Rocky the Flying Cat

Posted on December 9, 2013December 9, 2013 by Dusty Roads

From 1959 – 1964 the airwaves were filled with the Adventures of Rocky the Flying Squirrel and his side kick Bullwinkle the Moose. Their adventures included matching wits with the villains, Natasha and Boris, archenemies of the “Moose and Squirrel”.

I loved that show and wish I could say that Rocky the Squirrel was the inspiration for my cat’s name but it wouldn’t be true. He was actually named after the boxer in the “Rocky” movies. In the movies no matter how battered and beaten Rocky ended up, he never gave up, shook it off and came back to win the boxing match. Well, when I rescued my Rocky he was a tiny kitten and a young boy was abusing him. When I came racing to the rescue the kid tossed the kitten into a shopping cart and ran. That little bit of orange fluff was so tiny he fell through the wire floor of the cart to the ground. As I approached, the kitten stood up, shook himself and headed for me with his wobbly little kitten walk.

When I took him to the vet they said I had to name him or they wouldn’t treat him. Rocky was the only name that came to mind. From that first day he embraced the name, even coming when I call “Rocky”.

Now 12 years later Rocky the Cat continues to be unique compared to any other cat I have ever shared a home with, and there have been many. He likes affection but barely slows down long enough to get any. He will cuddle but not in your lap…that’s another story for another time.

Today is a classic Christmas Disaster Story.

I’ve been working from home now since July. When I do go out ( for meetings, photo shoots, shopping, life) the cats, Rocky, Smokey and Buddy all get very hyper when I return. It’s usually pretty funny to watch them all racing around. What a happy welcome!

This time it wasn’t so funny. My little 48 inch table top Christmas Tree was all set up in the living room. Rocky had shown some interest but that had begun to slow down as he got used to it. The other two cats paid it no attention at all.

I was at a meeting in Dedham from 11am- returning home around 3pm and the cats were doing their run around crazy greeting. Buddy ran past the tree at ground level with Rocky in hot pursuit except Rocky decided to try for the “High Road”. He launched himself in a great leap that brought him down right in the middle of the tree. A little to the left and he would have flattened Buddy . Instead down crashed the tree to the floor where it landed on top of the shocked kitty. Still tangled in the string of lights, Rocky took off like a shot , dragging the tree across the living room floor, ornaments scattering everywhere. Then Rocky broke free and made a bee line to the bedroom.

RIP Christmas Tree 🙁

I didn’t take pictures of the carnage. My first reaction was to unplug the tree to avoid a fire or electrocuting the cat. My 2nd reaction was to check Rocky for broken bones or cuts and scrapes. He seemed to be unscathed.

Then I returned to the living room to pick up the mess. The silence was strange. No curious cats poked in the wreckage or teasing for treats. No one was running around anymore. It was almost like they had all put themselves in “time out”.

Epilogue

The tree is back together. It’s artificial. Only one light bulb was broken. The ornaments are plastic or Styrofoam so no damage there. It lights up and I’ve re-trimmed it. Rocky the Flying Cat has checked it out…from a distance. The other 2 cats ignore it. Maybe I’ll get Rocky a cape to wear for Christmas.

What are these cats thinking? Part 2

Posted on December 5, 2013December 5, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Time to do some computer work. As soon as I make myself comfortable Smokey parks himself across the printer .

I give him a pat and gently set him on the floor. Like a pianist I stretch out my hands to the keyboard only to have Rocky get there first. I give him a couple of pats but he isn’t going quietly. He hangs his head over the edge of the desk and drools his contentment…right on the keyboard. I gently lift his head up. His response is to turn his attention to the monitor, tail lashing, he stretches up in front of it.

Now I can’t see anything. Enough of this, I take him and set him on the floor. As I sit back up I find myself staring into big dark eyes of my remaining kitty. It’s Buddy’s turn and down goes the paw onto the keyboard, delete goes what little bit of work I had managed to accomplish.

As I drop my head into my hands I hear a crash, but not just one. No it’s more like a whole series of crashes and bangs as Rocky, upset by being removed from the computer, retaliates by pushing everything off the book shelf. Of course, then he looks to see if I’ve noticed. That done he saunters off to the bedroom for a nap.

Meanwhile Smokey is taking advantage of Rocky’s desertion. He’s made himself at home under the heat lap.

Maybe things will settle down so I can get some work done? Maybe? Please?

Just when I think everything is calm again Buddy comes racing in from the direction of the bedroom. He has something in his mouth. Up in the air it flips. Then around the living room he goes batting it like a hockey player. What does he have? Finally he puts it in his mouth and hops up next to me. Gently he sets down his prize. Apparently he wasn’t in the bedroom. He must have been in the bathroom where he discovered my hair elastics that I keep on the post of the shelf unit.

Smart cat. Dumb human. One more thing I’ll need to hide away.

Evening falls, it’s bedtime. Buddy races to grab the cat bed by the window.

This has been Smokey’s bed for years. Smokey climbs into bed with me and tries to curl up on my head. Just as I doze off I hear a muffled cry. It gets more and more heartbreaking, It sounds almost like he’s strangling. I know that sound. Rocky is talking to his toys. He carries them around in his mouth and calls to them at the same time.

The result would make a great soundtrack for a haunted house. I climb out of bed and go looking for him. I tell him what a good daddy cat he is and hope that will satisfy him ’til morning. I leave him with his toys and head back to bed.

3 am. I am startled awake by a blood curdling yowl! I grab a flash light as the racket continues. Buddy is still in the cat bed, Rocky is curled at my feet with his pile of toys. And there is Mr. Cranky Pants. He is standing in the bathroom singing his heart out. I crawl out of bed and approach. He ignores me and continues with his off key serenade. I begin to pet him, he begins to purr and now he follows me back to bed.

I can only imagine what these 3 have in store for me tomorrow.

What are these cats thinking? Part 1

Posted on December 3, 2013December 3, 2013 by Dusty Roads

It’s just another day in the life here at the old homestead. 3 cats, 1 human.

Stepping out of the shower I’m greeted by my “Bud”. Buddy has figured out that after the shower comes the hair dryer and he loves to have a blow dry to start the day. A handsome fellow like Buddy has to look his best.

Senior Cat Smokey, aka Mr. Cranky Pants continues his demanding ways. I’m working, Buddy and Rocky are sleeping but what’s that sound? A soft pitiful meow! Looking around I see a small bundle of gray fur curled at my feet, big eyes staring intently, “meow”.

Only the tiniest of sounds. I ask what’s wrong and a paw reaches out to tap my leg. I stand and he uncurls, heading for the feeding station. Oh my, his bowl is only half full. Surely he will starve to death before it’s time for dinner.

The laundry is on the first level. My condo, on the 2nd. As I open my door, arms full of clean clothes fresh from the dryer, a black and white streak nearly bowls me over and scoots down the stairs.

I put my dry laundry on the couch and turn in hot pursuit. I see a black tail with white tip taking the bottom of the stairs and rounding the corner. I hit the bottom stair and round the corner only to see that tail disappear around the corner at the end of the hall.

I race down there. I don’t want Buddy running into one of the dogs that live here or being let outside. As I round the last corner I see …nothing!

My heart starts to pound. Slowly I begin climbing the stairs on that end of the hall. First flight, nothing, 2nd flight and there he is, sitting there on the landing, waiting for me.

I pick up his Majesty and cradle him in my arms. Back down the 2 flights of stairs, back down the long hall and back up the last flight to my unit.

I open the door, set the errant one on the floor and close the door very fast.

I return to the couch to start folding the nice , warm, clean clothes only to find Rocky has made a nest and is curled up on top of the pile. Now every time I try to pull out a towel or shirt or sock I have to unhook his possessive claw. I try to shoo him away but he only digs in harder. He doesn’t give up until the last item is folded. Then he stalks away, annoyed that his warm bed was “stolen” from him.

I turn to put the folded clothes in my basket to carry them all to be put away and come face to face with his Majesty again. This time he’s taken up residence in the clothes basket.

I give up leaving him to play jail bird in the basket while I carry the stacks of folded clothes to the bedroom. Finally, everything is put away but they aren’t done with me yet.

To Be Continued….

It’s That Time of Year

Posted on December 1, 2013December 1, 2013 by Dusty Roads

It’s the most wonderful time of the year
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you “Be of good cheer”
It’s the most wonderful time of the year
It’s the hap-happiest season of all
With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings
When friends come to call
It’s the hap- happiest season of all

This is the week that launches the holidays. Already there have been tree lightings and parades and I’m not talking about the Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade. I’m hoping to get into Boston to check out the tree and decorations at Faneuil Hall. There was a 30 minute TV presentation for the lighting of the 95 ft. tree!

No snow yet. The weather folks were saying it was snowing on the south shore when I turned on the TV yesterday morning. I’m not sure where they were looking because here the sun was out and it was a beautiful, if cold, day. This morning, rainy and gray.

I think I might like the snow this year. I don’t have to drive in it. Working from home lets me relax and enjoy the changing New England weather without worrying about maneuvering through traffic to get to work.

Some of my neighbors have their holiday decorations up already. I’m still dragging my feet. It took 10 years before I was able to get a small Christmas tree up and keep it up with 2 curious cats. Each year they would systematically dismantle the tree. In the early years they pulled it down faster than I could put it up. Last year was the first year it really survived the whole season. Now I have a new cat and I’m debating if I really want to start the battle of the Christmas Tree all over again.

It’s not like I have little kids to impress. It’s just me but I did enjoy it last year. And the antics of 3 cats might make for an entertaining post.

Yes, I’m thinking I should at least try it out and see how Buddy reacts. See that’s why I write these posts. It helps me make decisions.

All That Poo

Posted on November 30, 2013November 30, 2013 by Dusty Roads

I bet we’ve all been there, stepped in that pile of dog poo that some inconsiderate dog owner failed to clean up. Yeeeew! It can ruin a person’s day.

The condo complex where I live wants owners to clean up after the pooches but in frustration they cleared a corner of the property where we had lovely trees and bushes and made it a doggy potty. Although the owners are still supposed to clean up I wouldn’t walk there without carefully looking. Even so I stepped in a mushy pile only a few days ago when I was taking pictures around the property and I wasn’t anywhere near the Doggy Potty.

I like dogs myself but stepping in a pile of poo is not my idea of a minor problem. I can see why there can be a back lash against dog owners. So far dogs have not been banned but it has been discussed in the past.

Now another condo in Braintree, MA. has gone high tech and I like the idea. You want to have a dog and live there. Ok a one time fee of $60.00 is assessed and you have to give a cheek swab from your dog so a DNA test can be done. If you don’t clean up after your dog the maintenance crew sends a sample off to the same lab and first thing you know a report comes back identifying the offending dog. If that DNA sample ID’s your dog you get to pay $150.00… a $50 testing fee plus a $100 fine.

What a great idea. It’s a shame it has to come down to that but now the owner can’t say it wasn’t their dog or say “prove it”. The association just did. According to the lawyers there is nothing illegal about requiring the DNA test and if an abandoned pile is tested, nothing illegal there either. I think it’s brilliant.

Kerry Weidner, a pet owner in Devon Wood, (That’s the condo complex in Braintree) says the service has transformed life at the sprawling complex. “We used to see dog poop almost every other day. You had to worry about where you walk on the grass because there was dog poop, a lot of different places,” Weidner said. “Now, you don’t really have to worry about dog poop. You can walk where you want, the grass is now ours again, we don’t have to worry about it, and that’s just a great thing.”