With cooler weather Fireball is turning into more of a... housecat. He sometimes passes up clear opportunities to attack and try to murder me, to instead climb on top of me, get his head rubbed, purr, and try to settle down for a nap.

No nap. He is still too big for any lap and eventually slides off - and I'm a big guy. But the affection and lack of murder are much appreciated.

#caturday

Happy Stray #caturday
https://youtu.be/vEtbfzMLVWU

There's nothing like a burnt orange mascot on #caturday for watching the Texas Alabama game. 🤘

Good #caturday morning from the master of the universe.

#caturday
The Cat of Delft, Netherlands, 2016. I met him in a bookstore window. He roamed this neighborhood and knew everyone, considering them all his servants. The man who thought that he owned him moved away taking the cat with him. Who was having none of it! He returned to eat and sleep with whomever he pleased each day. The "owner" comes now and then to visit him.

#caturday
I got Fireball a robot snake in my continuing quest to distract him in the evenings from trying to get outside to play with the coyotes.

He watches it closely on but gives it a wide berth, jumping back when it slithers towards him. Then when it stops he investigates, sniffs, and swats it. Which turns it back on and away they go.

Backs up from obstacles but gets stuck more often than another robot toy. Weak recommendation.

Paddsun Cat Toys Electronic Smart... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09V4Y9YSX

Is your windshield entirely free of paw prints? Do you regularly sleep past sunrise? Do you open and close your door less than 20 times a day? Are there breakable items standing on top of shelves and dressers?

Then you may not have enough cats. What to do? Certainly don't go buy a cat. You don't own cats, quite the converse. Adopting a cat is even somewhat suspect. Rather, try leaving your door open during the day and hope that a cat adopts you.

Happy #caturday

This #caturday a sea shanty I assembled back when The Wellerman was all the craze. The Catman. Featuring: Fireball.
https://youtu.be/Gb6VX7-LU9E

#caturday dictionary

bed with treats - go to room and have a snack
food - food, not alive
garage - explore the garage, cover windshield with paw prints
marauding - See: out
no - you have my attention, what do you want?
out - go outside and look for creatures to kill
pet the kitty - sniff a hand and if it's okay then allow petting, bite just a little
sweet kitty - jump onto fuzzy blanket, knead and suckle it looking for milk, while being petted
swim - balance on edge of pool to drink water

#caturday Fireball's evening routine. Run around the backyard chasing birds. He doesn't come in, as the sun gets lower and I begin to worry about coyotes. (Fortunately haven't heard any recently) Open back door and call him. Ditto front door. Back. Front. Walk down street calling. Back. Look in bushes calling him. Open front door. He comes strutting in calmly. "Where is my food, human servant?"

Allie Cat, 2004-2023, the third of her name, called Lizardbane, Queen of the downstairs with dominion over upstairs, lady protector of the backyard and the far reaches, judger of souls, dispenser of harsh justice and soft cuddles.
#caturday

#caturday Physicists detecting gravity waves is no surprise to cats, who can freely move between our normal space time and the 8th dimension. That's where Fireball was as I vainly searched every space indoors and out large enough to hide a 17 lb cat. Then he came calmly strutting out of.... somewhere. Kept me company in the spa, balanced precariously on the edge, lapping the water. I wish he'd drink the filtered water I put out for him, but he does as he pleases.

#caturday
Bird meets leopard
https://youtu.be/a02O93lfvJ4

#caturday 4 yrs ago, first time Fireball saw rain. Yet whenever I swim he sits on the edge to keep me company and see how the water tastes. Hasn't yet slipped in.

Also accompanies me on walks. There are many mockingbirds in the neighborhood who don't approve. One dive bombed him. He hid under a car until making a mad dash for home. Would that I could trust him to be as wary of coyotes.

#caturday tip. Before letting the cat in check his mouth. Check. Very. Carefully. Every. Time.

Next tip: How to find, catch, and remove a panicked lizard hiding in your living room.

#caturday is needed as respite from war news, so tales of my rescue cats. Two came in a typical way. They ran in through an open door and would not leave. Champagne went on walks with me, dashing ahead to hide in the bushes then leap out to attack me, then run ahead to prepare her next ambush.

When the next cat came she slapped it around mercilessly, which the kitten thought was loving play. Named Doubtful after the Edward Gorey tale of her arrival.
https://silverbirchpress.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/the-doubtful-guest-by-edward-gorey-2/

(more...)

#caturday
Nobody does comfort like Fireball.

This #caturday a titanic love story. https://youtu.be/kEPfM3jSoBw

And a tale of orange cat Fireball. He loves to sit on the headboard and look out the window as my son falls asleep. 17 pounds of feral menace above your head is not conducive to peaceful sleep. Careful not to blink.

He watches and guards against salesmen, neighbors, delivery drivers, and dogs. The only thing he fears and growls at is the ice cream truck.

#caturday Playful cats. Every game cats play is a variation on one basic game: Let's pretend you're a helpless little animal totally unsuspecting, and you come walking by where I'm hiding, and then I jump out and you try to escape but I catch you and kill you. 😸

#caturday
Jaguar devouring victim. Ceremonial vessel for animal or human blood, or maybe chicha (corn liquor). Larco museum, Lima, Peru.
https://www.museolarco.org/en/exhibition/permanent-exhibition/online-exhibition/ceremonial-vessels/
@Charles_Hawtrey