Cats

We were asked to cat-sit a few weeks ago.  My husband has a mild allergy to cats so I really didn't expect him to oblige, but sometimes he surprises me.    So two sweet cats, Bella (aka the fat one) and Jade (aka the little one) came to stay with us for a week. 

Bella wasted no time settling in.  She made fast friends with my husband and happily the allergic reactions were very mild.  Soon Bella was trotting along at his heels everywhere he went and meowing pitifully and pacing back and forth whenever he was behind a closed door.  He caved every time.  His original rule of "they stay downstairs" was quickly abandoned.  He admitted by the end of day two that he had been letting Bella hang out with him anywhere she pleased.  By the end of day three she had also managed to figure out how to open pocket doors so she was able to wander at will. And, by the end of the week she was greeting us in bed in the mornings, mainly to remind us that she likes to be fed.

Jade was a tougher nut to crack.  She tends to be a cranky one even in her own familiar surroundings.  Placing her somewhere new was a bit of a challenge for her - and us.  She hissed and groaned anytime we came to near.  I wasn't ready to give up on her though, and made her endure some scratches behind the ear, which soon turned into belly rubs and on occasion allowing me to pick her up.  On our second to last day together she allowed me to carry her upstairs, though she moaned and groaned all the way.  But then, I put her in the sunbeam the spreads across our kitchen floor.  She sat for a minute, then stretched out, rolled over onto her back and purred.  I had won her over.  It lasted about five minutes and then I moved, she hissed, growled and ran away.  Ah well.

 Here are some photos of the visitors.

This is Bella. She knows where to find a cushy spot to sleep.  She simply stole the little nest that Jade had made by stamping down the cushions on the back of the couch.

This is Jade at her most fierce!  Ok, really I had interrupted her 23 hours of sleeping and she was yawning.

But, truth be told I took quite a number of photos of her and this is the one where she has the least disapproving expression on her face.

We were sad when they left and are now looking for a shelter kitty that might want a new home with us.