The Threat - Can Cats Read?



The experiment - Can cats read?

By Angie Quantrell Angie Quantrell

 

My husband walked into the kitchen with a guilty grin on his face.

"What?"

"Nothing," he smirked.

Seeing I wasn't convinced, he added, "I'm just laughing at your book on CD."

Ok. Weird. But I let it go.

After dinner, I went out to tidy up the patio and harvest strawberries. And then I saw why he was giggly.

On the chalkboard we have mounted to a wall (for the grands, of course), someone had drawn and written a message.

To our neighborhood bully cat, Mr. Mustache, or Stache. From our gray girls, Mabel and Monet.

Can cats read? Do they understand a threat? Is humor lost on them?

It seems my husband thinks so.

Did his threat work?

I'm sorry to say, but no, Stache has still been around spraying on our windows and chasing the girls inside.

To conclude this experiment in cat communication skills, we may assume that:

1. Cats cannot read.

2. Cats don't care if you threaten them.

3. Cats don't get humor.



Stache, boldly making his visit



Or maybe, cats just don't read message boards.

Read more about Stache, the Bully, here.

National Pet Day

Baby pictures - Monet & Mabel

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Today is National Pet Day.

Here are our two highly energetic and trouble-seeking felines, Mabel and Monet.

The sisters are camera shy and any attempt to take photos results in instant movement, waltzing away from the scene, aloof attitudes, or disdainful staring away from the camera. Loving eye shots are not allowed. No. Not at all.

Mabel of the gorgeous eyes

Our cats love to:

- climb the walls (literally)

- chase, capture, and bring in wildlife (birds, worms, mice, rats)

- pretend they live at the home of neighbors (your choice; we see them regularly lazing in the yards or coming home from 5 different yards - none of which are ours)

- leave hair everywhere

- recline on the kitchen table

- claim any unfurred piece of furniture until it is redecorated in white, gray, and tan fur

- play catch the lazer (or string, or cord, or feathers, or toes...)

- steal rubberbands

- eat daddy-long-legs

- try and potty in the garden beds

- tease the neighborhood bully cat with friendship, and then turn about squawling as if ripped limb from limb (this also results in the male boy spraying regularly on several key locations, house included)

- race loudly and wildly through the house

- be wherever we are

- sleep on fuzzy blankets

Monet with the striped tail

Oh, there is more. They are cats. You get the idea. We are not allowed cat fur free clothing, bird feeders, or litter free carpets.

But we love them. Entertainment, affection, company, lap warmers, snugglers. I guess we'll keep them.

Monet depositing hair and cat litter

 Do you need some great ideas of things to do on National Pet Day? I found a Web site that shared several suggestions. Just click this link. National Pet Day

What kind of pets do you have? I'd love to see and hear about them.

Mabel claiming the center of the bed

Happy National Pet Day!

Home

Home. What a big word.

Home is . . .

where I reside
the body I wear
the spouse I adore
my family of love
the animals I adopt
the nature that surrounds me
the future I hope for
my faith that centers me
friends who nuture me
fellow writers who encourage me
the city of my residence
the state and country of my belonging
the planet I inhabit

Home is a big word.

What does home mean to you?

One Year Old - A Birthday of Sorts - What Do Cats Do?

Monet and Mabel curled up, twin sisters who always did everything together.

Just like human babies seem to sprout up before our very eyes, our furry kitties have done the same thing over the last year.

They were never far from mommy. This is on my sewing table, which is in the office. Again, back then, they spent all of their time side by side, regardless of the activity.

Two little girls, practicing their gym skills. So small!

Mabel helped me read the newspaper.

The girls celebrated their birthday. The nice thing is that I can remember their birthday. April 15. Tax day. Now they no longer do everything in tandem. Each has her own favorite napping spot, hiding den, and particulars about interacting with we humans. Going outside with us? Still a group effort. They love mom and dad working in the yard.

But what did they do to celebrate?

Monet slept. A lot.

Hmmm. I would say she did not appreciate her birthday hat.

Perhaps Monet was downright unhappy about her hat. Yes. I think that is what she is trying to tell me. Annoyance personified.

Mabel refused to even wear hers for a second.

Instead, she ate it. And hauled it around. And chewed on it some more.

Perhaps birthdays are not so exciting (or remembered) in the lives of animals. But we pet lovers who dote on our furry or feathered or scaled family members do like to keep track, don't we? How do your pets celebrate their birthdays?

Happy Birthday, Monet and Mabel!

Time

I had time today. Time to take a walk. C'est fantastique pour moi. Refreshing, brisk, fall-ish (my favorite season). Not to mention I really need the exercise. I've missed the full trees of blazing color, but a cornucopia of autumns' bounty is strewn and piled deep along the road, wet and gooey, crunchy and fragrant.

Encountered wildlife - watchful quail,
chattering and chasing squirrels,
squeaking finches,
noisy crows,
startled woodpecker,
puffed sparrows

Time. Take a walk.