Thankful Thursday

 TBT:   The Mews love me individually even if Lori and Taz don't get along, and I am thankful for that.  I am thankful for each, invidivually.  And of course Marley has always been an easy-going cat.

But today I write in praise of Binq.  As friendly and forward as she was in the Shelter Community Room, she was shy and "hidden" when she arrived here last November.  She was nervous around the others at mealtime, ate her food fast and went back to The Mews Room immediately for a couple months.  

Trying to pet or stroke her made her back away.  She used the litterboxes only if she was alone.  She wouldn't play with toys.  She just wanted to stay by herself.  She would never enter the bedroom.  

I didn't let Taz or Binq outside until Spring.  I put Taz out on the deck in a carrier to let him get used to smells and sounds for about 20 minutes several times.  Binq is hard to get into a carrier (sensitive to tummy touching) so I didn't even try that with her.  But I left the deck door open (screen closed) so that she could sniff (with Taz enclosed in the bedroom).

I couldn't get a harness to stay on either of them.  A few days of Taz out in the carrier and Binq happy to just sniff through the screen, and I let Taz out and dragged Binq out.

Taz went right down to the lawn and started sniffing stuff!

Binq just wanted to get back inside...

And for a couple of months, the most "out" she would do was to sit on the deck next to the door waiting to be allowed back in.  But she has changed in many way since then.  Somewhere in the past several months, she has discovered "courage"!

She likes my attention and responds energetically to petting (spinning around, pushing her head against my hand, and sing on the arm of the TV chair next to me).  She has become a rather fanatical toy-chaser (even pulling some out of a box to bat all around the house).  She rushes to go out on the deck along with Lori and Taz (Marley always wants to look and listen first).  She still isn't fond of going down to the lawn, but she loves "out on the deck".  I have seen her on the lawn at the base of the deck stairs a couple of times.

She is becoming more confident around the house and is often in the same room as me.  She uses a litterbox even if I am nearby.  She is no longer anxious about eating with the others.  Indeed, when I lift the food bowls from the counter, she sits up and waves her paws in anticipation.  And she noses into everyone else's bowl too if I don't stand there and manage the meals!

My experience has been with young cats who develop adult cat behavior in a rather gradual and linear way.  Binq has not been like that.  It seems to me that she rather suddenly became comfortable here in the last few months and has expressed that change positively.

She still isn't fully engaged like Ayla, Iza, Marley, and Lori.  They were "normal" cats in all ways from Day 1.  Taz was close to that.  This change in Binq comes after months of self-isolation.

And I am very thankful for it.

We Are Back

 Well, sort of...  TBT was all mousie-droppings about "tacks".  Something about green papers.  He resolved it "kinna"...  You can read about that on his own blog  tomorrow iffen ya want.  Doesnt affect us though.

The news is that he got the replacement camera an took some pictures.  AND processed them while he was aggravated about the "tacks".  We should have them tomorrow.

But the last couple days ("tacks" again), neither we or he ate on a regular schedule, so we and he are filling up fast,  We got real chicken, then some shrimp&fish Fancy food, and there is more to come when he is sure our tummies can handle it.  He ate a fancy steak.

Apparently, "tacks" is a big deal, especially when it is over.  

But here is Binq actually wandering around the deck.  She hets worried when the door closes, but is getting used to that.  She may get used to "outside" eventually.

Caturday Saturday

LOKI AND BINQ:   I suppose I am speaking, since this starts with a picture of just me.  But I am speaking for both of us...

We were both friendly to each other at The Shelter.  But I had a couple others I liked too and Binq had a couple, and they weren't the same as each others.  

Being adopted by TBT and being brought here changed that.  Binq and I reinforced our friendship beecause one of the Mews here, Lori, was kinna mean.  So we spend a lotta time together.

Marley is good to us.  He tells us stuff about TBT an living in this new home.  Both Marley an TBT are kinna old, but they both treat us as full members of The Mews.

So we are4 still adjusting to this home.  Binq is slowly learning (very gradually) not to claw TBTs pants while seeking attention or consider fingers as toys ta grab, and I am (very gradually) learnbing to get off the counters when he says "down".  We aren't quite sure why we shouldn't do some things, but Marley says there are "rules" that make TBT happier with us.

We used ta run when we saw the camera (that red light othered us).  But we have learned it does no harm to us.  An weird as it sounds, we are getting to like seeing our pictures even when we arent doing that thing anymore.  Its like seeing yesserday today.  Marley says they are memories.

An of course if Marley says it is OK, it must be.  He is old and knows stuff.  An he is calm and friendly and always takes some time ta explain stuff to us.

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TBT:  BTW, yesterday was "Kiss A Ginger Cat" day.  I certainly did for both Marley and Loki, but I couldn't manage to do that AND take pictures at the same time.

Twofur Tuesday

 BINQ:  Marly is helpin me writ too, but Lokei is better at it than me.  Marlrlie says to day is a dayn fer 2 cats.  TBT showed me picchers.  I pawed some so hge helped me get then to show.  Im not sur where thery show.  But I see thm her.

Marly meows says these are places all cats find here fer naps an rests.

Well they ar al kinna obvious.  But Marly says we are smart ta find them fastly fast.  Makes me feel smart.

Good food her.  Quiet.  Calm.  i glad to see Loki her.  We friends at the sheltr.

Marly good.  Lori not much.  She hisses at us to much.  She wood not be good at te sheltr room.  But we are hapy ta be here an Marly meows says she will get better.

Im not rely sure whocat Im talkin to.  Marley says there ar lots others hwoo will read this.  That sonds inerstin.  Got to spent mor time with Marly tho he knows stuf.

Loki is fster at this werd stuf.  But I play toys lot better.  I wll listen mor fer a time...

OUCHIE!

LORI:  I've been fascinated with some buzzy bugs that fly around the deck.   They are kinna fast and they dont pay much attention to me, so I wanted ta catch one.  I finally got one unner my paw to examine it.  I wish I hadn't!

IT BIT ME!

And it hurt.  I shook my paw a lot, but the ouchie wouldn't stop.  I hadda limp around for a while.  I dont think I wanna catch one of THOSE again.

TBT:  Lori likes to chase bugs.  I've noticed her trying to catch wasps recently.  I can't stop her from trying, but I've been watching carefully.  If she gets stung, it's part of her outdoor learning experience.  I expected she would get stung eventually.

But "where" matters.  In the body it hurts but "just hurts".  If she ate one and was stung, I have the emergency pet hospital number on the fridge, and would rush her to it.

She trapped one under her paw while I was watching her and I ran out immediately.  She yelled, jumped and poofed, and ran for the door as I was opening it.  She was shaking a front paw vigorously (can't recall which as I was upset) and went 3-legged for about 20 minutes.  I tried to grab her to see if it was a bee-stinger that need removal but she would have none of that attention; feeling "hurty".  

Don't expect to see any pics from all that confusion and uncertainty! 

I did force attention to her paws, and found no bee-stinger.  Actually, by that time, she was walking around normally again.  Cats are tough!

I think she got "tipped" by a wasp.  I say "tipped" meaning a "just barely" sting.  I've experienced that a few times myself.  Not full sting, just an "almost" one that half gets you and little venom.  Like if you brush them off almost as fast as they sting.

Needless to say, I watched Lori for a couple hours until I was sure she wasn't going to have any problems.

I bet she doesn't bother any wasps for a while...  

Thankful Thursday

Lori -  Marley says I should express myself.  OK.  

1.  Mom tole me I would leave to a new home.  I miss her, but this is a good place.  The Big Bein is friendley an gives me lots of attention.

2.  Marley is big, WAY bigger than Mom.  But he is kind.  He tells me stuff.

3.  Laz is bigger than Mom too, but not by much.  And he lets me play with him!

4.  Ayla is fussy and hissy, but she hasn't hissed at ME (much).  An I dont think she really meant it.  She an Laz dont like each other.  But they are both nice to ME so that is gud.

5.  I like eating with the boycats.  Laz likes my food but I like his too, so that is OK.

6.  TBT carries me around the house sometimes.  There are places I shouldnt go yet, but he lets me see them ta unnerstand them.

7.  I wanna follow Laz an Marley out.  Marley says "next year" as I ma too young yet.  But he lets me sniff him all over when he comes inside and that is "innerestin".

8.  I LOVE sleepin with TBT all night.  He is kinna like Mom, but differnt.

9.  I dont uneerstand the flashy thing.  Marley says I will get used ta it.

10.  The flashy thing is odd.  It shows me after.  I don't uunnerstand that.   But Marley says it is OK.

11.  Marley says there should mostly be a picture, and that I choose.  OK,,,

OK...

Bet I made ya yawn...