Cats that don't prowl in the moonlight hours

Turns out that mum's pyjamas are wrong and my Catster friends are right. Mum says she could not sleep if she did not know that Josie and I wre safely locked in with her at night.

I did go out again for a while in the evening yesterday. Actually I was out so long Josie came out to find me. She told me that mum was missing me so we both went back in. I think Josie was telling the truth as mum gave me a big cuddle even though I was pretty wet. And she told Josie what a clever cat she was for understanding what she had been saying. I don't think mum knows that we always understand, it just doesn't always suit us to do anything about it, especially when she says stupid stuff like, "it's not breakfast time yet"!

I have decided that if I am ever to play outdoors I am going to have to get used to being wet. I did ask my mum if I could move in with one of my Catster friends who lives in a sunny place but she said she missed me when I was gone one hour, she would miss me too much if I went off to another country. Besides which a lot of the countries with hot climates have scary animals that prowl and the scariest thing I've seen so far here is another cat.

It's morning and although it's wet outside it's not actually raining so I'm off for some adventuring.

Cats prowl in the moonlight hours

I know this because it says so on my mum's pyjamas but I never really did it before Sunday evening.

It was warm and dry so even after it got dark she had the big doors open and Josie and I were having adventures in the mysterious dark. Best evening EVER! It was so exciting being out there. Everything smells different, even Josie agreed being out was good.

Of course we kept running indoors to check that our mum was still there, quick circuit at 100 miles an hour and out again. I decided that I would stay out all night.

My mum can be sneaky. One time Josie and I came in for one of our mad circuits but by the time we had run back to the doors vthey were shut. Oh. That wasn't my plan. I would have been very cross but my mum distracted me with some tasty food and I slep very well that night.

Last night I hoped we would do the same but mum was out line dancing. Maybe tonight? Mum said we could go out any evening we like through the special door for cats but that's not very dignified so we don't.

Work is bad

Saturday rocked. My mum had lots of time to play games with me and then we all fell asleep. I was on my bed and mum and Josie curled up on the sofa and I was so tired I let Josie have some snuggle with mum time. That's how good my day was.

I couldn't wait for more of the same on Sunday. It started well with lots of mousie chasing but then mum said she had work to do. "Work like throwing toy micies for me?" No - it was dull paper type work.

Action time for cats. She said she would start at 10am so just have a little read of her book first. I was on her lap before you could say "Why now Toby?" and I let her rub my tummy and I fell asleep on my back in a way that I know she finds hard to resist. As you'll imagine it was some time after 10 when she got started with her work.

Then it was Josie's turn. Mum spread out all her pieces of paper and Josie spread herself out on top of them and looked very beautiful and in need to headrubs and attention.

Then I took over again. I attacked mum's leg which got me some playtime and when she looked very determined to get on I started on the wallpaper. Instant attention!

Our only problem is that this is all very tiring and in the end both Josie and I fell asleep but mum said that was good as it meant she got her work finished and that meant - more play time for me. Hoorah!

Good games

I thought I would repeat my going through the cat door thing when mum came home from work but it was raining and not just a little bit so we had to play indoors. Luckily Josie was in a playing mood too so we had some excellent chases.

Then I attacked my mum. She said she was busy and to leave her be - lucky for me I had a cunning plan. I slid under the throw on the sofa and attacked her like that. All she would see would be moving yellow and she would never work out that it was me under there.

Oh. She did. I did not see that coming. I think maybe my tail was showing at the other end.

Later we had cuddles. When I get all blissed out and happy I sometimes forget to swallow. I don't mind but my mum says she'll have to get me a bib as everything near me gets soggy with my dribble. She should just be glad to see me so contented!

People have funny faces

I thought this last night.

We had a good evening. I got to taste cookie dough which I loved although mum said I wasn't meant to have it and couldn't have any more, something about my teeth but that didn't stop her!

Anyway off we went to bed and I cuddled up right close to my mum but she pushed me away and said she had to breathe. It seems I had blocked her nose and mouth with my fur. It would be better if they were further apart really.

And I got to thinking about people ears. I like to purr right into my mum's ears but it took me a while to find them. Are they on the top of their heads where they can hear everything like a cat? No - they are hidden away half way down. And they don't move. When my mum hears something she has to move her whole head rather than just elegantly flip her ears round like us cats. They are weird like that.

This morning I came through the magic cat door all by myself. Mum told me I am very clever but I'm not sure I liked it.

Josie's delicious food

I wanted to know why Josie gets better food than me. It isn't fair. I was asking mum this while she held me back as I was moving in to move Josie out of the way and eat her more delicious food.

Mum said that if I watch carefully I'll see that she opens one sachet and we get half each so we get exactly the same food.

So why do I eat some of mine and then go to Josie's bowl and it looks better?

Mum said it might be because I always start with the jelly. That's the best bit. Then I just have the lumps and I don't like them so much, they're all dry without the jelly. Josie eats steadily so there is plenty of jelly left when I get to her bowl.

It's a good theory but actually if mum switches our bowls and lets Josie finish off my lumps hers still looks better then mine. I am only allowed to switch once as mum says it isn't fair on poor Josie otherwise. They should make the food just jelly, that would be better.

I'm going outside for a run now. Outdoors is fun. Mum says I could enjoy it more often if I would use that funny small door but I still won't.

Under the fridge

I could see it there - if I could just reach it...I stretched my paw as long as it would go. I tried to wiggle myself under the fridge but there wasn't room. I could get beside the fridge and try another angle but it stayed tantalisingly out of reach.

Mum saw me do this and joined me on the floor and peered under too. "I can't see anything Toby", she said but people eyes are rubbish when it's dark. I could see it.

So she got a wooden spoon and used her long arms to poke about but nothing came out. "You're imagining things young man" she said.

All day, while she was at work, I persisted. I would get it. One nick of claw in it and I had the thing closer. Yes - I could get it - and there it was, on the kitchen floor when my mum came home.

"What on earth is that?"

It was one of my toy mice of course. I love my toy mice. I carry them round and pounce on them and flip them about. Mum had to give it a wash. Its time under the fridge had left it rather mucky and mum has added 'clean under the fridge' to her jobs list for the weekend.

I have lots of toy mice but I hated to see one get away!!

Happy Times

The weekend was lovely. Mum was home for most of it so we had the big doors open and I was running in and out. I like to play outside but I like to come in and check that my mum is still there too.

When I was tired of all that I snuggled up next to my mum who was reading her book. She had some chocolate and a big mug of tea and she said if I would only sit on her lap everything would be perfect.

There is only one time of the day when I will sit on her lap and that is five minutes before she has to go to work. She should stay and that's why I do it. When she is obviously settled and going nowhere there's no point.

In the evening we watched a James Bond film. Josie thought we would be better to watch her so she sat right in front of the TV, partly looking at mum looking at her, partly turning her head so that mum could admire her profile. Mum has seen the film before so could work out enough what was going on around the cat and Josie liked the feeling of being so intently watched so they were both happy.

I am less subtle when I want attention. Mum used to call me Baby Bird on account I would open my mouth very wide and make tiny squeaks. She now calls me Little Foghorn on account of how long I can make one meow go and how many notes I can hit. It's a skill I've worked hard to develop!

Josie is mischievous!

Mum and I were asleep this morning at about 5am. I like it best when mum bends her arm round and makes a Toby nest so I'm pretty much surrounded by her and that's how we were.

We were woken by Josie meowing.

I meow a lot. My mum needs a steady stream of correction as she isn't very bright and doesn't always rush to meet my needs as they arise. Josie meows about once a month. She was a stray and she says anything is better than that and she thinks our mum does a great job.

Because Josie meows so rarely mum and I got up to see what the trouble was. It was a problem I know well. Her Play Mode was activated and she had no-one to play with. She didn't need to ask me twice. Game on! It's not often Josie that starts the games so I think she is liking me a bit better these days. Mum pretended she didn't want to join in but we included her by bouncing on her as we ran so she wouldn't feel neglected.

Then mum bustled about as she does in the morning. She was in the bathroom brushing her teeth when Josie nudged me and said, "Watch this."

She climbed on the drawers in the hall, stretched up to her full height against the door frame, reached round into the bathroom and tapped my mum on the shoulder - then darted back chuckling away.

My mum jumped a mile as she lives with just us so to get a human height tap on the shoulder, turn and see no-one there did spook her. But she just heard a slither of claws and peered round the door frame fast enough to see Josie slide down, mission accomplished.

It made mum laugh so I think she's forgiven Josie for the early start today.

Back again!

What a relief to be back with my Catster Diary. I was worried that everyone would forget me - and my mum was worried that people would have seen what's been going on in the UK and think she was busy out rioting and she certainly hasn't been!

For us cats events outside haven't meant much. We did see smoke from one of the big fires as it was close by but it does seem to have stopped this morning. My mum's line dance class was cancelled so people wouldn't be travelling about which meant we got an extra evening with her so that was good for us.

For mum she says there is a very strange atmosphere out and about and lots and lots of police but for most people life is just going on. She has been watching the news more and gets very sad so I have been giving her lots of snuggles to cheer her up.

Yesterday for example she was looking online and I walked on the keyboard and managed not only to turn on the webcam so we could see ourselves but to give us a frame of stars. That certainly made her smile as she didn't know how to do that.

I am going out when I can. Mum thinks I could go through the special little door in the kitchen and I can if she holds it open. She says I could push it with my head and come and go just as I please. Well - I don't see her pushing doors with her head so I'm not convinced that's a sensible idea. I have seen Dylan go out that way but that's after stealing our food so doesn't count. I'm sure good cats don't go around headbutting doors.