smart bowls to make mealtimes more fun. I think they should give us tablets or smart phones so we can order our own treats and games.

Be Patient – Most cats can adapt to sleeping through the night. The human has to be patient. NEVER punish the cat – cats don’t understand cause and effect according to Mr Google. (We’re not going to tell him any different.) I’m not too sure about the patience thing though. Gypsy’s a lot older than me. I would have thought she’d be better at waiting for Mom to wake up.

I hope Gypsy calms down soon. Mom gets grumpy when she doesn’t get enough sleep.

17

Sgt Stripes: The Male Purrspective

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Hi folks, it’s Sergeant Stripes!  Last week, you all heard a very interesting story from my new housemate Onyx.  I’m here now to offer my purrspective.  Let me begin by saying I’m very flattered, but I really was just trying to be nice to both my new housemates.  I’m not madly in love with anyone. 

For starters, Onyx stole my room.  Mom explained that it’s because she’s a poor kitty with no place else to go, so we have to be nice, but I used to have four bedrooms, and now I’m down to two, maybe three.  It depends on whether you count the one Mom shares with me, since I also have to share it with Gypsy now.  And don’t get me wrong, she’s a nice kitty… when she’s not hissing and swiping at me for getting too close to her.  I think she might still be holding how we met against me.  

I didn’t mean to scare anyone, I just really like playing pounce.  And Onyx and Gypsy were playing along too, because their eyes got really huge and they tried to run away, just like they were actually prey!  Or, uh, that’s what I thought.  Mom told me they were actually scared I was trying to eat them.  Like I would forget the most important house rule (No eating family members.).  Um, again.  [Editor’s Note: This is something of a recurring problem for Sarge.  Poor George still has nightmares. Sometimes he has trouble editing the pictures.]  

But anyway, that’s why I was trying to make up for it by being extra nice to the two new kitties!  Because even if I’m not entirely sure why they have to get my bedrooms (And my litter box.  And my humans.  And my kibble!), I know we need to be good hosts.  So I started spending more time with both of the new arrivals.  I didn’t think Onyx would take it the way she did, especially after she got so mad when I tried to share her food (that’s why I stopped spending time with her).  I didn’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings.  

That’s why I’ve decided that Onyx and Gypsy should both be allowed to spend  as much time as they want with me!  I’m bigger than both of them, so if they want to, they can both cuddle with me at the same time.  I’m not sure about romance just yet, but I do want to make friends.  Right now, nobody wants to play pounce with me.  And Gypsy doesn’t always share my cool Christmas blankie with me.  But I figure we can all be friends, we just got off on the wrong paw.  

Mom says that they were more territorial because they didn’t have four bedrooms where they came from.  Actually, Gypsy didn’t even have one.  So I guess I get why I have to share.  I can’t even really use all four bedrooms at once, so it’s not that big a deal.  Although I wouldn’t have minded a housewarming vole.  I figure if I’m extra nice and we all get along, then they won’t mind sharing with me, and I can get my beds back.  Even if I don’t, two beds isn’t really a bad deal for two new playmates!  

And Gypsy can be a really fun playmate.  Even when we’re not playing pounce, we do have a lot of common interests, like shredding toilet paper.  She found a roll that the humans left out, and it was just like when I first got here–they still haven’t gotten all the shreds picked up!  She also has really good taste in kibble.  She also likes wet food though, which I think is kind of weird.  But it does mean that I get treats while she gets her wet food!  

Onyx has been tougher to get close to.  She got really hung up over when I shared her treats.  It wasn’t my fault she didn’t get any, she was just too slow!  …I guess I should say sorry about that one.  I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings Onyx, and I agree that creamy dairy treats, fluffy blankets, and jingly balls are the best.  I hope you’ll come out and play with us soon, and you can bat around my jingly silvervine ball!  It’s awesome.  Then all three of us could hang out, and that would be awesome, too.  

15

Snoops: A Day in the Life

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Hello Everyone. It’s me, Snoops. Since Kommando Kitty and Sgt Stripes have been writing posts, I thought you might be interested in learning a little bit more about me. After all, I am senior cat and chief defender of hearth and home around here. I am head mouser and Kommando’s protector. Here’s what my average day looks like:

 

Early Morning

Long before it’s light, I’m up and on the job. The early hours are the prime time for mousing around here. The best place to find them is the pantry. They love the chocolate chips and nuts that Mom keeps for baking. She finally got smart and started putting those things in plastic containers, but the mice still hang around that part of the pantry. I also need to patrol the study and dining room on a daily basis.

I usually leave the mice for Mom and Human Brother (HB). They are TERRIBLE hunters. They think it’s a sign of affection, but I really am trying to keep them from starving. Kommando is also bad at hunting; she thinks mice are toys. Everyone once in a while, I’ll snack on one, but the food is pretty good here.

Morning

Eventually, I hear Mom moving around upstairs. I am not pleased that I no longer have full run of the house. I wish they would finish training Sgt Stripes. The last time he got downstairs, I had to bop him on the head to keep him in line. He runs around like he owns the place.

After what seems like forever, she finally comes downstairs. I jump on the table for morning cuddles then wait for breakfast. She found some new food, that is better than I expected. We’d been eating the old stuff for YEARS and were so bored. Then I join her at the breakfast table for more pets and cuddles before work. She’s pretty well trained. Sometimes I have to share the space with Kommando Kitty. Luckily HB is usually there and can do some of the cuddles.

Right before Mom leaves for work, we get treats. Kommando is really pushy, so she always gets hers first. That’s okay, because she only eats them part of the time. So I get double treats a lot of the time. Sometimes HB leaves after Mom, but he works really weird hours so it seems like he’s around a lot.

Days

HB usually goes upstairs after Mom leaves. So I sometimes chase Kommando around a little bit, but most of the time I settle in for a nice nap. This time of year is great because there are a lot of sun puddles. It hasn’t been really hot in Michigan, so it is very pleasant.

Eventually HB comes back downstairs. Usually to work in the kitchen. Mom says he’s a really good cook, but I’m not sure I agree. Once in a while, he makes tuna and shares with us. That’s really pawsome. But most of the time, his food is revolting. Lots of beans and non-meat stuff. If he does make chicken or fish, you usually can’t find it because of the other stuff he mixes in. I always have to supervise; I keep hoping he’s going to surprise us.

Sometimes HB cleans. That’s not much fun. He’s really loud and moves stuff all over. I have to watch my tail. And his feet. He has almost stepped on me. On the bright side, he usually finds missing toys. I don’t really like to supervise cleaning. I usually look for a place to hide. If he doesn’t vacuum, I can nap or play with Kommando. She’s a good sister – not great – but good.

Days are usually a combination of snacking, napping, bird/wildlife watching, playing with or without Kommando, and supervising the human.

Evenings

Mom gets home around dinner time. Since HB cooks, we wait at the table with her. We help her read email and respond to messages. I don’t know how she’d get anything done without us. Between the three of us (Mom, Kommando, and me), we take up the whole side of the table.

We usually hang around while they eat. I’m not sure why. Like I said, most of the food is barely edible. But I don’t want to take a chance on missing something. Every once in a while, there’s a baked fish in the middle of all of the beans and greens. And chicken shows up fairly often. Besides, they’d be lonely without us.

After dinner, we all hang out in the living room. I usually sit with HB, and Kommando sits with Mom. The humans read or do computer stuff. Sometimes they watch TV. I don’t really like TV, but it does leave their hands free for petting. I usually nap for a while.

Nights

After they go upstairs, I’ll nap for a while longer. Then it’s snack time again. Then more napping before it’s time to wake up for another day.

21

What’s Worse Than a New Cat in the House?

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Cute Photos of Cats and Babies Sure to Steal Your Heart

Greetings, everyone. We, Snoops and Kommando Kitty, are welcoming our new brother Sgt Stripes to the blog because we are all in a terrible situation this weekend. We have been overrun by two small (13 months and 2 years), loud children. And we are not happy.

Snoops here. They arrived Thursday, and nothing seemed out of place. Our human sister brings them over once in a while. They stick around for a few hours, make a lot of noise, smell weird, and then go home. Then our sister and her husband left, but the rugrats stayed. I was pleasant and didn’t run away, but one of them tried to touch me. I am now watching from a distance.

Sgt Stripes reporting. I had a terrible night. The way it usually works is that I have the run of the upstairs house during the day. Then the humans spend time with me at night before I go to my room and Kommando (and maybe Snoops) sleeps with Mom. Last night, they brought up these two creatures. I’ve never seen anything like them before. I guess they’re miniature humans. But the one tried to CHASE me.

Cats That Think They Are The Masters At Hiding - I Can Has Cheezburger?

I was terrified. I love cuddling with the big humans, and have no problem letting them pick me up. But this creature was trying to grab me! And he was making a lot of noise. I hid under the bed. Later, the bigger one started crying. A lot. There was no way I was coming out. After they were finally asleep, the humans coaxed me out. But I refused to go in my room. That’s where they tried to grab me. At least they slept for a long time. They went back downstairs in the morning. But I think they’ll be back tonight.

Kommando here. Today was even worse than yesterday. Mom had them in the kitchen while she was doing the dishes. The little one unplugged our fountain and dumped the water. Mom didn’t think he could get to the cord. Now we have to drink out of a bowl until they leave. Our kibble and wet food can’t sit on the floor right now either unless we are being fed. One of them tried to eat it. When the little humans visit, their parents usually put a fence in place to keep them out of the kitchen. But the fence keeps me out too. (I’m not really a jumper.)

I tried to get cuddles while Mom was watching TV. But that little human was on the sofa with her. And he PETTED me. It was very traumatic. Now I’m with Snoops watching them from a distance.

Lolcats - tail - LOL at Funny Cat Memes - Funny cat pictures with words on them - lol | cat memes | funny cats | funny cat pictures with words on

We’re not sure how long they’re staying. Mom says a couple more days. That is a long time. Our eating is messed up. And our bedtime routines are scrambled. Mom says they’re trying to be friendly because they have kitties of their own. We’ve heard stories that our cousins Angel and Thunder even let them touch their tails. Not gonna happen here.

We don’t have much experience with small humans, but they smell even worse than big humans. Maybe because they’re down here on the ground with us. And sometimes they make a lot of noise. Mom tries to keep them quiet and entertained, but sometimes it doesn’t work and they cry. Really loud.

We thought it was tough trying to get used to other cats. This is a whole different animal.

40 Funny Grumpy Cat Memes

Pictures courtesy of Google Images

16

Tales from a Curvy Kitty

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Today’s post comes courtesy of Angel, sister to Thunder and Onyx, who have both posted here. She lives with our human sister. Purrs, Snoops and Kommando Kitty

Greetings everyone, big and small, furry and not furry! I’m Angel Katt, and I’m often called a big kitty (or, as the vet very rudely said, a “really, quite overweight cat”). A little while ago, my human was complaining about the lack of affordable clothing and accessory options available for her size (she has the opposite problem of me- she’s small, much like Thunder). As I kept listening to her whine and whine, I realized that she- and many others- have no idea how difficult it is to be a plus sized kitty in a small cat’s world. From toys to litter boxes, and beds to the size of food cans, we face a daily struggle that’s practically unspoken about. However, I am here to enlighten you to my- and many other kitties- plight. 

I’d say my biggest purrsonal issue is the struggle with cuddling. I happen to love snuggling up on a nice warm lap, and soaking in the attention that is owed to me. But at 15 pounds, I often feel too heavy for my humans to keep me on them long- and, on top of that, all of my weight is concentrated into a short body, so I find it difficult to position myself comfortably. The mini humans try, but I weigh the same as one, and am only 5 pounds lighter than the second one. So they usually settle for chewing on or yanking my tail, which is not the relaxing cuddle that I seek. 

Big kitties come with big paws; little kitties come with little paws. Unfortunately, toy manufacturers seem to see cat toys as a “one size fits all” product. While there are some larger cat toys (I have a crinkly carrot that’s made for kicking, and several large stuffed fish to chase), I’ve noticed the rest of our toys are designed with smaller cats in mind. Every mousie, ball, and red dot just disappears under my paw. I would love to see a wider selection of Angel-sized toys (excluding kick toys, since those are big enough for me) grace the shelves. 

We have a cat tree that is absolutely great! There are dangly balls to swat, high perches to sit on, and scratching posts to destroy. There are also two cubbies. One is a tight squeeze. The other one I can’t fit into, and it makes me really sad when I see my sister’s curling up in them, and I can’t. The cat tree isn’t the only issue; we have another hideout that has the exact same issue. Really, how hard would it be for the creators of these toys to create the hideaways just a little bigger, so kitties of all sizes can enjoy them?

One of my favorite spots to sit is a criss-crossed cardboard perch that fits perfectly in a prime sunspot. It’s infused with catnip, I can scratch it without repercussions, and it’s so comfortable to nap on. Sadly, though, I find my humans needing to replace it monthly. Mom (finally) read the label, and realized that the maximum weight was 12 pounds- how disappointing! And she couldn’t find one made for higher weights, which just seems rude to me. But that’s not the only perch that’s prone to upset big kitties. When searching for a window perch, Mom kept finding them easily for cats under 15 pounds, she was harder pressed to find an affordable perch for big kitties! So I have to either watch my weight, which would involve dieting (and Thunder’s disgusting “lettuce”), or I have to risk breaking the perch and hurting myself. How horrible are those choices? Hopefully the future cats won’t have to find out! 

Have you seen the size of a can of wet food? It’s abysmal! I’m not sure how any cat can survive on one of those per day (although I do have 24/7 access to dry kibble), let alone a cat who requires more intake! I conducted an independent study one night, and for the sake of health and science, managed to bring myself to eat not only my nightly can of food, but also Onyx’s and Thunder’s! I came to the conclusion that 3 cans was barely enough- 4 really would have been better. Unfortunately, since I can’t seem to convince anyone of this logic, I’ll have to hope that some merciful canner takes mercy on us larger cats and makes a can of food sized accordingly. 

Litter boxes have several rules: keep them clean. Put them in a private area. Make sure each cat has their own. And make sure the box is big enough for the cat. I will admit, larger litter boxes are fairly common. But, there is definitely a surplus of small and medium sized boxes in comparison. The larger box costs quite a bit more, which doesn’t seem fair to me (after all, we all need bathrooms). And, to rub salt into the wound, they don’t even feature big kitties in the photo on the label- they use a cute, little kitty! Litter box equality has proven to be a real struggle. 

Every cat should have a nice, thick, warm bed that they can come back to nap after nap. A bed that, like the pillows humans sleep with, will fluff itself up and provide comfort and support. Sadly, I have found that my beds start to sag and lose their firmness within a year. A dent forms and keeps sinking deeper, eventually making it so that the bed is more of a nuisance than a luxury. Purrsonally, I would love to see a wide cat bed made with extra thick, super durable layers of foam and fleece, perfect for larger cats to enjoy throughout the years. This would avoid the disappointment of finding a great bed, then saying goodbye to it because it lost shape due to being unable to support the weight of its kitty user. 

Physical activity is an important part of each cat’s day. We run, jump, pounce, and leap. We hunt hard, and knead our humans. We climb and chase, and scratch and stalk. Being bigger makes these activities more tasking. I run out of breath and have to take more frequent breaks. There are some corners that my toys get wedged in that I can’t access, and then my toy is lost until Mom notices or Thunder steals it out. I’m prone to wheezing after wrestling with Thunder. And I land my jumps very hard and loud, which totally ruins the stealth in hunting (I’ve lost several red dots this way)! I also notice that things I jump on move or break easier, depending on the height of my jump or what angle I land it at. Although I’m considered to be an overall healthy kitty cat, I definitely notice some struggles with physical activity.

I would like to take a moment to say that all cats are beautiful. All body shapes are beautiful. Even if the vet is a meanie, big kitties and small kitties are both beautiful. However, there are some struggles that large kitties face. In my case, it’s because I’m a Scandinavian breed of cat, not because of my eating habits. But still, day in and day out I face hardships due to my size. Still, I wouldn’t change for anything- I’ll just figure out a way to have everything change for me! Big kitties, keep being pawsome- there’s plenty of love to go around!

25

Our View of Winter

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Snoops and Kommando Kitty here. We have been wracking our brains trying to come up with a winter-friendly post. We live in Michigan, where it is cold for several months each year. Usually it’s snowy too. And gray. We’re indoor kitties, so this is not our favorite time of year.

We can’t use our catio:

20+ Photos Proving That Cats and Snow Are Not Meant for Each Other / Bright Side

Cat TV is really bad most of the time:

Cat Standing In The Snow | Know Your Meme

The humans track in snow and cold:

Quickly! Back in the House! - Lolcats - lol | cat memes | funny cats | funny cat pictures with words on them | funny pictures | lol cat memes | lol cats

And it gets cold inside sometimes (by our standards):

Baby it's cold outside... Click the Photo For More Adorable and Cute Cat Videos and Photos #cutecats #cats #kittens #catv… | Cute baby cats, Baby cats, Pretty cats

All in all, we really don’t like winter:

44+] Cats in Snow Wallpaper on WallpaperSafari

That said, we know that some cats adapt rather well to the weather. We found a few activities that you might try if you are one of those outdoorsy types.

Playing catch:

Fur Laughs: Watch Funny Cats Versus Snow In Winter [VIDEOS] - CatTime

Building a snow cat:

Live cats pose with neighborhood snow cat - The Columbian

Skiing:

Watch Taddy the Cat Nail Some Nasty Snowboard Tricks - Nerdist

Sledding:

Dog Pulls Cat Around In Sled...And The Cat LOVES It - Videos - The Dodo

Mountain-climbing:

This Alberta cat loves to ski, paddle or 'meow-taineer' with his human | CBC News

We hope that all of you are enjoying your winters. We’re kinda hanging out, getting extra snuggles, and waiting for spring.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images (except us)

21

Snoops and Kommando Chat about Cats

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Online School for Cats Soon to be a Reality - Learning Liftoff

Greetings from Snoops and Kommando Kitty. Mom hasn’t been feeling well, so she said we could take over the blog this week. Unfortunately, it’s been really boring around here lately so we don’t have anything to talk about either. So we went to Mr. Google and asked about fun cat facts.

We found some interesting stuff. The information below is from https://www.quizbeez.com/blog/52-cats-fun-facts and https://laffgaff.com/cat-trivia-questions-answers/.

What Is The Name For A Group Of Cats? - Tuxedo Cat

Approximately 25% of American households “own” a cat.

A group of cats is called a clowder.

A group of kittens is called a kindle.

Can You Send A Cat In The Mail? – Catstourguide

If a human killed a cat in ancient Egypt, they could be put to death.

Félicette was the first cat launched into space (as part of the French space program in 1963). She returned safely to earth.

In the 1870’s a town in Belgium had cats deliver the mail. They put the mail in waterproof pouches around the cat’s neck and sent the cats out. It was not successful.

Kittens Cats Group Of - Free photo on Pixabay

A cat’s nose print is a unique identifier.

The house cat shares 96% of her DNA with the tiger.

Cats have 230 bones in their bodies. (Humans have 206.)

All kittens are born with blue eyes.

Kittens from the same litter can have different fathers.

Someone slept too long and wrinkled her whiskers. - ) | Cat memes, Funny animal pictures, Dog memes

Trimming a cat’s whiskers will cause it to become disoriented. They help the cat determine whether a space is big enough to fit in and how far to jump to reach a certain spot.

Cats can either purr or roar. They cannot do both. Only the jaguar, leopard (except snow leopard), lion, and tiger can roar.

The average house cat can run up to 30 miles per hour (48 kph). Human athletes top out at about 27 mph.

How to Tell if a Cat is Smart | PetMD

Cats teeth can stab, anchor, and cut. But they cannot chew.

Cats cannot detect as many colors as humans. But they are far superior at detecting motion. Their eyes can also fully dilate which allows them to see in extremely low light.

Scientists have been unable to study cats’ intelligence to any great degree because cats are not interested in cooperating with the research.

A cat’s sense of smell is far superior to a human’s although not as good as a dog’s.

Create meme "sleepy cat, cat , cat " - Pictures - Meme-arsenal.com

Cats like to attack human feet because they are roughly the size of the prey cats normally hunt. (Fuzzy slippers or socks make the resemblance more striking.)

Most cats don’t like cold food. They prefer something close to the temperature of their tongue.

Cats sleep an average of 15 hours per day, although kittens and seniors generally sleep more. The actual schedule will probably vary by the household routine of a house cat.

Cats prefer to drink running water. Possibly because it tastes fresher.

Water Cats: Some Cats Love to Swim and Play in Water - Tufts Catnip

The Maine Coon is the largest domestic cat. They are not a hybrid with a wild cat.

Black panthers are not a specific feature. They are just large cats with extra melanin.

Turkish Van cats love water.

The Sphinx cat is the only breed native to Canada. It was formerly known as the Canadian hairless.

Bengal cats have fur that sparkles under the light.

Cat Books: 5 Books About All Things Feline

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

23

Hibernation Prep – Fall 2021 – Part 2

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Winter Rituals: Nighty-Night Bears - Earthfire Institute

Where we are – the Bearlingtons were in the midst of preparing for hibernation when Papa’s brother Sam appeared at their door. He had been kicked out of the house last spring after disrupting the previous hibernation and eating all of their food. Sam has recently been kicked out by his girlfriend and is looking for a place to stay.

After being greeted with less-than-open-arms by Mama, Sam is taking a walk while the family discusses his situation.

A Bears Quest for Food | Wise About Bears

Papa: Shelly, be reasonable. He doesn’t have any place else to go.

Mama: That’s his own fault. It sounds like he was as much of a loaf at her house as he was here.

Kenny: I like Uncle Sammy! He’s fun.

Carl: Yeah! He let’s us eat whatever we want and run around the cave.

Kenny: And he give great rides.

Finland: Teacher 3 Bear Cubs Dancing & Playing Like Human Kids

Mama: And you boys are totally wild when he’s here.

Carl: Mama! We’re bears. We’re supposed to be wild.

Mama: We live in the suburbs. You need to behave like civilized bears.

bear on the beach | Bear, Polar bear, Beach

Penelope: He’s really funny. Remember those impressions he did of the humans he met at the beach? (mimicking) “Alice, is that a bear? That can’t be a bear! Bears don’t go to the beach.”

Papa (laughing): I’d forgotten about that. He is the only bear I know who goes to the beach when the humans are around.

Penelope: He must be really brave.

Mama: Or not very bright. Humans carry diseases. He should stay away from them.

BEARLY HOLDING ON: A BEAR SQUADICLE | SCAD Radio

Just then, Sam reappeared. He was carrying a basket of salmon and and another one fully of blueberries. He handed them to Mama.

Sam: Here, Shelly. I wanted to make up for some of the food I ate last year that you had been saving.

Mama: Thank you, Sam. That’s very sweet. Where will you go if you can’t stay here?

Sam: I was thinking about that. I think that there may be an empty spot further up the coast. I remember hearing some deer talking about a shelter near Kapoka.

Papa: That’s a long ways off. Do you know anyone up there?

Sam: Not really. But it should be fairly sheltered and safe.

happy bear, spring, grass,happiness | Cute animals, Animals, Cute creatures

Penelope: Will you come back in the spring, Uncle Sam?

Sam: I don’t know. There really isn’t anything for me around here. Maybe it’s time for me to make a fresh start.

Penelope: You can’t go that far without knowing for sure you’ll find shelter.

Kenny: What if the place is full of mean bears?

Sam: Don’t worry about me. I’m a tough old bear. I’ve been in tight spots before.

Best place to see a crowd of grizzlies (A good place to bear witness) — High Country News – Know the West

Mama: Sam, are you sure there’s a spot for you up there?

Sam: Well, a friend of a friend said that they usually have openings in the late summer.

Mama: It’s not late summer anymore. You don’t really have a place, do you?

Sam: Not really. But I know I was a problem last year. I was just hoping that you might forgive me.

Kenny and Carl: Please, Mom? Can he stay here?

Depressed Bear sitting by a river: photoshopbattles

Mama: I don’t want to be heartless. Do you promise not to raid the pantry every time you get bored?

Sam: Cross my heart.

Mama: And you have to start picking up after yourself. You can’t just go out for a long walk in the spring when it’s time to do the big clean-up.

Sam: I promise.

Mama: And when it’s time for the boys to hibernate, you have to back me up and tell them to go to bed.

Sam: I promise.

Mama: Then you can stay.

There was much cheering and dancing around. When everything finally settled down, they sat down for a big meal of salmon and blueberries.

What are bears up to this winter? - Bearwise.org

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.