Joy On The Road

My first house/dog-sitting gig with the Benson dogs was in November, 2010, and now I’m caring for them again. Lola was an addition after Peanut had been in residence for awhile. However, they became friends in spite of their differences and are bosom buddies now.

Carrot treats are a highlight for Peanut and Lola as well as their daily walks in the neighborhood.

Peanut and Lola love go go next door to visit the Alexanders although they are a bit fearful of Scooter, the Maine Coon cat who is not happy with visitors. The other four indoor cats there don’t seem to bug the dogs.

To view a slideshow of the Benson dogs, click on any photo. If info about the photos is not displayed in the slideshow, click Show Info.

Peanut and Lola relax together on the couch.

Three new cats were added to the Alexander home, Houston, in May, 2010. These additions were not planned, but when the neighborhood stray (Pumpkin) whom the Alexanders had been feeding, had a litter of cats before she could be caught and fixed, they faced the chore of finding homes for the kittens.

Pumpkin was a scrawny feral cat before the Alexanders started feeding her. Patience and lots of attention resulted in Pumpkin running into the garage when the door opens, ready first to be fed treats and brushed and then to partake of the milk and both dry and wet cat food. The indoor cats don’t get the milk or wet cat food, so Pumpkin is truly spoiled.

To view a slideshow of the Alexander cats, click on any photo. If info about the photos is not displayed in the slideshow, click Show Info.

Pumpkin displays her gorgeous sleek body.

Unable to find homes for all, the Alexanders took Piper, Luna, and Sonoma into their home which already consisted of Scooter and Bella. See these links for previous posts about Scooter (http://www.joyontheroad.com/wordpress/?p=36) and Bella (http://www.joyontheroad.com/wordpress/?p=89).

Now the cats are slightly over a year old and to say that they are a lively bunch is an understatement.

Didn’t I say above that to call the younger Alexander cats a lively bunch is an understatement? This is the sight that I found when I woke up one morning.

Bella has that “I’m not guilty” look as she stands by the swim suit drawer. She can join the fun even though she’s one of the original household. According to Sheila, Bella opens the drawer and Luna (below) is the one who actually pulls the swim suit pieces out of the drawer and often carries them all over the house.

Piper and Sonoma guard the path to the kitchen, the most important room for that’s where their food is and well as the place where they are treated to snacks every morning as part of the coffee-making ritual.

Luna brings gifts (usually little toy mice) and announces the gifts with meowing. She half of the team (with Bella) who unload swim suits from their drawer and deposit them all over the house.

Scooter, the oldest of the cats has never been #3; he’s always been #1, and if you challenge that status you’ll receive a loud hiss and perhaps a bite, if you get too close to him. At heart he can be a sweet boy, but you cannot trust him.

Pumpkin, the Alexanders’ yard cat, produced a litter in late May, and Piper immediately realized the advantages of being a loving cat and thus became a permanent addition to the household.

To say that he is a bit of a “spaz” is an understatement. Observe!

To view a slideshow of all of the Piper, click on one of his photos.

Piper, peeking from behind the shutter, presents his “I’m very cute” pose.

Piper is washing the dishes…before the dishwasher has its chance.

Raja, the 20-year-old cat of my close Houston friends (Alexanders), died last week. Raja had become quite ill in January of 2009 and was not expected to survive the month. But…survive she did, until June 15, 2010.

Click on the photo to view a slideshow of Raja during the last five years.

Raja drives Scooter’s car…and he doesn’t even object.

For the last year and a half, if Raja meowed and someone was there to hear her, she was either talked to, picked up, or fed regular food, soft food mashed up with water added, evaporated milk, treats, canned tuna, or cooked chicken or fish.

I’ve had the privilege of caring for Raja (along with Miss Black, Fugley, Scooter, and Bella) when the Alexanders travel. Returning to their home and not having Raja to greet me will be difficult. We’ll all miss our “fur baby.”

A milestone birthday: 70. However, I am so fortunate to have wonderful daughters and friends who arranged and celebrated the occasion with me in both Indiana and Houston.

Sheila and Bill, my long-time friends and adopted children, saved gift certificates to Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar so we could celebrate my birthday in style on June 10. Because of a previous commitment, the Alexanders weren’t able to attend the BIG birthday party at Wine All You Want Cafe in Batesville, Indiana, on March 14 which was planned and executed by my daughters, Helena and Wendy.

So celebrate we did! To view a slideshow of the party, click on the photo below. Return here by clicking the JoyOnTheRoad tab or your browser’s Back button.

Shelley, Joy Dean, Sheila, Rebecca, Rene, and Bill enjoy the hospitality of Fleming‘s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in The Woodlands, Texas.

In early June I traveled to Houston to house/pet-sit for the four Alexander cats: Rajah, Boo-Boo, Scooter, and the latest addition, Bella. Each of the other Alexander cats has an album on Flickr, so now Bella has one too.

View a slideshow of Bella by clicking on her photo. To return to the blog, use your Back arrow.

Sleep, play, eat! Is there anything else to life?

Even though Fugley (on the right), pictured here with Raja in March, 2005, has gone to Cat Heaven, we remember him fondly.

View BooBoo’s slideshow by clicking on her photo. To return to the blog, use your Back arrow.

After her original owner died and the remaining relative simply pitched the cats outside, BooBoo has been a resident (and completely adopted) of the Alexander home.

Raja’s slideshow can be view by clicking on her photo. To return to the blog, use your Back arrow.

It’s difficult to determine which of the Alexander cats is the sweeter, Raja or BooBoo. Raja enjoys one of her favorite activities: cat-napping.

View a slideshow of Scooter from his tiny kitten stage through the present by clicking on his photo. To return to the blog, use your Back arrow.

Scooter has always been an adventurous cat. He was soon climbing from the desk to the top of the shutters in the living room. As he grew, he climbed to further and further heights which you can see in his slideshow.