Tag Archives: cats

The Cardboard Box Wars Have Resumed

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Large Amazon cardboard box on my dining room table, the infamous THE BOX that sparked the cat wars.

🐱 The Cardboard Box Wars: Summer Truce Broken

Banner and Balboa sitting shoulder‑to‑shoulder at the sliding door, peacefully watching the summer yard together.Ah, the living room truce. It was too good to last. The cardboard box war wasn’t over — it was merely suspended, much like certain conflicts in the Middle East. A ceasefire, not a peace treaty.

All summer long, the boys were peaceful. They sat shoulder-to-shoulder at the window, watching squirrels, crows, and humans riding lawn mowers. Once they got over the noise, it became their morning entertainment. A live-action nature documentary.

But summer is ending, and the cats are getting restless. The squirrels are still out there, perpetually hungry and hiding nuts, but apparently that no longer holds their attention. And I — their long-suffering hooman — accidentally reignited hostilities.

📦 The Great Box BreakdownStack of empty cardboard boxes on the living room floor, ready for the Great Box Breakdown.

It started innocently. I noticed the recycle bins were empty — a rare cosmic event. I can never figure out when they get emptied, so there’s never room for anything. My cardboard box supply had become a mountain.

So out came the X-Acto knife. Banner and Balboa watched closely. I swear I saw a tear in Balboa’s eye.

I kept one box to hold the flattened cardboard. The plan was simple: take all but one box to the trash. They’ve been sharing a box in the living room all summer, peacefully coexisting like two diplomats who finally learned to take turns.

🚀 The Orange Missile Strikes

Banner sitting proudly inside THE BOX on the dining room table, claiming it for the first time all summer.I was down to THE BOX — the large box that was the focal point of the spring wars. I reached for it with high hopes of reclaiming my dining room table.

Then it happened.

A furry orange streak launched itself like a ballistic cruise missile. Banner was on the table and inside THE BOX (for the first time all summer) before my hand even got halfway there.

Tail up. Paper crinkling. Banner settling in.

The box had been reclaimed at the last possible moment.

🔄 The Power ShiftBalboa sitting deep inside THE BOX, surrounded by crinkled packing paper, claiming it after the power shift.

Like any good peace negotiator, I let the moment settle. I figured Banner would lose interest, and I could attempt a stealth removal later.

But when I returned from taking the other boxes outside, the situation had changed.

Banner was now in the living room box. Balboa was in THE BOX.

A full personnel swap.

🏳️ The War Resumes

Believe me, I know when I’ve been beaten. The Box Wars have resumed. Someday I may regain the use of my table… but today is not that day.

Banner and Balboa battling over the cardboard box, one inside and one reaching in — the Box Wars fully resumed.

 

Kitty Poo Club Day

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cardboard litter box set up in front of striped curtains and on brown rug

The Usual Morning Routine

Most mornings follow a predictable pattern: feed, scoop, give treats, then retreat for a nap. Zoomies are optional but usually included if someone uses the litter box right after breakfast. Banner and Balboa know this schedule by heart. When I finish scooping, I can always count on them sitting like furry statues in the living room, waiting for their treats.

When the Monthly Routine Changes

Once a month, everything shifts. The Kitty Poo Club box arrives, and I drag it inside (literally — it’s heavy). With three fresh litter boxes, it’s more than just a quick scoop. It’s open the box, assemble the new trays, carry each one to its proper location, pour in the fresh litter, then deal with the old boxes.

My Box‑of‑Poop Phobia

I scoop the poop out before sealing the old boxes with tape and re‑boxing them. That step is just me being phobic. I can carry a bag of poop, but a box of poop? No thank you.

The Cats Know Exactly What’s Happening

Here’s the funny part: Banner and Balboa know exactly what’s happening, and they hold their poop until the new boxes are ready.

As soon as I swap out the first box, there’s a stampede to see who gets to christen it. Whoever wins gets the first poop. The loser trots off to the bedroom and sits politely beside Box #2, waiting his turn. Once Box #2 is set up, he hops in and does his business. I guess it’s their way of marking territory.

Why We Use Three Litter Boxes

The third box is the “extra” box. I’ve always followed the recommendation of one more box than cats: two cats = three boxes. That way there’s no waiting, no fights, and almost never an accident.

A Flashback to My Three‑Cat Household

Years ago, when I had three cats, I used three regular plastic boxes and one automatic litter box a neighbor gave me. My tuxedo cat claimed that automatic box as his personal royal privy. He guarded it and refused to let the others near it. Some cats take their bathroom politics very seriously.

 

A Longer Month Means Grumpy Cats

This month was a long one between checks — five weeks instead of four — so I had to delay the Kitty Poo delivery. Judging from how fast Banner and Balboa raced to the fresh litter, I think they were unimpressed with that extra week. They probably compared it to us using a porta‑potty or a gas station restroom. You all know exactly what I mean.

Back on Track With Kitty Poo Club

But we’re back on track now with a regular four‑week delivery. I do love Kitty Poo Club. Disposable litter boxes are so much easier than stinky plastic ones — and clearly, Banner and Balboa approve

Disclosure

This post includes an affiliate link. If you use it, I may earn a small commission — which Banner and Balboa assure me should go toward maintaining their monthly “fresh box” tradition. Thanks for supporting my little corner of the internet.

 

WMEO Special Report: It’s National Toasted Marshmallow Day!

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An empty WMEO 9 news desk sits in a brightly lit newsroom. A microphone and two sheets of paper rest on the desk, and multiple blurred screens with news graphics appear in the background along with a city skyline.

This is an WMEO Special report. Our anchors are on location tonight.

We bring you live from the WMEO campground, a full report on the marshmallow celebration for Toasted Marshmallow Day. Our intrepid reporters, Banner and Balboa, are on location tonight, investigating the state of marshmallow toastiness across the region. Early findings suggest high fluff levels, excellent golden‑brown technique, and one missing marshmallow (Balboa continues to deny involvement).

Cartoon versions of two cats sit by a small campfire at night, each holding a stick with a marshmallow over the flames. The orange cat on the left and the black cat on the right are roasting marshmallows in a simple outdoor scene with a dark background and grass at the bottom.

[Live‑Mic Moment] (Audio crackles. The campfire pops.)

Banner: “You burned mine again!”

Balboa: “It’s called caramelization, genius.”

Banner: “It’s called sabotage.”

Balboa: “You’re lucky I didn’t eat yours for evidence.”

(Producer voice off‑screen) “Uh… we’re still live.”

Both: “Oh.” (awkward pause, then cheerful tone)

Banner: “Back to you at the desk!”

Stay tuned for updates as the investigation heats up.

 

Two marshmallows on a wooden stick roast over bright orange flames, with the marshmallows turning golden brown as smoke rises from the fire.

WMEO 9 — Feline News Desk Commentary- What’s in a Name

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The Newroom cats of WMEO prepare to share thier thoughts on the mews of the day

WMEO 9 — Feline News Desk Commentary- What’s in a name?

Broadcasting live from the living room newsroom

Banner: “WMEO 9 Breaking Mews: “The humans are renaming lakes now. Apparently renaming the Gulf of Mexico wasn’t enough — they’ve moved inland.”

Balboa: “Next up: renaming puddles. I call dibs on the one under the kitchen sink.”

Banner: “Experts say Lake Ontario might become Lake America. I say experts need a nap.”

Balboa: I renamed my litter box Lake Trump. It still smells and its still a terrible idea. Still more thought than the humans put into theirs.”

Banner: “Experts say renaming a lake doesn’t fix anything. I say experts should look at my brother’s litter box.”

Balboa: “Hey! My litter box is a natural ecosystem. It has layers and  history. It has… sediment.”

Banner: “It has EPA violations.”

Kitty Litter box with a sign designating it as Lake Trump. 2 crayons sit ont he floor

WMEO Educational Moment

Banner: “By the way, Lake Ontario already has a name. It comes from the Huron and Iroquois languages meaning ‘great lake,’ ‘beautiful lake,’ or ‘sparkling waters.’”

Balboa: “So it already had a good name. Unlike my litter box.”

Banner: “Correct. Some things don’t need renaming. Some things need cleaning.”

2 Newsroom cats signing off at the end of thier mewscast

 

Banner: “More updates as the humans continue renaming things nobody asked them to.”

This has been a WMEO Commentary. We Meow-You Listen

Please resume your regular scrolling

 

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

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A serene landscape featuring a wooden bridge over a small stream surrounded by green grass and colorful flowers. A bright rainbow arcs across a golden sky with soft clouds, and a butterfly hovers near the center, creating a peaceful, dreamlike scene.

In Memory of Mr. Jazz Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day was created by author Deborah Barnes in honor of her beloved cat, Mr. Jazz, who passed on August 28, 2013. It’s a day to remember the pets who touched our lives and left pawprints on our hearts.

Today we honor the pets who shared our homes, our routines, and our hearts. Pet loss is a grief that cuts deeply. They become family, and when they’re gone, the silence they leave behind is enormous. Many people say they mourned a pet more than a person — and while that can feel uncomfortable to admit, it’s true for many of us. We love them fiercely, and we lose them fiercely. And still, we adopt again. Because love is worth the risk.

My Rainbow Bridge Roll Call

Mittens – My first cat. Black with white paws, and the beginning of it all.

Squinty – A semi‑feral, long‑haired, scruffy stray… but I loved him anyway.

Starsky and Hutch – A matched pair of white cats with black ears and black caps on their heads.

Shadow – A polydactyl adventurer who loved car rides and terrorized every squirrel in the neighborhood.

Pyewacket – The sweetest little black‑and‑white kitty.

Little Joe – A rescued Persian, loyal right to the end.

Smoky – Saved from animal control and a hoarding situation. Declawed, poor thing, but still gentle and sweet.

Buddy – My boomerang cat. I tried to re‑home him three times, but he kept coming back. He wanted to be with me — and he was, until he passed.

Rocky – My first orange cat. A very special boy. We were together almost 20 years, and his passing left a hole in my heart.

Each one gone, each one remembered. All of them loved.

And beyond the cats…

There were dogs who wagged their way into my life, a parakeet who filled quiet mornings with chatter, and even a horse whose steady presence taught me patience and trust. Each one left their own mark, but the cats — oh, the cats — have always been the constant thread through my years.

The Present Moment

Banner and Balboa are here now — six years old already, somehow. Half their lives lived, half still ahead.

A Wish for You

If you’ve recently lost a pet — cat, dog, bird, reptile, or a companion I can’t even imagine — I wish you comfort. I believe they will be waiting for you at the Rainbow Bridge, whole and happy, ready to greet you again someday.