Mar 11/10: Ania

Mar 11/10, originally uploaded by susanvg.

This is Ania, my daughter's cat; she lives in the basement in her large room. Ania came for a night and has stayed for years. She was found wandering on a busy street by my daughter's friend. A tiny kitten, she looked totally lost. My daughter agreed to take her overnight and fell in love. A trip to the vet to have her checked out - the vet said she was probably less than two months old. And so Ania came to stay. She is a very clever feline. She figured out how to open the basement door (it had a lever handle - we had to change it) and spooked my two cats. My old fellows are Cornish Rex with very little fur compared to regular cats. As my spouse and son have cat allergies (and don't react too much to the "upstairs" cats) we can not let Ania upstairs.

The visitor who came to stay - she has won everyone's hearts.

Feb 8/10: Life as a Cat

Feb 8/10, originally uploaded by susanvg.

My cats, as I have written before, are heat-seekers. They pass the day from the pillow near the radiator to the sunny window, to this comforter, to sunny spots on the floor. There is always a warm spot to accommodate them. They often can be found cuddled up together, their body heat adding to the warmth of the chosen spot.

Basil, the white cat, was wary of my camera. Sleep was disturbed by a previous flash. Elmo, a lofty 15 years old, was unperturbed. Today's cat photo was at the request of the Daily Shoot. I try to keep my pet photos and stories to a minimum. It's a bit like new parents and grandparents who go on about their babies, I don't want to be seen as just the cat lady. But some days, when work is busy and there just doesn't seem to be time for a walk in more interesting surroundings, the cats are handy subjects and they do make for rather cute photos.

Day 168: Elmo has a Bath

Day 168: Elmo has a Bath, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Cats have such different personalities. Elmo, our 14 year old cat has always been more skittish. He loves his cuddles and will ask to be held several times a day (and sometimes several times an hour). Basil, almost 13, is a more adventurous cat. His favourite perch (when on a person) is right on your shoulder. Maybe there is a bit of parrot in him. The two are best friends who sleep curled up together, cuddle, play and tussle. Tonight, Elmo lay back while Basil washed him.

Squabbles usually happen in a certain order. Basil wants to play. He chases Elmo. Elmo starts to run off followed by Basil. Elmo gets cornered; he lashes out. Basil gets hurt. The actual cat fight can last 15 seconds - long enough to result in a trip to the vet and a course of antibiotics. Fortunately, it doesn't usually come to that. They bring joy, delight, exasperation, warmth and much more to the house. And they think they own it!