Tag Archives: sun

17

A Very Gator Easter

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Granny Gator has rented a spot on South Padre Island, Texas for Easter weekend and invited the whole family for a vacation. Stan, Adele, and the girls have been looking forward to it for weeks. As much as they love South Carolina, it’s a little chilly for doing much outside during the winter.

Suzy: I am so excited! Only two more weeks until Texas! This is going to be great!

Justine: I know! I just got my special lotion to make my skin absorb more of the sun. I’m going to be like a heat magnet.

Adele: What are you talking about Justine? All you do is lie in the sun and absorb it.

Justine: I know. Mom. But this is supposed to make my skin absorb it better. I figured it would help me wake up from this semi-torpor we’ve been in.

Adele: Where did you hear about that?

Despite their thick skins, alligators and crocodiles are surprisingly touchy | Vanderbilt University

Justine: I saw it on GatorGram. A lot of the girls are using it. It’s supposed to make my skin softer and shinier too.

Suzy: You are so gullible. You really believe those ads?

Justine: I do. Here, let me show you.

Justine pulled out her phone and brought up an ad.

Justine: See. Just look at the before and after.

Suzy: That’s not an alligator. That’s a chameleon. And it’s shed its skin in the second picture.

Adele: Probably because the cream irritated its skin. You’re not using that.

Justine: Mom! That’s not fair.

Adele: Your skin is fine the way it is. You’re not using that cream. Some human probably developed it.

viral alligator photos | This alligator goes to work; netizens wonder if it wears pants | Trending & Viral News

Stan was looking at his computer screen.

Stan: Why are earth are we travelling all the way to Texas? It’s warm in Florida.

Suzy: We always go to Florida. This way we get to see something new.

Stan: But why Texas?

Justine: You can blame Cousin Danny for that. You know he’s trying to be a bird doctor, right? There’s a huge Birding and Nature Center in the middle of the island. Humans come from all over to see the birds.

Ecoviews: Why do birds perch on alligators?

Suzy: Yeah. Danny figured that if it’s good enough for all those humans, it’s good enough for us.

Adele: Ugh. I hate humans. They have germs.

Stan: Don’t worry. If anyone bothers us, Uncle Charlie and John can scare them off.

Justine: Yep. The meanest gator in the family and the biggest. All Uncle Charlie needs to do is growl and show his teeth.

Stan’s phone rang:

Stan: Hello?__ Hi, Ma. How’s it going?__ Really?__ Are you sure no one else can take him? __I guess if he comes up here it’d work.__ Yeah.__ We can take him.__ Don’t worry about it.__ Love you too.

Stan set down his phone, looking irritated.

Southern Charm at Jefferson Hotel Richmond - Travel Addicts

Adele: How’s your mom?

Stan: She’s fine. But Vinny can’t make Easter. Apparently it’s still tourist season in Miami, and the resort won’t give him the time off.

Adele: That’s too bad. We’ll miss him.

Stan: The real problem is that he was going to bring his dad.

Justine: So Uncle Stu can’t go? That’s awful.

Suzy: Yeah. He’s the most fun relative we have.

Stan: Granny wants us to bring him.

Adele: That doesn’t make any sense. Almost everyone else lives in Florida. They’re all closer.

Gatorland | Experience Kissimmee

Stan: Yeah, but Uncle Stu drives them crazy. And ever since our trip to Michigan, I’m his favorite. If he can’t go with Vinny, he wants to come with us.

Adele: That’ll add two days to our trip.

Stan: He didn’t want to put us out, so he’s coming here by bus. Then we’ll all go to Texas.

Adele: Why can’t he take the bus to Texas?

Stan: He thinks this is more convenient.

Suzy: Cool! I love Uncle Stu.

Alligator In The Road? Just Kick It, One Woman Decides | Baton Rouge, LA Patch

Uncle Stu was due to arrive the Sunday before Easter. When he hadn’t arrived by sundown, the gators got worried.

Adele: Where is he? I knew it wasn’t a good idea to let him ride the bus by himself.

Justine: He probably got on the wrong one and is almost to New Jersey by now.

Suzy: Or maybe he got confused and went directly to Texas after all.

Stan tried calling him, but got no answer. He sent a text to Vinny asking if he had heard from his father. Shortly before bedtime, his phone rang.

Can you take a cat on a train, bus or tram? | PetsRadar

Stan: Hello. __Hi Stu.__Where are you?__You’re supposed to be here.__No. We’re in SOUTH CAROLINA, not SOUTH MIAMI BEACH.__Yes, you’re right. That is a long way from your house.__I guess it was a misunderstanding.__Are you OK?__Are you sure?__Tuesday will be fine. See you then.

Stan laid down his phone and shook his head.

Stan: Stu won’t be here tonight. For some reason, he thought we lived in South Miami Beach. So he found our street address there. Luckily some very nice big cats live there. They’re putting him on a train north. He’s supposed to be here Tuesday morning.

Next week: Does Stu arrive in time to leave for Texas?

Florida pedestrian gator causes a stir in neighborhood

16

Cat Games: Beating the Summertime Blues

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On Tuesday morning, at 5:13 am Eastern Daylight Time, it  will  be officially summer. All those long summer days with lots of sun puddles sound great, but some times it’s a little too warm for comfort. So we decided to look around and see if we could find some activities that would help us beat the heat. Note: Most of them involve ice and/or water. If you’re not a fan of wet paws, you may want to just lie in front of a fan or air vent.

Why, Oh Why, do Cats Hate Water? | Cat Care of Vinings

Water Park – This one’s for the real water lovers among us. Have your human put a few inches of lukewarm water in the bathtub. They should also put a couple of places for you to sit in the water where you won’t get wet. (An upside-down pot is one idea.) Have them put in a few toys that will float. (Even ice cubes work.) You can bat the toys around and watch them move in the tub. Perfect toy? Floating battery-operated fish.

Ice Cube Bowl – Don’t like the idea of sitting with water all around you? Have your human fill a bowl with water and put some ice cubes in it. You can bat the ice cubes around from the safety of your favorite seat. If your human really wants to get on your good side, they can make the cubes out of chicken broth or tuna juice. The best way is to use an ice cube tray, fill it part of the way with the broth, and add a piece of a treat (or catnip).

Is It Safe To Put Ice In A Cat's Water? | Purr Craze

Fishing Bowl – Really don’t like the idea of touching cold, icky ice? Have your human put a few floating toys in a bowl. Hollow plastic or cork are the best. Ping pong balls are ideal. Make sure the bowl is big enough for you to actually move the toys around.

Fishing/Bobbing for Treats – Have your human fill a rimmed baking sheet or other low pan with a small amount of water. Then they should put a couple of plastic lids on the water. (There should be enough water that the lids float.) Finally, they need to put treats in the lids. You can either scoop the treats out with your paw or “bob” for them with your mouth. If your human doesn’t want to use lids, they can just freeze some broth or tuna juice into cubes and float them on the water, similar to the Ice Cube Bowl above. Once again, make sure there’s enough water for the items to move around freely.

Cats & Toilet Paper: Why Do They Keep Unrolling It? | Hill's Pet

While we were looking around, we also found a few things that won’t help with the heat, but sound like fun.

Toilet Paper Tube Puzzle – Once you’re finished unrolling all of the toilet paper, give the tube to your human. Tell them to put a few pieces of kibble in the tube, then fold the ends over and seal them. Have them put a couple of small holes in the tube, then put the tube on the floor. You can get the kibble out by rolling the tube around the floor.

Pizza Box Search – Don’t let your human throw away their empty pizza box after you’re done sharing. They can put a small toy in there (Something that rolls around would be good.) They close the box, then cut several small holes in the top. You can put your paw through the holes to move the toy around (and maybe get it out.)

Why Does My Cat Eat With His Paw? - Cat Attitudes

Tube Fishing – Don’t let your human throw away the empty paper towel tubes either. They can cut them into different heights and secure them into a box. They put kibble in the tubes, and you have fun fishing the kibble out of the various tubes. (We have a store-bought version of this game, and we really like it.)

Box Forts – Your human can stack a bunch of old boxes and bags together. They need to cut holes in several places so you can crawl around the whole thing.

Catnip, Catnip plant, Heirloom seeds

Rooting Box – Have your human fill a big box with non-toxic stuff like leaves, sticks, grass, and/or river rocks. You can root around in the stuff looking for treats and toys they have hidden. You can even sleep in there if you want.

Kitty Garden – Ask your human to plant some cat grass, catnip, or other cat-friendly plants where you can explore them. There are few things more cooling than lying in cool grass.

Cat Stroller – It’s a great way to see the neighborhood without being in any danger from traffic. Be sure your human uses a stroller that is safe for kitties. You should be able to see and smell, but not get out accidentally. Note: If you are a shy or tense kitty, you may find a stroller is not really much fun. There are a lot of different noises and smells in the world, and it may be overwhelming.

Iz a stroller-- Get strollin'! http://cheezburger.com/9002086656 | Funny cute cats, Cat stroller, Pets cats

Hopefully, you can find something in this list that you and your human can enjoy together. We’re not really fans of ice or water, but if Mom freezes some tuna juice, we might give it a shot. On the other hand, the rooting box sounds like a lot of fun. Or napping in that sun puddle.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

22

Cats Tell (Some) Secrets

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Snoops and Kommando Kitty here. We thought that we would help you humans understand a little more about us cats. So we decided to try to answer some common questions.

Image result for cats in sunshine

Why do cats spend so much time sleeping in the sun? 

Some of sleep in the sun because it feels so nice on our fur. It’s also nice and warm on cool days. Other cats are partly solar-powered. You can tell who these cats are by their behavior after dark. Regular kitties want to play with their humans before bed then sleep at the same time (more or less). Solar-powered kitties will play a little before bed. But when the lights go out, they turn on the stored solar energy. They race around the house, play with their loudest toys, and try to wake up their humans to play some more. If the humans lock the door, they will stand outside and cry or bang at the door.

Image result for cats and computers

Can cats really use computers?

That’s an interesting question. We don’t like to type. The claws get in the way and our paws are really too wide to be effective. However, we can use Internet sites. For example, if the human has an Amazon account we can watch them sign in and type enough to copy it. As long as there’s a credit card and address registered, all is good. We cannot use Alexa. She’s pretty smart. She knows we’re cats, and cats can’t get credit cards.

Image result for cats and tv

Do cats watch TV?

Occasionally there’s a show about cats or birds that’s interesting. And some of us like sports (the faster ones; cats don’t follow golf). But for the most part humans watch junk about other humans. Humans talk a LOT on TV. If we want to listen to humans talk, we have our own.

Image result for cats talking to each other

What do cats like to talk about to each other?

That depends on the cat. Some (like Kommando) talk more than others. Generally speaking we talk about why the humans won’t fix the weather so it’s not so cold or hot or wet or snowy. Are there any good clothes around to lay on or paw through? Is there anything good to eat?  Did the humans forget to put anything away that we like to play with or eat? We complain about clumsy humans who trip on us. What’s on Cat TV? Should we tell the humans that they smell weird?

Image result for cats talking to each other

How do cats feel about sharing the house with other animals (besides the humans)?

It depends on the cat and the other animal. For example, our housemate Horatio Hedgehog isn’t a problem. He has a cage and is pretty quiet. He’s nocturnal, so we don’t hear too much from him. Some sort of small rodent would be acceptable. It’s always fun looking at prey. Same for fish or small reptiles. Another cat or a dog would be totally unacceptable. Three humans and two cats live here. That’s a spare human in case we need him. Other cats prefer to be alone with their human. And some cats are really outgoing and say the more the merrier. We don’t really understand those cats, so we can’t comment.

Image result for cats outside

Why do some cats like to go out and others don’t?

Most of us like the occasional look outside. Some cats are naturally timid or have had bad experiences and are more than happy to stay inside. Some have complete access to nature and are happy roaming and coming home for dinner and bed. Personally, we don’t want to be snacks for the coyotes or hawks and are happy inside. It all depends on the cat’s personality and how unpleasant it is to be with their human all day, every day.

Image result for cat looking smug

Why do cats act so superior?

Because we’re beautiful and smart and don’t ask dumb questions.

That’s all we have time for today. We hope we’ve helped your understanding of cats. If you have other questions you’d like answered in the future, just send them in.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images

26

Cat Forum: Mid-Winter Get-Away

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Image result for tropical beach

Snoops and Kommando Kitty here. Are you a freezing feline? A shivering Siamese? A chilly callie? If so, you’ve come to the right place. This winter has already been brutal, and it’s not even half over. Our special guest today is Trixie Tuxedo, who owns Trixie’s Terrific Travel. She specializes in cruises and tropical vacations for the discerning cat. Thank you for joining us Trixie. Why don’t you show us the recommendations you have brought for our followers?

Image result for tuxedo cat

Hi everyone! I’m so happy to be here. I’ve got a lot of great ideas for the perfect mid-winter vacation. As cats, we all love the sun don’t we? And you won’t find better sun this time of year than on a tropical beach.

You need to decide what type of trip you want to take. Your first option is a cruise. Cruises are exciting adventures for many:

Image result for cats on a cruise ship

but also offer opportunities to relax:

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We offer cruises to the Caribbean and Mexico. The advantage to a cruise is that you don’t have to get off the ship at all until the end of the trip if you don’t want to. You can visit the sites if you’d like, but be sure to get back in time for departure. We had one poor kitty who had to stay at Customs for several days after missing a ship.

A significant disadvantage for many cats is that cruise ships are full of humans.The humans are not checked for cat-compatibility which has caused some stress in the past. Although it was the humans who complained, not the cats.

Image result for cats on a beach

Some cats prefer to relax in one spot for the entire time. We offer 4-day, 7-day, and 14-day packages to a variety of locations. Some of our more popular destinations are Aruba, the Virgin Islands, and Key West. Are you looking for a romantic getaway? We can find you the perfect place.

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More of the outgoing type? We have something for you as well:

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Regardless of what type of trip you are taking, remember to protect yourself from overexposure to the sun. There’s nothing worse than coming home from vacation with burnt ears.

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Does all of this sound like a budget-buster for you? I understand that sometimes we just can’t afford to get away no matter how purr-fect it would be. Unlike other travel advisers, I won’t try to tell you that you can afford it. You won’t be happy if you’re worried about money.

Instead, how about a weekend trip to a local bed and breakfast to spend some quality time in front of a nice warm fire?

Image result for cats in front of fireplace

The most important part is that you get away from your regular routine and relax. Stretching out in the sun is a cat’s right. Don’t let the winter weather get in the way. Visit my website trixiestrips@cat.cat and we’ll get started today.

Image result for cats on a beach