Andy had a good report from his veterinarian today. Here’s a video of the appointment:
Monthly Archives: May 2014
Post 411: The package from abroad was full of fun for the boys!
The boys always get excited when someone comes to the door with a package, but yesterday the package was full of gifts for them from an overseas friend!
It will take some time to play with each toy. The boys gave every sign of wanting to take on the challenge, though, so we began the journey yesterday with some tiny toy mice. When they were kittens, a tiny toy mouse was their favorite toy, so these new tiny toy mice went over especially well!
Post 410: Andy’s change of plans
Andy needed to remind his brother that it isn’t nice to use his personal tub, but something outside the open back door came up that was more important.
Dougy’ll get his tail kicked later. Right now, Andy has better things to do!
Post 409: Dougy washes up
Just a quiet Sunday with my cat, Dougy…
Don’t worry! Andy came over for lovin’ after Dougy got his daily dose. My job — and theirs! — is done for the time being.
Post 408: a quiet day at home
It’s overcast and cool today, the sort of day you can get loads done in the yard. Or nothing done inside! I decided to give myself the inside option.
The boys, too, are in a quiet mood. 
Andy terrorized the place earlier this morning, trying to “chase” a bird that flew over the house from the bird feeder on the lane. He used me as a stepping stone up to the window ledge by my computer. I guess he saw the bird again because his tail was twitching furiously!
Dougy chose a less vigorous activity after he tore up the place earlier grabbing under the recliner to catch the feather toy I flipped under there. The top of the cat carriage still has its attractions for the boys, but Dougy’s the one snoozing there today.
Here’s another photo, one that I liked because of its impressionistic presentation of Dougy on the cat carriage:
If you fail at taking a good photo, call the bad ones “art”! 😉
Post 407 new ‘dos
It took me just short of 15 minutes to round up Andy and Dougy yesterday to get them to their morning appointment for a summer haircut. We were not happy!
Dougy on top; Andy below.
On a happy note, though, they behaved well at the groomer’s, so they still are welcome kitties!
Post 406: the agenda
Today I take the boys in for their summer haircuts at the pet groomer’s.
Dougy probably will come home scalped because he didn’t cooperate with me when I brushed him, and I didn’t have good control of the many mats now in his hair. Shame on us both! Andy will do better since his hair tends not to mat so much.
Speaking of agendas, some time back, I posted a few photos of a political mailer Andy took a fancy to. He played on it, he guarded it with his body, he chewed on it, he chased Dougy away when Dougy tried to have fun with it, too.
After Andy chewed it up pretty thoroughly, I tossed it out. Notice my caption at the time, below the photo:
“#&%^# cat!” Andy (most likely) slipped the mailer out of the trash once again, and has been playing with it. It is a bit more worn out now. Maybe I can finally toss it one day, shredded to pieces.
Then, today, I noticed something curiously familiar on the floor in the bathroom:
Someone, most likely Andy, wasn’t quite ready to give up on the Smith mailer!
Bad kitty! I will find a spot in the trash under the sink where this will disappear until I bag the trash for pick up tomorrow morning!
Congressman Adrian Smith of Nebraska’s 3rd District
Congressman Smith won the primary Tuesday, with 68% of the Republicans voting for him to run as the Republican candidate for another term. My cat Andy seems to like him as well, though his agenda is not political.
Post 405: one day and counting….
Tomorrow is the boys’ next grooming appointment.
Honestly, they are past due! I know that because I’ve found poop balls here and there for the last couple of weeks. Without drawing out the example too much, when the hair on their rumps — Dougy’s in particular — gets too long, they carry poop outside the litter boxes, attached to that hair. Ugh!
It’s easy enough to deal with: a folded over paper towel is all it takes to grab and secure the little bombs! Of course, there’s always the risk of finding them first with my bare feet.
Sara is the boys’ groomer. Here she is with her first cat client after she completed training as a groomer. She’s great and the boys like her!
The closer we get to their morning at the pet spa, the happier I get. The poop balls will disappear, the boys will be ready for summer, and they will be well-groomed!
One day and counting….
Post 404: Election Day in Nebraska
Today is the primary election day in Nebraska. Unlike most years, there must be a half dozen candidates for each office, and most are Republicans of various stripes.
The state is conservative, the candidates tend to be, at minimum, very conservative, and it brings on curious charges against fellow candidates who slip a little from the orthodoxy of conservatism.
For example, a PAC with no Nebraska connection ominously reports one Republican candidate for US Senator donated to Democrats running for office! The horror! Implied, maybe he’ll also actually work with Democrats as co-partners in governance of America, too, if elected. Wow!
And he says he always will vote to raise the debt limit. You know, Congress votes to spend money, but the debt ceiling or limit is the amount the US Treasury is authorized to raise to pay for what the US Congress already voted to spend. Remember the Senator Ted Cruz US Government shutdown? That was what that was about.
He also thinks the Affordable Care Act has some good qualities. (Always called Obamacare in this state, where many drink the Kool-Aid of birtherism and don’t accept the legitimacy of the President’s administration.) As someone with a pre-existing health issue, I would have benefited from ACA had it become law a few years earlier than it did, so I’m inclined to agree.
In the commercial, the candidate, for the reasons above, is accused of that ultimate sin in this state: Liberalism! (His general positions seem fairly conservative to me, not that different from the herd.)
So far, I don’t have any favorites.
Post 403: I should have stayed in bed!
I keep thinking this is Spring, yet the weather report suggests Winter has a few more licks before it gives in:
There was heavy rain when I looked out the door at 2:30 — cats got me up early, wanting to be fed — and I rejoiced a little. The rain is welcome because I saw a huge bird turd on the trunk lid of my car, something I intended to wash off as soon as possible. (Thanks, Ye Gods! The rain saved me a trip to the car wash.)
Andy wasn’t brave enough to check the rain, so Dougy scouted a little for the both of them. He wasn’t within two feet of a raindrop, but shook vigorously and scampered away from the door when he noticed the rain: Phantom wetness! Cats are funny that way.
Of course, I shivered involuntarily when I read the weather forecast for today, so I shouldn’t laugh at poor “wet” Dougy! Before I saw snow in the forecast, I was comfortably warm. Now I feel chilled and want to wrap myself in a comforter to get toasty.