Pets – Page 107

King of All I Survey

Templeton loved his outside time and if he wasn’t exploring the sights and smells of the backyard, he’d usually sprawl out in the grass for a catnap. But he also liked being in high places and couldn’t resist the occasional climb to higher elevations to survey the kingdom. This was especially true if I was enjoying a bowl of cereal at the table, he’d wait until I was distracted and then the sounds of slurping would bring me back to attention, Templeton face down and going to town on the milk.

Oh how I loved you little one.

Cat in the Lavender

One of my experiments with Sam behind the lavender, one of his squirrel watching spots (squirrel watching is a Sam specialty). The lavender was transplanted from a nearly dead houseplant and is now thriving in the backyard.

Cat in the Nip

One of the things I’ve been playing around with this summer is taking pictures of the cats hidden behind plants. This is Scout earlier in the summer in one of her favorite places in the backyard: behind the tub of catnip.

Cat in a Tube

Sam has also really taken to the cat tree, preferring the middle perch that is covered like a tube. Scout is the only one who doesn’t often sleep in the tree, but she doesn’t change her sleeping spots so casually. Even the sweltering temperatures of a heat wave don’t drive her from her favorite locations in the upper floors.

So Em, Do You Like the Cat Tree?

Em? Emma? I’ll take that as a yes.

Pout All You Want Ellie, You Can’t Get in the Cat Tree

A forlorn Ellie watches Sam and Emma play in the cat tree. She often relaxes this way with her front legs splayed wide. Don’t feel too sorry for her, she got some gifts from the pet store as well.

Dining Room Furniture

For the past seven years, we haven’t had one stitch of furniture in the dining room. But it is empty no more!

We stopped by one of our local pet stores and picked up a cat tree with three perches. Of course, being cats, when we set it up in front of one of the big picture windows, they wanted nothing to do with this new thing in their lives. I sprinkled some catnip on each perch and walked away. Scout was the first to venture in, followed shortly thereafter by Emma (seen here in the covered perch).

Sam was a harder sell but after finally trying it out, he has rarely left it since. And he isn’t just sleeping on it, during the afternoon he was swinging all around the thing like a gymnast on the uneven bars.

Collared

While Sam enjoys his supervised outdoor time, he doesn’t understand why Scout is the only one of the pets that doesn’t have to wear a collar when they go outside. I pointed out that Scout was the only one who’s never tried to leave the yard. He didn’t see what one thing had to do with the other.

Which is exactly why you have to wear your collar Samwise.

Little Sam & Big Ellie

Ellie knows the bed is hers but apparently is willing to share.

Sam and Emma had been snuggling on the dog bed until Emma got up to curl up in one of the warm beds. That left little Sam all alone circle sleeping in the middle of the bed when Ellie came into my office. She sleeps on the bed frequently but rather than force Sam off, she lay down beside him with only her head resting on the bed.

What a sweetheart!

Little Sam & Little Ellie

I have a dog bed in my office that sees heavy use from more than just our dear Ellie. When my wife made it she didn’t have quite enough stuffing so peaks and valleys form, an irresistible draw for crevice-loving Sam. Emma often sleeps on it as well and with her black fur resembles a little Ellie. She’s rather fascinated with the dog and often snuggles in beside or behind me while I toss the hedgehog with Ellie.

Emma’s also been snuggling with Sam lately, although to be honest I didn’t see who snuggled up to who, it could be that Emma was just tolerating our Grade A snuggler.