Wordless Wednesday - Styx

 

Christmas, Christmas, Christmas - by Styx

 Hi friends, hi friends, hi friends,

The most special time of year happened. Apparently after hat tax, you get something called Christmas. Do they have Christmas where you live? Did you extra special treats and presents too? Where there lots of bags for you to play in?

Lady said only good cats get presents, and we must have been very good cats, because besides some new little toys, we got 3 really cool big ones. 

First we got something called a snuffle mat. Your people put treats in it and you hunt them out.  Even lazy Tigris would do this puzzle.  We like our snuffle mat but wish is always had treats in it. 

Next, we got one big nip stick. This was made by someone who works with one of the local rescues. Next year Santa needs to get 2 because we may have fought over it. Lanie thought it was the stupidest thing ever.  That is ok, more nip for me. I love, love, love nip. 

Gris taking it from me before the first fight over it

Gris, not wanting to share

Lanie wishing she didn't get a turn (I will take hers, I will take hers)

Last we got a new ball toy. Man didn't think we would like it, but we totally got into it. 

This we can play together

Now while Santa brought us all good things, Uncle Chris gave Lady a cat carrying hoodie. We don't love this and some training is going to be needed. Lady laughed so hard she cried. 

Screen shot taken from video of Lady laughing too hard and shoving me in. 

We hope you all had a good Christmas and no one wore you like clothes and there was no hat tax. 

Styx, who is really a good cat because Santa said so

Lanie's Log - Some Kind of Freedom

 Readers,

I interrupt this Mischief Monday because apparently Thursday is about resolving, and I wanted to make sure my message got out to the world. It has been 69 days since my capture. In this time, I have discovered I really like to have my head petted and I have started to purr. I will not come down from the windowsill when the wardens are around. I do not trust them enough. 

Wishing for freedom in solitary confinement

The wardens have opened the door to my solitary confinement and I now have privileges to the entire prison. 

Looking out at the whole prison one of the first times

I do not leave my room when the people are home and up. 

I have started to venture out at night.  I have made it upstairs to the main floor a few times. 

At the top of the stairs

I have not received the warmest of welcomes, Prisoner 2 has hissed. I think they may have some sort of Tabby Cat gang I am not a member of.  Prisoner 1 just ignores me. I wonder what it will take to be accepted into their gang. 

Prison 2, not giving the warmest of welcomes

The wardens are very excited about all of this. I would be happier if they left the front door open.

Jack-O-Lanie - prisoner 3

Almost Wordless Wednesday - Merry Christmas

 

Our official Christmas picture

From all of us, to all of you, wishing you the best of the season, however you celebrate it.

Lady, Man, Tigris, Styx and Jack-O-Lanie

Dear Santa

Hi Santa, hi Santa,

I really have tried to be a good boy this year. If you can look past running outside, getting stuck in the ceiling, and exploring all the things I am not supposed to, you will see I have been a very good Styxy - one who has had many adventures this year.  Many adventures. So many good adventures. 

I know I shouldn't ask for too much, because you clearly gave me these people earlier in the year, but I can't help wanting a few things. This year I would like lots of pets, and boxes, and new toys, and adventures, and pets, and treats and fun, fun fun.  I also want other cats to find good people like mine. My Man is especially wonderful because there are no hats and much less singing. 

Thank you Santa,

Styx

-------------------------

Dear Santa,

It has been a year, and I am grateful for these people, even though there is a tax for living here. 

This year I would like to be hat tax exempt, not be on a diet, and to have all the love I want, when I want it and how I want it. I would also like to be left alone and not put of with Lady's singing as much.

Tigris

-------------------------------

Dear scary Man,

Please alert the authorities that I am being held against my will in this warm house, with plenty to eat, excellent medical care, and wardens who are working hard to make me feel safe and loved. It is very trying to tolerate all this good stuff. 

For Christmas, I am torn if I want a prison escape (I am sure you could open the window to my room) or if I want to just feel more comfortable and be a little less feral. I think I need you to help me decided.

I do hope you don't bring me more toys that my wardens want me to learn to play with. Toys are stupid. If you wanted to bring some more treats, I especially love licky. 

Jack-O-Lanie - prisoner #3

Nature Friday - The 3 Wise Birds - with Styx

Hi friends, hi friends, 

Thanks to Rosy and Sunny for hosting this event. I am so excited to share this with you.

Around my house, I have been very busy watching birds. 

I have seen the 3 wise birds.

They make a big mess and a lot of noise.

Styx - bird watcher

Lanie's Log - Entering Month 3

 I have now been held prisoner for  almost 2 full months. While I continue to resist assimilation, I apparently continue to make progress.

Those who follow the Lady warden on social media will have seen video of me take a few steps in the windowsill to get treat. I will now also eat my dinner in front of them, if they put it on the windowsill. When the boy cat is in the room, he may hiss at me, but I don't hiss back. I did put my teeth on the Lady warden when she offered me licky and I was grumpy, but she just looked right at me, and I didn't bite her. I continue to refuse to come down, even to the top of my tree, when the people are in the room. 

Because of my great progress, I have joined my version of the hat tax.  I hiss a lot at all the new stuff Lady puts near me.  

I have no idea why Lady warden thinks this is the perfect pillow for me.

Jack-O-Lanie, prisioner 3

Wordless Wednesday - Festival of Lights

 

Tuesday's with Tigris - I tried

 I tried to show Lady that I have far more value helping in the kitchen with my biscuit making.

\

But I couldn't escape the taxes.

She says it brings her too much job and being grumpy makes her love it more.

Sigh.

Please send help,

Tigris

Holiday Countdown - May the Hat Tax End - by Styx

 Hi friends, hi friends, 

Today we are acting out the first part of a favourite story. 

I will read you the line we were forced to act out.

And Grissie in her kerchief and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winters nap.

Do you know the story?

Did we do a good job?

your pal Styxy who does not like hat tax

Nature Friday - with Lanie

 

Can you see my eyes?

While I am forced to look at the window, longingly, the Lady warden goes out adventuring. She said I need to share these. She went "snowshoeing" on Sunday - whatever stupid thing that is. 

 

While this picture was not taken on her walk, she did pass them in the bush

I miss the freedmon of this white ang grey world.

Lanie - prisoner 3

Lanie's Log - Stockholm Syndrome?

It has been 51 days since my capture. It has been 2.5 weeks since my surgery and my regular use of gabapentin. 

I still remain a very cranky cat. I am not happy with any of this. I don't care it was -25C/-13F without the wind this week. I don't like living in my prison. It is not made cuter by the Lady warden calling it Lanie's room.  It is not made more fun by the Lady warden making up little songs and dancing (she is a terrible singer and dancer).

In spite of my anger and misgivings (which is a very polite word way to say it), apparently my progress is very exciting to not only my wardens, but the people they are sharing my story with. Apparently, people ask about me. I don't like this, I don't like people. I don't want people talking to me or about me. 

The Lady warden says I should share some of this week's progress. Styx showed he spends some supervised time at a distance from me. If we are too close, we both hiss. Mostly we just stare at each other. 

This is where I spend my time if the warden's are in my room

Lady Warden got a licky treat stick and I begrudgingly started to eat from it. Licky is good, even if people are bad. 

Eating off the stick wasn't enough for the Lady warden, sometimes, she requires me to take a little licky off her finger. Don't worry, she gets told off with hisses and growls before I ever so gently lick the food off. 

There have even been some small attempt to touch me. So far, I have not bitten anyone.

The wardens are very excited about all of this. I am wondering if Stockholm syndrome is starting. 

Lanie - prisoner 3

Wordless Wednesday - Lower Tax - Still Too Much

 

Tuesdays with Tigris - Life Lesson

 Dear reader,

As the oldest and wisest cat in this house (I am not sure Styx doesn't think he is a dog), I have learned a very important lesson. 

If you don't want to be part of Lady's "fun" ideas, having a bed nap keeps you out of the action.

10/10 recommend this idea.

Tigris

Mischief Monday - by Styx

Hi friends, hi friends! 

Other than Lady's obsession with hat taxes (she is worse than then Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood), it as been a low mischief week.

Here are some of my highlights.

I played with a hat instead of wearing it

I spent some time with Lanie

I suprvised Lady's work

I spent more time in Lanie's room with my people. Lady laughd and laughed at how I was sitting.

How was your week friends?

your pal, Styx

Nature Friday - Winter Wonderland

 Hi friends, hi friends,

Winter is here! It is here! I am so excited because winter means fire. I channelled my inner Phod and baked my brain by the fire!

Styx by the fire

Last Sunday we got lots and lots of snow. Lady guesses we got 15cm/6 inches. She went for a walk in it. These pictures are from her walk.

She took this one the next day to show it in the yard.

We think the snow is here to stay!

Thanks to Rosy and Sunny for hosting this event.

A toast warm Styx

Enough - by Jack-O-Lanie

I have been imprisoned for one and a half months now and I have had enough. Last week there was the surgery. This week, I had to go again for a final shot.  This involved the prison warden spending three and a half minutes getting me into the cage as gently as possible so no one needed to go the ER. The trip in the car that was slow because of all the snow. I miss being outside in snow. The vet took me out of the cage, put me on the scale (I am up to 8 lbs, I have almost put on a whole pound). I got the last shot and she checked my belly since I won't wear a cone. My belly is healing well. I did get licky on my paw after all this handling, before being brought home where the prison warden touched me again. 

The prison warden says I don't have to go back for a year. I hope to have broken out of here by then. 

Styx filling me in

No hissing during our meeting. 

While Styx has told me about the regular hat tax, I am not completely immune form my version.

I did not like having this thing held near me

Prisoner 222503