<p>ⓒ Richard Levitte</p>
http://journal.richard.levitte.org/tags/archive-cats/Richard Levitte's journalikiwiki2010-09-12T06:35:08ZCats meet dog...http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/cats-meet-dog-2/2010-09-12T06:35:08Z2010-09-12T06:35:08Z
<p>Actually, I'm not going to write much, I really just wanted to
display these pictures of a <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Sidious/">dog</a>
watching a <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Padme/">cat</a> chase after
something under a bookcase.</p>
<p><a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/Dog-watching-cat/IMG_5981/"><img src=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/Dog-watching-cat/IMG_5981--thumbnail.jpg" width="150"
height="113" class="img" /></a><a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/Dog-watching-cat/IMG_5982/"><img src=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/Dog-watching-cat/IMG_5982--thumbnail.jpg" width="150"
height="113" class="img" /></a><a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/Dog-watching-cat/IMG_5983/"><img src=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/Dog-watching-cat/IMG_5983--thumbnail.jpg" width="150"
height="113" class="img" /></a></p>
Cats meet doghttp://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/cats-meet-dog/2010-07-19T07:42:11Z2010-05-20T13:11:06Z
<p><a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/three-kittens/">The cats</a> had met him
before, this <a href=
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffon%20Bruxellois">Griffon
Bruxellois</a>... him spending the afternoon, evening, night and
morning here was, however, a bit new. Before, he had only spent two
or three of hours here at most.</p>
<p>This was a bit of an experiment, but I wasn't worried, I knew
that this dog had lived with cats before, and <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/AnL/" rel='friend kin ex-sweetheart met'>his owner</a> was
used to both dogs and cats, and these cats aren't scared of
much.</p>
<p>The first few hours, the dog was in a leash, so the cats had a
chance to get used to him without him running after them. After
trying to engage them into play with a few small barks, the dog
eventually tired of it all and just lay down resting. Ever so
slowly, the cats would approach him, sniff the air around him and
sniffing him.</p>
<p>There were moments, like when <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Padme/">Padmé</a>
came nose to nose with the dog and the dog tried to engage in play,
and <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Padme/">Padmé</a> just sat there, not quite
knowing what to do with this weird creature, but not running away
either. Or when <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Padme/">Padmé</a> and the dog came
nose to nose, seriously checking each other out. Or when the dog
slept on the bed and <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Sirius/">Sirius</a> was on the
bedroom windowsill, calmly observing. Or when, in the morning, I
was petting <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Padme/">Padmé</a> and the dog was
sniffing her butt the way dogs do, and she was just calmly purring
away.</p>
<p>For a first experiment of this sort, I think it was mightily
successful <img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/smileys/smile.png" alt=":-)" /> ... gotta love this kitties for their calm and for
their social skills, be it with humans or other animals.</p>
Cats and firehttp://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/cats-and-fire/2009-10-25T20:27:36Z2009-10-25T20:27:36Z
<p>I introduced <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Padme/">Padmé</a> and <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Sirius/">Sirius</a> to fire today... just a flame on two big
sturdy candles...</p>
<p>It was interesting to watch their approach... they both first
approached, sniffing very close to the flame, just to back off a
bit when they noticed the heat... then they just watched the flame
for a bit, and made some more slow approaches, sniffing... after a
while, <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Sirius/">Sirius</a> did that typical cat
thing, getting to know something new by pawing it rapidly, and that
dancing yellow thing was sure interesting! The result was that the
flame disappeared and that he had a bit of candle wax in the fur of
his right paw, something he didn't even notice...</p>
<p>Well, after that (and after I re-lit that candle), they simply
spent easily half an hour to an hour just watching the flames,
seemingly transfixed, until they grew tired of them and went away
doing something else.</p>
<p>Introductions have been made, and it went very well. Instincts
work! And I think I can have candles at home <img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/smileys/smile.png" alt=":-)" /></p>
Cats' social habits...http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/cats-social-habits/2009-06-20T05:46:14Z2009-06-20T05:46:14Z
<p>Every so often, our cats will have a small playful fight, and
more or less constantly end up in each others paws, licking each
other over their faces, and sometimes bodies...</p>
<p>Watching this happen again this morning, I'm realising that this
is very much a social glue for them, maybe their kind of "kiss and
make up"? It's amazing to watch, <em>purr</em> <em>lick</em>
<em>lick</em> <em>lick</em> <em>purr</em>.</p>
<p>I wonder, is this something that happens commonly among cats
that live together, or is this an unusual show of kinship because
our cats are brothers and sisters?</p>
Three kittens :-)http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/three-kittens/2009-03-03T10:33:41Z2008-12-28T10:23:37Z
<p>About a week ago, day before my birthday, <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/ChH/"
rel='friend ex-sweetheart met'>Charlie</a> and I got three kittens
home. We had visited them a few times before, so they would get a
feel for us, and the first time was kind of magical, one of them
chose us rather than the other way around.</p>
<p>When they came home to us, they immediately started exploring
and have been doing so since, and they have adapted very well. And
it's fun getting to see what they discover and how. This morning, I
had the pleasure of three kittens exploring the basin in the
bathroom and flowing water (I let it trickle just a little bit).
It's fun to watch a cat trying to figure out how to handle a
trickle of water, putting his nose squarely into it (with a
resulting sneeze), trying to bite off pieces of water until he
figured out that using his toungue probably works best.</p>
<p>Anyway, three kittens... all three are siblings, <a href=
"http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Sirius/">Sirius</a> (inspired by Sirius Black) is the
largest of the three and has a black coat, as well as his sister
<a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Ronja/">Ronja</a> (inspired from <a href=
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronia%5Fthe%5FRobber%27s%5FDaughter">
Ronia the Robber's Daughter</a> because she's wild at heart,
talkative and a enthusiastic hunter), while the other sister,
<a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Padme/">Padmé</a> Amidala, has a beautiful
tortoiseshell coat. All three good hearted, purring their hearts
away at a blink of an eye, and yet with visible distinct
personalities.<br />
<a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Sirius/">Sirius</a> seems to be quite the explorer,
always the first to go forward and discover something new, perhaps
a little bit too uncautious for his own good, and maybe a bit
macho.<br />
<a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Ronja/">Ronja</a> is quite the talker and has a
knack for walking on your keyboard when you're by the computer, she
also turned off my laptop one time (which <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/people/K/" rel=
'friend kin ex-sweetheart met'>Karin</a>, who was using it at the
time, took as a sign she should get off the computer for a
bit).<br />
<a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Padme/">Padmé</a>, while being the more cautious of
the three, also seems to be the fearless one. Less than a week ago,
a couple of friends helped <span class=
"createlink">Charlie-has-moved-in</span>, some of it went into the
bedroom, and after, we found <a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Padme/">Padmé</a> lying
on the bed, calmly watching the whole thing, while the other two
were hiding under the bed. That's quite telling. But don't get
<a href="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/pets/Padme/">Padmé</a> wrong, she knows how to have wild
fun as well, and is quite the explorer, she just takes it a little
slower, taking her own pace.</p>
<p>A few pictures, maybe?</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Ronja exploring the computer shelf</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/IMG_4144--large.JPG" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Padm� doing a balance act</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/IMG_4149--large.JPG" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Padm� and Sirius resting together on our bed</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/IMG_4185--large.JPG" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Charlie with all three of them</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/photos/IMG_4136--large.JPG" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Cat with a fetish, anyone?http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/cat-with-fetish/2008-11-07T12:53:49Z2008-11-07T10:14:10Z
<p>I think this clip speaks for itself <img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/smileys/smile4.png" alt=";-)" /></p>
<div class="embed3"></div>
<p>( <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-4dF5Lsdxc">link to
the clip</a> )</p>
<p>Courtesy of <a href="http://www.cuteoverload.com/">cute
overload</a>.</p>
Taking the cat out for the first time...http://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/kattie-1/2008-07-06T23:21:28Z2005-09-18T18:11:40Z
<p>My cat has always been an indoors cat. Taken outside, he would
just go flat to the ground and then crawl to a covered place and
stay there. My then wife and I tried to take him out a couple of
times, but he seemed so pitifull that we didn't really make a point
of it.</p>
<p>He would, however, go out into the stairways of the appartment
building we lived in. And a little now and then, he did enjoy a
stroll out on the balcony.</p>
<p>So a while ago, I decided that I would take him out, somewhere
calm. I finally did so today, taking him into the woods of <a href=
"http://www.hitta.se/ViewDetailsPlace.aspx?__VIEWSTATE=dDwxMjY4NzczMDU0Ozs%2B&UCSB%3AWflWhite=1a1b&UCSB%3AWflPink=4a&SearchType=4&UCSB%3ABBX1=&UCSB%3ABBY1=&UCSB%3ABBX2=&UCSB%3ABBY2=&UCSB%3ATextBoxWho=&UCSB%3ATextBoxWhere=k%E4rs%F6&PlaceId=278565&UCDP%3AUserControlMapControl%3Acx=1619715&UCDP%3AUserControlMapControl%3Acy=6579734&UCDP%3AUserControlMapControl%3ApointsHidden=&UCDP%3AUserControlMapControl%3Az=2&map.x=191&map.y=161"
title="Kärsö">Kärsö</a>. And he blossomed!</p>
<p>He started out as he used to, flat to the ground. Then I saw him
bring his head up a little bit, start crawling to what looked like
a safe spot, <em>and then continued</em>! He went exploring instead
of hiding! I see that as great progress, especially on the first
time.</p>
<p>A little later on, I decided to change the setting, and brought
him over to a rocky spot, and the exploration went on. Up on one
rock (incidently looking like the Lion King), down exploring the
cavity of the next, nibbling on grass in passing. He seemed to have
a great time!</p>
<p>I'm gonna do this again, next weekend, and the next, and...</p>
<p>Besides, it's the perfect excuse to get myself out to the open
air <img src="http://journal.richard.levitte.org/smileys/smile.png" alt=":-)" /></p>
Another update on lifehttp://journal.richard.levitte.org/entries/2004-09-19-23-53/2008-07-06T23:21:28Z2004-09-19T23:53:00Z
<p>Today, on another forum, two threads appeared, one that
encouraged people to vent the things that were bad in their life,
and another with the good stuff. I've decided to reproduce my two
response here, just for the sake of having my own archive of the
stuff I write.</p>
<hr />
<p>The "bad things" thread:</p>
<p>Oh my, this is quite a thread after coming out of a
mini-depression...</p>
<p>I hate to express myself in terms of hate. It feels like there's
no nuance.</p>
<p>The doctors have just discovered my mom has some kind of lung
sickness, probably the same as her mom, who ended up having lots of
fluids in her lungs. It hit me like a ton of bricks that one of
those who have been there my whole life has suddenly taken a giant
step toward her own death, and I have no idea how to deal with it.
It makes me really sad and it's really hard to realise this.</p>
<p>Quite soon (in a couple of months?), I'm probably going to watch
my son travel away to the other side of the Atlantic, together with
his mother. I know that he's going to have a good time and that
there is stuff over there that he probably needs, and at the same
time, I can't help but feel crushed that we're placing the burden
of our divorce on him even more by giving him parents who are
physically very separated instead of living about 600 meters
(yards) apart. I'm working out the chagrin that I currently feel
within, so I can go past it.</p>
<p>I absolutely hate (there, I said it) that I have been so numb,
so out of touch with my true feelings for so very long (roughly
1990 to last christmas. That's a long time). I hate that I couldn't
express the deep love I now know I can feel, and know I did feel. I
hate that this numbness brought me to say "yes" when there was a
big resounding "NO" deep within me, or even when there was just
disagreement. I hate how I, by consequence, promised things that
weren't grounded in me, that weren't what I wanted to promise. I
hate how I, even further by consequence, broke those promises,
because they weren't really grounded in me.</p>
<p>I hate that I ignored the child within, and let it reign on it's
own or have someone else pamper it or even parent it. I hate that
this still happens. It's my job, damnit!</p>
<p>I strongly dislike (and always have, I just didn't know how to
express it before last spring) when someone wants me to take care
of their inner child, instead of doing it themselves. I've had that
happen with 3 people, one of them being my mom. Having someone else
take care of your inner child does not help, especially yourself!
It doesn't help that inner child grow.</p>
<p>I have an increasing difficulty with people who think their own
perspective of the truth is The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing
But The Truth. It leaves no space for the rest of the world. I hate
it when I catch myself doing exactly that.</p>
<p>/Richard</p>
<p>P.S. interesting how I can express hate about my own
stuff...</p>
<p>P.P.S. it feels good having expressed all this. THANK YOU!</p>
<hr />
<p>The "unrant" thread:</p>
<p>Great thread!</p>
<p>I love my son Jacob. I love the way he laughs and runs into my
arms, almost tackling me down, each time I pick him up from dagis
and sometimes from his mom. I love the way he can melt into a hug
with me. I love watching him play. I love his very apparent joy for
life.</p>
<p>I love my cat Kattie (I didn't name him! ). I love the way he
curls up on my lap or on my tummy, especially when I need it the
most. I love how he suddenly gets a burst of wilderness in him
around 11pm. I love him for being so patient with Jacob.</p>
<p>I really enjoy this new path of growth and increased
spirituality that I'm walking, slowly finding my way to understand
the world beyond the immediately apparent and to feel love for and
connection with everyone and everything. Some day, I'll even be
able to love myself fully.</p>
<p>I love computer programing. It's my art. It's the ultimate
expression of my creativity blended with logic, accuracy and the
feeling that I do the right thing.</p>
<p>I love interacting and being with people. I increasingly throw
myself into groups of people, new situations, new challenges,
things that might ultimately provoke something in my inner core and
help me grow a little bit more.</p>
<p>I sometimes like being alone, just to recapture my life, brood
over something I've been through recently, or just enjoy a little
bit of quiet time.</p>
<p>I love going to the movies once in a while, or going out to eat
in good company.</p>
<p>I love my current companion, for her straightforwardness, for
her awareness that goes beyond what I have experienced (or been
willing to see, perhaps) before, for her accepting what I have to
give (things I didn't even know about) and for what she has to give
me, and for encouraging me to follow the path I'm currently
following.</p>
<p>I love my previous partners, for having wanted to share a few
years with me, even though they have sometimes been very difficult.
They will all be part of my life, forever. I'm deeply grateful to
them all, and especially to Lisa, for everything I've learned and
for the path that they have lead me to.</p>
<p>/Richard</p>