Cats and Dogs

Though it would be an appropriate description for last night's weather, this time the topic is literal.

I’ve been cat-sitting a sweet baby Russian Blue and Herr J and I walked dogs this weekend at the animal shelter, so it's been a couple of weeks of cats and dogs.

It's been wonderful having animals in our lives again, even though it's temporary. They really do make life better....albeit more complicated.

When I moved to Munich, I had to face the difficult decision of leaving my cats behind. I fear the flight would have greatly traumatized one of the inseparable pair. They're much happier anyway, living with my parents in a house with many birds and creatures outside the big windows and with two people to give them treats and loving.

my sweet kitties, Gus and Loki

It took some adjustment for me to get used to not having to consider the cats in every action...african violets typically got beheaded, other plants eaten; leaving laundry out or the closet open was inviting destruction; and having anything breakable out in the open was a recipe for disaster.

Now I find myself adjusting again...remembering that the cat will drink out of any open container and attack anything hanging down invitingly. And I'm afraid to open the windows to let in air, lest he test the theory that cats always land on their feet.

But it has prompted lots of interesting conversations. Herr J is a dog person (not that he dislikes cats, just never spent much time around them); whereas I grew up with cats and fish mostly.

We've been comparing notes and observing similiarities and differences. Trying to explain to Herr J what is normal cat behaviour is surprisingly difficult. Perhaps impossible, actually. Are there typical cat behaviors? Perhaps some…running amok early in the morning, sleeping most of the day, then coming out at night to loudly knock things off any high surface…that seems very common among all the cats I've known.

life is rough!We have realized that while dogs seem to want human company without exception, cats want it on their own terms. At a distance, and usually at inopportune times or from the person in the room who least likes cats. But they often do want to be around people, contrary to popular thought.

Of course, as soon as you think you have cats figured out, they’ll change things up and keep you on your toes.

It’s been fun having little Smokey around. He’s definitely livened things up and has a really good disposition.  He’s exactly the right mix of loving and aloof. As he's gotten used to his new surroundings, he's been incredibly sweet and wants to be in the same room as me. Whether it's napping or running around, he wants to be with people. He'll follow us from room to room.

Initially we were worried that my speakers would frighten him, as my parents’ new speakers are NOT beloved by the cats. However, he’s done quite well. I actually think he enjoyed District 9, as the prawns made a subtle clicking sound that probably is attractive to a cat (or sounds like food). 

I'm definitely going to miss him when he goes home in a couple of days. However, it's getting really warm and I'm ready to open the windows!  

Look at those gorgeous eyes!

Herr J will post more about the Munich Tierheim (animal shelter), but we did meet one of the sweetest dogs there. Here are Lilly (black) and Romeo (brown), who we walked for a couple of hours Sunday morning. Despite an unhappy start in life (he was part of a major dog rescue led by the police), Romeo's just a bundle of love and extremely well-behaved.  It was really hard not to take him home, or the gorgeous black and white Great Dane we saw on the way out. So far, I'm resisting the call of the animals, but my strength is being greatly tested!

Dining by Pulley

While visiting Frau A's parents over Christmas, we stopped by Rosebank Farms (located in coastal South Carolina).

Rosebank Farms is touted as "one of the last working family farms on Johns Island", it was an adorable place to spend an hour.  The main attraction for Frau A is the "barnyard" -- a petting zoo.  You can spend quality time with potbellied pigs, miniature horses and miniature brahma cows, bunnies (ridiculously soft), a mule, and goats.  They also have chickens, turkeys, and peahens (didn't see a peacock though), but these are not exactly pet-able.

I was particularly pleased with one of the goats.   Next to his stable was what looked like an old gumball machine, that, for a quarter, dispensed a handful of dry food.  As soon as the goat heard you, he headed up a spiral staircase to await his handout, delivered by a pulley!  It's a nice way operant conditioning is used to make the feeding process a little more interesting.  We got it on video here:

Eccentric Gazillionaire Dreams

What crazy things would you do if you were an eccentric gazillionaire?

A lot of people would have sharks with lasers à la Dr. Evil, or just sharks under the living room floor like Vector from "Despicable Me". After a couple of weeks at the beach, I know what I would do:

I want a reef-sized "aquarium" with lots of Triggerfish.  Some sharks would be cool, too, but I really want Triggerfish. They're not only beautiful, but highly intelligent and seeming to have distinct personalities.

I'd have lots of the cute little blue scaredy-cat Red-Toothed Triggerfish that hide in mini caves....

Red-Toothed Triggerfish

...more Red-Toothed Triggerfish (one of the four has already slid into a hole to hide)...

....adorable little Picasso Triggerfish....

Picasso Triggerfish

...brightly painted Clown Triggerfish.....

Clown Triggerfish...interestingly colored Orange-lined Triggerfish....

Orange-lined Triggerfish

....and of course, the big smart Titans that root around everywhere and just look squeezable.  Wouldn't he be an entertaining pet? 

I took this video while snorkeling through the reef just off our room's beach. He also has an Orange-lined friend there to catch his scraps.

Also there will be rays that I can raise from babies to know me and feed in the morning.  And Herr J wants a pet octopi or two.

Ray hiding in the sandHowever, this requires lots of space and diverse terrain.  Triggerfish need space because they don't play well together (putting it nicely).  The Red-Toothed ones need deeper water and walls with lots holes to hide in, while the Picasso are happy with a small coral formation shallow water. And the rays need a nice shallow sandy area to hang out.

More importantly, as I learned from watching one last week, Triggerfish eat hermit crabs, and hermit crabs are kinda cute. And of course I want to keep both of them.  This is where both the "eccentric" and the "gazillionaire" part are important, because the only solution I see is to get custom manufactured military grade ceramic shells for the hermit crabs to protect them from the Triggerfish. In a wide range of sizes to allow for growth, of course. 

(All of the above pictures are ones I took diving or snorkeling in the Maldives)

I think for now I'll keep diving and will see about Umbra's cool stackable fish condos, but I'm curious to know all of your eccentric gazillionaire dreams.