One Picture Twofer Tuesday

LAZ: 

I like the old platform tree in The Mews Room a lot, and it is an easy step onto the winder sill.  I like this side of the house sometimes because there are differnt things ta see than the back deck side.

Beins, doggies, kids on wheeled things, differnt birdies...

I liked this picture cuz it shows what I see out there, but me are just a shape, MOL!

About Laz Going Out

TBT:  Laz has been here 7 weeks.  He was an indoor cat previously.  But he is beginning to understand that Ayla and Marley go out into a bigger world than he has experienced and I am not allowing him to do that.

He joins them now when I approach the deck door to let them out and it is frustrating him when I say "back" and let them out but not him.  I am resisting his desire to join Ayla and Marley because he doesn't really have a positive response when I call his name to "come".  Ayla and Marley (mostly) come when I call their names (though I suspect they both think their main name is "dinnertime"), and they have demonstrated they generally understand "our yard".  Laz surely does not have that understanding.

In the past, I have used a harness to lead new cats around the yard until I thought they understand "our yard" and "not our yard".  But they were younger.  And Laz is a bit less-socialized than my previous cats.  It HAS been a bit of an adventure with him.  He had a hard start in life.

He gets a bit better each day, but I suspect he will never quite be the same as a cat raised in a calm household as a kitten.  Well, I knew that when I accepted him into the house, but I thought he would adjust faster than he has.  I'll be patient.  He really does seem to like me, and Ayla and Marley too.

But "outside" is a concern.  He desperately wants to go out with Ayla and Marley.  If I open the deck door an inch, he is right there sniffing and sticking a paw out.  He sits at the deck door waiting for it to open.  It grieves me to not let a cat out in a protected yard to experience all of what nature can offer.

I can imagine the first time he catches a mouse and how excited and fulfilled he would feel.  On the other hand, I can imagine him jumping the fence just because he can and not remembering where home is.

So I had this idea of getting a small dog cage and letting Laz sit in it in the late afternoon shade of the deck while learning the specific smells of the yard.  A few minutes at first, and a little more each day for a week before strapping a harness on him and leading him around the yard a bit at a time.

Does that make sense?  I'm trying to be cautious but I don't want to keep him inside forever.  He's not the usual new cat.  With all the previous ones after harness exploration, there was a time when I felt confident enough to let them out (with me around) .  I'm not so sure about Laz.

Any advice/suggestions accepted.  Just want some thoughts.  Though making Laz a permanent indoor cat is not going to work.  He is practically beating down the door already.

Thanks in advance...

Easy Like Sunday

Sometimes, everykitty has their spot...

Sunlight on the head...

A platform...

And a platform.

Peacefulness in the morning...

Caturday Saturday

LAZ:  Wow, I got questions ta anser.  There ar kittis out ther who care bout me!

Most were about "do I like it here"?  Yes, yes I do.  New wet fuds bt also familar crunchys, Ayla playful an we run aroun the hous together.  She says chasin is differnt that with Iza.  Like I play and Iza whapped.  We sit and groom a bit.  And Marly.  That new ta me.

Te best thing mebbe is that there no mean doggs or grabby kids.  Me first place was hard with them.  Snarls and tail grabbin.  Foster much better.  But I like it here too.  Calm, quiet, easy.  Sleep against BT at night and sometimes Ayla and Marlly.

I like that BT tosses toys.  Some smell odd and make me wild.  Some make sounds.  Some are gud ta carry around.

One thing bother me.  I wanna go out.  Ayla and Marly do, but BT wont let me.  He says I need to come when called beter.  Im trying.  I got a new name an sounds ta learn.  I go to the clear door with them, but he says not yet.  Well, at least I get ta smell them all over when they come back.  That ecitin!

BT says my niknme is "destrocat".  Well, still not used to were evrything is so is bump stuff over.  I clime a lot,  Nok the top board off the fire place.  Nok stuff over all over.  BT does just smile and stroke me, an thats gud.  Nothin I do gets me in truble, thats gud. I relly like BT.  

Gettin calmer.  Likin new fuds.  Likin the litter boxs cause Marly and Ayla use them, so I should too.  Their stuff is OK.  Easy ta paw arond.

Lerning new werds evry dy.  Ayla talks them ta me a lot.  Marly sometime.

I stil get all spookd easily and run an hide.

I like the huts in cat trees.  Comfy an safe.  Lik I sed, sometims I get spookd, so huts are gud.

Flashback Friday

Today we go back to this week in 2010, Ayla was enjoying the cave under the old cat tree.

In spite of Iza demanding it for her own...

It was a good safe spot.

And later, she practiced her climbing skills.  Up to the top of the bifold closet doors.

And sitting there looking down "just to see what she could see" from there.

Garden Tour Thursday

MARLEY:  I'm being the guide today.  Ayla is teaching Laz about deck snacks for "after".

First, up on the deck, the stargazer lilies are in full bloom.

The Venus Fly Traps are sending up new traps after a cold winter nap.

The earliest daylilies are blooming!

The reblooming daylilies are in the first flush...

This is a Maltese Cross.  It self seeds, so there will be more next year.  

I don't know what these are, but there are 6 in the pollinator garden.  I will be watching to see whether they attract bees of flutterbys or both.

The hydangeas are blooming wunnerfully.  And TBT ignored pruning them last year.  So maybe they like that.

Look close at all the tiny flowers of one!

Even the Nandina shrub is blooming a lot.  It must have been a good Spring for them.  There are many sprouts coming up around them.  TBT wants to plant a line of them around the property line.  They have white flowers in Spring, red berries in Winter, and are evergreen about 4' high.

Now lets see what Ayla and Laz have arranged.  OK, lots of crunchies from Laz.  Well, he does love crunchies... So Ayla chose BFF tuna with gravies to balance that.  And we have Niptinis...

So let's just relax on the deck and cat-chat while indulging in some snacks... Anykitty have gossip they want ta share?

Thanks for joining us on this week's Garden Tour.

Marley

Whisker Werdless Wensday

Tuesday Threefer

AYLA:  Bad pics, but it is all 3 of us together, and I thought it was worth showing...

No flashie, but Laz still reacts to surprises, and leaves.  Marley and me are more used to it.

Mancat Monday

LAZ:  BT sed I should show more pics of me and tell stuff.  OK.

Red Eye fix dosnt werk on me.  He says puter says orang isnt red.  Ruins my deep bloo eyes.  They feel same to me.

I am sometime gud at sittin fer pics.  Sometims not.  In first home, bein stared at was bad.  But BT is safe.

I can move hed fast and rest stay still an focused.  Is that normal?

BT says I have rather large ears.  I hope that gud.   And long strait whiskers.  Ayla has twisty ones.

Seeing pics of me is weerd.   I nefer saw those stripes over my eyes.  Kinna cool.

BT says I shud ask if any questions.  OK, Any questions?  He says he will help me answer.  Never had any questions befor.

Fathers Day On Easy Like Sunday

AYLA, MARLEY, AND LAZ :  Today is Fathers Day, and we think of TBT as "Dad".  He kinna resisted that for years, saying we were all housemates and equals, but he gave in last year.  We mean, he feeds us, shelters us, entertains us, cleans the litter boxes, gives us peace on his lap, and takes care of us with the V-E-T (even iffen we dont want ta go, we know it is good fer us). 

So we had read about Woman Beins being "Mom" on other blogs and decided he had to be "Dad" since he did all the same things (he refused to let us call him "Mom").

So we made him a Fathers Day card, cooked breakfast, and let him sleep late, an when he got up after 9 hours, we told him how grateful we were that he was our Dad.

Right...  Iffen you believe that, we have a box full of invisible mousies to sell you...  We walked all over him at 5 am asking for food and Laz kept up a nonstop talking routine. 

But we DID snuggle against him and purr all around him.  Because he IS our Dad...

And we did manage THIS...

Caturday Saturday

LAZ:  I like this chair.  It match my stripes.  Shows off my tan furs.

Close up shows better...

International Box Day

We are participating!

I love this box...

 Good bloo towel, too.

This is new to me, but I LIKE the idea...Not quite right though... 

 

Marley couldnt fit...  He tried but, meh... Iza was embarressed watching Marley not quite getting in such a bootiful box.

Iza loved her boxes...


And Laz isn't ready...

But Happy Box Day to everykitty!
  

Thankful Thursday

AYLA:  Thanks, all the kitties who  came to my birfday pawty yesserday!  We are all worn out an we slept till afternoon. 

Laz is still in a mild case of shock.  TBT had warned him it was gonna get real busy, but I dont think Laz imagined what "busy" could be like.  He is STILL looking around corners an unner furniture to make sure there are no more surprise kitties in the house.

Ayla's 13th Birfday Pawty

AYLA:  I am 13 today.  That is starting ta get serious!  Becoming a teenager means I am sort of old like TBT.  But I will remember my youth...

So we will have a huge pawty!  Partly for me myself, but partly because Laz has never seen a full-outright slam-bang "The Mews" Pawty...

There will be chick-hen.

There will be ham.

There will be shimpsies.

There will be drinks.  Mostly Niptinis and Meowgaritas; but if ya have a desire fer a shrimp and chick-hen broth smoothie, TBT has the equipment.

And we will play games!  There will be some fancy ones.

There will be lots of regular ones (sorted for your convenience) in choosing.

There will be wand toys which TBT will move around using all 4 paws.

We have great cat trees.

There will be ladders to climb and jump (and boxes and bags too).

We are expecting quite a crowd, so just mingle, enjoy, and meet old and new friends.

For the outdoors-allowed cats, there will be a backyard (quite frankly, there just aren't any in the front yard) grand mousie hunt in early morning and late afternoon.  TBT says they are invading his garden, so catch (and eat if you wish) every mole, vole, and mouse you can find.  Especially voles.  If you catch more than you want to eat, there will be a plastic box.  Toss them in there.  We have have some caught yesserday, but we might need more. They will go to good use at the next event.  Which IS...

And for the indoors-only cats, there will be a special "mousies in the bathtub" event.  It will be "catch and release" until every indoors cat has had a turn at catching and playing.  Then you can all play Velociraptor...

BTW, TBT has set up extra litterboxes (cleaned hourly or more often as needed).  And there is a special large square of heavy black plastic next to the litter boxes for bomitting in case ya eat too much or get too excited.  Do TBT a favor and use it.  No harm, no foul, and in fact go back upstairs and eat again!

Thank you for coming to my pawty!