The Silver Screen Oasis

It took me ages to get to sleep last night, Charlie wanted a good old play when we went to bed, he eats an awful lot but has bags of energy. Sure enough at 4 o'clock this morning I was woken by a crazy kitten charging around upstairs on the kids floor and waking up Libby, who didn't mind one bit. He's a crazy kitten but WE LOVE HIM TO BITS !!!!

Alison; Re: Photo:

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww....

He's a cutie. He's dragged all my wool all over today, I'd packed it all together for the move and I've had to spend ages unravelling him.

Take lots of pictures - they grow so quickly!

At first it was difficult to spend much time with him because he was monopolised by the kids, especially by my eldest who is just that bit more sensible than my son, then they'd squabble. 'I want him' 'You've had too much time with him' as a result Joe was pushed out because he'd become frustrated try to pick him up, which Charlie was having none of, then we'd have to tell Joe off for picking Charlie up yet again. Now the kids have a Wii for their joint birthday present and that is my daughter's best toy and Joe has been able to bond really well with Charlie and because he is able to get time with him by himself he's playing with him so nicely. Joe and Charlie have very similar personalities, both are silly and infectious, they both make us laugh lots and lots.

With the official addition of a family dog, we worried that our constantly-visiting neighborhood cats might avoid our place. But no, on early morning Day 2, the Cat Patrol arrives to pounce on me at 3:30 a.m., "wakey wakey - go fish for our breakfast - we'll sleep with your wife until you return!" Blasted cats. And the new dog let them stroll in, have their way as I'm being funneled out the door, and now, a month later, all four critters have formed chase-gangs. Dog chases cats around the house, cats chase dog, or if I get involved, I can chase them all and then spin and they'll chase me. Up and down, up and down. Wife & Kids have yet to carry out their threat of taking the bleacher seats and enjoying their popcorn during these events.

But it's obvious the dog isn't going to help me train those blasted cats to become pro soccer stars. About the only thing he's good for is to allow Wifey to congratulate him, "Good boy! You've taught your father to retrieve. FETCH, OLLIE - FETCH!"

Well, when I move into this new house, the neighbor told me that it had become the home of all the neighborhood cats. And, in the beginning, I did see a stray cat here and there. But, since my cats have moved in, I haven't seen any others in the yard! Not that my cats are tough, but I think there must be some secret unspoken language about territory between cats.

Unless you have 3 really soft moggies like I used to have. The 3 of them couldn't keep once scrawny little cat out of their house, instead we'd get woken by squabbles in the middle of the night. It had something to do with 2 of the cats being too laid back to do anything about the intruder.

I think I can trust Charlie and Claude to keep the intruders at bay.

Evil Monty spent part of last evening climbing up the living room curtains in pursuit of a tiny flying insect. I think he eventually caught it.

The interesting part was watching his face change from intense feral hunter mode to embarrassed consternation when he realized he didn't know how to get down. He kept looking over his shoulder, but not at me, as though he were expecting rescue from some outside source.

However, I didn't help him -- he's a smart little guy, and he managed a cautious downward climb, using only his front paws, with his back legs dangling. Too funny.

Ha! Judith, that is so funny. It reminds me of the old house when Bijou climbed up a huge tree to try to catch a bird. She got stuck, but I coached her down. She was terrified, but came to me in a great SLIDE! It taught her a tremendous lesson, and as far as I know, she NEVER climbed a tree again!

We have a curtain climber too. Not only that in our nice new house with it's lovely clean magnolia walls we are getting flattened insects stuck to the walls or splatted on windows.

Does anyone here have an opinion on how old kittens should be before they first venture out?

charliechaplinfan wrote:We have a curtain climber too. Not only that in our nice new house with it's lovely clean magnolia walls we are getting flattened insects stuck to the walls or splatted on windows.

Does anyone here have an opinion on how old kittens should be before they first venture out?

Alison, where I live, most cats don't go out at all. As long as they have interesting places inside to patrol, some space to run around when they get those bursts-of-speed episodes, and windows to look out of, they do just fine as "indoor cats."

Charlie is desperate to go out, he gets so excited looking out of the window. Claude who was used to going out all day but hasn't since the move hasn't bothered. My thoughts are that Charlie should stay in until he's neutered and Claude can go out soon. I hate kitty litter but something tells me that Claude won't go out until Charlie goes with him.

One thing to note my big cat Claude who was extremely overweight is now not the fatty cat he was, he's still overweight but with his running around after Charlie and the titbits he's not now getting from our previous next door neighbour. I do believe he'll be able to get through his cat flap whereas at one point we thought he'd get stuck.

Charlie is king of the house, he does whatever he pleases when he pleases. He adores the children and allows Joe to pick him up and nurse him like a baby, purring his head off all the while but if Chris or I pick him up, he allows a quick fuss and he wants to be off.

His most endearing trait, he gets in our bed under the covers and bites Chris's bum for no reason what so ever other than he feels like it. Never gets me and I'm the one who gives him his meals.

Dark night.
Cat toy, door jamb, curse word.
Mourning toe.