New paintings and regular art updates.
Scrutiny, he watches, he’s the outdoor boy. Making sure you love him, have treats ready. A tickle behind his ears, under his chin, cheek rubbed. His cut nose is healing, not caused by our cats…
Then a look, aloof, I’ve had enough, I’m going out. He stands, stretches, front paws first, then back legs, doing the ‘downward cat’. Yowl, let me out. Gently closing his eyes looking up at me. I am under his spell. I’m OK while he’s out but as soon as he comes back. I’m gone. Xx
The outdoor cat trusts me enough to show me his belly and he let me stroke it. Cats are very nervous of doing this, so they really are careful about rolling over and showing their tummies. I feel very honoured that he’s let me do that.
He’s back in this evening out of the cold. The other cats are continuing to tolerate him. I think soon he will be a (mostly) indoor cat too!
Oops the outdoor boy is sitting in my indoor boys favourite spot on hubby’s chair. He is getting his paws under the table. Indoor boy is sitting by the halogen heater trying to ignore the situation, but I know his nose is out of joint… (it’s been three days since he sat on me, he’s more distant, especially when outdoor boy wants to have some love.) Now I need to make sure they are all happy. The outdoor cat will probably stay a while, get warm, then go back outside. They are all well fed and indoor girl is on her bed upstairs…. Cats, it’s like watching a soap opera… ‘get orf my chair kitty’ ‘why are you lettingbhim sit there, hooman?’
Talking to a friend about our outdoor cat I explained that he’s generally in our garden which is about the size of two terraced houses and their yards…. There are lots of other cats about that come and go (I fear for the bird population but they have plenty of cover). There’s a shed and a summerhouse, two cat beds and cushions. He’s a big cat, twice the size of my other two, well-groomed. Tidy, but not a dominant cat which is why I think they can integrate…
He comes in and sleeps sometimes but he’d found a space on the settee and now the indoor boy cat sleeps there. I will have to find him a new space, it all seems to be about territory. I also think he gets too hot when we have our heating on. He will eat, then mooch over to the back door and yowl to be let out… Such is the life of an abandoned out door cat, we want to love and care for him, but he hadn’t made his mind up fully about us.
X
On one side my cat in the mirror, on the other side the view of him across the bedroom. Surprisingly the first image was in the mirror. I think I had a bit of camera shake when I took the photo of him across the room. It’s also odd because there seems to be more depth of field (depth perception) in the first one. I might do more pictures of reflections and see how they turn out.
Our outdoor cat has decided to take charge of my hubby’s railway set. Luckily there is a pond painted in the centre so he can lie on it and not do too much damage. He’s got a heater in there so he is nice and warm. He’s also started coming in for a few minutes at night. Although he did swipe a paw at my boy cat last night. He’s happy, well fed, and has lots of fun.
We are trying to encourage the abandoned cat that we look after into the house as the weather gets colder. He isn’t very happy though. He struggles out of my hubbies arms and runs and yowls to be let back out again. We might have to consider opening the cat flap and having him in the bathroom over night if nothing else. We want him in a warmer situation than last winter.
I keep telling hubby that you have to encourage him in gently (the cat, not hubby) and let him settle down, until he gets confident. The two house cats don’t seem to mind him and disregard him, so that’s positive.
Take two cats and a box. Add one cat to the box, the other on top of it, stir in a bit of playfulness and a few pounces and you get this. Fun! I only just managed to get the photo as a split second later the female cat shot across the room leaving her brother with his head spinning.
Don’t dare think you can read this
Tis mine not yours I say!
Tis my bed and I’ll lie on it
So just you go away!
I’ll not let hooman near it,
My claws are sharp and curved.
My comfort is important.
No I’ll not be moved today!
(she got off and walked away!)
Playing with photo editing in my layout app. When you have a subject like a cat you can duplicate and mirror the image and make something interesting happen. Choose to mirror half the face and you end up with a strong stare. I could have made her nose look more natural, but I prefer the odd symmetry this photo gives me.
Mallaband-Brown