StrangeRanger

Signs of Seniority

There have been several signs of encroaching age here at ChezRanger recently.  For the humans?  Well, we finally figured out a way to keep our bath mat from sliding!  WooHoo!  We're happy about it!  How pathetic is that?  Don't answer.  The solution?  We cut up some rubber toolbox liner and put it under the mat.  Of course, we did have to present out solution to the local authoity and have her inspect the work.

Well, the edges are still rough, and the cut edge isn't exactly even, and you could have gotten it closer to the edges of the mat, but it's comfy enough.  It can stay.  Of course, I hope you realize that the mat is all upside-downey.  Have you been doing the upside-downey thing the whole time?  'Cause that could be your problem...

She is such a good supervisor....

But this pic and the next illustrate one of the signs of advancing feline age...  

What?

Look at that big ol' jackrabbity foot!

Maddie's been stretching that leg out more and more recently.  It's the leg we had operated on back in the summer of '10.  We're afraid that the arthritis is making it stiff again and painful to bend.  She doesn't sit in the cat-loaf position anymore, and her toes peek out from under her floof when she sits on her haunches.  Which is also not happening as much as in years past.

 Oh for god's sake....is he still on about this?  I'm FINE!

 Little Miss, of course, exhibits no sign of unhappiness.  If she's got to climb onto the bed instead of leap, well, that's what she does.  The sunpuddles on the floor present more than enough opportunity for bliss, and she loves her brushies, which she demands several times a day.  In fact, I hear an assertive meow from the living room.  Must run!  now...where's that brush?   

Rare Non-Cat Post: Circular Magic!

I stumbled across this video quite by accident.  I was video-grazing through a site called The Kid Should See This.  Wonderful place.  Really.  They'd posted this vid of an acrobatic act that I had no idea existed.  It is the definition of fluid and graceful.  The performer is Angelica Bongiovanni.  There is a moment of video glitch towards the end, but it goes away and does not detract from the absolute wonder of the performance.  Give it a watch!  Money back if you're not entranced.

 

Inefficient Use of Resources

Cats are quite smart most of the time.  There are some times, however, that their humans don't realize how clever the cat is at the moment.  Example:

I notice Maddie crashed out in the sunpuddle.  I say "Maddie, you're making inefficient use of your resources.  You should turn 90 degrees and the sun will flow all over you, from tip to tail."  The response?

Dude.  I only want to warm my head and my tummy.  The rest of me is fine.  If I turned 90 degrees I'd be wasting precious solars.

So you see, this is the IDEAL position to crash in.  Paws and tail cool, back warmed through close contact with sunned areas, and tummy and head quite toasty.  Trust me, I know what I'm doing.

And thus, this conversation ends the way so many others do.  With a heartfelt "Silly me." from the human.

 

A Bit of Tummy Trouble

Maddie had a fit of the barfs this morning.  Nothing voluminous or alarming.  No blood, thank goodness.  She hasn't horked up blood since that last trip to the e-vet.

Nope.  Today was a little hork.  It seems to have tuckered her out, though.

Hopped right up on the bed, interrupting me in the act of bed-making, and snuggled down for a nap.

I think I"ll let her snooze until she feels like getting up.

I guess this is the first indication that spring hairball season is upon us.