Post 1808: trouble…

Just in time for the kitty boys’ haircuts… my smart phone isn’t “talking” with my laptop. I’ve no idea what happened or what to do to get queued photos of the trimmed-up kitty boys to e-mail over to my laptop. I haven’t the time or patience to deal with it today, so, of course, this is the day Ye Gods chose to dump on me. Sorry.

I have a point-and-shoot camera that I haven’t used in two years. I tried taking some photos with it, will need a bit of time to relearn its operation and quirks if it turns out I have to return to using it.

Oh yeah, the kitty boys look pretty good considering how much work their groomer had to do to get the job done. Both were pretty growly about the carrier time since it’s been a while since they had to take a trip in it, about two and a half blocks.

One way or another, I will have photos for you tomorrow. I do know the point-and-shoot camera works best in good light. The kitty boys react to the red light that determines subject distance, which, as any cat people know, kind of complicates things. LOL!

UPDATE!!

I managed to get one photo to transmit. It happens to be Dougy “after”, which you can compare with Dougy “before” below it. Now, if I can figure out what happened, I’ll try to duplicate it. Ugh!

Post 1366: Peacock feathers and other excitements…

Like most kitties decide, the fancy toys have less interest than ones they create out of clothespins; pieces of crumpled paper; bottle caps; an unshelled walnut that fell on the floor; and other trash, broken toys, or found objects.

Andy and Dougy are no exception to the rule. Though they play with bought toys – for a time – they mostly like the things that cost nothing or are parts of broken toys, the parts they found exciting in the first place, if not the whole toy.

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Yesterday, it was a fresh peacock feather…that Dougy reduced to shreds in one play session. (I note that he and Andy prefer the shaft end more that the more dramatic opposite end. )

Then there is a boring old toy (shown in this video)…

…that shows up in a repurposed form.

Dougy not only turned the Cat’s Meow “mouse tail” into a new toy, he had to get on top of the secretaire to take it off the toy to do it!

He chases it if I play fetch with him, though he only brings is halfway back to me. (I hope to get him to retrieve it all the way, but halfway is fun enough for now!) Or he bats at it if I wiggle it in front of him.

(Andy waits patiently for his turn.)

Best of all, Dougy tosses the “mouse tail” into the air and bats at it around on his own, so this is a toy he can use to amuse himself when I’m not here or I’m trying to update this blog and he wants to play.

What about Andy? He’ll play with it if Dougy’s not around, but oftentimes, he watches from a “safe” distance, waiting, waiting. He’s a patient kitty!

Post 1360: we follow each other…

I can count on the kitty boys to be wherever I am. They greet me at the door when I come home from tasks or visits, then trail around, behind, and in front of me till their curiosity is satisfied, they get fed, or they decide it’s time for a cat nap.

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Andy greeted me at the door when I came back from dialysis. Dougy came to greet me shortly afterwards, but my focus was on catching Andy. Andy managed to evade me earlier and still needed his medicine….

Andy knows what’s coming! He nearly avoided capture again, but I managed. He’s dosed for today!

After a brief “scritching”, Dougy had important kitty business to take care of.

Ugh! I need to do litter box duty for sure now! Two cats fill it up pretty fast, and I didn’t get the job done before I left this morning: Not a good deal!

Turnabout’s fair play, says Dougy, who follows me into the bathroom and weaves himself around my legs while I take care of important business. Andy prefers to watch me shower. Anyone with cats knows the routine!

A bit later, Dougy takes a tour of the dining room table, which never looks better than this because the kitty boys manage to mess things up no matter how much straightening I make of my work piles.

So much for today’s little ballet. We managed to be in each other’s way yet no one got stepped on. That counts for a good day!

Post 1355: Dougy must be served!

Dougy is a genial cat. Mostly! He can be a merciless master, though, when he wants attention, which usually is about the time I sit down to update this blog.

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Dougy’s scary face:

“You must serve me! NOW!”

So, I stop everything and serve my master. Today it was “Give me ‘scritches’!”

Must make Dougy happy!

Then Andy stops by. “What about me?!”

Post 1354: a quiet day at the front door…

It was cool today, but I opened the door so the kitty boys could enjoy a little door fun.

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Dougy stops by after he hears the door opening.

Andy greets Dougy and they absorb the exciting things at the door.

“Hello, Dougy!” “…and to you, too, brother!”

This bit of debris tracked in on my shoes especially interested the kitty boys!

Andy had kitty business to do, but Dougy watched out the door for a bit longer.

Dougy is vigilent.

Dougy decided this is more comfortable.

Post 1351: Dougy is conflicted…

Dougy wants a little brotherly play, but Andy’s hiding. You know…he hasn’t had his medicine yet!

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No Andy.

What to do? Go looking for Andy? Or stay on the ottoman in case Andy walks by it while he isn’t there to defend his territory?

Dougy is conflicted!

Post 1348: the bad [kitty] boys of Lane 2…

We have some bad habits here on Lane 2, and I confess I contribute to the mayhem….

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Dougy destroys furniture, including his ottoman. Bad kitty!

I oftentimes eat breakfast in the living room while watching the early news. Bad boy! I put the plate on the floor, which attracts Andy…

…and Andy licks my plate clean, especially if he finds milk or butter on it. Bad kitty!

Yep, the bad boys of Lane 2. Tsk! Tsk!

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On a happier note, mug contest winner Ellen features her new Andy and Dougy mugs in her blog today. Take a peek! Phoebe the kitty says, “Hmm. bad kitties. Mrow!”

Post 1345: moving slowly on Monday…

I usually put my blog post together early in the morning. On good days, I have photos ready. On slow days, I have to wait till something, anything happens. Today is such a day.

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Dougy watches while I edit the blog. “Slow” becomes “slowly”, which describes how the blog’s coming together as much as how the three of us are moving!

Andy watches Dougy doing nothing. In time, the two will have a vigorous chase through the apartment, but for now we’re moving in slow motion.

Monday drags on slowly!

Post 1344: my kitty boy supervisors…

Andy and Dougy make sure they know where I am all the time. I am under surveillance as long as I am in the house, and there is a kitty boy greeting committee waiting for me when I return home from outside trips. The kitty boys never know when there are treats or play or other kitty pleasures in it for them, but they definitely want to be available just in case!

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Andy watches me from the glider. Since he hasn’t had his medicine yet, he’s just outside of touching distance. Smart kitty!

Of course, the recliner is the perch of choice lately (for everyone, kitty or human), so Andy hops up where he thinks he is safe.

Dougy came over, discovered Andy was already on the recliner with me, so hopped over to the computer chair. Andy held his spot!

What Andy didn’t plan on was me reaching up and grabbing him. He still was a very good kitty when I gave him his medicine, but I doubt he’ll perch on the recliner again until he’s had his medicine. Not if I’m in it!

Post 1338: the brothers have a “discussion”….

So it goes. One cat wants the recliner footrest, so the other one decides he does, too. They are about to have a “discussion”, with emphasis on “cuss”!

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