Cash Cats

Today I want to talk to you about money. Kasey and I don't need money, because we get whet we need by a system called barter. It works like this. We have nice comfy places to sleep and lie around. We get brushed and groomed. We get kibbles and treats. We get nice laps to snuggle on, and we get pets and skritches. All of this is not free, of course. In return for it, we have to look cute and handsome, We have to be there when They need a cat on a lap, or arm, or chest.  We have to patrol, in case a bug gets in. We have to stalk all imaginary perils, and of course, we have to wake Them up. Since we can't tell what time it is, this wake-up call might just be in the middle of the night.  That is more than He and She have to do to get what They need. Oh, sure, He works a lot on His projects, but He doesn't get paid for that.  He says He will someday, but mostly he doesn't go to work for pay.  She doesn't go to work either. She just sits around, visits with Her computer friends, talks on the phone, and watches Her shows. Oh, yes, and She works Her puzzles to try and keep Her mind fit. She needs to work a lot of puzzles, because She forgets a lot of words. At least She remembers where She is going when She is in Her car. So it turns out someone puts money in Their banks every so often. I guess that is why She is very particular about money. He, on the other hand only knows how to spend money. She keeps some money in a special bank, so He doesn't get into it and spend it. It is the money for Their insurance and taxes. She calls it an S-crow. Sometimes He wishes He were rich. She says She is already rich, because She counts all Her beloveds. And don't forget, She has a picture of Herself with Her darling Eddie. Who needs to be richer than that? She says.
No idea what to have for dinner. Might I suggest - fish?  Goodnight, readers.

Fair Weather Cats

Since Kasey and I stay indoors all the time, the way we enjoy the good weather is to find a nice place in the sunshine that comes through the window. The sunshine makes a nice spot on the floor to lie down and have a nice snooze. Kasey likes to go between the shade and the window in front and watch the leaves come back and the neighbor kids playing. If Kate comes up to the window, Kasey acts like Kate is not there. If Kate comes to the back yard, where I am, I try to act as if she isn't there, but I sometimes have to yow at her. He and She are happier when the weather is nice and warm. Where we live, it is not cold very long. The time between the cold weather and the hot is usually the best that we have. Every time the weather gets nice, She says She will take Her walker and go for a nice walk. I don't think She ever will do it, though.  A lot of her bones start to ache if She stands up too long, and She gets really out of breath if She has to walk very much. He and I don't get mad at Her, though. He is happy to help Her, and I am glad when She stays in here with me.
It was a lovely day for Her to have lunch with a bunch of Her friends. They used to be the Crones, but The Crones has been cancelled. Several of the ladies still want to get together. Today there were more ladies there than before, when She sent out messages. If those ladies knew what it does to make Her feel happy, they would really smile. The good things to eat are just an extra. The place where She went today doesn't let you take home leftovers, because you can have as much as you like of about a gazillion things. There is a whole section of just sweet things, She says. Cleo'sGirl knows what She likes for dessert, and goes to get it for Her. That makes Her chuffed.
So our dinner will be very sensible tonight. It looks like meat and vegetables with gravy. She calls it stew. I will like that. Sy-o-nara, everyone.

About Kate

I guess you remember that Kate came to live with us nearly a year ago, when her family had to move away, and no cats were allowed. Kate is a little Russian Blue. We were fine and happy without her, but if Kate's people sent her away, she would probably have been put down. Kate's original name was Katie. That sounded so much like Kasey that He and She called her Kate. When she lived next door, Kate had a busy family with two kids and a dog. Kate went inside, into the garage, but she was mostly outdoors. She would come over for pets and sometimes to get a snack. Sometimes she would come inside, but she always wanted to go right back out. When Kate came to stay with us, He and She never let her out. They didn't want her to get fleas or eat birds.  I surprised Her that we didn't become friends. For many months, Kasey and I stayed in the bedroom and the closet, but Kate was all over the house.  It seemed as if she liked the comfy chairs and the nice pets and snuggles. I started to sneak into the living room, so She was hopeful that we could all be together and happy. Without a single hint that she was not happy here, Kate got outside somehow. He and She searched all over for her but didn't see her anywhere. None of us saw Kate for lots and lots of days. Then one day He was putting out food for the stray cats, like He always did, and there was Kate. She had a snack and He opened the door for her to come in. Kate wasn't interested. She ran away. Kate has been back a few times for a little snack, but He decided not to pick her up and make her come in, since she didn't want to. The round tummy is still there, so He guesses she goes somewhere to live and just comes around to visit.  I hope Kate is happy, wherever she has gone to stay, but Kasey and I have been so glad that we have the house back to ourselves that we don't want her to come back. I am just telling the truth.
If you got a new cat, like Her OperaGirl, and they get along fine, we are happy for you. No more cats here, please.
Until tomorrow, dear readers.

Jobs Cats

The TV says more people need jobs. I have special jobs myself. My hardest job is taking care of Her. She has come to depend on me for many things. I am certainly not saying I need a helper, but being a person's main cat is a very responsible job. I have to be sure to wake Her up every morning, then join Her for breakfast, eat some butter off Her fingers, and get Her settled at Her computer. I have to check out the house for anything suspicious. If a bug happens to come in, I have to track it down and call Him to kill it. Then, there are the naps. I have to schedule naps, just like everyone else. Kasey has jobs, as well. She has to get him started on His work by moving as many of His papers as she can,and checking out his keyboard. She walks all over it, until He lets her know it is fine. I can't always make out what He says to her, but he does refer to some kind of dam.  Kasey has to perform certain tricks so He will give her treats. I have seen  her take magnificent leaps to get where the treats are. Besides Kasey and me, He has jobs here. He has to talk on the telephone, write stuff, draw stuff and yell a lot. It is to get his project ready to sell. He also has to go to meetings and got to the store. Kibbles don't just grow here, you know. He has to be sure She has Her root beer. He is a very hard-working person. Now, She doesn't do any job at all. I guess She just lets Him and me do all the work while She reads messages and works puzzles. Maybe She is one of those people they talk about on the news. One that needs a job. Well good luck. She almost never goes outside, let alone to find a job. I guess She thinks that having a teacher job for a long time entitles Her to just sit around. I guess it is good to have one person fewer to need a job. She says the President is working on it, so I don't need to worry my furry head. That is good advice, because I have enough to worry about.
She is on Her way to the freezer. There just may be shrimp in there. A hard-working cat can always hope. TTYL.

Time Cats

One thing that cats are kind of ho-hum about, is time. Yes, we know when it is time to eat. When it is time to use our litter-box. When it is time for a snuggle, but we are kind of open to different times. Now, let's talk about humans. People are absolutely enchanted with time. There are clocks all over the house, on the phones. On the computers. They can't escape it. Long ago, when She used to go to Her teaching, not only was time important, but they rang bells to show when things began, and when they were over. I couldn't believe my ears when She told me that. Now that She doesn't go to teaching any more, you would think it doesn't matter about time, but She needs to know when Her shows come on, and when to start fixing dinner. Still, She isn't as bad as He is. He sets a clock by His bed, and it rings when it is time for Him to get up. At least She doesn't do that. Wait until I tell you what They did last night. Before They went to bed, They moved the time on the clock to tell them it was one hour later. Every clock. And when They got up this morning, they went by the time on those clocks, just as if nothing had changed. Readers, I love my humans with all my heart, but don't ask me to understand why They act the way They do. As strange as some of Their habits are, They love us and take good care of us, so we just chuckle at them.
Tonight She is serving some of that meat that comes on bones. We love that kind of meat. It just takes a very long time to cook.  She eats most of the meat off the bones, and then I get to lick off the rest. Kasey has no idea what she is missing. I hope you have a nice night, whatever time it is where you are. Oddy-ose.

Messaging Cats

One of the things that He has to do when He works on His projects, is to get information from lots of people. She would do most of the messages on the computer, but He is more likely to use the phone. She and I have had to laugh at him more than once when He is on the phone, because if the phone machine says they didn't get what He said, He shouts the message. If they say they still didn't understand He gets very annoyed, and shouts even louder. At this point, they either disconnect, or give Him a human to talk to. Meanwhile, She and I are in here giggling. We are very used to him shouting at the phone, the computer and the TV. There is a thing called frustration, which means all your patience is used up. That is what happens to Him.  The latest problem has been getting papers to people, and then back to Him.  To do this, people use a machine called fax. He and She used to have one, but it got old and worn out, so He went to a store to use their fax. Naturally, they ran into trouble and He came home very angry. He called a guy to come out and fix up His computer so that it sends the papers. Maybe we will have better luck with that. She and Kasey and I wish He didn't have all this stuff going on. If He could just get His ideas without turning His life into a frustration, She would be happier. But He is a good person, very nice to Her and to me, and very nice to Kasey, so She wants Him to do what He likes. What He likes is to be busy and in a fit a lot of the time. Meanwhile, She and I give each other messages in real life, and She doesn't let it show so much when She has frustration. She says She learned that teaching children. You couldn't let them see you upset. She says don't let people know what makes you have frustration, so they don't have extra power. I know what She means, but it isn't always that easy. I am better at it than Kasey.
She got meat and vegetables from the freezer. We will like that. Good night, sweet readers.

Places Cats

I have observed carefully, and I have found that every person and cat has certain special places. Take Casey, for example. She fell in love with a blue blanket a few years ago, and now it is one of her special places. When she is in His office, Casey likes to be helping him, but when she has looked at all his papers and has checked out His keyboard, she squeezes herself into a box on His desk. It is not a very big box, but it has crumpled paper on the bottom, and Casey just loves it there. As for me, I prefer the tops of Her chair and the sofa. I have a reserved place on the floor by the window where the sun comes in each afternoon, now that Kasey has moved out. Then there is my total favorite, which is on Her tummy or chest. Those are my places, and everyone knows it. When She is working on Her computer, I am either in Her in-box, or on the chair that fits under the other desk. If She is looking for me, She knows to look in those places.  She has a favorite place, too. It is here in front of this computer, where She is happy most of the day. Then She goes to sit in Her magical chair that moves up and down with a button on the side. She and Rocky'sMom got that from a store where it didn't cost much. That is where I spend a lot of time, too. As for Him, He has two main places. His favorite is His cozy bed. He loves to lie down there when He feels like He needs a little rest. His second place is the chair right near Her chair. His goes up and down as well, but with a lever, not a button. And it rocks. Not like rock music, but like a rocking chair. Sometimes I jump on it and ride back and forth for a few minutes. I hope you have favorite places, dear readers.
When I finish my story, I will do a happy dance, because fish is on tonight's menu. Cheerio!