CHANGE OF SEASONS AFFECTS TOM

We are having the first real change to chill October weather.  Warm in the daytime to a chill after the sun goes down.  Tom sits down at the patio door to go out a little before the light fades down to a near-dark twilight.  It is his habit, first of all, to look out the double lighted exit from the glass that does not open to assess the wild life in his sights.  When he is sure it suits him, he moves to the door and sits patiently.  It isn't always that he is patient.  If I am in the same room watching TV and am en-grossed in the program, he rears up and claws on the back of my upholstered chair.  He knows this will get a roar and a rise from me, and I will move to DRIVE him out.  Then he moves to the door and is put out. 

Every pet needs to be, mostly, an outdoor creature and not lose contact with his freedom in nature and the ability to protect himself.  I've had to compromise with Tom, because his first owner worked in the daytime; and the only time the owner was at home was at night, so that was when Tom had his outing.  There is a bandit cat that steals Tom's food, if I put the remainder of his early dinner out to early the scruffy gray cat steals it.  Timid Tom seems to let the bandit get away with it.  I have better luck if I wait until I close down for the night.  Setting his food dish out then, he is hungry enough to finish it off himself.

Tom, the Timid

Despite Tom's size and strength, he has a timid, perhaps shy or a "prove you are friendly" aspect.  He is larger than average weighing 10.5 pounds with long forelegs and paws, and a long ringed tail, which moves and curls constantly, except when he is in deep sleep.  His paws are big and white with pink pads, and he loves to flex them when on my lap.  Yes, it's catlike to do so.  But when I yell, "Ouch" he is more careful.  He often lays with his forelegs spread forth in the position of the sphinx of Eguptl; and when he gets up from a nap he stretches his hind legs like a ballet dancer.  His timidity,however, is more for men tha;n for women.  The women of my family, he favors more by letting them pick him up  and pet him.  In times of holiday gatherings he hides under the bed.

He is prescient and comes on the scene when I sit down to work at the computer, where he is now, so thies comments complete today's blog, says Barb.

Tom, the Timid

Despite being a larger feline, Tom has a streak of timidity, running from the doorbell, especially if a woman, allowing them to pick him up and pet him.  This refers to the women of my family, who all have, or have had, cats as their intimate friends.  You wouldn't expect such a hesitant attitude from a big 10.5-pound large cat with long fore and hind legs and a long ringed tail.  His paws are also large and he throws weight behind his paws and tail.  After naps he stretches legs and the hind leg stretch is like that of a ballet dancer. His paws are large with large spreading toes and pack a wallop as does the lash of his tail.  He lets me lift him more now after three years living with me than he did, but really does not like to be picked up, and struggles to get down if it takes too long for me to put him where I want him (when he doesn't follow on his own).  During holiday gatherings he hides under the bed.  This cat is prescient and appears out of nowhere when I sit down at the computer, or to read.  He has found me here and is in the way of my hands, so I end today's report. 

 

 

"Tom", a Common Tabby, but a Noble Cat

WELCOME

This is for all of you who love cats, who live with one, or more,.  It is also for those of you who value friendship and enjoy the company of others.  I welcome you into my life, about my cat and me.  It may be we have other like interests and special loves than cats and friendship, be-cause I like to share, at times, some special insights, or some degree of enlightenment that may spring upon me.  So, please join me for a little part of your day.

 

 

Tom came to me as the third owner, or mistress of ythis feline.  His first owner was a man who had to move away and gave him to my daughter, who gave him to me when she was going through a divorce.  The first thing he did when let loose in my house was go into the open fire-place and climb up out of sight into the chimney.  He did not come down out of there, although my daughter called and called him.  Time elapsed.  We called a chimney sweep service, and got only the answering service.  We left a message.  Pardon our ignorance as to what the construc-tion of the inside of a chimney is.  We thought Tom might be trapped in a space he could not get down from.  The dark of night descended and no Tom appeared.  Day arrived.  We went out on an errand.  Tom came out from the fireplace covered in black soot and ran upstairs and under a bed with a white lace spread that touched the floor, leaving a black path on the white lace. 

I dragged him out from under the bed and took him to the nearest fawcett to clean off the soot.  The chimney service called and received an explanation of the previous night's call. 

Before I solved the problem, Tom had entered the chimney two more times the same weekend.  My daughter left the classic tuxedo tabby in his new home, and the first thing I did, after intro-ducing him to food and water was to go out on a Monday morning and buy a firplace screen that fit against the brickwork of the fireplace and duct tape it to the bricks on both sides.  I had to place the fan-shaped brass cover in front of that.  Tom jumped on the hearth and looked it over carefully, but could not devise a way into the opening to jump up onto some ledge inside.  I often wonder how high the ledge was in the chimney.  For a while he looked for some dark place to go to, but in a week or two he adjusted to his new home and gradually stopped paying attention to the fireplace.  Much more followed.