cats – Page 2 – Geeky Girl Engineer

Cats Laying on Weird Things

Posted on October 2, 2013 by geek

I have had cats for a couple of decades now. I don’t fully understand them and never will. One reason why is they sometimes lay on the strangest things. I grasp that they like to be on high things because the better to survey their domain or something. Sometimes that can simply mean laying on top of a book, which puts them all of one inch higher, but whatever. Also, they like to lay in sunbeams, but who doesn’t, especially when it is chilly. However, sometimes they lay on things that just seem plain uncomfortable. This morning I found Beatrice laying in a sunbeam, which I get, but using a rock as a pillow, which I really don’t get.

Beatrice with a rock pillow. The rock is a hunk of quartz with mica if you want details.

Beatrice with a rock pillow. The rock is a hunk of fluorite if you want details.

Last year, my now-late cat Puck decided to lay on top of a dustpan, which I seriously don’t understand. Then again, Puck thought basset hounds made excellent pillows when they stopped moving, although I actually agree with this opinion.

Puck laying on top of a dustpan.

Puck the cat: In memoriam

Posted on January 4, 2013 by geek

This morning I put my 17 year old cat to sleep. Several years ago he developed early kidney disease. It stabilized with a diet change, but then a year ago, he developed diabetes. I have been giving him insulin shots for a year now, but all of the sudden his kidneys started failing. He spent several days in the hospital last week and was doing better, but then he got worse again. He hasn’t been eating well and was getting weak. I didn’t want him to ever be in pain. A visit to the vet this morning made it clear that he did not have much time left. I didn’t want him to die alone or without me. I hope he knew how much I loved him and that I put him to sleep to make sure he had a peaceful, pain free death.

I adopted him and his littermate Ariel when they were kittens, and I was in graduate school pursuing my Master’s degree. I had just lost my first cat Bestoff (long story on the name), really the family cat, which I brought with me to graduate school. Bestoff was a tabby, and Puck and Ariel, both tabbies, reminded me of him. It was with Puck and Ariel that I started my tradition of naming my animals after Shakespeare characters. I wanted to name them names on a similar theme, so I finally decided on Puck and Ariel, two fairy or spirit Shakespeare characters. My sister suggested if I was going with Shakespeare, I should name them Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, but I couldn’t imagine standing at my back door yelling “Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, dinner!”

Puck was my lap cat. He was a total cuddle bunny. He loved belly rubs, and he loved anyone who would pet him. Several years ago, he had pancreatitis and was in the hospital at North Carolina State Veterinary School for a week. They took wonderful care of him, and when I came to take him home, one of the vet techs admitted that they were kind of hoping that I would not come back for him. They wanted to keep him. Years ago, a friend of mine was pet sitting for me, and she said that she had walked by him laying on the back of the couch. He reached out his front paw, and with one claw grabbed her skirt until she came back and petted him.

Puck has lived with me in four homes, three states, four basset hounds (three adopted, one foster), and two other cats. He has been with me through a Master’s degree, three jobs, a Professional Engineer’s license, and a Doctor’s degree. He was always ready to be in my lap. He always welcomed basset hounds into the house because he found they made very fine pillows next to which or on top of which he could sleep. As a bonus, my lap or the basset hound was also a nice heating pad. He was a smart kitty. As long as I was with him, he was perfectly happy with whatever, including going to the vet in a bag on the bus. Please allow the indulgence of sharing a few photos of him.

He knew how to stay warm in the winter. He simply sat on top of the vent.

The lump in the covers next to him is actually Beatrice the cat under the covers.

Cuddling with Hamlet, my first basset hound.

Sleeping with Ferdinand and Thisbe, the basset hounds.

WIth Ferdinand

One more with Ferdinand, but this is more a tribute to the patience of Ferdinand. One of Puck’s hind feet is in Ferdinand’s ear and the other is in his eye.

With Ferdinand, right, and Horatio, upside down, my foster dog.

Are you noticing a theme with the photos? This photo with Horatio, the foster basset hound, was taken three days after Horatio moved in. Puck wastes no time making use of a basset hound as a pillow. Actually, I took this photo as Horatio was recovering from an adverse reaction to the ivermectin I had just given him. I covered him up in a blanket to keep him warm, and Puck came over to give him comfort.

Puck didn’t like my laptop so much, as that meant my lap was occupied, and I was not petting him. Here he lets me know what he thinks of that.

Sometimes both Ferdinand and Puck would try to push the laptop out of the way. Puck would generally just end up on top of Ferdinand.

I am going to miss my Pucky so much. He gave me so much comfort and love. He kept me warm on cold nights. He let me cry on him when I had to put Hamlet and Ariel to sleep. I know some people think cats are unaffectionate and aloof, and some are, but not Puck. He just wanted to cuddle. Ok, in his younger days, he liked to chase bugs. Perhaps a few squirrels. The squirrels were afraid of him.

Goodbye my Puck. Rest in peace my love.

New Orleans Above Ground Cemetery

Posted on January 1, 2013 by geek

There is an old joke in New Orleans that you know you are from New Orleans when you worry about your late relatives coming to visit you when it floods. The joke of course being based on the fact that most cemeteries in New Orleans are above ground where human remains are buried in stone crypts and mausoleums. The water table is too high for remains to be buried six feet under. While some of the plots are rather simple, many of the crypts are quite beautiful and ornate. All of these photos were taken at Masonic Cemetery, where many of my relatives are buried. Some more information about and photos of Masonic Cemetery can be found here. Masonic Cemetery has some large tombs that hold numerous people related by professional or social organizations. Such as this large Masonic tomb, which has an usual staircase to its roof.

There is also a tomb for the Red River Pilots.

However most of the tombs are owned by families. They can be quite ornate.

They can also be more simple.

Some of the tombs list the family name on top.

Then list most or all of the family members buried inside.

Others list only the name of the family or of one person buried inside. The one below lists one person buried inside, A.F. Parmalee but the stone vase on top says “Mother”, so probably A.F. Parmalee’s wife is buried inside with him, and their children put the vase their to honor their mother.

Below are a few more photos from the cemetery.

Many of the graves have unintentional greenery.

Finally here is the cat that lives nearby somewhere and escorted me while I toured the cemetery. He was well fed with a collar, so presumably he has appointed himself as an unofficial comfort cat for you to mourn while he gets petted.

How to Give Puck the Cat a Belly Rub

Posted on September 9, 2012 by geek

This is how Puck the Cat indicates that he wants a belly rub.

This is how to give Puck the Cat a Belly Rub.

Edited to add: This method is only proven with Puck the Cat. Attempt with another cat at your own risk.

Cat in a Bag on a Bus

Posted on September 7, 2012 by geek

I live about a mile from my veterinarian’s office. While I can drive there, the parking situation is kind of annoying. Often if it my dog that has an appointment, we will walk there. If a cat needs to go, I will just take the bus. Puck, my 17 year old, very laid back cat, needed to go today. I have taken him to the vet before in the car where I just stuck him in a shoulder bag because, seriously, he doesn’t care and won’t try to escape. He will stick his head out to observe, but he seems to like the adventure. I really need to get a soft over-the-shoulder carrier because they are so much easier to use than the hard bulky carriers that I have. Today I decided to take him on the bus via a shoulder bag that can be zipped up. I think he enjoyed today’s adventure. Here he is on the bus to the veterinarian.

He did have to come out of the bag at the vet, so he could get his blood drawn and be examined. Once it was over, he happily returned to the bag while I paid the bill.

Then he rested on the bus ride home. I am fairly sure no one on either bus realized I had a cat with me. [Pets are allowed on the bus as long as they are secure.]