Cats - Autumn walks, general photos and quirky observations

Harvey walking by the lock

We are at that lovely time of year still when the weather does not always have that bite and there are some leaves on the trees. Yesterday I took the chance to  walk Harvey, and just a little stroll with Luna.

It still astonishes me that everyone finds it so unusal to walk a cat. Having had Louis come back to us years ago with a huge slash down his stomach barely surviving I would not wish to put any of my cats through this nor us. Although we do not live on a main road I would also hate to think that our cats could in anyway cause an accident through cars trying to avoid them. To a lesser extent there are the risks of Antifreeze poisoning (on the increase), also anti social members of society trying to cause harm to our cats, and lastly, as they are all pedigree cats, people catnapping them for sale!!

Luna striding out on one of her first walks

Harvey is our great walker, however he does dislike bicycles, dogs and people which means we walk at quieter parts of the day. Reuben could take or leave walking, he is happy at home. Monty truly dislike it and adopts his position for all horrible situations i.e. going to the vet or burying his head into your arm so he cannot see anything!! Bertie would probably be ok, although I just feel he is happy at home, however I have just started to try Luna on a harness. She has a very gung-ho  attitude to the world and I have been proved right. On her first introduction to the harness she was up and ready to go out the door and had her tail upright and eager to look around.

Cat shelves in full use

The cat shelves are soooooooo popular, my only issue is that there is only one way up and down and if more than one wants to be on there we immediately have a blocking problem, not something I foresaw!! Instead I have gone around the house look to make sure areas where they can get height, to have a bit of variation, are in general cat friendly. Although my mantlepiece is still strictly out of bounds, my lovely china  Guinea  Fowl are too fragile. Someone suggested museum putty to hold them in place, I must look into that!!
Ohh, also we've had a new success on the RAW food front DOC's - cheap and 2 out of the 3 love them so far!!!

Harvey under the autumn Acer

Monty with his piercing eyes

A few interesting observations - odd and sometimes quirky.

• Alpha cat will only allow lots of stroking when no other cats are around. Then he turns back into a kitten. It is like your teenager boy who loves his mum but when with the rest of HIS crowd he has to look cool.

Bertie, very much our fluffy Selkirk

Reuben loving the outside trees

• Alpha cat also has to be fed away from the other cats, higher or another room.
• Alpha cat can get his food nicked very easily, the kittens will just come under his nose and nick it whereas away from the bowl he would give them a swipe with his paw.
• For five cats we have four litter trays ( I know for five we should have six). They only use one for the one use while all the others get used for the other use. In the mega tray we use Worlds Best and in the smaller other ones we use Natures Gold. I must do an experiment!!
• Present number two could take on Alpha cat but it is not in his nature however when Number twos adopted babies are threatened Number two takes Alpha cat down. General behaviour would indicate a level playing field between these two. No defence given by two to Alpha, and Alpha expects none - they associate and rest amicably together.
• The sink is the best place ever, number two who doesn't like lots of strokes will shout until a towel is put in the sink and he will jump into it and expect constant stroking.
• Boxes of different sizes and things put in or holes cut in are the best toys ever.
• Except for a pop up cube which all of them try to pile into in one go!!! it collapses, it rolls, it's the best.

  

  Luna showing off her fine tail!