Watching cats at play

Tonight the outside temp got comfortable around 8:00 PM, so I went out
to the back yard to sit and enjoy the quiet. I was immediately joined by
five of the six cats. Amelia prowled the yard looking for mousies or
lizards to hunt, Tabitha and Samuel did some half-hearted chasing, Harri
came over to me for some petting, and Ranger ran over the whole yard
looking for toys.

After just a few minutes the serious play started. Tabitha and Ranger
took turns chasing each other around the yard and through the open back
door into the kitchen. They would occasionally try a differnet approach,
and play "chicken". But when kitties play it, the "chicken" jumps up and
over the other kitty. Those two would also once in a while run straight
at each other, stop just a foot or so apart, and "Halloween cat" at each
other with tails standing straight up, backs arched, and hopping in
their toes. It was hilarious.

Ranger would occasionally give Tabitha a break and play with Harri.
Ranger will run up to Harri and give her a swat on the tail, then wait
for Harri to turn around to wrestle with her. They'll wrestle for the
better part of a minute then bounce apart, then go do it all over again.

And while this was all going on, Amelia would come over every couple of
minutes for some more scritches.

Over all, this was a very enjoyable evening.

Sounds idyllic!

"Dan and Nancy Mahoney" wrote in message
...
Tonight the outside temp got comfortable around 8:00 PM, so I went out
to the back yard to sit and enjoy the quiet. I was immediately joined by
five of the six cats. Amelia prowled the yard looking for mousies or
lizards to hunt, Tabitha and Samuel did some half-hearted chasing, Harri
came over to me for some petting, and Ranger ran over the whole yard
looking for toys.

After just a few minutes the serious play started. Tabitha and Ranger
took turns chasing each other around the yard and through the open back
door into the kitchen. They would occasionally try a differnet approach,
and play "chicken". But when kitties play it, the "chicken" jumps up and
over the other kitty. Those two would also once in a while run straight
at each other, stop just a foot or so apart, and "Halloween cat" at each
other with tails standing straight up, backs arched, and hopping in
their toes. It was hilarious.

Ranger would occasionally give Tabitha a break and play with Harri.
Ranger will run up to Harri and give her a swat on the tail, then wait
for Harri to turn around to wrestle with her. They'll wrestle for the
better part of a minute then bounce apart, then go do it all over again.

And while this was all going on, Amelia would come over every couple of
minutes for some more scritches.

Over all, this was a very enjoyable evening.

On Thu, 26 May 2005 22:25:38 -0700, Dan and Nancy Mahoney
yodeled:

Tonight the outside temp got comfortable around 8:00 PM, so I went out
to the back yard to sit and enjoy the quiet. I was immediately joined by
five of the six cats. Amelia prowled the yard looking for mousies or
lizards to hunt, Tabitha and Samuel did some half-hearted chasing, Harri
came over to me for some petting, and Ranger ran over the whole yard
looking for toys.

After just a few minutes the serious play started. Tabitha and Ranger
took turns chasing each other around the yard and through the open back
door into the kitchen. They would occasionally try a differnet approach,
and play "chicken". But when kitties play it, the "chicken" jumps up and
over the other kitty. Those two would also once in a while run straight
at each other, stop just a foot or so apart, and "Halloween cat" at each
other with tails standing straight up, backs arched, and hopping in
their toes. It was hilarious.

Ranger would occasionally give Tabitha a break and play with Harri.
Ranger will run up to Harri and give her a swat on the tail, then wait
for Harri to turn around to wrestle with her. They'll wrestle for the
better part of a minute then bounce apart, then go do it all over again.

It is wonderful how well Harri adjusted to the other kitties after all
her time on the road.

And while this was all going on, Amelia would come over every couple of
minutes for some more scritches.

Over all, this was a very enjoyable evening.


Sounds idyllic!


Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

Dan and Nancy Mahoney wrote:

Over all, this was a very enjoyable evening.

What a nice way to spend an evening! I wish my kitties would play. I've
never really had kitties that were good at playing.

Katz

"Dan and Nancy Mahoney" wrote in message
...
Tonight the outside temp got comfortable around 8:00 PM, so I went out to
the back yard to sit and enjoy the quiet. I was immediately joined by five
of the six cats. Amelia prowled the yard looking for mousies or lizards to
hunt, Tabitha and Samuel did some half-hearted chasing, Harri came over to
me for some petting, and Ranger ran over the whole yard looking for toys.

After just a few minutes the serious play started. Tabitha and Ranger took
turns chasing each other around the yard and through the open back door
into the kitchen. They would occasionally try a differnet approach, and
play "chicken". But when kitties play it, the "chicken" jumps up and over
the other kitty. Those two would also once in a while run straight at each
other, stop just a foot or so apart, and "Halloween cat" at each other
with tails standing straight up, backs arched, and hopping in their toes.
It was hilarious.

Ranger would occasionally give Tabitha a break and play with Harri. Ranger
will run up to Harri and give her a swat on the tail, then wait for Harri
to turn around to wrestle with her. They'll wrestle for the better part of
a minute then bounce apart, then go do it all over again.

And while this was all going on, Amelia would come over every couple of
minutes for some more scritches.

Over all, this was a very enjoyable evening.

Hmm. I'm doing something wrong here. Similar climate, nice backyard.
Comfortable chairs. Two playful cats. To teenage grandkid boys and
related friends, neighborhood kids. Seven year old grandkid boy who really
needs to finish his homework. Building contractor who is renovating
bathroom and his two sons/helpers going back and forth thru house and parked
in driveway. Five minute lag between cleaning up kitchen and needing to
clean up kitchen. Every towel in the house damp and on the floor somewhere.
(Note, all were washed and put away yesterday and two days before that and -
and we have lots and lots of towels, but neighbors have a swimming pool and
did I mention teenage boys?

Spouse has looked pretty much catatonic the last few times I've checked.
He's hiding in the garage but does at least transfer laundry from washer to
dryer to our bed for folding.

So why aren't I relaxed?

Jo

On 2005-05-26 22:25:38 -0700, Dan and Nancy Mahoney said:

They would occasionally try a differnet approach, and play "chicken".
But when kitties play it, the "chicken" jumps up and over the other
kitty.

This is the activity that we refer to as "popcorn cats".... my two do
it by either running at each other from opposite ends of the hall or
when one ambushes the other from behind a door... Sometimes they
*both* jump and collide in mid-air.

Katrina

Hmm. I'm doing something wrong here. Similar climate, nice backyard.
Comfortable chairs. Two playful cats. To teenage grandkid boys and
related friends, neighborhood kids. Seven year old grandkid boy who really
needs to finish his homework. Building contractor who is renovating
bathroom and his two sons/helpers going back and forth thru house and parked
in driveway. Five minute lag between cleaning up kitchen and needing to
clean up kitchen. Every towel in the house damp and on the floor somewhere.
(Note, all were washed and put away yesterday and two days before that and -
and we have lots and lots of towels, but neighbors have a swimming pool and
did I mention teenage boys?

Spouse has looked pretty much catatonic the last few times I've checked.
He's hiding in the garage but does at least transfer laundry from washer to
dryer to our bed for folding.

So why aren't I relaxed?

Well, I can see two possible reasons. Having a houseful of people would
be enough by itslef, as would having house renovations done. And loads
of damp towels could also be less than relaxing!

Katrina had some very interesting things to say
about Watching cats at play:

This is the activity that we refer to as "popcorn cats".... my two do
it by either running at each other from opposite ends of the hall or
when one ambushes the other from behind a door... Sometimes they
*both* jump and collide in mid-air.

LOL!

--
"The universe is quite robust in design and appears to be
doing just fine on its own, incompetent support staff notwithstanding.
:-)" - the Dennis formerly known as (evil), MCFL

"Dan and Nancy Mahoney" wrote in message
...
Ranger would occasionally give Tabitha a break and play with Harri. Ranger
will run up to Harri and give her a swat on the tail, then wait for Harri
to turn around to wrestle with her. They'll wrestle for the better part of
a minute then bounce apart, then go do it all over again.

And while this was all going on, Amelia would come over every couple of
minutes for some more scritches.

Over all, this was a very enjoyable evening.

Sounds like an absolutely lovely evening!

Susan M
Otis and Chester

Dan and Nancy Mahoney wrote:
Tonight the outside temp got comfortable around 8:00 PM, so I went out
to the back yard to sit and enjoy the quiet. I was immediately joined by
five of the six cats. Amelia prowled the yard looking for mousies or
lizards to hunt, Tabitha and Samuel did some half-hearted chasing, Harri
came over to me for some petting, and Ranger ran over the whole yard
looking for toys.

After just a few minutes the serious play started. Tabitha and Ranger
took turns chasing each other around the yard and through the open back
door into the kitchen. They would occasionally try a differnet approach,
and play "chicken". But when kitties play it, the "chicken" jumps up and
over the other kitty. Those two would also once in a while run straight
at each other, stop just a foot or so apart, and "Halloween cat" at each
other with tails standing straight up, backs arched, and hopping in
their toes. It was hilarious.

Ranger would occasionally give Tabitha a break and play with Harri.
Ranger will run up to Harri and give her a swat on the tail, then wait
for Harri to turn around to wrestle with her. They'll wrestle for the
better part of a minute then bounce apart, then go do it all over again.

And while this was all going on, Amelia would come over every couple of
minutes for some more scritches.

Over all, this was a very enjoyable evening.


Definitely sounds like it's good to be home

--
Elise (supervised by Gossamer & Jeeves)
pics: