The Long and the Long of It

At first, I thought this was two Tempos under the soaker pad. But no, this is all Allegro.

I read recently that growth in young cats is determined by ‘growth plates’ in a cat’s joints, which cause bones to lengthen. Bones stop growing when the plates close, but this closure is usually delayed by neutering and spaying. Thus, fixed cats tend to grow for longer periods than unfixed. Males can grow for up to 18 months. The larger breeds can continue to grow for two years.

I’m going to need a bigger boat…

Done For Now

I was able to cut Rhapsody’s claws yesterday. That was not easy. She does not like to be held, however much she enjoys attention from her human. I managed to closet her in the bathroom, thanks to her love of Temptation Treats. With the door shut, she started to panic a bit. That was unavoidable, unfortunately, as I would not have had a chance of capturing her otherwise. She bounced about the room, from floor to counter to toilet to tub and back again, but I was able to calm her just enough to trim the claws. They had been so long that they were catching in fabric, in toys, in cat-trees, so shortening them was overdue. Afterward, she did not seem to hold a grudge against me for my actions and, of course, was rewarded with treats.

I don’t think she will fall for such a trap again, when she needs the claws cut in the future, but that is a problem for then. Now, it is done.

The Memorial Cabinet, At Long Last

It took two years, but I have at last found the right cabinet to display the caskets, urns and pictures of the departed parma-cats. I didn’t want to settle for something that wasn’t correct, though I found a number that would have done. I think this fits the room and the requirements.

Those who have gone on ahead are at last back home.

Rattle-mouse

I have mentioned Presto’s favourite toy previously. Its name is Rattle-mouse, because it rattles, and consists of the remains of a black, fuzzy-mouse.

His behaviour toward Rattle-mouse is interesting. When other cats play with it, Presto appears to become offended. He will either stand back and watch them with what seems to be incredulity, or he will charge ahead and make sure they don’t have it. Andante knocked it across the floor once and Presto came sliding across the linoleum through Andante’s legs like Roy Scheider in All That Jazz, to steal back his toy. Another time, Presto leaped over Allegro to pick up Rattle-mouse before his brother could reach it.

And when Rattle-mouse is missing, Presto goes from closet to closet, from oven to micro-wave oven stand - all the places he has previously batted it and lost it - to find it. Failing that, he eventually follows me about, imploring me - as only a squeaky one-eyed kitten could - for help.

Goodness knows what will happen if Rattle-mouse ever goes missing for good.

Delicate. Refined. Stylish. Messy.

Imogen likes to have some of her meals on the micro-wave oven. That’s fine with me. In a situation in which some cats eat in the back parlour and others at the top of a cat-tree by the house’s front window - as far apart as possible in the Cosy Cabin - the micro-wave oven is centrally located. I don’t even have to bend down.

But Imo can be messy. She has long had the smallest food-dish, once owned by Tungsten. This has not been large enough to contain her spillage. I have responded with one of the largest food-bowls I have. Miss Silky’s response in turn? To take the food out of the bowl and eat next to it.

Sigh.

Coda on Saint Francis's Day

Today is the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint and protector of animals, and hero of Trout Towne. I think it's a good day to feature the Cosy Cabin's newest animal.

Coda is now on the rescue-group’s website. He is not ready for adoption - he still has to grow much more accustomed to human interaction - but this will get him noticed a bit.

The pictures on his profile were all taken by me. Normally, a new cat will, after he becomes used to his foster-home, have pictures taken by one of my colleagues in the group, who is much better at photographing the cats than I, and has an actual digital camera. But Coda is too shy for that yet, so these pictures will have to do. Below is his principal profile pictures, which will be included with some ‘candid’ shots.

Sizes

In a week, the Tempos will be six months old. I have mentioned and shown often how big they are, but I thought a visual comparison was in order. This is Allegro, the second-born Tempo, with Moxy, an adult cat of about eight years of age, a dense heavy-weight and a little bigger than medium-size.

Next, we have Coda, who is about three, possibly four, weeks older than the Tempos. I think he will be a smaller than average adult when fully grown, so he is likely littler than the average kitten of seven months.

I suspect this obvious difference is the result of both genetics and feeding. Rhapsody was fed very well during her pregnancy and while she was nursing. I didn’t stint on her food and, after her kittens started eating solid nutrition, they were served as plentiful a menu as their mother. And who knows what sort of monster their father was. Coda came to me already five months old. I think he had previously received less food than the Tempos, and his parents were probably small to medium cats.

In any case, all are perfect kittens, very active, happy, out-going with other felines, friendly with people (well, Coda is getting there) and healthy. It’s just that most of them are huge.