20 June 05
Cat Dancing
When we went over to Nat and Ben’s last week, one of their kitties would fetch a cat toy like this one when tossed. So we got one for Charlie and Diego, and they agree it’s a very good toy. Charlie even ignored the fact it was dinnertime when we were playing.
7 June 05
Point and Click
I’m getting the cats back into clicker training.
It reminds them they’re in charge. It relieves boredom for cats whose world is very small. It incidentally teaches them things like “down” and “up” and “target.” They are very enthusiastic and purr the entire time. We all have a blast.
For me it’s a way of not dealing with the fact that the gray tabby Diego spotted outside is now starving, and that its fate is to die from this, or whatever disease gets it, or the coyote whose sign is now regularly very near the house, or by my catching it and having it euthanized; this one’s not tamable.
I don’t like any of those options…
29 April 05
Windowsill Kitty
A month or so ago, Charlie figured out the leap from the bathroom countertop to the windowsill without having to ask for help. (Diego has been able to leap up there for a long time now.) We were quite proud of him for this, and now gazing out resplendently at the garden, field, and levee to the north is one of his favorite activities.
6 March 05
Art Student
As Pica has mentioned, we’ve been doing the exercises in the workbook for The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Yesterday, she was working on the exercise where you draw a flower through an acetate viewing plane. But Charlie reminded us that he too is a connoisseur of the art of botanical illustration.
4 March 05
Kitties Reposing
It is well that cats sleep as often as they do for how else would we be able to get practice drawing them. Here are a couple of sketches of Charlie and Diego sleeping. 
16 February 05
Philosopher Cat
Let us hope Wittgenstein liked the company of cats, for there is not so much he can do to avoid this one.
8 February 05
Flower Fiend
The almond tree is in blossom. Pica brought in a branch to draw but Charlie sniffed it and started munching on the blossoms! He didn’t let go either, and ran off with the branch, muttering possessive growls along the way.
5 February 05
Library Cats
For those folks losing sleep over where to visit working cats in their milieu, here is a map and directory of library cats past and present.
14 January 05
Adventures In Laundry
In lieu of Pica’s regular blog for today—she has headed to the Pacific Northwest for a quick birding jaunt—we bring you some catblogging. Here Diego and Charlie continue their training in laundry work. (That’s Charlie’s leg at rear right).
30 December 04
Help with the Linens
I was trying to put away some towels.