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.

I have no idea what’s going on here but I agree. It’s like when everyone called the ex-PM TherAIsa instead of TherEEsa May.

Thanks, Nettie. She is very sweet.
Dd2 is back with her nine month old baby, who has taken to waving enthusiastically with both hands at Matt whenever she seems him.
He stares at her for a moment and then goes back to washing his leg or whatever he is doing.

Oh Paper, is she back to stay?

You are all making me want to watch 4 in a bed - not seen it for ages
At my previous house we had 6 cats and when all 6 wanted to join us in bed it got a bit much!
When I moved to present home we only had 2 cats but decided they are not allowed upstairs and have stuck to it - although I’ve now only got Finlay and was very tempted to cosset him in my bed after his accident
Tonight he’s finally accepted my new Aran wool throw - as he didn’t like the smell for the first few weeks

How is Finlay, @JaceLancs?

@TheShellBeach
He’s doing really well thank you - we are letting him out of crate for 4 hours in a morning and 5-6 at night
Reducing painkillers again this week with hope to stop altogether next week - then might let him out of crate during the night as well as think he won’t get up to much once the house quietens down at night
Biggest annoyance right now is just had an email from insurance saying they have only paid 2 of the 3 claims as the details don’t match up and they want all his medical history for last 24 months (he’s only 6 months old) so am assuming some mistake somewhere eg 6 years instead of 6 months
Just another thing to add to my to do list for tomorrow

Glad to hear Finlay is still mending nicely. I love your throw, I would ask where you got it but I know if I got one it would have pulls and loops all over it from evil murder mittens. (Yes I do mean your paws Frederick!!!)

But, but, adding texture and catsmere fibre to fabrics is cats’ job!

Very pleased Finlay is on the mend. He's extremely handsome. Every time you post a photo it reminds me of one of our cats from years ago.

I think there are so many "catsmere fibres" in the air in my house that I get fur balls nearly as much as the beasts do.

The coverless duvet is the one blanket/throw/covering that they haven't wrecked. Yet. I think it may be catproof and they love it. I may have to invest in more of them on payday, although if I do that then the cats will probably all decide they hate them.

I think there are so many "catsmere fibres" in the air in my house that I get fur balls nearly as much as the beasts do.

😆😆 Same here!

Who is that very smart cat, Grumpy?

Is a Catsmere Fibre an SI unit?

Sounds as if it ought to be, we have an excess of them too.

What’s an SI unit?

Catsmere is the pun on cashmere, it’s the fibre that gets blended with all knitting/crochet yarn.

Systeme Internationale.

Now that’s interesting, I’ve never seen the proper name for it, only “the metric system”.

She's from the generation of cats before Basil and Sybil. One of three boy farm kittens we bought from a work colleague's mum. (£20 each and she wouldn't take an offer of £50 for the three 🤣🤣🤣)
Earl (pictured) however turned out to be a girl.
We were often asked if she was a Russian Blue (and cat scanner claims she was too based on that photo). On the basis that her brothers were a grey tabby and a very pale ginger (Monty) I think her being a purebred was just a bit unlikely.

No, Shell. We are just about managing to get along at the moment because she goes to her latest boyfriend's every weekend and the cats and I get a breather from the noise and general chaos.

Don't forget they can have different fathers Grumpy, so theoretically could be. Though I doubt very much that the farm cat mother was a pure bred!

Gave Tobias another "casual" stroke as I passed this morning. He was barely awake & had just stumbled downstairs so I don't know if he even noticed!

Mum was a tabby. Main suspect for the dad was a local grey tabby.
Something that gave Early away as a mog was banding on her tail, only visible in certain light but clearly showing on the photo. Definitely tabby heritage 😂.

I love it when they have shadow patterns. Like damask or jacquard - extra visual delight.

I reckon Prince is a bit Abyssinian cos of his exquisite little nut - perfect symmetrical heart-shaped head. Pale peach tabby.

Havelock was a stray found commanding a family of foxes, but he’s got suspiciously lush sable fur and he’s very well proportioned.

He’s grown one pure silver eyebrow now he approaches his mature years. It is often raised in disapproval at my slow kitchen service.

Good news that handsome Finlay is making such a good recovery and that Tobias is getting more strokeable.

He’s grown one pure silver eyebrow now he approaches his mature years.

Leroy is developing a small grey patch on his chest... bit like the cat in the Poe story, which turns into the image of gallows and encourages the man to... well... (he deserved it). I'm hoping Leroy's will turn into an image of a heated throw or his treat tin 🤞🏻

Can I ask a question? I’m also on Reddit and everyone is referring to “tuxedo cats” as if tuxedo is a breed. Is it a new breed like XL Bully or a coat colour?

Velvet’s also progressing! Currently asleep on my legs but she’s definitely on top of them and not just touching them. I’m feeling much less insecure because she chose me to be in overnight with :)

He’s grown one pure silver eyebrow now he approaches his mature years.
That's a very sophisticated look to develop - most impressed 😁.