Image by JL G from Pixabay We used to have a nice screen door. We still have the door, but it's not so nice anymore. The wind slammed it against the railing, more than once. I tried to straighten it, but it will never fit right again. Then the latch mechanism wore out. It would … Continue reading Scaredy-cat
cats
Affection deficit syndrome
The photo is from Shutterstock, but looks very much like our cat Pookie. Remember how Charlie Brown used to say that he wished he could stay home from school and dedicate his life to making his dog happy? Sometimes I think that’s what Pookie expects from me. Of course, he likes to sleep most of … Continue reading Affection deficit syndrome
How I stay sane during a time of confinement
(Or at least try to) Talk to my cats. I know this probably sounds like I'm already losing it, but if there are not many people to talk to, cats are not a bad substitute. They are not persons, but they do have personalities, often a little eccentric, Both of ours are largely Siamese and … Continue reading How I stay sane during a time of confinement
Who is in charge here?
A friend, thinking to reprove my affection for cats, told this little fable: A dog, upon being given shelter, food and lots of affection, begins to worship his master, thinking to himself: “Wow! this man must be a god!” A cat, upon receiving the same kind of treatment and affection, thinks to himself: “Wow! I … Continue reading Who is in charge here?
Spring musings
Spring is coming, even here in the Great White North country. Nothing is green yet, but there's a lot less of the white stuff. No song birds yet, either, but our bird feeder isn't emptying quite so quickly, which means the birds must be finding something else now that the snow is receding. Our cats … Continue reading Spring musings
Winter grumbles
It was -36° when I got up this morning, wind chill -47°. Those numbers are on the Celsius scale, but the Fahrenheit numbers don't look any better: -33° and -52° wind chill. This is the depth of winter, the whole week is supposed to be like this. There can be advantages to days like this. … Continue reading Winter grumbles
Our cats in winter
It is cold here, many mornings the wind chill has been -40° or worse. School has been cancelled numerous times as school buses do not go out when it gets that cold. Monday the temperature got up to -18° (that's 0° Fahrenheit) and it felt positively mild! Our two cats don't like this weather any … Continue reading Our cats in winter
The Wise Old Mother Cat
On this International Day of the Cat, it seems an opportune time to clear up some misconceptions about the relationship between cats and humans. From the human standpoint the relationship seems frustrating. We can’t train our cat to do anything, she won’t even come when we call. From the cat’s standpoint, the relationship is working … Continue reading The Wise Old Mother Cat
Memories of Panda
Panda was our number one furry friend for over 15 years. We got her from a street cat rescue program when she was about six months old. She was part of a litter of long haired black cats found in an abandoned car in a back alley. She grew into a magnificent Maine Coon cat … Continue reading Memories of Panda
Snow, beautiful snow
It's springtime in Saskatchewan and our yard has begun to emerge from the winter's accumulation of snow. We were greeted this morning by more of the white stuff falling from the sky; by dinner time about 10 cm has accumulated. Beautiful, glittering, pristine white snow. I had planned to go to the city this morning, … Continue reading Snow, beautiful snow