Shut In!

If anyone else had gone through the same thing as me I don’t think they would have survived it. I innocently wandered into a garage to take a peer inside and have a sniff around when, before you could say ‘catnip drops’ the door slammed shut. I am not a stranger to this situation – for some reason it seems to happen quite frequently to me – so I did what I always do and meowed, and meowed and meowed and meowed. Nothing. I waited and waited. Where was Katty when I needed her?? Typical.

I meowed for ages. My throat got really sore and my tummy started growling – someone should have heard that at least! Questions kept going through my head: what if I was shut in here forever? What was I going to have for tea? It was also quite boring because after ten minutes I had surveyed and sniffed all the contents of the garage and so there was nothing new to get into. It got later and later and soon I could see under the door was getting dark – it was night time. This is the time when I am usually hunting and finding my supper in the hedges or lolling around in the lounge and finding my supper in the kitchen. As it got later I imagined Scooby in his nice warm bed, eating his treats (and mine?). Scooby had never been a robust cat like me. I could imagine him whimpering in here scared as a mouse. But no I was different. To conserve energy I decided to curl up in a corner and went to sleep – no human was going to get me out this time - the funny creatures always slept through the night.

I must have slept well it was my stomach that woke me up in the morning eventually. I started scavenging around for some food: a piece of grit on the floor, some engine oil... I licked the ground hoping there was something that my nose had missed. After deliberating for a while about what to do (there's always choices to be made) I figured that I should restart my meowing. I had heard the phone ring then sounds of a human voice – people were around. This time it worked! After less than ten minutes, the door rattled and then opened. I walked out into the sunshine, had a look at my captor and sauntered off. I hope I don’t get locked in anywhere overnight again, looking back I don't know how I survived it!

2004 - 2009: Morgan's 5th birthday!!

My Pawly Paw

What do you think is worse having a hurting paw or going to the vet? I think I would prefer a hurting paw. I definitely didn’t want both of them so where did I go wrong that ended with me hopping round a vet’s room and then a needle in my back? I never told them my paw hurt. I never complained or whined – not once – so why did they grab me and stuff me in that horrible cat carrier?

They started paying a lot of attention to me soon after it started hurting. That amount of attention is usually a bad thing so I tried to run out but they had locked the catflap and were picking me up, looking at my paw, feeling my leg – “get off! get off! get off!…” Eventually after a lot of banging on the cat flap they let me out but when I slinked in later with my mouse even that didn’t pacify them

The vet did her usual prodding and poking – I sat there frightened then they put me on the floor. I tried not to limp too much and thought I could run away – I did try in true Morgan style but they picked me back up and plonked me on the table for inspection. It took me the rest of the evening to get over this unpleasant incident it traumatised me. Then they started doing purr-culier things like locking me in the house and making me eat ham. Well it tasted like ham and smelt like ham but had this weird gooey bit on the top of it. Well I munched it all up whatever it was.

Oh yes, thank you, my paw is a lot better now.

Hop-along -Morgan

Morgan is poorly. Well, not really poorly as such, just hopping along on one foot as he has – we don’t know how – hurt his foot or leg (he is not telling us which). It (whatever it was) happened on Thursday when we were at Tesco, Morgan came through his flap limping quite badly. When we got back we talked about whether to take him to the vet – should we make him go through the trauma of an expedition to his idea of hell or should we leave him to limp? He seemed well enough in himself, so well in fact he presented us with a mouse later that evening, but it was decided not to risk further injury and so after ten minutes of fighting him to get him in the cage and after having to push him in it, we drove him to the vets. Although it wasn’t his idea of a great evening out we thought it would be for the best.

After a long wait with a big friendly dog who seemed to take a shine on Morgan (though the feeling wasn’t reciprocated) it was Morgan’s turn to be examined. Considering it took us ten minutes to get him in the cage he wasn’t very co-operative coming out. The nice vet looked at Morgan and checked his health and temperature (with a thermometer up his bottom so that didn’t go down very well, as you would expect) she also looked at his paw and felt his joint on the leg. To understand the next bit I will have to tell you Morgan’s history: Three weeks after we got Morgan he broke all four bones in his paw (trust me, its best not to ask…) the result: all his four bones in his paw were wired together. As four years and a half have now past his body is rejecting the wire that had now mended his paws. So back to the vets… there sticking out his paw was a piece of shiny metal wire… was this the culprit? To be honest we don’t know for sure but in case it was a jab of antibiotics were given on the scruff of his neck and painkillers were prescribed… So what are we doing now? Morgan is still limping and we will keep our fingers crossed that the painkillers are helping him and easing his discomfort. Maybe it is his wire, or perhaps his strained his muscle in his leg but we hope it will get better for him.

We will keep you posted.

The Story Behind the Picture

Aahhhh, aren’t they sweet – they may look like to brothers enjoying each others company but it couldn’t be further from the truth. A second after this photo was taken Scooby jumped up and off the bed in the biggest huff because Morgan had dared to sneak up onto the bed he was sleeping on. But perhaps it was Scooby who was the nicked Morgan’s bed in the first place. You see it has been Morgan’s adopted bed for weeks. Morgan likes to change his pad every so often to make sure he has the best place nearest to the radiator but not too near as to burn oneself. Also its essential that it is a soft bed - but not to soft as to drown in it. He decided that this week my bed was perfect. If you wanted Morgan you would go in my room expecting to see him curled up on my duvet so I was naturally surprised when it was Scooby occupying the space. But then in came Morgan. He seemed stunned that anybody had the audacity to sit in his space. You could see the cogs working in his brain wondering what he was going to do. After a moments deliberation he thought – oh what the hey, and jumped on it regardless of Scooby’s presence. He actually looked like he would be contented with sharing..
In the meantime I had spied a perfect photo opportunity and grabbed my mobile in unmitigated haste. Scooby turned round for the photo. Click – what a great photo. I actually thought the pair of them might learn to share but it wasn’t to be.
Scooby wasn’t contented. Little more than a second after I took the snap he was up and off, whining a little in the unfairness of it all.
Looks can be deceiving.

My creamy Christmouse and snowy New Year

I hate the snow. It’s so cold on your feet so for the last two days I have been lying on my bed by the radiator trying to keep warm. Scooby has braved it one or twice to hop, skip and jump to our friends for his chicken and fuss but I’ve stayed sleeping all day. I need to anyway to sleep off my Christmouse lunch. No not a mouse or bird, not this year. It was yummy cream – better than a mouse!! I had the cream on Christmouse day when a empty bowl of cream was left behind on the cupboard – the humans said it was empty but it wasn’t though it certainly was empty when I had had done with it. I stuck my head right in the plastic Tupperware containing and got every morsel out though whether it ended up in my tum or on my face is debateable! That coupled with my favourite fish and a chop of chicken made my Christmouse Day and partly makes up for the snow now.

Advent and Christmouse

It’s nearly Christmouse!! We know when Christmouse is upon us when food smells come from the wardrobe and we also know when we get our advent calendars. I can hardly wait and nor can Morgan. Morgan is so excited that he started ripping my advent calendar apart with glee he was kicking, biting it and scratching it with his claws – it does not have a back anymore and the front is all ripped. Personally, I don’t care as long as he doesn’t eat my treats. He nearly did but it was taken away from him quickly and replaced by his own after which he slinked off as if embarrassed by his momentary loss of control or perhaps embarrassed by his failure to eat all my treats. I have been trying to be useful this year by helping them wrap the presents. I love wrapping paper – it is so crinkly and tempting to play with. I like ripping it up and then getting under it (I copied that from Morgan). So we are enjoying Christmouse very much and are very excited. I that you have a happy Christmouse – we will!!

Scooby: The Pathetic Predator

Scooby brought in a mouse. Scooby doesn’t kill his mice, he just likes to suck them so he then dropped it in Katty’s bedroom and it ran off. I could hear them scrambling around and shouting. I offered to help but they shut me out. They were in there for ages. They got a really wet fishing net from outside and tried to catch it in it. I think the mouse was a bit thick because they managed to. I saw it kicking about when they carried it outside in the net: I offered my assistance again but they locked the cat flap so I couldn’t help. Embarrassed by Scooby’s useless killing skills I brought a bird in the next day and showed him how to kill it in the kitchen that but he didn’t take the blindest bit of notice. He preferred sticking his head in a bowl of food. Alas, I’ll have to do the killing for the both of us.

Scooby's Bad Week

It has been the worst week of my life. If anything could have gone wrong it has and as I’m pawing this I am dazed and trying to get over it. I will tell you my troubles.

It all started going wrong on Monday… I got locked in the garage. I only nipped in to have a sniff round but I slipped in and a second later, bang it shut. It was very traumatic for me. 45 minutes I stayed in there. I wondered if I would ever see daylight again. It seemed an eternity before I heard Katty shouting for me. She must have heard my sad meows:

“Scooby, where are you?”

I meowed and meowed “Here Katty, please save me”

I heard her rustling around everywhere then finally I heard keys in the lock. It was music to my ears.

That night the next awful thing happened… the dreaded fireworks started. As soon as I heard the first bang my ears went back and my tail started going. I hate fireworks they frighten me. They are too loud and hurt my ears. They seem to start up every so often and don’t stop for ages and ages. Me and Morgan spend a lot of the time inside when the fireworks are going off. It scares Morgan as well you see – and if it scares Morgan it must be something to be scared of. I can still hear fireworks now and I wish they would stop.

Then the unthinkable happened on Wednesday. I got taken to the v-e-t. It was quite a shock when I was shoved into a carrier and taken in the car. I guessed I wasn’t going on holiday because when I do Morgan usually comes too and you can always hear if Morgan’s getting put in the carrier. How could Katty do this to me? First I had been shut in the garage and then my worst nightmare became a reality. Suddenly I found myself sitting in the carrier in the vets (I smelt it was the vets) staring out of my carrier at this big dog. It was huge. I cowered inside and though Katty was talking to me I couldn’t take my eyes of such a big animal. Soon I was carried in to see the vet (who I’m not on good terms with since last time I went) and I hoped the carrier would keep me safe. I gripped on to the inside whilst they tried to drag me out and in the end the top came off my world (the carrier) and I was in the vet’s domain. Prodding and poking, stinging me and putting cold things on my fur I couldn’t get back in fast enough. It was horrible horrible horrible. I sat dazed for the rest of the day wondering if I had had a nightmare. Morgan hadn’t stirred through the whole of the event lying in blissful ignorance upstairs. It’s alright for some.

Morgan's Week

5 good things that have happened this week (from the best):

1. I had the biggest chunk of chicken for tea yesterday – yum yum yum…
2. …And I got to lick out Scooby’s bowl because he was too full to eat it all!!!
3. I managed to wangle to be able to stay on the comfy bed ALL DAY on Tuesday instead of being turfed out in the morning and being stuck with the uncomfortable kitchen chairs
4. They put a litter tray in the kitchen finally so when I don’t come in until the early hours and I need the loo I won’t have to wee on the cupboard again.
5. I have officially become the resident dishwasher which means I get to lick all the dinner plates clean! I tried something new and loved it: tomato and garlic pasta sauce!
   

5 bad things that have happened this week (from the worst):

1. Scooby scared me… he came out of the house smelling of deflea potion and so I hid and went without any food all day…
2. …though when I reluctantly came in they restrained me and put it on my back anyway – yuck yuck yuck, it stank and stung!
3. I had a big fight yesterday and now have lots of scratches on my poor poor ear
4. I am getting confused. When I jump on the kitchen table I get laughed at and tickled but then yesterday I got told off and called naughty. What’s going on there?
5. I keep getting thrown out of the kitchen whilst the humans are eating but I only hang around because someone slips me food on the sly.

Morgan's presents

Katty’s fallen out with me. I don’t know why, she’s not very grateful for someone who has just been showered in gifts. I missed her you see. She disappeared for a week and I stayed in a cat hotel. Whilst I sat there next to Scooby and stared longingly outside at the birds flying by I was miffed so I figured that the only way to not let it happen again was to appease the humans and I began the day I got home. Three mice I brought them the first day I was back – none which they were thankful for so I went a step further – above and beyond the call of duty. I got her a robin (well actually 2 counting the one I got yesterday too). I had heard Katty say she liked robins as well but she didn’t seem to like the ones I bought her. So now she’s not speaking to me and she says she has fallen out with me. There really is no pleasing some.

Me and my new bed

A bed fit for a prince: Might not look like anything special but it isn't half comfy

Bed and Breakfast

I wanted to tell you about my new bed. It’s so comfy and soft and though I wasn’t very sure of it at first because it’s right on the floor and not up high but its so comfy. I get bored of my kennel you see. It’s nice for a time but I like somewhere new to settle down and this is the purrfect place. Katty wanted a photo of me on it so I could show it off to everyone but I’ve been a dirty stop-out and stayed out all night last night, the night before and the night before and no-one tells me what to do. So if you want to see a photo I will add one to my blog next time I decide to spend the night inside.

I also wanted to tell you: guess how many breakfasts I had today? 2! Mum gave me one and then Katty unaware and half asleep gave me another one. They give us really tasty food for breakfast - not like the cardboard rubbish they give us usually - so I had two helpings and Scooby only had one! Yummy scrum scrum!!

Scooby and the white and black cat

Well it was me who saw him first of course (Morgan was too wrapped up in the bird he was stalking). A white and black cat it was – not the same markings as me and not as beautiful. If I was Morgan I would have gone up hissing and spitting but I’ve got better manners so I went up and introduced myself timidly. I was a bit annoyed that this cat had entered our terrain but I don’t like confrontations or arguing so I was calm thinking I could reason with him to go away. This cat wasn’t having any of it and he started hissing and spitting at me – what a cheek it was my territory in the first place! He scared me a lot and we ended up fighting horribly. He hurt my chin which is still iced with a speck of dry blood where he stuck his claw in me. I think though, looking back, he was really more upset than me. It turns out he was lost. 3 weeks he had lost his home – 3 weeks without a proper meal! I would have starved to death after a day!
I saw him over a number of days hanging around but it all came to ahead a few days ago when our next-door-neighbours caught him in a cage. As the humans were talking I came over to the cat to empathise with his entrapment – and he had the audacity to hiss and spit at me again!! Well now he has all but disappeared… they say he was taken home which is both good for him and good for me – least things can now get back to normal (if there is such a thing in our house).

Solved: The Mystery of Morgan's Fluffy

Well that’s that puzzle solved – no more fluffy’s for Morgan. I look at him licking himself after his tasty meal and wonder why he thinks that a fluffy craft pom pom (pictured left compared to a 2p coin) is food! He has loved them for a while now and I often wondered why after giving him one it disappeared. Time and time again I brought them back from town and loved to see the way he played with them and growled at you when you came near. They only cost 6p and it made me smile how he preferred them any day to a cat tree – simple pleasures I thought. He would throw them in the air and run around with them sticking out his mouth – I put a video on the page a few months ago when he was going mad with this ball. Funnily enough, however, they never seemed to last long. We just thought they were getting stuck under somewhere (although I had looked everywhere and couldn’t even find them). It didn’t even enter my head that he could have swallowed them and if anyone had suggested it I would have laughed out loud – why would he? So when I watched in astonishment as he lay there and swallowed it in front of my eyes I couldn’t believe it. I can’t imagine they taste particularly nice but he obviously thought so – or perhaps he’s just a bit nutty.

Scooby's Birthday

It was my birthday on the 16th! That’s what the humans said anyway. Now I’m 4 (well actually 25 in my years so I'm older than Katty!!). Katty was spoiling me rotten: cheese, chicken and this posh meal (which in all honesty I didn’t really like I just choked it down to please her). I had fun though it got a bit worrying when they all started their annual caterwauling contest and so I bolted out the cat-flap to get away from them. They then kept putting this cake that was on fire in front of me and so I posed obediently not knowing what it was all about. The best part of the day was the presents – you should have seen what I got: treats, 2 gourmet meals, catnip, chicken treats, milk and a ball with a bell!! All for me!! I am so lucky. I leave you with the photos of me with my booty and me looking apprehensively on as my cake burns.

The Evening Encounter with Mr Squirrel

It was really exciting. I was outside minding my own business mulling around – well actually I was playing cat-and-mouse with Katty who wanted me to go to bed – and I heard a massive bang and scrabbling over the road. I ran to the roadside, my senses going into overtime. Morgan was chasing a smaller creature (whose identity I couldn’t work out straight away but it turned out it was a squirrel) across a shed and along the fence over the road. The squirrel then jumped from the fence onto this telegraph pole and scampered up it. Morgan sat at the bottom looking incensed that he to could not climb that high. The squirrel just stood vertical clinging on to the pole with all its might when I, in want of a closer look slunk over there and sat a bit behind Morgan so as not to prevent him continuing his attack. Morgan sat there like he could have stayed there all night when he relaxed his body onto the cold road. I too would have kept a vigil until the squirrel was forced down to meet his match however Katty wasn’t having any of this pussyfooting around and you should have seen Morgan’s riled glare as he got picked up and taken inside just after I received the same fate. I slept well after the evening encounter and needless to say dreamt about squirrels.

Morgan's Worst Day

Friday was the worst day EVER… ok maybe not ever but they took me to the V-E-T-S. I tried to put up the biggest fight when they had trapped me and were attempting to push my bottom into the cat carrier. I grabbed on to anything in reach (which turned out to be Mum’s skin) and clung onto it for dear life “noooooooo” I wailed. I only managed 7 minutes of struggling with Mum and Katty (my record is an hour and a half so I was quite disappointed). When they have you in that carrier there is nothing you can do you see. They can take you ANYWHERE. I was quite despondent in the car and when I was taken out I was carried into that place I smelt The Smell. I was at the vets.

They prod you and poke you; they pull open your mouth and your eyes; they stick things in you… I tried to get off the table but no such luck. Instead I stood there helplessly being held by Katty. As soon as they put the carrier back on the table I couldn’t get in there quick enough. “I’m safe at last.”

Home has never smelt so sweet before. I had to lie down and take it all. I refused to talk to anyone and Scooby had run off when he saw the carrier so I sat and sulked. I only managed to sulk for awhile before I smelt another smell, a much much much more appealing smell – FISH! I got up and jumped on the cupboard hungrily, unsurprisingly Scooby appeared. Lovely, lovely fish. My favourite. I ate the whole bowl in less than a minute. I think I deserved it much more than him.

Scooby's Week

3 bad things that have happened this week:

• I got de-flead. Now Morgan and me stink of chemicals and I feel I have to reconsider my relationship with Mum.
• I got conned. Katty persuaded me to jump through this big blue hoop by putting a treat under my nose. When I had got through the hoop and was about to claim my treat Morgan came and bit my side and so I had to run after him to get him back. Consequently I didn’t get my reward.
• I got left downstairs one night because I was too late coming in. To add insult to injury I ended up downstairs with Morgan.

3 good things that have happened this week:

• I got some mackerel in tomato sauce. I’m not a great fish lover myself unlike Morgan, however this was divine
• I got my dinner before Morgan got his. I am usually the last to eat because Morgan always jumps on the cupboard and sticks his face in the bowl.
• I got a big cuddle from Katty.

Hoops, treats and trespassers

I think they want me to do something but I am not quite sure what it is. At 4.30 every afternoon Katty keeps tempting me with my favourite treats and then making me walk through a hoop to get it. She doesn’t like it when I walk round it or under it because she doesn’t give me my treat. It’s a bit odd but it’s best to go along with the humans and humour them, they can’t help being purr-culiar. If there's a treat in it than I'm there! Scooby’s afraid of the hoop but then he would be because he’s a wimp.
I had the BIGGEST shock of my life yesterday: another cat came into MY garden. I went mad “get you and your smell out of MY garden” I hissed. I hate it when other cats burgle my gardens. I’ve already had Scooby gatecrashing three years ago and have only just about got used to him. I’d never seen this cat before but you can’t take any chances with them… this area ain’t big enough for the three of us and I was here first.

Training the Untrainable?

It has been so long since we last posted but that it because Morgan and Scooby have been doing hardly anything apart from enjoying the sun! They have gone back into 'summer mode' where Morgan gets me up at 6.30 for his breakfast and they both stay out for a larger portion of the day. Scooby still has his trademark behaviour of "in, out, in, out" but less often and Morgan disappears. I had imagined him having "magical adventures" however that turned out to be wrong when I opened one of our upstairs windows and found him lying on the shed roof basking in the sun. In you haven’t seen Morgan
Taking inspiration from my friend Mima who is taking her Digby to dog agility lessons; I have decided that I am going to train Morgan and Scooby. Doing what you ask… eating politely? Not jumping on the tables? No, er, jumping through a hoop. Morgan’s first and I’ve already started on him. I wonder whether I will be able to. I’ll keep you posted…

A Very Eventful Day

Today it is really miserable. I have been lying in all day or looking outside the window, mourning for the sunny day that never was. Instead of Morgan’s monotonous moaning however, I am going to tell the story of a really eventful day last week…
It started with me being sick. I gobbled up my breakfast so fast I had just swallowed it when it reappeared. Just like that! I still felt a bit queasy and was wallowing over my lost breakfast outside when Scooby bought a bird. Yes, you did read it right… SCOOBY BROUGHT A BIRD!! I jumped up, my sickness disappearing and watched the action unfolding in front of my eyes. The humans had jumped to attention as soon as they had seen and starting following Scooby who disappeared into the conifers. Katty ran in the conifers (and so did I) and managed to get Scooby though the bird escaped from his grasp and so I leapt onto it. Though I then realised that what I thought was the bird was actually a couple of leaves. Katty was searching desperately for the poor bird and so was I. Who was going to get there first… Katty did. She picked the bird up – I could hear it squawking from inside her hands – and put it in the sort of bags that she gets my food out of sometimes. Then she grabbed me and Scooby and locked us inside the house. Yes, you read that right too. She locked the cat flap and stopped us getting out. She sort of apologised when she came in but it was hard to take her seriously given that she had lots and lots of conifer in her hair and on her clothes. Even though she did apologise she didn’t let us out! We waited… it must have been an hour until she let us out. We tried to follow the scent of the bird but it went faded away in the conifers.
I felt quite niggled that I hadn’t managed to get a bird that day and Scooby had. It’s not very good for my pride so it became my aim for the day to put on up on him. And get one up on him I did… nearly. I got a bird. I raced through the conifers: “look at me, look at, look what I have.” I was so proud. I ran so fast the humans couldn’t catch me and I went somewhere they could see me but not touch me. Unfortunately however I let go of the bird that I thought was dead just to rest my jaws. Sadly for me though the bird (obviously not dead) took its chance and flew off. I tried to make chase but I was grabbed from behind and brought in. I was very angry. The cat flap was locked to give the bird a chance to get away and I was stuck inside for the second time that day… though I did get some lovely meat which kind of made up for the loss of the bird but again my pride was dented.
Since then I have caught one bird and three mice though so I've recovered my Top Cat status.

Weather, make your mind up!

I was really enjoying the warmth last week but then it decided to go cold again. It doesn't matter to me, either way I'm sleeping whether its upstairs in my warm snug bed or laying outside stretched out sunbathing. So as we have not been doing much there is not much we can get up to so I'll leave you this week with a picture of me stretched out in the sun.

When Morgan went missing

I thought I had upset Morgan. A few days ago we were play fighting me and him outside. We were running around mad as ever chasing each other and in my play I careered into this metal ‘thing’ they have outside. They say this ‘thing’ is to give the birds a bath in but we don’t have birds in our garden anymore because Morgan ate them all. It fell over, clanking on the ground and gave Morgan a bath. I leapt in the air with the sound and the fright of wondering what Morgan would do to me and ran inside however I did see a very wet, unimpressed and very shocked Morgan licking himself a few minutes later. It seemed all that was hurt was his pride. So when Morgan went ‘missing’ a day later I was a bit sorry to miss him. It worried me that it was my fault no-one had seen him all day. It was a bit strange. For once there was no-one waiting with me for the humans to come home. Then there was no-one to push out the way so I could eat his dinner; no-one to sniff my nose as I came to through the cat-flap or to eye me up when I walked in a room. It definitely wasn’t like usual and the others were getting a bit worried too. As it was getting dark we went for a ‘Morgan hunt’ round the block. Whilst the humans looked with their eyes I studied each smell and noise. It scared me a bit going where I had never been before but I stayed with Katty and knew she’d protect me though I got really scared with those cars that roar past and sometimes ran under cover. After a while we went back in the house and I tried to settle down on the chair by the cat flap but couldn’t relax so I pestered the humans for some dinner and then after nourishing myself I went out in the dark and looked for him. Well they could at least have told me he came back. There I was risking life and limb and he had come in minutes after I had gone outside. It turns out he got locked in the garage that I got locked in when I went missing. He came back about the time I came back when I got locked in there all those moons ago. And to think that I thought for a moment that the reason was gone was because I gave him a bath!

Birthday Cakes and Easter Eggs

Do you like my photo's of me? Finally I've put them up after all that pussyfooting around on Katty's part (obviously not mine). I had a party which, for the 2 minutes I was in there, was very good and my cake smelt lovely though the Easter Egg that I was given (it was forgotten at Easter) was even better. Gorgeous catnip flavour, I was only allowed a bite until those humans hid it away in the Food Cupboard (I've tried getting in there but to no success) though I was a bit miffed because Scooby got his own and whose birthday was it? Not his.

4 Today!!

You’ll never guess what – today I’m 4!! Happy birthday to me!! I bet you can’t believe it. I got up this morning when I heard the humans come down (I chose to sleep in the kitchen last night because I was too busy to come in as I was chasing birthday mice). I thought something was different but I couldn’t quite put my paw on it – then all the humans kept saying “happy birthday Morgan” and giving me lots of attention. Suddenly all the humans began caterwauling in my ear. I jumped in the air a mile, gobbled up my breakfast and made way for the door – it could only have been my birthday! When they got back they gave me my delicious milk just the way I like it and I lapped it up, with all the attention that was being lavished on me. I was wondering all day what they could have got me because on my birthday they like to spoil me lots and when they got back and placed a mat down which was strangely identical to the one upstairs which I love I realised that was my gift – a blue bath mat! I love that bath mat upstairs and they told me they got it to put in my kennel at night. They gave me some treats but the best treat of the day was – you’ve guessed it – fresh fish. Yummy scrummy, fresh fish. Here I am now pawing this having just finished feasting on my fish – Scooby wanted some but I said no. My party is tomorrow and I am really looking forward to all that cake. I will put my party pictures on tomorrow with my birthday pictures, but so far I will just put a picture on of me on my mat!!

Cold feet

Look at the snow! Scooby doesn’t like it (though he is a bit of a wimp) but I love it – it’s all cold and tasty. I was worried at first because the whole grass had turned white and I thought something bad had happened but then I remembered last year. I was a bit cautious after I had summoned my humans to open the cat flap and let me loose just in case the white carpet swallowed me up when I stepped on it but now I haven’t stopped frolicking in it. Though as I paw this into the computer it is melting fast and the sun has come out so I have to go and make the most of it. See you!

What a fortnight!

I knew something was happening when the suitcase appeared, but 'oh no' said Scooby, 'they're just getting us out some fun things to hide in' - last time I believe him! I saw the cage out and I KNEW I was doomed but it was too late - they had locked me in. I kicked and I growled, I meowed and I spat but once they have you there is no getting away. A week I spent with Scooby in a little hotel room, very well looked after I must say and it flew by in a matter of cat naps. Scooby came and curled up with me though and I didn't have much choice, I was stuck with him though luckily this time he didn't eat all my food! We had only seemed to have got back 5 minutes and Katty disappeared again amongst a bit of a kerfuffle. Did I miss her? Well YES because no more night time treats for me. I decided to spend 2 nights in the kitchen because continuous enclosure with Scooby does get a bit much after a while. I am now hoping (paws crossed) that things will settle down now she's back, perhaps even go back to normal but I might be asking too much as there is nothing such as normal in our house!

A mouse living in MY house

I can still smell it now… sometimes under the fridge, other times under the cooker, but I know it’s there. It’s driving the humans mad and Morgan’s lost all interest in it even though he was the one who brought it in. You guessed it… a mouse. It’s been here a week now. I think he’s making it his home. They have tried to get it out by placing cheese on the floor near where they thought it was but I got there first. Then they put down a trap at night. It won’t hurt him, just contain him until we come down after sleeping so the humans can get him out and put him back in the hedge away from Morgan’s claws. But apparently they say he’s a bit of a clever mouse. Not only does he avoid all traps, even when baited with cheese (he must have willpower) he also seems to like Easter Eggs and tomato and has a knack for jumping up on cupboards. This mouse has got even me purrplexed!

Where we have been...

One moment its sunny, then its windy, then its rain... I wish the sky would make its mind up! I've given up guessing what it is going to be now so I've started round-the-clock sleeping. The humans thought my legs had dropped off first but I showed them they hadn't when I heard the fridge open or a tasty aroma slipped up the stairs into my room.

Funny things have been happening round here recently - a big hole appeared in the wall, so now Scooby can't hide and jump on me when I'm running upstairs. Also a lot of strange people keep coming round - to see me? - so its really exciting.

Its worn me out thinking about all this. Sorry it has been so long anyway!

Three Live Mice!

I only wanted to introduce him to the family. A mouse I found and knowing that I’m supposed to do something with mice (I couldn’t quite remember what), and making up for the lack of mice at Christmouse I decided to familiarize him with them. They weren’t very pleased and wouldn’t let me or Morgan in the kitchen for ages and when I did go back in, the mouse was nowhere to be seen and hiss smell was waning so I lost interest and went to bed.
The next day Morgan copied me and brought in a mouse, Katty just came in and he was sitting there with a very pleased Morgan. I missed the excitement because I was outside playing but they managed to get him off the mouse. However, the excitement came again when I was upstairs resting my head. Katty was fussing me and suddenly we both heard the commotion; “Morgan’s got another mouse!” I jumped up and ran downstairs to the source of the shouting: a disgruntled mum and dad with a crazed Morgan who was trying to get away with a very frightened mouse. The frightened mouse was got by mum who picked him up and it seemed the mouse was so frightened that he ran up her sleeve to find refuge. For some reason mum did not like this and proceeded to squirm and the very frightened mouse seemed to make mum very frightened. I was in awe as I have never seen a mouse take like that to a human, I thought they were as frightened of them as they are of us but it appears I was mistaken, the mouse took very well to mum (I’m not a big fan of mum because she likes to ‘de-flea’ me and shove tablets down my throat). Unfortunately mum didn’t have the same affection for the mouse and scrambled outside screaming whilst the mouse proceeded to run all over her body. At this point I could go no further as my flap had been locked. However, I got a good view out from the kitchen window and mum continued to try to locate him. Once she found him she cupped her hands around him and carefully placed him back in the hedge so he could hopefully find his family.
The excitement tired me out but still, it was so much fun I hope Morgan brings a mouse home to play with again!

The One That Got Away

When Morgan goes out hunting it usually means the end of a life for some poor being so on Sunday when he brought his prey in our garden again it seemed no different. On second glance though the victim wasn't a tiny dormouse or inexperienced bird, it was a pigeon. Almost as big as him, for once Morgan gave up a fight as soon as he saw the eyes looking at him in horror from the house. This is very strange for feisty Morgan as he is not one for giving up but he did, and unusually walked in the house and went to lie down on the chair and went to sleep. In our house through bitter experience we have a drill we carry out whenever we discover a living casualty within our boundaries and this time was no different; get both Morgan and Scooby in, lock the cat flap, go out and see the injuries, put something over them to protect it whilst it recovers from shock however more often than not with Morgan's victims the shock or injures killed them within minutes. Not this pigeon though. His (I'll call it a him for the sake of argument) chest and beak had blood on them but he was breathing (always a good sign). This pigeon must have been a fighter because two hours later he was in the same place and still breathing. How long can you look at a shocked, injured bird in front of your eyes and do nothing about it? As he had managed to fight this long we concluded he had a better chance than most and so we decided to take him to the RSPCA as in our mind it was the only chance that he would live. So there we drove with the casualty in a cardboard box hoping against hope that the car journey wouldn’t distress him more (though I figured that there wasn’t anything more distressing than being in between Morgan’s claws) and there we left him no more at the mercy of nature, rather that of compassion.
We wondered about what fate had befallen him for the next few days as it was made plain that they would do everything to ensure his recovery as long as his wings wasn’t broken in which case he would be shown dignity in putting him to sleep. This made sense as, after all the whole point of a pigeon is that they can fly, it’s the purpose of a bird’s life. On Wednesday we phoned them. Holding our breath we waited for the outcome. I hardly believed it true when we were told that the pigeon had recovered and been released.
So there we have it, one of the very few beings that have survived Morgan’s claws and teeth. I wonder where he is now. Is he telling all his ‘friends’ about his trauma and miraculous escape, or perhaps though not forgetting it, accepting it as part of his daily struggle to survive. In any case, I am glad that he is here to tell the story if he chooses.

Musical Chairs

Scooby has stolen my sleeping spot again! I am not happy at all. I have my place, he has his place and so when I tiredly trundled upstairs to my pad ready for a nap and Scooby was there I couldn’t believe my eyes. Scooby must have heard me as he raised his head sluggishly saw it was me and went back to sleep again. That was it. No explanation, no apology, nothing. So now I have to tolerate the hard windowsill. If that wasn’t bad enough I came in when the humans were out (so the doors were shut and we could only go in the kitchen) and Scooby was sat licking himself on my throne! How dare he? Have I told you about my throne? It’s a big chair in the kitchen where I can relax if I come in late one night. They put it especially there for me but Scooby’s nicked it. Now it has his whiff and his fleas on it, it isn’t special for me anymore and I have to eat on the cold kitchen chairs. I am getting to the end of my feather.

Christmouse (without the mouse)

That thing happened; the thing which humans call Christmouse. I got the first whiff of it when a tree appeared in our house! I couldn’t believe it. Then all these nice smells started coming from cupboards and the humans seemed very busy doing this or that – sometimes they were late giving me my dinner. The last part of this puzzle came to a head when Katty hung these strange things up on the door and I realised Christmouse had come and this kind human called Santa Paws was going to bring me some food in the night. Well I couldn’t sleep for a few minutes but then tiredness got the better of me and I awoke on Christmouse Day. Christmouse made up for this human slacking as I got all these nice treats and they gave me ham, turkey (which I haven’t had for ages), CATNIP (yum yum). Though the only thing that was slightly purr-plexing for me was there was no mouse. Anyhow that scrummy food… its making my mouth water as I write about it… got rid of my mystification as afterwards I was so full I fell asleep. I have put up my pictures of mine and Morgan’s stocking (can you work out whose is whose?) and then me eating my Christmouse dinner (ham).

The Tail of the Rat Catcher

I’ve been bursting to tell you this all week now. You never guess what I caught… a rat! It was so big but I caught it and killed it and took it home with me to prove it. I even wanted to put a picture of it on here so you would see it but Katty said no (I think she thought that you would be jealous). You should have seen their faces when I brought it through the flap and presented it on the floor – they were speechless. I sat next to its body pride radiating from my face. After a moment of silence they started squealing in delight. I soaked in the glory for a few seconds before heading off to the front room to tell Dad leaving the commotion behind me. Dad was ogling the crinkly paper so I went and lay on it upside down to bask in my glory and received an admiring tickle. When I had absorbed all the praise I could I waltzed in the kitchen and saw my prize gone. I’m sure they put it in my memory box to treasure for years to come.

Also this week I have been getting a sniff of the Christmouse. I have a suspicion that it is coming again. Not only have I been having lots and lots of catnip EVERY DAY (an Advent calendar?), the Christmouse paper has been out for me to play with and then they have put sparkly string (which they call tinsel) everywhere for me to chew. I have been watching all my humans very closely and there is certainly something going on. I’ll keep you posted.

A Dog's Dinner

Do I look like a dog? Last time I looked at my beautiful face and soft fur in the mirror (I love looking at myself in the mirror and purr very loudly when I do) I didn’t, so why did I end up eating dog food? Well it tasted good and it reminded me of my kittenhood when I was accidentally fed dog food then too. Scooby had scoffed all the cat food and so seeing my famished face staring pitifully at the empty bowl Dad gave us some out the garage. Unfortunately he didn’t look at the picture (of the dog) on the front so he put it in my bowl. It was only when Katty came home that she saw dog food in the bowl I was eating that the truth was discovered. I look bewildered as she took it from under my nose
Hey, I was eating that!
But then my nose told me something better was going to be placed before me so, instead of waiting I jumped on the cupboard and follow my nose until I found the smell
Hurry up, I’m hungry
And ate out the pouch she was putting out – I prefer eating out the pouch it gets in your stomach quicker! I think I prefer the pouch to dog food any day.

Things that go bang in the dark

Something’s happening out there that’s getting me all scared. Scooby isn’t worried, he got all upset about it on Saturday but the novelty’s worn off for him and he’s gone back to sleep. It’s the bangs that keep happening – big loud noises they are and they go on and on and on until late, stop for a while and then start all over again. I worry now when it gets dark and have spent the evening sitting on my new chair in the kitchen not being able to settle wondering what is going to follow. Katty said tonight I wouldn’t have to worry about them but they have come back. Why did she say that? The humans don’t seem very concerned – though they often seem to have hearing defects so that’s probably why. I hope it stops soon; I crave the night time hunting that I like to do and I want to be able to go to sleep without not being able to completely relax. There's some phoney bird sounds coming out of that box on the cupboard which are supposed to help me relax they say but there is only 1 way I can relax and that's if the bangs stop.

V-E-Ts and egg in my face

If anyone has had such an awful week it is me and I need to get it off my chest before I take it out on my brother. It was going ok until two days ago when I started smelling a rat. Not a real rat of course because if it had been Morgan would have caught it but a rat in the form of a locked cat flap. From that moment I tried to open it I knew I was doomed. I ran around the house from front door to window trying to escape knowing what was coming next. It didn't take long before the cage appeared. I tried to fight my way out of the clutches of human hands until I got thrown into the cage and I admitted my defeat. I cannot tell you what happened next, it makes me shiver now. THAT word that they use to describe that scary place... V-E-T. I survived the experience but how I don't know, it must have been down to bravery on my part - smelling all those foreign smells and seeing those dogs. It's enough to give me nightmares. That was two days ago now and I thought yesterday would be better. No such luck. It was really noisy last night it was banging away outside really loud. It worried Morgan as well. For once he got to bed on time with no fuss - he was in bed before me! That's never happened before from what I can remember. But that was after the disaster at teatime. Hold your breath... they gave me egg for my dinner. EGG! Yuk. Morgan eats it but they forget that I don't. I hate it. Detest it in fact. I tell them every week I don't like it but they still give it to me. I circled round the table twice and then showed them what it smelt like by pretending to bury it like I do my poo and then tucked in because it was that or nothing and my stomach was complaining that I had not eaten for an hour. I felt very hard done to and thought my last few days were the worst a cat has ever had. I hope it gets better or I might just stay in hibernation.

Morgan's miffed

It's not been a very good week for us. Scooby's refusing to talk to anyone (except at meal times) and I have done my fair share of moaning. Our friends have disappeared so it is no more chicken for us in the morning. I keep going everyday lots and lots to see if the have reappeared but they have not and as every day goes by I am getting more and more despondant. I can't understand why the have left us and if they had to go why didn't don't they come back every morning to give us our chicken? We are so hard done to. After I get up early to see if they have come back I go and stand by their door and meow and meow at the same volume I have to do in the morning so Katty wakes up so it is very loud and still that isn't waking them. Scooby had taken it badly and gone into almost permanant hibernation until they come back and I don't blame him. The humans tell me they have gone on holiday well I want them to come back!

Animal Welfare Week

As Animal Welfare Week draws to an end I look over how I have been spoiling myself and looking after my welfare. I stayed out all day all week catching 2 mice each day instead of 1, I nabbed Scooby's chicken one day and got lots of treats, thinking about it though I do all those things anyway!

Hibernating

You perhaps wonder why I we haven’t posted for awhile; the fact is that I have been hibernating. As soon as it got cold I decided to hibernate (a word told to me only hours before). The philosophy of hibernating fits me perfectly: sleeping throughout the winter non-stop. Morgan tried hibernating but after 6 hours wanted to go out again. I am successful at it though I get up sporadically to refuel to keep myself warmer.

Scooby Save's the Day

Katty says I have to be truthful when I write this blog – well the title is truthful, I am a hero just inadvertently. I bet you were expecting a story of immense bravery perhaps me saving a mouse Morgan was molesting or me getting in through the cat flap, getting the key and faithfully bringing them to the front to the locked out humans. I could conjure up a story but no, she said I had to tell the TRUTH. So here is THE TRUTH. A couple of nights ago around 8pm I was frolicking about by the side of the house hypnotised by the night aroma that seems to make me hyperactive (it has a deeper affect on Morgan, you get him frog-jumping on the grass but that is another story). Suddenly a loud noise made me jump and I ran out by the side to Dad who was puffing smoke into the air as he does at night (it affects him too).
“What you up to Scooby?” He spoke after a moment quite loudly as he does (it nearly bursts my eardrum his voice does!).
I purred “It wasn’t me” and this time it really wasn’t.
We put the incident behind us and I barely thought about it all night and through the next day; it faded into insignificance. The next day passed in a blur of sleep, food and endless meanders in the garden until early evening when Katty came up to me as I was sleeping soundly in my room.
“Scooby” she whispered as she entered my room, I felt the rush of warm air as she came towards me, paired with her smell; “you’re a hero.”
Tell me something I don’t know.
It transpired (she also tells me some humans are very busy so not to go on about insignificant details) that the loud noise that scared me the other night was actually some naughty human trying to get in some other humans house and territory. By bounding up to Dad and Dad speaking to me in his loud voice scared the bad humans away! I was very proud of my role in the stopping of this break-in however I also have sympathy for the naughty humans because whenever I try and walk in people’s houses they always stop me too (except for a few nice people) when I only want a sniff around. Saying that however when Boss from down the road tries to sit on MY garden it gets me angry so I understand both sides.
Below is a picture of me basking in my HERO status, also just in case you forgot what I looked like!

Keeping 'em sweet

There is nothing like getting toady to a human. They think you love them – well perhaps I do a bit – but it serves the cat no end to keep them sweet. In return for your ‘affection’ you get meals-on-demand, tickling-on-demand, treats, a warm bed… the list is endless. They call it manipulation. I call it Feline Sense.

"It wasn't me"

That’s what I said the morning this week that the empty (all except one) bag of catnip was discovered on the carpet by her door. Strictly this is true because it was Morgan that ‘accidentally’ knocked it off onto the floor and then tore it apart, I just helped him clean it up. However Katty looked like she needed some purr-suasion. I don’t know why but there is something in this house that means whenever anything happens they all look at me. It’s not my fault that a lot of things gets broken when I’m around when I don’t actually do anything. For example, once when I was sitting minding my own business on the windowsill I happened on walking to the other end to get a better view of the dog sauntering up the road. Just then for no reason the vase fell off the sill fell onto the coffee table and rolled onto the floor. The good news was the vase was ok, nevertheless the humans made a big fuss that the glass on the coffee table had broken into a thousand pieces. Trust them to find something wrong with everything. I was blamed for that and though was not scolded I didn’t appreciate my name being dragged through the dirt. Talk about clumsy, the vase took another tumbling only months later and unfortunately didn’t survive. By chance I was there when that happened too! Not only do I get blamed when things fall, when teeth marks were found in a raw chicken I was blamed for that too. Well perhaps I had investigated it a little too closely but Morgan could have snuck in, imprinted his teeth marks and snuck out again but they didn’t even think about this. So fast-forward to me looking at Katty looking at the empty packet of catnip on the floor.
“Seeing as you’ve eaten all those, the pair of you, you won’t need anymore treats for a month.”
That prophecy lasted for all of a day.

Ruby Alert

Like it always does it caught me completely off my usual status of guard cat. I was asleep on Sunday dreaming I was in the Land of Catnip (catnip grass, catnip bowls, even catnip Katty) and suddenly I heard a bark – was it my imagination? No it was real and what’s more it sounded like a Ruby bark. I considered removing myself from the warm duvet but I was still half asleep. I heard the front door open and muffled voices downstairs then the smell of Ruby drifted to my nose. I yawned and went back to sleep; it was time for Ruby Alert. Ruby Alert is quite sporadic in our house and comes into play three or four times a year. I didn’t have to do anything as such (thank goodness) just not venture downstairs for about 6 hours. I refuse to be inconvenienced though and add those six hours to my naptime though Morgan can get pretty upset with it (he once got so fed up he did the unthinkable and braved the downstairs for the speediest exit I’ve ever heard, even quicker than when the carrier appears). It is a bit annoying if I want an immediate cuddle or instant nourishment and also I get upset because I don’t like performing in front of Morgan but apart from that it’s Morgan who has the problem. Who is Ruby you are probably asking? Ruby is a dog. I am not 100% sure why they sometimes invite a dog to our house but I understand that they like her a lot and also her and her guardian-friends are somehow related to them. Anyway, when Ruby comes we are confined to the bedroom with the window open (leading onto pitched roof which we can climb down to on the garden). Though we do go in the garden it can be quite traumatic walking past a window and getting barked at so I usually stay in the sanctuary of my bedroom. If I do feel like a wander, like I did this weekend, my second home comes into good use.
You perhaps wonder why I do not mingle with Ruby. Personally I am not a doggy cat myself. I have never felt the urge to keep a dog as a pet as I have enough trouble with keeping the humans. Also dogs have loud barks that are disturbing and they answer you back Morgan has told me (unlike humans who are so easy to train). They like to appear big and scary but I know I could have one under my thumb in days. However I will give dogs (and Ruby) credit where it’s due, they are more intelligent than humans as they have more advanced smell and hearing than the simple human.

Feline makes a beeline

For us this week has been quite mundane. Apart from being sick on the kitchen floor, Morgan has been strangely normal (I think he is contemplating his next move) and the biggest change for me is that I have now relocated myself onto Katty’s bed at night (well, until it gets a bit uncomfortable half an hour later). The best part of my week was when I had cottage cheese and chicken for dinner, the worst part was when I was run after by a small noisy human, quite the opposite of what is usually around me. I flead to my neighbours house for fuss, food and a refuge until the little human had gone away before coming home sometime later when they had gone. Of course I got a big cuddle and a few treats and the trauma didn’t last too long after that. The photo shows yours truly cuddling his human.

Imagining things is sometimes not enough, so I got myself videoed with my new toy to show you how much I really love it. Enjoy!

Life in the long grass

After last week’s ‘drama’, I’ve been told to keep my feet on the ground. So since it has been hot and lovely I’ve done my fair share of sprawling around outside. I have a number of favourite places to sleep depending on the position of the sun (I spend my morning in one place and as the sunshine leaves and moves to another and go with it). However, when I’m not sleeping I hunt and the best place to do this is in my long grass. I feel like a proper prowler stalking through the grass. I especially like it when Scooby or even a human sits oblivious that they have become my prey and I can hunt them and jump on them. They jump in the air when I leap onto them and I run off. I find this quite amusing. When no-one is there and just sit in the grass and watch out for the slightest movement or listen to the sounds that are around. The long grass makes me feel wild and free… just like I am.

It could only of happened to Morgan

I kept telling them but they wouldn’t listen “if you want Morgan, he’s on the roof.” They were getting agitated and worried continually shouting his name but they wouldn’t pay attention. I heard him a few hours earlier than they spotted him. I was sunbathing on the grass outside and I heard his pitiful meow. I looked everywhere for him and then as I climbed the tree the sound got nearer and there he was standing on top of our next-door-neighbours roof looking rather worried. Me: “What you doing up there?” Morgan: “I’m stuck” Me: “Oh dear…” Being me, I went indoors to the ignorant humans. They were concerned as his morning milk lay next to his tea both untouched (I had eaten his dinner), and frequently went out and shouted, however no matter how hard I tried to demonstrate Morgan’s unfortunate predicament those unintelligent humans passed my behaviour over as mere apprehension. It was late in the evening when it was announced they were going to do a sweep of the local area before bed. I went with them trying to convey that the he was under their nose (or above their heads as the case was). Shouting his name they started up the street only to be met with a feint reply from the heavens. “There he is!” it was declared triumphantly; I rolled my eyes and ran up the tree to observe Morgan’s state more closely. I couldn’t reach him I decided so I kept a watch as the situation unfolded. What happened next I can only describe as a ‘major procedure’ involving one scared cat, four humans, a carrier and a very tall ladder. Mum went up the ladder and after a failed attempt to bring Morgan down in her arms it was decided that the carrier was the only option. Morgan didn’t like that; as you know his relationship with the carrier isn’t a good one. After a struggle with 2 humans (mum and the next-door-neighbour) they finally got him down (cheered on by 2 more humans on the ground). They took him inside and I followed. Morgan sheepishly emerged from the carrier and went in the kitchen for his milk, tea and an extra bowl of milk for his troubles. I was banished from there half way through his first meal for ‘putting Morgan off his food’ (really I tried to help him eat it), so I wearily sauntered off to bed but not before I was given some treats for my part in the rescue operation. As sleep beckoned and I dozed on and off the family eventually came to bed. Last thing before I finally drifted off a comfortable, albeit exhausted Morgan curled up contently on a duvet with his paw in the hand of a sleeping Katty. I can guarantee the one thought that stuck in my head throughout his ordeal: it could of only happened to Morgan.

Morgan muses: ...and cats might fly!

Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain, rain, rain! All its been doing is raining! If you replace the 7 rains with sleeps you would see what I have been doing all week, Scooby too. How are we meant to have fun and get up to no good with all this rain? You can only jump on the humans sodden once before they see you coming! So I thought I would tell you of something that happened 2 years ago that I remember to entertain you. Unlike now it wasn’t raining then but I was inside… well outside funnily enough but not properly outside I was on the sill of a bedroom window. I was just gazing out into the garden when I heard footsteps behind me. I recognized them as Katty’s and smelt her as she came nearer. She spoke softly to me telling me she was curious where I was because I was quiet (I’m not usually quiet you see) and I tried to turn to see her. But then I realised I couldn’t. I couldn’t turn round. I panicked. My heart beat a million times. I struggled to keep my balance but the sill was slippy. No matter how hard I dug my claws they wouldn’t go. And then I was gone. It was a strange sensation I must say, was flying. I heard screams from above and though the drop lasted less then a minute I felt it was forever. It shook me up. I landed amongst the plants and I shook myself. A moment to find myself followed until the humans – all 4 of them – came running out shouting my name. I felt so embarrassed. “I meant to do that, honest” I purred, pretending that I meant to have flown down in some sort of extravagant finale. They looked me over twice, I got kissed and kissed (Yuk!) and then all sorts of goodies flowed my way: milk, catnip and later, fish. I think they believed me, you know.

My 3rd birthday tail

Yesterday was my 3rd birthday. Can you believe I’m 3 already? We didn’t do anything special in the morning. I had my breakfast and came downstairs but after I had been to collect my chicken from my friends I came back and had a nap – I was already exhausted! A commotion downstairs woke me suddenly. Nosily, I ran downstairs and was met by Morgan, a mouse and a mad Katty. The Mad Katty managed to get Morgan away from the mouse and Morgan wasn’t very happy. I tried to placate Morgan;
‘thank you Morgan, it was very kind that you remembered my birthday. Don’t worry about the present, it’s the thought that counts’ I purred.
He wasn’t in the mood to be pacified and spat at me. I suppose it is a let down when he’d gone to all the trouble to get me something as well…
The weather was nice to me on my birthday anyway. I spent awhile outside and drifted wherever my smell took me. I enjoyed wandering and my smell took me back home where I was greeted to a celebratory dinner of prawns and cheese – only the best for my birthday obviously – but then it got really strange. I went to look out my window in the front room and there were four people there and they all started caterwauling at me. It scared me a lot. I can put up with Katty caterwauling me – terrible clatter but bearable, however the attention of not one but 4 caterwauling humans shocked me and they were also looking at me. I ran out the room in shock and didn’t wait to see what the burning sticks were going to do after. I had seen enough.
So here I am, the morning after the night before recounting my tail to you. I posed with my cake to please the camera and show that I am, at 3, even more experienced than I was two days ago, aged 2.

Was it something I did?

I don’t know what I did. I hadn't scratched, I hadn't bitten, I hadn't hissed, what did I do to deserve such a nightmare? I went to the… I hate the word so much… vet. It was horrible. I knew once they shut me in I was done for and when they got The Cage out I panicked. I hate The Cage. I loathe it. When it comes out and a hand comes to shove me in it I know I’m in for bad disaster but it was too late. I tried to get away I did; behind the curtain, under the chair I ran about the house looking for security but I couldn’t find any – they had even closed the windows so I couldn’t get through one of those. I racked my brains. I fought a bitter battle with them. The best way to resist I have learnt is the ‘star trick.’ Put all your four legs out as wide as possible so in no way can they get you in The Cage. I shriek and growl and whine too. But none of these worked this time, they nearly did, but not quite. I’ll have try even harder next time. At the…. vets…I quieten down. This upsets them, you can see it in their eyes “poor Morgan” they think, but not the vet. She’s a ruthless person, completely callous she is. The humans don’t think so though. They aren’t scared. They can’t smell the fear in the place like I can. They talk to her like they should treat me, like she’s some sort of idol, hanging on to every word she says. I listen too though; fearfully. I can’t wait to get in The Cage again. They put it down and I can’t get in quick enough. I breathe a sigh of relief when they take me back in the car and I arrive home. Home sweet home. They release the door and I slowly edge out in case, just in case, they have more in store for me (you never know with these humans). I go to the window and stare out. A while ago I was innocently one of those cats strolling around boldly but now I sat recounting my terror coyly. Then I smelt it? That heavenly scent. It got nearer and nearer and before I had a chance to respond a bowl of fish was plaiced in front of me. For me? All I can say was it was well deserved, just like the kiss that was put softly on my head moments afterwards, but it was from I am not sure, I was too busy eating.

Bedtime Wars: 'Friends' At Last?

My message must have worked on Scooby, the next time I went upstairs he was curled on his own side leaving my side Scooby-smell free. Though he gave me the dirtiest look a cat can give and glared at me, he just sighed and perched his chin back on his leg (I’ll translate that: “I don’t like you anymore than I did before but am too tired to argue. You keep out of my place and I’ll keep out of yours.”). The next night I was late in and after I summoned the humans at 12.30am (they don’t half take a long time to wake up) to let me out the kitchen I was able to slip softly into my snug bed and fall asleep, no worries.

The all-you-can-eat holiday

The reason I haven’t written for the past few days is that I have been recovering emotionally since we were taken to a ‘cattery’ (as the humans call it). Apparently it was a holiday; well the warning signs were there – the suitcases, which for a moment I though were a new bed. Then when the baskets came out it stirred my memory and I hid. But those humans got me anyway and took me and Morgan to the ‘cattery.’ Full of unknown smells it was bewildering but I was put in a room with Morgan and from then on we comforted one another. It’s quite funny really because we are always tearing each others fur out at home, but in difficult circumstances the strangest friends are forged. The space was limited and we could hardly go out anyway because it was raining so much, trust them to take us to the wrong place. I slept for most of the day with Morgan; well not with Morgan really because when I tried to sit next to him he got up and moved a paw-length away. This black cloud of a few days did have a very silver lining though – I had double helpings of food! Morgan appeared off his grub so I helped him out with it. Purr about an all-you-can-eat holiday; I loved it. Towards the end of our time there it got even better because Morgan’s appetite lessened (i.e. he didn’t fight me when pushed my nose in his bowl). Unfortunately now we are back Morgan has started eating properly and they make sure I don’t eat his food which I find a bit unfair. Would I go to the ‘cattery’ again? Well only if I had too and as long as I was sharing with Morgan.

On Holiday!

Morgan and Scooby are on holiday this week, but they'll be back next week ready to tell you all about it...

Bedtime Wars: Scooby's story

When I read Morgan’s entry, it really upset me for a moment. I didn’t set out to hurt him; in fact, I didn’t think of him at all, I just wanted a change of scenery. I walked into my bedroom and jumped in my usual space, sniffed around, ate my treats and sat down. Then I decided sometimes you need a change of scenery and anyway, my side of the sofa bed wasn’t warm but the other side was so I moved across. Morgan sits in lots of different places: sometimes his kennel, sometimes the floor, and occasionally the sofa bed. After I read the entry, I thought about it for a minute remembered all the times he had taken things of mine: my mice, my food, my milk, but then I fell asleep. Waking up hours later I realised I forgot what I was thinking about and only later did I remember the problem and by this time it was bedtime so I again retreated to my new pad and decided to sleep on the issue some more. Only this time there wasn’t an issue because Morgan didn’t come in at bedtime. Nor did he the next night, or the next – in a strange way I rather missed him. Funny that; at the same time Morgan stopped coming in at night, sleeping on his side didn’t have the same attraction anymore. It suddenly became colder and more uncomfortable. Therefore, as of two nights ago I reverted to my old, cosy side. It’s somewhat nicer there anyway. Morgan can have the worser side if he wants too with pleasure.
I don’t like the things he said about me still especially about my smell. He calls it a ‘whiff,’ I call it an enchanting musk and there is absolutely nothing wrong with my fleas.

Bedtime Wars: Morgan's Story

I am not happy chappy; Scooby has taken my place on the sofa bed at bedtime and replaced my aroma with his whiff. Now whenever I go up to bed and sit down on there its just not the same anymore and Scooby soon comes along and sits so close to me and roars at me I have to get off. You might say I have my kennel but I do not want to sleep there I want to sleep in MY bit of the bed. It was all right until a week ago when I got upstairs tired and yearning for my bed just to see him curled up on it. It gobsmacked me (and I am not easily gobsmacked). I glared at him but he just closed his eyes innocently. He has his blanket on the other side that is covered with his fur and fleas but now my side is covered with them too. I have slept on the floor for so many nights now like a meagre alley cat and my unhappiness is growing. In my time, I have put up with so many things but stealing my pad goes beyond the pale. It is something I expect from a human, not one of my own kind. GET OFF MY BED SCOOBY!!! GRRR...

What does Scooby have to say in his defence? Find out next week!!

All in a days scratch

This week has been miserable because all it has done is rained so being me I decided to explore the house because its funny how new things pop up that you don’t notice and you’ll never guess what I found. A kind of luxury tree had created itself right in our garage! What’s the chance of that? When they saw us on it they moved it to the front room and so now me and Scooby (obviously taking the following from my brilliant idea) have a tree to play on - inside! When we play fight its brilliant because we can hide behind it and then I can jump out from behind! Apparently I got it for my birthday – well why didn’t they tell me before?