Feline Fun

What a delight to have a back porch where cats come to congregate!  They’re not even my cats, but the neighboring ones.  For some reason, the two black female kittens, their big orange brother and their calico mama have been hanging out for months now.  It’s their catio, to bask in the sunshine all day.

I started giving them treats early on (kitten chow for the little ones) and of course they came back, expecting more.  I do think they’d keep coming around anyway, since there is space for them where all is safe and comfy (and they get away from the big dogs they live with!)  Their own porches are small.

They like to frolic in the yard as well, rolling around on crunchy leaves and playing with stems.  I dangle a string and they all pounce on it. The kittens and big orange brother love scritches, but mama cat hisses “no!” for herself.

Whenever I open my back door I am delighted to see their bright eyes light up as they jump and press their paws on the screen, meowing their greetings.  My two cats (indoor only) are a bit jealous and on occasion hiss at them (they also see them walking by when we are in screened catio on side porch).  I do think the larger black kitten has a crush on Merci and vice-versa!

The neighbors did have them all fixed (thank goodness!).  And how fortunate they do have a place to go inside if the weather is bad.  I have a big box covered with plastic on my porch in case they miss curfew.  They like to nap in it, and on it.

I wish more people would spay and neuter and shelter cats.  It would be a wonderful world of feline fun.  There is room for cat sanctuaries everywhere.  God bless those folks who trap, neuter, release (TNR) and provide so many services to our feline friends.       Theresa M

PS - There is also another cat, not from the same family, who started visiting months ago.  She looks well-cared for.  She doesn't come around as often because the above cats hiss at her.  I call her Chica, she is very sweet with me.  This picture below is from January, but she has been by at least monthly.  Adorable tuxie girl!      

The Incapacity to Care

Is there a point where a person can lose their capacity to care?  I don’t mean because of a brain disorder, like dementia, but maybe due to feeling so much grief, feeling over-burdened with pain.   Can a person be so diminished in having the capacity to care about others, even about those they have cared about for years?

In grief, I know I have felt so fatigued.  I have felt I could not do my best or give a lot of help to anyone for some time.  But I don’t think I ever stopped caring about anyone.

I wonder if some grieving people just stop caring - they don’t call, they don’t show interest in how another is doing.  Do they think of others but just not reach out?  I don’t know.  But I would rather it be that they just lost their capacity to care due to the weight of grief, rather than they just stop caring.  Then I could understand, then I don’t have to feel so neglected when a grieving person just doesn’t bother to keep in touch.  I don’t have to take it personally.  Don’t get me wrong.  I still reach out to them, but at some point, when the reaching isn’t reciprocated, it reminds me of feeling neglected, unwanted, as when “friends” don’t bother to call or meet up anymore.  That’s what it feels like - I don’t like that feeling.  But it’s okay if the person has just lost the capacity to care.  I understand.  No rejection, no blame.  That’s just life. And I pray that their grief will ease.       Theresa M

September

These crossover summer/autumn days are wonderful!  I feel so comfortable with these daytime temps in the 70’s to 80°, and nights 40’s to 50’s!  Perfect.

I feel so much energy to get all sorts of things done.  I do have to pace myself though due to arthritic pain in my hands and back.  But I’m enjoying this.  Scraping old metal rails and porches.  Re-painting.  Starting to gather up the fallen black walnuts (I make piles of these for a few weeks then bag them).  Will also be cleaning house and shampooing carpets.  And enjoy reading time on the porch - with the cats hanging out of course.  My cats on the screened-in porch, neighbor cats visiting on the back porch - their catio.

Luke and Lilly🌈 on porch 2023

August was a difficult month for several reasons, as electric lines and other things broke, Luke got sick for a couple of weeks (he’s good now) and anniversary of Lilly’s death.  And it was so hot!  Electric bill went up.  New budget for gas heat went up.  Everything went up.

But here in September I feel more in control, more relaxed.  Life is good when it is, and not when it isn’t:  could be due to anything.

Merci enjoying the sun on the porch

So I’ll take these good moments while I got them.  And October is coming up - my favorite month!  Hopefully these good days will roll right into the next.  Prayers and positive thinking.  It’s a way of life.  A good way.     Theresa M