It’s been a long, hot, hard, summer. And I can’t say with total conviction that I am glad it’s over, but I am pretty sure I am. Yes I will miss the warm days, and beautiful brightness.
But I will not miss the 2 am wakeup calls from Bootsie and the constant keening, and screaming of the seagulls. For some reason, the Boo decided that we all needed to wake up at 2am. Every day of the spring and summer. If we needed more sleep that was too bad, he demanded to be let out, in order to roam the “whatever” and he was determined to have his way.
Now I can see some of you shaking your heads, well you probably don’t have a determined black and white cat, or one at all. This is what a cat that has decided to adopt new people, and more or less just moved in does. He grooms the new people to his standard, and they, pleased as punch that the now grown up kitten that has visited them for 3 years has made them family, give in. We love him dearly.
We also loved sleep, but that was another story.
Things changed after we went away for 4 days in September, his routine disrupted, we no longer reacted to his wakeup calls, and he now sleeps until 5 am. Of course the fact that the seagulls are sleeping in till 5 might have something to do with it.
Boo had some difficulties when the new neighbors moved in, and let their two cats roam. Overnight he turned into the worst kind of stalker kitty. Pouncing on the unsuspecting younger female, howling and yowling at the slightly older male.
Life was lived with even less sleep during this transition. They all seemed to collide when the sun went down. No relaxing for us. Howls, and hisses.
Then one very fierce fight, and sudden silence.
The next thing we knew, they became best friends forever. Go figure.
We expected tension, but they now get along, the two neighbor cats are exploring our deck, and even peeking in through our patio doors at us.
The Boo shares the space with them, and they all play together, I am still kind of awed that they can go from stalkers, to best friends forever. But I guess I don’t know kitties as well as I thought I did.
Seagulls, and their constant screeching? Well..
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
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Well I am glad a calm has now descended on your neighborhood. LOL! I have never saw a cat marked like that one even amongst all of the black and white strays that are always increasing in number around here. He is marked so pretty.
ReplyDeleteTo me, all cats are graceful and beautiful, but your cat is extra gorgeous; I love the patterns and colors of his coat. I hope he lets you sleep undisturbed now.
ReplyDeleteOh Jen, I feel your pain! Our cat, who lives indoors, wakes us (or at least one of us!) every morning around 3:00am. I have become a very light sleeper, prone to insomnia, and the kitty wake-up calls definitely do NOT help!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear things have resolved themselves at your house. And here's to cooler weather and sleeping kitties! :)
Oh, and what beautiful markings!!!
Our cats and dogs so often set the rhythms of our day, don't they, whether we want them to or not...LOL. These are stunning photos of the cats..and I'm glad to know the seagulls are a tad quieter!
ReplyDeleteIt is odd that it rains every weekend. My camera and I are keen to get Fall shots, and while drizzle and gray skies make for the occasional great pics, I would definitely like a bright Sunday or two!!
Lynette
sometimes pets are more work than babies....
ReplyDeleteafter a bit...i will look in my texture file and try to figure out where i got the last one i used.
or i'll email it to you in an attachment~
i'm sure it was a freebie. that is how i get all of them :)
hugs~
chas
Boo must have needed to establish who was who in the kitty hierarchy of the new colony that has been formed with these two new additions. And once he did, apparently they were cool with it and now everyone is hunky dory! That's my explanation anyway... now explaining those 2 am seagulls... well... I'm only a "cat whisperer" not a "seagull whisperer". ;-)
ReplyDeleteOh the joys of living with multiple cats. We too have early wake up calls and constant squabbles about the pecking order around here. Although how lucky you are it seems the cats have sorted themselves out. I'll keep my fingers crossed that eventually our clan will some day get along.
ReplyDeleteGlad that serenity reigns now, more or less! I'm also glad that himself is sleeping a little later in the day. You just never know what cats will decide; some of ours are mortal enemies at times. Except when they're not.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised they all get along so well after a relatively short time! Wake up here is at 3 a.m. and the 3 cats have been a bad influence on Harriet (dog) too! We've created a monster!
ReplyDelete..ah so fun...all the felines forgiving each other and getting along!..Where our daughter has her horse there are many cats (one in my recent blog)..and they funnily enough eventually get along...or give wide berths!
ReplyDelete@ our house we have a 13 year old (who sleeps with us to this day!)...but when our (now 2 yearold cat) was a kitten we trained him to go to bed in the laundry room...very nice bed & yummy food... lots of sunshine...It is the best...he doesn't even get out of bed till I come downstairs! Then I hear him jump down ...and the day begins!
Those pictures are just fabulous! Superb.
ReplyDeleteAs for the screeching seagulls - we have their cousins over here...
Jen, Cats do work hard to train their owners ... as I recall... I no longer have these adorable felines but others do visit my garden. Sometime a good fight will end in a deeper friendship... especially when there is a tie... mutual respect I suspect. As for screeching gulls... I understand... for I have the same in a gang of blue jays! Horrid sounds that pierce the quiet. Like fingernails across a chalkboard... so penetrating to the harmony inside. Maybe the new kitties will help keep them at bay. ;>)
ReplyDeleteI can SO relate. Celine has been howling during the night again. I can't figure her out. *yawn* Anyway, I'm hopeful this phase will pass. Either that or we'll grow so tired that we'll be able to sleep through the hellish racket, regardless.
ReplyDeleteAnimals dynamics are so interesting, aren't they? I guess they all just needed to sort out the pecking order. I'm very glad to hear that they're making nice now.
It's great they are getting along . We had 5 cats the best they ever did was to tolerate each other.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have a very large neighbourhood tabby (whom we nicknamed "Chubby Wubby") who would show up at our patio doors and drive our kitties nuts. One Christmas he showed up wearing a bow, looking very serious. Our cats finally grew to be friends with him. The peace treaties are great, hey. :)
ReplyDeleteBootsie's Calico friend is beautiful! Isn't the interaction between animals great! It is also good to have neighbors with cats..just incase you are gone for a long weekend! :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photography Jen! I enjoyed the kitty pics, all of my grown sons have cats but me...just three little dogs.
ReplyDeleteJudy