Tales and Tails and NMCs - the Excellent Cats March On

[TheShellBeach]

Join us as 2024 starts and our cats continue to run our lives for us.

Ah @CeciledeVolangesdeNouveau I am so sorry. I’m sure she does love you very much. But your mother sounds like she is playing games with both of you and it isn’t fair.

That's horrible @CeciledeVolangesdeNouveau but I'm sure Velvet will come back to you soon.

I've started coming to bed early and watching TV on my tablet while being surrounded by the tribe. We're watching Yellowstone at the moment, Toad is hooked.

Posing by the flowers

That look is almost saying,
'Admire me or I'll hoof the flowers off the shelf' 🤣

You are right Grumpy! You can almost see the paw curling round the vase in preparation…

I'm in trouble for moving my arm from underneath Vixen. She is Not Impressed.

SOMEBODY CALL CAT'S PROTECTION!!!

😂

Vixen has forgiven me and is now relaxing in the sun. I was a bit worried last night that she may try to kill me in my sleep but Frankie kept me safe. He has discovered the joy of under the cover cwtches and stayed snuggled up to me all night.

I went to London for the weekend with my 8yo and our lovely neighbour popped in and out to Walter and Benny for me. We got back last night and Benny expressed his displeasure by climbing on the roof and staring at the moon 😂 Dramatic boy!

Tobias has a new favorite place to rest - the doormat! No pipes run under it, like they do in his preferred upstairs hallway spot in front of the loo doors. The mat itself is thin. His horrifying kidnapper walks past multiple times. If the wind is in a certain direction and anyone coming to the door don't close the porch door properly, you get a small icy draft under the door.

I can only think he must be defending the property?

@coastergirl what a poor neglected cat, forced to cry to the moon. You should be ashamed of yourself for abandoning him all day.

Best friend has no room on her sofa.

Oh Benny!
Was he howling as well?

We have the same problem (and the same cats by the look of things 🙀) with our bed.

I have always thought that my friend's cats resemble yours, Grumpy.

Especially the one who looks like Sybil (aka Arthur).

Yes, he's showing you what a brave boy he is, Allergic.

Getting braver by the day 😀. Last thing in the morning before I leave for work I top up the upstairs water bowl in their bedroom, give them both a couple of dried chicken liver pieces, ans cuddle Girlcat. Tobias now permits me to touch whichever foot is nearest to me just before he gets his treats!

He will also not always run when I walk past the arm of the sofa he's sitting on, and very, VERY rarely let me have a tiny stroke in passing.

Then there are Annie's new cats, who are already swarming round her ankles and demanding fuss from her DS - one even requests belly rubs from him. Ah well, Tobias was the right companion for Girlcat & that was the top priority.

Benny! He’s revealing his spiritual side. Or more likely reminding you gods don’t do pet sitters.

Tobias so brave and good. He’s loving HIS house, HIS PERSONAL Allergic and Girlcat. Very touching.

Pretty sure Benny would have howled at the moon if he could, little orange weirdo. We love him 😍

Love the pictures of Benny not howling at the moon 😁.

Alas, since the adventure of the vacuum cleaner on Monday, Thrifty (the supposed brave one) has taken to fleeing from me in horror, making nice only at mealtimes. Hopefully temporary. (What's this about a vacuum cleaner, you ask? Monster mum only went and swept the litter tray mats! I know, it's just wrong. Too late to go back in time and fix it now.)

Beautiful photos, and love Benny being dramatic!

I've no further photos as foster cat is not progressing at all really. She'll sniff my fingers when I offer a Dreamie, but won't take it from my fingers, I have to place it in the floor for her and frequently get a smack for doing so, even though I'm slow and careful at all times 😳 She will come out and eat the Dreamies if I back off, but disappears under her chair again. She won't come into the living room or bedroom, although she does play with her toys in the hallway when I'm in bed and the light is off. I leave the doors open so she can come and go as she pleases, but she doesn't come in. I'm out of ideas now. She is eating and using her tray. She's been here 6 weeks. Am I expecting too much? Any ideas? I've tried playing with her, she watches the toys, strings etc as I move them, but won't budge. She's 12 years old and has had a hard time, being left alone for a long time, with family just going in to feed her.

I think she'll take longer than six weeks to settle.

Taken me nearly a year to get Tobias to where he is, and that's still not terribly far. He still runs if he thinks I'm going to touch him except in certain very specific situations (e.g. during meals), he still prefers to hide in his igloo upstairs if anyone else is in the house.

Patience & bribery, they are the only way IMO for a cat that's lost all it's trust in humans.

@upanddowns I was also thinking of Allergic and Tobias when I read your post about your rescue cat.

If you look back to the thread when Tobias first went to Allergic's house, you'll see that it took a long time, and a lot of patience, before Tobias started to gain in confidence. Even now, he's still not quite there. But he's very close! Allergic has been so patient.