Cat-o-Log

I love cats. I own four of them. Or they own me. Bear also loves cats. He's the one, however, that keeps me in check. When I see an incredibly cute cat that needs a loving home, Bear will say "Bernie, we have four cats already. We don't have room for any more." Of course, he means no room in our home because there is always enough room in our hearts to love more cats.

This past weekend, we went to the new PetSmart near our home. It's pretty big and I asked for directions to the cat food. As a gentleman was guiding me to the right isle, I lost Bear. I heard him say "Oh cats" and he was gone. I found the food and then went to find Bear because the bag was too big for me to lift. I found him at the "Adopt-a-thon". There were cages and cages of cats. He was standing in front of one cage that housed two black Siamese-cross cats. A woman came out of the back and said "You can go inside and hold them if you'd like." I politely said "Oh, no thanks. That's okay." Bear said "I'd like to". And that was the end of that.

We are now foster parents to the most adorable cats you have ever seen. They are both female and we think they are sisters.

Hugs (pictured above on your left) is approximately five years old and very, very loving. She loves to sit beside you or on you -- but does not like to be picked up. She's very calm and likes to be scratched.

Kisses (pictured above on your right) is approximately three years old and is also very, very loving. She is the more skittish of the two but, after a day and a half, is now integrated into our family. She also likes to sit with you and she loves to be scratched. She also does not like to be picked up.

Hugs and kisses were rescued from a cat hoarder. They are very close to one another and we are looking for a home for them together. They are litter trained. They get along very well with other cats and they are great with kids (our 18 month old grandson). They are spayed, have had their needles, and have been treated for fleas and worms.

We are fostering through Abandoned Cats Rescue.

If you are interested in these cats (or if you're interested in fostering), please send an email to bernie@bernieandbear.com and I can answer any questions you may have.

Stealing His Thunder

Stealer is about 12 or 13 years old now. We're not sure exactly how old he is because he was a rescue. We've had him since (we guestimate) he was a year old. Stealer is (or was) our Alpha Male. If you look closely at his picture, you'll see that he has a chunk out of his right (your left) ear missing. That's from one of his many, many scraps.

Lately, Stealer has been slowing down. He still plays and he still gets into squabbles with the other cats (we have four altogether). But lately, he's been the one to back down. All three of the other cats have taken to showing Stealer his place. That's pretty normal when there is an "Alpha Male" position opening up. What's not normal is that Winnie has also been putting Stealer in his place. Until now, Winnie has been more of a female cat. He grooms the other cats, he cuddles them, and he's been the "mom".

Now, Stealer walks across the living room to get to his favourite spot on the heating vent and it's like crossing a battle field. One or another of the cats will stare him down until he turns away or take a swat at him and eventually pin him down until he he's able to get up and run away.

It's a sad thing to watch a leader fall from the podium. Sad until you remember that what they are doing to him, he did to them. Except he showed now mercy where they are showing some.

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- What goes around comes around so be nice to the other cats in your home.

Steal Heating Vents

Meet Stealer. Stealer is about ten years old now and he is the only one of our three cats that goes outside. He spends about ten minutes outside, maybe twice a day.

Yesterday, The Perfect Man and I got home to find a heating vent in the middle of the floor in our breakfast nook. We were a little stumped and we started searching the house to see where the vent had come from. Not the breakfast nook or living room, not any of the bedrooms or the bathroom. We even checked the basement, but all heating vents were securely in place. So, where the heck did this thing come from? Our first thought was our resident ghost, Harry.

I picked up the heating vent and my stomach did a flip flop. Stuck inside the heating vent was Stealer's collar. His name tag had become jammed inside the grating. He has a habit of sleeping on the heating vent under a stool in the kitchen; the only vent we didn't think to check. He must have gotten his tag stuck and then had to drag that vent around with him until a link in his collar had opened up enough for it to drop off his neck. The poor thing must have been terrified.

So, it wasn't our ghost after all. Although, it was a stainless steel link. I wonder how it opened.....

CAT-astrophe

I have a beautiful pure white cat named Winnie. Winnie is a female cat caught in a male cat's body. He grooms the other cats and takes care of them. He is very gentle and he sleeps with me and uses my head as a pillow. Winnie was a stray when we got him and hasn't spent a single day outside since we took him in some 7 years ago.

Winnie has been pretty skittish because we have suitcases out because we're packing for Cuba. Winnie hates travelling in the car. Each time he walks by us, he does his little "dodge-sidestep-trying to hide" shuffle and his eyes beg us "Please don't make me go in the car".

At 6:00 am this morning, Winnie bolted out the door when I let our other cat out. The following two hours rank among the the worst two hours of my life. I kept spotting him but he bolted each time he saw me. Did I mention, Winnie really hates being taken anywhere in the car?

With the help of a new (wonderful, beautiful) neighbour, we managed to corner Winnie in her backyard and he is now home safe and sound, although maybe a little bruised from the hugging.