odd eyed cat – Wednesday & Berlioz

Picture this.

I got a new phone a few weeks ago. I’ve gotten plenty of new phones in my life, so this isn’t a huge event, but what I haven’t had before is a phone camera quite this good. Up until now, whenever I wanted to take a “real” photo, I had to break out the good ol’ Nikon. Not anymore.

Of course, the day I got the phone, I tested out the camera on my two favorite test subjects. Berlioz, being the ham that he is, took part in my photo shoot immediately and happily.

Wednesday, on the other hand, played coy.

I tried multiple times to capture a portrait worthy of hanging on the fridge, but to no avail. Weeks went by, and the photos of Berlioz were piling up, while Wednesday continued to shy away from the camera. I was starting to think that the good people of Instagram were going to think I liked Berlioz better.

Finally, one day I was again crawling on the floor and contorting my arms awkwardly to try and capture Wednesday on film (ok, not really film, but whatever), she looked up at me for half a second, and I got it.

I’m sure there will be many more photos to come (I can’t help myself), and with the holidays fast approaching, I definitely see some kind of holiday photo shoot in our future. Did someone say cats in santa hats?

November 21, 2019

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Why Can’t We Be Friends?

Wednesday and Berlioz are frenemies. They love each other, while secretly harboring a jealous hatred for each other at the same time. When they think no one’s looking, I catch them grooming each other, or sleeping quietly together on the bed. But more often, a scene such as this unfolds before my eyes.

It starts off with Wednesday going into her favorite cardboard box.

Berlioz sees her in the box, and slowly approaches.

just a cat who approaches a cat in a box.

Berlioz and Wednesday both act like they don’t know the other is nearby, even though we all know they have a better sense of smell, sight and hearing than the majority of living things.

just a cat pretending not to notice another cat.

Without warning, one or the other will decide it’s time to strike.

And the other will immediately strike back.

I’d love to say this ends in both cats snuggled together inside the box, purring in perfect harmony. However, the lack of photographic evidence of this occurrence indicates that no such event has ever transpired.

A girl can always hope.

August 30, 2019

Jeanine1 Comment

Feline Fotography.

So this morning, I had the best idea! I need to somehow break into the world of cat photography. I love cats, I love taking pictures, and as I was mindlessly scrolling back through the 2000+ photos on my phone, I happened to notice just how many pics were of – you guessed it – cats.

Of course, my own cats are my first muses and inspiration.

But I’m finding that there are pics of a lot of other cats on my phone, too. It’s becoming a thing – I see a cat, I take a pic of it. Many of them are from the adoption center where I volunteer for the BCAA (Burlington County Animal Alliance – cat division). I decided to put all of the photos of all the cats I took pics of into a folder, and try to get myself some gigs as a “Feline Fotographer.” I would do it for free – I really just want to help cats find the purrfect home. Here’s a few of my favorite shots:

It was really hard to choose my favorites – there are like over 100 more photos in my feline folder already, and all of them are great, thanks to my adorable subjects.

The only editing I really did was crop some of the photos – no filters or anything like that – just me, my phone and cats. Imagine what I could do with my real camera!!

Anyway, if you have cats, like cats, or work somewhere where cats are, I’d by happy to come take pictures – for free of course. The cuteness is all the payment I need. 🙂

July 26, 2019July 26, 2019

Jeanine2 Comments

What Breed Are They, Anyway??

My cats are mutts. They came from shelters, they have no certifications other then they are certifiably crazy. But of course, that’s why we love them. But sometimes I wonder what their kitty heritage is. So I started doing some internet investigating, and I think I found the breed that is most prominent in both of them. We’ll start with Wednesday.

Wendesday is pure white (aside from a black spot on top of her head), is small, friendly (ish) and has bright, striking eyes that are two different colors. After reading up on a few breeds that match these traits, I concluded that she is definitely part Khao Manee.

The Khao Manee is known for it’s white coat, and bright eyes which are either blue or two different colors (Wednesday is a match so far). They are friendly and outgoing, and get along with people (Wednesday is mostly a match…if biting people is considered getting along with them). They are intelligent (she is) and playful (she can be when she wants to be). They are considered royalty (she is also known as “the Princess”). So minus her sometimes grumpiness and black spot on the head (which is probably the source of her grumpiness), Wednesday is most likely an ancestor of the rare and royal Khao Manee.

princess — You should see me in a crown.

So then, Berlioz. What is he?? I did the same thing with him as I did with Wednesday – I looked up different breeds and narrowed it down to the one that most matched his looks and personality traits: the Bombay.

Berlioz is playful, affectionate, and glued to my side at all times. He fetches (and we never taught him – he was born knowing how to do it), he snuggles under the covers, and he likes everyone and everything he meets. Oh, and did I mention that he loves to eat? Like he would eat all day if there was food available. He even eats Wednesday’s barf (which makes me want to barf). He also has a shiny black coat (except for one small white patch on his chest) and bright yellow eyes. All of these are traits of the Bombay. Bombay’s are typically social, playful, and very attached to their owners, earning them the title of “velcro kitty.” Bombays love to eat and food intake needs to be controlled to avoid overfeeding.

You don’t say.

Anyway, by no means am I claiming either of these shelter mutts are purebred kitties, but honestly, I would’t want either one of them any other way. They’re purrrfect, just the way they are.

June 13, 2019June 13, 2019

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The Luck of the Cat.

Earlier this year, I started volunteering with a local animal organization (The Burlington County Animal Alliance – Cat Division, also known as BCAA Cats). I help out at the adoption center in PetSmart, once a week. This is wonderful and rewarding for me, but also heartbreaking at times, when I see the same cats there week after week, just waiting patiently for their future adopter to happen to walk in and find them, whisking them away to their magical mystical furrever home.

Just a few of the cats that are waiting, as we speak:

They are all wonderful, loving cats who deserve an equally wonderful, loving home. It causes me to contemplate the luck of the cat – both of our cats are from shelters, and both were chosen after we arrived at the shelter, mainly because they both seemed to also choose us. How does that work? How did our cats get so lucky, that they spend each day spoiled and pampered and petted and well-fed (probably too well-fed).

I wish I could take all the cats from the adoption center home, too, and spoil them, but unfortunately, that’s just not possible. Our house is small, and it barely meets the size requirements for the two that already live here.

This place isn’t big enough for the both of us.

Our guys got lucky – they were in the right place at the right time, and we found each other. Now they get to spend the rest of their lives doing whatever the heck they want, in complete comfort.

I am concerned sometimes, that maybe this isn’t enough, and they are missing out on life outside of these four walls…

And you may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?

But I see the cats who don’t have a home yet, and I see my guys, with their bright eyes, shiny coats and full bellies, and I know at the end of the day, these are two very lucky felines, and I’m pretty sure they know it, too.

I am a strong believer that all cats (and all animals for that matter) deserve a home as loving as ours, and that those homes are out there. So if you have a loving home that you can share with a fine four-legged furball of fun, please visit your local shelter. Your purrfect pet is waiting for you to come and find them.

June 8, 2019June 8, 2019

Jeanine1 Comment

A Tail of Two Kitties.

Sometimes, I just watch Wednesday and Berlioz interact. I suppose they like each other – I mean, they often sit in the same room peacefully, and although they chase each other around sometimes, it never gets violent. They are like polar opposites though in some ways – Wednesday is very neat, quiet, and graceful. Berlioz is a hot mess who flies into a room like a tornado, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. But they both love snuggling (on their own terms of course) and often they just hang out together, doing whatever it is cats do, like staring at things that are apparently invisible to the human eye:

And then one day, I think they may have been trying to murder me, or teach me some kind of lesson. At least they were working together:

this will teach her to give us more dinner.

If the attempted murder actually was a success, what would they do at night, when they’re cold?

we are definitely NOT snuggled up next to you.

At the end of the day, these two felines from opposite sides of the river, with personalities that couldn’t be any more different, love each other (and by love, I mean tolerate) and bring us joy everyday (and by joy I mean mischief, mutiny, and mayhem).

I wouldn’t change a thing.

March 21, 2019March 21, 2019

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Food, Glorious Food.

I think it’s safe to say that most cats are really into food. They all act like they haven’t eaten in weeks when it’s getting close to meal time, like little furry drama queens.

You only feed me twice every day. Oh the Horror!

Some cats are certainly more food-focused than others. Wednesday is pretty chill, compared to other cats I’ve known. She still begs for meals, but on a cat-starvation-drama scale of 1 to 10, she’s probably around a 4. But she is not afraid to let me know when it’s getting close to dinner time.

She kinda scares me a little.

Berlioz on the other hand…his starvation-ometer clearly goes up to 11. The other night, he somehow managed to sneak by me while I was eating and snatch a french fry off of my plate. And then he growled and clawed me after I chased him around the house and tried to retrieve it, unsuccessfully. If there is anything even remotely food-like brought out into the atmosphere, he’s right there, ready to chow down, with his hypothetical bib and fork.

Anyway, I don’t think they will ever stop being hungry. I had my last cat Gandalf for 13 years, and he begged for every meal like it was going to be his last until it actually was.

Cats will be cats. And food will be food. And they will spend every waking moment (which is less than half of their lazy days) begging for it.

February 4, 2019February 4, 2019

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For Love or For Warmth?

This past week, the cats have literally been all over me. Laying on top of me while I’m sleeping, jumping up onto my lap whenever it’s open, and even snuggling more with each other! I can chalk it up to one of two things: my husband has been away for work and they love me and don’t want me to be lonely, or they’re cold. So, I’m going to share a few shots from the past week, and you can decide for yourself – is it for love or for warmth?

#1. The middle of the night sleep snuggle.

#2. The coffee and pajamas nap.

3. The underarm curl up.

4. The synchronized cat nap.

I’m going to have to go with Love here, folks. Sure it was in the single digits this past week, but they love me, ok? THEY LOVE ME.

PS – they also love each other.

January 27, 2019January 27, 2019

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Frenemies.

Sometimes I think the cats hate each other. They run around the house, hissing, clawing, biting and wrestling. But then there are times when they think I’m not looking, that I catch them in the act of being best friends.

Here, they were in the middle of what appears to be a very important conversation, which I so rudely interrupted.

And one time I woke up, and they were totally snuggling. That is, until they realized I was awake, and all heck broke loose.

Another time, I walked into the dining room, and found this. I’m not sure what exactly they were doing, but it was clearly some kind of bonding ritual.

And then there was the day I found them watching the birds together, and I knew once and for all, they were secretly best friends for life.

Time to drop the facade guys – the cat is out of the bag 🙂

January 20, 2019January 20, 2019

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The Cat in the Moon.

This morning, I saw this article on the internet. It was labeled “This is Important,” and since everything on the internet is true, I figured it must be important so I better open it.

Sure enough, it was very important. You can (and should) read it for yourself here, however I’ll give you a quick summary in the meantime.

Grab a toilet paper tube. Take a selfie with it. You’ll look like the moon.

Now this is the best thing I’ve heard in weeks! I had to give it a try myself right away, so up to the bathroom I went, where there was thankfully a roll of toilet paper that was almost empty! I took the now empty paper tube, and tried to take a selfie.

It looked completely ridiculous and it was not living up to the standard the article set. I put down the paper tube, slightly dejected about my failure to achieve the American Dream, when Wednesday walked in, and it hit me: I’ll make the cats look like the moon instead!

I snatched up the tube and my phone, and before she knew what happened, I successfully turned Wednesday into the moon.

She seemed pleased, almost as if she aspired to be the moon her whole life. It took one shot to capture this fine work of feline art.

Berlioz on the other hand….

He was not having it. It took at least 10 takes, and none of them were worthy of the heavenly body we call “moon.”

Fourth or Fifth attempt (is he eating something here?)

I finally got one that was sort of ok….

Eighth or Ninth attempt. He’s sticking his tongue out at me now.

I almost gave up, but tried one last time….

This will have to do. At least his eyes are open and his mouth is closed. For once. ;D

January 13, 2019

JeanineLeave a comment

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