Grandcat having extended 'sleepover'!

meritaten

aw his missus, that is so sad. You will miss him badly I know. so will the other cats - even Tikka I suspect. my thoughts will be with you.


Barney didn't seem interested in the catnip toys at first, but it seems to have grown on him and he loves it now.
been a bit busy today - had one of the grandtwins down for lunch and then her twin joined her to go up grans. Barnes got both of us grooming him and he enjoyed that. he also enjoyed sharing his 'garden time' with Grandtwin C. I am sure he was directing her attention to his favourite 'spots'.................when he wasn't waiting for her to play 'chuckthegravel' with him.
I had a mountain of runner beans from the garden to deal with when I got home (not MY garden - mums, DS1 grows some veg for her), it took me over an hour to prepare a carrier bag full for the freezer - I couldn't even fit a fish finger in there now!
plus I spent the time up mums helping DS1 with the first stages of his 'pomegranate wine'. He made some a few years back and its absolutely gorgeous. Hope he now sends a couple of bottles my way when its ready.

his_missus

I had 9 years with Blackie and he had a cushy life with us. Not bad for a stray who adopted us, we think he was 6-8yrs old when he joined us so he had a good innings as they say. He was very much my cat though rather than Hubby's - I always got the cuddles...probably because I'm the one that fed him
I'm hoping it won't set Scrappy off on another stress do, I've just weaned him off the Ovarid again!


Pomegranate wine sounds delicious!

meritaten

I noticed that Barney can catch passing flies between his paws, so I thought it would be interesting to train him to catch 'dreamies'. Well, after a week I have to report limited success. Sometimes he just sits there and lets the dreamies fly over his head...........with this look of utter bemusement on his face. other days he will enter into the spirit of the game and catch them and eat them with enthusiasm.
He is definitely back to his old self - today he got out a ping pong ball and we had a lovely game of 'pingponguppastairs' for a good 10 minutes. The fresh catnip means I have toys underfoot in the lounge, and every time I turn my back - another toy is dragged out and batted about, kicked into submission and lovingly licked to death - then left on the floor for me to pick up and put away. sopping wet - yeeeuuuchhh!
his appetite has reduced a bit - but he is still eating more than usual - not a weight problem yet though. his breath is not quite as 'sweet' as before - and for a cat that NEVER eats fish is distinctly 'fishy'. strange that.

meritaten

well, I had a nice 'lie in' this morning, didn't get up until nearly 8.30! Barnes was starving apparently - even though his bowl still had dry food in it. I poured the mugful of brekkies on his head because he shoved his face in his bowl just as I was putting it in! change of water and he sat there looking at me..................What? you want boiled eggs and soldiers? Weetabix? Coco Pops? Puzzled, I put the kettle on for my tea and considered, hmmmmm he doesn't normally have anything other than dry food for breakfast, fresh water - check. now why is he sitting by his bowls staring up at me? Dreamies! perhaps he wants a couple of dreamies..............he looks at me in amazement when I get the packet of dreamies out - but graciously consents to consume a few - and still sits by his bowls. bemused, I retire with my tea and go for a ciggy. come back in and he is STILL sitting by the bowls! I go over and stir the dry food with my finger - oh yeeeuuuchhh - a dead spider! surely that wasn't the cause of him not eating his breakfast after making out he was starved? Yep - soon as I got rid of the body he tucked in! now that is weird, cos he catches and eats flies, butterflies, dragonflies and I assumed the lack of spiders in the living room meant he was eating them too. seems they aren't to his taste! though I have to say I have never seen him chase or eat spiders. and we get big bu99ers here.

bit colder today - he enjoyed the sun - but I did notice that he kept out of the shade. his garden time is now getting limited - too dam cold in the morning for him until the sun really warms up out the back garden. and its getting much cooler after 6.00pm but the sun is still out until nearly 8.00. good! I want him to be out as the season gradually changes - I think it will be good for him. he has a fur coat for gawds sake and if the weather cools down as it should - then his coat should thicken to compensate. IF he spends enough time outside.
I don't want to have to keep him in during the cold weather - he enjoys the garden time so much.............but equally he WAS ill after being caught in the rain! I have to remember he has been an 'indoor cat' for six years. he isn't used to extremes of temperature or getting soaking wet in the rain.

meritaten

bit late tonight - OH had an appointment down the hospital for his annual 'Prostate' check. everything ok there but its put me out of timing! I must say that 5.40pm appointments are a dam good thing! easy parking and no crowded waiting room!

I managed to shut Barnes in the coat cupboard earlier - how the hell he managed to get in there without me seeing him I don't know! I only changed one pair of sandals for another............ and wondered why I was hearing pathetic 'squeeks' from there when I sat at computer (its next to the cupboard), about an hour later. I thought he was out in the garden. OH must have let him in five minutes after I let him out!
We had to play 'catchthedreamies' before I got forgiven! God he is good at it when in the mood (or desperate for dreamies). he caught 8 out of 10 between his paws!

grooming him today and I caught two fleas on him - those spot-ons from the vet are NOT working, its less than a week since I applied one, and tbh these fleas were quite 'lively' and closer examination revealed Barnes has had quite a few bites. not happy - will be ringing vets tomorrow.
Barnes is on his cushions 'watching' TV with OH now, I wonder if OH 'channel surfing' annoys him as much as it does me?

meritaten

Atrix came to visit again today - Barnes is always delighted to see him!
Groomed him a bit earlier than usual and not a flea to be seen!!! not much point phoning vet complaining spot-ons not working - no evidence!
its not been a nice day today - very cloudy and rather cool - Barnes was quite reluctant to go out. He did eventually and promptly started eating some plants, I yelled at him, upon which he just ignored me so I had to go out and get him in. jeez - he then threw up on a new rug, rofl, why do cats just sit by their sick? look at it and look at you and then look back at the sick as if they are admiring it? he didn't move until I cleared it up! then sauntered into the kitchen and filled up again!
at least he hasn't been sick again - but has eaten for Wales again! cleared both lunch and supper plates and his dry food is almost all gone.
we played 'chuckthedreamies' again - and he caught nearly all of them! I must get a card thingy for the tablet and get someone to film him.......................he not only catches them between his paws - now he catches them and puts them in his mouth in ONE movement!!! what I call 'catchandgobble'.

oldestgnome

Do film and post Barnes skills

meritaten

when funds allow I shall purchase the necessary micro card and upload.
Atrix was most impressed when Barnes demonstrated his 'skill' for him today!
his breath is still very 'fishy'! (Barnes I mean, not Atrix) cant work out why - he never eats fish. honestly, it stinks! it isn't tartar or bad teeth - the vet checked that out and he is fine. Ive read all the ingredients in his food and treats just in case they contain any fish oils - nope, zero, nada! strange..............
Barnes is happy - the grandtwins are having a sleepover - just taken them to bed (why this is a little late). and they had a short story while Barnes 'sneaked' into the bedroom (he isn't normally allowed in that one), like a silent assassin, only he made a heckova racket jumping on the chest of drawers so he could slip behind the curtains. He thinks I don't notice he is there, and then as soon as I leave the room he comes out and settles down with the girls, rofl. He thinks he has got one over on me - but I am quite happy for him to keep them company.

meritaten

I think one of the grandtwins had a small 'accident' in bed last night - Possibly the one who has had a few water infections - BUT, they both earnestly assured me 'it was Barney'! roflmao! I don't think so, Barney has never ever done anything outside his litter trays (unless you count the bath)

I take precautions when they sleep over and put a 'damp proof course' over the bottom sheet and cover it with an old sheet - so I am not that bothered, just concerned that she may have another water infection.

Barnes was a bit disappointed when they went home - they hadn't played with him this morning - but their mum texted before they had their breakfasts so didn't really have the time. (they had a full English brekky this morning - but K decided she wanted boiled eggs with her bacon...............????????? a bit of a strange twist - but if that is what she wanted - its what she got).
So me and Barnes had a play - pingponguppastairs and 'catchthedreamy'. then he went out and mooned over 'hernextdoor' for a while. he sang to her, yowled loudly, did everything short of sumersaults, and the little madam was sitting in the bedroom just looking at him. I swear she jumps off the windowsill and rolls on floor laughing.

meritaten

eewww - he did it again! woke me up by sneezing in my face! gross! I know it was after 9.00am but, its Sunday!
then proceeded to snuggle down, purring, and I couldn't resist having a nice cuddle with him. jeez - Cats!!!!!!!!
Quiet morning as no grandkids had sleepover last night - and wow what a gorgeous morning for late September - by 10.00am it was WARM outside! so Barnes heads out for garden time. I have to clean out his two litter trays.............I don't really mind except it gets a bit hot in the bathroom in the mornings - faces east and the sun comes in. I end up stripping off completely - much to OHs amusement. saves time when I shower afterwards though.

Barnes did his 'catchthedreamies' trick for my DD and her family! not brilliantly, but he did get about a 30% catchandgobble rate. DG1 threw him quite a few - her aim was rather random and more than one went out the patio door.... hotly persued by Barnes!
he knows Sunday routine now - as soon as dinner is cleared up and DD departs - he retired to his space on the settee back - knowing OH will pop me up my mums, and when he comes back they will have some bonding time.
then when I come home its his supper time. then a bit of garden time - and tonight he sounded like he was singing 'Madam' next door a full operatic Aria - honestly, I was laffing my head off, and even OH thought it funny! I am going to get the vet to check he HAS been neutered - he really fancies hernextdoor and does everything he can to make her notice him. I only have Atrix's word, and he only had the previous owners word, that Barnes has been 'done'!