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Good morning happy cat people. After taking a break from blogging, I’m back and thanks to yellowsnapdragon for taking on the post and giving us a Nagi, (now Shadow) update. Really nothing to report about the cat except one item. Last week when she was in one of her fiesty moods, she went out onto the balcony while I had the door open bringing in plants. When I went out for the last one, there she was, walking along the top of the 3/4 inch wide railing. I live on the third floor and the rail is made of steel so she wouldn’t have anything to grab onto if she lost her balance. I said, “What are you doing up there?!?” She got down and gave me that “What’s your problem” look. I’ve never seen her up there before, though she has climbed into the rubber plant to get to birds but I’m sure she’s done it before and has been for years. There’s nothing below that but a hedge that has been kept trimmed, (so there are many fat branches that come to blunt points) and also some very hard ground. I hope she has the sense to stay off the rail when the wind is gusty because I can’t deny her access to the porch. Wish I had a picture of her up there but the last thing in my mind was photography!
Here are the pics:
Kuroneko picture of the week: “Where’s the catfood?”
Demi’s cat Picky. Isn’t he gorgeous?
Obligatory cute kitten picture of the week: Getting harder and harder to find pictures that don’t have silly phrases across them. This is a great one though, from Cute Overload
More funny cat vids.
That’s it for this week. I hope you will stop by and share your cat stories and pictures. I wish everybody a great week ahead but whatever you do, please remember to set aside some time to spend with whatever animal(s) share their lives with you.
123 Comments
Please join us animal/cat
loversservants.Hi Margaret! Happy Cat-in-a-shopping-bag day to you! It’s a barrel of monkeys every day, and thank goodness Neko did not lose her balance!
We are still having adjustment issues with the Tiny (g)url, it is about time for me to drag her out from under the dresser where she takes refuge and get the Pride of Mr. Sadness their collective breakfast.
I took a drive to the Bosque del Apache wildlife refuge yesterday. It was fairly empty of birds though there were a variety of hawks, ducks, a very darling skunk, and some deer. The weather was spectacular, a very nice outing.
I had some similar problems with Kuroneko when I brought her home. She moved into the pocket of my overnight bag and didn’t come out for over 24 hours. Eventually I went and took her out and zipped the bag shut. She spent the next couple of weeks in various hiding places and I almost despaired of her ever coming around but one day she surprised me by jumping into my lap and began purring. I had to start sitting with a towel across my right thigh when I was in the chair because she would always sit there and knead my flesh with those sharp, sharp claws of hers.
Hey ya, Margaret.
Woot! Picky’s Almost Famous.
He’s such a nice manny. He’s very patient with me. I often find him standing at the sliding glass door, he turns his head and gives me a look. Oh, honey. Did you want to go outside? Yes, please. He does the same with his food. He’ll stand on the kitchen table and just patiently wait for me to notice that there’s no food.
I love Picky.
Thanks for sharing the photo. Picky sounds as handsome as he looks. :)
Thanks, Margaret, this week I did take a picture of the barn cat, Tom, who’s delightful and a little beat up. He comes right up and plops down in my lap.
here; https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LxA8eDiHGAlfvqIZkJtsyg8szHUx-OY9EC-wKjAl8ho?feat=directlink
Handsome boy, not really in bad shape, his ears are still totally intact.
Yes, Picky is a winsome winner, I have not had a grey tabby for a very long time, but my oldest cat ever, Cheubi Chan, was one, and she had a brother, Grigio, who was quite lovely, but he died young.
The Tiny (g)url is back in her spot. I tried some cuddling just so she knows she is welcome, but the cats have terrorized her and she just wants to hide. It has been about 2 weeks, not much change. I recall that Temporary Cat was never accepted after some months, so this could be a slog. Tiny (g)url could go back outdoors once she is fixed, the mean cat has not been around since T(g) came inside, so I guess that was one thing accomplished.
A little beat up but as Barb points out, his ears are still in good shape. Thanks for sharing.
Yeah, ‘Neko didn’t have other cats to get used to when she came here.
Oh, dear that sounds like a slow start. Hope she gets a little love from the others soon.
Thank you. I would like to announce that Nikko, the African Grey parrot, has begun work on his coyote yelp. He barks, meows, does the Three Stooges, and orders us around. Ow Ow Owwwwww…
Snowball, the Sulphur-crested cockatoo, rocks the house, dancing Another One Bites the Dust.
Good to see you back, Margaret, love the kitten pic!
LMAO! Thanks for sharing that. Freddy would think it fabulous.
Margaret, Nice to have you back….How has the writing
been going? Ya’ know, I have no cat stories. I have not
seen that they are any around the area; mostly dogs I see
more than I would like;)
Maybe the kittehs are all inside?
I know that Dragon thought that cats should be inside, not indoor or indoor or outdoor, and maybe my take of what he said was wrong.
I only know that my guy enjoys the inside and the outside.
Just what has been my experience here.
I’m smitten. Totally smitten
Nagi escaped again yesterday. That was escape number 4. We caught him in the neighbor’s yard again.
He was cuddling on Mr.’s lap this morning when Gracie came up and sniffed him. Just as I was remarking on the progress, Gracie hissed at Nagi, who made an amazing two and a half foot vertical leap from a full lounge position and tore off.
Yes, I am too! It’s the beautiful ears … !
Thanks. I’m not really back per se. I like doing this post and I like upholding Southern Dragon’s legacy but I’m not sure what’s going to happen to it. I feel that Firedoglake is no longer a safe place for me. I’ve agreed to do a PUAC for Ellie next week and I will and I’d like to keep doing this post but I’m uncertain about that. This is not any kind of TTFN or anything because I wanted to avoid nothing as much as I wanted to avoid doing one of those. I hate drama so I’m not going that route. I’ve had two or three weeks to think about it and I still don’t know what to do. I think I may keep doing this as long as I and other people enjoy it and maybe drop in on PUAC from time to time but I seriously don’t believe I’m very welcome around here anymore.
Poor Nagi is having a tough time getting to be friends with his new kitteh family. :(
Didn’t Nagi live with a whole tribe before, in Florida?
Well, lot’s of changes to digest and adjust to.
Prolly a Big Change for the little guy.
Wow. What has made you feel like this is not a safe place any more, if i may ask? I loathe drama threads too, but we tend to hang out on different threads, so I don’t know what’s been happening elsewhere.
SD always made the cat chat a drama and meta free place… I hope we can talk here in a neutral environment full of compassion and respect, which is what SD created. It really bothers me that you feel unsafe.
You’re a very good part of FDL for many of us, and I’m one of those. If some one aims a smackdown at you, it’s only coming from that one person, at that one time, and not part of the essential makeup of the blog. I see some folks just lash out occasionally for no reason I even can see, and just don’t see it as the totality of any blog, especially not this one. Would love you to stay.
This is the kind of explanation I really wanted to avoid. I can take being called names, I’m a big girl but it’s what happened, (or rather what didn’t happen) afterwards that bugs me most. Plus this place is absolutely rife with purity trolls. You can’t make a dissenting comment around here without being accused of being a “shill” or being stupid, racist, whatever. I left Freethoughtblogs because ironically, having anything but an opinion that is sycophantic agreement with the majority on any given topic will get you roasted over and over there. I hope that’s enough because I’m not going to go into the specific event here. Suffice it to say it was ugly and I’ve got people standing in line waiting to treat me like shit. I don’t need to make it easier for them.
Don’t mean to elbow my way in, but I appreciate your science background. You are very good at explaining science concepts, often complicated ones, so that a five-year-old, like me, can understand, and I really like that. I’m serious. You are always welcome around our home. Sometimes I observe stuff on the internet to be, I don’t know, deceptively fickle. Every once in a while (him more than me) comes the announcement, ‘That’s it. Done.’ Hope you don’t do this at FDL, it would be a loss. I admire your backbone and intellect, I really do.
Yeah, this post seems to be my last refuge at FDL. I’d like to keep doing it as long as it’s welcomed and people enjoy it.
X2, well stated, Ruth.
Hi Margaret,
Last week I had the stray black come and eat twice and no new sightings since Wednesday. Mcat wanted out, sitting on the rug, in the full sun in the garage door. The kibble that the stray didn’t eat was a soft and damp. I tossed it on the packed snow in the driveway and the crows are over for it, in less than three minutes after I am back into the house.
Funny watching that there is an obvious pecking order, lookouts stationed in three trees that I can see from the desk window.
Sunday lunch hour, going skiing in a bit, I think the snow is just about right to float a skier on the surface. Very little wind and somebody I am intimately familiar with is not getting as much exercise as he should be.
You are more than welcome here by a lot of folks.
You know who your friends are.
So there are people in this world who show up at a site like FDL. Right? They don’t know you or care.
Honey.
Those who know you, Get you and Care.
Nuff of that.
Did you remember this is Kelly’s Birthday? Saw it on FB.
I’ve been in the garden, weeding and moving stuff so I can get the New Compost Container in place.
With all of the rain we’ve had, there are a lot of weeds and I was thinking of the Garden Song,
Pulling weeds,
Pickin’ stones.
We are made of Dreams and Bones.
Ah…..
Oh, I get it. I think we all have felt wrongly attacked for expressing an opinion at one time or another. That is exactly why I avoid drama threads and stick with the compassion and tolerance threads. Those of us on the fringy lefty-left over at Kevin’s place get an earful from others all the time. I like having my ideas challenged, but doing it in a hurtful or disrespectful way is totally unacceptable and just makes me shut off.
Not to argue at all…and Im really sorry. I thought most of the “stuff” had been on that early morning thread. Im glad you will stay here, then maybe you will find your way back. When I have felt really pushed, and I have, usually my best response was to ignore. Take care of yourself; Im sorry you did not also feel that more folks “had your back,” but we really are all on at different times. Thanks for showing up.
Actually not so much the early morning one. I stopped going to that one cause commenting there kept making me late!
Canfield’s birthday? How weird is that? It’s my sister’s birthday too. Her name is Kellie.
Oh, sorry. I hadn’t read the new comments when I did so.
So, I probably sounded redundant.
I applaud those who have stepped up and into Richard’s shoes.
Big Ones.
Peg. Tsch. You know there’s non-empathetic people everywhere.
Work, store, neighborhood.
I had a friend once tell me,
Deb, you’re letting other people live in your brain, rent-free.
It was a good lesson and not one I am always able to remember in the moment.
Dudes!
So it wasn’t on Over Easy, then? Good. I can’t imagine that crowd getting nasty with you. They *will* make you late for work, though. LOL. Been there.
It’s not the people. The thing is that assholes abound and there’s no getting away from them. It was the lack of any kind of moderation response that got to me. If I can’t rely on consistent moderation, then this is no longer a safe place for me. Simple.
I’m already at work when Over Easy comes up. I was talking about Attaturk’s morning thread.
Whoa. What a coinkydink. Or Not.
I saw it on FB, actually.
Happy Birthday to Kelly.
Happy Birthday to Him.
Happy Birthday,
Dear Kelly.
Happy Birthday to him.
Cake and champagne.
I mean, Good champagne.
Him?
Yes, that’s the one I meant. And I guess I had not seen the others. But sorry for the grief. I think the mods do have a light hand with the idea that expression should be wide-ranging. But not personal attacks.
On a certain reality show fave of mine, one of the contestants kept repeating “Like water off a duck’s back” when she was getting flack from the others and she believed in her own ideas. I know that’s a simplistic solution, but it has some merit.
Nagi found this cool spot in he neighbor’s yard that is a perfect cat shelter. It’s an old piece of chain link fence wrapped into a cylinder and covered with tall grasses. There are big rocks making the entrance accessible only to small cat-like critters. I wonder if that is where ballsy neighbor Tom hangs out…
He might look better in heels than me.
No, wait, I look really good all dolled up.
I’d love a shot of Kelly and me done to the max and going out on the town.
That’d shut some people up.
:)
Is “racist” and “warmonger” a personal attack in your mind? Especially considering that was hurled at me based on my opinion that the North Korean leadership is batshit crazy?
Sorry. Again, I really didn’t want to get into this and I shouldn’t have said anything. I still enjoy doing this post though, even if I can’t trust the rest of the site to “have my back”.
I clean up well too, though usually I frump around in jeans and a tee shirt. Heels though? Maybe not. Still, if it was the right occasion….
Uh oh. It was OE, then. Personal attacks are not becoming on a forum started by SouthernDragon. How sad.
That’s not exactly been my experience.
I seem threads where personal attack were modded and many others where they happened and even with comments pointing it out, nothing was modded. I have to agree, based on my experience here, that I agree with Peg.
I mean to say “I’ve seen”. Sorry.
I still have a pair of “f*ck me” pumps somewhere, but haven’t needed them in a while. Ha!
Peg, I wish you were here with me, sippin’ a whatever and yakking while I’m pulling weeds, pickin’ stones.
You da bomb, babe.
And, I even know which threads you’ve been on.
I pay attention.
S quick hello to Caturfolk…am at the library and onto do errands. Skimmed quickly.
Peg , sorry to read your comments. No time to say mich more.
I have Big Boy stories…suffive for now to say he greeted me this am from…the sofa!
Progress! Except maybe to the other 3, who looked a bit nonplussed.
Must get moving. BBL.
Oh, I’d better get back to the garden before…
Nuff said.
I will say I’m glad that Peggy has shared her feelings here, not sad. Because they are her honest feelings and I’ve witnessed the rude attacks with no mods.
See Yaz.
Peg!
WooHoo for brave Big Boy!
Of course those are personal attacks. I had not seen those, and
I cannot speak for the mods. I also do not know if anyone would have complained…..I know once when something was really inappropriate, I saw where the thread itself asked for and got Mod attention. Several comments were deleted.
I did.
What do you think happens? May the mod be asleep? Or doesn’t agree?
I think that would be useful information. Like my earlier example, I have seen the mod come thru several times. I cannot recall if this issue was part of Jane’s letter/rules posted earlier.
I complained. I pointed it out and it was forwarded to the MyFDL editors. The comments stayed up and the person who made them is still posting here. There was never even an admonishment. hence the reason I don’t feel like this is a safe place for me to be anymore.
I don’t know, to be honest.
Change in the weather? Ha.
It does seems to vary.
Peggy Anne -
No One’s Gonna Harm You.
I’ve also seen threads where terrible personal attacks weren’t moderated, both when other commenters “called for” mods (I doubt mods read every comment, though), and also where the attacks were not called out by others on the thread at all.
As far as political attacks (as opposed to personal) I doubt those of you who have been here since Libbygate appreciate how confusing it can be to some of us who are newer at the site.
There are some threads where politics are frowned upon, or expected to be kept within a particular range, but on political diaries, where other participants are ok with both the topic and the tone, people who are active on threads where political discussion is restricted sometimes drop in and say the content of the political diary and its comments are inappropriate.
I’ve seen that situation happen to several commenters over the years. I wish there was a more even application of the rules.
I am sorry. I hate it when things feel arbitrary. I take it that
you thought the FDL rules did not fit your situation.
Can when you like, of course. But I know alot of folks who are
very glad to have your here. Im old, but one thing Ive learned
is sometimes one has to have very thick skin. Not always what
we would choose, I know. Id look to know the mods assessment.
Thanks again. I appreciate your discussion and answering some questions. Reminds me of the very deep wisdom in reflecting
on What Would SD do? My best….
That was meant to be “Come when you like…”
Ugh.;)
Sorry, I really messed that up….Meant I would like to know…
I better shut up since I can’t spell or type.
Hi Mary.
As far as I know, only the Pull Up A Chair is the only thread, of the whole week, where we don’t talk politics.
That’s just what I’ve seen. Are there other threads that have that?
I’d love to hear your take.
I watched how my family reacted to some crazy verbal stuff last year, and it was eye opening for me. Some of them totally shut down, could not speak/became mute and others tried to speak for them. Two were angry and wild, and I had the capacity/experience to watch in amazement. Being the executor of the estate has been an interesting experience, with all this in mind. I have to try to keep it together, and I don’t want these experiences to change my feelings about my family members, even though I may have to change my approach to some of them here and there.
I am trying to learn from it, but I admit that like the mute ones, I tend to drop back from conflict rather than engage. I was on a thread once with Margaret, maybe it was even this one, and I jumped in when it seemed to me that there was something totally inappropriate coming at her from outfield.
I don’t spend a lot of time, or only am sporadically here, for the most part. So I have not seen a lot of teh wack and mean stuff. But occasionally I come across it when I am re-visiting a thread I was interested in and missed or because someone has called attention to it.
That said, I am so sorry when I hear that people from what I consider the broad/inclusive SD community feel as Margaret does. There is no reason to be here if the feeling of safety has been so undermined.
In my experience over years of internets, I certainly have found the twisting of emotion that comes from words that were not apparently intended to be one way or another but are received in a manner that creates a lot of difficulty between receiver and sender.
So, I would be very sad to lose Margaret or any of our community due to this kind of terrible turn of events. I think it would be unwise of me to speculate on what has happened with the mods, and I don’t know if there is any way to go back and unpack something that happened in those bad exchanges if/when the mods were not sufficiently available/attentive/aroused at the time.
I don’t know what else to say except that I hope you will be able to continue to see us here, Margaret. However you feel you need to take care of yourself, I support you, and I look forward to a time when we will actually meet in person and pick up together where ever we have left off, as friends usually are able to do. Please let me know if I can be of help any time. Sending you a hug and much gratitude for everything you contribute here. I hope you will stay!
He would have said something to the effect of take that crap off my thread. He was very good at weeding out the nasty.
Margaret, I rarely post anything at FDL anymore. Not at PUYC because I just don’t have the free time on Sundays (although I frequently read later) and not in other places for some of the same reasons you just articulated. I have found the negative starting to outweigh the positive, and the lack of moderation has amazed me at times. There’s a definite cliquey feel to the moderation, some people can say anything and have it overlooked, so I’ve been confining myself to just reading the articles and skipping the comments entirely. But you’re such a longtime member of this community and so many admire you that it would be a shame to see you leave. That being said, you must do what makes you comfortable.s
That assumes we would be talking about his thread. What would he expect elsewhere? I do believe Ive gotten too far into this.
Im am sorry that Margaret was offended. And I wish that I had
learned more about Mod. rules…..So that’s all I know.
A very helpful comment. Thanks. Looks like the Mod thing is a
lively topic.
Yeah, fair enough.
Yes, what bgrothus (and everyone else, too) said!
I hope you stay, Margaret, at least to visit with the ‘pups here. I’m really sensitive so I stay away from some of the stuff that goes on … and long ago started to stay away from certain people that made/make me uncomfortable. It’s been a place for me to learn ~ even about people who will have your back one day and absolutely NOT the next. And/or who lack a subtler understanding of the realities of life. Is that a personal attack? It’s all so subjective.
It meant the world to me when someone stepped up to defend me the one time I was directly attacked a long time ago. I shy away from intensity and controversy but I think I want to jump in now in the future if I see something happening, rather than assume it will work out.
So, “racist” and “warmonger” are ugly attacks to throw around from one person to another. And the North Korean leadership IS batshit crazy!!!!!
And moderation varies. Skills vary. I see that here a lot and I am learning more about this as I detect a parade of silly errors that the supervisors make at my survival job. They are mostly just learning. I’m less compassionate about this than I sound …. because people get demerits, or worse, hurt. And I find it hard to abide both. Again I am learning to stand up for myself and my friends. I know SD had our backs ~ so this is something to think about, too.
And, yeah, the purity is a pain. You can’t have an Oscar party among other more serious life realities without being open to being called out for something or other, it seems.
Yup, that’s SD’s voice, LOUD and CLEAR!
Check on the cliquey feel.
I mean I agree!!!!!!
It seems understood among the regulars that politics aren’t discussed at PUYC, or the week-end food threads, even though a new person might see some relevance to a comment based on politics the regulars have expressed elsewhere, or some tie-in to the topic of the thread. People have also been told by some of the regulars at Attaturk’s and late night posts that are mostly critical of Republicans that inserting comparable criticism of Democrats is a rude change of subjects. And, as others have said, there were limits enforced at the Diner, and informally expected at OE.
On the other hand, in the midst of a lively political diary and comments, people who are regulars at the more personal chat type threads, jump in to say the topic or comments are inappropriate to FDL, or they begin a personal chat.
I think it’s great that FDL has just a few rules, and leaves most of the rest up to community standards. But whether you agree or disagree with how those standards have evolved at any given point, can you see from my examples that they would be less than clear to someone new to the site?
(The above comments are related to political and other subject matter standards. Personal attacks, as others have said, are unevenly moderated/banned, but whether for reasons of resources, procedures, or personal loyalties, I don’t know, but maybe we can all do better at “having someone’s back” when they are unfairly attacked or unfairly banned).
I think it’s good to air concerns once in a while.
So. Cats. Kittens.
Snakes.
Whatever.
Springs acoming, and I wonder how that’s going to affect our four-leggeds?
Unfortunately I’m unable to command the respect that SD did.
Yes. Just so. I miss the days of the Lurking Mod. That person, whoever he or she was, was fair, firm and above all, consistent. That’s the kind of thing that attracted me to this place to begin with. I’ve been pretty harshly admonished for so, SO much less than calling somebody a “racist”, (which I’ve never done, even when they make racially charged comments), so my experience has left me jaded and unhappy.
Margaret,
I have only read 37 comments but want you to know that you are an inspiration to me and I truly would miss your voice should you leave FDL.
You are a wonderful person. :)
When it’s not your thread, the mods should be on it, though, not you. As I’ve said before, rules are often applied unevenly, which makes following the rules difficult for everyone.. Moderation is unpredictable.
Hello, People of the Cat. Lots of good observations about tone and moderation.
We’d all be poorer for it if you left, Margaret. Thank you for all your contributions, not the least being carrying on SDs caturday tradition.
Had some news from Nancy about Gabby this afternoon. He has really blossomed and is thriving, but Homie, Nancy’s cat of 11 years, isn’t coping well at all. He isn’t acting out, but has become really withdrawn and unhappy. Although she has done her best to try to give them both the love and attention they seek and need, it hasn’t helped and she has decided to look for another home for Gabby.
She says that Gabby loves other cats and dogs, but is shy around children. I’m not sure of his age, and am assuming he is neutered, but I’ll find out more information and get some photos. So, if anyone is interested, let me know and I’ll put you in touch with Nancy. She is going to foster him until she can place him in the perfect home.
Margaret, I am guessing that this is not the direction you had
planned for today. But you have provoked an important conversation.
I hope that is OK with you and that you see the conversation was ripe for some discussion. I do not know who were the “opponents” in your exchange; maybe they will give this topic some thought as well. And maybe the mods are listening. Im pretty sure that is a thankless job as well.
When Pull Up a Chair was begun, it was a place for us to get together just to relax and experience community. That tradition is cherished by many of us. Politics and policy where pretty much off limits. As for bringing up Democratic failings, they are certainly welcome where appropriate. On the other hand, I’ve seen people use posts about anything and everything as a segue into just how much they hate Obama. I guess that’s subjective too but it seems pretty clear to me. If we are talking about how W started killing civilians with drones, then by all means it’s appropriate to point out that Obama has continued and expanded that. If there is a post about marriage equality and Obama’s “evolved” position on the subject, then it isn’t appropriate to bring up how much we all detest Obama’s drone policies. This is what I mean by “purity”. To some people, hating Obama’s drone policy but hailing his marriage equality stand, is a betrayal. In other words, since his drone policy is shit, then any support for any of his positions is not allowed and the people who express it must be “shills” or “hate democracy” or whatever. I’m glad that MSNBC didn’t turn into FOX “News” from the left and similarly I don’t want to see FDL turn into Town Hall from the left or infowars from the left. Teabaggery, in my opinion is equally loathsome, no matter what side it comes from. This site has always been about policy, rather than politics, nuance rather than broad brushing and reason rather than reflex. Just my .02.
“People of the Cat” ~ I love that.
Sounds like Gabby will weather another transition just fine ~ good of Nancy to keep Gabby until something can be arranged. That will help because Gabby obviously trusts Nancy. Hoping all is sorted out soon for Homie’s sake, too.
Yes, it’s a very important conversation ~ and relates directly to being/becoming a closeknit group.
Aww. That’s too bad but I understand Nancy’s pov. Homie was there first. Besides, I’m sure she’ll find Gabby a great home.
I was called an “apologist for warmongers”, and “liar”. Twice on one thread. I wasn’t too happy about that being left standing, but I don’t think the mods can be everywhere and when.
I just take comfort in the fact that most people know us for what we are, and know the ones who who are slinging the ugly comments for what they are. That said, if it happened more than a time or two I might be ready to walk, as well. I hope you find a resolution and that it keeps you here.
No, this is totally not the direction I wanted to go but since it’s partly my own doing, I can’t really complain about it. I didn’t want to do a TTFN or a swan song post. Such things make me uncomfortable but the discussion has been good I think.
hear ya.
I’m so not even close to being the boss, here.
Like porn, I noes it when I sees it.
Firedoglake is an organic force.
Im glad you feel that way. Funny, one of the things that has always annoyed me is the one about no politics…I do not mean
turning a thread into a soap box, but single update or timely comment can be quite useful. Reminds me of the “old woman who kissed the cow” remark, but clearly somethings are really off limits. Thank you for staying around.
What I don’t adore is the folks who lurk, for whatever reason, but have no problem jumping in with an opinion, like, You should apologize, why isn’t there a post about such and such, including I had no idea?
Check your places.
Agreed.
Kuroneko is being unusually fiesty today. She hasn’t spent much time in her closet of solitude. Usually she’s very lazy on Sunday afternoon but she’s currently bathing herself on top of my monitor. And looking very annoyed when I touch her.
Aww. She doesn’t need help with her bath, sounds like!
(and Nikko is on the naughty step again, this time for biting Mason’s toe, in a scramble for the red devil’s food cookies.)
Arry and I have started a new laundry game- bomb the cat with socks. She loves for me to lob paired up socks at her. They are soft enough that they don’t hurt her if she doesn’t intercept them, but substantial enough for her to attack fiercely.
Neko likes balled up socks too. She grasps them in her front claws while biting them and kicking them with her hind legs. very ferocious.
What do you guys do with all the dead socks? Soup?
I am having a super lazy day, no excuse for it, and I have plenty of things to do. It has been warm enough today, and I let the cats out, but they have all come back inside and are sleeping the afternoon away. Mr. S is snoring, he has started to pull his fur off as is his springtime habit, and he has got a nice patch of pink skin exposed on one side.
Lucy is bathing, and her weight gain makes this an ever larger job. I am going to have to clamp down on the dry food buffet since I can’t control her access to it, and she is the one who must eat most of the food, from what I can tell by her increasing girth.
Because TWC’s death was so sudden, and because TWC was overweight during a number of years, I am really worried about what is happening to Lucy and feel it is my job to get her back on the road of what I would think is a more normal weight. It is nerve wracking to observe her weight gain. I don’t think of her as having any personality issues that contribute to it, but clearly something is up with her not feeling sufficiently nourished that she is eating herself into what can only become disease.
Nice to see everyone here today.
I’m sorry that I forgot to tell you that I’m so glad that Neko came down off the rail safely. I know what you mean about not being willing to keep her off the balcony but worrying about her falling – the cats aren’t the only ones who walk the tightrope. It is hard to keep a balance between keeping them safe from every danger and letting them have some semblance of freedom. Like being a damn parent in many ways :(
Some people do that too. Dunno whether it’s glandular or hormonal or what. Good luck!
It’s very like being a parent, (or so I imagine). I don’t feel good about preventing her going out but I can’t stop fretting when she does.
Demi, Picky is strikingly beautiful. He has the most beautiful face and eyes and expression. I love his short little legs, reminds me so much of our tabby, Jeff, who we lost when living in Tulsa.
LOL!!! You win a dozen internets!!
I’m hungry enough to consider it!
Isn’t he? Just a gorgeous kitteh!
He is really striking.
Need to say goodnight to all the firekittehs. Thank you again, Margaret, for your strength and courage, and for carrying on for Richard.
Ohmmm
Goodnight. And thank you for your kind words.
I have this trouble with Mr. Merlin. He came to me overweight and he’s down a bit but …. he’s more satisfied with the wet food so I am starting to give him some every couple of days at least. I also try to add some vitamins of some sort and am generous with the ‘fresh’ meat when I am sharing: that was the problem with a calico I had and once her nutrition was better she did well. Also, I have been using a flat dish for the kibble, and doling it out in small amounts. This means he eats more slowly and doesn’t vaccuum the food up. I have seen kibble left in the dish, lately. :-o
:-))
Thanks Margaret,
A very nice break from activities on our home front. Just went from Pacific to Eastern time hopping over from Ruth’s Sunday food post. Always a place I feel welcome, thanks for that. A good upcoming week for you and everyone, please.
Thanks for coming by and sharing.
Well, I’m back later than planned. Lately it seems all my chores and errands have to get done on Sundays, and I miss most of the PUYC visitors in real time. Sigh.
Keeping my guys waiting for their supper…they wanted to go out when I came in anyway, not having been out for a few days. And it was a lovely day; they deserve a little sunshine (safely).
I hope our lovely hostess knows how valued she is by the cat people of fdl, if some others might be rude.
I do think long-lived blogs change population over time, and often the “personality” of the blog changes with the people. Some of my favorite people have left fdl for similar reasons as those mentioned…especially, I think, the “purity” problem. That ticks me off, too, and has for years, not just here. I value fdl for being able to truly discuss issues, from all sides, and of course, that’s one of the things we all valued Richard/Southern Dragon for. He was so good at that.
Mostly, I pull back from some threads for awhile, but for now, still take the attitude that I won’t be driven away from my “home” site. Of course, I haven’t been attacked in the way that some folks have. (if someone smarts off at me, I tend to smart off back, but there hasn’t been anything really vicious). So it’s easy to make that decision.
I would sorely miss this “cat post,” though, and I’m so glad it continues.
Must go and feed the little furry masters now. will check back to see if anyone lingers later.
And thanks, Peg, for doing the post and hanging in there.
Thanks for coming by and get that crew fed!
Gracie and Abner were spotted cuddling together in a sunny spot on he grass. They’re quite the bonded pair. I totally get why Nancy can’t keep Gabby.
I do hope they eventually accept Nagi.
I hope so too. It will probably just take a long time.
Mr. Sadness’ Pride did not have any problem accepting Lucy. It seems like it is the smallest cat, The Mutt, who is dogging (sorry, dogfolk) the Tiny (g)url. That Mutt is just terrible and is constantly lurking looking for an opportunity to be terrible to the Youngest Arrival.
It may be that I won’t be able to keep Tg only b/c her life will be miserable. The Mutt also lurks at the top of the stairs to keep Miss Sissy from coming up. I don’t really understand the dynamics, I have to confess. Sometimes it seems obvious what is going on, but in this case, I don’t quite get it. The Mutt also goes after Little on occasion, and TM is quite the screamer when/if the tables are ever turned on her.
One thing about kitty culture I’ve learned: They never cease to surprise. They have some complex and nuanced relationships.
Hey, bgrothus—maybe tiny gurl just needs to hide out, or be separated awhile longer. A baby gate in the door of “her” room, maybe, if you have a room she can stay in by herself.
I wouldn’t haul her out to eat, either…just put her dish close to her hiding place, even push it underneath where she can eat.
It was weeks before Charlie came out of hiding when I brought him over here, and he knew and was very attached to me. It was just the new place and new kittehs he was afraid of (he had stayed with my ex when we split up, but he missed me and I got him 2 years or so later).
They all need their own time.
Like with Big Boy; I’ve been inviting him out of the kitchen for weeks, months even. For a long time he just didn’t budge. Then he would go a few steps into the dining room, and zip right back to the kitchen.
Now it’s probably been a month or more that he’s been wandering through the dining room into the edge of the living room when I hold open the swinging kitchen door. Then he started greeting me almost at the edge of the bedroom (far side of the living room from kitchen) on my getting up in the morning.
And now, he has apparently spent the night in the living room on the sofa! Which may mean he was sleeping in the living room earlier,and I just didn’t know, of course.
See? This is why I don’t want to get a playmate for Kuroneko. I know her well enough to know that it would traumatize her. She considers me and my home her sole property and I just don’t believe that she would react well to having to share us.
yes, you’re probably right. And it’s terrible if it doesn’t work out.
You know your kitty best. She does have a strong personality, just based on your tales.
I think the strongest and also the most nuanced of the half dozen cats I’ve had. I think she enjoys her private times when I’m at work. She often spends Saturday with me but by Sunday, it’s back to her closet of solitude.
Okay, that’s about it for me. Thank you everyone for stopping by. I think that I’ll try to keep this feature going at least, even if I avoid everything else for a while, as long as people enjoy it. I know I enjoy posting it and hosting it. I really appreciate the readers and participants. Have a great week ahead.
Thanks, Margaret, for everything today. I know it was hard to talk about The Difficulties, but I hope it also felt good to receive support and positive feedback. I do love our on-line community, and this and you are important in that Realm.
Have a good week!
Thanks for hosting, Margaret. What bg said.
Whenever I have had ANY concerns about integration and kitteh relationships I have kept the cats separate to eat and when I leave the house. It’s been a trail at times, but necessary for medication and special food sometimes, too. Richard had to do this with some of his crew, I recall. And sometimes when there has been any bullying behavior for any choice spots, I have made double arrangements and physically intervened to demonstrate house rules: the one who gets there first stays as long as they want … I’ve been lucky.
My little cat was a hider too, Margaret. I gave her her own space whenever and whereever she wanted it. Over the years, she was braver and braver. Made me very happy. :-)
I hope you stay around to continue the PUYC tradition, Margaret, and whatever is right for you. It means a lot to me and I appreciate what you do! Take Care.