Tag Archive | american bobtail cat

Cats and Dogs

 

tuffyTiffy ~ American Bobtail

Lately, I’ve been working like a dog, which is no surprise because I’m sure at times we all feel that way.  It’s the dog-days of summer so the heat affects us as well.  We’ve had bouts of raining cats and dogs too.  Are you following my animal analogies?

Dogs are people too, have you heard that phrase?  Dog is man’s best friend.  You call a dog and he comes (usually).  But call a cat?  Not such great odds that the cat will even hear you let alone think about moving out of his warm spot in the sunshine.  Have you ever attempted to corral a bunch of cats into one area?  If you have, then you know how anxious it can make you.  Just as you think they are all herded into one single area, one hops the fence, another squeezes through a crack, while the others walk around, tails high in the air, not a care in the world.  Grab the escapees and the ones who you were sure were just lazing around and grooming themselves, but have now decided to take off and explore on their own, regardless that you are calling their names.  For a moment, all is well.

Does this sound familiar to you?  Metaphorically of course, because unless you are a crazy cat lady, you don’t have so many cats in one area.  We have two ~ Tiffy is a little diva, a snuggle kitty, my constant companion, a chatterbox and the winner of the best fur therapy giver award.  It is to Tiffy whom we whisper our frustrations, snuggling into her fluffy, soft fur, burying our faces streamed with tears when nobody else is home.  The holder of secrets and yet she is a demanding and independent thinker who just lives by her own clock, her own mind and her own needs.  And yet, we adore her!  Our younger family member is Tigger who is still a little sprite of energy, even after being with us for four years.  She quite literally runs our household now, including running Tiffy who is not used to anything more than a sedentary lifestyle.  It’s been an adjustment for sure, for us all, but mostly for Tiffy who welcomed a friend, but on her terms.  Tigger brings vitality to our home.  Her shenanigans amuse us and her willingness to play with anything and everything keeps us on our toes.  Her nickname is the hooligan!

So how are cats like people?  Well, dogs are what we people would like to be, what we would like to have as our comrades, those with whom we come into constant contact.  To me, a dog is mostly friendly, happy, without secrets.  A dog needs water, food, a bit of playtime with a ball and is simply happy to be here with you.  Canines notoriously make excellent pets because they are reliable and their mood shows directly in their posture, on their face and mostly, they are happy to see you.  They are without cares, do not hold grudges and you can easily read them by their stance.  In other words, they are what we would like the people in our lives to be.

Cats, who get a bad rap for being more independent, are more like people.  They rock their own tune in their head and don’t rely on being told what to do like dogs.  They have their own agenda and aren’t afraid to hiss when things don’t go their way.  They build trust slowly, but surely.  They have 9 lives and like to nestle in the most obscure places, like the linen closet.  Rarely do they come when called unless it suits them.  Most of the time, you can’t read their minds (unless I put out the tuna treat and then I know that I am number one in their book for awhile).

While we don’t have a dog in our home, we love them and would have one if we could.  But for now, it would upset the feline energy here at the moment.  Friends of ours just had a litter of black lab pups that are calling my name.  I can’t upset the household with a new puppy, but it sure would make for some crazy future posts!

Shine On!

xo

Animal Round Up For Halloween

Happy Halloween to you!  In honor of the holiday, I thought I’d take a few photos of the critters I’ve seen recently at the house.

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BIG SPIDER – at my front door.  Glad he didn’t knock!

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Cricket on the back patio during the day. I thought they only came out at night?

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Dead Katydid at the back door

 

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Sadly, dead moth who was feeding the ants as goes the circle of life.

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Mr. Squirrel posing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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But the best part? The deer who were just standing outside the barn after my last lesson. Sorry for the grainy photo, it was dark out!

 

I have missed seeing the deer in my new house.  At my old one, I would see them passing by at twilight across my neighbor’s front lawn.  But when I recently left a horseback riding lesson, while walking to my car, I thought a big dog was scampering past me.  When my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw an entire family of deer a few yards away from me.  How glorious for me!  As I quietly talked with them, they stood there listening intently.  It was such a precious moment!  They even patiently waited while I grabbed my phone and took a few photos.  This was the best photo of the group I got, although I’m sorry it’s so grainy.  It was dark out, but I could see them and their eyes twinkling in the night.

I love deer.  I’ve written about them before in my blog.  I love all animals, even little Mr. Mousey who hopefully lives outside only.  You know, I have two cats in my home whom I adore.  Hopefully one day, I will even get a big dog, but that will have to wait for now.  Maybe I won’t be able to get a dog, but perhaps someone will share theirs with me so that we can play fetch and romp with enthusiasm outside.

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Happy Halloween from Tiffy the American Bobtail and her favorite Witch!

There’s something about animals that I adore.  Sometimes, I think they are better than humans for they are more honest and loyal.  The older I’ve gotten, the more attuned I seem to be getting with animals, especially wildlife.  I wonder if it’s the Pisces in me?

I hope you have a lovely day.

Shine On!

xo

Caturday Ritual

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I don’t know who coined the phrase Caturday, but I like it!  It makes me think of my dear little girl with whom I share a special morning ritual.  Every morning, I am given the gift of presence by the American Bobtail above who insists on it.  How you may ask?  After I get my coffee and she her wet food, we relax in a few moments of silence, each taking in the morning’s peacefulness as we savor the taste of our favorite morning sustenance.

Then she comes over to tell me that it’s time.  She meows quite plaintively until I put down my coffee and pay attention to her.  I pick her up, cradle her in my lap, nestled in a blanket.  She insists that she is held baby-like, face up   Once in position, she stops meowing and snuggles down in the blanket on my lap.  Her eyes close with an audible sigh and the purring begins.

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Smiling down on her blissful face, I begin to pet her and in turn, her purring reverberates into my body.  It is a sensitive moment of tenderness between two souls.  A bit of fur therapy for me as I stroke her chin, feeling the soft fur under my hand.  This ritual stops my mind from it’s constant chatter as I concentrate on the moment, the peace, the presence that this moment brings to us both before the flurry of the day begins in our house.

As a cancer survivor (or not), it’s important to find these small pockets of presence in our day, to relax, to reconnect with ourselves and to just be peaceful.  There’s something to be said about the healing properties of a purring cat that I personally find quite soothing.  Lucky for me, even when I feel rushed in the mornings, Tiffy does not allow our ritual to be forgotten and therefore she gives me what I need ~ peace, love and understanding ~ for myself and for others.

Do you have a special way of connecting with the Presents of Presence?

Shine On!

xo

P.S.  I think this one works for Michelle’s Pet Challenge as well!  Make sure you pop over to see her over at Hope the Happy Hugger!

The Power of Purr

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This is my baby Tiffy in our favorite position, on the couch, wrapped in blankies, face up like a baby, snuggled next to my heart, her purr reverberating into my soul.  She just knows and verbally meows at me until I take her in my arms and sit down.  We snuggle, I regain my bearings and enjoy the presents of being present for a bit.  It’s amazing what a little bit of fur therapy (our family word for holding the cat and petting her soft fur) can do ~ it can calm you, center you, wipe away tears and help you to feel the love.  There is power in purring, I truly believe this as our other cat Chessie who passed away in March most definitely helped me through breast cancer by staying by my side at all times and purring by my side so that her powerful purr reverberated into my body and soul.  I know I sound like a crazy cat lady, but I do believe in the power of purr.  Sometimes it’s the smallest things that Make a Difference in our lives. ♥

So, today, here’s a bit of virtual fur therapy for you!  May you know you are loved.

Shine On!

xo

This post is also doubling as Michelle’s Pet Challenge…join us by clicking here!

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The Dalai Lama’s Cat

9781401940584_p0_v1_s260x420Michelle’s Weekly Pet Challenge is for animals/pets.  I realize that I could give you another special photo of my darling American Bobtail Tiffy, but since she’s approved the following post, I now hit publish freely without reserve.  Because today’s post is about the above book which I bought on a lark on Amazon the other day for $1.99 ~ and it’s kept me enthralled right to the end.  In fact, it opened my eyes, my ears, my heart, my soul and most importantly, my mind which was what I was yearning for a book to do in a nice, easy manner.

Being a cat lover has its perks in reading this book because it’s as if our darling Tiffy had just struck up a conversation with me, giving me the impetus to change my ways of thinking without preaching, by simply being and showing and opening my mind to choices that I could decide to take on my life’s path.  HHC, Rinpoche and all the other cute names that the cat above went by, allowed me to slide into a different way of looking at life that I highly recommend.

So if you need a book to read which has an easy read feel to it and yet has substance,

I highly recommend The Dalai Lama’s Cat!

Shine On!

xo

Click here to join Michelle’s Weekly Pet Challenge!

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Happiness is a patch of sunshine

TiffanyMy wish for you:

Find a bit of sunshine today like Tiffy and enjoy!

Shine On!

xo

Join Michelle’s Wednesday Pet Challenge to show us your furkids!

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Michelle’s Weekly Pet Challenge ~ Kitty Komfort

76211677_Tiffy in my arms, wrapped in my fuzzy sweater.

Now that the weather’s a bit brisk, my feline companion, 5 year old American Bobtail Tiffany, affectionately referred to as Tiffy, follows me around when I wear my morning comfy sweater.  There’s an urgency in her meow, a plaintive cry that demands being snuggled like a baby in a papoose for a few minutes every morning.  Usually I am able to get a swig of my first cup of coffee before she insists on being present with me for awhile.  And I must say, I do not mind at all.  It is our bonding time.  Her little furry body nestles in my arms, purring quite unabashedly as we simply breathe in the same rhythm and bond.  Her whole body resonates in that purr, vibrating at a timbre that my heart actually feels.  As her eyes close in bliss (and mine do as well), we just enjoy the Presents of Presence, the peacefulness before the hubbub of the day begins.

We just are ~ 2 souls who connect.

And isn’t that the way it should be with all of us, human and animal alike?  I unashamedly tell you this story, with the nagging feelings that you may name me ‘Crazy Cat Lady’ but I don’t mind.  The truth is that it’s a special moment that I cherish.  It’s the blessing of being open to accept and to give love unconditionally and I relish the daily feeding of my heart and soul.

It’s not to say that I don’t feel that way about my human family/children because I do.  But they are bigger now and don’t quite fit the same way anymore as Tiffy does in my arms.  Being teenagers, they are bigger than I am ~ and I’m not quite sure how they’d feel about me hopping up into their laps to be held baby-like wrapped in a soft sweater! LOL

So this morning, as you sip your tea or coffee, take a moment to imagine the universe embracing you with loving arms, snuggling you in its fuzzy sweater, a cherished soul wrapped in love.

You are special.  You are loved.

Shine On!

xo

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Our Sweet Menagerie

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Behold ~ let me introduce you to my purrfect daughters who complete the sweet menagerie in our home!  Chessie, is our Maine Coon/Tabby mix who will turn 17 in May.  She was a stray whom we adopted as our first ‘child’ and then there’s Tiffany aka Tiffy, who is our other girl, an American Bobtail who at now 5 years old, has kept our Chessie on her toes for the last 5 years!  Tiffy’s buddy is Jack the goldfish who has outlived his brothers, Manny and Moe by at least a year!  Jack continues to enjoy Tiffy’s affections although we’ve had to put a top on his bowl since Tiffy enjoyed eating his fish flakes with him when he was fed!

It’s funny that this Daily Prompt came today ~ although I’m truly not that surprised since I just made the call to our sweet vet for Chessie.  She’s been losing weight for awhile now and last night began making gurgling noises when she was purring.  Her purr has always been a deep rumble, much like my roar from yesterday’s post.  Chessie has a special place in our hearts in our home for she was our first child and alternately has been my hubby’s girl, my girl and our sons’ girl.  She’s lavished much affection over all of us and coined the much used phrase, “fur therapy” which is a staple in our home.  Fur Therapy is when you receive unconditional love, affection and soul-filled connections from one of our cats.  Not that we humans don’t give that deep love and understanding to eachother as well, but there’s something about holding a furry, warm cat to your heart, soul to soul and feeling that instant love.

Our boys have grown up with Chessie and then when Tiffy arrived, she became the resident fur therapist to the kids as she is younger and easier to handle for the boys considering that Chessie was an only child for quite awhile and Tiffy’s only known being picked up, carried around like a sack of potatoes and just goes with the flow!  Chessie was a bit stunned when we brought home our elder son almost 15 years ago ~ his occasional crying pierced her heart and she would watch over him incessantly, wanting us to soothe him as soon as possible.  By the time our 2nd son arrived, she was well-used to sharing our home with more humans who loved to pet her.

Chessie holds a special place in our hearts, but especially in mine.  For you see, it was her constant presence during my illness that I believe helped in healing me (with the help of the medical field as well).  She never left my side and was always next to me, her rhythmic purring rumbling though my body as she healed me with her spirit, her constant love and her healing vibrations.  You may think I sound a bit squirrelly, but it’s how I feel in my heart.  And for that healing love, I am ever so grateful to her.

Quietly, she has anchored herself to our family and to our hearts.  Her unassuming nature, being a constant sweet presence much like a beloved angel hovering in our home, she has been a constant companion.  There has never been a time in the last 17 years that I haven’t walked in the door to call to my girls and to look for them upon entering our home.  She is our talisman of all goodness.  She accompanied us in the middle of the night to check on the boys when they were sick.  When my hubby would travel, she would wait for his return the first night and then the second night, if he wasn’t home, she would sleep upstairs with me on the bed, keeping one ear cocked listening for any strange sounds.  Many a night I would lie awake in bed wondering what the strange noise I heard downstairs was and I would look over to Chessie to see if she had heard it.  If her head was up and she was listening too, we would descend the stairs together to investigate.  Many times, she would precede me, somehow I always believe, protecting me in case there was something there ~ which thankfully, there never has been!

She’s been laying beside me on the couch the last few days, barely leaving my side and I’ve not left hers either.  My heart absolutely breaks every time I think of the possibility and tears storm my cheeks with the mere thought of what today’s vet appointment could bring.  I know for some people who aren’t pet lovers, nor cat lovers either, this may seem a bit much, but I don’t care.  If you’ve ever been blessed to be loved by an animal or have been a beloved pet owner, you will understand how I feel today.

So I’m off to the vet now ~ I’m praying for peace whatever that may bring us.  We’ve heard that the average life of a cat is 13 years old so we’ve been blessed with almost 17 for which I’m truly grateful.  Please say a prayer for Chessie.  Thank you!

Shine On!

xo

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Daily Prompt: Menagerie

Do you have animals in your life? If yes, what do they mean to you? If no, why have you opted not to?

(Bonus points for adorable animal photos, and double bonus if they’re taken with your phone!)