Tag: cats

A Cat Named Miriam

   
   
Miriam and I hung out together in the feline playroom at Tallahassee Animal Services this afternoon. She would definitely be a contender for the Miss Congeniality award at any pageant. 

At six months of age, she’s still a kitten–playful and precocious, but with a sweet intelligence that is hard to resist. Her markings are gorgeous–very exotic.

Miriam is available for adoption and would make a terrific addition to any home. 

I also played with Avocado, one of the great dogs available at TAS. 

  
From the shelter website: “Avocado (aka “Avie”) is a purebred mutt, most notably showing characteristics of a boxer and black mouth cur (but smaller than both). She is about 2 years old and 45lbs. She came into the shelter as a stray (her owner was never found). 

She has been in fostercare for about a month where she recovered from a severe case of noncontagious mange, a skin infection and an ear infection. Avocado has responded great to treatment and is now available for adoption! 

She was virtually hairless and appears to be growing in reddish color with a black mask. Her hair is similar to a Lab’s. 

Avocado is an active, social girl who enjoys playing with toys (she loves playing with them more than most!) and doggie friends. 

She is housebroken, crate trained and alert barks when someone comes to the door. She does well with cats and doesn’t show interest in birds. Avocado travels well in the car and walks ok on leash. 

She knows “sit,” “down” and “crate” most days but would definitely benefit from obedience classes. She enjoys going for walks and is respectful of fences (doesn’t jump over a 4 ft fence or try to dig under). 

She has been around small kids and does fine with them. If you are looking for a medium sized dog that is active, smart and social but has a remarkable sense of humor, Avocado could be just the fit! Sweet and affectionate this girl is sure to delight any family! Avocado is spayed, vaccinated, dewormed, heartworm negative and microchipped.”

Come check out the wonderful companions available for adoption at Tallahassee Animal Services, and remember,

 

Peace, people!

Entertaining at Doright Manor

We have company coming from Indiana this weekend, and I’m beyond excited. The men will play golf Saturday and Sunday mornings, while we ladies hang out in and around Tallahassee. 

I don’t often get to interact with adults other than Studly, so I’ve been practicing my small talk. The cats are my audience. They aren’t very good at providing feedback, though.

Me: So what do you want to do today?

Cat: Meow.

Me: The Tallahassee Museum is supposed to be nice. I’ve never been there….”

Cat: Meow. (I detect a small variation in this meow, but I’m not sure what that indicates.)

Me: And I thought we’d have lunch at Kool Beanz. It’s outstanding and I don’t think I’ve ever taken you there.”

Cat: Yawn. 

Me: Well if you’re going to be that way we’ll just stay in all day. Here. Have some tuna.

That didn’t go well at all. I’ve got until Friday to get my patter down. Wish me luck!

Peace, people!

Please, Please Adopt, Don’t Shop

In my experience there are few creatures more deserving of our love than those who have been surrendered to an animal shelter by their owners. I can only imagine what this beautiful cat, Stella, is feeling on her first night alone at Tallahassee Animal Services, having been brought in just this afternoon by her humans.

 
She’s scared, nervous, and confused. I tried to coax her into letting me love on  her, but she seemed to say, “They’ll be back for me. I know they’ll be back.” I’m not ashamed to say I cried.

Then there was this big, goofy guy, Anthony. Look at those exquisite markings! Anthony and his sibling Mark came into the shelter as strays on the 23rd of December, but they’ve clearly been someone’s pets.   
They’re the funniest cats I’ve ever met. Plus they’re loving and eager to be petted. 

There weren’t a great many cats at TAS this afternoon. But even one is too many when there are loving homes out there.

I spent a bit of time this afternoon over on the canine side playing with a dog named Beau. He’s been at the shelter for almost two months.

  
It took Beau several minutes to warm up to me, but once he did he followed me around like a puppy. I fell in love with Beau. Please if you’re looking to adopt a dog consider this handsome boy. Here’s his résumé:

“I am a neutered male, Treeing Walker Coonhound mix. The shelter staff think I am 7 years old. I have been at the shelter since November 18, 2015. I am available for adoption now!”

Remember, adopt, don’t shop. Visit talgov.com where you can view these guys and more on our virtual kennel.

Peace, people.

Tantrum

Studly Doright and I were chilling out at Doright Manor. We’d just purchased season 1 of Fargo and had settled in to watch. Studly had the white fuzzy throw on his lap, and I had plucked our newest crocheted throw off the back of the sofa to keep things cozy. Soon Scout, our elder cat, settled herself on my lap and began purring. 

That’s when Patches lost it. Our normally timid younger kitty ran around like a mini-banshee, howling and scratching, shaking with fury. After tearing around the den for three full minutes she finally stopped her tirade and sat glaring at us from under the Christmas tree. Studly and I watched in amused bewilderment. Bemuserment, if you will.

Then it occurred to me that Patches had claimed the new throw. In fact, she’d been napping on it nonstop almost from the moment we brought it home from the Christmas party where we’d been fortunate enough to win it.

Patches was pissed that Scout was snuggled on the throw she’d claimed as her own. Like any younger sibling who’d been deprived of her favorite blankie Patches was throwing a tantrum.

Once we figured out the cause of distress I eased Scout from my lap and returned the throw to Patches who snuggled down immediately. Now Scout is peacefully sleeping near the tree and all is right with our world at Doright Manor.

   
 Peace, people!

Louie, Louie!

  
This big boy is the sweetest cat at Tallahassee Animal Services. His name is Louie and his paws are the size of dinner rolls.

Louie has been at TAS since 11/28/2015. He is FIV positive, but still has so much love to give. 

  
And if you’d prefer a female, Sigourney is super affectionate. She has been at TAS since the 8th of November.

 And then there’s Winston, a two month old kitten who melts everyone’s heart except for that of his brother, Blaze. 

Come find your best friend at Tallahassee Animal Services this weekend! Fees on all adoptions have been waived for this Saturday and Sunday for a special, May the Fur Be With You event.

   

Remember, don’t shop, ADOPT!

Peace, people!

Golden

rain blessed monday
peace abounds
beads of golden autumn leaves
linked through and around
while squirrels scamper
acorns to bury
in preparation for Florida’s
winter fury.

Our cats, Patches and Scout, insisted that I join them outside on the screened in porch this afternoon. After a brief nap with Scout nestled on my lap and Patches in the chair beside me I began watching the gray squirrels zipping around and hiding nuts like there is no tomorrow. I hope they aren’t disappointed by our dearth of winter weather. Maybe I’ll invite the little darlings inside for hot cocoa.

Messing With Cats

Doright Manor is built in such a way that four doors open onto our porch. There is set of French doors in the formal living, another from the den, and another from the master bedroom. Then there is a single door opening from the master bath directly across from the French doors in the den.

Since completing our covered/screened in porch project we’ve almost exclusively used the den doors to access our new seating area on the porch. This morning while sipping my coffee and watching squirrels cavort around the lake I decided to open the door to the master bath so the cats could easily access their litter box without having to go all the way around the house.

Our older girl, Scout, is totally chill about the new doorway. She’s sitting in one of the patio chairs like, “Yeah, I knew that door would open eventually….No biggie.”

 

Scout chilling out.
 
But our younger baby, Patches, has had her mind blown. It’s like she’s discovered Narnia. Patches has run back and forth nonstop across the porch all morning to verify the door’s existence, stopping at intervals to meow a clear question, “What’s going on here?” There might be an expletive in there, but I’m not that fluent in Cat.

 

Patches in motion.
 
At some point she’ll run out of steam and questions. That’s when I’ll open the door onto the master bedroom. That will really blow her mind.

Peace, people!

Walmart Proposal or Finally Hitting the Big Time

Studly Doright and I have been married for more than 39 years now. I know what you’re thinking, “Man, that Studly is one lucky son of a gun.” And you’d be right. Apparently, I’m a heckuva catch. 

Just this afternoon at Walmart a young man on the pet food aisle chatted me up about my cats and made additional small talk before asking, “So, are you married?” 

I blinked rapidly several times and then in a too loud voice responded, “Yep! Yep! Old and married.”

“Too bad,” he responded and sauntered away. 

He wasn’t my type. The saggy, baggy jeans were a deal breaker. Well, that and the “I look like I just got out of jail” vibe he was putting out. Still, if Studly ever forgets just how lucky he is, I have at least one prospect.

Note: My Walmart beau looked a lot better than any of these guys:

 

Is this the legendary Camo Fairy?
  
Barney called. He wants his suit back.
  
Don’t you wish your boyfriend was hot like me?
  
Gary had a little lamb.
 Peace, people!

Kitten Cuddling

I missed my last two sessions of kitten cuddling at Tallahassee Animal Services due to our Texas vacation. I was a little concerned that I’d lost my ability to cuddle kittens, but my fears were ungrounded. Kitten cuddling might be my true calling. Studly Doright wishes it was a more lucrative calling; I maintain that happy kittens are reward enough.

This past weekend there was a big adoption event at the shelter, so there were only ten or so kittens available. Once I changed out all the litter boxes and made sure all the felines had fresh food there was plenty of time to play with cats.

This kitten is approximately 4 months old. Her hobbies are purring and snuggling with available humans. The shelter staff named her Sasha Fierce, but I think she should be ‘Stache:

  
Summer, pictured below, is a demure little lady. She is extremely gentle and has a classy attitude.  
Franco, is fond of being petted. One might say he is addicted to love. 

  
Go check out the online kennel at http://www.talgov.com. And remember, don’t shop, ADOPT!

Peace, people!

Doright Manor Musings

Outside Doright Manor the temperature is 85 degrees. It’s a warm October day, but not terribly humid. Of course I’m sitting in air conditioned comfort having just enjoyed a Smart Ones spicy chicken and fries meal. 

There are two separate shows being played out for my enjoyment. One is a recording of The Walking Dead. The other is the steady procession of roofers hauling bundles of shingles up a ladder to our covered/screened in porch addition.

My cats are fascinated by the roofing show. They want to attack the dangling cords and to pounce on the dropped sacks that seemingly appear from nowhere and float enticingly to the ground. They are both indoor cats, though, so the roofing show is as real to them as The Walking Dead is to me.

Hopefully before too many more days all the work on the porch will be completed, and the cats will be able to venture into the great indoor outdoors. Studly Doright and I are making predictions on their first adventures. 

Scout, we feel, will embrace the porch immediately, claiming it as her territory, but Patches fears everything and it may take her awhile to cross the threshold. I give her a week before she takes the plunge, whereas Studly thinks it will take much longer. We live exciting lives, don’t we?

  

Peace, people!