Monty

At the beginning of  September (smack in the middle of the Labor Day long weekend actually), I saw two mice in my apartment at about 3:00 am when I got up to go to the bathroom. Just what I needed. Right?

Two days later I came home with my new cat, Monty. I got him at my local Humane Society. They gave him the name, Montgomery, but it just doesn't seem to fit him.

So, now that Mom is gone, I suppose I'm on my way to becoming the strange, Christian, Cat-Lady. Monty is probably just the first of my next 89 cats.

He is a full grown domestic short hair, tabby cross. Male and Neutered. I've only had experience with barn cats in the past, so a house cat is a completely new experience.

The Humane Society new almost nothing about him except that they supposed he had been stray for quite a while before they picked him up. He has a lot of behaviour issues. It's like living with a war veteran with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ... in cat form.

But he certainly has made my life a lot more lively, and he has his cute and comical moments (which you will see). And I haven't seen one whisker of a mouse since he moved in.

I made a little video to introduce him to you. I'm sure I'll have more to say about him in the future. Probably by the time Christmas rolls around I'll be one of those owners who dresses their pets up in costumes and puts them on their Christmas Cards. We'll have to see.

For now, may I present, "A Night with Monty" (and he is "full" of it). My Full Monty.

Love Laura-Lee


UPDATE - November 1, 2013

I really do appreciate all the advice about cats and MONTY in particular that everyone is giving me. But please don't tell me to spray him with water anymore. It only ticks him off more.
Once I was running water in my kitchen sink and he decided to get into the sink at the same time. I flicked a little bit of water at him with my fingers. He got mad, lunged at me, sunk his teeth into my exposed armed and it took me a few seconds to "convince" him to let go. It bled for an entire day. So I don't think the water spray thing will work. But thanks for trying anyway.
L-L

P.S. But don't be hesitant to give other advice. I'll try anything at this point.

Summer Hide and Seek Memories

I remember when I was little there always seemed to be a bunch of us kids running around, especially during summer time. These were the days before video games and even video machines. We had to make our own fun. Since so many months of the year in Canada are quite cold, if a kid could beg, bargain or find a way to sneak outside, we were going to do it.

The kids in our neighbourhood would gather in someones yard and we'd just stand around and  talk sort of slow and lazy like:

"What da you wanna do?"

"I dunno. What da you wanna do?"

"Do you wanna sneak carrots from one of our gardens?"

"Naw.My Dad said we gotta stop doing that?"

"Ya. My Mom said that too."

"How bout we wrestle?"

"No. Too many girls here now. Mayb' later."

"How about a game of tag?"

"Can't. Joey's still not allowed to run lots on his sprained ankle."

"Bike ride?"

"Not ev'ryone's got one."

"How bout a game of  'Hide n Seek' ?"

Then suddenly someone would look up and say:

"OK. I'll be it! 1-2-3-4 ..."

And quick as a wink it would be kid chaos. 8 kids who had been just standing around, barely moving, start running in different directions all at once, laughing, squealing, shoving and bumping into each other, deciding to make hiding-allies or to 'go it alone', while the counting gets faster and more frantic.

"5-6-7-8..."

"which way. which way?"

"You can't hide there. I was gonna hide there."

"Help. Help. somebody help me. All the good places are gone."

"Hide by the bike shed"

"But I hid there last time. Help me find a good place."

"WHAT A BIG BABY YOU ARE"

"shh. He'll hear you"

"12-13-14-16-17"

"HEY STUPID! YOU FORGOT 15!"

"Oops. Sorry. I always do that. Where was I?"

"10-11-12 !"

"NO I WASN'T I WAS WAY PAST 12 ALREADY!"

"WHO CARES! JUST START COUNTING AGAIN!"

"OK. 1-2-3-4 ..."

" NOT AT ONE AGAIN! AND YOU'RE PEEKING!"

"AM NOT!"

"ARE TOO!"

              .............................

"Shutup, Moron. Now listen, "

"Hey. You're not suppose to be back at the tree again."

"It's because you've messed up the counting and everyone has been hiding for FOREVER and is waiting for you to find them."

"So what should I do?"

"Hi. Can I come and hide with you?"

"What are you doing here? You're suppose to be hiding by yourself"

"But it's taking so long and there's a scarey bug at my hideout"

"OK. But shutup and GET down"

"Where should  I start counting from?"

"Uh. Gee. I don't know. Gimme a second to think."

"HEY! ARE WE STILL PLAYING OR WHAT?!"

"TELL HIM TO JUST COUNT TO TWENTY AGAIN AND IF HE MISSES ANY NUMBERS JUST SKIP 'EM. THEY'RE NOT IMPORTANT."

"OK!  Ya got that?"

"yup. 1-2-3-4 ...well don't just stand there. You gotta go hide again."

"Oh right. I forgot!"

"WAIT! THAT'S NOT FAIR!   HOW COME WHEN I HAD TO BE  'IT'  I HAD TO SAY ALL THE NUMBERS, BUT HE CAN SKIP SOME?"

"O, for crying out loud. Are we ever gonna get this game going?"

"WAIT! WAIT! Don't anybody speak or move."

"Why?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Because ...kssjhfksdffffffssfkddjdssdhksdj.."

"Ok. But hurry."

"What's the problem?"

"Yeah. Where's she going?"

"She's gotta go to the bathroom."

"Ok. But why can't we move or talk?

"Yeah. Why?"

"She doesn't want to miss anything."

"I have to go too"

"OH GREAT!" 

"I've got a nose bleed again."

"Mayse well call it a night. We'll see ya."

"Yeah. I'm leaving too. Let's all meet back here bright and early"

"NIGHT EVERYONE!"

"Night!"

"NIGHT! (Gives me more time to practice my counting before tomorrow)."

"I'M BACK! YOU CAN START AGAIN! Hey. Where did everyone go? I said to wait for me."

"But it takes you so long to pee."

" I pee as fast as anyone! I just have trouble with my belt buckle."

"You're wearing a skirt, Stupid. Just lift it up."

"Oh. I never thought of that."

"That's because you're a dumb girl. Hurry up, hurry up, HURRY UP! I'M GONNA LOCK YOU OUTSIDE. I'M LOCKING IT, I'M LOCKING   IT! ...hee, hee, hee

. Why are you still outside? Did you lock yourself out?"

"I'M TELLING."

"Won't matter. Extravagant behavior is expected from me." 

  

"Oh, ok.  ....  What is  "stravant haffer" ?"

                               

                           .........................................

                     [chrip-et, chrip-et, chrp-et] 

                     ..................

       "Hey! Where is everyone? Is the game over? Hello? hello? ... HEY? I never got found.  [sniff, sniff ] "