Tag: Cat

Fall

myfatcats2Leave a comment

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. The weather is perfect. It’s cold in the mornings and sometimes carries throughout the day. There is occasional rain and wind. Fall isn’t just a season; fall comes with a vibe that no other season can bring. The crisp air, pumpkin patches, and pumpkin-flavored drinks are my favorites. Nature transforms from green and vibrant to red, orange, and yellow, and everything becomes cozy. Fall is great, but there are some things I don’t like. Losing an hour is not something I like. Also, everything is so dry because of how cold the air is. Along with that, my summer shade has gone away, and I am now white. My concealer is too orange for my face. Anyway, there are good and bad things about fall, but overall, the good outweighs the bad. I love how people act during the fall and the clothes that I get to where, and I can finally put a sweater on my dog.

Routine

pinkcube18Leave a comment

I have conditioned my cat.

Her treats stay in the top drawer of my dresser, along with folded clothes. When I open the drawer, the handle bounces against the wood, making a clanging noise. Each time I hear it, she comes running in anticipation of treats.

Now comes the balance.

I worry to open the drawer for clothes, for fear of her conditioning wearing off. If she does not get treats when she hears the clanging, she may begin to unlearn her conditioned response. She will stop running to me, and I will have lost my leverage.

If I want her to come over, I open the drawer. Though, if I open it for clothes instead of treats, I feel obligated to give her what she wants. I wonder if it’s mean of me to tease her – even if I don’t mean it. She doesn’t know the difference.

I now find her trying to open the drawer herself. One day she will. And that day I will move the bag of treats. And the conditioning process will begin once more.

Trying to get her treats

Saying Goodbye to Blue

pinkcube18Leave a comment

She appeared behind my house with her sister and her mother. She was the first to pop her head above the brick wall with her wide eyes looking curiously around the yard. She and her sister were beautiful. Her sister had solid white paws and defined face markings. My family and I planned on keeping her, but we had no room to keep the wide-eyed black and white kitten.

When we brought them inside, the white-pawed kitten, now named Penny, became the more confident of the two. They played together for weeks, and while we knew Penny would stay with us, the formerly unnamed black and white kitten quickly became my little baby Blue. She was shy, yet always curious of her surroundings. She turned to her sister for comfort as they kept each other company.

They had grown to be ten weeks old when Blue was ready to find her forever home. I spent the night holding her and watching them toss around toys. The sun rose sooner than I had expected and I found myself putting little Blue into a cat carrier while we said our goodbyes. Penny didn’t notice as we shut the carrier door and left their playroom.

I sat in the back seat of the car with Blue while she pressed herself against the back of the carrier. Her little body was shaking as she looked up at the passing buildings. As we pulled into the parking lot I stuck my fingers through the wired door hoping she would come to be pet. I knew I would never pet her again. I carefully picked up her carrier and handed her to the shelter staff before watching her be carried away.

I told the woman the name I had given her, and within a day my little Blue was up for adoption. I checked the website daily for updates. She looked happy and confident in the photo they posted, and within a week her adoption post had been taken down.

I watch Penny grow and imagine how big Blue must be today. I am confident that the Humane Society sent her home with a good family. I know she won’t remember her first home or her sister, but I think of her every time I look at Penny. She came to us as a scared feral kitten, and I am grateful that my family and I were able to socialize her and make her comfortable with moving into a real home.

Blue ❤ Photo Credit: Ojai Valley Humane Society

My next life…

1998sakuraLeave a comment

What a life pets have. Especially the pet who lives on campus: Jack the cat.

Jack is loved by students, gets full attention and is very spoiled. He gets food and treats from the teacher, Ms. M., everyday. Ms. M. even bought him food and water bowls, as well as a cushion for him to sleep on. These days, it has become a daily routine for Jack to come to her to get treats. He spends most of the day on her desk sleeping.

When we are in class, he meows outside the classrooms to let people know he wants to come inside. We always open the door for him, even if we are taking a test. He walks in and wanders around, and eventually rolls on his back allowing the students to pet him on the stomach. Everyone adores him and we all say “hi” when we see him, even though he ignores us. I want to be him in my next life.

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Jack the Cat — Photo Credit: Evelyn Brokering

Jack the Cat

enternity1030Leave a comment

I just finished my favorite story this year, which was about a cool little thing – oh no, the coolest little animal – Jack the Cat.

Before I did this story, Jack was just a friendly cat to me. Whenever I see him, he just meows to me as if he is telling me he is happy.

This time, I got chance to really get a closer look to this small thing. Finally it came to my conclusion that Jack IS the coolest cat ever!

Jack is a cool student.
As soon as school starts, Jack will come out and choose his class. He enters the classroom, lies on the ground and pays full attention. However, he is really hardworking because according to our math teacher Mr.Queen, Jack does not turn in his homework on time and he never takes any tests.

Jack also frequently comes to the library. He will get up on the tables, he will use somebody’s computer and he will sniff books. Does he really read or understand the contents? Who knows.

Jack is a cooler friend.
He shares his happiness with people by meowing to them. He is confident and even more comfortable of being a member of the community. He walks to people and request their attentions. Then he looks at you and you can feel his feelings pretty much. He is always there to cheer people up and inspire the community.

Jack is the coolest cat.
He wears his shiny golden fur and patrols around the campus.
Jack has embraced nearly all the qualities not only as an animal, but moreover, he builds up the special bond with humans and becomes an essential member of the school.


Jack is like a student at the school and he makes our community feel like home.
I’ll miss this special “classmate” a lot after I leave the school.

Love the Cheetah

indigoshellLeave a comment

For some reason, I’ve always loved cheetahs. Starting from around age 9 I’d watch Animal Channel for hours at a time, but it wasn’t until I was about 13 did I really notice the cheetahs. From then on I would watch cheetah documentaries and such until midnight or one in the morning, which was pretty darn late considering my usual bedtime was 9.

Firstly I think they’re beautiful. Beautiful physically and beautifully structured to get the most out of its main feature – their speed.

Long, spindly legs with powerful base muscles provide the power to charge through the fields. Unlike most felines, cheetah claws are only semi-retractable, meaning that their claws are always showing. This allows them to easily spring into action at a moment’s notice.

Their protruding chest contains a massive heart and pair of lungs for maximum oxygen intake, while their concave stomach and flexible spine allows for rapid and easy movement. A long tail acts as a rudder to stabilize quick turns and their especially long eyes views the world through a wide-angle lens.

Feline ears are usually pointed while the cheetah’s are rounded, like a bear’s. While walking or sitting, their hunched shoulders and fuzzy back almost have a bearlike appearance too. To me, their most distinctive qualities are the two black stripes that curve through their faces. The stripes start at the innermost corners of their eyes and curve down and around the nose before ending above their bottom lip. On some cheetahs the spots around the outer corners of their eyes are more distinctive, trailing down their cheeks or to the back of their necks.

Most predators hunt by simply leaping upon and overwhelming their prey. With the cheetah’s slimmer demeanor, they simply don’t have the power of a lion or leopard, so they have a trickier method instead. While chasing their prey, usually antelope, they’ll flick out a paw and trip it.

The sounds they make are ridiculous. They can purr and growl, sure, but they can also make peculiar (and adorable) chirping sounds. It almost sounds like the bark of a tiny dog, uttered through the vocal chords of a baby kitten, but through the body of a full-grown, dangerous cheetah.

Well, not very dangerous. Cheetahs are notoriously skittish and can even be too nervous to breed sometimes. In the San Diego Zoo, four of their cheetahs actually have canine companions to help calm them down and keep them happy.

People always ask me what my favourite animal is, and one of the first to pop into my mind is “cheetah,” along with “horse” and “snake.” Cheetahs have been with me longer than any other animal before, besides for dogs, and I long to interact with one in the wild one day. So far I haven’t even seen any in the few zoos I’ve been in!

(San Diego Zoo = Bucket listed)

The Cat that could not

frog3Leave a comment

fgr

The cat runs and chases the little mouse.

It stalks, leaps, and claws at it.

It does this not just out of hunger but also for fun.

Finally the hunt is over it sinks its fangs into its prize.

All is not well however.

The mouse had been poisoned by some naughty human contraption.

Too late for the cat, so graceful during the hunt.

So pathetic in death.

Looking back the mouse was tainted too sickly, too slow.

The cat should have known.

The cat did not and thus became a pawn in the game of life.

Car Troubles: Run in With the Gardener.

YourcupateaLeave a comment

Lampost

I’m guessing you read disaster and immediately associate the word with an accident. This is exactly what happened and yes it did involve my car and me. By reading this blog you know that I am still alive and I am not in prison, so surely the accident was not that bad. In fact I wouldn’t even call it an accident, maybe just a bump.

Ok now you’re probably wondering what I may have done. No I did not kill anyone, damage anyone or murder a cat. In fact, I just dented a car. Ok, lets be more specific. A truck. Yes my tiny ford fiesta miraculously managed to dent a truck.

So I reversed around the sharp corner of the driveway, guided by the smiling gardener, following his hand signals. My reverse seemed to be going pretty well at this point. Well for me anyway. This is the first time I’d followed hand signals before so I assume that I just followed his lead. Little did I know glimpsing away for one second would mean reversing into his vehicle. Yes I reversed into the gardener’s truck.

Oops.

You heard me right; I reversed in to a truck while the owner was watching. How embarrassing. And the worst part of it is I see him on a regular basis.

Everyone always seems to be watching the minute I do something wrong. And in this case it was the gardener. As he walked over to his car, the smile now wiped off of his face, I sat dreading the moment he would walk towards me from the accident scene, insurance information in hand. Luckily for me he didn’t.

“Only a little scratch” he said, “Don’t worry about it.”

I may have escaped insurance claims, a dent on my car and death, but I did not escape the shame. These sort of situations always happen to me. At least it wasn’t a lamp post.

New Pets!

rangerthecat2 Comments

I absolutely love animals more than anything. I really do. I love wild animals, and of course, I love pets!

Over the years, my family has had cats, birds, bunnies, guinea pigs, and fish. They have all been pretty amazing pets.

But sadly, this past year, 2 of my cats have died, and the one still living has a fist-sized tumor in his liver. My parents took my cat Smokey to the vet, and she told us we will have to put him down within the next week if he survives for that long. I will miss his so much.

When I found out about it, I couldn’t imagine coming home to a house without my cats, or any pets at all for that matter. So, I was VERY happily surprised when my Mom told me she is going to get a puppy and two kittens!!!

I am completely overwhelmed with excitement right now. My family has never had a dog before. Ever. I have always been so jealous of my friends and other families that have dogs – and now I finally get to have one 🙂

My friend decided she would come help me look for a new dog and kittens that I like, so we took at trip to the Milpitas Humane Society yesterday. There were SO many cute dogs and cats.

I am just so glad my family and I get to adopt a cute animal and provide a home for an animal that needs one.

We’re still searching, and on Monday I am SO EXCITED to go to another humane society with my Mom and hopefully pick out a new member of the family.

A Furry Surprise

yrreskrap2 Comments

10:28 AM: Monday, November 7, 2011.

A text message from my mother:

“There is a big surprise waiting 4 u. Hint: it’s furry, so sweet, and endearing…Can you get what it is?”

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m going home this weekend with my friends Anni and Sungjin. My mother had left me a long text message explaining food options and furniture and this BIG SURPRISE!

I really hope it is either a cat or a dog! I CANNOT WAIT!

If I had to choose which dog or cat I will be greeted with this weekend, it would be:

1) Scottish Fold Cat

My favorite pet by far was a Scottish Fold by the name of Butter. These cats have the sweetest disposition and a lovable face. Their eyes are very big and their ears are usually folded.

2) Chihuahua

My favorite dog was a 6 pound Chihuahua by the name of Tinkerbell. Chihuahuas, contrary to popular belief, are very intelligent creatures. Tinkerbell never barked too much either and was very very loyal.

3) Teacup Poodle

To be honest, I just want one of these because they are SO CUTE. I mean, LOOK AT IT. Ah my goodness! It makes me so nauseous because of how cute it is!

4) Bengal

I really want this cat because it is SO beautiful! It looks just like a miniature leopard! Goodness, I want it!

I hope I am not getting too caught up with this idea of having the pet be a cat or a dog because knowing my mom, she could have gotten me a nice knit scarf or a hamster.

But keeping my fingers crossed for a SCOTTISH!