I succumbed

I know I only posted about Snowman yesterday, but he has been hanging around for months now.

So this morning, all three cats were hanging out together, when Smokey and Bandit wanted their breakfast.

And I could no longer ignore Snowman, so I gave him a bowl too... He's in the foreground; tail extended.

I should probably note that we asked the neighbourhood some time ago if Snowman belonged to anyone and nobody cane forward, so I am pretty sure he is a stray and I am not feeding someone else's cat!

As I type, he has completely finished the bowl. While he's not a thin cat, he must be a hungry one.

Snowman

This is Snowman.



He is a wandering stray that lives in the neighbourhood. He is a wily and bold cat. He is friends with Bandit, and we have often seen them walking together, or just sitting in the back yard.

He also likes to eat, and is not shy about taking opportunities. Since Bandit showed him where her food was, he will slink into our kitchen and help himself, if the back door is open! On several occasions now, I have spied a black backside high-tailing it out of the house when I've come downstairs.

His ear is clipped as a marker; he must have been trapped and neutered at some point in his life.

And if you're wondering why we call him Snowman... well, the Bandit's best friend in the movie was Snowman the truck driver... and it seemed nicely ironic :-)

Besieged by waily cats

This morning, these two were due at the vet for their first annual checkup.

Cue much wailing and mewing since I wouldn't let them outside.

More wailing and yowling in the car. It really is amazing, the variety of noises these cats can produce.

At the vet, Bandit was not convinced but she allowed herself to be weighed and examined, before receiving the three vaccinations they both required.

Smokey, however, turned into a growling, hissing, ball of grey clawy fury whenever a vet or technician tried to get near him... We skipped the weighing and exam. It took three of them, a towel and a leash round his neck to hold him still for three of the fastest injections you ever saw.

The vets and techs all scarpered, while I calmed Smokey down and got him back in his box.

More mewing on the way home, although mainly resigned-sounding.

And now we are all in the house. But since the vet said I should keep them in today, more wailing is going on. They want Out! So I am besieged, while they make sure I know they are there.

Miaooooouw!

Random kindness

I went down to the pet shop to buy cat food, before I am lynched by two hungry felines.

As I got out of my car in the parking lot, a scruffy green car came to a rapid stop, and a young guy leapt out, brandishing a bunch of flowers. He said, "These are for you. I would like you to have them. Have a nice day!" and as I was thanking him for being so kind, he got back into his car and drove off.

How totally random, and how nice!

Made my day :-)

Gratuitous cat photos

Here is Smokey, investigating one of the new plants we had put in this week (more of which later):



Meanwhile, Bandit wanted to help with the laundry. The conversation went something like this:

SCENE: The bedroom.

Bandit: I want to sit in the washing basket!
Jo: If you do, I will pull T-shirts out from underneath you. I need to fold them.
Bandit: OK then, I want to sit on this pile of T-shirts! It looks more comfortable anyway!
Jo: If you sit there, I will stack T-shirts on top of you.

And lo, it came to pass that Bandit was warm and cozy:

Evidence! Roof Cat has been on the prowl...

The last bit of snow in the whole place, and Bandit just has to walk through it. Cue waily mewing from the balcony...
;-)

Snow Cats

This morning, we had a sprinkling of snow! Probably not quite even one inch, but enough to get everything white. This is a Big Deal in this part of Texas. We have had temperatures of 18F/-8C this week, as cold as we have ever known it here. Until this morning, it remained very dry, but last night some moisture rolled in, so we got snow.

The cats have never seen snow before, so we were looking forward to seeing what they'd make of it.

As you can see, they had a great time, before getting a bit chilly and wanting back in.















Finally, here is a short video of the moment at which they were let outside... this is the very first time they encounter the white stuff! Normally, when we let them out in the morning, they will go out, sniff the air, scratch the balcony support poles and be on their way. Snow obviously turns them into kittens again :-)