My cat is angry :D

Cats are funny. My cat had a best friend who moved away a few weeks ago and she has no one to play with. Yes there are many other cats in the area but that was her best "bud."

So who gets blamed for Frodo not being here? Me! It's also my fault that it's gone into the 20's at night and that we've had hail, wind and monsoons during the day. Or at least it feels like I'm to blame.

Sheba, my cat, comes in and jumps all over the things in my office - my desk, window sill, and printer - then she sits and plays with the monitor. She never did this before Frodo left and I am trying very hard to convince her that she needs to learn to play nice with Angel - another cat her age. [It's like tying to get your child to play with a kid he or she does not like very much.]

Angel's dad and I laugh that since Frodo left, the two female cats have lessened the hissing distance between them - now they hiss from 3 feet away as opposed to 10 or more feet. I guess that's progress.

I'll be happy when she finds a new best bud to play with - outdoors - I do not make a good play partner for a cat - neither does my dog who tends to ignore her...[But then he is not at a desk with a computer and monitor - so ignoring is easy for him :D]

Any ideas? Please leave comments...thanks

Pets and stress - another thought

I know that pets can be calming...

That was the situation for me until my cat, Sheba, went missing for 4 days. You bet I got stressed by that!

She reappeared at 1 AM this morning - mewing loudly to come in. She was clean, dry and well fed. [This was as opposed to summer of 2006 when she went missing for 21 days and came home hydrated but skinny...]

When she is not home at night the dog lies by the door waiting for her.....and he is stressed...

I know there are those that say keep her in - but have you ever tried to keep an outdoor cat in? If I do try that, she runs under the dog's body when I open a door for him.... and in the Summer out here - all my doors are always open during the day so I'd have to lock her up somewhere - and if you knew my cat - you'd know that would be stress for both us us : - ).

Besides - all the cats in our moorage are out - playing and hunting together...we live in a one main street neighborhood and everyone knows everyone and whose cat is who's - and we don't worry much about cars...

After I sent out an email to friends and neighbors this morning about Sheba's return - I got a return email about a cat I have known for going on 18 years and who has cancer...so I called my friend back East and we cried together about her cat who was diagnosed about 6 months ago and seemed to have been doing well.

She and I have cried about our dead and dying pets for the last 25 years and this was no different. The conversation was more on the lines of when do you decide to "play g-d" and how long and under what conditions do you wait and see. She waited and saw 6 months ago and he perked up.....does she wait again? Is he in pain? Is it fair for her to want a little more time with him?

Tough questions and a lot to cry about and of course a lot of stress

It's hot out there!

Well - we finally got a real week of summer - 80's and 90's and lots of sunshine...but it's mid September....oh well...





Dog has taken to the shade under my hammock - a good idea - he gets a breeze and double shade [hammock and upper deck.]




Meanwhile the cat has taken over the dog's usual outdoor bed by the front gate.

Stress and pets

Do you have a pet? Yes? Great!

Pets are stress reducers..
Having that live entity to care for gives meaning to your life...


Also - getting that unconditional love is great...
Yes - even from those independent cats!

I walk my dog every day - admittedly the walks vary in length depending on the weather and my schedule - but I always feel better after that break - and I know he does! So we both reduce stress. He gets to run and play - so he is happy..and I get exercise in addition to the happiness he imparts to me and everything he sees along his walk.

And when we are out walking, we often meet neighbors and their dogs - so more stress reducers - friends, conversations and exercise - all at the same time.

And when I feel less than super - my dog knows that and stays near my feet. sometimes on my feet!


My cat is a hunter and summer is her "hunting season." But when she deigns to come home and sleep, she snuggles up to me or the dog and purrs like mad...

and that makes us all less stressful.