Thursday, March 28, 2024
black catscat photographsdaily photomr. sunshine

Daily Photo: A Long Day and a Kitty Belly

black cat on back
Mr. Sunshine caught napping.

What’s that you say Mama Bernadette? You had a long day? Some things went wrong and took more time than you thought? We did notice you were gone for quite some time. So what’s a “mailing”? What’s that about your customer? Four hours sorting envelopes to put them in the right order? And you’ll have to deal with it again tomorrow?

You brought some kitties home too, and they smelled funny and they meowed on the front porch the whole time you were gone again. Now they are in the bathroom. But they are leaving again tomorrow morning? I guess you’re not going to do that with us too!

And you’re behind in other things too, we know, we hear you talking to yourself. Well, one of the best things you can do when things feel out of control is rub the kitty belly and go off with me to dreamland. I’ll curl my toes and make starfish paws. Everything will be all better.

black cat on back
Go ahead and touch the belly.

Scroll down and you’ll see another kitty belly from 2011. I always say I can tell when the temperature hits 80 degrees because that’s when Sunshine rolls over on his back.

. . . . . . .

What other photos did I feature around this date?

When We Put Our Heads Together…We Fall Asleep, 2013
three black cats sleeping
When we put our heads together, we fall asleep.

We do, we fall asleep. We had some big plans since Mama Bernadette left us all alone most of the day yesterday after torturing us with the sweeper monster and making us move so she could “clean”. We don’t need “clean”, we like it the way it is. So after hours of noise and smells and making us move, we were glad to get some rest when she left with her bags packed and said, “I’m headed for the trail, see you guys later!”

She seemed a little too happy to leave us, especially since we have no idea what this “trail” thing is, and not even our wise, experienced Mama Mimi could tell us what that was. So we decided we would put our furry heads together and cat-spire but…we fell asleep and before we knew it, the day was gone, it was dark and Mama Bernadette was coming back in the door. And she smelled funny. Lots of things on her dress and on her legs and arms, and even though we were really hungry not having eaten in days, we made her stand still so we could smell these things. Every inch of her feet and legs smelled liked something different and even her arms, and Mama Mimi said she didn’t know what the trail was, but she knew the smells of “the woods” and “the water”. We could smell a little bit of bunny fur and mousie tracks and spiders, and different waters, not like the ones we drink, and dirt. And leaves, live ones and dead ones. We thought maybe we were dreaming since we’d just awakened, but when we sat back to think about it and looked at our Mama Bernadette, who suddenly seemed a little bit like a stranger, she got our dinner ready and we knew it was all very real.

Later we smelled her bags, and even her big black box thing, and they all smelled the same. We agreed, there is something enticing about this, but all the same it’s frightening, like something we don’t quite remember. Our Mama Mimi says we don’t need to remember it. She does, and smelling it on our human is as close as we need to get. We had to sleep on it. We had very interesting dreams, though.

collage of cats and woods
Leaves and waters and sun and dirt…

. . . . . . .

Does Your Garden Grow Mousies?, 2012
two black cats with basket of beans
Mewsette and Giuseppe are disappointed.

“Does your garden grow mousies or chippies?” Mewsette asks as Giuseppe inspects the contents of my basket.

They were quite excited when I entered the kitchen with my little gathering basket and set it down on the cabinet in front of them. They eagerly looked in the basket and sniffed heartily, poking a few beans with their noses.

“We don’t eat these. These are toys,” Mewsette adds. “What good is a garden if it doesn’t grow things you eat?”

I guess we all have different customs. But then I think they remember stories from their Mama Mimi about all the wonderful chipmunks she used to find out there when she came to visit, and from both Cookie and Namir about the exciting little voles who were just everywhere.

Later, Giuseppe does at least find a use for the basket, though Mewsette is still uncertain about the contents and somewhat disappointed.

two black cats with basket
Mewsette is still disappointed, though Giuseppe is pleased with himself.

. . . . . . .

From the Archives: Supervising the Harvest, 2008
tortoiseshell cat in garden
Cookie supervises the pea harvest.

From 2008, Cookie, as Garden Goddess, settles in a soft bed of tall grasses, violets and wild strawberries and autumn wildflowers at the edge of my pea bed to enjoy the dappled sun on an August morning and supervise my work. So far that year, the peas had done well, but of course it would have been all different if Cookie hadn’t taken the time and effort to ensure their success. And she didn’t even like peas. She was that generous.

gray and white cat in grass
Namir keeps watch on the edge of the garden and the “wild area” leading to it.

Namir was ranging elsewhere in the yard as I remember and also in the other photos I took that day. Apparently he was leaving the supervision of me to the Garden Goddess while he stalked and eradicated all the voles and chipmunks he could get his paws on before they ate the roots of all the rest of my plants.

I harvested the last of the peas today and removed the plants, turning them into the soil, and I remembered this day as I was working today. I could remember the warmth of Cookie’s sun-washed fur under my hand and the rustling of Namir as he came through the plants to check in with me now and then, his gray and white face and tourmaline eyes turned up to me.

How can anyone garden without cats?

. . . . . . .

At the Top of the Stairs, 2011
partial photo of cat on landing
Hmmm, what’s that at the top of the stairs?

So this is what I see as I walk up the stairs to my second floor, one paw, then another, some fur, an ear…

It’s just Mr. Sunshine in his favorite position. It doesn’t have to be hot for him to enjoy his happy sleep on his back.

There is nothing like a welcoming kitty belly, though, and Mr. Sunshine’s is as soft as it looks.

black cat on back
Black cat lying on back.

. . . . . . .

Cookie and Coffee, 2010
cat drinking out of mug
Cookie and Coffee

As a follow-up to “I’ll Have Some of What You’re Having”, here is proof that Cookie really does drink my coffee. I know it’s not good for her, but she rarely gets much, and it’s probably that half-n-half that makes it interesting to her. In any case, I have to be really distracted for her to get her face in my coffee cup and drink.

What I really like is the slinky-type of move she’s making, as if I might not notice her.


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Bernadette

From health and welfare to rescue and adoption stories, advocacy and art, factual articles and fictional stories, "The Creative Cat" offers both visual and verbal education and entertainment about cats for people who love cats, pets and animals of all species.

6 thoughts on “Daily Photo: A Long Day and a Kitty Belly

  • guys…iz it just uz ….ore due peepulz ALL WAYS HAZA EGGZCUSE for comin home late….like ALL WAYS ♥

    Reply
    • Our human just makes things up and we know it. She works at home and even then we eat really late some days. If you ask us, someone should breed humans that are more responsible.

      Reply
  • bluemoonalone

    Tummy rubs are like medicine around here..for the giver and the receiver!!

    Reply
    • Bluemoonalone, that’s a two-handed belly rub there, and really gratifying after a long day.

      Reply
  • Nothing can revive you more than to rub a warm,furry kitty belly 🙂
    Purrs Georgia and Julie,
    Treasure and JJ

    Reply
    • Especially a Mr. Sunshine belly, Georgia and Julie–he curls up like a bug and makes starfish paws and purrs when you touch him!

      Reply

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