Tag Archives: saffron

The treat stealer fails

October 30, 2012 By in Cats Tags: , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Licorice seemed to be quite skilled at stealing the treats Saffron had so diligently retrieved from the treat ball. It is clear to me that Licorice has also been stealing some of Saffron’s dinner. However, I think Saffron has finally figured out how to outsmart Licorice! I took this video tonight and Saffron is certainly now getting the lions share. I love the way licorice (right) looks at me at one point with her sad face!

If the above video doesn’t load, go directly to the flickr page.

I want to stress that it’s 1/4 of their food allowance in the ‘treat ball’. They are overweight and don’t need treats. I’m putting it in the ball because Saffron has finally figured out how to get most of the treats for herself and stop Licorice stealing hem. This is a good thing because I’m positive that Licorice takes some of Saff’s breakfast each day! I also put it in the ball because it’s a bit of environmental enrichment and keeps them moving… however slow that may be!

Other videos from my furry family:

 

 

Quick before Saffron gets it

March 18, 2012 By in Art Tags: , , , , 5 Comments

Quick painting sketch Mar 18 2012This painting was a rushed effort. I had problems with a certain cat who wanted to sit on me. I had images of her walking in the paint so I had to speed up. I think in the end the painting is better for it. Some of the colours got blended together as I wasn’t taking the time to clean my brush.

Not to be outdone, Licorice is inhibiting my blog writing. The laptop is not precariously balanced on my knee, pushed to this point my a fat 7 kilo furball.

Guess it’s going to be a limited words night.

Pickle on the chopping block

February 20, 2012 By in Cats Tags: , , , , 4 Comments

Day one of holidays and I’m getting a taste of what my girls get up to while I’m at work.

NOTHING.

The morning seems to have consisted of sleeping. Moving 1 metre. Re-establishing oneself in the sleep position. When approached, wake-up and perform belly roll.

The two headed monster

Licorice and Saffron on my brown gypsy skirt

Best of all sleep on the skirt that I was planning on repairing today. Good work Licorice and Saffron! They’ve been occupying the skirt for a couple of days. I had hoped that they would have found a new snoozing place by now. I shouldn’t complain. Fortunately my cats and my clothes are often the same colour. It makes the cat hair blend in somewhat.

Meanwhile, over at chateau de Andrew the boys are probably doing about as much as the girls. I dropped in to apply flea medication to the back of Pickle’s neck. On walking in the door I found Pickle asleep in the old wheelchair and Gesso spread out on top of the bookshelf. I’m pleased I’ve been able to witness this gargantuan level of athelticism. I don’t feel bad about going away for 9 days. It’s clear that they’ll sleep right through it.

This was Pickle last night. Alternating between sleep and mild attention on the chopping block. Thankfully, for Pickle’s sake, it isn’t presently being used as a chopping block.

PIckle on the chopping block

Pickle on the chopping block

Since I’ve included 3 of the ‘fur children’, I guess I’ll have to put in the fourth. This was his sleeping effort the night before last.

Gesso's comfyLayabouts! Nevermind. I have the perfect way of waking Licorice and Saffron up. I’m going to cut fabric. It works everytime. Even when they are in the other room, they have a ‘fabric’ radar. Cutting a pattern out wouldn’t be half as much fun without the feline assistance.

The cat sat on my homework

January 23, 2012 By in Cats, Dressmaking, Sewing Tags: , , , 8 Comments

Gesso assistanceLast night, I had to write a presentation for work today.

Gesso had other plans for me, blocking my access to the laptop in the only way he knew how.

Me being slightly peculiar, took a photo of him in situ, turfed him off, then wrote my presentation and included him in it! I’m sure my colleagues think I’m completely cracked but then again, they don’t tell me my presentations are boring, which I think is what many people expect from the data person. I met a new member of staff today. She said to me, ‘are you the IT person?’ I felt almost insulted. Am I that drab?

Through today, Gesso and Saffron must have had a conversation, for tonight, it is Miss Saff’s turn at stopping me from completing my homework. She has adopted a similar approach to gesso. She just happens to be twice the size and far more determined to stay where she is. My dressmaking teacher has 3 cats of her own. I’m sure she will accept my excuse for not cutting out the whole pattern… no?
Saffron assistance

Weekly Photo Challenge: Peaceful

January 14, 2012 By in Cats, Photography Tags: , , , , , 15 Comments

Gesso and Saffron meet

You have got to be kidding me! The weekly photo challenge is ‘Peaceful’. There is not much peaceful about my life right now. I’m houseminding with four cats in a one bedroom unit! Peaceful is not the first word which comes to mind!

Saffron and Licorice have been assigned the bedroom and Gesso and Pickle the living room. Then today, for the first time, Gesso and Saffron met face to face.

Peaceful.

Not.

Grrr. Hiss. Contempt on Saffron’s face. (Meanwhile Licorice, who was sitting next to Saffron sat as if nothing were going on).

Peaceful?

Well perhaps if you were Gesso. At least he could not hear Saffron’s grumbles.

Supervised introduction over, they have been separated once more. I suppose that counts as relative peace.

Cat etiquette

January 12, 2012 By in Cats Tags: , , , , 4 Comments

Saffron
I was ready for bed. I had done my blogging for today. Then Licorice did something which had me bursting to ask my blog friends about. She made a hideous noise cleaning her toenails. The question is not ‘does your cat do this?’ but ‘should a cat be able to do this while sleeping on your bed?’ Do I denounce Licorice as having failed cat etiquette 101?

However, first things first, I had to learn how to spell etiquette. Were there 4 t’s or 3?

So I googled ‘cat etiquette’. I was surprised to find results aplenty – all featuring 3 t’s. Many were serious; a few were downright funny; I particularly liked a page from “CatStuff: Cat Etiquette“, which left me nodding and smirking. One of my favourites being:

Get enough sleep during the daytime so that you are fresh for playing at night between 2 and 4 a.m.

As I’m spending tonight with 4 cats rather than my usual 2, I hope that there HASN’T been too much sleeping going on around here.

My hopes may be in vain as Pickle is certainly still awake. As I write this post he is making himself known on the other side of the door. First with what sounds distinctly like head-butting followed by some meowing. I do feel a little sad for him. He’s used to being able to climb into bed and Saffron and Licorice’s temporary accommodation arrangements have relegated him to sleeping on the couch. I only wish Pickle understood each time I find myself saying: ‘don’t complain to me. Your father’s the one who’s off galivanting in the Tasmania wilderness.’

So, now that I’ve got all that out of my system, I ask you – is chomping toenails in bed acceptable behaviour? (I’m referring to the cat of course, not me).

Who’s afraid of the wheelchair wolf?

January 12, 2012 By in Cat Protection Society, Cats, Disability Tags: , , , , , 9 Comments

Gesso the parrotI know it’s hard to believe with photos such as the one on the left but sometimes cats are afraid of wheelchairs. Or so the people at Cat Protection Society tell me. It sounds plausible. I’ve seen dogs look timid around Andrew; four-legged friends who won’t get close.

As I’ve said before, Pickle and Gesso have no such issues. Gesso’s latest trick is to climb the back of the wheelchair. If Andrew hasn’t wiggled in to properly, he needs to be careful as Gesso seems to leap into the chair, trying to beat him to it; causing a white furry lump between Andrew and the backrest.

Last night, when Gesso climbed up the chair and was at the back of Andrew’s neck, I immediately reached for my phone.

Don’t take a picture, help me get him off!

As I was determined to get my picture before I performed any rescue, Andrew tried to ‘shake’ him off on his own by leaning forward. This strategy didn’t work. Gesso didn’t move!

So there you have it – Gesso the parrot. (He’ll have a degree in piracy before too long. He already frequently engages in trespassing and petty theft; it’s not too much of a step up.)

Another one of Gesso’s personalities, is Gesso the placid. It’s best described in this video (I apologise for the poor quality). It takes a special kind of cat; a chilled cat; one cool cat to let you hold them upsidedown like a baby. Both Gesso and Pickle like to do this. I’ve tried it on Licorice and Saffron. It doesn’t work for more than 5 seconds.

If you are unable to view the video, try here on the direct link to flickr.

Lastly, I had to share a third aspect of Gesso’s personality. It’s the ‘Kate’ impersonation. (Named after Kate Winslet riding on the front of the titanic). This isn’t the best video as he moves quite a bit in it (often he doesn’t move at all). Nevertheless you get the idea.

So here is Gesso the mobile.

Again, if you have difficulty seeing the video, you can view through flickr directly.

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