Head Bangers

This afternoon, I got home from the doctor before Esther got here, so I didn't have to lock the cats in the other room. It was nice to see them wandering around getting under her feet, following her, hiding from the vacuum, and playing under the sheets when she changed the bed.

Actually that was Spyder who liked the sheets. Keli used to love playing under the sheets. I could never change the bed or straighten it up without her getting involved. I miss her so much. But, it is fun to see Spyder doing the same thing. Brings me smiles.

Ninja wanted a lot of attention after she left, did a lot of nudging on me while I rearranged the book shelves and climbed up on my lap for pets a couple times. Then went over to the sofa to sit and watch me. How can a cat be fascinated with watching someone pull books off a shelf, and move them around?

This evening Bambi and Spyder were running around wildly chasing each other and at one point they both leaped up to the same spot on the dresser and banged their heads together! I have often seen them run into doors and chairs too. Last night I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Spyder fall off the bed from just turning over. Who ever said cats were graceful?

So, Spyder ended up on top of the armoir where the TV screen is located and I caught him chewing on my cell phone plug. I grabbed my handy dandy little red lazer light and he was on the floor in a flash! He and Bambi wore themselves out playing with the light. They try to climb the wall to get to it. I enjoy aiming at the ceiling and watching their reaction. Bambi, being almost two years old, just sits there with a look of disgust on her face, like she isn't even going to bother with that! But, Spyder just thinks that makes it all the more fascinating. Have you ever seen a cat at the windowsill watching the birds and doing that little excited chirping thing they do? Spyder keeps his eyes on the ceiling and will climb over anything just to keep his eye on the lazer light, all the while he is chirping his little heart out.

Ninja, on the other hand, at age seven, soon to be eight, can't be bothered with the lazer light. He's got it all figured out. He knows darn well I control that light and it is not magic at all. Though I have caught him quietly playing with mousies once in a while. And if the other cats are not around, I can get him to play with the string, or feather toy.

Jeffery... Well.... "Toys are for kids. Get that thing away from me!" Grrr. Hiss! Poor Jeffery. He's two years younger than Keli, but seems a decade older. She had arthritis those last few years, but he has ARTHRITIS! She had good appetite right up to the end, and kept her weight stabilized. He was skinny when I got him, and skinnier now, no matter how much I feed him. He seems so frail. I keep wondering if I am unfair to him. I wasn't able to judge how much Keli was suffering until that last day, so how am I going to be able to make a good judgment about Jeffery? Though he gets around, in and out all day long, comes and goes as he pleases, eats what he wants, tells the little ones to bug off, and has his own special sleeping spots that are entirely his, is this good enough? How does it compare to the Jeffery that lived his life before the forest fire? before he lost his people and home? before he went to the shelter? before I adopted him? I like to think that he was a sleek muscular cat who climbed trees, chased mice, drank from the creek and rolled in the dusty sunshine. And I think his people loved him a great deal. He is very demanding for his special kind of attention. Since he is so long he can stand on his hind legs and touch the kitchen counter with his front paws. So when a person is about it doesn't take much for him to let you know he wants something. And if you are sitting down, he doesn't just take up your lap, he stretches from knee to shoulder.

Bambi and Spyder have settled down and are laying at the foot of my bed, one on each side. Not sure where Ninja is, but Jeffery is meowing to be let in.