Where Did All These Cats Come From?
Let’s get something straight. I know for a fact that I have seven cats. I have a beautiful photo to prove it and I even know all of their names and can recognize them properly about 90% of the time without getting them mixed up. So, why does it seem like there are dozens of cats living in the house?
When the kids visited for the holidays, it seemed like everywhere I turned there were cats. I’m making cookies and am surrounded by them, their fur, and their dander (my secret ingredient). When I was wrapping presents, they were all over the place – some of them sitting on wrapping paper, some chewing on ribbon (bad kitty) and some hiding inside empty gift bags. When we sat on the couch to watch Christmas movies, it was like a conveyor belt of cats as we saw them randomly walking to and fro with an air of confidence and urgency past the TV.
Getting some help in the kitchen...
At night, before I go to bed, I always get my clothes ready for work for the next day. I think I am completely alone, but as soon as I open the closet door, it is literally instantly filled with cats. How do they do that? And how is it that they are already on the top shelf? During the night as I try to get some sleep, there seems to be an endless changing of the guards as one cat after another tries to find that perfect “snuggle spot” on the bed (or my head). When I wake up in the morning, stumbling to get out of bed, I feel like I have tripped over at least a dozen cats before I make it to the bathroom.
The closet door is barely open and Zee is already in there!
The last thing I do before I leave for work is scoop litter boxes. No sooner am I done scooping one box, that a cat doesn’t appear and use it again. I move on to the next litter box to find another cat waiting… Sigh…
It’s like those little sponge capsules we got as kids – just add water and watch the creatures grow!! The only time I feel like we don’t have any cats at all is when the cat carrier comes out. Oddly enough, all the cats vanish without a trace of evidence…
Can you tell who is who??
Lovely post and photos – what a nice way to start my day!
Thanks Ingrid – nothing like a warm cup of coffee and some cat chat to brighten a day!!!
Deb, I think it has less to do with the actual number of cats than it does with their coat patterns and their ability to create virtual cats when together! I’ve lived with more cats, as many as 10, but they were all different, the only two who were similar were my Cookie and Kelly, the tortie girls. Now with five black cats and two torties, I see cats everywhere, even when all seven seem to be in one place!
I love the kitchen photo! and for some reason the closet is like a black hole in space sucking cats into it when the door is opened.
Bernadette – if anyone can relate to this post, it sure is you!! I love your line, “I see cats everywhere…” And yes, the enigma that is a closet….
What a delightful post! I LOVE seeing your cats all over the place – I feel like that sometimes and I only have two (but you know how big Zee is so you can imagine how Legend & Tsunami fill my small space!)
Tonight I was on litter duty and sure enough, 3 scoops in, here comes Tsunami, right in the middle of scooping time – could not wait til I was done – nary a bone of shame in that cat’s body – I had to leave the room and wait while he left me a “live one” to make my job oh so much more pleasant!
Zee looks so sweet in the closet…
Hope you have a PURR-fect weekend!
Ramona & The Boys
http://create-with-joy.com
Joy – now that I am surrounded by such a wonderful circle of cat lovers who “get” cats, I no longer have to pretend that the cats aren’t all over the place – such as on top of the counter, the dining room table, the TV armoire and everywhere else!! First thing this morning, I did all my scooping, brought the “package” out to the garbage, by the time I came back inside, two more had gone…
Thanks for stopping by and big hugs to your beauties – Legend and Tsunami!!
I think cat hair ends up equaling one additional cat for every two cats owned. At least that’s how it seems to work here.
Vicky – it’s so funny you mentioned that! I was just vacuuming in the bedroom and thought that very thing…
Oh goodness, your house does sound like mine. But I do see cats everywhere. After all there are 19 here. Granted a lot of them are outside but believe be when the weather is bad, most of them do come in. And I am like squishiville in the bed. I do not get one inch. And open a closet door, wham, they are all in there instantly.
Have a great week end.
Oh Marg!! What a generous heart you have!! You really do see cats everywhere!! You have a great weekend too!
In my house I´m the only cat , but my mom say´s that she is recognising efuryword you write in this post 🙂
Kjelle Bus… cat language is universal!!
Those are the cutest photos! I’d be in kitty heaven if my girls allowed more cats to come into our house. I would love to know your secret about how to introduce them to each other. Btw, I just bought your book, yayyyy : )
Wendy – thank you so much for getting the book! I think once you read it, you will understand my secret… The story of my cats was guided by a fate that was destined for me. Because of that, the relationship my cats share is extraordinary!! But, you can have a multi-cat home with success. It’s all about pacing the introductions, making sure that each kitty has individual time with you, as they are very territorial, and by giving them an environment filled with plenty of vertical and bush dwelling space so that the cat can feel a sense of personal ownership of space. Lots of love and alot of patience!!
I think cats have the magical ability to multiple at will that way they can be everywhere at one time! Actually, my house seems kind of empty since the kittens went to their new home. Now I’m down to KC, Zelda, Boyzie and Sugar inside. Breckin will only come in if it’s below freezing!
Vicki – when Zee and Zoey had the four kittens, we gave one of them away. We kept the remaining three because we could not bear to part with them!!! A home without a cat is empty indeed and I am glad you have your gang to keep your heart full!
Beautiful cats!!!! I have a houseful also, as well as collies, but you are correct — a home without a cat is empty!!
I love dogs too Bonnie, especially collies, but right now it is an all feline home!! Thanks for stopping by to say hi!!
In my house it’s not so much that the woman sees us (in fact she even went to the bathroom without us once and worried that we were all injured somewhere) it is that she hears us.
Chey -she went to the bathroom without you… wow, I would have been worried too…. I can’t remember the last time I have been in my bathroom alone!!! We have some talkers too – I think Zoey might have some siamese in her!
Deb, loved this post, and nothing beats a bed full of cats!
Happy you enjoyed, Layla! I know you can relate! 🙂
What is it about cats and closets? Ok I only have one cat, but he can be in another room on another floor of the house and as soon as he hears the door he’s in there like a shot. The number of times I’ve gone away and had to return to let him out all indignant and scruffed!
Thanks for the great laugh 🙂 x
Carolyn – isn’t that the truth…. they can all be deep in slumberland, I tiptoe into the closet, barely open it, and there they are! We forget and shut the door on occassion too…. Zoey will howl like a wild banshee to let us know, Zee, well, he will just sit in there in complete silence until we open the door. Zoey will act indignant, Zee acts like he meant to be in there the whole time..
Hahaha! Great post! That kitchen photo is hilarious. It’s funny how cats have a knack for knowing what is going on and getting right into the middle of it. I have vanishing cats too – if I let them see the carrier before I am ready to slip them into it. That should be an Olympic sport, by the way. I only have 3 cats so my house isn’t nearly “full enough” but I can usually see at least one no matter which room I am in.
Julia and Brian – regarding the litter – we actually consider that an “Olympic Sport” at our house. That is how much litter I scoop and how much the cats rever the task of keeping the box full for me.
We actually know that scooping is great exercise and we like to help keep our humans fit and healthy! I love those pics!!!
MOL! That was a brilliant post, Deb. And beautiful photos (as always!). 🙂 Isn’t it amazing how the kittehs can just disappear and reappear at the drop of a hat? I especially love the picture of your beautiful helpers in the kitchen!
Have a great weekend!
Meowmeowmans – I get A LOT of help no matter what insignficant thing I am doing! I was making pizza tonight and the gang was so mesmerized on the counter watching me, that I felt maybe I should have a show on Animal Planet, “Cooking With Cats!”
Haha! You know you love it!!
You know it Island Cats!! Wouldn’t have it any othe way!!
It is the same at our house with our seven miscreants! Someone is always getting into something – opening the laundry room door, trying to jailbreak into the garage, Henry chews any paper product within reach, Brooke lingers and stalks after Sabrina and Piper, Vickie smacks May around. Like I said, something is always going on. Beautiful post and lovely picture. I wish I could take a picture of all seven of our cats at one time!
Yes, since we both have the magic number “7” of cats, you know exactly what it’s like at our house Rachel!! I often feel like I live at Grand Central Station for cats – it’s always such hustle and bustle. Unless they are napping…
One of Faraday’s fave tweets is “Beating Mommy to the litterbox means never having to lift a paw to bury a thing. SCORE!” Yup. That about says it all.
Except…what *is* it with kitties and bathrooms and my inability to have any privacy?
Not that I’d change a thing 🙂
That’s funny Ryker’s Boyz ‘n’ Allie!! I don’t know what it is about bathrooms and kitties either. For whatever reason, that is where my Maine Coon Zee likes to bond with me. He will instantly appear as I sit down to snuggle in my lap… edearing, but very awkward!!!
Yes, there is something about cats. They are everywhere. To the extent if they’re not there, it’s panic time. Where are they?
LOL… so true Jan!!