Thursday, March 28, 2024
Bellacatsdaily photo

Daily Photo: A Sense of Composition

black cat at window
A sense of composition

Her profile and the way she nestles into the medallion and chain and purrfectly balancing the composition, how can I not think Bella knows exactly how she’s positioned? Her profile, the reflections and abstractions, and her absolute profile, Bella always has a sense of her composition.

black cat at window
Contemplative

She gave me many poses in just a few minutes. I have included just three.

black cat at window
Searching

It’s one of the things I share with my cats, their joy in a moment of comfort, and mine in a moment of inspiration.

~~~

From Instagram

“Bernadette had an EPIC BATTLE with the LAWN MOWER MONSTER!!!! They were all over the back yard–she was dragging it and pushing it but sometimes it looked like the MONSTER was dragging her around, they even went around the side of the house where we couldn’t see them but we could hear some awful sounds!! But in the end she won. She came back and LAWN MOWER MONSTER was quiet and she rolled it under the deck and it stayed there. And then she came in and she petted all of us so we knew it was okay. For a human she’s an epic fighter, and we all had to fight when we lived outdoors. We feel very safe.”

(Reporting by Mariposa)

four cats at door
Four at the door.

 

~~~

From the Garden and Beyond

Let Your Light Shine

Fill your heart with light and let it shine for all the world to see.

bleeding heart flowers
Bleeding Hearts

 

From around this date in past years

Envision Beauty, 2021

black cat with flowers
Mimi in beauty.

“Envision yourself surrounded by beauty.”

I like to mix up my daily photos so they don’t all look the same, but Mimi and those rhododendron blooms…yesterday when Mary was visiting Mimi decided to leave the basket where she looked so precious and go have a drink from the birdbath. I love to photograph here there at any time, but the rhododendron is in full bloom and reflected in the water as she began to drink. The purrfect reflection, the ripples, Mimi’s silhouette against the color, it was all just too much, and here she is again.

Mimi went for a big veterinary appointment last Friday with a new veterinarian and had a complete exam and blood tests. She’s just been a little less than her best for about the past year, nothing specific but no emergencies and I wanted a senior panel just to see where she is with any senior/geriatric conditions. But getting an appointment has been a challenge, and I knew it would be expensive. I was happy to find she has nothing life-threatening but several treatable things, like mild dental disease, a slight heart murmur, an infection deep in both ears that probably indicates a food allergy, and a kidney infection. We are starting with a rather strong and very expensive antibiotic for about six weeks for the kidney infection and a steroid rinse for her ears, and going on from there, and I’ll be giving her some subcutaneous fluids every few days to make sure her kidneys are flushed clean. I’m glad I could finally get this done for her, and I can’t wait to see her back to her normal curious and active little self. In the meantime, she has a great appetite and as you can see very interested in hanging out in the outdoors. I feel bad that she went so long with these conditions, and I’m glad I can finally get her fixed up.

~~~

From Instagram

A sweet #brothersistercats cuddle turns into a #heartshapednap and even has a sweet little heart right in the middle of it.

Mewsette is working on her tan. Ah, summer! Hot enough anyway.


Sienna stole Hamlet’s favorite after breakfast nap spot, and he doesn’t know what to do about it.


Mimi has her own water bowl in the shade, but apparently it wasn’t big enough so she used the bucket of water I’m going to use to water plants.


So are this guy’s whiskers magnificent enough for me to turn on the faucet and let him have a drink? There’s a fountain on the floor that has a spout pretty much like a faucet, but every once in a while they have to drink from this just for old times sake.

 

 

From around this date in past years

From Her Outdoor Living Days, 2020

cat drinking from birdbath
When you’re thirsty…

Mimi remembers a little trick on a hot afternoon from her days living outdoors, and reminds us not to forget those little hacks we learned along the way because we never know when we’ll need them again (and reminds me on this unexpectedly hot day that she needs her outdoor water bowls). I love the reflections in the photos below.

She’s done this before too, and to be honest I was hoping she’d do it again, just for fun. I’ll be moving the birdbath farther from the porch when I start planting flowers out there so that more birds can access it from more directions but it will still be close enough that I can get neat photos of the birds splashing around. Let’s see what she does when that happens. But for now I’ve got her water bowls handy front and back for each day when we go out.

From Instagram

tortoiseshell cat being petted
If your creative project just isn’t working make sure you have an emergency tortie on hand who you can pet and she’ll tell you you’re super. Thanks, Sienna.

 

Sienna scores a few bonus points holding Bean under the sheet during a lively game of Change the Bed.

 

Holding down the sheets so they can’t get back off the bed and fly away.

And from the front yard, the Helpful Squirrel.

squirrel
Stuffing his face.

 

From around this date in past years

Bright Morning Sunshine, 2019

Bella and Hamlet at the sunny morning window.
Bella and Hamlet at the sunny morning window.

These bright, sunny mornings, there’s nothing like them. The sun comes in at an angle, early, because the window faces northeast, but they take advantage of it. Just after breakfast they start to collect there. But here Bella and Hamlet have chosen pretty much the same spot and are enjoying each others’ company. Bella gets here first and gets the best spot, so likely Hamlet found it to be good too. Hamlet has his tail stretched out behind himself, full and silky. For most of his time here he folded his tail and sat on it, and when he walked it was tucked in behind him, not quite between his legs. He has finally relaxed and let his tail unfold.

From Facebook and Instagram

Sienna says I’m done working for today because everyone is hungry.

Sienna says…

 

Photos from years past.

.

Skeptical Sienna, 2018

Skeptical Sienna
Skeptical Sienna

Sienna is still not sure about meeting new humans, though she’s all over the house with the other cats now and comfortable with all the spaces. The calming collar has been helping her with this, though. The other day Denise from the top of the hill stopped in and Sienna was sleeping on the cat tree at the bottom of the stairs. She raced off up the steps, then came back down slowly, and settled back into her spot on the cat tree. We decided that was huge progress! It’s almost time to change to a new collar, and I hope the renewed pheromones will help her with the people I’ve invited to stop by to help her get accustomed to other people aside from me. She has to claim her right as princess, ruler of humans!

Still not sure.
Still not sure.

From Instagram

La la la la, sorry, we can’t hear you, we are not coming inside, we are going to stay out here all day.

Not coming inside.
Not coming inside.

. . . . . . .

Other Photos Posted On or Around This Date…

Wordless Wednesday: A Message for Hamlet
Instead of the ghost of his father, a little bird appears to Hamlet with a message.
Instead of the ghost of his father, a little bird appears to Hamlet with a message.

. . . . . . .

Purrfectly Camouflaged, 2016
I'm sure no one will see you in the yellow basket, Hamlet.
I’m sure no one will see you in the yellow basket, Hamlet.

Yes, it’s Hamlet again! I forgot to add this one to yesterday’s post even though I’d shared it on Facebook and Instagram. Isn’t he a wonderful kitty? He is so playful that though he still runs from me all I need to do is swing a toy around and he’s ready to play. I’ll catch up with Ophelia again soon, but for now I’m really enjoying Hamlet’s metamorphosis.

Shared on Facebook and Instagram

I’ve been helping the neighbor where Bowie and her kittens live trap another female cat who just had her babies. We finally caught her today, in try #7! She would not go in a trap for any food, and we discovered why when we checked her kittens last night as we were trapping for try #6: she had a vole stashed there for a snack. You can really only use food as a lure for a trap when they are hungry or have no other food source. You’d think a pregnant female cat would be hungry all the time, but possibly that’s why she’s not.

I wasn’t the one who caught her today, but here is the story:

Feral mom and kittens are safe in a trap and headed for their next destination! Thanks Mary Kay Gentert for your time and expertise and Margo Cicci Wisniewski for setting this up and helping all the way through with this family of feral kitties. This was try #7 to catch this little lady, and it took putting her babies in a carrier and attaching a trap that she had to run through to get near them. No more kittens for this girl, and her babies will grow up in a loving home environment and never know the dangers of living outdoors. Mimi is closely watching them on my deck.

. . . . . . .

Other Photos Posted On or Around This Date…

Daily Photo: Mimi’s Playground, 2015
Mimi on her rocker.
Mimi on her rocker.

Mimi’s new destination when we go outdoors. Obviously, I put it there for her.

It’s an old rocker I pulled from someone’s trash because it’s old and solid and comfortable. I set it in the grass to clean off my deck and still have to find a place for it, but as the sun went down the first day it was out in the yard I saw how sweet the old thing it looked with the forget-me-nots and violets and young raspberries in bud next to the peeling, faded paint it looks like there’s a story there. I also posted about it that day on my photo blog Today, intending to move it back on the deck, but the deck project has taken long than I thought.

Mimi was out in the yard the next day and I thought how cute it would be if she jumped up onto it, which she eventually did! She’s been a little slow the past few days and I’ve been concerned but it’s been hot. Yesterday and today she’s been quick and excited out there, and as soon as she runs down the steps she sprints through the flowers and up onto the chair, has a good scratch and looks around at the yard. How can I move it now?

And since it’s cooler and she’s more comfortable she trots around the yard on my paths—she is so short she can barely see—and then when I come after her she turns and sprints across the yard and back up onto the deck. It makes me so happy to see her feeling well.

Mimi explores her yard.
Mimi explores her yard.

. . . . . . .

Posted on Facebook

Those silly girls were doing a little dance and showing off all their spots! It’s Splash and the famous Zorro!

Splash and Zorro making funny faces!
Splash and Zorro making funny faces!
Zorro shows off her toe beans and all her whiskers, every single one, and her chin spot!
Zorro shows off her toe beans and all her whiskers, every single one, and her chin spot!
 Splash is groovin!
Splash is groovin!
 Splash and Zorro are enjoying the morning! What sweeties!
Splash and Zorro are enjoying the morning! What sweeties!

Splash and Zorro are up for adoption along with the rest of them! If you are interested, speak up!

. . . . . . .

Other Photos Posted On or Around This Date…

Daily Photo: Rising Temperatures, 2014
black cat sleeping on back
Mr. Sunshine’s summer sleeping position.

It must be 80 degrees upstairs. Mr. Sunshine is exposing himself, and his soft fuzzy belly. At least this time he’s not exposing himself to the whole valley outside the window!

Really, Mr. Sunshine never sleeps on his back except when the temperatures reach 80 degrees and above. He’ll be spending a good bit of the summer stretched out on his back. As the temperature rose, he even flattened out a little more, hooking his paw on the edge of the wardrobe so he wouldn’t tumble off, which has happened.

black cat sleeping on back
He opens even wider! What amazing hips!

. . . . . . .

What other photos were featured on this date?

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Mimi in the Mirror, 2012
photo of black cat in mirror
Mimi in the Mirror

Mimi, pensive at the morning window, reflected in the mirror, reflecting.

The mirror is very old and slightly clouded, pitted here and there; I intentionally blurred the reflection, Mimi softened, the window and curtain rippled by the old glass, the mirror is real, but what is in it is memory, influenced by the medium itself.

I’m sure Mimi has many memories to reflect upon in the warm sun of a spring morning.

Click here to see this image as a greeting card in a set I call “Victoriana Cats”.

. . . . . . .

Am I Interrupting Something? or The Four Housecats of the Apocalypse, 2012
four black cats
A meeting was apparently called…

Hmmm, came around the landing at the bottom of the steps and looked up…not sure what they’re up to. This is not long after I “rescued” the mousie they were wrestling over and chasing around the house, put it outside, and called them the “Four Housecats of the Apocalypse” (the first time I’d called them by that name). Perhaps they don’t like the name.

Or, from another perspective, perhaps they are discussing what to get me for Mother’s Day!

Think I’ll leave them alone to figure it out.


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AfterDinnerNap-Etsy

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"In Afternoon Sun", ink brush pen and watercolor, 8" x 10" © Bernadette E. Kazmarski
“In Afternoon Sun”, ink brush pen and watercolor, 8″ x 10″ © Bernadette E. Kazmarski

Mimi enjoys her daily sunbath while Mewsette watches the birds from my studio window on the second floor. Read more and purchase.



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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.

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