Mischief Monday - Unfair - by Styx

 Hi pals, hi pals,

I have to tell you something that is very unfair in our house, so unfair, so unfair and it is making me sad. Sometimes to get treats, I have to do a puzzle. I started with some of the dog puzzles. I do not like the rocking ones and the moving ones. Then the Lady and Man got me a cat one. Level 2. I figured it out in only a few minutes. I am a very smart boy, so smart. I can do puzzles. I like treats. Treats in puzzles is nice. 

My cat watermelon puzzle

Oh, back to unfair. Tigris will have nothing to do with puzzles. She will look at them and look at the people and walk away. She walks away from food. So instead of making her do a puzzle for treats, she just gets some. She doesn't have to do a puzzle. 

Eating treats

It does not seem fair that this very smart Styxy has to work for the treats. I should just get treats for free too.

you pal, who is treated unfairly, Styxy

Nature Friday - So Many Friends - by Styx

 Dear pals, dear pals,

When I look out the window I get to see soooooo many friend.  There are so many creatures I want to invite in. But Lady and Man say no and they say I can't go out and say hi. I have to wave from the window.

Do you see my new friend?

Just the other day I saw this friend.

Lady said she is a much better friend than the bad kitty I saw a few weeks ago.

This friend was being stalked by another friend. I so, so want this one to be my friend.

Editor's note: This is Callie's cat Ash

However, the big friend didn't seemed bothered. She had a nap.

I can tell we would all be great friends.

Friends with everyone, your pal Styxy

Wordless Wednesday - Tigris

 

Tuesdays with Tigris - New Feature

 Dear reader,

In spite of the fact that dogs read this blog (and I am not the biggest fan), I have decided I will do a feature, perhaps weekly, perhaps not, called Tuesdays with Tigris. 

This week I would like to discuss my boundaries.

Hunting in my tree 

In general, I am an independent tiger. I like some pets, some times. However, every few days, I just need the love, all the love, and I need it right away. In these moments, I expect my people to drop everything and hold me and pet me. I find the best times to do this are when they clearly are busy working. I feel this is my revenge for when they give me love and I am not in the mood.

Climbing on Lady's papers so she will have to love me

Letting her scope me and snuggle me after I have crawled all over her. My face may be serious, but I am purring and am rather happy. 

So to sum up, my boundaries are I will let you pet me when I am feeling like it and not at other times. 

Do you have boundaries or are you more like Styx, will take what you can get?

Tigris

Mischief Monday - A Barrier by Styx

 Hi pals, hi pals,

Happy Monday! I am so happy to be here, but sad to tell you all about how my people may have found a way to actually stop me from exploring they ways I want to. 

You may remember when I first came here (can you believe it is almost 3 months), I was a little nervous and I hid under the washer and dryer. Then when my people took the entire laundry apart, I got in the ceiling. I got in the ceiling 2 more times before the people figured out, their attempts to stop the unstoppable Styxy from getting in the ceiling were for not. So they made this area a no Styxy zone. 

Last weekend, they put up barrier I have yet to figure out how to get by. Lady says more importantly the Man and Lady did it without many HBO words. They are not the most handy people. 

It still needs a frame, but works for now. 

I really don't think this is fair. I think I should be allowed to get into the ceiling. They should have built stairs to let me get down more easily. Don't you agree?

That was the mischief this week.

I hope you are all well friends. 

your pal, the stifled explorer Styxy

Nature Friday - A New Friend - by Styx

 Dear pals,

I tried to make a new friend on Wednesday morning. He or she came to visit at 6 am. I heard him/her, and I so wanted to be friends. I would be a very good friend. 

Lady and Man said that this guy couldn't be my friend. He was a bad kitty and would make me stink. I don't know he or she seemed nice. I think he or she would be a good friend. 

I watched him/her walk away. 

I was hoping he or she would come back soon, but my people put mothballs around which are supposed to help keep them away. Maybe they will ignore the smell and be my friend.

Pals to everyone, Styxy

Wordless Wednesday - My Turn

 

Happy Canada Day

 From the River Cats, Tigris and Styx

Mischief Monday - Enough with the Paw-parazzi by Tigris

 Dear reader,

As we approach our 3rd month in this home, I am learning to adjust to the craziness of the Lady. She can be a lot. She is always singing at me, and she wants to scoop me up and love me (although she is learning to respect me on this and scoops Styx up more). She also does terrible things like wanting to cut my nails. While these are things I don't love, overall I know Styx and I are safe here.

However, could she just lay off taking pictures of me every 2 seconds? Enough with the Paw-parazzi, even if I am super beautiful.

Me and my turtle trying to nap

Reclining on a hot day

Supervising Lady's work from the writing drawer on her desk

Supervising Lady's work from the stool in her office

Trying to escape in a box

No matter where I go, there she is with her phone. Do other cats and dogs have this problem? Is this part of being loved?

Tigris

FFF Nature Friday - By Styx

 Hi pals, hi pals, hi pals!

I am so excited, so so excited. Lady said I could do the FFF Nature Friday post again. She said I did such a good job the first time, because I am the smartest boy and a good writer and I am brilliant and good and I like nature.

I have 2 for you this week.

Here is the first one.

I love the sun.

The sun is warm.

The sun is bright.

I miss the sun in the dark of night. 

The sun shines in.

I find the puddles.

It is like getting the best of cuddles. 

Here is the second one.

First there were two

now there are more

Let me out

open the door

I could hunt those baby chicks

They wouldn't get away from your pal Styx!

Thank you to Aunty-Yam for hosting FFF and to Rosy and Sunny for hosting Nature Friday. Because of them I got to poem and talk about nature which I love so much.

your pal, the poet who knows it, Styxy

Wordless Wednesday - Forced Snuggle

Mischief Monday - Wild Weather - by Tigris

Dear readers,

The weather in my part of the world was been a little wild. A few nights ago, it was super, super windy. Lady and Man had all the windows open because they don't have a/c and it was cool. Around 3 am, there was a big bang and the Man got up and couldn't figure out what it was.  The next morning he found one of the kitchen screens in the middle of the kitchen floor. Fortunately neither Styx and I noticed or wanted to go out and no wild animals got in, maybe it was just too windy.  Interesting enough, none of the patio furniture pillows blew away. 

I was not a huge fan of this wind. I allowed Lady to put me on the bed and I stayed for a while.

The next day, the Lady couldn't find me, but then she did. I had returned to the top of the pinball machine. When I first moved here, this was one of my safe places, and while I don't feel the need to visit it too often, sometimes it is the best seat in the house.

Has your weather been wild?

Tigris

PS the people have been out all the time and rarely home so I haven't gotten to visit you all like I would have liked. Life may slow down a little soon. 

Nature Friday - Welcome Summer - by Styx

 Hi pals, hi pals, hi pals,

Today is summer! It means we will have great sun puddles and long hot days and nights and more sun and birds and deer and all the things that Styxy loves. 

Trying to enjoy the sun puddle.

It also means yesterday was Lady's birthday and she and Man were out for 87 million hours.  For those of you who don't know Lady well, she has a thing for cemeteries, and thought to herself, nothing says celebrating a half century like walking around looking a grave stones. (Editor's Note: Lady has lived in the Ottawa area for nearly 32 years and never really just wandered around Beechwood the National Cemetery, and thought it was time.) 

I would not be jealous of this sort of thing normally, except you would get to run in grass and climb trees and stones  . . . .ok, I would be jealous, but I am extra jealous because she and Man had a close encounter with the big birds that visit our yard.

Zoom not used

There were 6 or 7 young males. Lady and Man watched staff chase them away (as they were near where a police funeral was going to happen). With them that close and dumb, I, Styxy, the great hunter would have had a great feast.

That is the nature I missed out on. I can hope Lady gets me a leash and takes me next time.

your pal, Styxy who wants to be free!

Wordless Wednesday - Tigris

 

Mischief Monday - Is She Trainable? By Tigris

Dear reader,

I am trying to decide if this Lady who has brought me home is in fact actually trainable. For someone who spends her days teaching and training other people, she is very resistant to change. 

For example - the other day I was enjoying a little face rub when she interrupted it to take my picture. She said I have a very serious face and she wanted to capture my smile. 

I clearly gave her a look to show I was not impressed. But did she put the camera away?

No, she continued to try and make me smile.

Do I look impressed? Does this look appear to be a Tigris who is enjoying this? No. Finally, I gave her a smile, just so she would put the phone down and focus on me. 

Hey wait, maybe instead of training her, this Lady has trained me! Clearly she is very good at her job as she tricked me. I am going to have to up my game.

Tigris 

Nature Friday - Failed Spring - by Styx

 Hi pals, hi pals,

I tired, I really tried to spring myself free when Lady opened the patio door. She wasn't fast enough to stop old Styx from racing across the deck, down the stairs to the bird feeders. She could not catch me I was the speedy Styx. So speedy (looking back, making sure my Man was following me, knowing I was in trouble). I was super fast and super brave. So fast, so brave! Fortunately the Man was fast enough to catch me eating grass. Foiled by hunger! 

I asked the Lady to take the colour out of my picture because that is how I am feeling about all of this. Grey! Grey! Grey! I so want to be free (at least some of the time). I am an adventure cat! 

Lady thinks she has figured out how to stop me from escaping again, but you know your old pal Styx will out smart her. I am the smartest boy ever! Outdoors for Styx, outdoors for Styx. Let's start a movement. 

My journey outside was very short lived, so I didn't get to full appreciate nature. I did see this sky before I was captured and sent back to my cell of a house. It has been cold and rainy or hazy from the fires. It has not been a great spring weather wise either.  It was nice to see the blue. 

I would have really liked to climb those trees and smell that fresh air longer. 

Because I gave Lady a heart attack, yet again, (I am very good at this), I said I would share these pretty flowers I didn't get a chance to eat. 

That was my midweek adventure into nature.

Let me be free and outside. Come spring me!

your pal, Styxy

Wordless Wednesday - Treat Time!

 

Mischief Monday - Attempts to Trick Us - by Tigris

 Dear reader,

I would like to report my servants the people I live with get crazy ideas, and as far as I am concerned attempt to trick us.

Friday night the Man cooked duck. While I could definitely got behind the man eating some of the meat, being offered the "juice" of the meat was not acceptable. 

Further, the Man tried very hard to convince us we wanted to eat it. This was very suspcious.

We held our ground, and I am sorry to report, no good food was given instead.

Tigris, who has very high standards

Nature Friday - Follow That Bird - by Tigris

 Dear reader, 

As you know I am a much more refined cat than Styx. I imagine myself as a tiger (befitting my name).

I spend less time plotting my escape to the great outdoors or the ceiling. However, last evening, I spotted a the following birds, and I must admit I was very interested and I really did want to go outside.

What is worse is that the Lady went outside to take the pictures and did not take me. I got angry.

If given the chance I would follow that bird and that bird (especially that big one).

Thank you to Rosy and Sunny for hosting this event.

Tigris 

Wordless Wednesday - Tigris

 

Mischief Monday - Crash and Play by Styx

 Hi pals, hi pals,

You are not going to believe it is me who caused some mischief. Not your calm pal Styxy who can just be found kicking back and enjoying life. 

The other night the dishwasher was full, and without thinking Lady and Man left a container on the counter. It made a loud scary noise when the ghost of Hailey, who was a counter surfer, threw it on the floor and smashed. Man was so happy to be cleaning up glass at 3 am. Bad ghost Hailey, bad.

In other news, to help me not be so busy (even though I have calmed down a lot), my people tried puzzles. First they tried the puzzle in the picture above. Then they tried the dog ball.  It was ok, but I knew it was for dogs.

Then they got me a cat one. It was ok. I get bored of working for food. Tigris refuses to work for food. It is beneath her.

Lady and Man are getting better at this cat, I mean ghost, proofing and I fear all the best fun will be done soon.

Lady said I should say, for those who read the deer and car story, that in the end, the car also lost. It was a write off and Lady had to get a new car. She said dealing with all of that was like a part time job. (It made her very grumpy).

your pal, who likes to play with ghosts, Styxy

FFF Nature Friday - By Styx

 Hi pals, hi pals.

The Lady says I can do my first FFF Nature Friday. I am so excited. I am so excited. Thanks to Aunty-Yam and Rosy and Sunny for hosting this.

Here I go.

I sit at the window and dream

of drinking cold water from a stream.

Lady and Man are so so so mean

They really don't have a nice gene.

Inside they make me stay

Missing the sun and her rays

Oh how I want to be free.

As a bonus I will title some pictures Lady took on a walk I did not get to go on (although I know I would not like a harness).

A think to eat

another thing to eat

Things to climb

Way better food outside

I hope you have enjoyed my first FFF Nature Friday.

Your pal, Styxy who wants to be free