Category: Cats

Cat flap

On By CarynIn Cats, Craft

When we built the catio almost six years ago, we set up a window as the access point. To keep the flies out I cut a cat flap in the screen (because window screens are relatively easy to fix). Well, this is fantastic in the summer, but in the winter it gets a bit chilly in the living room. I had been using a scrap piece of clear plastic to block some of the incoming draft, but it was getting old and brittle so I ordered a larger piece. With a larger piece I was able to cover the whole screen and cut a new cat flap.

Photo description: Window screen on the floor covered in clear plastic.

I cut the plastic to size and adhered it to the screen frame with glue dots. I then put it back into the window. It took the cats a couple days to really get used to it, but it makes a huge difference reducing the winter breeze through the room.

Photo description: View from inside the newly lined window screen with Thor the gray tabby on the windowsill investigating the new smells.
Photo description: View from outside the window, actually showing the reflection on the window plastic and Izzy the calico cat being cold and refusing to use the weird flap. I had to carry her inside for a couple of days until she figured it out.

Floof

On By CarynIn Cats

Both Mr Tom and his Shadow are in full glorious long winter coats. They still come over for brushes, and I caught a couple pictures of their rubbing ritual. This cat greeting behavior is how I convinced Shadow to get brushed, because he would rub on Mr Tom and I would sneak in a brush stroke. For the longest time I think he thought the brush was Mr Tom not me. He knows now though, and likes his coat groomed even more than Mr Tom.

Photo description: Long haired white cat next to a long haired black cat with his tail over the white cat, both walking along a rug covered with leaves.
Photo description: Same two cats, tail positions reversed.

Mama cat is also long haired and performs the greeting ritual. I actually managed one brush stroke along her back, but she is much more wary than even Shadow.

Yes, they are my neighbor’s cats.

Box modification

On By CarynIn Cats, Craft

We’ve had a small collapsible bench for several years. At one point I added cat flaps to give Sophie the cat a hiding place. Then it underwent a transition to a litter box hide, but the dogs dug at the door flaps trying to get to the sand treats (ew).

Photo description: Fabric box with cat flap that has had the trim torn off.

I have mentioned that Thor, our newest cat, is becoming a big boy, so I modified the bench yet again to allow him access, turning it back into a cat hide. Since the box was constructed to be collapsible, the side panels were split in two. It was an easy modification (much easier than the first flap I cut) to remove one side panel from each end.

Photo description: Same box, same side, but with half the side panel cut away. A gray tabby peers out of the hole.

I put a wool pad inside the box a d Thor’s rectangle bed on top. He is quite pleased with the offering.

Photo description: Gray tabby cat in a rectangular fuzzy bed with rolled sides on the lid of a fabric bench with side holes.

The holes are on opposite sides of the bench to retain some rigidity.

Pretty boy

On By CarynIn Cats

Today you get a picture of Thor the Gray Tabby, because he is such a pretty boy.

Photo description: Gray Tabby with white bib and chin and black collar reclining in a leather arm chair, looking at the camera with golden eyes.

Wood walk

On By CarynIn Cats, Flora, Fungi

I took some green time and walked through the woods. I can still see the results of the heavy rain we had, the path I cleared years ago had been swept clean by the water, making a path about two feet wide through the leaves.

Photo description: Dirt path through saplings and vines with a scattering of newly fallen leaves.

I saw some nice mushrooms too, another sign we’ve actually received significant moisture.

Photo description: bright white hairy puffball mushroom in brown and yellow fallen leaves.
Photo description: white and cream capped mushrooms in green meadow grass.

I have what I believe is a mulberry tree in the back woods. It is growing under the canopy, so is spindly but keeps making a go of it each year. I was sad to see that something, probably deer, have stripped the bark on one side of the tree.

Photo description: Bark stripped from half of a maybe two inch trunk, two green leaves visible from the same tree.

And of course there were cats. I was able to get a picture of Mr Tom in his glorious winter coat before he wandered off.

Photo description: Flame point long haired cat with full winter ruff sitting in meadow grass.