When You’re a Princess and You Know it…

Mac(aroni) is a princess. Not only does she always have to be in the middle of whatever action is going on in the house — even if it literally means butting into the attention another cat is receiving from the human — but she also thinks she owns most of the cat beds on the premises. She has actually tried to occupy two of the fluffy puffs positioned next to each other at the same time by sprawling across the top of both so no other cat could get in one of the beds. Heaven forbid another cat lie next to her royal highness without permission.

Another thing Mac does is if she sees another cat sleeping or reclining in one of the beds she believes she owns, she shamelessly chases that cat out of the bed and any other bed the cat subsequently attempts to occupy. In pure Brat Cat mode, she then doesn’t lie in a single one of the beds. Of course, she’s also famous for waiting for Pepe to leave one of his many boxes and then hopping in and refusing to leave, causing Pepe to camp out beside her until she departs. Meanwhile, she sports a smug expression and tries to wait him out.

In the morning, while Corky, Pepe, and Taz are yowling up a storm in an attempt to get the human to dispense breakfast faster, Mac remains upstairs curled up and sleeping in one of the kitty beds. Then, several hours after all the other cats have had breakfast and the human is lashed to her keyboard working, Mac shows up and demands special treats. After all, she couldn’t possibly eat the same food as the other cats. Her favorite snack — which she wants to eat exclusively all day long — is freeze-dried chicken breast. When the human can’t or won’t dispense any more of those treats, the Merkitty shreds the sides of boxes, stands up and digs forepaws (and claws) into the human’s hip, and has been known to hop up and land on the keyboard to prove her point.

Whether out of boredom or some other reason, the smirking Merkitty also delights in scooping water out of the water bowls. She floods plastic trays and absorbent dish-drying mats and often floods the surrounding floor. That leaves the other cats without clean water to drink and gives the human yet another task to perform multiple times daily. Such a meow!

(c) Copyright 2024, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Image my own.

Languorous Lions

While they sleep most of the day, laying around in comfy beds full of soft blankets in the sunlight seems to utterly exhaust the meows. Fireball (above) and Pepe (below, after taking a spit bath) are shown catching some Zzzzzzs.

(c) Copyright 2023, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Images my own.

Fireball Chills Out with the Human

It was early morning and not quite the time when the human had to drag herself out of bed. She was laying on her side when Fireball came up for his early morning siesta. The 2-legged’s duty is to hold the blanket up (letting out all the nice warmth) and wait for the Little Red Lion to slide under, turn around a couple of times, and then stretch out on the human’s arm while the 2-legged tucks the blankets around him. Usually, that leads to lots of furious scrubbing of the human’s hand and fingers while she tries to avoid his rough tongue by petting him. A little foot dangling ensued while the now wide awake human tried to take pics from above.

Fireball usually only stays 15 minutes. He heard another cat hop up on the bed and that was his cue to be on his way.

(c) Copyright 2022, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Images my own.

Why Human Fingers Require Extra Washing

Everyone knows that humans are stinky creatures.

That’s probably because they have so much naked skin and also because they wash with soap and water. It’s clearly inferior to a spit bath.

Although it’s a thankless job, Fireball long ago took on the task of rewashing the human’s fingers and hands. In fact, he used to scoop up a finger in one of his soft little orange paws, clamp down with his claws, and scrub for all he was worth while the human howled in fits of laughter, since it tickled so much.

Fortunately, the human always tries to express appreciation after her bath.

Fireball feels satisfied about having contributed to the greater good of the human and household.

(c) Copyright 2022, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Images my own.

Big Boys Plot & Plan

Pepe and Caesar are the big boys of the house with each approaching 20 pounds/9.1 kilos. Although they have their share of tussels — Pepe does not appreciate Caesar’s intense need to groom every cat in the house, especially not him! — for the most part they get along great. It’s quite common to see them curled up back-to-back or feet-to-feet on the bed. And they often hang out together in other areas of the house, as they were this particular morning when the human happened to walk by. <<<Doesn’t it make you wonder what they were talking about? And who do you suppose took the toys out of the toy box?>>>

(c) Copyright 2021, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Images my own.

You Wash My Back, I’ll Wash Your’s

The human found Caesar and Mac having a cuddle this morning in one of the kitty beds. Mac had her foot on Caesar’s hip and Caesar had a big forepaw wrapped around Mac’s neck.  In fact, he was giving the Merkitty a thorough washing when the human first saw them.

 

 

(c) Copyright 2019, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.

Stealing the Attention

Pepe was on the freshly made bed rolling around at the junction where the sheet and blankets fold over the duvet cover.  He was enjoying the pets and attention the human was lavishing upon him.  All of a sudden, Mac jumped up and demanded some attention too.  Pepe, who doesn’t like to share, wasn’t pleased. Since the human began splitting her attentions between both tuxedos, Pepe got up and left in a huff.

 

(c) Copyright 2019, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.

Care & Cleaning of a Little Red Bee

Although he’s fully grown, Fireball has retained a great many “kittenish” behaviors and tendencies.  Caesar and Mac have taken it upon themselves to look after the Little Red Bee.  For example, Caesar can always be found grooming the Baby Commet.  And the Smirking One often possessively hooks a paw or whole leg around Fireball’s torso as though staking a claim on him.  For his part, the ginger tabby bears up well with all the washing and proprietary handling…until he doesn’t. Then a little kitty kerfuffle ensues.

 

(c) Copyright 2019, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.

Y-A-W-N !

Pepe was just sitting in his little blanket cave, seemingly minding his own business.  All of a sudden, he was overcome with a huge yawn.  Once that was over, it was time to wash his face. It gets so dirty just laying around on soft blankets all day.

 

(c) Copyright 2019, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.

Happy 7th Arrivals Day Trio!

Today is the seventh anniversary of the arrival of Caesar, Fireball, and Macaroni.  They’ve come a long way from the scared little kitties who hid under the furniture every time the silly human came upstairs to visit them that first week.  The Tiger Boys still are a bit skittish but have gotten much better.The Merkitty still thinks she’s in charge of everything or, rather, she think she shouldn’t have to follow any rule at any point in time. And, of course, they still pile on top of each other for grooming and sleeping.  Thanks Foster Mom Kim and family for the gift of these wonderful kitties!

 

 

(c) Copyright 2019, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.

Get with the Program or Get Fired!

<<Human! Get with the program. It’s 3:30 in the afternoon and we want food!>>  <<Sassy Face? You’re calling me sassy? You don’t even want to hear the things I’m thinking about you right now! In fact, you couldn’t handle it!>>  <<What do you mean, ‘eat the food left from breakfast?’ If we wanted to eat that food, we’d have done so hours ago.>> <<Diet is a dirty word. Don’t repeat it anymore.>>  <<If you don’t want us to eat the tasty food you buy, why buy tasty food? Sometimes you make no sense at all, human!>>  <<I’m suffering so much right now.  My stomach is turning inside out with hunger. I’m not over-fed, I’m bloated with malnutrition.>>   <<If she’s not going to feed us, might as well get a bath. Do you think we could trade for a better human?>>

 

 

 

(c) Copyright 2018, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.

Hugs from the Gingerbread Bear

Fireball, like Pepe, enjoys getting up close and personal with the human when she’s laying around reading.  He stretches out on her chest and starts singing, which usually leads to a bit of drooling, and then mixing on shoulders and arms with those sweet little paws equipped with a full arsenal of scimitars (nails).  Still, how can you resist the love of a little red tiger cat?   Fortunately, or not, the visits are usually short lived. There always is something more interesting to see or to do than hanging out with the boring human when she’s trying to read.

 

 

(c) Copyright 2018, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.

Clean Feet

This is Fireball washing his paws.They get so dirty running around on rugs all day.  <<If you don’t keep your paws in pristine shape, you might not be able to race up and down the stairs like a comet in the sky.  Besides, your brother might make fun of you.>>

 

 

(c) Copyright 2018, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.

You Need a Bath!

Caesar was in one of the kitty beds reclining next to the human. The Little Red Bee came up for some hugs. After getting a brushing and some toothpaste treat, he hopped over and joined his big brother. Problem is his Big Brother always thinks he needs a bath. Out came one of those big Caesar paws and held poor Fireball in place.  <<What are you chuckling at, human?>>

 

(c) Copyright 2018, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.

Bowl Patrol

It’s the afternoon. The human is cranking away on her keyboard and Bowl Patrol members are on duty.First, they visit the human in ones and twos to encourage her to take a break and give them a snack (or a full-blown meal).  If that doesn’t work, they intensify the pressure on the human by standing up and putting their paws on her desk or sinking their claws into her leg, scratching on items they know they shouldn’t, or jumping up and landing next to the keyboard.  The longer the human ignores them, the more intensely they act out. Finally, the silly human takes a break. There is great rejoicing right outside the office door. Of course, it’s important not to act smug like you think you’ve won the battle, so they quickly look away and participate in a bit of personal gratuitous grooming followed by a bit of community grooming.  It’s important to follow the human and make sure she is guided to the snack container or to the crunchy jar.  She often is distracted and completely forgets what you’ve worked hours to get her to do.  Such a silly human.

 

(c) Copyright 2018, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.

Glow Cat

This is a perfect example of what the camera sees that the eye does not. When the human walked by and saw Caesar and Mac sitting in a small patch of sunlight, she thought it cute and grabbed the camera. Only after she took the photo did she realize that it looked like the Emperor Kitty was glowing.  As the human became aware of the effect, she walked closer and took more photos, which made the Big Guy a bit nervous. <<What’s she going to do — pet my paws?>> Caesar Tiger Bear got off easy and only had to endure a few photos. Meanwhile, Mac was her usual nonplused self. Maybe this is more proof that cats are aliens sent here to spy on the lower-lifeform humans.

 

(c) Copyright 2018, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.

Taylor & Ing Kitties – Part VII

Caesar’s dedication to grooming the other kitties knows no bound (or boundaries)…and the Merkitty is just fine with that, thank you very much! 

 

(c) Copyright 2018, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.

 

Places to Hide

<<Quick, the human is coming.  Don’t let her get too close in this heat. She’ll definitely want to pet you…and perhaps she’ll also want to pick you up and hug you.  It’s way too hot for affection.>>  <<If you pretend you don’t see her, perhaps she’ll be fooled into thinking she doesn’t see you.  Nope, that didn’t work. Time to plan an escape.>> <<Fortunately, she’s way too big to climb into the bay window. However, it’s just perfect for a kitty like me. You really have to stay alert in this house lest you get human kisses and fingerprints on your fur.>>

 

(c) Copyright 2018, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.

 

 

 

Cross-Purposes

Mac and Caesar were laying in opposite directions as if working to cross-purposes. Of course, it wasn’t long before a big Caesar paw was holding Mac still while the Emperor gave her a bath.

 

 

(c) Copyright 2018, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.

Scrubber in Chief

This is Caesar, the scrubber in chief of our household.  He never met a fur coat that he felt was sufficiently clean (or dry)….such as Macaroni’s here.Any and all of the other meows must be prepared at any time to submit to a washing administered by The Emperor.  If  they don’t submit willingly, he grabs them with those big Caesar paws and holds them down while he scrubs and scrubs. It’s kind of like meeting the Borg. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated (or at least thoroughly washed)!

 

 

(c) Copyright 2018, PeggyMalnati. All rights reserved. Photos my own.