The Opinionated Pussycat

A 100 Word Cat Story: Choose

I'm Maximus, a Street Cat.

Mine is a story of choices.

My choice to wander too far away from the litter.

The choice of a Human to take me in.

The choice he made, when well over a year later shelters didn't want me, and I was too frightened to give a damn, to set me free.

As he held me one last time, and then left, I dimly knew I had to choose.

Life, or death.

No more chances.

I wish he could know: I chose life!

It was very hard, but I survived!

That was 7 years ago.

______________________

 

This, my 200th post on this blog, since it was begun New Year's Day, is in memory of dear, brave, Maximus -- MAXIMUS: A Feral Feline I Once Knew

Inspired by The 100 Word Story Series (Specifically #194) hosted each week by it's brainchild, the one and only Laurence Simon, Catblogger, Founder of Carnival of the Cats, podcaster, and short-short story writer extraordinaire.

Want to read more? Check out my Archive = Creative Meowsings: 100 Word Cat Stories

Goblins: A 100 Word Story

I'm Sylvester, a cat.

I live on the streets.

One sees, and experiences, a lot here.

Your mind can play tricks on you.

For instance, Saturday, passing near a ballroom, I saw a white creature in some bushes.

Mother always warned us about goblins, saying they were worse than coyotes, though she never said what they looked like.

I watched the bushes, ready to run if need be.

There was no need.

It  was a silly rabbit, and as it dashed across the lawn it looked over its shoulder, in my direction, with a look of terror on its face.
-------------------------------

This story was inspired by my last edition of Seen & Heard:

Seen and Heard 7: Paranoid, or Safety Conscious?

It is unknown whether the Rabbit actually saw a Cat, but if he DID...this COULD have been what happened, from the Feline Perspective. ;-D

It will be submited to 100 Word Stories Weekly Challenge #219 which is a Podcast hosted each week by it's brainchild, the one and only Laurence Simon, Catblogger, Founder of Carnival of the Cats, podcaster, and short-short story writer extraordinaire.

The Human with Cats who used to blog at Blog d'Elisson, but recently moved to a new place, lock, stock, and Pussycat, called Lost in the Cheese Aisle, is one who has even written a book full of such 100 Word Stories.

This, dear reader, is just the first of many, in a writing effort I call "100 Word Cat Stories". Check out the Archive! ;-D

After Nip Napping, Pillow Duty, & Cleaning Up the Sidebars

Um, hello. ;-D

Did I miss anything, yesterday?

I guess I did, didn't I?

I'm a Baad Kitty!

But, I soo love my Boogie Mat! ;-D

Thank you, Daddy, for saving my sorry Ass, and hosting the WCB's. ;-D

Anyway, I slept the Sleep of the Just, or is that "the Nipped"? ;-D

 

This morning it was back to playing Nursie. ;-D

I did find time to do some more work on my sidebars, though.

You may have noticed that the list of " Rescues, Shelters, Societies, Foundations, & Associations" recently expanded, and "My Blogroll" shrunk.

I had moved a bunch of links to the first list, and deleted many that were no longer active.

This morning I went thru My Blogroll again, and reduced 78 links to 60, as some sites had become inactive, even updating a few links when I learned that someone had just moved their blog to a new URL, or changed names.

I plan to visit the blogs among those 60, in the next few days, and leave comments for the first time in a while.

Out of curiosity I am going to check out the Cat Blogosphere Membership List,  because I notice some duplication, and changed URLS, as well as the fact that I am still listed under my old place on Daddy's Blog, and not THIS ONE! ;-D

When was the last time, dear reader, that you made sure YOUR Blogroll was current?

Weekend Cat Blogging #264: Daddy Does Double Duty Edition

Hey there, everyone!

This is Nikita's Daddy, Kiril The Mad Macedonian (Where Nikita Blogged before January of this year!), yet again!

Nikita has been, um, out of it, all evening, and I have no-one to blame but myself. ;-D

I am doing the WCB hosting this weekend, and you can see 2 pics of Nikita that help explain things, quite nicely, in WCB #263. ;-D

There are 2 more pics in this edition, as well. ;-D

Welcome to the 264th Edition of Weekend Cat Blogging!

It is a celebration of one of the several times, over a busy weekend of napping, where some Felines wake up long enough to post about their activities, and share them with the wider Cat Blogosphere, & the world (Yes, there are several such shareathons, each week, but we won't mention them here!), then resume napping, or some other favorite activity. ;-D

You can learn how to participate, and see the schedule for the whole year at the home of the WCB.

So, let's get this underway, shall we? ;-D

1 - 3. Over at The Island Cats...Wally spent his Wednesday watching for evil Squirrels, Zoey gets her Glamour on, and Ernie has a Patio Fixation.

4. Over at Judi's Mind Over Matter...Jules and Vincent are spying on the Neighbors.

5 and 6. Over at CatSynth...Luna's Human spots a huge bit of Feline wall art, and 3 Cats on the streets of Santa Cruz, Ca.

7. Over at Mind of Mog...Meowza is licking himself to take his mind off, um, stuff. ;-D

8. What troubles? Well, over at iMeowza...He's still having Mommy issues, in between showing off proper Napping Technique (AKA Napnique, to us Professionals, hee, hee!). ;-D 

9. Meanwhile, his Mom, Ritzi...is lounging about prettily, and saying, who, me? ;-D

10 - 11. Over at Life from a Cat's Perspective...Samantha gets revenge!

Also someone's delusional, or is that Illusional? ;-D

12 - 13. Over at The Phin Feather, and Fur Gang...Last Sunday Willie was just being lazy, but this weekend he finds a brick to check out. ;-D

14 - 15. Over at Herman's Hideaway...He was busy training his Mommy, the Limerick Maker.

I also saw that Hermann celebtated Christmas in July with style!

16. Over at Sidewalk Shoes...Last week it was Napping, this week it'sSnoozing. ;-D

As for Nikita...

17. Street Seens 25: Mid June in Long Beach, Ca. - 2 very different Cats.

18. Street Seens 27: Lounging and Prowling - 3 very different Cats.

19. Seen and Heard 7: Paranoid, or Safety Conscious? - A reason to fear Cats?

20. Stroll 5: Taking Daddy on a Cough Medicine Run to Target

Well, that's it!

Thanks for coming, and your patience, with a non-Feline host, hee, hee! ;-D

Wow! This edition looks to be the busiest WCB in a while!

Join the fun next week, and spread the word!

Nikita's is sleeping off the Nip, and I will soon head to bed myself. ;-D

 

Weekend Cat Blogging #263: Shhh...it's Late, Edition

Nikita? NIKITA!!

Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!

 
Oh, there you are!

Guess, I'll have to do the WCB's myself, as you are no use at the moment.

I only have myself to blame, though.

I got a new supply of Nip, for your Boogie Mat, as yet another show of my love for all you have done to take care of me the last month, and a half.

I  could not refuse your pleading eyes, and so that, dear reader, is why I, Kiril The Mad Macedonian (Where Nikita blogged before last January!), will be your host for this, and the next, edition, of the WCB, and not Nikita....

As you shall see...he's, um, Occupied. ;-D 

Welcome to the 263rd Edition of Weekend Cat Blogging!

It is a celebration of one of the several times, over a busy weekend of napping, where some Felines wake up long enough to post about their activities, and share them with the wider Cat Blogosphere, & the world (Yes, there are several such shareathons, each week, but we won't mention them here!), then resume napping, or some other favorite activity. ;-D

You can learn how to participate, and see the schedule for the whole year at the home of the WCB.

Anyway, since the last host was unable to do so, Nikita took it upon himself to keep things up to date, and so let's get this show on the road. ;-D

1 - 2. Over at The Island Cats...Ernie shows off one of his, um, Purple Balls. ;-D

Also Wally, and Ernie, were on Introoder Watch on Sunday night.

3. Over at Mind Over Matter...Vincent has "Principles", and is a good Tipper. ;-D

4. Over at CatSynth...Luna got stoned, and then tried to catch a bug...I think. ;-D

5 and 6. Over at Life From a Cat's Perspective...Samantha, and Clementine, got in some Boxing, and Hide & Seek. ;-D

7 and 8. Over at Herman's Hideway...Herman is very proud of his Tummy, and there are 2 posts about it, his Hoo-Has, and other medical issues. It all is very interesting. ;-D

Tummy Thursday and More Tummy.

9. Over at Sidewalk Shoes...Smudge is napping...See Smudge napping... Smudge loves napping. ;-D 

As for Nikita...

He shared the results of my latest Cat sightings!

10. Street Seens 22: What the Heck? Daddy and I Don't have a Clue!

11. Street Seens 24: Black (Cat) Friday in Long Beach

Weekend Cat Blogging #264: Daddy Does Double Duty Edition

 

 

 

 

Stroll 5: Taking Daddy on a Cough Medicine Run to Target

Last Thursday I took Daddy to get some meds to fight his sore throat, and it turned into quite the adventure!

I did something vaguely naughty enough to possibly qualify me for Bad Kitty Status, spied on a napping Cat, saw the biggest damn ball i've ever encountere in my life, and was real sure I smelled chicken somewhere.

 

Daddy showed me the waterless Santiago Creek, but since no parking was allowed, and we couldn't go strolling, in my Feline Utility Vehicle (FUV), alongside the creek, we didn't stick around for the Cops to get mad at us. ;-D

  

 

As we Strolled down a street we saw a Cat taking a nap!

 

 

The chair didn't have a pillow, or blanket, but the Kitty didn't seem to mind. ;-D

Didn't seem to nitce us looking at it either, for that matter, hee, hee! ;-D

 

 

My God, but they have big balls outside Target!

Lots of them!

I think it is totally unfair, and bordering on cruel & unusual punishment toward Kitties, to have such things outside their stores, and making them far too big for some of their best customers (Cats, as well as Dogs.) to play with!

I think I need to write a letter of complaint, and see how they explain themselves. ;-D

Daddy, and I met no resistance when we went inside the store, and found his medicine, and Daddy took me past the Pet Section as we went to get some tea for him as well.

 

Daddy played a joke on me, in relation to my earlier report on the LIon Eaters of Arizona.

He said he was gonna stop by a place that also sold such burgers.

Such a kidder, my Daddy! ;-D

Speaking of cruelty...see what he put on top of my Pussycat Purrrrambulator? ;-D

Compared to all of the above the Stroll home was uneventful. ;-D

Seen and Heard 7: Paranoid, or Safety Conscious?

This morning Daddy was in Brea, walking along the paved trail next to the Grand Summit Ball Room that overlooks the intersection of Bastonchury, and State College.

Suddenly he saw a Rabbit dash across the lawn, from the Ballroom towards the trail...

 

From the way it was acting, and from its words, Daddy thought he was about to have an Alice in Wonderland Moment.

Either that, or Elmer Fudd was suddenly gonna appear, from behind a bush, waving a shotgun, put his finger to his lips, and tell him to be quiet. ;-D

 

 

Either scenario would have made for quite the cool story but, alas, reality was a tad more, um, pedestrian. ;-D

Daddy re-assured the cute, but obviously spooked, little guy that he had seen no Cats in the area, and the last he saw of it he was dashing into some nearby bushes.

I hope his wife wasn't too hard on him.

Can't think too harshly of a guy just trying to protect himself, and his family, now can you?

Oh, and for a different perspective on this scene....Goblins: A 100 Word Story. ;-D

NOTE: For more from the Daddy Cam see the Archive! 

Daddy, like the fictional Dr. Doolittle, understands the words of many critters, and the things he's heard them say, about Cats especially, have always been interesting to me.

Far too many Humans have no clue how often Cats come up in conversations among other animals...now Daddy, and I, set out to reveal what is going on right under their noses. ;-D

Seen & Heard: Critters With Cats on the Brain

  

Street Seens 27: Lounging and Prowling

Last Wednesday afternoon Daddy saw this Kitty lounging outside its home in Long Beach, Ca.

 

I love how the Kitty is spread out so the shade crosses its body over the middle. ;-D

 

 

That night Daddy had 4 opportunities to test the Night Scene function on his new camera.

The first chance didn't pan out because there was no nearby light.

THIS Kitty was chance #2.

Whether it lived in the house it was in front of is anyones guess, but it must have at least lived on the block.

 

The 3rd chance occurred when Daddy rudely interrupted a late night Gossip Session involving 3 Cats on the walkway of a home.

Hee, hee! ;-D

2 of the Cats scattered in opposite directions, while one stayed put, but getting pictures didn't pan out because the one remaining Cat was in too dark a spot.

There was no way to know which of the Cats, if any, lived at this house, or if any, or all 3, lived nearby, or were Feral.

The 4th Chance was the Cat above. ;-D

It did not live on this block, but was just passing through.

Daddy tried to get a 2nd shot of it, sitting on a nearby porch, but before he could the Cat suddenly dashed across a busy street, with Cars rapidly aproaching in both directions.

With such daring on display Daddy was left wondering where it lived, and if it was Feral, or not.

 NOTE: For more from the Daddy Cam see the Archive! - Street Seens: Cats Outdoors, Thru the Daddy Cam.

 

  

Street Seens 26: Another Where's the Waiter Moment

Last Sunday afternoon, in Long Beach, Ca.... 

Someone was NOT happy. ;-D

 

NOTE: For more from the Daddy Cam see the Archive! - Street Seens: Cats Outdoors, Thru the Daddy Cam.

Street Seens 25: Mid June in Long Beach, Ca.

Last Saturday afternoon Daddy encountered 2 very different Home Girls, in front of their residences.

 

This charming lady  couldn't decide wether to go up the stairs to her home, or stay outside, and supervise her Daddy as he worked on the car.

 

 

Daddy forgot to get her name, but she's a beautiful 10 year old, wouldn't you agree? ;-D

 

 

20 minutes later Daddy interrupted this beautiful lady as she was napping on the sidewalk outside her home.