Friday, March 29, 2024
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From the Archives: Cats in the Sun, Mid-May, 2007

tortoiseshell cat in forget me nots
Cookie in forget-me-nots.

Cookie is on the flagstone walkway, waiting for me somewhat impatiently. I don’t remember why, I just remember how beautiful it was.

Scrolling through May folders of photos, May 2007 in the “archives” is very pretty and full of memories. I was still busy working with environmental organizations so my spring folders were full of Earth Day, cleanups, canoe outings, abandoned mine drainage, exciting things like that, and not so many photos of cats. The years following had many black cats which I’ve already featured sharing them growing up. In this particular May my feline family included Peaches, Cookie, Namir, Kelly, Lucy and Mr. Peach, who I was fostering from March to June that year. Several days in the middle of the month were full of so many photos of them all just being themselves on sunny mornings and afternoons. Really, it was impossible to choose just one photo or just one day, and I felt that sharing a gallery of photos from those days actually caught the spirit best.

Below, Cookie and Lucy were watching birds at the big north window, camouflaged by the begonias.

two cats at window
Cookie and Lucy birdwatching.

Everyone took a turn at the back door in the mornings. Here, Namir and Lucy nap in the sun while I’m outside, and probably Cookie with me. Lucy adored Namir, and while he tried to act cool and sometimes annoyed, Namir kept an eye on Lucy after she was diagnosed with FIP, and was always near for her last three months.

two cats at door
Lucy and Namir at door.

Then there is only Lucy at the door, her eyes looking out from among the reflections of bright spring leaves.

cat eyes at door
Lucy watches inside the door.

I’m not sure what Cookie had in mind with the lopping shears, whether she intended to help me or keep me from working.

cat on picnic table
Cookie with the lopping shears

Cookie and Namir at the back door, either waiting for me to open it so we could all go outside on a beautiful morning, or back inside looking longingly out at what I’d made them come in from.

two cats at door
Cookie and Namir at the door.

And just Namir in a grand relaxed nap.

cat sleeping in sun
Namir sleeping in the sun.

Later in an afternoon, Peaches naps at the front window with the sun on her back.

cat sleeping in window
Peaches sleeping in the window.

Also from this same time in 2007 are photos I’ve shared in years past.

~~~

From past years around this date

.

From the Archives: Lucy and Peaches, Youngest and Oldest, May 23, 2007

Lucy and Peaches enjoy the sun.
Lucy and Peaches enjoy the sun.

On a sunny May afternoon, Lucy, just past one year old, and Peaches, 17 years old, shared the bright sun angling in at the dining room window. It must have been an unusually chilly day because the window is closed, but that spot has always been a favorite of all the cats who’ve lived here for both the sun and the shade in hot summers, and the windows open to the bird feeders and cooler breezes. But the two were obviously enjoying the warm sun on their backs.

Lucy was a month past her FIP diagnosis, but she was doing really well, active, with a good appetite, holding her weight. We all had hope she’d somehow recover, or at least have a long period of health before she began to deteriorate, if that was to be.

Peaches had come to me in 2005 along with her sister, both very thin and in renal failure. Peaches’ sister Cream had not recovered and we lost her in 2006, but by 2007 petite Peaches had responded to the fluids and special diets, got her weight back up to six pounds and went to renal failure watch rather than active, and was a healthy geriatric cat.

I hoped for the best for them both, and gave them the best I could find under veterinarians’ directions. Though Peaches was older, we would lose Lucy first, just shy of two months after this photo was taken. Peaches lived to be 20, and left us in October 2010.

But on this day, it was all about the sun, and a little fun being camouflaged in the plant. I saw a few other interesting photos and moved around, seeing them through the arboricola, also lit with sunshine.

Camouflaged in the plant.
Camouflaged in the plant.

Though Lucy was a kitten in a house full of senior cats, she never perpetrated her kitten antics on the adults. She was gentle and respectful, and she loved them all as they loved her. If her life was to be brief, she was very happy, and very loved, by all of us.

They are both too drowsy to pay any more attention to me!

Camouflaged in the plant.
Camouflaged in the plant.

~~~

Boys at the Door, 2007

Look closely, you'll see two cats waiting.
Look closely, you’ll see two cats waiting.

Look closely and you’ll see two cats on each edge of the photo. It’s Namir on the left, right by the doorknob, and Mr. Peach on the right, sitting on the counter by the kitchen doorway, in May 2007. They were the two-cat greeting committee at that point in time. Customers from printers and print brokers would visit to drop off work, but first they had to greet the cats.

And here’s what it looked like when you opened the door. Namir may look like he’s shying away, but he’s actually ready to fall over on his side so he can give the guest a full belly view. Mr. Peach is awaiting the feel of a friendly hand on his head and neck. It’s a wonder anyone got past them.

Namir and Mr. Peach waiting inside the door.
Namir and Mr. Peach waiting inside the door.

I fostered Mr. Peach for a friend whose husband was doing allergy testing from February to June that year. If it turned out allergies were cat based they would try medications, and if that didn’t work I would keep Mr. Peach and they would visit and give me money to support his care. The allergies were not to cats so they happily took him back. You can read more about Mr. Peach and see more photos here.

Namir wasn’t too happy about this interloper who was trying to steal attention that was rightfully his. EVERYONE had to greet Namir when they came in the door, and he used the countertop there as his staging ground. Mr. Peach was a big, soft orange boy who squinted and blinked at you and people loved him. It always worked out well, though.

The funny thing was that Mr. Peach had been an indoor-outdoor cat at his former home, but he stayed inside here and was very happy with that. All he had to do was sit there and someone would show up to pet him, how good was that?

I am grateful that most of my customers through the years either loved cats or at least tolerated them. Who could resist?


Art and Gifts featuring cats you know! Visit Portraits of Animals

AfterDinnerNap-Etsy~~~

Garden Flags from Portraits of Animals

Each flag has a design on both sides, this garden flag is the same on both sides, but mirrored. This art is the only one in my set of garden flags that is not a sketch or painting, but a photograph, and the only design I have left of the original set. You can find it on Portraits of Animals. Click here to read more.

Lucy Most Exceptional Keepsake Box
Lucy Most Exceptional Keepsake Box


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All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission, although links to your site are more than welcome and are shared. Please ask if you are interested in using and image or story in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of an image or a product including it, check my animal and nature website Portraits of Animals to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.


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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.

3 thoughts on “From the Archives: Cats in the Sun, Mid-May, 2007

  • We love seeing pictures of happy cats and they get along pretty we;; :).
    Lucy was a mighty pretty kitty.
    Great expressions 🙂
    Purrs,Georgia and Julie

    Reply
  • “Lucy watches inside the door” is my favorite today!
    Sometimes it’s really hard to get a good window reflection image; you nailed this one!

    Reply
    • Yes, especially when you have to get yourself out of the way somehow! Years of practice have helped me.

      Reply

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