New neighbors

Last fall I worried that Rocky wouldn't be willing to stay in at
night. I was looking for one of those bedwarmers you microwave and are
supposed to keep the bed warm all night. Well, I couldn't find any
locally, and about the time I was ready to head off to the bed city,
Rocky started sleeping over. For the last couple months, he's been at
the door waiting to come in at 10.

A couple nights ago, though, Rocky wasn't around to come in for the
night when I headed for bed. I figured he might start staying out
again when nice weather came back, but it had probably been six weeks
since he last stayed out at night and there was rain in the forecast.
So, anyway, I went out but couldn't find him. I stayed up, hoping he'd
show up.

Instead of Rocky, a pair of new cats showed up on the patio. An orange
tabby and what looked like a siamese in the dark. First time I'd seen
them in the neighborhood. Both are obviously well fed. They sniffed
the food on the patio but it didn't meet their standards, so after
sniffing it they left together to explore. Rocky still hadn't shown up
when I finally gave up on him and went to bed, but he was waiting his
chair on the patio the next morning.

I haven't seen the orange cat since, but I caught a better look at
the other guy a few minutes ago. Definitely looks part siamese,
especially from the front, but with white feet. And, well fed - he
checked the full food bowl, but didn't eat anything. Little Bit and
Sammy saw him, and are running from window to window trying to see
where he goes.
--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Rocky

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Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html
Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html

On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 16:01:52 -0800, Steve Touchstone wrote
(in article ):

Last summer when I quit my job I started staying up all night, going to
bed at dawn. The only sensible way to live in Vegas during the summer.
I was also sitting out front with Bruiser who was only around 3 months
old, was growing adventurous, lacked sense and needed much supervision.
It was quite an education watching all the cats coming and going. Many
of them I had never seen during the day. It is a whole different world
out there for cats after dark when the people go away.

Last fall I worried that Rocky wouldn't be willing to stay in at
night. I was looking for one of those bedwarmers you microwave and are
supposed to keep the bed warm all night. Well, I couldn't find any
locally, and about the time I was ready to head off to the bed city,
Rocky started sleeping over. For the last couple months, he's been at
the door waiting to come in at 10.

A couple nights ago, though, Rocky wasn't around to come in for the
night when I headed for bed. I figured he might start staying out
again when nice weather came back, but it had probably been six weeks
since he last stayed out at night and there was rain in the forecast.
So, anyway, I went out but couldn't find him. I stayed up, hoping he'd
show up.

Instead of Rocky, a pair of new cats showed up on the patio. An orange
tabby and what looked like a siamese in the dark. First time I'd seen
them in the neighborhood. Both are obviously well fed. They sniffed
the food on the patio but it didn't meet their standards, so after
sniffing it they left together to explore. Rocky still hadn't shown up
when I finally gave up on him and went to bed, but he was waiting his
chair on the patio the next morning.

I haven't seen the orange cat since, but I caught a better look at
the other guy a few minutes ago. Definitely looks part siamese,
especially from the front, but with white feet. And, well fed - he
checked the full food bowl, but didn't eat anything. Little Bit and
Sammy saw him, and are running from window to window trying to see
where he goes.

John Biltz wrote:

Last summer when I quit my job I started staying up all night,
going to bed at dawn.

I know the feeling! I lost my job in Nov. of '02, and I also live
alone (ie, no partner to nag me to go to bed), so there's nothing to
keep me from staying up all night, watching TV (or DVDs), hanging
out on the computer, and doing various projects around the house
(*quiet* projects only - I live in an apartment building!).

Actually, to be perfectly honest, I've been keeping this nocturnal
schedule for much longer than my period of unemployment. In my last
job, I could pretty much set my own hours. I discussed it with my
manager and he was fine with it as long as I got my work done on time,
etc. I used to sometimes get into the office at 4 or 5 PM!! I'd work
until late at night, drive home on empty freeways, and then stay up
for several more hours. I used to have a partner in crime, a friend
who lives nearby and also was out of work. We'd go out in the middle
of the night walking her dog, then off to an all-night diner. Those
were the days.

Nowadays, I'm trying frantically to get myself back on a daytime
schedule. I feel much better when I'm up in the actual morning.
I've been getting myself to bed by 1:00 AM, which I'm sure seems
very late to some of you, but compared to my 5 or 6 AM bedtimes,
feels positively *normal* to me! I've been getting up at 10 AM. Wish
I didn't need 9 hours of sleep!! Still, it's better than getting up
at 2 PM and having the sun go down a couple of hours later.

Joyce

Steve Touchstone wrote:


I haven't seen the orange cat since, but I caught a better look at
the other guy a few minutes ago. Definitely looks part siamese,
especially from the front, but with white feet.

Isn't that the Siamese variant they call a "snowshoe" cat?

On Sun, 14 Mar 2004 20:54:05 -0800, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:



Steve Touchstone wrote:


I haven't seen the orange cat since, but I caught a better look at
the other guy a few minutes ago. Definitely looks part siamese,
especially from the front, but with white feet.

Isn't that the Siamese variant they call a "snowshoe" cat?

I don't really know much about cat breeds - every cat I've ever have
had had as mixed ancestory as my own - LOL

Like I said, though, this new guy looks like a siamese to me from the
front. He has an angular head, with almost black face and ears, then
lighter colored front shoulders. Then a dark brown back, which gets
lighter, before ending in his dark tail, And of course the already
mentioned white boots.

Anyway, he's come back a couple times, although I haven't seen his
orange buddy again. He's scittish and takes off when he sees me, so I
really don't know if he's a he, she, or neutered.

Rocky seems to have accepted him, as yesterday afternoon Rocky said in
the chair and watched the new guy sniff the food about three feet
away. The girls are still pretty excited whenever they see him, but
probably won't get to meet him nose to nose until he settles down
enough that he sticks around while I'm out with them.

I noticed that a house across the street, which had a for sale sign,
no longer has the sign, so that may be where he lives.
--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Rocky

[remove Junk for email]
Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html
Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html

especially from the front, but with white feet.

Isn't that the Siamese variant they call a "snowshoe" cat?

I don't really know much about cat breeds - every cat I've ever have
had had as mixed ancestory as my own - LOL

I think that's right. From my understanding, "snowshoe" is just a reference to
markings, like we say "tuxedo" when we're talking about black & white cats. I
had a white-footed Siamese, but he was just a kitten that cropped up in a
litter born in my MIL's garage. Don't know if he was actually siamese or not,
but otherwise sure looked like one. Acted like one, too.

Sherry

wrote in message ...
\
(snipped)

Nowadays, I'm trying frantically to get myself back on a daytime
schedule. I feel much better when I'm up in the actual morning.
I've been getting myself to bed by 1:00 AM, which I'm sure seems
very late to some of you, but compared to my 5 or 6 AM bedtimes,
feels positively *normal* to me! I've been getting up at 10 AM. Wish
I didn't need 9 hours of sleep!! Still, it's better than getting up
at 2 PM and having the sun go down a couple of hours later.

Joyce


I confess; I am nocturnal also. Some of the chatters in different
time zones can vouch for this. ;-)

I work 9 to 5, and try to be in bed by 2:00 a.m. during the week.
It's now 1:24 a.m.; I don't think I'm gonna make my deadline tonight.

------
Krista