Tag Archives: rats

23

Do They Sell Fleas at a Flea Market? Part 2

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Sgt Stripes here. After much discussion, the Communications Team agreed that it was a bad idea to have a flea market in Cheeseland. While the name doesn’t really mean that fleas are involved in the human market, there is a much higher possibility that actual fleas would make an appearance at an animal flea market. So we took another idea from the humans and rebranded it.

How Cats Show Affection Through Their Tails - Cat Explore

So I am here at the 2025 Cheeseland Rummage Sale. Thomas Tabby is here to listen to his constituents. We are going to give you a tour of what is going on.

Sgt Stripes Here’s a familiar face. We didn’t expect to find you here, Gypsy.

Gypsy: What can I say? I though Rummage Sale meant we got to rummage around looking for something that catches our eye.

Sgt Stripes: That’s pretty much the idea. And what cat doesn’t love a good rummage?

Gypsy: You better tell the guy with the meat pies. How was I supposed to know which one I wanted to buy without tasting them? He made me buy the first one I tried. And it was some kind of bird. Yuck! I hate poultry. I thought they’d be, you know meat.

North American raccoon | San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers

Sgt Stripes: I see your point about the poultry vs meat. But once you’ve tasted something, they can’t sell it.

Gypsy: Whatever. I hope they have samples at the treats table.

Sgt Stripes walks up to a raccoon family.

Sgt Stripes: How are you enjoying the sale?

Raccoon looking in mirror

Mama Raccoon: We love it. There is so much stuff to paw through. And whoever thought of the fun house for the kids is a genius. Who doesn’t love funny mirrors and tilted floors?

Papa Raccoon: They might want to rethink the balloons though. A lot of the kids are just learning to control their claws. A few of the more timid ones were frightened by all of the popping.

Thomas Tabby: Thank you for sharing. That’s just the type of feedback we’re looking for.

How To Care for Your Pet Rat | PetMD

Sgt Stripes and Thomas Tabby are pleased to see a large crowd of animals. And a lot of the tables were doing a good business. They walk up to a crowded table and find a large, cheerful rat behind it.

Thomas Tabby: You have an interesting assortment of merchandise.

Rat: You may have heard of a rat’s nest being a jumble of things. When my grandfather went over the Rainbow Bridge, he had been working on it for years. And he collected a lot of stuff. This sale is perfect.

Arizona Pack Rats | Atomic Pest Control

Thomas Tabby: Your grandfather would have been pleased to know so many folks will be enjoying his things.

Rat: You’re right. He was a great guy.

Sgt Stripes: Sorry for your loss.

The two tabbies continue around the park. There are all types of things to buy. A beaver was selling wooden toys he had made.

Here are 2 photos of a beaver chewing the bark and cambium off of a branch. Beavers eat tree product, but don't eat the wood itself. They will eat the twigs, leaves,

Sgt Stripes: These are great! If Mom didn’t have a rule against bringing more stuff into the house, I would definitely get something for the small humans.

Beaver: Thank you! I hadn’t really thought about small humans. I was looking more at the puppy/rabbit market. But that is a excellent idea!

They heard a splash and a lot of laughter.

Sgt Stripes: What was that?

Otter Contemplates a Swim in the Puppy Pool — The Daily Otter

Beaver: That’s the Otter Brothers Dunk an Otter game.It is extremely popular. Anyone who buys a piece of their grasshopper cheesecake gets a chance to spin a wheel to dump one of the otters into a vat of water.

Thomas Tabby: We should go over and take a look.

Sgt Stripes: You go right ahead. I do not like water in my fur.

Beaver: They don’t dunk you. It’s one of the otters.

Why Do Cats Hate Water? 5 Reasons & Tips for Bath Time

Nothing would convince Sgt Stripes to go near the water. He got a salmon smoothie and waited on a bench. Finally, Thomas returned. looking a little soggy.

Thomas Tabby: It looks like you were right, Stripes. They aren’t using a water tank; They are using a tub. Every time the otter goes into the tub, it splashes everyone.

Sgt Stripes: I knew it wasn’t a good idea. Where do you want to go next?

Thomas Tabby: There’s something called The Field of Dreams over by the pavilion. It’s a fundraiser for the Cheeseland Hospital.

Sgt Stripes: That sounds interesting. Let’s go!

The Peruvian Llama - Lima Spanish House

The field was very crowded. They finally got to the pavilion. There was a llama directing some other animals.

Sgt Stripes: This looks exciting. What’s going on, and who is in charge. Is it you?

Llama (laughing): No, I’m part of security. You want JJ Gorilla. He’s the brains behind it.

Sgt Stripes: Mr Gorilla, this looks very interesting. Can you explain what is going on?

Gorilla: Please call me JJ. With all of the budget cuts we’ve been going through, the hospital needed to raise some money. A treasure hunt game sounded like a different, fun way to do it.

😻Cats at the Spa😻 - Funny Cats Doing Human Things

Sgt Stripes: Can you explain how it works?

JJ: We got animals to donate some really nice prizes. We have a heated cat condo, and all-you-can eat dinner for six at Freddy’s Fish Factory, and a custom burrow for winter, and a couple’s spa day at Ruth’s Premier Salon and Day Spa. All told, we have ten excellent prizes.

Sgt Stripes: That does sound nice.  Did everyone here have to buy a ticket? How do you decide who wins?

Differences between cats and dogs: Cats Are Not Small Dogs

JJ: Most of them bought a ticket.They were given an envelope. Ten envelopes had a gold printed map, and the rest had a black printed map. The gold maps each lead to one of the prizes. The black maps lead to a bag of treats.

Sgt Stripes: Why are there so many animals here?

JJ: A lot of the animals who got treat bags are trying to help the lucky winners find their prize. The gold maps are very tricky.

Thomas Tabby: It looks like some of them have family and friends helping too.

How often do you find yourself talking to your pets?

JJ: That’s true. Since each map leads to a different prize, there’s no reason to fight.

Sgt Stripes  and Thomas Tabby returned to the main selling area. There were animals everywhere

Thomas Tabby: This didn’t turn out the way I expected it would. I thought it would be just animals bringing in old stuff.

Sgt Stripes: That’s true. But this is so much better.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

12

Angel Katt and the Cheeseland Elections – Part 2

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Hi everyone! It’s me, Angel Katt. I’m pleased to be bringing you the first debate in the Cheeseland election for Liaison to the Humans. You may recall that we have four candidates. You can look here if you want to refresh your memory. Today we will have three questions for the candidates to answer. At the end, you will have the opportunity to vote for whoever you think is the best candidate. Remember, you are voting for the candidates who will best represent the interest of the animals to the humans. The top two vote-getters will face off in the fall for the position.

a rat sitting at a computer typing on an excel | Stable Diffusion

Question 1: Is the blog too cat-centric?

Molly Mink – I do think that the blog could be improved by featuring a wider variety of animal perspectives. On the other hand, it appears that most of the audience are cats. That might change if there was a wider variety of posts. I’m not sure that any of my fellow minks even know about it.

Vinny the Rat – Of course it’s too cat-centric. It’s like everything else around here.  I want to advocate for a better distribution of everything. I’m not blaming the cats, but it has to change. I’d recommend that only 2 posts per month could be about the cats. The other two should be about other animals or other topics of interest to the general public.

Premium Photo | A happy golden retriever dog looks at a laptop in front of him at home

Thomas Tabby: Let’s not get carried away. The blog was started by a human who shares space with cats. I think we need to tread gently around any major change. I’m not sure telling her that the rats want more representation on the blog is going to be very popular. The cats are creating the content. We need to show that other animals can write well too.

Remy the Golden Retriever – I recommend that we all go out to the park and play in the fields. It won’t seem like such a big deal after we’ve been out there running around. Maybe we can get ice cream after that. Humans love ice cream.

Mink on a leash - YouTube

Question 2: Would you be in favor of curfews or leash laws?

Molly Mink – I’m confused about why we are even discussing this. What animal would agree to be put on a leash? I would never consent to being leashed or being told what time I need to be in my own home.

Vinny the Rat – I believe this is directed at the issue of young animals (mainly dogs) roaming at night. I would certainly feel safer at night knowing that I am not going to run into a bunch of over-excited hounds.

How To Leash & Harness Train A Cat - Benefits, Steps & Tips

Thomas Tabby – I think that most cats I know would prefer to have the dogs safely home before the beginning of the evening prowl. However, I also know that some of the humans want cats on leashes too to prevent the occasional snack of a favorite bird. I am truly offended by that idea.

Remy the Golden Retriever – No leashes, no curfews. Dogs should be free to do dog stuff whenever we need to do it.

Dog Park Etiquette Tips: Should My Dog Go to the Dog Park?

Question 3: Are too many places species-specific?

Molly Mink – I think this is an important issue for smaller animals. There are dog parks and cat cafes, but there is nothing for the rest of us. It would be wonderful if I could go to any groomer in my neighborhood to keep my beautiful fur shiny. However, most groomers won’t work on anyone smaller than a cat. I think it’s species-ism.

Vinny the Rat – I have to admit that I agree with Molly. There are virtually no popular places that will guarantee a rat’s safety. We really have to work on building communities that are inter-species.

Visiting the Biggest Cat Cafe in Japan | Cat Cafe MOCHA Lounge Shinjuku | ASMR

Thomas Tabby – I understand the desire for full community. I don’t think that most places are intentionally excluding certain groups. Sometimes predator and prey animals would prefer not to mingle. We need to find some common ground where everyone is welcome. 

Remy the Golden Retriever – I’m pretty sure that most dog parts only specifically exclude cats. Anyone else is welcome. I guess maybe we could work on that. It’s just that it’s hard to share space with someone who likes to tease you.

Angel – Okay everyone. That’s our four candidates. Please click on the link below to vote. And remember to vote early and often.

Click here to vote.

 

Sgt Stripes – I wanted to thank everyone for being so complimentary about my calendar. The winners of the contest were Da Tabbies O Trout Towne and Ms. Ellen at 15 and Meowing;

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

20

Angel Katt & the Cheeseland Election

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Angel Katt here. You may have forgotten about me. I moved in with my sisters Onyx and Gypsy last fall, but am staying away from the other cats. I was supposed to be introduced to Snoops and Kommando Kitty. But then Kommando crossed the Rainbow Bridge, and we’re trying to let Snoops heal a little before I start sharing her space. I’ve been kinda bored, so Snoops thought that she’d give me an assignment for the blog.

 

The humans have been talking about this election thingy for awhile. We looked into it, but it’s all humans and really boring. We do have something similar in Cheeseland. We vote for a Liaison to the Humans. every two years. That animal is responsible for bringing any grievances we have to the humans. It’s become pretty much ceremonial, since Snoops is pretty much Empress of the Household. She generally gets what she wants.

Nevertheless, it is election year for us, and we have four candidates running. I interviewed them and got some insight into why they think they should get the job.

Mink animal, Adorable cute animals, Paws and claws

Molly Mink

Who She Is – A native of Cheeseland, Molly’s great grandfather was hunted for his fur (He escaped and made it to Cheeseland). She wants to make sure that the humans don’t get any crazy ideas about themselves looking better in fur than the rightful owners. She has a small family, and works at the post office. Molly has some experience in labor negotiations which she feels make her the perfect candidate.

What She’s Promising – A more well rounded diet. She promises plenty of  fish and a vole in every pot. There won’t be any protein shortages during her tenure. She’s thinking about banning lentils and soybeans so animals won’t need to worry about getting beans when they think they’re getting meat.

Where You Can Meet Her – She’s a school mom, so you can usually find her at The Mark Twain Academy where she volunteers. She is also doing a meet-and-greet at the Smaugland Megastore next Thursday at 7 pm.

12 Photos That Will Change Your Mind About Rats | PETA

Vinny the Rat 

Who He Is – A recent transplant from New York City, Vinny wants everyone to know that he’s not afraid of anything. He comes from a large family and is hoping to find his true love out here. He thinks he’s the only candidate running who is capable of going head-to-head with the humans to get animals their fair share.

What He’s Promising – A more equitable distribution of goods among the non-cat population. Vinny feels strongly that the rodent population of Cheeseland is seriously underserved by the current arrangement. He is looking into a partnership with larger animals who may feel that they are not living their best life in Cheeseland.

Where You Can Meet Him – He is generally found around Main St. He likes to be surrounded by buildings; they remind him of home. He also forages regularly behind Tortelli’s Pizzaria and Smaugland. He will not be at Smaugland on Thursday. He has graciously left it open for Molly Mink that day.

What Exactly Is A Tabby Cat? Fun Facts About These Beloved Cats

Thomas Tabby

Who He Is – Thomas lives in the Clydesdale Meadows section of Cheeseland. He is an executive at Cheeseland Bank & Trust. He is married to his high school sweetheart and they currently have three kittens at home.

What He’s Promising – Regular inter-species communication. Thomas thinks that the animals aren’t getting what they deserve because there’s so much fighting between species. He wants to bring everyone together to present a united front to the humans.

Where You Can Meet Him – He finishes work around 4 pm and heads for the Pounce Park. You can generally find him there any weekday. Additionally, He is doing a meet-and-greet next Tuesday at the Mousterpiece Theater on Elm St. at 5:30 pm.

Golden Retriever | Seven Hills Veterinary Hospital, Inc

Remy the Golden Retriever

Who He Is – Remy is the youngest son of Edward Gooddog, long-time owner of the Kibble Stop restaurant. He is currently employed as a Customer Service Specialist at Barkham’s Arcade. Remy is a second-generation Cheeseland resident.

What He’s Promising – More parks and green space. Remy believes that the humans are taking up too much space. They need to moved around so there are more places for the animals to have fun.

Where You Can Meet Him – He spends most of his free time at the Park-and-Bark dog park. And he’d be happy to meet you over a cold bowl of water.

There you have it, everyone. These are our candidates for Liaison to the Humans. If you’re registered to vote in Cheeseland, remember to vote for your choice in November.

I hope that we still have all four candidates by this fall. I’m not really sure that they understand that they won’t really have much power to change things radically. The humans listen, but they don’t really do anything unless they want to. And it’s unpaid. And they only get a desk in the Adventures in Cheeseland office; there is no private space.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

23

Snoops and Kommando: Famous British Kitties

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Image result for successful cat memes

Hello. Snoops and Kommando Kitty here. Mom says she has something called a writer’s block. We really don’t know what she’s talking about since we haven’t seen any new blocks.

Image result for cat at computer

At any rate, we looked through our files and thought that maybe you would like to hear about some famous kitties. There were quite a few to choose from, but somehow this list ended up being all British. (Mainly because some of the other kitties came to a sad end or were actually TV or Internet stars.) Or maybe the Brits keep better records of their cats.)

Some of these kitties lived a long time ago. Since we couldn’t get pictures of everyone, we decided that it would only be fair to not show anyone. (Besides, some of the pictures are licensed and we found out we can’t pay with mice.)

Image result for cat on stage meme

Beerbohm – Beerbohm was the resident cat at the Globe Theatre in London (now the Gielgud Theatre). He loved to walk into dressing rooms and attack whatever props he could find. He also made himself at home on the stage, walking through many productions. As a sign of his popularity, he is the only cat to be given an obituary on the front page of the industry magazine The Stage.

Image result for cat with human food

Crimean Tom – During the Crimean War, Sevastopol was under siege for a year. When the British and French troops finally liberated the city, the residents were starving. Tom had survived the war, looking well-fed and healthy. The soldiers followed Tom one day to a store room full of food. Tom had saved the food by eating the mice and rats that tried to eat it. The store of food kept the soldiers from starving. Tom returned to Britain with one of the soldiers.

Image result for cat carrying kitten

Faith – Faith had been adopted by the rector of St. Augustine church. During the London Blitz, she took her kitten, Panda, to the church basement. Every time Panda would go upstairs, Faith would bring him back to the basement. St. Augustine was near St. Paul’s Cathedral, which was destroyed (except the tower) by the Germans. The only creatures that survived the bombing were Faith and Panda. She was awarded a medal for courage by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Image result for cat on a ship

Simon – Simon was a British kitty who lived on the HMs Amethyst during the Chinese Civil War. In 1949, the ship ran aground and was stuck for three months. Simon has been wounded by a shell blast, but continued to protect the human food by killing rats trying to eat it. He also kept morale up. He was awarded the PDSA Dickin medal for bravery. He is the only cat to have received this medal.

Image result for cat swimming meme

Unsinkable Sam – When the German Battleship, Bismarck, was sunk by the British Navy, only 100+ men and one cat survived. The British HMS Cossack rescued the cat and named him Oscar. Unfortunately, the Cossack was torpedoed near Gibraltar. Oscar survived again and was renamed Unsinkable Sam. He was rescued by the HMS Ark Royal, which was torpedoed near Malta. After surviving three shipwrecks in six months, he was taken to Britain to live out his life on dry land in a seaman’s home.

Image result for cat chasing mouse meme

Wilberforce – Wilberforce was the Chief Mouser at No. 10 Downing St., the home of the British Prime Minister. No. 10 Downing St., is almost 300 years old, and has a number of resident rats and mice. The Chief Mouser is responsible for keeping the vermin under control. Wilberforce was considered to be a top-notch mouser. He has had the longest tenure to this point, serving every PM from Edward Heath to Margaret Thatcher.

Image result for cat waiter

Wyatt’s Caterer – Sir Henry Wyatt was imprisoned by King Richard III. He made friends with a cat who brought him food (mainly birds, not rodents). Eventually Sir Henry was released by King Henry VII (who defeated Richard III in battle and took the throne). A memorial to Sir Henry credits the Caterer with his survival during his imprisonment.

These cats are pretty impressive. There are many other cats who have saved humans from fires, medical emergencies, and gas leaks in their homes. Cat are also emotional and therapy support animals. Our purrs are therapeutic. You can see why cats rule. (And we’re beautiful too.)

Image result for beautiful cat meme

 

17

Cat Forum: Interview with the Cats from Down Under

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(Orion)

Greetings. Snoops and Kommando Kitty here. We have a pawsome interview for you today with the cats from Autistsix, It’s a great blog, except the cats don’t get nearly enough space. It’s about a family who live in Australia,which is apparently Down Under something. (The editors said to include it.) The lady who writes it says the whole family is a little unique because of something called Autism Spectrum Disorder. We don’t really know what she’s talking about; as far as we can tell, they aren’t any stranger than a lot of the other humans we know.

(Pixie)

Would you please introduce yourselves?

Orion – I am Orion Prince of Burmese Tigers, I am also a star.

Smokie – I’m Smokie, pleased to meet you.  I am a puppy cat.

Pixie – I am Pixie, I am confused, oh wait that’s not what I mean, I am a Princess.

Echo – Hello, a pleasure to meet you both.  My name is Echo and I am a cat.

(Smokie)

 It seems a little hectic around there sometimes. How do you keep your cat Zen?

Orion – I run round and round the house until I am sleepy then I find someone to cuddle me.

Smokie – I just live and let live until something becomes intolerable, then I bop it on the head and nap.

Pixie – On a leather band around my neck, whoops, that’s my tag.  I don’t know where I put my Zen.  Do you think Echo stole it?

Echo – I avoid the others.

(Echo)

Do you hang together or are you hissy sometimes?

Orion – I love everybody.  Echo seems grumpy sometimes when I helps her diet or wake up and Cherry Bopple gets grumpy sometimes but I don’t know why.  Rabbits knock you over if you play rough and rats can bite if you poke them, so don’t do that.

Smokie – Unfortunately in my role as ruler of the cats I occasionally have to discipline the others.  Pixie keeps being a girl cat, Echo is evil and the kitten can get a bit too big for his boots sometimes.  But really it is only Echo that I get really mad at.

Pixie – My stupid brother Smoke thinks he’s my boss.  But he is better than that evil Echo.  When I was younger she was mean to me so now I just smack her in case.

Echo – I live with the stupidest cats that ever lived and yet they expect me not to hit them.  I simply don’t understand.

(Cherise)

How many creatures do you live with (furry and not)? Do you get along with everyone?

Orion – We have humans, and dogs, and rabbits, and rats, and fishies and birds.  My bestest mate is Cushion the dog.

Echo – Charles you little ignoramus.

Orion – Where’s the amus?

       (Echo rolled her eyes.)

Echo – There are only 5 people in this house that I do not loathe; Mum, Dad, Cat and Tabby (both humans) and the dog Charles.  All the others are uncouth ruffians who don’t know how to treat a lady and don’t have a sense of humour.

Smokie – My best friend is Cherise AKA Cherry Bopple Berry we have hanged together since I first arrived.  Charlie is a great cushion.  Grandma’s dogs worship the ground I walk on which is great but they also love Orion which kinda takes the sheen off their adoration but they are great guys.  The rabbits are cool, the rats are great fun, I play with them and they feed and groom me,  I let them keep my shed fur to sleep in, I love those guys.  I like watching the birds and they sing to me, but they get a bit flappy if I try to touch them so I don’t.  I like to watch the fish but my best wet friend is the axylotyl, he and I touch through the glass.

Orion – Yeah I’m the same; I love all the other guys here although I play with the rabbits and watch the rats, the reverse of Smokie and the different best friend dog. Oh and the birds love me, I climb up on their cage and play with’em and then a hooman comes and takes me away but my birdie buds cry and squwark until I am allowed to go back, ‘cept at night, sleepin’ birds have no sense of humour, like sleepin’ Echo.

Pixie – Rabbits smell funny.  Rats feed me and groom me I love them.  Birds flap, fish are wet, and dogs are rough.  I do like the spaniel Snuggie though, he is soft and gently affectionate, I like him more than the other cats.

Orion – ‘Cept me!

Pixie – Except you, Sweetie.

Echo – Moron, the spaniel, WHOSE NAME IS CHARLES, is a dog.

Pixie – I don’t think so!

Smokie – No Sis, he’s a dog.  He’s just not a terrierist!

Pixie – Oh, I don’t hate dogs, I hate terrierists.

Do you have a favorite human?

Orion – Mumsy and then all of ‘em.

Smokie – Tabby slightly pips Dad.

Echo – Dad and Mum then human Cat.

Pixie – Mum, then Tabby and Cat.

Do you think you get enough cuddle time?

Orion – Hoomans are difficult; they want cuddle when I want run and they are doin’ stupid stuff when I want cuddle, but Mummy usually stops when I ask.

Smokie – No, I want cuddles much more.

Pixie – I want cuddles when I want them, and I almost always get them.  The secret is, scratch people until they cuddle you.

Echo – I never get enough cuddles.

Australia sounds kind of scary with big spiders and other things. Do you go outside?

Orion – Spiders are fun and yummy but they make Mummy scream and snatch me up.

Smokie – Spiders are dangerous so a nice man comes around and sprays around the house so we hardly ever see them.  He cuddled me and called me handsome last time.

Echo – The new house has no spiders, I miss them they were fun and tasty.

Pixie – Which ones are the spiders again.

Orion – I am not allowed out because Burmese are too clever to avoid danger or cars, plus I am so beautiful and friendly that I will get stolen.

Pixie – I have enough trouble finding my way around inside.

Smokie – We aren’t allowed outside there are cars and stuffs that eat cats.

Echo – We aren’t allowed outside because apparently the sun can kill us.  Another cat fell asleep in the sunshine outside and when Mum and Dad found her she needed them to put water down her throat and she almost dies.  And there are these things that look like rope ties but they bite and poison you call snakes.  They are so irresistibly wiggly that they have killed lots of outside cats.

Smokie – How do you know all this stuff?

Echo – One, I’m not stupid!

(Smokie bopped Echo.)

 Smokie – Really, yet you didn’t see that coming.

Echo –   Two, I’m older.

Pixie – Echo is really, really old.  I mean ancient, older than… you know old stuff.

Echo – Yes, thank you Princess Pointless!

Pixie – Smokie!

(Smokie bopped Echo again!)

 Echo – Finally, I actually listen!

Smokie – So you know because you are old!

Where’s your favorite place to nap/hang out?

Smokie – It is duty to sleep everywhere so that all recognize my dominion.

Pixie – I like bookcases in high traffic areas so I can get cuddles.  I sometimes get confused, but apparently I am not a book.

Orion – I mainly sleeps in doggie beds near Mummy or if she’s out Grandma, but I also love beds and my cat tree (top spot) next to Smokie, on Cushion the spaniel, and places that annoy Echo.

Echo – Couches in one of the two front rooms.

Do you have favorite snacks? Do the humans share their food?

Orion – Steak or prawn pieces from Mummy’s plate, Mummy is a great sharer, the others make me steal.

Pixie – Mummy plate fish.  There are quite a few Mummy plate foods I like.

Smokie – Chicken flavoured noodles.  Mum shares but if I want a lot of noodles I have to steal and run.

Echo – Fancy Feast Party Treats.  People food is for dogs, or morons.

Is there anything you’d like to add?

Echo – I am not volatile, I just have high standards.  Oh and I like scratching things at random as a joke, because I have a sense of humour.

Smokie – Peace out, guys.

Pixie – Add to what?

Orion – Make sure you spell me name right; O… ask Mummy!

7

biadh airson smuain*

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*Scottish Gaelic for

Image result for food for thought

 

The four young male rats were gathered for their weekly feast behind Ben’s Burger Barn. They all agreed that Ben had the best dumpster in the area. And if they got there early, it wasn’t very crowded.

Image result for dumpster and rats

Danny: Mmmm! This is living.

Charlie (mouth full): mumble, mumble

George: Yeah. Saturday mornings are the best.

Steve: Guys, this is my last Saturday here. At least for a while.

(The others look at him, stunned)

Image result for three rats

Danny: Where ya going that’s better than here?

Steve: Remember the money I got when that lady called me “dirty vermin” at the concert?

George: And you convinced the judge that you were so traumatized that you couldn’t work for a month?

Steve: She needed to pay. I didn’t want her to do it to anyone else. Anyway, Nicole and I are going to open a restaurant.

Danny: Nicole? Isn’t she that lab rat who convinced you to go to the concert in the first place?

Image result for lab rat

Steve: She’s wonderful. She’s pretty and smart and really nice.

Danny: Sure. She’s probably going to take your money and run away. You’re a street rat. You don’t belong with her.

Steve: You’re just jealous. You’ll never meet anyone nice hanging around here.

Danny: You sound like my mom. Go ahead. Have your fancy adventure. We’ll see you back here in a month, broke and lonely.

(A month later, Steve does come back.)

Danny: I knew it! It all blew up in your face, and you want to come back to your old friends. I’ll have to think about it.

(The other two rats were happy to have Steve back. They didn’t know what to do.)

Image result for happy rats

Steve: Actually, things are going good. The restaurant is going to be opening in about six weeks. I wanted to invite you guys for the first night.

George: That’s great Steve, count me in.

Charlie: Me too. Do I get free food?

Danny: Wait a minute boys. I’m not sure we want to associate with the type of people at his restaurant. What kind of place is it?

Steve: It has two rooms. In one room, we have sofas and a fireplace. Folks can have snacks and drinks in there. Maybe read or use their computers. The other room is more of a regular restaurant.

Image result for cafe fireplace

Danny: Sounds kind of ritzy to me. What’s it called?

Steve: biadh airson smuain

Danny: battah arsa smoon? What does that mean?

Steve: I’m not really sure. But she didn’t like my idea: The Rat’s Nest.

Danny: I told you she was a snob. Rats only?

Steve: The dining room is. The reading room is open to anyone.

Image result for traditional bistro

Danny: That’s it. I’m outta here. We are not going to a place that serves anything that walks in the door. C’mon boys.

(The restaurant opened on time. The food got excellent reviews. But the real success was the reading room. It was so hard to find something cosmopolitan in the suburbs.

Finally George and Charlie convinced Danny to see what it was all about.)

Danny: Fine. I’ll go. But just so you guys will stop yammering about it.

(They washed their faces and slicked back their fur. They actually looked pretty good. When they got to the restaurant, there was a line down the block. They told the doorman that they were friends of Steve’s. They were escorted through the reading room to the restaurant. Steve was talking to a customer when they walked in.)

Image result for rats in clothes

Steve: Guys! It’s good to see you. Come meet Nicole. Niki, these are the guys I was telling you about: Danny, Charlie and George.

Niki: I’m so glad to meet you. Steve has been wanting to get together for a long time. Please have a seat.

Danny (to Steve): We can’t stay. I can’t afford to eat at a place like this and neither can the guys.

Steve: Don’t worry about it. Get whatever you want. I’ll take care of it.

(The guys ordered steaks. They left the bones, unsure if it was bad manners to eat them in public. When the family next to them started crunching, they happily cleaned their plates.)

Image result for steak on grill

Niki: Did you enjoy your meal?

Charlie: It was great.

George: Even better than the Burger Barn.

Niki (laughing): I’m glad to hear it. Please come back soon.

(The next day, the guys were talking about what a great place Steve had. Three very pretty girl rats were walking the other way. They lived in the neighborhood, but had always ignored Danny’s group.)

Violet: Danny! Hey Danny! Stop.

Danny (puzzled): Hello Violet. What’s up?

Violet: We saw you guys coming out of biadh airson smuain. I never knew you were so civilized.

George: He didn’t really (mumph)

(Charlie put it hand over George’s mouth)

Danny: It was the first time we went. But we’re going back soon.

Violet: And all this time I’ve been thinking you were just a common street rat.

(Violet took Danny’s hand and they walked away talking.)

Image result for two rats

 

(pictures courtesy of Google Images)

6

Bedlam in New York

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(Bedlam refers to an English hospital for the insane. During much of its 600-year existence it was noted for its screaming, moaning “inmates”, who were often held in chains or locked in rooms. Others were allowed to roam the halls and generally left to their own devices.)

As reported by archy and mehitabel

Based on information from a former patient, we have been looking into conditions at Stringham Hospital. As you may be aware, Stringham specializes in behavioral medicine and psychiatry. We have changed the names of the patients in the interests of privacy. Further, we would like to point out that there are “bad apples” in every species.

Ed’s experience started with a visit to Dr. William Igor. Ed went to see Dr. Igor with what he considered to be a common case of depression. Dr. Igor prescribed a well-known mood stabilizer which had the effect of worsening the depression, as would be expected. At his follow-up visit, Ed reported increased depression to the point of suicidal thoughts.

Dr. Igor thought that was very bad and immediately admitted him to Stringham Hospital. Ed wanted to just quit the medication, so Dr. Igor had him admitted involuntarily as a threat to himself. Being admitted involuntarily meant that Ed could not sign himself out.

At this juncture, we should point out that Ed is a muscular Nonsense rat (ed. Note – it’s a real breed from India) and Dr. Igor is a rather small Siamese cat.

As soon as he reached Stringham, Ed needed to show his insurance cards. He never saw them again. He also had to hand over his watch, wallet, and all other personal items. (As a rat, it was a relatively simple process.)

Next step was to see the doctors. He was accompanied by two large alley cats. There was a panel of 5 Norwegian Forest Cats. They looked at Ed and started talking amongst themselves about lunch. Without asking Ed a question, they told him he was obviously demented. They told the orderlies to “Take him to cell 6, oops, we mean room 6.”

Six turned out to be a rather large room with about 20 animals of various species. There were a couple of large snarling dogs chained to one wall, rabbits scratching at a pen to get out, bats in a mesh cage, and several guinea pigs who looked catatonic. The rest of the animals were running around the room chasing each other.

Ed looked around. There was cat litter in each of the cages and a large litter box in one corner. He almost gagged and said to one of the orderlies, “Do you ever change the litter?” “Of course. It’s done every Wednesday.” Ed turned green (not easy when you’re covered in fur). It was Friday.

The orderlies turned to go. Ed asked, “What do I do now?” The cats smiled evilly and told him, “Just behave and do everything you’re told to do, and nothing will happen to you.” They locked the heavy door behind them.

Ed sat in a corner, dejected. Soon a white rat joined him. “Name’s Pavlov. Who are you?” “Ed. Why are you here?” “Went to the doctor for a sore throat. He said it was a sign of neurosis. Got thrown in here. That was six months ago.”

Ed was appalled, “Why are you still here?” Pavlov looked at him sadly, “Once you’re here you never get out.” “That’s ridiculous. It’s the 21st century. Who’s your doctor?” “Dr. Joseph Boris.” Ed remembered seeing Dr. Boris’ name on the door of Dr. Igor’s office.

“Pavlov, are there any other patients of Dr. Boris or Dr. Igor here?”

“Now that you mention it, most of us were admitted by those doctors. Or Dr. Bela.”

“What happens during the day here?”

“Not much. We’re not allowed to have books or magazines or TV. Sometimes they take some of us out. Those guys usually come back looking like that.” Points to the guinea pigs.

Ed notices that in addition to the drugged animals there are also some in coats tied behind their back. “What’s up with them?”

“Medication doesn’t work. Those coats aren’t very effective though. You can chew through them in a couple of hours.”

“Does everyone come back like that?”

Pavlov looks away. “A lot don’t come back.”

They ate their dinner of dry kibble and went to bed.

In the morning, Ed was among those chosen for an “exercise.” He was strapped to a chair, than felt a poke in his shoulder.

The next thing he remembers is waking up by the river with a note: “Hope you enjoyed your cat nap.”

 

Coming soon: Part 2: Is there a problem or is Ed really mentally ill?