It’s been awhile

It has been awhile since I updated this blog, I have been concentrating on my photography rather than writing.  I have also moved house with my two remaining cats. Before we moved Benji had to have his tail removed due to an injury, he came home one evening much worse for wear.  I could see his tail was not quite right.  After an expensive trip to the vet (who were wonderful) he came home minus his tail, plus a few teeth, nails clipped and feeling a little bit sorry for himself as he was wearing the cone of shame – he spent the next week or so on my bed, only getting up to do the necessary and have his food.  It took him awhile to bounce back (the vet reckoned he was around 12-13 years old by the state of his teeth) He is also a little hard of hearing and his sight is not as good as it was, I just have to change the pitch of my voice when calling him.  I have also made small adaptions (I placed a small foldaway step-stool near where he likes climb onto the sofa or the windowsill.)

Amber takes everything in her stride.  She was the first to venture outside when we moved (I kept them inside for a very long two weeks) As you can see she likes to find a high spot to view her surroundings 

Everything Changes

This chap ( I don’t say little) decided to move into the garden. He keeps himself to himself, waits patiently to be fed, He has ventured a few times into the house but removes himself when he spies a human (me)

I am being patient, he will come around when he is ready. He knows his name (Duke) and uses the several makeshift shelters throughout the day if I am working in the garden and get too close etc. As the weather changed I opened up a more permanent shelter for him to sleep in which he uses.

He will often sit at the gates looking out at the world (and yes his colouring does match the gates) but makes a quick exit if people get too close.

He does like a comfy chair to snooze on in the sunshine.

This is my favourite photo of him,

This is his new shelter, of course Duke preferred the box it came in at first. I placed a step stool outside the open cat flap, to encourage him to use it.

Since the last few photos above were taken, Duke got a little spooked and has tended to only appear for food. I found out that he has found shelter in a neighbouring garage. He does come out when called (usually as I am walking away) and will follow me (he knows he is going to be fed)

Kindness

Recently my cat Sebastian went over the Rainbow Bridge. He had wandered away from his usual sleeping spots and did not come when called, so I began the long search for him. All the locals new which cat I meant when I said he was missing (I have 3 others) People searched their gardens and looked under cars. People walking their dogs took extra time to check under hedges to see if they could see him. Eventually a dog walker approached me, sadness in his eyes and told me where Sebastian lay.

I collected him and brought him home, glad that he had been found. A couple of neighbours seeing my distress, immediately stopped what they were doing (it was Bank Holiday Sunday) and dug a hole in my garden so I could bury him.

Sebastian in a neighbours front garden

Waiting for the gate to be opened

Just checking to see if there are any dogs

If I snooze here, the gate stays open

Waiting patiently

Snoozing in the long grass

Sebastian was an elderly cat, at least 18 years old. I knew I would not have him for much longer, but he was a real character, he made friends with the new neighbours and would tolerate ‘little hands’ who wanted to pet him. He was a gentile cat but had a very, very loud meow.

Enjoying the Sunshine

August is nearly over, somehow I seem to have more cats around me than last year.

Who can ignore a face like this?

Sebastian getting ready for his daily walk

Benjie getting ready to follow Sebastian

Anything going?

It’s been a strange month, some days too hot, others a little chilly, I have had more time for myself to enjoy the sunshine and see how photos I can take.

Time now to go for my daily walk, I wonder what will I see.

Another day in July

Sebastian spends most of his time asleep in a neighbours garden during the hot weather. He pops back home several time throughout the day for a feed and a drink of cool water.

Today, he was eating his early evening meal in my garden when a dog escaped his owners and popped inside the open gate and made a bee line for the food.

My ‘Ninja Cat’ didn’t blink, growl or hiss. Truthfully I don’t think he realised it was not another cat. he just carried on eating. The owner of the dog had by this time had arrived and picked the dog up (a small bulldog type) and was very apologetic. and made a quick exit.

Once Sebastian finished his meal he had long drink from the water filled litter tray that I leave outside my gate, a quick lick and a promise.

And then a quick trot across the road to ‘his spot’ followed as usual by his ‘shadow cat’ Benji

Old versus New

When I first started writing, it was pen and paper in a reporters notebook, I progressed to a manual typewriter (portable) and then to an electric portable typewriter.  Then came the word-processers and finally computers and the explosion that is the internet and social media.

I have two sites on wordpress, one that is more of my photography, and this one which is more towards the daily blog, usually the adventures of my older cat aka Ninja-Cat and his daily adventures.  My photography site sits well in the new block editor, however I prefer the classic editor for this site.  Its like moving from pen and paper to computers in my writing, though I still plan my writing (articles and fiction) using the trusty reporters notebook.

The Front Door

My Cat Sebastian has just discovered the front door. Previously when he wanted to go outside to do his business he would trot off to the kitchen and wait by the back door until it was opened and then pop outside.

Now on occasion, (usually at night) he meows very loudly to get my attention and then pops onto the telephone table (it’s near the front door) and waits until I open the front door, he then saunters outside to have a wander around the neighbourhood. Unfortunately he sometimes gets a little confused and will sit outside my neighbours front door and meow loudly to be let back inside, even though I have left my door ajar!

A quick shake of a Dentalife or a Dreamies packet and he comes trotting over; nonchalantly sniffing the grass before coming inside.

He then settles back down in his latest ‘special spot’ on the sofa and soon is fast asleep.

 

Seasons Change

Today has been a little confusing for my little ‘ninja cat.’ The weather has changed for the better, the sun is out, creating warm sun puddles for him to snooze in; however there is a little chill in the air, so Sebastian (the cat) decides to return to his spot on the sofa, and then a little time later he will make his way outside to sit in the sun, only to find that his spot has been already been taken.  Luckily these two do not mind sharing.

It’s 2am and I am awake

My ‘Ninja Cat ‘ decided he wanted to go out so tapped me gently on my nose with his paw, when that did not work he gave his most mournful but very loud meow.  Minutes later I am opening my garden gate and and he begins his nigh time prowl of the neighbourhood

It is warm out side, and so very quiet, My cat returns briefly to my side to take a quick drink from his outside water bowl, then darts off chasing shadows like a kitten (he is an elderly cat aged about 15)

I watch for a few minutes, then return inside.  Totally awake. Knowing that sleep was sometime away, I got out my latest notebook and began to write. ( I don’t use technology late at night) This post for example is from the notes I made.

The stillness of night or early morning if you prefer, has always been a time for reflection or mindfulness. I often find I am the most creative at these times.

As sleep was not forthcoming I was grateful that it was a weekend and I could have a lie in, and with that thought I drifted off to sleep.

Ninja Cat

Books, Books and yet more Books

I am surrounded by books, boxes and boxes of books, I have already donated over ten boxes to charity and it doesn’t seem as though I have made much of a dent.

I have been an avid reader since I was about five or six, I would always get a variety of books as birthday and Christmas gifts and when I had money to spend I would always buy a book (or two or three) brand new or second hand it did not matter.

What ever I became interested in I made sure I got a book about it (no internet then) hence I have a lot of books on some rather strange subjects.

When I left home, not all the books followed me until now, hence the boxes of books to look through and donate to worthy causes.  Some I will keep for sentimental reasons, others that I donate I hope will give a little girl or boy the chance to find out something useful without having to be connected to the internet.

 

Once I finish with the book donations, I have the other boxes of ‘memories’ to go through.