We suggest you start reading at the beginning, June 2009. It's much more fun this way!

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Thank you Santa

Hi everyone

We hope you all had a merry and peaceful Christmas and Santa brought you all the gifts you had wished for. Here at our house the last few days have been really nice. Not that they are not so during the year but sometimes it gets hectic or André and Sue go away or something. But not for the Christmas holidays. We all stayed home and had a great time together. As usual André and Sue would go spend Christmas eve with friends. This has been a tradition (one more) for the last eight or nine years and they always enjoy it very much. This year they didn't come home till 2:30 on Christmas morning! They told us that the grown up kids of their friends had gone to bed long before the adults called it a night. Talk about who's up for some late night partying :-)

The next few days went by lazily, Sue spent most of Christmas and boxing day in her pajamas, reading a book and just enjoying life as did André (not in his PJs). We got lots of treats and pets and a bite of Sue's cookies every so often. All in all we had the most wonderful time. We hope you too had a great week and lots of fun and nice moments. Memories to accompany you throughout the year.

Now the year is almost over - just one more day - and André and Sue are wondering where the time went. They do that every year. Wondering we mean. So far they were never able to figure it out and no matter where we look, we cant find it either. Maybe this is just one of those figure of speeches humans use to confuse the rest of us. We are happy with the time we have now and although there were some really great moments in the past we are looking forward to what the future holds in stock for us. Hopefully there will be many adventures and funny moments we can tell you about in this blog. Like the other night: it was a bit chilly in the house after Sue had opened the windows to let in some fresh air. Trapper was looking for a warm place to snuggle up and found it - in André's T-shirt. Since André has lost a lot of weight this year there is plenty of room for Trapper to slip in with him as you can see in the picture above. Sue made a comment of getting out the camcorder when Trapper started grabbing at André's fingers through the T-shirt. You see, André had lots of fun teasing Trapper and Sue thought this would be a great video to send to Americas Funniest Animals and maybe even have a chance at winning. It was hilarious, I must admit. But before Sue got the camera out Trapper stuck his head out at the collar and so there was just enough time for that one shot you see. You won't find a shot like this with me in it, I tell you that. But I'm sure there will be some funny ones of me too in the future, just wait and see.

Now we wish you all a great start into 2010 and an even greater year. Many happy hours, good friends, good health and don't forget to come read our blog, ok?

Happy New Year

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Merry Christmas everyone

Last week we told you that André and Sue had finally decorated the house and set up the tree. We also told you that Sue was going to bake one kind of Christmas cookies - her all-time favorites. You see, when Sue grew up the home-baked cookies were a real treat at her home. The family had to watch their pennies and so they didn't have candy that often. But before Christmas Sue's mom would bake for days and Sue remembers how great the house would smell and how the kids would all be so excited to get the first of the cookies as well as the first oranges of the season on December 6th every year. Why December 6th? It's the day when St. Nikolaus came around to visit and check if the kids had been good throughout the year. Like Christmas here but in Europe St. Nick has his own day and on Christmas it is the Christkind coming. Anyway, St. Nick would bring the first nuts, oranges, mandarins, gingerbread and home-baked cookies.

Sue's mom would bake big batches of up to twenty different kinds and then, together with the kids, make beautiful plates which they would place all over the house. Of course there was so much that the plates could be refilled several times over. What a treat that was! As many cookies as the heart desired.

It's interesting to hear these memories every year and it made us realize that for André and Sue Christmas is not about presents at all. It is about the real meaning of the holiday and traditions. Seems that every family has their own traditions and that they are what will stick with people when they grow up. I mean who remembers what they got at age 4 or 7 or 12? But who could forget the holiday spirit, the traditional meal, having grand-aunt Ida over or how dad would go into the living room, closing the door behind him and then ring the little bell on the tree to let the family know, that the candles on the tree were lit and that they could come in now? You see, in Europe it is as much custom to have a real tree with real candles on it as it is to celebrate on Christmas eve rather than Christmas day. With Sue's family that didn't always work out as Sue's dad was a train engineer and often had to work December 24th or 25th or both days. So the family would adjust to dad's working schedule. The kids grew up knowing that there are people out there working while others are enjoying family time on holidays such as Christmas or Easter. They thought nothing of not having dad around on their birthday - they would just celebrate the day before or after. But when dad was there, they would enjoy it even more.

So here is to the true meaning of Christmas and to traditions. And also, here is to all the good people out there who are working on holidays for the good of others and to the ones who drop everything (such as volunteer emergency personnel), leaving their families in the middle of a holiday to go help where help is needed. Thank you very much!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Finally!

Finally! Sue has been very slow this year decorating the house for Christmas. We were starting to worry if she's going to do anything at all when last Sunday she and André got the stuff out and put it up. We have to tell you though, they kept it a bit simpler this year. Usually Sue would put up everything she has. Not this year. And we agree: less is more. It looks very festive and nice without cluttering the place. It's our house and we like it to look nice and so we think they did a good job. Fewer decorations but lots of candles and of course our singing penguins. Boy they are just too funny when they're shaking those little bells.

As you can see in the picture they have set up the tree, too. We had to go check it out of course and it smells like our tree and the balls are as much fun to play with as ever. The two only changes there are the tinsels and there are no chocolates on the tree this year. The tinsels used to be gold in colour but this year they are white. Looks like there is snow on our tree and at first we were really concerned. We thought that the roof had leaked and the snow had come in for real! Boy what a relieve to see that it's just decorations! As for the chocolates: they are a tradition in Europe. Small chocolates wrapped in tin that look like pine cones, Santa, bells and other Christmas related themes. Since André doesn't eat them and Sue wants to loose some weight they skipped them. This also goes with the "simpler" thing.

Of course there are no gifts yet and usually André and Sue don't put any under the tree at all anyway. They say they give each other (and us) gifts throughout the year and like to avoid the big rush in all the stores. But this year there will be a little package under the tree for André. We had asked Sue to get him a new key chain for us and rap it up. He had given one of his up and put it in the glove compartment of the car with change for parking in it instead of keeping the change in a cup holder. Sue did as we had asked and the present is ready to go. Now we only need to keep it a secret from André till Christmas. So we count on you not to tell him, ok?

With the tree up and the house decorated, all that's missing is the smell of Sue baking Christmas cookies. She told André that she is going to bake just one kind this year, again since André doesn't eat sweets and she wants to cut back big time. But there is this one kind she just loves too much to pass on them and so she will bake some tomorrow. Somehow the smell of freshly baked cookies is as much part of Christmas as the penguins, the smell of apple and cinnamon and candles, don't you think? And if we get lucky, we'll get to try one too! So we will be really good and hope she will notice and reward us.

With this said, we wish you all a nice week, not too much stress but lots of seasonal spirit.

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

It all is a matter of taste

Hi everybody

No, we don't mean Sue's Christmas decorations are a matter of taste although they are ;-). We are talking food. Well it's getting closer to the holidays when EVERYONE is going to indulge and also: André and Sue are currently on the road - again - and this means that someone else is looking after us. And that, let us tell you, means trouble. In this case food trouble.

Your choice of words really is confusing today, Hunter. Reading this could easily lead one to believe the people taking care of us when André and Sue are away do a bad job. But this is not the case! We love Rosemarie and Pia. They do a great job and always, always give us a lot of treats to make up for our servants unfaithfulness. Just leaving us alone for days on end and putting someone else in charge of taking care of us - it's an No No, guys! Anyway, the trouble usually starts with us. But what do you expect? I mean it gets lonely in the house and so we have to come up with a way to pass the time, right?

That's right as is the word "usually". The story we are about to tell you was not our fault - it was Sue's although it was not something she did - it was something she didn't do. But before we tell you what it was she didn't do let us tell you how events developed: one day André and Sue went away for a few days and asked Pia to look after us until they would be back. Pia, as always, was delighted to do so and came to our house every day to give us water and food, clean our litter box and spoil us with treats. She spent some time keeping us company but having a busy life herself, she could stay only so long and so Trapper and I got bored. We started exploring the house and looking for some new stuff to play with or to eat. And Trapper found something. The next day when Pia returned, she found our water dishes not just empty, they were right out licked dry! This really puzzled her and even made her concerned when Trapper started drinking like he was dying of thirst as soon as she had refilled them. Something was wrong, very wrong!

I WAS dying of thirst! At least that's how I felt. Boy what a nasty feeling and no water to be found anywhere. Good thing Pia had paid attention and started investigating while supplying more water. She knows us and so she looked everywhere, not just the obvious places, for a clue. Her thoroughness paid off: she found the wrapper of a stock cube with some crumbs of the cube still there and that solved the problem. That was what I had eaten. Can you imagine all that concentrated salt?

Pia put the remaining cubes in a save place and made sure Trapper had stopped drinking before she left that day. And ever since, when André and Sue ask her to take care of us, she asks them if the stock cubes are in a place we can't get at them. I mean, I have exquisite taste: I love my coffee in the morning and both Trapper and I don't mind a little piece of bread, dip sauces, cheese, nuts and some other delicacies. But stock cubes?! Only Trapper, my friends, only Trapper would eat something like this! So what didn't Sue do? She didn't put those cubes away.

Till next week when we hope to give you an update on the Christmas decorations

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

O Christmas Tree

Hi everyone

We know it's only three weeks until Christmas and everybody is busy shopping for gifts and everything else needed to make it the best Christmas ever. But there is something Sue wants to bring up. It is a cause close to her heart and so we decided to give her space on our blog to do so: Is a kitten or a puppy a good Christmas gift?

Thanks a lot, guys, I appreciate it.

You probably heard or asked yourself this question before. Christmas time is supposed to be joyful for everyone and I (and I'm sure Hunter and Trapper agree with me) like to include pets in that. Sadly for many animals what starts out as a nice and exciting thing turns out to be all but that. They will end up back at the shelter or even left out in the cold for someone else to care for them a few days or weeks after being given away as a gift. The poor things don't know what hit them: one day they are welcomed as a new member of a family - finally having found a loving home - and the next they are being discarded like a pair of old shoes. This is not fair! Not to the person who received the pet and even less so to the animal.

I think there are a few things one should consider before choosing a cat, a dog or any animal as a Christmas gift.

If you consider giving a pet to an adult (like your mom for example):
- talk to that person first to make sure he or she actually wants an animal
- ask the person what kind of animal they would like or better yet take him or her along when choosing their future best friend

If your kids ask Santa for an animal friend:
- make sure the kid is ready to take responsibility for a pet. You can read in some earlier blogs, that having a pet involves more than just giving it a name
- maybe talk to the child and agree on what's involved and which chores will be his or hers once the pet is there
- if you have doubts about the kid's readiness, maybe put the pet up for next year or a birthday. Give the child some chores for the time until then so he or she can proof that he or she is ready and committed. If you do that it might also help to grade the kid's performance on a weekly basis (together with the kid) and mark it down on a calendar. This way come the birthday or next Christmas there will be no big disagreements on how they did

In any case:
- don't forget to make sure the landlord of the person who gets the animal allows pets
- if not sure which animal you should buy, get help from a specialist (human society, breeder or vet) to find the right one. This is especially important with dogs: choosing the right breed (size, temperament and energy level) is very important
- consider possible lifestyle changes the new pet owner may make in the near future. Will the pet still be welcome or even be allowed (say in a retirement living environment or if the kid goes off to university)?
- can the new pet owner comfortably afford that pet? Food costs and vet bills can put a burden on someone on a tide budget
- what is going to happen to the pet if the new owner can not or no longer take care of it (who is going to take it)?

Once you have decided to go ahead with a pet for a gift, please consider the local humane society (that is where Hunter and Trapper come from) to get your present. They always have cats and dogs in need of a loving home and work hard to place those animals. You can read about them in some earlier blogs.

So if you are considering putting a pet under the Christmas tree for someone or if you know someone who is planning to do that, please take a few minutes to think or talk to that person about it. No living being deserves to be shoved around because it turned out to be a "mistake". If we can prevent this from happening to even one animal, we've done some good.

Thanks Sue, we agree. As much as we wish for every single one of our fury friends out there to find a loving home, when in doubt you might wanna stay away from giving a pet for a gift.

See you all next week

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Caution: candles!

We don't know what it is but as soon as it gets a bit colder in fall we start seeing some white stuff falling from the skies. André and Sue call it snow. And as soon as that stuff turns up, things start to change in our house, too. André turns the heater on - which is really nice - and also puts candles up everywhere! Soon other items will follow and in a couple of weeks or so a big tree will stand in the living room. It will smell of freshly backed cookies and Sue will turn on those funny penguins singing a Christmas song with a snowman every so often. The whole house will look differently for a few weeks until everything goes back into boxes and disappears until the next year.

Now here is what we think of this phenomenon: we love the heater! It's a pellet stove so it has a real fire inside which looks very nice and also gives up this terrific heat. When it comes on we can lay in front of it bathing in the warm air coming out. Trapper sometimes even jumps on top of the stove and takes a nap right there. It's so cozy. The decorations are fine too. They look a little bit different each year and we don't know if that's because Sue can't remember how she did it the previous year or if she does that on purpose for us. You see, decorations have to be checked out and so we get to walk around the house and find things we can smell or even play with! This, of course, also goes for the ornaments on the tree. Lots of fun grabbing them and then trying to drag them away. We even tried to climb the tree to get to the stuff higher up a couple of times.

The singing penguins are more fun for Sue than for the song. Sure it looks funny when they shake their wings with the little bell attached to them but the real fun is in watching Sue when she waits for us to go after the bells. Which we don't do as long as she's around but only when she is looking the other way. It's like watching a kid waiting for Santa.

All this stuff is not in place just yet this year except for the candles. You see, André and Sue love candles and so there are a tone of them all over the place. They look fine and smell good but they are hazardous to cats! It is very tempting to go look what the thing at the very top is. The one that moves with every breeze of air. But no matter how careful we approach it, we can get in trouble when getting too close. This thing is hot!! It almost burned our noses when we tried to sniff it. André and Sue let us do that in hopes that we would stay away in the future. Learn our lesson, they said. But it's just too intriguing. And sometimes we don't even think about the candles when we move around. Like when Trapper jumped on the tea table and before anyone had a chance to react he felt this heat on his belly and something began to stink: he had jumped right over top of a wooden bar with several tea candles burning and stood there, front legs on one side, hind legs on the other. Or when Hunter sat on the same tea table, back to the candles and swishing his tail over the flames.

Bottom line is: candles are hazardous to cats (and dogs too we assume) so please keep an eye on them and your pet. We sometimes just forget and appreciate you're watching out for us.

We will keep you posted on the situation at our house as the season progresses. Until next week

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The thing with the water

Last week we told you about the mouse hunting in fall. Well there is something else which is a sure sign of summer being over at our place: it's the time when André and Sue fill up the hot tub and start using it.

As you all know there is a whole lot of water in a hot tub and that is something which has always attracted Trapper even though he would never go in there. At least not on purpose.

You have to know that André and Sue only got the hot tub a few years ago. Before they had it, Sue would take a hot bath almost every evening. Not to wash, she takes a shower every day for that, but because she complained that she was cold. Well, winter does that to you. Anyway, Trapper would always keep her company in the bathroom while she was soaking, reading a book and having a glass of wine. He would sit patiently on the rim of the tub and wait for her to come out again. Nice little fellow, isn't he?

It's true, I used to do that and I loved it. Like Sue I am cold quiet often and it was always nice and warm in the bathroom. Nowadays I jump on the rim of the hut tub but it's not the same anymore. Now, here is the story about me keeping Sue company: after laying on the rim of the tub one evening and casually moving my tail forth and back, I noticed something I had never seen before. It did look a bit like the tip of my tail but not quiet the same at the same time. So when it came up near my head I jumped on it and when I moved it disappeared. Oh! It's still alive! Well, you must know what happened next. Something moves, a cat has the obligation to chase it. So I did. I started turning in circles - on the rim of the tub - and the funny looking thing kept getting away from me. So I turned faster and the thing kept going faster. Meantime the rim of the tub had become wet and then I slipped and fell right into the tub!

Funny guy here didn't recognise the wet tip of his own tail! Geeez. Well he was pretty young and still green at the time so he is excused. All André and I heard that evening was Sue screaming then Trapper meowing miserable. As he just said, he had fallen into the tub and Sue had to rescue him. Being wet and in a panic he could not get any traction to get out on his own so Sue grabed him got out of the tub and then toweled him down as good as she could. He still looked a bit funny when she let him out of the bath room, pretty dry again but somewhat shaggy. But if you think that experience cured him from chasing his tail again while on the rim of the tub, think again. He did it again and he fell in again - not once but twice since!

Now that André and Sue have the hot tub, Sue is not taking baths anymore so the risk of me falling in again has disappeared. The only thing Sue is worried about is that one of these days I will end up in the hot tub. Why? Because I still love keeping her company while she warms up and so I jump on that rim now. And she thinks that maybe one day I will misjudge the jump and end up in the water - again. Sue, don't worry, I am careful. I promise.

There it is, another fall story. See you all next week.

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Fall time - hunting time

Hi everyone

Yeah, it's fall and that means it's hunting time. No, not what you think. We are talking mice!

As it is with so many houses in the country side, ours is not exactly mouse proof and come fall, the buggers try to get in and set up shop for the cold season ahead. Needless to say that André and Sue don't like that at all - but we do. Hey, we are cats and hunters by nature after all and some extra excitement can't hurt, or can it?

Well there was the one time we almost wrecked part of the house. It started innocent enough: Hunter had caught a mouse in the middle of the night and I wanted to get some playtime with it too. Of course he didn't even think of giving the mouse up to me - catchers keepers (or something like that), you know. I on the other hand didn't think of letting this chance pass me by without having some fun. So I made my intentions known to Hunter by growling at him. He, of course, growled right back and before you know it we were in a fight with each other. This had some unexpected consequences: the mouse got away! And what's worse, it woke André.

Yeah, I remember it. When André got up to see what was going on, it woke Sue, too. And then all hell broke loose! We were fighting and André came after us to break us up. Meantime the mouse made it into the bedroom where Sue, still halfway asleep, saw it running under the bed. She screamed and - instantly wide awake - jumped out of bed. But she didn't stay there for long. She quickly realised that she was now standing at the same level with the mouse which could come running at her at any time and so she jumped onto the bed.

By now we had taken off after the mouse followed by André who still tried to catch either one of us. Fat chance! You try to get into the way of not one but two cats determined to catch a mouse, you become the "enemy". Since Hunter was a bit slower than I, André caught up with him and grabbed him. Hunter did not exactly agree with that and bit André who in turn let go of him. While this happened I was under the bed and the next moment we're all on our way back to the living room: first the mouse, than I, than Hunter who jumped on me when I ran by. Taking up the rear came André who promptly stumbled over us and almost took the glass unit with about 200 CDs in it down in the process. Sue was still on the bed, screaming at André to do something.

The mouse ran behind a piece of furniture and Trapper and I took up positions on either side to catch it as soon as it tried to come out. Now André got hold of a broom in the sitting room which Sue had left there for now obvious reason (unless she expected something like this to happen, which we doubt) and turned around just as the mouse made a run for it. Trapper jumped on the mouse and grabbed it and this triggered a new fight since this was my mouse and I wanted it back. Again the mouse got away and not knowing what to do first, separate us or catching the little pest, André turned first one way than the other knocking some stuff off the nearby furniture with the handle of the broom. The chase kept going for several more minutes during which we lost and recaptured the mouse a couple more times and a flower pot, a box of tissues and some other stuff went flying.

We finally got the mouse but André took it from us which almost got us into yet another fight. But this time we just growled at each other and then Sue separated us - now that André had the mouse under control she finally dared coming out - and the dust settled. We calmed down during the time it took André and Sue to clean up the mess and by the time they went back to sleep we were friends again.

Yep, this was exciting. We've caught some more mice since but never again did it go like this.

See you around next week - who knows, maybe by then we have another hunting story for you.

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Nice touch

Hi fans

Here we are with this weeks story. Actually it is not the story we wanted to tell you this week - we will tell you that one some other time if you don't mind.

You might be wondering what's going on her? Well, here is what happened: I call a meeting with my buddy Trapper here to get this weeks blog ready for Sue to type. But boy, was I in for a surprise. This guy shows up smelling like a perfumery!

Yeah, I know. But it is a nice smell - just a bit intense for our sensitive noses. I still don't know how this happened. Earlier today I went to the bathroom (Andre's and Sue's) to check if the water was on in the tub. Just wanted to have a drink, you know. The tab was off but it's nice and warm in there so I decided to stay a while and check things out. All of a sudden there was this sound: pffff and a cloud of nice smelling stuff hit me.

Anyway. We tried to figure out how Trapper got to smell like this and found that there really is just one possible explanation: Sue had put a Glad air freshener with a motion detector in the bathroom and Trapper must have gotten too close to it and activated it! We just can't think of any other way this could have happened. How long will that last, you think?

I have no idea and I can't get used to the smell myself. I keep wrinkling my nose and sure hope it will wear off quickly. Meantime I guess we call it a week as far as the blog is concerned. I mean who can think smelling like me - it's so distracting.

I agree. Gee, buddy, move over and give me some air! Go take a bath ... oh yeah, you don't like water any more than I do. Tell you something: you will be sleeping in another room than I tonight!

See you all next week.

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

You win some and you lose some

You win some and you lose some. It's so true! Here we are after the last of the guest have left and we are not busy anymore trying to get to the office and welcome everyone who comes through the door. Yet we have more work to do now because with the down-season André and Sue seem to get into a totally different rhythm. It's the same every year. They wind down, Sue sleeps in in the morning (well, actually she does that year round) and then dresses kind of funny and leaves the house for a few hours almost every afternoon. She says she's going hunting but we don't know whether to believe her or not. She's got no fangs or claws - how on earth does she expect to ever catch anything? What is she trying for anyway? People don't like mice and she sure isn't going to catch a bird.

So how does that make for more work for us? Well, it's harder to get her to give us treats leave alone type our blog for us. You may have been wondering about that already. How are those two doing it? Good question. After the problems we described to you at the beginning, we figured that she would never let us use that keyboard thing again and so we had to find another way to post our thoughts. You know what they say. Revenge is sweet! And since she was the one getting us into this, we decided to pay her back by making her do at least some of the work: the typing. It's the small part really and we do the heavy lifting - the thinking. So far it worked pretty good until she started to slip. She missed a deadline last week and today we really had to keep at her to sit down and write this week's news. We sure hope this is just a temporary problem or we will have to look around for an alternative. Any volounteers out there?

Lets hope for the best and see how it's going in the next few weeks. The good news is that Sue doesn't like the cold too much and so her erratic behavior (that going out every day) may stop soon again all by itself.


See you around

hunter and trapper

PS: Can you believe it? This is our 20st posting. And to think that at the beginning we didn't even know if we wanted to go along with this cyberspace stuff. Twenty posts - wow! This calls for a celebration. Lets go bug Sue for some well deserved treats!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

New follower

Hey Hunter, come quick and see: we have our first cat-follower!

Where? Oh, yeah. That's great! Welcome to our blog, Mutzu

Oooooops

Yeah ooooops: we missed our deadline for yesterday. Sorry about that, fans. In our defense we have to say it was not our fault. It was Sue's (she doesn't mind at all to be blamed for this ;-) ). How come? Well as we said in our last posting, fall has arrived here at our house and with that a whole bunch of activities. André and Sue have been busy getting the place ready for winter and that includes collecting all the bird feeders, cleaning them and then putting them up in just four locations: at the walkway to the house, in front of the living room window and at the playground. This way, Sue says, she doesn't have to go all over the place through the (sometimes deep) snow to refill them. Makes sense in a way, although a bit of exercise would do her good. Anyway. She also put a couple of feeders up for us again on the window. Remember the picture in the blog from two weeks ago? Those are the ones. Stick to the window and so the birds will be right before our noses. André and Sue call it "the cats' own entertainment system". Funny: they have TV year round and we have our own for a few months lol

So, how does that explain the delay of this posting: well you know, as soon as those feeders were up we had to check if the birds were coming. So we spent a busy afternoon sitting at the window and only leaving to have a snack, go to the bathroom or tell Sue that no birds had shown up yet and ask if she was sure the feeders were in the right place instead of writing a blog. I mean one has to set ones priorities right!

It was a bit boring watching the feeders with no action and so Trapper dosed off on the window sill and I decided to go lay down on André and Sue's bed. Sue had changed the linens in the morning and I had to make sure they were ok as Trapper and I always do when there is any kind of freshly washed laundry around. When I went out to check on the bird feeders again an hour or so later, I couldn't believe what I was seeing: Trapper was sleeping through his watch! There was a chickadee in one of the feeders and he didn't even notice it. Of course when I jumped onto the freezer, the bird took off and Trapper, totally startled, almost fell off the window sill.

Now WE know the birds are coming to the feeders and YOU know why this blog is a day late.

See you all next week.

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Fall is here

Fall has come at our house and we both love this time of year: it is not busy at the camp anymore and every so often Sue will take us out for a walk. This is the time to chase after squirrels or a leaf blowing in the wind. We are indoors cats but we love to look out the window and observe what's going on so Sue decided to give us a treat in form of a walk once in a while during the off-season. So she bought harnesses for us. When she puts them on, we know what's coming and can hardly wait to get out the door. Once outside we have completely different ideas of fun though: Hunter likes to walk a few steps then lay down and listen, watch and sniff the air for any interesting smells. After a while he will get up and walk some other place to do the same thing over. Rarely does he go really far which is a good thing should he ever manage to get out on his own. He actually did that once when he was living here only a short time. André and Sue had not noticed and gone to town. When they returned, Hunter was waiting for them underneath the bench on the front porch and he was happy to get back inside.

That's true but Trapper didn't mention that I, too like to chase after birds, squirrels and leafs. Not that I ever caught one but it's fun never the less. So the laying down and observing is only for times when there is nothing to chase close by.

Trapper has never caught anything either but he came close on butterflys, bumble bees and a couple of chip munks. He loves to explore and as soon as he's out the door Sue will have to try and keep up with him so not to constantly hold him back with the leash. He usually runs around the house and down to the beach where he loves to trow himself into the sand and wiggle around until one can't tell the colour of his coat anymore. Then it's off to the neighbour's place and up to the cottages and the big barn. It's funny to watch how he is running and Sue following. It looks as if he is dragging her behind.

One spring I went down to the beach and the lake was still frozen so I decided to go over to our neighbour over the ice rather than on land. Boy, that was cold and a completely new experience! I had to shake my paws after each step the whole way.

So now you know why we love springs and falls. It's for the walks and the fun they offer.

See you around

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Trapper the monkey

Thank you, Trapper, for all the nice things you said about me in our last post. I completely agree with you: cat's personalities are as distinct as people's.

My friend Trapper here is a little monkey. I've never met a cat that likes to climb and be up on things as much as he does. The higher, the better. As I have mentioned in the past, he can get just about anyplace he wants to and he takes advantage of this ability. Sometimes he finds a new place to take a nap and André and Sue are looking for him all over while he is snoozing away.

Trapper is very lively and sometimes runs around for no obvious reason. He loves to chase toys as much as he does a fly. He also loves watching birds and one of his all time favourite places is the windowsill. Of course he gets all excited when there is a bird especially if it is right in front of his nose. Sue has placed a couple of special bird feeders with suction cups on a window just for him (I like to go there myself for some fun). The birds soon found out that we can't do them any harm and so they come back to eat just centimeters from us. You can see that in the picture.

Trapper is totally André's buddy. He loves Sue too but when André is around, that's were you will find Trapper. When André and Sue watch TV, Trapper likes to jump up on the couch and, with a somersault, trow himself belly up right next to André. He also loves to stand on André's lap and lick his beard with a patience you wouldn't believe. For his own grooming he loves to come to me. André and Sue call it his day-spa. He lays down in front of me and then nudges me as a sign that he wants me to clean his face and neck. Those are the spots cats can't groom themselves very well. Of course I do that and sometimes he returns the favour. You see, cats are very social creatures.

There is one thing Trapper is afraid of: thunderstorms. Ever since we had an electric storm (which threw both of us in a panic) he goes hide someplace as soon as there is thunder. It must be the atmosphere more than the thunder itself because he doesn't mind it at all if it comes from the TV. Sue was watching "Twister" the other night and Trapper was right there with her - no problem. I sure hope he will overcome his fear one day because it must be bad to feel like this. André and Sue try to help him with that and it's gotten a bit better lately.

So you see: Trapper is as good and loving and compassionate a buddy as I am and I gladly return that compliment.

hunter

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

All cats are the same?

Whoever said this must have referred to the character of cats as it is very clear this statement could not have been made with regards to looks. I mean there are short hair, semi-long hair and long hair cats. We come in all kinds of colours and our coat can be anything from plain to striped to spotted to marked in endless variations.

But is it true that all cats are the same? No, absolutely not! Take us for example. Although we share looks (and pretty darn georgous ones we might add) we still are so different in character. Let's start with Hunter. He is one big fluffy, cuddly guy, very gentle with kids yet scary when he gets angry. It's the wildcat in him which also shows in his size and strength. He is totally focused on Sue and 150 % loyal to her.

Hunter does not like to lay on peoples laps but when he does it anyways, it's always with Sue. He seldom plays when someone is watching him - as if he was embarrassed of showing this side of himself. But when he thinks he is alone, he can chase a toy-mouse, trowing it high into the air or chase me, play hide and seek or simply chase his own shadow or some imaginary prey. His favourite toy is a small white pompom Sue made for him years ago and he looks so funny walking around carrying it in his mouth.

Hunter likes to lay on Sue's spot on the couch but when she comes and asks him to leave, an ever so slight touch will make him get up and leave the place to her. He also likes to lay on his back, all four paws stretched out and expose his belly. But careful there: you might scratch him a few times and then he decides he's had enough and bite you. Hunter goes and jumps on André's and Sue's bed every night when they go to bed. He will lay there for a few minutes and get pet then leave again. It's his way of saying good night to them.

All in all he is a great companion and very loving and devoted.

trapper

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Heahlty gourmet cats

André and Sue really take their responsibility for us serious. So when Sue saw a new cat food in the store which advertised as health food, she took the time to do some research. You see, they both want the best for us and the choice of the right food is not only important but with the two of us has some background history, too.

When I came to live here, André and Sue decided to feed me dry food and to stick with the brand the Human Society feeds. They would fill my bowl and I could (and still can) go snack whenever I feel hungry. Since I was only approximately 3 months old and still growing, I got kitten food which is extra rich and contains everything a kitten needs to grow healthy and strong. Some time later they changed to adult food and when I started to develop a weight challenge to a diet version.

Things changed when I arrived (what's new?) and they tried to give Hunter his diet food while at the same time feeding me the extra rich kitten food. Yeah right, as if we let anybody tell us what to eat. Since variety is the spice of life - and this certainly holds true when there is food involved - Hunter indulged in my food while I just loved his. This lead to Sue asking the vet for advise and ending up feeding us both the same, just regular adult food. But the damage had been done: Hunter had gained some more weight and I was just skin and bones. So Sue changed our food once again. There was a product which is supposed to help overweight cats with that issue while at the same time help underweight ones to build some muscle mass. It didn't really change anything for the two of us but at least it was tasty.

When Sue saw this new food we mentioned at the beginning, she put in several hours of research. She compared about 3 dozens dry cat foods for nutrients, protein, source of protein, healthy and unhealthy ingredients. Not just what was in there but how much and quality of ingredients, too. Then she narrowed it down to about six products and went to the store to compare prices. Based on all that she found that the healthiest food she could find for us cost just slightly more than what she was feeding us at the time. So now we get this new stuff and we love it - it's tasty and good for us. Honestly, who wouldn't want that if it means a longer life and fewer trips to the vet at the same time?

Boy, writing sure makes one hungry! Come on, lets go have a snack.

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

At the groomer's

When André's family came to visit recently from Europe, Hunter and I got quiet a bit of attention. Most of them had never seen us before and only heard some of the stories about us. So when Sue told some that I hadn't heard before I listened with interest.

According to Sue it started with Hunter developing some mats in his fur which couldn't be combed out. He doesn't like it at all if something pulls too hard on his fur. It could be because of the shape his coat was in when he was brought to the Human Society as a baby. The staff had to completely shave him when he first got there. Maybe they had tried to comb him to the point where he just couldn't take the pulling any longer. After that experience he doesn't like being shaved either.

Anyway, he had those mats and André and Sue figured it would be easiest to bring him to the groomer and let a professional do the job. When Hunter and Sue arrived, the groomer had just finished with a dog and put him back into a cage. A second dog (both of them larger than Hunter by the way) was waiting to be picked up, too. As soon as they smelled a cat in the room they both started to bark and stand up in the front of their respective cages. You should have seen the look on the groomer's face when only moments later both dogs retreated to the back and lay down quiet and intimidated after Hunter had given them a piece of his mind!

So the groomer gets ready to cut the fur mats out and Sue takes her jacket off to give her a hand. Let the fun begin: Hunter puts up a major fight and no matter how much Sue tries to hold him, the situation quickly turns into a wrestling match. After a lengthy struggle they're finally done and the groomer is very happy to see Hunter back in his carrier. She advises Sue that she will not take Hunter back should he need more trimming. Sue would have to bring him to the vet who could do the job after giving Hunter a tranquilizer.

Now as you can see in Hunter's pictures his fur is really long - up to 4 inches - and this causes the mats. It's just impossible to keep his coat clean without help. So one year after the trip to the groomer there is no avoiding it any longer: Hunter's coat needs some trimming and off he goes to the vet where they have a really tough time doing the job even after they had given him not one but two shots of tranquilizer! Next time, they say, they will have to put him under a full anesthesia to do the job again!

Hunter looked kind of cute though: completely shaved except for his head, paws and tail. And he has not to go back since André found a way to groom him at home. One day, a bit frustrated with the situation, André grabbed the comb and got to work rather roughly. And surprise: Hunter doesn't mind at all - he even likes it that way. Problem solved! Maybe he is just ticklish!

Funny story, eh? See you around
trapper

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Sick to the stomach

Unfortunately I became sick a second time in my life. This time real bad. It had something to do with my bowels. I was sick to the stomach and had a bad (and stinky) diarrhea and had become badly dehydrated. It was so bad, that I didn't even eat or drink anything anymore.

Based on previous experience and knowing that the vet would want to take my temperature again (and you know how that goes) both André and Sue came along to give the vet a hand. Yes, you read that right: 3 against 1! We went through the usual procedure and the vet made his diagnoses and determined the necessary treatment which would include pills - again.

The vet gave me two shots and then trimmed some fur around my back end to clean up a mess from my diarrhea and prevent it from building up again. Then he injected 2 large syringes of liquid under my skin to rehydrate me (I got two more of those a few days later). After supplying André and Sue with the necessary medications and giving them some instruction on getting food into me, he sent us on our way.

For the next ten days Andre and Sue looked after me real good and gave me tender loving care and my medications every day. Only once did we have a slight problem with the medicaion. Other than that we all did really good. I told you once before I am a good patient - and Sue is not too bad a nurse. The one part I didn't like was when they tried to force-feed me with soft and rather liquid food out of a syringe. It's kind of like taking pills - same principle and method.

I got all well again and have never been sick since then. Let's hope it will keep being this way for the rest of my life.
hunter

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

How to give a cat a pill

Two weeks ago I told you about the time I was sick and admitted to the animal hospital. But then the next morning the vet sent me home because of the havoc I was raising in there. The vet gave Sue pills which she and André were supposed to give to me over the next 10 days. And that was when it got interesting. If there is one thing all cats agree on it is that they do not want to take pills. And so, over the years, we have developed instinctive defense mechanisms for this situation. That I am pretty big and strong and can get frighteningly wild if I dislike something probably made it even more of a wrestling match.

First day Sue tried to trick me into swallowing the pill by giving it to me with some food. But I'm not stupid and ate everything but the nasty little bit. So she tried again, now giving me some of my favourite treats and sneaking the pill in there. Forget it - same story, different way. As if I would fall for this old trick. Finally André tried and ended up holding me down and when I opened my mouth to protest, he shoved the pill into my throat.

The next day I was prepared for that trick and determined not to let it happen again. First of all I put up a little bit of a fight when André tried to hold me so he was forced to try to corner me somehow. Unfortunately I was not at my best and didn't see that one coming. It is relatively easy to back out of a hold but once your back is to the wall it becomes a bit more difficult. So he got me again.

Third day I tired to scare Sue off by growling and trying to bite her, which I really don't like to do to her, but she left me no choice. This was really making it difficult for her - but not impossible. I had to find a way of holding them off and quick. So on day four I combine my efforts to backing away and growling at the same time and biting as soon as they got their hands on me. They now had to join forces, one trying to hold me while the other was attempting to make me take the pill. I lost that wrestling match but not without putting up a fight for several minutes.

From that moment on the odds were stacked heavily against me since now they teamed up right from the get-go every morning. After trying different ways of holding me down they finally settled on this strategy: André would kneel over me so I could not back out with my back up against him and stuck between his legs. He would then hold my head with both hands in what looked as if he was strangling me. Then Sue moved in and tried to pry my jaws open and then shove the pill so far back into my mouth that I had no other way to get rid of it than to swallow. This was a mean maneuver and I finally had to admit defeat.

I had fought hard and as long as I could but in the end 2 humans against 1 cat turned out to be more than one cat - any cat - could possibly handle.

See you next week
hunter

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Trapper's accident

Unlike Hunter I hate to drive in the car - especially when Sue drives. So any visit to the vet is bad even when it is just for a check-up and it turns out that I am healthy.

Once I am there this guy starts pocking me and listening to my heart and lungs and whatnot. Then he gives me my shots and I am all set for a couple more years. No big deal one would think. But who likes needles? I hate them and so I try to bolt for the door any chance I get. But the vet knows me well enough and keeps that door closed. Darn! So last time I was there I tried to jump up on the top shelf in the room to escape but Sue, knowing me even better than the vet, caught me just in time to prevent that. When we were done and Sue was paying the bill it was time for me to take revenge and jumped on the shelf near the secretary's desk. See Sue had not put me in a carrier but had put a harness and leash on me thinking that this way I would be more comfortable in the car. As I said: I jumped up and things went flying when Sue tried to get me down again.

Other then routine checkups I had to go see the vet only once: One day I tried to jump on something but slipped and fell. In the process I hit really hard and it hurt a lot. That afternoon when Sue tried to pick me up it hurt so bad, that I screamed. At first she thought this was protest because I didn't get my way but when she tried it again and I screamed again, she knew something was wrong. She let me be and kept an eye on me to see what was going to happen. I went for a snooze on André's bed but after laying there for a while even breathing hurt and I started to moan a bit with every breath. Enough is enough, Sue said to André, this is not good and I am taking him to the vet. She put me in the car and drove off. As you know I don't like driving in the car and the excitement and pain combined got me to hang my tongue out and pant like a dog. Sue was very concerned by know, thinking that I had punctured a lung or something and was going to die.

Turned out that I had broken the end of my sternum - that is the bone along the chest, between the ribs. The vet gave me a shot with antibiotics and painkiller that lasted for several days and I was released home with a very, very relieved Sue. He advised Sue that she and André were not allow to pick me up for 3 weeks to give the bone a chance to grow back together which it eventually did. Just not in the right position. Instead of going front to back it now goes off to the side. It doesn't hurt anymore but I have a lasting memory of that incident and sure hope it will never happen again.

I still don't like to go to the vet but I know he is only trying to help me when I need it and he, as everybody else there, is actually very nice. So: thanks a lot vets and staff of the Callander Animal Hospital for all you do for us. Not just from me but from Hunter, too.

This is about it with regards to me and my vet. Hunter on the other hand has some more stories he can tell you. So check in again next week.
trapper

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Talking of health

We've mentioned health and the vet a few times in our past blogs. Nobody wants to go there but sometimes one has to do things, one doesn't like. Like getting your check-up. It used to be annually but now we only have to go every second year which is much better. It isn't all that bad for me, as long as they don't try to take my temperature or to cut some of my fur off which only happens when I am sick or hurt.

The vet is a nice enough guy. Everybody at the animal hospital is very nice and knowledgeable actually. It's all this being poked and then getting needles which is not much fun at all. There is also a different atmosphere in there - like I am not in control. So I am usually glad to get out of there and go home.

When I am sick and have to go see my vet, that's when it gets hairy - really hairy! First time I was sick Sue took me there. I am not feeling well at all to start with and then the vet wants to take my temperature! I DON'T THINK SO! After he tried a couple of times to no avail while Sue tried to hold me down and I bit her, he put a muzzle on me and tried again. Muzzle or no muzzle I will not go along with this. So I bite Sue again - through that thing. Finally he managed to do it to me. In my defense I have to say I was weak and running a fewer. If it wasn't for that they would never have gotten away with it.

Once the vet was done with his examination, he gave me a shot and admitted me to stay in the hospital for a few days for observation and further treatment. Sue was standing there, blood running down her hand and dripping on the table from where I had bitten her and the vet actually looked a bit shocked at that. Wait, my friend, you haven't seen anything yet!

They put me in a cage and I didn't like it a bit. There were other animals too and this really stressed me out. So I started raising heck in there. So much so that the vet called André and Sue the next morning and asked them to come pick me up. He said that none of the patients (including me) could relax and get better because of the turmoil I created. Ok, I won and got to go home. Of course I was still sick and needed medication so André and Sue were supposed to give me a pill every day. That turned out to be a story in itself. I usually am a good patient, just ask Sue, but shoving those things down my throat became a challenge for them let me tell you that.

Anyway, I recovered after a week or so and was glad to put that experience behind me. Little did I know that there would be another one to follow. But before I tell you about that its Trapper's turn. He will tell you of his experiences next week.

See you around
hunter

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Snipp snipp

Last week we told you what good care the Human Society people took of us and how André and Sue are continuing to look after us. If you remember we also mentioned that it is not easy to find loving homes for all of us when there are so many. But why are there so many dogs and cats in need of a good home? There are pet owners who don't see the value in neutering/spaying their cats and dogs and by not doing it they contribute to a population explosion.

Did you know that a single female cat which has not been spayed can over the span of 7 years produce more than 420,000 kittens! This is with kids, grand-kids, grand-grand-kids etc. - you get the picture.

Now, Trapper and I both would have made great dads. But despite that and the fact that we are proud males, we don't mind at all that we have been neutered - it is actually good for our health and so we strongly support this practice!

If you adopt one of our friends from the Human Society, in many cases they will actually help you with the cost by refunding a certain amount once the vet confirms that he/she has done the procedure on you new pal. Animals from the Human Society also come with a clean bill of health, their shots are up to date (as far as they can be with regards to age and how long they have been there/immunisation schedule etc.) and with a micro chip planted under their skin. What this is for? Well, should you ever get separated, any vet or Human Society and many shelters can scan for that chip and find out where you live. So you can easily and quickly be reunited. Isn't that great?

So go ahead and get yourself a new best friend from the Human Society but remember: when you have a pet you are responsible for its well being including its health. So do your cat or dog a favour and get them neutered/spayed. This will also help make your relationship smoother.

Until next week
hunter and trapper

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Pets and their humans

As you know from our last post, animals can get along just fine among each other - at least in some cases. But they almost always get along with humans just so long as the humans treat them with respect, provide for the animal and give them a little love. A prime example of that is the Human Society.

As you know that's where both of us come from and we just have to give those guys our respect and love! It is amazing what they do with whatever means they have. They take in abandoned and even abused animals and nurture them back to health if they can. In some cases, when an animal is too hurt or sick or has reached the point where it can no longer trust humans because of bad experiences, that poor animal has to be put to sleep. This is very, very sad! You see, once you have a pet you are responsible for it and that means more than just giving it a name. It means to provide food, water, shelter, medical care, play time and love. Animals have feelings too and you should treat them with respect and love. If you do so, you will be rewarded with lots of fun and love in return. In our house it works this way.

In most cases the Human Society is able to bring an animal back to the point where it can be adopted out to a loving home - just like Hunter and I. As we already said: they do a fantastic job and try so hard to find a home for every single one of us. This is not easy as long as there are pet owners who don't see the value of neutering/spaying their cat or dog. But that is another story for another day.

Anyway, we want to thank the people at the Human Society from the bottom of our hearts for the love and great care they gave us and give to all the other animals they try to help. We hope that all our friends have already or soon will find loving homes.

So, if you consider getting yourself a cat or dog, go to the Human Society. You sure will find a new companion there and we are convinced that you will be rewarded greatly by your new friend if you provide a loving home and the basic necessities. But always remember: once you have a pet, you are responsible for it and its well being and adopting a four legged pal is a long term commitment.

Cheers and see you around.

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Cats and dogs

Ok, we hear you. Some of you didn't like the comment we made about dogs last week. You have to look at it this way: we were actually paying them a compliment by admitting that they can learn languages. But don't expect us to go any further than that - we are cats after all. And the proverb "fighting like dogs and cats" isn't just some invention. It describes the relationship between us and them pretty accurately. So whenever we hear André and Sue talking about getting a dog some day (they love dogs as much as they do cats for some reason) it scares us a bit.

Actually cats and dogs can go along just fine as we know from quiet a few examples. So I am wondering if that would work for us, too. What do you think? Maybe we could train a dog, especially if it's a puppy, and then have some fun with it. I saw on TV that all you need to make this happen is a calm and assertive pack leader, so if the puppy would understand that, the two of us could be that leader and make it happen.

Yeah, possible. I mean it's not that we are opposed to other animals - some of them would really be fun to chase. Well, there was the time when Hunter moved in. Sue had two birds at the time and she and André wanted to make sure Hunter would not harm or scare them. As if he had a chance to get to them in their cage. That's almost cruelty on animals - put them right in front of you with wire in between. Takes the fun right out of it.

It was frustrating, I must admit. Whenever I approached the cage, André and Sue would spray me with water. And you know how much cats hate water! Only my coat is so long and dense, that the water never reached my skin and therefor did not bother me the least. I would just close my eyes when they aimed for my face and sit there, dripping wet. It took them some time but they eventually got the message: no matter what they did to keep me away from the birds, I would not budge. So after a while they gave up. It was then that I started go sleep right on top of the cage. Didn't seem to bother the birds at all. They would actually climb up the side and pull on my fur - true story!

Well, enough of that, lets go for a snooze. See you all around

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Our humans

We have mentioned our humans in every blog and last week told you that they are actually pretty good. So we thought that they deserve a few minutes of our time and for you to get to know them a little bit this week.

Sue* has always been a cat lover and her family had two cats when she was growing up. The first one got killed in a car accident at a very young age but the second one would be her friend for over 15 years. Later on, when she had her first apartment, she was not allowed to have any pets other than birds or fishes by her landlord. So she had two budgies, little blue birds. There is a little story in this that Hunter will tell you at some later time. Even after moving into this house she had not expected to ever have a cat again until André* sent her to the Human Society to choose one for her birthday in 2000. Since we are both gentlemen, we will not tell you what birthday that was.

This was very nice of André, especially since he had no experience with cats whatsoever. We have to give it to him though, for a guy who's never had a pet before in his life, he has adapted pretty good to being the servant to a higher species. Yes, it's true: the poor guy has never had the opportunity to experience the joy that comes with being allowed into the company of the greatest creature on earth: cats.

They both love us very much and would do just about everything for us - which is nice to know except we can't tell them what that would be. After all these years they still don't understand cat as a language so we have to stick to body-language which complicates things. But just a little. We on the other hand are trilingual: we are fluent in cat and perfectly understand English as well as that other gibberish André and Sue speak. They say it's their mother tongue.

Learning languages is no problem for pets (not even for dogs). The trick is to handle it in a way that keeps the humans wondering if we did understand what they were saying. You see, we are pretty independent and don't like to be bossed around. Humans on the other hand don't like to be ignored. So keeping them happy while at the same time doing whatever we want is kind of a tight rope act. But sometimes we are the ones left wondering if they have caught on to us on this one.

All in all we are one happy family and have a very good understanding. Lets keep it that way.

So long, see you next week

hunter and trapper
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of humans involved
(Do we have to say this every single time? One would assume that our fans know that by now!)

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Hide and seek

That hiding thing Trapper mentioned in our last post is actually a fun game we play. It's called hide and seek and I used to play it with Sue* and still do once in a while. You see, humans are pretty easy to train. All I had to do is run in front of her, make this huge kitten eyes and look as if I was about to bolt. As soon as she took a step in my direction I did bolt out of sight then waited for her to follow me. It only took a couple of repetitions for her to get it.

Yeah, but with her we always know where she is. I, being a cat and great stalker by nature, had Hunter fooled more often than not until he knew all my favorite hiding places. Letting him go past on his search for me and then attack from behind is one of the most fun things to do. It usually ends in a chase all over the house which is lots of fun too. Hunter is so easy to play fight with. I often sit on the back of the couch or the tea table in the living room so I can see him coming and then, knowing where he is going, attack him when he comes around a corner or a piece of furniture. He never sees it coming!

I have to admit that Trapper is good at this. He is fast too and I've never met another cat who likes to climb like him. He can jump high and far which allows him to get to just about any place in the house he wants to go. I've even seen him balancing on top of a door which he reached by way of office furniture. Trapper has also left more than one scar on Sue, digging in his claws when jumping on her shoulder. That is when she is standing up - I told you he can jump high.

Of course I never meant to hurt André* or Sue. They're good humans and reliable when it comes to doing their chores such as giving us food, water and treats or cleaning our litter box. So I think we'll keep them around for a while.

That's it for today. We have to go now, it's time to go bug Sue for some treats.

hunter and trapper
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of humans involved

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

After Trapper arrived

After Trapper arrived at my house, life became a bit more interesting. You see, we are indoors cats and so there really isn't as much fun to be had as if we could go outside.

First I had to make sure this guy knew where to find food and water and where to go to do his business. So I kept a close eye on him. Since all the excitement of the move had upset his stomach a little, I made sure that he was clean when coming back from the bathroom - again pinned him down, checked and, if necessary, cleaned him.Yeah, that's true. Hunter took really good care of me and was very patient, too. It made me wonder if that growling he did once in a while when I walked past him was just a facade. I think it was. He is a big and strong guy and big, strong guys don't show feelings so obvious. It's a macho thing. But deep down he really liked me right from the start. And I too love him. Hunter would have made a great dad.


Anyway, having to keep an eye on Trapper wasn't the only change around here. As all parents know, having a baby around cuts back on ones sleep drastically. Lay down for a snooze and you can be sure the little guy wants to play. Or get jolted out of a deep sleep because he is biting your ear or simply jumping on you!

LOL, those were fun times. And if I ever went too far and Hunter came after me, I could go hide places he could not get into because he was so much bigger than I. I never had to hide for long though. One of Hunter's qualities is, that he never holds a grouch for long. A low Meow after a minute or so would bring him right back to check if I was ok. Worked like a charm every time.

So much for today.

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

A little bit about us (cont.)

Now that Trapper has let the cat out of the bag (so to speak) about my weight issues, let me tell you a little bit about him.

As he has already mentioned he came to live with us in 2003, walking into my house as if it was all his! He was cute enough in one room while I had the rest of the house to myself for a couple of days. André* and Sue* had removed the door and put a wood frame with rabbit wire there instead so we could see and smell each other but not mingle. Then they let him out for the first time so we could finally meet face to face. Of course I had to lay the law down right then and let him know who is boss here. Know how that is done? No? Ok, you pin him to the floor and take his throat into your teeth. Then you stand there like this for a few seconds and then walk away and ignore him for a day or so just to make sure he got the message. Now, I have to admit I couldn't resist his playful approaches for that long, he was just too cute as you can see in his baby picture. He is also a little crazy if you ask me. Runs around a lot and wants to climb the higher the better - kids!

Anyway, we became real good buddies even though once in a while we have a little fight. He can be a little bugger, you know, and get on my nerves when all I want to do is have my peace and quiet. But all in all he is ok (won't admit that I love him when he's around to hear it).


Yeah, that's a little rundown on my buddy Trapper. See you next week for more of this (I think we're getting the hang of this after all)

Hunter

*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of humans involved

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

A little bit about us

Well, well you might think, who are those two gorgeous looking guys?

We still don't know what to think of this whole thing, but as long as we are here, we might as well let you know a little bit about us:

Hunter (that's him in the picture by the way) is the older of us. He came to live with André* and Sue* in 2000 and soon took to his new home. No wonder, he had been abandoned and left to die in the forest before he was found by a hunter and brought to the Human Society where André and Sue found him. His camouflage coloured coat and the fact that he had been rescued by a hunter lead the shelter to name him Hunter. André and Sue stuck to this name. Hunter has an interesting ancestry: the vet (that is our physician) says he has a bobcat or a lynx in his family tree about 3 generations back. And wow, if he ever gets angry, that really shows.

Living la vida lazy, as I like to call it, Hunter didn't exactly stay lean, if you get my drift. So in 2003 André and Sue decided to give him a companion. At the Human Society they found this tiny little guy - just a few weeks old (and the perfect breakfast size for Hunter) - and decided to take him home. That is me, in case you haven't caught on. Having kind of her own way of thinking, Sue named me Trapper as an other kind of outdoors guy thing. Go figure women!

Anyway, so much for Hunter's background. He'll tell you a little bit about me next week. See you around

trapper

*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of humans involved

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Welcome Julie

Hi Julie
Thanks for joining us on our blog. We are very happy to have you as our very first follower!

Stay tuned - a new post is in the making and will be here soon.

hunter and trapper

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Are you serious?

Ok, now they make us go cyber – whatever that means. And here we were, two innocent cats just minding our business. They say it’s for popular demand from people who know us and want to see what we are up to. We don’t know about that and honestly we think that this is just too much work to incorporate into our already busy days. I mean who has the time to write about our daily adventures and – God forbid – even add pictures between sleeping, eating and getting our share of petting and lots of treats? We tried to get our two cents into this whole thing but no matter what we did to that thing they call a mouse (yeah right, doesn’t look like one, doesn’t taste like one but what do they know) we could not get it to do anything but change the way the screen looked. Maybe we need to get to this other gadget to get our message out. But ever since Trapper here stepped on some of those funny looking keys, adding his comment, and then (so they say) sending an unfinished e-mail to a perplexed recipient, they make sure it’s safely stored away in its drawer.

Looks like we have no choice here but to go along for the ride and see where this is going.


hunter and trapper