My Daily Cat Fix

Let's play it cool

2011-10-17T12:51:00.001+03:00

The new family member is equally excited to have Stepan in his life...

"I'll just keep going my way and hope there's no closer contact today. Just a few more steps..."

Bussy guy

2011-10-16T17:48:00.004+03:00

"We can do lunch, any time soon"

God Speed Atlantis and Crew!

2011-07-11T01:34:00.003+03:00

Took the photo on Friday July 8, 2011. We will miss Atlantis and all the rest of the fine birds once this last mission safely comes home.

On the other hand, we are ready to launch too at a moment's notice!

The Great Cat Safari!

2011-04-05T03:03:00.008+03:00

The Little One was looking for Stepan but he was looking to get some rest...

His "stealth mode" seems to work... Can you notice Stepan as he has "blended" with the environment?

"So far so good"

The Little One is thrilled! He's found him!

"Oups! they found me..."

...But we only want to show some affection!

"OK, OK, I've had enough of that. you know how to spoil a good nap"

"What's this?"

2011-03-05T17:51:00.002+02:00

New things have appeared, he must, as usual, investigate

"How about that? Somebody forgot these wooden boards here"

"They have just the right smell and they look perfect for scratching and stretching and climbing, and, and..."

"OK, nothing much here, wonder why you all get so excited with such simple things"

2011-03-04T17:42:00.002+02:00

Like a true British Shorthair he demands to be close and this leaves me no option but to...

...shoot at close range!

Funny how the gray coat becomes silver with the camera flash.

The best work buddy...

2011-03-03T17:36:00.002+02:00

...a home worker could ever have

Most of the time perfectly quiet. He just wants to be part of it...

Caught...

2011-02-22T04:36:00.001+02:00

...bed surfing

"You have it all wrong! Sitting here I'm decorating the bed"

"If you have a comfy place..."

2011-02-21T04:31:00.002+02:00

08:00

"...waking up is hard"

The reluctant patient

2011-02-20T04:17:00.002+02:00

His vet visit was long overdue. Time for action: Let's grab him!

Rule no. 1: Get him when he least expects it!

"Who dares disturb my nap?"

"Any serious reason to get me out?"

"NOT amused!"
"I'll rephrase: Let me out and you live!"

It's the big family event: Stepan is going to the vet!

At the window

2011-02-19T03:53:00.002+02:00

Some times he looks outside, maybe, with a touch of melancholy.
Just imagine this (as a friend suggested) a moon lighted scene...

And other times it's just down to business...

"Can I please go out NOW?"

Greetings Earthlings!

2011-02-18T03:32:00.004+02:00

And even thought I plot to captivate you with my cute looks

In reality I'm not so bad

...but don't take me lightly!

Grey in the sun

2010-11-08T11:36:00.006+02:00

Saturday was brilliant! A walk in the balcony to sip some autumn warmth is recommended
Why not have Stepan pose for some shots too (somebody please tell him.)

The "aggressive" whiskers.

You can get his attention somehow. Still, never loosing posture!

"How long do I have to bear with these photos ? - Now I have a camera/hand shadow with me"

We're back - did you miss us?

2010-11-03T00:22:00.006+02:00

With the first cold spells we'd like to offer some winter cat coziness

Alert (is the Little One around...?)

...and tranquil...

just warming up!

It takes a bit of convincing

2010-06-02T16:22:00.003+03:00

...to express some affection to Stepan

(whatever happened to the social, easy-going nature of British Shorthairs?)

No worries

2010-05-17T00:13:00.004+03:00

The little one has gone to sleep and Stepan can finally stretch all his glorious cat length on the coffee table

No worries about the little one coming to claim some de facto petting rights!

And he can even try some of the toys for himself.

As a side note, it makes you imagine the effect Godzilla-size cats would have on traffic...

Carpet bonanza!

2010-05-16T20:50:00.002+03:00

The first warm days bore unexpected gifts...!

We know Stepan some times can get "Carpet fever". But now with the whole carpet (two of them actually) all for himself, it's just overwhelming!

"Just found my favorite summer spot!"

You need a Very Large File for that

2010-05-10T12:01:00.004+03:00

Because some cats just cannot fit in a standard file.

The pleasures of working from home

2010-05-06T14:31:00.005+03:00

No other comment necessary...

Vigilant...

2010-04-25T19:07:00.002+03:00

...at nightfall...

except the times he feels like a bit more sleep...

Amazing sleeps

2010-04-20T18:39:00.005+03:00

And for our 100th post, what else than a bit more sleep?

...at least it explains this blog's update frequency...

What an interesting nose!

2010-03-11T13:49:00.006+02:00

Stepan had for some reason decided he was more bothered to walk away. And little I-N decided he had a good chance to explore cat anatomy. So, he first tried to pull the whiskers(!)... and then wondered why cats have such an interesting nose...

Even attempted a click, just to check...

Alert, the cleaning lady!

2010-02-25T09:46:00.001+02:00

So, what's the story when the cleaning lady is here? Oh! The vacuum is looming... ououou!!!

First he kindly asks to go out, but this is not an option...

The he carefully inspects the other option: the closet
(actually left open on purpose)

We finally got him in there...
“Hey, don’t push! Are you sure she will not vacuum in here?”

Toys? No Problem!

2010-02-19T17:28:00.006+02:00

When the Little-one is away Stepan will start exploring...

And the playpen is not excluded.

"Found a comfy place...! Pas mal!"

"...full of interesting things!"

After all he's a blue British Shorthair. The playpen color matches!

Saturday attack

2010-02-13T10:32:00.006+02:00

The cleaning lady came today and Stepan was feeling of course a bit uneasy (with the vacuum working and all.) He was uncertain where to turn or of whom to be afraid.... Certainly he couldn't run

Usually Stepan just gently walks away, but he couldn't do that today...

Official cat of the house

2010-02-05T17:50:00.004+02:00

The Little-one is finally asleep, time to relax...

We've been tired...

2010-01-25T12:18:00.006+02:00

With the weather as wet as experienced by Stepan's "twin" some times (and certainly very cold,) it's hard to find him wandering anywhere in the house.

Just as expected from a British Shorthair he likes to "rest" a lot. Spending the winter at the coziest, warmest place in the house; under the bed, in his basket. And there it's quiet from the Little-one too (though he can still find Stepan if he wants it).

"You take all the photos you like, I'll just take another nap"

Still keeping the radar on (look at those ears!), just in case....

Affection

2009-11-30T17:07:00.006+02:00

There are some days when he'll simply refuse to let me go, without some attention, care and a bit of petting.

Usually it's when the little one is asleep and there is nobody else claiming my attention :-)
A case of jealousy perhaps?

..and he really wants to come close with his thundering purr!

"Don't worry, just a small Love Crisis!"

Sipping the Sun

2009-11-13T15:08:00.005+02:00

It's been a wonderful morning and Stepan seems to enjoy it!

First warming his fur from the chill of the night. Contrary to other cats though he doesn't seem to need it so much or want to lie down and have a nap there.

And why stay in the sun when there are so many more things to do?

Like tasting the grass (not even catnip)

...or simply showing how well he fits in this setting

"I'm the king of the balcony"

Sleeping until late

2009-11-06T22:01:00.007+02:00

Perhaps it's the cold of the mornings and the coziness of his basket (right now under the bed to prevent the Little-one to play with it.) Stepan likes to sleep until late, even after the rest of the family is up.

It takes a lot of effort even to wake him up!

Finally he decides it. A good, long cat-stretch is always necessary after such a good night's sleep!

"Here I am, happy now?"
"BTW, anybody mentioned the word Breakfast?"

Perhaps if you comb your whiskers first?

"Emmm..."

2009-11-05T22:22:00.002+02:00

...another case of toy exchanges...

"...That was perhaps mine...?"

Getting closer...

2009-11-04T23:05:00.005+02:00

Little by little both Stepan and I-N start get used to each other and getting closer. Stepan cautiously has learned to accept the new family member, finds the child's toys interesting(!!!), and even knows when the Little-One is in the mood to chase him (and gets out of sight in a blink of an eye). And I-N has learned to be more calm when he wants to approach Stepan. He even tries to pet him some times...

To be at a vantage point always helps to feel more secure...

*(...don't misjudge Stepan's look, he was really calm and enjoying the attention he was getting at his safe place)

We're back and in playful mood!

2009-11-04T00:07:00.009+02:00

"What's that moving over there?"

"Looks like a naughty piece of wood attached to some string. And it makes such an irresistible sound moving against the door case..."

"GOTCHA!"

The truth is, it was part of a little show we put up to convince the Little-one to eat some of his dinner. But if everyone is happy with that, ...why not?

Inconvenient moment

2009-09-01T11:09:00.002+03:00

He was just having his morning toilet when the little one noticed him and made one of those enthusiastic voices. That moved Stepan's attention away from grooming, towards the source of the noise.

"Cannot a ~~gentleman~~ gentlecat enjoy his morning grooming undisturbed these days?"

Portrait

2009-08-31T23:52:00.003+03:00

He was sitting so nice, a portrait was irresistible.

As he was born in Russia it was only fitting to have the Russian dictionary behind him (it also helps us when we need to understand the deeper meaning of his meows)

Update: A mistake in the HTML code prevented the photograph to be displayed full size. It's now fixed, please click for a full size portrait of Stepan.

Camouflaged

2009-08-30T23:42:00.004+03:00

Even if his color doesn't exactly match the foliage, it takes some effort to spot him...

Undetected, he sits quietly and watches everything happening in the warm summer evening. The perfect commando (still, I'm not so sure about the hit-and-run part...)

"I'm also important"

2009-08-23T13:14:00.000+03:00

"You can ask for an appointment any time..."

From a safe distance...

2009-08-22T18:08:00.003+03:00

On one hand he wants to be part of the family life, on the other he's just not comfortable with the enthusiasm the little one shows every time he appears. So (as it is usual with British Shorthairs) he prefers to watch everything from a safe distance...

Found a comfy place

2009-08-20T10:25:00.007+03:00

"Bed sheets, towels..., Paradise!"

"...and I can hide too"

"Pssst... Don't tell anyone I'm in here"

We feel good!

2009-08-10T15:56:00.006+03:00

The dreaded Holiday Trip is over! I'm back and we're very happy to be together again!

Once again I faced the age old dilemma of what is the best thing to do with your precious companion when you are on vacation. My options were:

a. Take him to a friend's home. Terrible idea... As he is easily afraid and annoyed by unknown environments he would be unhappy and, as it has happened on other occasions, he would spend all day under the sofa only to come out late each night for food, toilet and exploration. Among other things my cat lover friend would not get any pleasure from him.

b. Send him to a pet hostel. The worst option possible... The noises, screams, barks, miaows, and smells of the other guests would completely upset him. He would probably spend all days in the back of his "room" looking away...

c. Take him with us. Not that it's a bad idea, but it would require some special arrangements (cat leash? check one of the next posts...). Most important, I was traveling overseas, so I have to cross this option out...

d. Leave him at home and have friends come over to take care of him (at least once every 2 days).

The last proved to be the best solution. I have done it before and he seems to cope quite well in his "natural" environment. I only got about of 30' of "complaints" when I got back.

Of course we can now put all this behind us and get back to normal life... :-)

P.S. And your opinion? Any other suggestions to try?

You're not supposed to do that...

2009-07-02T12:27:00.000+03:00

Some tasty bits of the little one's meal on the floor and he just couldn't help it...:

No! This is human food, not good for you...
...And whatever happened to that self-control?
...and, and, ...the respectable posture the British Shorthhair is supposed to keep?

"Such a tasty morsel! A shame to go to waste"

"You've got something to tell me, perhaps?"

No, you don't!

2009-06-30T11:02:00.000+03:00

"I'll never let you take my chair away"

"What? me is cute?"

Don't you dare move me!

2009-06-29T01:58:00.004+03:00

...The competition for the summer seats in the balcony is getting fierce!

Gotcha!

2009-06-26T23:57:00.007+03:00

We had just put the new mosquito net outside to loose that chemical smell and look at what we got as a bonus...:

First there was a light meaow, but soon it turned louder and sad. This is what we saw:

A ghost on our balcony? The net got alive somehow? ...or...

Somebody we know was hidden beneath (couldn't get out too)...

Interestingly, though he didn't like one bit being captured, he didn't get angry or try to make a "surgical incision" with his claws. Even when we got him our he was more startled that scared...

Exactly what I would expect from a well behaved British Shorthair!

Under cover

2009-05-29T09:04:00.008+03:00

We have covered the coffee table will many layers of blankets and tablecloth to protect the little one in his fragile first steps. Somebody has found the perfect hiding place there...

"In the middle of the room and nobody knows I'm here...
...and it's comfy too..."

Is he there? Sometimes you get an indication, when he forgets to tuck himself in completely.

Even hidden he watches for interesting stuff,

tries to catch yummy bits (of course!),

and sometimes it's just irresistible to come out...

Vigilant eyes

2009-05-28T02:04:00.001+03:00

...continuing from the previous post

"...must not sleep... must watch baby... zzz..."

Clash of his many natures: easily afraid (he's especially careful with the little one), likes our company (even a bit jealous when we don't pay enough attention) and still a British Shorthair (needs lots of rest)...

Can you spot the Cat?

2009-05-27T01:56:00.004+03:00

Just a baby photo? If you look closer you'll spot somebody else there, too...

Smiling ?

2009-04-27T00:05:00.004+03:00

Laying on a very untidy desk, using my arm as a pillow, with a contented smile (I cannot even start to describe the roar of his purr...)

Don't look if you're afraid of heights

2009-04-22T07:06:00.002+03:00

"Patrolling the skies"

P.S. We live on the fourth floor. I'm not comfortable with what Stepan does, but don't really have a way to prevent him.

Fastest way to wake up a cat

2009-04-21T07:11:00.001+03:00

Think he's in the middle of a deep sleep?

Just bring a nice slice of salami(!!!) close...

"Is it a dream?"

Just 0.001 seconds later...
Our cat is fully awake, alert and standing by for further developments*...

*Couldn't give him any however...

While we were... (ahem) busy...

2009-04-20T01:27:00.009+03:00

Long time without posts (sorry!), so I'll try to catch up... Here are some things we did with Stepan all this time:

We sipped the warmth of the first Spring sun

Enjoyed the new season green

Listened to some music. Funny, Stepan seems to like Classical music. That time it was Bach, Suite no.1 for solo cello! He moved near the CD player and stayed there the whole time. Much longer than some people would.

Then we got some more morning sun

"...And with a child in the house it's hard to get some real rest..."

"...except when I'm hiding" (and the little one is sleeping too..)

Who is teaching whom?

2009-03-29T07:59:00.001+03:00

Is the little one in control?

Or perhaps Stepan shows the way...

"Just hold it right there and I'll get it, it's not that hard, even you can do it..."

...emm... wonder why I have a funny feeling about the health of this vase...

"Don't shoot, it's just a poor cat"

2009-03-28T07:51:00.000+02:00

It happened a few days ago: big thunderstorm brewing outside and some really impressive bolts hit nearby. Suddenly Stepan realized something frightening was going on and decided to put aside his hard-to-get stance. He run directly at us seeking refuge...

I hope some petting and calm words will make him feel better!

Old Stories

2009-03-26T07:32:00.001+02:00

"I once caught a mouse thiiiis big!"

A strange creature

2009-03-07T08:00:00.001+02:00

"Could it be an extraterrestrial...?"

Offering some help

2009-03-06T07:59:00.000+02:00

It's funny and very heartwarming to see Stepan trying to take part in everything happening in our home. It's his own unique way to participate in our life but still do it by choice, ...HIS choice.

A minor adjustment to the little one's crib is a great opportunity to play

Or just look at the world from a different perspective.

Just a fix

2009-03-03T01:30:00.002+02:00

...nothing much going on, just a cat photo can always improve your day...

"This pose perhaps?"

2009-02-27T02:45:00.002+02:00

"But don't overdo it! I don't want people will think I'm crazy for publicity"

"How I became a photo opportunity..."

2009-02-26T01:02:00.002+02:00

"It seems they all want their picture with me. I'll just stay calm"

At last!

2009-02-25T00:45:00.004+02:00

- "I thought you would update my blog only next Christmas"

- Stepan, keep in mind, I'm only human...! (not perfect like a cat)

"What's there?"

2009-02-19T07:54:00.001+02:00

Some more good intended curiosity...

...at the baby crib...

"Hey, why they have you behind bars?"

Another day, another box...

2009-02-16T08:54:00.000+02:00

"This is way comfier than before... Please, keep getting them in bigger sizes!"

(Winter) Sunbath

2009-02-14T14:25:00.006+02:00

It may be chilly outside (in fact, so chilly I had to bring in some of the flowerpots) but this nice sun keeps us nice and warm inside. I have to admit it's the first time I see Stepan stretch to get the maximum sunshine along his body.

Not that he misses any of the house commotion...

P.S. I hope he doesn't bleach in the sun (as I've read some black British Shorthairs may do...)

Perhaps he tries to show us something?

2009-02-14T08:50:00.001+02:00

For example that he's still the most interesting pet in the house?

P.S. Stepan you're sooo jealous...!

Gourmet at work

2009-02-13T08:46:00.001+02:00

As promised earlier. No extra explanations necessary...

Does he look like a teddy bear?

2009-02-12T01:45:00.001+02:00

I made this shot that illustrates nicely the British Shorthair features. Notice the robust paws, nevertheless covered with the nice velvet fur.

And for you viewing pleasure here is Stepan on another candid pose (trying to see what's inside the camera, really)

Cat & Pizza

2009-02-11T00:35:00.004+02:00

"Will you have a cat with your pizza?"

Contrary to what someone would expect, it wasn't such such a strong chemistry between them. I could say it was just the usual curiosity from the side of Stepan (and some exhibitionism from the side of the pizza too...). Or perhaps, Stepan just doesn't like pepperoni...

Street artist perhaps?

2009-02-05T00:12:00.000+02:00

Another photo from yesterday and a short quiz:

What is Stepan doing:
a. Rehearsing his street-art performance "the invisible window"
b. Trying to dance like before
c. Inspects the room for ~~stupid~~ sensitive humans that will let him in

P.S. Hmmm... it seems we start to develop some love handles... Perhaps I must do something about it

Some cooling off time

2009-02-03T23:28:00.003+02:00

So... Why is Stepan staying out with this sad - OK, perhaps a bit stupid :-) look on his face?

This morning he was quite restless at the exact same time the little one tried to get some zzzs. Food, petting, his toys, nothing seemed to work... And then it dawned on me: why not "help" him see what a beautiful (even a bit warm) morning it was outside.

In the beginning even he liked the idea but after some minutes changed his mind and wanted back in. But... the obligatory cooling off period was still running...

To add insult to injury I thought that his frustrated face would make a nice picture, so there he is!

Caught red-handed...

2009-02-03T00:12:00.004+02:00

...or should we say "red-pawed"?

Cave exploration...

2009-02-01T08:00:00.001+02:00

...when it's actually just a big bag. Still it has so many new smells, things hiding inside that it's definitely worth exploring. Especially for an extra curious cat.

Laser dance

2009-01-31T08:00:00.002+02:00

The bright spot of the laser pointer is calling and Stepan will spring into action! And imagine that people consider British Shorthairs couch potatoes...

...or perhaps he's dancing to the tune of YMCA...

Lazy mornings

2009-01-30T08:00:00.001+02:00

I thought that he would be the first to get up (that story with cats being most active in the early morning hours etc. etc.) But the truth is quite different:

He stays in bed for some time after I have gotten up and lazily tries to wake up. Or until there is a really good reason to do so...

"Did someone mention breakfast?!?"

What's Your opinion?

2009-01-26T08:00:00.001+02:00

I really had to know! Perhaps we have gourmet cat. After all, he seems to be particular interested in nice food smells... Well, with the wine it was just an experiment. As usual he was curious about human food, so I thought of giving him the glass to smell the Cabernet Sauvignon. His reaction was quite interesting and funny: as soon as the glass came close, he seemed to be annoyed by the alcohol smell. Just keeping it close to him for a while longer and he decided it was time to move somewhere with more chemical stability...

One cat experiment down, a couple thousand more left...

Strangers in the same house

2009-01-25T08:00:00.001+02:00

They don't care about each other but live happily under the same roof...

Perhaps he blacked out?

2009-01-21T08:00:00.000+02:00

I know what you'll think: even the cat couldn't bear the socks...!

Still, the socks are actually clean and he just gets his nap on the pillows he currently prefers to use. Usually, he'll leave us "for bed" quite early. It doesn't matter if we're still up, watching TV, or having a (possibly interesting for him) snack. All the same he'll retire after 21:30-22:00 at the latest and keep his beauty-sleep schedule. Fortunately, some times he'll do it on the couch close to us.

"Baby or not, this is interesting stuff..."

2009-01-19T08:00:00.004+02:00

Oops! I didn't expect such interest for the utensils of the little one... Now I'll just have to wash this one.

P.S. Perhaps he was just looking for the remote?

The 3-step approach

2009-01-18T08:00:00.002+02:00

"1. Approach cautiously..."

"2. Check for comfort..."

"3. ...Emmm... Why there has to be a 3? Let's just sit here and enjoy"

This is NOT an advertisement of the comfort of amazon.com boxes*

*something like "this is not a pipe" ("Ceci n'est pas une pipe")

mine mine MINE!

2009-01-17T08:00:00.001+02:00

"Nobody dare touch this remote...!"

A Persian living in Russia

2009-01-15T08:00:00.004+02:00

This is Kesha. He is a classic Persian and lives in Veliky Novgorod, in Russia. It seems that the winter there also inspires cats to sleep in every possible position on every possible soft surface...

...preferably their master's bed...

P.S. I have introduced with Kesha in the past and keep very fond memories. He is a friend of Stepan (only he doesn't know it...)

On the side of the bed

2009-01-14T08:00:00.000+02:00

Taking a little nap, without taking much space.

Scratching post

2009-01-13T08:00:00.002+02:00

As I had written earlier he does some scratching indoors too. Here is his (and our) favorite place:

Fortunately it's just this straw basket. This is the condition it got in after 2 and a half years of cat use and I thought of making a picture before replacing it. Obviously, it's very cheap and thabks to it all the rest of our furniture stays safe!

P.S. There are also protection strategies for cat scratching. The acceptable theory says that you have to repair/replace/hide any claw damage immediately otherwise they tend to return to the same place over and over. My preferred method is to also have available places like the straw basket that will take the damage and please the cat more than other furniture...

Radar check

2009-01-12T08:00:00.002+02:00

A housefly on the window and Stepan was electrified!

He kept watching it for a long time. A hunter mesmerized by the buzz...

I thought he would attack and bring it down, which of course, would result in me chasing him to keep him from eating it (with a baby in the house it's not the right time for belly troubles...)

But he went on just watching it, for a looong time, until I could no longer bear the suspense and let the poor fly escape...

Knowing his place

2009-01-09T08:00:00.001+02:00

The carry section of the baby's carriage. The perfect place for a nap, as long as we don't decide to take the little one outside on a walk.

"Perhaps, if I show an aggressive face..."

2009-01-08T08:00:00.001+02:00

"and my formidable(!) claws..., nobody will dare bother my sleep..."

The joys of a simple twig

2009-01-07T08:00:00.000+02:00

Our hunter is fully alert once more!

First preparing to strike...

...and then making sure the poor twig will not escape him (no matter how quickly I'll move it)

Of course, he does not run behind his toy all the time. He can just wait until a playful human will bring it close...

Gentle introductions

2009-01-05T08:00:00.001+02:00

Stepan is usually cautious and the baby rarely pays any attention to him. There are some times however, when I encourage them to get to know each other better. Actually, I.N.* gets rather surprised when he encounters Stepan because he's used to our human faces. In the face of Stepan he sees two eyes, a nose, a mouth, but it's still something different.

As I've written before, I believe that the child will grow up happier and learn a few things more (like respect and care for other lives) with Stepan.

I suppose the next big "step" will be in a few months, when the baby will start crawling/walking and getting more and more interested in Stepan... I think I must get him a safe haven somewhere in our home...

P.S. Of course we've had those familiar warnings "the cat will get jealous and hurt the baby", or "a baby cannot be with a cat - cats have this terrible illness, don't they?" ...I would answer that some care and a lot of attention is all it takes for a happy and harmonic household.

Since our new family member arrived we took particular care not to alienate Stepan. Perhaps he even got some extra attention. And when he does get jealous all he asks is some more petting; it's not personal with the baby. Perhaps the situation even helped him become just a bit more extrovert and playful, to show that he's also well worth our attention.

As for the "illness", people of course refer to toxoplasmosis, particularly dangerous during pregnancy too. However, (especially for an indoor cat like Stepan) all it takes to be calm is a cat blood test (which in our case was negative) and some hygienic precautions any normal person takes anyway...

*My apologies for not showing full names.

Holidays can become exhausting

2009-01-04T08:00:00.000+02:00

After the long celebrations for the New Year a good nap will help him get back in top shape.

Note how the back paw does not really fit on the arm of the couch. Still, this does not prevent him from having the sweetest sleep...

I told you 100 times...

2009-01-02T08:00:00.002+02:00

If you leave your place, Stepan will step-in for you. Good that he doesn't eat and drink this much...

Happy 2009!

2009-01-01T18:28:00.004+02:00

"...mmm, catnip for me, champagne and fruits for the humans. The New Year seems to start in the most enjoyable way! Let the celebrations begin!"

May your year be full of love, peace, and delights! Best wishes from all of us!

Walking away from 2008

2008-12-31T08:00:00.001+02:00

With soft, slow, almost unintelligible, yet certain, steps we walk away from 2008, hopefully towards a sheltered and cozy 2009

"...just a few more steps to my basket and I can forget all about your stupid human world..."

Cupboard inspection

2008-12-30T08:00:00.000+02:00

As most cats he's also attracted to the mysterious smells of cupboards and closets

"An open cupboard door? That's an invitation for..."

"...some more thorough inspection"

At least it's too full of things to let him get completely inside (not that he wouldn't want it.) Of course it helps to know that he's very clean, but "a man's cupboard is his castle". Perhaps it's time for an "act of God"*?

*as described here an "act of God" for cats means creating some unpleasant noise or other disturbance for the cat, without him knowing it comes from you. If he connects the mischief with the unknown disturbance (thus "act of God") he may be more reluctant to repeat it. Plus, he will not loose his trust in you.

Tender encounters

2008-12-29T08:00:00.002+02:00

As I wrote in a previous post Stepan is not all alone in the family. We're also the happy parents of a 4 month old baby boy. Generally, Stepan has adapted very well to the new situation at home (it helps that the baby is very calm and quiet.) Still, he's usually cautious towards the newcomer...

There are times however when he just doesn't want to be left out. When he was standing on my desk yesterday afternoon he didn't try avoid the baby. A little bite of jealousy perhaps?

So, we just helped little I.-N. reach out and touch the soft velvet pelt. And Stepan seemed to like it, purring, accepting the touch and himself reaching out for the small hand.

Little I.-N. is having his first real life experiences and Stepan is one of them. I really wonder if later he'll remember anything from these encounters. In any case, it will be part of the synapses he builds fast during this stage in life. Hopefully it will be a positive effect...

The ultimate photo of the Holiday Season

2008-12-28T08:00:00.003+02:00

Warm lights color our lives in the hues of happiness.

In the "wild"

2008-12-27T20:00:00.001+02:00

Nature has invaded our home! A bit of spruce and he's in another world.

It's a new place to hide... And one to make cat photography (even) more tricky I would add...

Sipping the sun and observing us (up to Dec. 25 it was chilly but sunny in this part of the planet)

"Ho Ho Ho! I'm gonna find out who's naughty or nice"

We Love Winter III

2008-12-27T08:00:00.005+02:00

"Life inside my warm home has become so cozy..."

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-26T07:00:00.002+02:00

Have a wonderful Holiday Season! ...and playful too!

Sweet kitten memories

2008-12-23T08:00:00.000+02:00

Just before lying down for his nap he kneads the soft pillow for some time. He does this very calmly, purring all the time, showing how happy he is. They say it brings back fond memories of of their kittenhood; when they were blind and this kneading action on their mother while sucking milk was the whole world for them...

Carpet fever

2008-12-22T20:00:00.003+02:00

It's a amazing how much a carpet can inspire a cat!

He becomes 100% alert and tries to catch whatever may be living inside the folds. Of course nothing is there but if there was, he would own it!

Is it the smells? The softness of the material? Perhaps the washing liquid we used? What can possibly bring a mature and usually placid cat to such cat-heaven?

Momentarily he gets into "trance", his body a loaded spring, his claws fully in "seize and keep it" mode! But there is nothing there... I tend to think that he gets excited by the feeling of the wool under his paws.

P.S. And yes, this is a baby on the edge of the picture, but that's another part of our common life and a story we'll tell another time. Just for those of you worried, I was there the whole time keeping an eye on both of them (baby and cat)!

"I want out!"

2008-12-21T21:54:00.010+02:00

As you probably have guessed, Stepan is living mostly indoors and seems to be well adapted. Still, a cat's heart will always desire to roam outside, even if it's just a big balcony on the 4th floor and away from all the cat-action taking place on the street. I suppose even the balcony with the fresh air, plants, smells and noises must be more exciting for him than staying indoors all the time.

So, there he goes...

The pictures of course don't tell the whole story; Outside it's c o l d! He comes right back after a few minutes. If it's windy too, he'll change his mind right away!

Some times I close the door behind him to keep the house warm. After a couple of minutes he wants in again and I have to get up and go open once more. And later he may remember that he has unfinished business outside and the game starts over again ...and again.

When are they going to invent automatic cat doors? And please make them respond just to the right tone of meow!