Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Cat Stories

If you've been reading my stories for a bit you may recall I've mentioned Charlie-Cat--who isn't bright.
[It was Charlie who had to be rescued from 30 ft up in a tree last spring when he had gotten outdoors and gone missing for three days!]
Charlie enjoys the fenced yard with the other cats, but sometimes scoots outside the house when a door doesn't close quickly.
At such times he disclaims all acquaintance with us and will not be coaxed back indoors.
Catching him turns into a three-ring circus.
Last Thursday Charlie shot out the back door again.  We saw him during the day--under our car, lurking in the carport, strolling about the dooryard.
As usual, when approached, he opened his eyes very wide and ran off.
As it drew near supper time, after several futile attempts to corner him, I declared crossly that he could spend the night outside.
On my way to the compost pile, I heard him wailing mournfully.
Investigating, I found that he had gotten inside the hav-a-hart trap--set in the veg garden for yet another possum--and the trap had clanged shut.


Since I can't open the trap's door, I fetched Jim who found the sight of Charlie in the cage quite hilarious.
Willis, on patrol in the dooryard, follows J. to the garden.

The kittens immediately gathered to see what all the fuss was about.

Charlie, unappreciative of rescue attempts, dug his claws into the earth of the garden and hung on as J. tried to extricate him.

Charlie being lugged toward the house.

Charlie was deposited unceremoniously in the cat yard where he seemed to be
contemplating his adventure.
An interesting sequel to Charlie's outing is this: he went out again this weekend and did his lurk-about, popping under the truck whenever I went toward him.  In the evening I heard a clattering in the carport and opening the back door saw a large possum lumbering about, shoving
empty cat food dishes in his path.
Charlie let out an impassioned yelp from under the truck and rushed in the open kitchen door.
Since then, he has gone out several times each day and meekly returned, even 'meow'ing to be let in.
Perhaps his feeble brain has recognized the house as a refuge from beasties who rattle in the night.
Perhaps he has simply connected with the thought that he can return to the house without
the process of being rounded up.


We folded up and put away the old furniture quilts and tarps we used to protect the long
row of green beans from the frost.
J. dragged this one--a boat cover I think---to the garage.
Bobby McGee decided to hop aboard for a ride.

Bobby hides in the folds of the tarp.

"How do I get off the magic carpet?"

"Whew!  That was a ride!"

12 comments:

  1. This wss a fun post. I love daft cats and lived with one for 18 years. We always said...good thing she's beautiful. Those kittens sure have grown. They do live the good life.

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  2. Can't sleep, so I am lurking and sandbagging around the blog world, and read your charming and bring a smile to my face post. Sophie, the new baby, decided to shoot out the front door a few days ago, and got to the edge of the porch and then turned around and looked at D, and got this panicked look on her face, adventure over.
    I noticed that J was wearing gloves....I have several that I have to use welding gloves for.
    Your new babies are really growing. They amaze me how they grow.
    Have a wonderful and hopefully peaceful evening.

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  3. Lovely post - I had to smile at the other cats coming to watch proceedings - Charlie must have felt a bit of a fool:)

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  4. Brilliant ...I giggled so much ...Charlies intellegence is on a par with Totos' ....maybe he might learn one day too. At the moment he dashes out and has to be coaxed back in with treats ..he is too stupid (and handsome)to be left out on his own. I love Bobby ...what a character. xx

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  5. I never realised that cats could actually be dim until we had Fred. I think he had been interbred and was brain dead poor old thing. He even looked empty in his eyes.
    Still, he had a good home with us and lasted 14 years but I wondered how he would have managed with any other family.
    Briony
    x

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  6. Very funny post. Charlie is like so many of us - he doesn't know when he's well off.
    Lillianj
    lillianscupboard.wordpress.com

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  7. Funny!
    We caught our neighbor's cat in our animal trap.

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  8. Well, it seems he solved the problem for himself - with a bit of help from your local "wildlife"! Like Denim, I noticed that J wisely had gloves on. We could do with those when handling Misery Guts sometimes . . .

    I had to smile at Bobby being taken for a ride. I bet he thought it was great : )

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  9. Hmmm - our Gypsy was never the brightest of cats either and never worked out how to use the cat flap. Ban won't use it either, but that's HER choice, nothing to do with being intellectually challenged! I'm glad that Charlie finally worked out that he doesn't have to STAY out once he's outside, but I guess the visiting "wildlife" helped persuade him : )

    Had to smile at Bobby's "sleigh."

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  10. I think perhaps Charlie is just a slow learner, - they live amongst us, and most of them cherished despite what they are.

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  11. What a time with crazy cats! They are so lovable even when they are a bit dim. Scruffy has found a new bed, but spent last night on our bed (highly unusual) because a bit of squirrely wind sprung up and spooked him.

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