Sunday, February 03, 2013

One of Our Cats...

Little Boy, has developed an interesting habit. He sits in my lap and sticks his tongue out at me!


One of the other cats, Orangie, has developed a bit of a behavior problem recently. We took him in to have a tooth checked, he was knocked out and dental work was performed. The Vet we used can't or won't keep animals over night so he was brought home still under the effects of the anesthesia. Orangie was always the #2 cat. One of the lower ranking cats, Rudy, saw that Orangie was weak and walking a little funny after returning from the vet. So now, Rudy has decided that he wants to challenge Orangie for his place as #2. For the last month, Rudy has been chasing Orangie any time he sees him. It seems he has forced Orangie to live in my office in the basement.

It's pretty unusual for Orangie to back down from anything. He was a true FERAL cat when he started hanging around our house in Prescott. He's used to fighting with other wild animals and has chased off quite a few unsuspecting Skunks and Opossum, and avoided being a snack for the Fox and Coyotes that used to gather in our back yard. With people, it was different. He refused to come inside, was terrified of people, and would run away if he saw us looking at him out the window. It took 4 years of feeding him and us quietly sitting outside, for him to trust us enough to even enter our home. The first time he wandered up the stairs, he heard the TV and he bolted back down the stairs.

He's been around us since 2005, but it's only been the last 2 years that I've felt comfortable enough in his "tameness" to try and pick him up without fear of losing a finger. He's very much my cat and won't come out of hiding if there are visitors.

Rudy, on the other hand, was born in my closet 4 years ago. He was always the meekest cat, with the softest and most pitiful sounding "mew". He still tries to nurse off the alpha cat(male)and seldom leaves his side. He is, however, the largest and most muscular cat of the 5!

I hope they get this sorted out soon!!!

Orangie...


Rudy...


This is Screamer, Rudy's brother... He's the little trouble maker of the bunch. He talks and whines way too much!!! I'm sure he's the one that kept knocking over the Christmas tree!


This is the Alpha Cat... Sticky, short for "F-stick", which is really the polite version of his name. Yes, that "f" word..
He has lost all his teeth, but is still the best hunter. In one day, he brought home a Mouse, a Chipmunk, and a Chickadee!



I know that's not motorcycle related, but it's the dead of winter and there isn't much else to comment on or do.... except maybe shovel snow.

13 comments:

  1. Mate, I hope the good weather arrives sooner than later for you, I bet your house is never quiet though...so does the bed get a bit crowded at night?

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    1. There are usually at least 3 cats on the bed at night. Sometimes all 5. It can get a bit much at times..

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  2. Five cats and ten or more potential personalities....aren't they amazing? Our two indoor extra family members truly help make winter evenings warm and cozy.

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    1. The cats certainly do have personalities!

      Rudy flips back and forth between Baby and Wanna be Alpha...

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  3. Orangie looks like a sweetie but I've a soft spot already for Rudy; he has much the same eye color and markings as "Mrs. Wilson" the queen of my house. There hasn't been a mouse (that lived) here since she arrived ... so many years ago.

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    1. Orangie is a sweetie. He has made huge progress in being a normal house cat. The change from feral cat to house cat has been slow but dramatic. When he sits in my lap, I can flip him over and rub his belly. A few years ago, I'd have lost my face trying that. Now he purrs and pushes his head into me.

      Rudy has some very cool markings. His sides are spotted, and his brothers sides are striped. Both have the distinctive "M" of a Tabby on their foreheads.

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  4. Isn't it funny how the habits of kitties can change so rapidly it seems. Basil is the same way with his habits. It puzzles us sometimes.

    Hope your kitties get everything sorted out soon.

    Thanks for sharing the pics.

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    1. Thanks. They are unique pets/family members.

      3 weeks after I returned from iMBC2012, we lost Vinnie the Thug. He was another black/white Tuxedo cat. He was a bit of a psycho cat. Always getting into things and trying to take on all the other cats even though he was the skinniest and smallest of the cats!

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  5. Erik:

    we've never had Cats, but we had two dogs. I think that Dogs are more predictable

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast

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    1. I would have to agree with you about dogs being predictable... I think that's why I like Cats!!

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  6. Wow. You get points on earth and in heaven for taking the time with a feral cat.

    The tongue thing is so cute. Reminds me of Simon's Cat drawings and videos. Neither of my cats do that but I did have one that did. And I adore orange kitties...

    Thanks for introducing me to them!

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  7. Thanks Martha. Orangie was a challenge, but I know he's so thankful that he finally learned to trust us. I think the winter of 2010 pushed him into that decision. He frost bit his ears that winter. Now, he wouldn't go outside in the cold if I left the doors open!

    I used to have a big plastic storage bin that I had insulated with rigid foam and lined with a few old blankets. I had a small electric kennel heater in it too. We kept it out behind the house, sheltered from the weather. Orangie lived in it until he "moved in" with us.

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  8. I love cats, too bad they are not allowed in my apartment building. And I can't wait for warm weather to arrive.

    Riding My Own Biography
    NINJA ZX-14 MotoVlog

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