Thursday, November 17, 2016

Lord Lytton Would Understand

It was a dark and stormy night. Well, it was dark, and a wind can come from a windstorm so, yes, it was a dark and stormy night.

In southern Alberta, especially in Lethbridge, the wind blows quite a bit. Though days with sixty mile per hour winds are not common, neither are they so rare as to excite much comment. But now and then, there is a windstorm that causes a lot of noise. The night can become blustery; it is probably the sudden gusts that cause the most trouble.


The cats are used to southern Alberta weather. The wind doesn’t bother them very much; they grew accustomed to the noises of an apartment building - people using the stairs, people across the alley fixing their cars, showers running somewhere. But when the night grows gusty, the beasts become a bit alarmed.


I don’t think they are frightened, but they are wary. Their attention is commanded more often and to a great degree. When I went to bed Sunday night, Renn joined me right away, which he always does. Josie lie down next to me soon afterward, and it normally takes her some time to do so. Tucker waddled in and climbed the steps to the bed before I fell asleep; he usually takes his place much later in the night. Cammie too retreated to the bedroom, taking her position on her cat-tree. There was apparently strength in numbers this night.


Our apartment is a snug little refuge. The windows are relatively new, and seal well, which is good, as they face west, the direction from which the wind predominates. The heating is efficient. And there is a human to which the cats look for protection. They think of us in the same way little children think of their parents: all powerful, the purveyors of all that is good, the dispensers of punishment, those who keep them safe. We can’t do all that they think, of course, but when the wind howls and the temperature drops, it’s nice to be able to provide them with peace of mind. It’s a fair trade: they do the same for me.

15 comments:

  1. I like that all of your fur "kids" congregated with you during the windy night. I'm pretty sure mine don't think of me a protector of any sort! :-)

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  2. those howling winds would make us want to cuddle up too

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  3. You made me smile. Again. I love your stories and that they are true.

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    1. Thank you. And for good or ill, yes, they are true.

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  4. What a great post! You're quite correct - cats and their humans give each other comfort and peace of mind. However, I must admit, (although somewhat shamefully), that my cats just may give me more than I give them.

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  5. guys...furst off we wood like ta say theeze fotoz rock...N thurd; we iz knot much inta a lotta wind either....bak in his day gram paw dude used ta "rest" in de hall; the place recommended by de weatherz peepulz ta go when seeking shelters frum high windz......who new him listened ta de weatherz channel ~~~ ☺☺

    we bee out til munday ~~~ heerz two a halfmoon fish kinda week oh end ~~~~~~~~ ♥♥♥

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    1. Oldsters know best, whether they are human or cat.

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  6. It's a wonderful relationship we have with our cats. I often sleep better when they don't join me on the bed, but I miss having them there.

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    1. Mine allow me a small, narrow space in which to lie. Fortunately, I don't move when I'm asleep.

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  7. All finding comfort together in a dark and blustery night. I think storms are a little unsettling and we seek comfort from those closest to us - cats and humans. I am on the other side of the world for a month and am thinking all the time about Holly. I know my dear friend is giving her comfort as she is to him until my return. Keep safe and warm,

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    1. As comfortable as Holly is now, she'll be happy to be with you again when you return.

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  8. Flynn isn't usually bothered by the wind but we are quite exposed where we live, and when the westerly gales blow in from the Atlantic it can be very noisy. Even though the windows are well sealed, 90+ mph gusts will make them shake and he gets nervous and seeks out my lap even though he is not usually a lap cat.

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    1. I envy you your farm more and more. We get strong winds here, too, so I may as well get them off the ocean! But it's good to be able to provide security to our cats when they're anxious.

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  9. That is sweet that they all wanted to be with you on the windy night.

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