Adventures in Cat-sitting

The lady has been cat-sitting for friends and acquaintances off and on for years. Everything has always gone very smoothly until Christmas week. This is the story as she told it to me. No names have been changed to protect the guilty. And, I'm going to give away the ending and say that Sly is safe and sound.

Sly is a small, fluffy tuxedo cat who is very sweet and playful.

Mr. Innocent

He used to be an indoor-outdoor cat, but is now an indoor cat only. He is allowed some brief time on a third story deck to look out and relax in the sun.

One day it was unseasonably warm and the small 1/2 bath where Sly's litter-box is kept was very stuffy, so the lady opened the very small bathroom window about four inches for ventilation. It is up very high and is an unusual window that lifts up and locks in place. When the lady left that evening, she checked all the sliding doors as usual, but...she forgot all about that little bathroom window.

When she returned the next morning, she couldn't find Sly. She searched the whole house and he was nowhere to be found. When she checked the 1/2 bath for a second time, she looked up and saw that the screen was missing from the small bathroom window. She knew immediately that Sly had gotten out.

The lady went outside and looked down the hill to the backyard. There, at the very bottom of the mostly unfenced yard, was Sly. He was sitting there, looking at a deer. The lady walked towards him and when she got close, he dashed behind the neighbor's fence and ran along it, away from her. She started talking in that voice that cats seem to like. "Sly, are you hungry?" Would you like some breakfast?" He crawled under the fence toward the lady, she picked him up and walked back into the house.

The lady told Sly's human what happened. Sly's human was very understanding (whew) and said that Sly was "a handful." Later that week when she came home from her trip, Sly ran out the door and had to be coaxed back in after he ran across the street. Sly's human said that he will be put in a room with the door closed before she opens the front door again!

"I don't know nuttin' about no jailbreak."

Sadie Found a Home

On December 21, we posted about Sadie, the cat who needed a new home. Well, thanks to the work of Sparkle the Cat (with some help from her personal assistant Janiss), a loving home was found for her with a friend of Janiss'. Sadie has been with her new family for a week and is settling in.

Thank you Janiss, for finding this sweet kitty a great forever home.

Sleepy-time Joe

"Sleepy-time Joe" is one of the many silly nicknames that the lady has come up with to describe me and my activities. She says she doesn't think about them; they "just happen." I'm guessing there is a part of her brain (and, based on her deficits in most other areas, a very large part) that is devoted solely to generating cat-related gibberish.

This is my favorite spot in the afternoon. The sun is low in the sky and comes through the window at just the right angle.

Please Help Sadie Find a Home (Updated)

December 30, 2013. Update: Sparkle the Designer Cat and her human, Janiss, found a wonderful forever home for Sadie the cat. Sadie is now at her new home and is settling in. Thank you Janiss!

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The lady and I saw this in our Facebook Feed and wanted to share it with as many people as possible. This kitty needs a new home right away! She lives in the San Francisco area right now. Please share this information! Thanks!

This is the information provided on the Facebook posting, plus her photo:

"URGENT: Please share! San Francisco, CA - Owner is moving on Jan 10 & must re-home SADIE. Spayed, 5-yr old healthy, medium hair, & up to date on vaccines. Friendly, playful, lap cat who will follow you around & greet you at the door each day. She's an indoor cat who loves to watch birds from the safety of her balcony. Please contact JEFF at 415-310-8676, or jeffreyschram@gmail.com. He has only 2 wks to find her a home so PLEASE SHARE this posting!!"

Wordless Wednesday

Winkum, Blinkum, and Nod.

Well, two of those are accounted for.

I was in the middle of cleaning my face when the lady took out the camera. As soon as I heard the "whir" sound I stopped and looked up. No, I am not "winking." I am annoyed.

And, just when I thought the coast was clear and I lifted up my paw toward my face, zaaaaap. Enough, already!

I Like Being Cozy

This is one of those fake wood-burning stoves. Although you wouldn't know it by looking at this photograph, it does have a really nice flame effect. And, as you can tell by my position in front of it, it has a very nice heater. Quiet, too. The lady first went the cheapo route and got a $99 brand. It was so loud that she packed it up and returned it. She then went to a local fireplace store where they had some nice electric fireplaces and "woodstoves". This one is a Dimplex and it has a quiet and effective heater. The flames look like gas logs. We've had this for three years and really like it.

You'll notice the word "quiet" is prominent in this post. The lady is big on "quiet."

My other cozy spot is the bed. It really is my bed, although I do let the lady sleep on the very edge of it. If I'm in a good mood.