Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

China and I have engrossing conversations. He is this long haired black and white exotically marked cat. We talk to one another. I “meow” and “meow”. And sometimes he replies. Other times he snuggles against me. I have no idea what I am saying in cat language but he gets the message: I love him and want to be near him. He is the most vocal of all our cats. We have seven. I have different relationships with all of them. Cheyenne, also long haired like China and his brother is one of the most beautiful cats I have ever seen. He often goes in the opposite direction when I approach him. He just does not like me. Both China and Cheyenne have the same mother Jasmine, a diminutive female who seems to get along with everyone including her four sons from two litters. Sometimes they all can be found lying near each other on my bed. I never thought I would become a cat lover but I have. They are very different than dogs. And I have four dogs. Our menagerie now numbers eleven. No fish yet.

Tags: cat conversations, cat language, cat lover, cats, cats and dogs, cats and dogs are very different, cats on the bed, Cheyenne, China, dogs, four dogs, I "meow" and "meow", Jasmine, long haired cat, our menagerie, pets, seven cats
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Last night was the third one in a row Tilla slept in my bed.  I sleep on the right side and my dog plopped himself right where my head would go so I had to fight for space and every inch.  I guess he like(s)(d) being close to me.  Coco, my other black dog was in her usual spot along the left side of the bed.  In fact I even had the third black animal we own sleeping on the foot of the other side of the bed–Cool Hand Luke–one of my seven cats.  That was somewhat unusual for Jasmine and her grownup kittens have, of late, taken over that spot.  She had two litters–four cats and it is not that unusual to see at least two of them sleeping nearby her on the bed.  They get along really well.

Tags: cats, cats sleep on bed, Coco, Cool Hand Luke, dog sleeps in bed, dogs, Jasmine, Jasmine and her grownup kittens, My black Animals were sleeping on or near my bed, pets, seven cats, Tilla
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My seven cats and four dogs enrich my life.  I have to admit only one cat (Cool Hand Luke), a completely black scrawny cat, seeks me out and snuggles up to me occasionally.  Maybe, that is because she is the only pet I had before I met my wife over ten years ago.  I have always taken care of her.  She has a favorite spot in my room, where she curls up by the window on the books I have placed there.  When she is not there at night she sleeps on my bed catercorner from me.  She does not get along too well with the other cats.

My relationship with the other six cats are all different.  Cheyenne, a beautiful long haired cat, usually does not let me pet him.  In fact, if I approach him; he goes the opposite way and looks at me with the expression “how dare you go near me.”  Jasmine, a tiny delicate female, the mother of four of our cats, does not seek me out but does not object if I pet her.

China, a long haired exotically colored black and white cat is one cool cat, supremely confidently poised cat will, also, not seek me out but certainly not turn down an hug from me.  Tiger will also not turn me down.  He has the softest fur.  Even the vet commented how soft his fur was.

Pumpkin, the only cat from Jasmine’s first litter, is just a nice cat and gets along with all the other cats.  And then there is Buttons, somewhat similar in coloring to Tiger.  He was the last cat to enter this household.  He showed up at our front door.  He is about as wild as you can be and still be a domestic cat.  He hides under our bed.  And usually goes the other way if I dare approach him.  That takes care of the cats and now I will talk briefly about our four dogs.

There is Pax, the elder, who is a ninety pound scary dog but a real scaredy cat.  He likes the sound of his own voice and will demonstrate that if he runs into the yard and seeks out the furthest right corner of the fence barking every step of the way.  He comes up to me if he wants something for he knows I will not ignore him and act quicker than my wife.  He is getting up in age–now twelve.

Now there is the golden retriever appropriately named Sweetie.  She is very tactile, loves to have something in her mouth and just can not get enough attention.  In fact, she will demand it and sit there all day while you pet her.  She is the mom of the last two dogs (Pax is the Dad) Tilla and Coco.

Coco is a long haired female who is black with a touch of red in there.  She has the most adorable fluffy ears.  She likes her privacy.  She will often go into the bed room by herself and just stay there for hours.  She will lie down there front paws crossed so delicate like completely feminine like.

The last animal I have is Tilla originally called Atilla The Hun and The Olympian.  He is the only dog who could jump the fence we had built around a large section of the yard and necessitated us building it even higher.  He is lean, aggressive and completely black and the most athletic of our four dogs.

He keeps me company as I watch TV in the evening and then sleeps in the Lazy Boy I vacate when I go to bed.  I won his love by giving him a belly rub almost every time he wanted it.  He and I have a special relationship.  He is the only dog I have given walks.  That is a brief description of my relationships I have with my eleven animals.  Each one is different.

Tags: Buttons, cats, Cheyenne, China, Coco, Cool Hand Luke, dogs, four dogs, golden retriever, Jasmine, long haired cat, my pets, my relationships with my different animals, my wife, Pax, pets, Pumpkin, seven cats, Sweetie, Tiger, Tilla, Tilla's belly rubs, vet
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Coco, Tilla and Cool Hand Luke have their nightly routines.  The first two are two of my dogs (I have four) and the third is one of my cats (I have seven).  Coco, when she is ready to retire for the evening, lies down on the far side of my bed.  In fact, once in awhile she even jumps on my bed after I have gone to sleep.

Her brother, Tilla, last night joined me in my office (or “man cave” as some people would put it) and while I was watching TV came in the room and nudged shut the door and laid patiently there waiting for me to retire.  As soon as I was finished watching TV and left my Lazy Boy chair he immediately jumped on it.  His bed time is nine (but not mine) and if I am not on the chair he will take it.  More than once he wouldn’t budge.  I had to sit on him before he reluctantly left so I could watch TV.

Cool Hand Luke’s favorite spot is in the same room.  The black cat (interesting enough the two dogs mentioned are also completely black) will sit on some books perched on top of a book case to the left of my Lazy Boy chair and by the window.  She is often found there.  That is a new spot for her.  For a long time she used to lie curled at night at the head of the bed to the left of me.

She does not get along too well with some of the other cats.  For a number of months other cats were often lying together on my bed especially Jasmine, a dainty female, with some or all of her four kids she had in two litters.  Sometimes Buttons, a tiger colored cat (we have two), will lie on our bed too; although he often hides under the bed.  He sometimes terrorizes Cool Hand Luke.  Of late, the cats have not been spending the night on the bed so Cool Hand Luke has returned occasionally to her old spot.

The other pets’ routines at night I have not noticed or they do not have the same ones every night.  The other cats are great at disappearing.  My wife who sleeps on the other Lazy Boy chair in the living room says the cats are quite noisy at night.  I would not know.  I sleep solidly.

Tags: bed, bed time, book case, Buttons, cats, cats noisy at night, Coco, Cool Hand Luke, dogs, four dogs, Jasmine, man cave, my wife, pets, pets nightly routines, seven cats, sleep, sleep solidly, tiger cat, Tilla, watching TV
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A pet’s love is nothing you can earn.  Sure, you can feed it and give it water.  Nevertheless they have their own ways and proclivities.  I don’t know why Cheyenne, one of my cats, usually goes in the opposite direction when I approach him but he does.  Each animal has their own personality and likes and dislikes.  Tilla, one of my black dogs, and I have a special relationship.  When he wants a hug, he puts his paws and chest on me when I am sitting–all eighty pounds of him.

Some of my seven cats ignore me.  Buttons is one.  He is about as wild as you can be and still be an indoor cat.  He is also another that goes the opposite direction when I approach him.  Catching him to take to the vet is near impossible.  He is a tiger looking cat and we have two of them.  The other appropriately called Tiger will let me pet him.  Cool hand Luke is the last animal I brought into this marriage and he is the closest cat I have to being mine.  He usually sleeps on our bed.  The other three dogs we have are all different.

Pax loves bread and is a thief.  Don’t leave your bagel unattended.  Coco will appear at your lap if you are eating anything crunchy and demand her share.  Sweetie does have a lovable nature.  And she is a golden retriever.  She will insist on you giving you her (???) attention.  She is almost needy and probably gets lost in the mix of dogs.  If she was the only dog, she would get more attention but she is not.  I have not even talked about all the cats.  We have five others–all unique.  China is an exotically black and white colored cat, who is one laid back cat.  Her mom Jasmine is a diminutive, demure cat who holds her own with all the other cats.  There is nothing you can do to earn their love.  Sure you feed them.  They either like you or don’t.

Tags: bagel, Buttons, can't earn love, cats, Cheyenne, China, Coco, Cool Hand Luke, dog hug, dog loves bread, dogs, four dogs, golden retriever, indoor cat, Jasmine, love, Pax, pets, seven cats, Sweetie, Tiger, tiger cat, Tilla, vet, wild cat
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“Pumpkin” is a grey cat with white feet and large splashes of white under his neck and belly.  He occasionally sleeps on my bed and like his belly rubbed:  he will turn on his back as I do that and sometimes “tooth” me if I rub him too hard although he has never bitten me.  He is a mild mannered cat bigger than his mom, “Jasmine” but small, nevertheless.  He gets along with all the other cats, which is saying something for there are six others in the house.  He was the only survivor from “Jasmine’s” first litter.  It is not that unusual to see Mom and “Pumpkin” and his other three half brothers hanging out together.  “Pumpkin” is just a nice cat.

Tags: belly-rub, cats, grey cat, Jasmine, mild mannered, pets, Pumpkin, seven cats, sleeps on bed
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Thank God for my pets.  Somehow I believe it is no accident my second wife also loves animals.  I never had pets growing up.  I love all of my pets.  All eight cats and all four dogs.  It is a menagerie.  And it is true I can’t go on vacation so easily but that is a small price to pay.

There is Tilla one of the pups we kept of our golden retriever (we kept two) who is a paradox extremely aggressive but timid at the same time.  For example, if you throw four scraps to our four dogs, he usually will get three if you don’t stop him.

He actually let my daughter pet him the last time she was over (that was a first).  He still runs in the other direction when my son approaches him.  And he is good with pets.

Coco is the other pup of Sweetie and extremely affectionate although she can be pretty insistent when she wants to go out.  She will sit at our feet front legs crossed sometimes–a real lady.  She gets along with everyone.

My eight cats are all different (the one unfixed female, now fixed) had two litters–one and three.  Pumpkin the only surviving cat from the first litter is one quiet, laid back cat who seems to get along with all the other seven.

The other three from the second litter of Jasmine’s are Cheyenne, China, and other whose name temporarily escapes me.  Both Cheyenne and China are long haired.  The mother is shorted (???) haired, small and dainty but able to take well care of herself.

Cheyenne is one beautiful although somewhat wild cat.  He usually does not let me pet him.  If I get too close, he gives me the eye as if to ask me “how dare you approach me?”

China is one exotically black and white colored cat who is one cool character.  He is extremely laid back and nothing seems to faze him.  I always have trouble remembering the sexes of our cats.

Cool Hand Luke a black female cat I brought into this marriage who hangs out in our bedroom and is appropriately named.  I have another completely black cat “Slinky”.

It is hard to tell the two apart although if you pet them you can tell the difference immediately.  “Slinky” is somewhat timid and extremely affectionate.

Tiger is the third cat from the second litter of Jasmine also appropriately named who sorts (???) blends in with every one.

Buttons is the other tiger looking cat who decided to adopt our family.  He showed up at our doorsteps and my wife started feeding him and when he got his shots, she let him come in.

He knew a good thing when he came in:  he did not go out for months again.  He is the newest member of our menagerie.  He does, at times, terrorize the other cats.

He also terrorized the vet and her staff during his exam:  It took them ten minutes to catch him in the exam room when he squirmed out of the grasp of the vet and three people were chasing him around the room (the vet called for backup).

He scratched the hell out of the vet in the process.  He is still a (???) somewhat wild although he has calmed somewhat after he got fixed.  That pretty much takes care of our cats.

Pax, the father of the pups, is the only pet of ours not mentioned by name.  He is the biggest and oldest dog close to an hundred pounds, an Rottweiler mix.

He suffered from bad ear infections and only at the vet where they put a muzzle on him would he allow anyone to go near to clean them.  It took me awhile before I lost my fear of him.  The veterinary helper called him a “baby.”  He is one dog I never want to get out he is one scary looking dog.

There is also Sweetie our golden retriever who is aptly named.  She will stand there forever letting you pet her.  She is one happy-go-lucky dog who always likes to have something in her mouth.  She was traumatized by her original owner who would lock her up for hours.  That is how we got her and that is the last of our menagerie.

Tags: Add new tag, big dog, Buttons, cats, Cheyenne, China, Coco, Cool Hand Luke, dogs, ear infection, eight cats, four dogs, God, golden retriever, happy-go-lucky dog, Jasmine, menagerie, my daughter, my son, my wife, Pax, pets, Pumpkin, quiet laid back cat, rottweiler mix, Slinky, Sweetie, thank God, Tiger, Tilla, veterinarian
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