Cat Trap

When we have an empty box in the house, Sean is fond of placing it somewhere, saying "Cat Trap!" and seeing how long it takes to catch a cat.  Usually not long.

Here is Posy in the empty babywipes box, about two minutes after it was placed on the table:

I won't even go into just how long she will remain sitting in the box--but it is somewhere in the neighborhood of A Very Long Time.

And who are we to question why?

Cats Where They Want To Be, Doing What They Want To Do

In a previous post, I was so bold as to proclaim that we had a no pets in the baby equipment rule.  I should have kept my big mouth shut.  Since publishing that post, every time I turn around I spy a cat doing what s/he ought not.  I first came across Posy nestled in the very bugaboo that necessitated the rule in the first place.  Then, when she was removed unceremoniously from said bugaboo, Posy marched over to Owen's catapult seat and made herself at home:

And while she was doing this, Plum was over on the coffee table sucking on one of Owen's pacifiers:

The next day I went to change Owen and found guess who basking in a sunbeam on Owen's changing table:

And when I couldn't find the Baby Bjorn and went looking for it?  Yes, you guessed it, I found it under Posy's warm body on the table.

Between the cats on the baby equipment, and Dorothy trying to claim and destroy all of Owen's toys, it is a madhouse here.  Perhaps I should just throw in the towel and add more chaos:  a pair of ferrets perhaps?  A wee pig or miniature goat?  Gerbils?

Curtains For Plum

Dorothy has a L.L. Bean bed that is in the living room and that she will often lie upon.  Posy was fond of the bed when we first got it, but Plum ignored it--except for the time when he urinated on it, sigh.  However, last weekend Sean put curtains up in our living room, and one of the curtains hangs by Dorothy's L.L. Bean bed.  For some reason known only to little cat brains, the presence of the curtains hanging down by the bed have made it a desirable place to be.  Now every day Plum can be found on the bed by the curtains.

I do not understand why.

Laundry Day

Both Plum and Posy have new favorite places to sleep:  in two plastic laundry bins that are kept up in our bedroom--our bedroom which gets quite hot during the day when the air conditioner is not on.  I'll go upstairs and it will be hot and stuffy and pretty much unbearable, and there are both cats reclining in plastic like it was the most comfortable place on earth.  And of course, Plum usually chooses the smaller bin, while Posy chooses the larger.  Here they both are wishing the paparazzi would just leave them alone:

King of Baby Mountain

Most of our unpacking is finished—although I should admit that the few remaining boxes are all mine and are all marked “flotsam and jetsam,” i.e. things that are impossible to find homes for.  

For awhile, we had all the baby stuff in a large pile in the dining room while we got organized, and also while the baby’s room was being painted.  Now the pile is markedly diminished, yet still contains a few large boxes and other items that create various ledges and levels.  Of course, the cats are quite pleased with this state of affairs and enjoy finding spots on Baby Mountain on which they can hunker down and get a few good z's. 

 They are going to be quite sad when the unpacking is finally complete.

Plum thinking, you mean this isn’t part of the permanent décor?

Not Big Enough

Is what Posy thinks of a king-sized mattress:

Yow Ling

I think Posy must know it is almost time for the Summer Olympics to begin, as she seems to have dusted off her previous Olympics' persona and become Yow Ling.  She's always been a vocal cat, but ever since our first night here -- which she spent very happily in the upstairs hallway, by choice, singing  all her favorite arias -- she seems to spend a portion of each day talking VERY LOUDLY.

That's right, I'm talking to you!

I've said this before, but it bears repeating:  for a very small cat, Posy has a very big voice.

Moi?

The basement and attic are still her favorite spots, and if you visit her there, she will trumpet a welcome.  Often several welcomes.

Here she is watching her father and sister work in the yard.  She is a few seconds away from opening her mouth and bellowing.

I admit it is sometimes tempting to tell her to put a cork in it.

Put a cork in what?!

But on the whole I am pleased that she seems to like her new home, and feels inspired to narrate her joy with many a musical roar.

Cats In House

Plum and Posy are very much enjoying their new space.  While Plum is claiming primary spots – he likes to lie on the cool tiles of the foyer, and on the comfy mat right underfoot in the kitchen – Posy seems particularly fond of the attic and basement.  

Here is Plum artfully blending into the foyer tiles:

I'm beginning to think the central air I had in my apartment wasn't as enjoyable for my cats as it was for me, since they seem to enjoy being in the hottest areas of the house.  The first few days we were at the house, in fact, Posy could almost always be found upstairs in the attic rolling around on the carpet in the hot sun.  We’ve had to close the attic off now that it is in the high nineties, so after a bit of yowling by the attic door, to no avail, Posy decided she’d take the opposite approach and found herself a comfy spot on a bag of miracle gro in the basement.  My complaint about this spot is that when she does venture upstairs again, she smells awfully musty.

A few days ago I went to get something in my closet, and found Plum colonizing an empty shelf there:

It's not really the spot I would have chosen on a hundred degree day, but each to his own.  A little later I found him curled up behind the toilet, and then curled up on a shelf in the bathroom.


The pleasure of new spots to catnap!

Unpacking With Posy

It turns out that when it comes to moving tasks, Posy likes to "help".  In fact, she seems as willing to "help" unpacking as she did packing.  Of course by "help," she seems to mean lie down in the midst of what I am doing.  And then purr.  Here she is "helping" me unpack my desk:

A few days ago I sat down to write a bunch of thank-you notes, and Posy decided to help me with those too.  First she lay down right where I was writing the notes:

And then she decided that while so situated, she would clean her little furry person:

Don't mind me, Posy!  I'll just sit here until you are done.

4 and 20 Blackbirds Baked In a Pie

If all goes as planned, I shall soon have more kitchen space than I do now, and I must say I am really looking forward to that.  It is very hard to cook with only one small square of counter.  Before I got my cats, I would just use my kitchen table as a prep space, but since the cats were never trained to stay off of the table (blushes!), doing any kind of food prep there became a no-no.  Cats gotta sample!

So I am forced to use my stove and the edge of my sink if I want to spread out a bit.  (Remind me to tell you about the time I turned on the back burner instead of the front and then stood dancing indecisively in front of the burning bag of pretzels before deciding I should throw my glass of water on it.)

Anyway, the other day I was making a spaghetti pie and put my pie dish down on the desk for a second.  When I turned back to get it I was greeted by nothing other than Posy Pie.

Posy thinking, what?  You know I have a sweet fang.

And yes, mom, I did wash the pie plate before using it.

If You Place It, They Will Come

Like most cats, my cats follow the rule that a bed is any usual object that is placed in an unusual spot.  For example, if I place a magazine on the floor, sooner rather than later, a cat will be sitting on it.  If I fold an article of clothing, yet place it on top of a dresser rather than in it—voila!  Cat bed!  Of course in my household the “bed” is even more desirable if it is placed in a spot where Dorothy can not reach.

So you can imagine Posy’s euphoria the other day when Sean placed a folded blanket on top of the dog crate making ye olde perfecte catte perche: 

The minute the blanket is placed there now, Posy materializes on it.  It’s comfy, she’s light enough to not sink through to the wire top, and best of all, she is out of reach of both brother and sister.  It just doesn't get much better than that.

Hitting a Speedbump In My Morning Routine

Back Up Slowly and No One Will Get Hurt

Last Saturday my landlord had scheduled to show my apartment to 8 prospective new tenants.  After much cleaning and tidying on my part, I elected to head to the suburbs with Dorothy for the day, so we wouldn't be in the apartment to encroach upon the viewing.

However, I did leave my cats to more or less fend for themselves.  I told Plum to keep an eye on things, since he is a good Watch Brit, and I gave Posy permission to run under the bed and hide if she felt so inclined.

And my landlord tells me that she did feel so inclined for the first few visits.  But then she decided to hold her ground--or rather, hold her spot on the comforter at the end of the bed.  So when people walked into my back bedroom, this is what greeted them:

Back up slowly, or you might lose a digit:

Meanwhile I’m sure Plum was greeting people at the door, all very British Shorthair cat of him—welcome, would you like some earl gray, pip pip, you can sip it while you admire my beauty, etc. etc.:

And here they are at rest on the couch, glad I am back home and tolerating Dorothy's return as well.  Good job, guys!

Sharing

Plum and Posy have been sharing the pillow under the desk lamp more often than they used to.  I think Posy is less inclined to move and more inclined to hold her ground, and Plum knows that if he climbs on top of her to make her move, I will get angry.  So we have all reached a somewhat comfy detente!

Posy feeling bookish:

And this is what Posy really thinks of my detente: