XingXing Rages Against the Injustice of the Cat Carrier

XingXing is quite the uneasy traveler. The thing is, he always likes it when he gets to where he's going, but he hates the process. Both cats hide when they sense that a departure is imminent, even before the cat carrier comes out. They see the bags getting placed by the door, sense a heightened level of hustle or bustle. Or who knows, maybe they understand English and know what we are saying. Last weekend it literally took 20 minutes for 3 people to find FuFu, who was curled up on a chair underneath the kitchen table. But once in the carrier, FuFu is as placid as a cow, usually sleeping and quite peaceful, no matter how agitated XingXing gets. We're still working on the process, and there is quite a suite of products out there to help out: calming treats (which FuFu unhelpfully eats and XingXing doesn't) and various calming sprays. All this begs the question, why not leave the cats at home when we go out for a weekend jaunt to the country? Well, the simple answer is because the weekend is when I get to hang out with them! Probably more than half of the pics on this blog were taken on Saturdays and Sundays. But before you think I am being selfish to the detriment of the cats' quality of life, I to have to re-emphasize that they like it when they get there. Take these two pics: they were having a blast standing in front of the screen door watching the bugs and birds. It was a minor miracle that I got them both to look up at the same time for a pic.

Domestic Bliss

Domestic Bliss, a photo by Jon From Cincinnati on Flickr.

If you are in bed reading a book (or Outdoor Photographer magazine) and you look up to see this scene how can it not lower your blood pressure? You can tell this is XingXing and not FuFu because the white "stripe" below the neck is thin......Fufu's is much fatter.

Synchronized Cat Movement

Why do they pose like this when I am looking through the mail and bills? I musn't mull over such imponderables, it is merely enough to have my camera by the ready and capture the moment.........

Where Does One Cat End and the Other Begin?

Very often, it is hard to tell with these guys. I had a chuckle when they both somehow managed to get up on "the chair" at the same time.



And, of course, it is often difficult to determine who is whom and who is doing what to whom when it is wrestle time!

Exterminator Cats to the Rescue

With Spring, out comes the green, the flowers, and yes.....the bugs. But not to fear, for XingXing and FuFu are on the task. They both rushed in to intercept this one, but FuFu quickly backed off when they remembered their training - one cat has to stand guard while the other takes care of the problem.

Happy Mother's Day Penelope!

When we adopted XingXing and FuFu they were still in a cage with their mother Penelope at KittyKind. This is the only time I have seen a mother with kittens together there. This photo was taken with my cell phone when we had XingXing and FuFu outside of the cage. She was an affectionate and protective mother; when XX and FF were returned to the cage she would groom them vigorously.

I found this today after googling a bit, its from the KittyKind blog from 2009: "Penelope's two grey-and-white kittens were adopted together. As much as we hate to witness the separation anxiety (she's still grooming them and allowing them to nurse although they are 10 weeks), they're going to a wonderful home." I guess XX and FF were mama's boys from the start!
We felt better about separating XX and FF from their mama after reading this "happy ending" story on the KittyKind blog several months after we adopted them (there is also a better pic of Penelope) click here for link. It looks like they take after their mother (especially XingXing!) with regard to being vocal, greeting you and following you around the apartment.

Twist and Meow

Been a while since the last post.......a little vacation in Grenada, which was great but during that week and a bit before and after XXFF spent 17 days with their in-laws and out of my protective care and tutelage. Happy to report that if anything, they are even more attentive and human-loving after this time apart than before!

Anyway, about these photos: the cats love this chair! Its from Pier One, and its so soft that I think they like that they can climb all over it and if they are about to fall off the can simply sink their claws into it and perform a "self-arrest" that any mountaineer would be proud of. Most of the time FuFu claims this chair by jumping up on it in the morning and chirping loudly, but this time I caught XingXing frolicking and showing off his curves:


I like how in this pic due to the perspective and the torque of XX's body it looks like the hindquarters don't belong to XingXing!