The bonsai bench

Cat bench, not bonsai bench

For a long time Paul has wanted to display his bonsai on benches, the way they do in Japan. It looks nicer and makes them much easier to water. This week, it has finally happened. After a bit of cautious peering and sniffing, Urchin has realised that they are also excellent for displaying cats on.

Urchin and the frog

I'm still traumatised by this. I cannot deal with frogs at all, and yet I had to deal with this one. Which was stuck in Urchin's tail. This is the moment when it moved and Urchin realised it was there. She really thinks her tail is an independent entity.

I needed gardening gloves, a comb and quite a lot of gin to get it out.

Urchin and the computer

Happiness is a hot cat with a cool gust from a computer fan blowing into her fur. Not so good for the computer, but worth it for the serene expression on her furry little mush.

Bringing shame to her family

It's shedding season and thus is the time of year when a cat's reluctance to be brushed really shows itself. The wretched little animal really needs a thorough grooming to get all her loose undercoat out, but she isn't having it, and is fighting like a tiger when we try do it. There are matts developing. Cutting one out is a 2-person job. This was definitely the worst one she's had yet - I am hoping that by publicly humiliating her like this, she will be more amenable to letting us brush her regularly. Yep - pinning my hopes on anthropomorphism.

That hairbrush is bigger than my hand.

Urchin and the Rain

The dreadful weather we have been experiencing leaves a cat with very soggy toe-tufts.

Urchin and the bonsai

Urchin can be a little menace sometimes. She has realised that gnawing bonsai branches is a very good way to make her father pay attention to her (she also knows it doesn't work on me). But we've never seen her get this carried away. This morning she decided to really get stuck into the bonsai pruning as a way to convince us that it was time for cats to be outside.

Urchin and the window

Urchin has recently figured out that to open the kitchen window, we do something to the handle. She hasn't quite worked out what she needs to do, but it's only a matter of time.