Cat Shenanigans

Stories about what my cats have been up to

           __..--''``---....___   _..._    __
 /// //_.-'    .-/";  `        ``<._  ``.''_ `. / // /
///_.-' _..--.'_    \                    `( ) ) // //
/ (_..-' // (< _     ;_..__               ; `' / ///
 / // // //  `-._,_)' // / ``--...____..-' /// / //

I am owned by two wonderful cats, a grey and white tabby named Anastasia, and a longhaired ginger named Sunny. I have a page on my website with pictures and profiles if you're interested:

After you've read that, you can check out the stories I've written about them below.

Food Fairness

Recently, the dry food that I buy for both cats has gone out of production. For Anastasia, this isn't a problem as she's not that picky, but for Sunny, who has a sensitive stomach, this is a little issue. Basically he vomits up anything that is grain-based, and let's be real: cats don't need to be eating much grain anyway. So I went online and picked out a high-protein, meat-based food for indoor cats with sensitive stomachs. Knowing how picky cats can be, I got a small bag because I didn't know if they'd like it or not.

What I didn't realize is the combination of small bag + ziploc at the top would make them think that the food was actually a treat, so when we tried it out they went bonkers. I thought this was funny, but put it in their bowl like normal and went about my business. Anastasia grabbed a bite first, because she's older and usually gets the first turn at the food bowl. That left Sunny to the side, who without his own "treat," apparently felt left out. He looked up at me, quite put out, and let out a loud "MEEOWW??" as if to say, "Where's mine?????"

Rest assured, he got his own bowl to the side and was happy, but it made me laugh because I didn't expect him to get so upset!

Cat games

Sunny is a little bit of a thrill seeker. When playing, he likes high energy games and LOVES being chased. One of his favorite games is "Airplane," which we usually play at night as a good way to end the day. He sleeps in my kid's room, because that way Anastasia can get a break from him and they don't end up making noise all night, but he doesn't like being cooped up, so this is a bit of a consolation prize.

Airplane works like this: I tuck him under my arm like a football, and run around the house making airplane noises. We do a few rounds of this, and then at the end, I take him to the room, and throw him on the bed with a big "WHEEE!" When I'm running towards the bed, I can usually feel him wrap his tail around my back in anticipation.

Lest you think he doesn't enjoy this, if I don't close the door quickly enough after his bed landing, he usually runs directly to the spot I picked him up from, lays down on his belly, and looks up at me expectantly.

More cat games

Another favorite of his is "Racecar," which we play with the empty laundry baskets on the carpet. Basically he hops in, and I move the basket back and forth slowly while making "Vroom vroom" noises. If I stop too early, he turns around and meows at me very loudly until I start up again.

Smack to the face

As I've explained before, Anastasia and Sunny do not always get along, not from lack of trying on Sunny's part. Anastasia is old and hates change, though, and does not have the energy for Sunny's antics.

Often she smacks him on the face when he gets too close or too annoying. This usually happens on the bed, where he tries to corner her while she's sleeping. One time, she was snuggling next to me when he hopped up, and she was just not having any of it. She growled and hissed and made it clear that she did NOT want him on the bed. When he started walking towards her, she started smacking.

Unfortunately, though, he wasn't anywhere hear her when she began flailing, and the only thing next to her was...me. She smacked me straight in the face (no claws, so it didn't hurt), and then, realizing what she had done, gave me the biggest "oh shit" look I've ever seen on her face. I wasn't mad, though, and I could only laugh while both of them tried to recover.

Anastasia's instincts

Anastasia has her own games too, but she's not as energetic as she used to be. I keep a pink string next to my bed just for playing with her, because it's her favorite (and Sunny's not allowed to play because he'll eat it). One big reason I use the string, though, is because after about five minutes of playing with it, if she's not bored, she completely forgets that she's playing and goes full on MURDER MODE. Woe to anyone who is in the way of her claws when that happens. I can usually tell we're at that point when her eyes go big and she starts open-mouthed snorting while rearing her head back. That's when I know the instinct has TAKEN OVER!

A dainty little lady

Anastasia is usually more dignified, though. One thing I've noticed is that she's very sensitive to laughter. I don't know how she interprets it, because of course cats can't laugh, but I have noticed that if she ever does something and I laugh at her for it, she will NEVER DO THAT THING AGAIN.

She used to go outside at our old place (it's not safe where we are now, so they're both indoor cats today), and I had a chain link fence around the yard. One time, she decided to climb over the fence instead of going around, which took quite a bit of doing, because she's a bit tubby. Seeing her big marshmallow belly exposed and sticking through the holes in the fence gave me the giggles, and I cooed and laughed as she made her way up.

This was a mistake. Her eyes got BIIIG, and let me say that was the last time she ever climbed the fence that way. If I had known, I would have kept my amusement to myself, and I certainly hold it back now when she's doing something that I don't want to embarass her for.

Let's be friends

This one is from a looooong time ago, but back when Anastasia would go outside, she would socialize with the other, mostly feral, cats around. One big tom cat in particular used to follow her around and try to get romantic with her, which was doomed to failure because she was, of course, fixed.

One time I happened to look out the window when she was next to this boy, who was following her around and sniffing where she had peed (what a perv). He looked at her...she looked at him...she stuck her butt in the air...and then did the most energetic play bow while scampering back in forth in front of him. I could feel the disappointment from all the way in the house where I was standing.

You'd think they'd get agressive with her like they do in the wild, but she would routinely beat the crap out of any tom cat who would try anything with her. I would frequently get worried when hearing scuffles outside, only to find her happy and safe, and see some male cat skulking off in the distance.