It's Getting Warm

 Spring in Japan is very interesting. We have a few warm days, then a few cold days. As the year moves on the warm days get to be more. This reminds me that it's time to start getting the house ready for the summer.

Summer here is brutal. Tempretures can go up to 38℃, with humidy at 80%. It's really like living in a sauana. I hope that I can buy another couple of air conditioners this year, as last year was awful with only one working one.

I really worry about the cats in the heat. This house is very cold in the winter but also very hot in the summer. There are a few places that the cats like to hang out in the summer, one is the corridor that runs down the middle of the house, therefore no windows, a bit cooler and the shower room, the tiles are nice and cool. In the last house we lived in we had air conditoners in the main rooms but the cats didn't like them, Mama and Toast would hiss at the machine! I would have the air conditioners on for the cats but they would lie outside the room, near the door! I really don't understand cats!

One thing that I have to start doing is brushing the cats. I'm alredy seeing a build up of fur in the places where the cats are hanging out, so I guess it's time. I enjoy brushing them. Most don't mind, Alfie and Toast are the hardest ones to brush, but no choice!

I want to buy a couple of good water fountains this year. We have a few water bowls around the place but I get fed up of the spills. I think in the high traffic areas, (which is most of the house because it's so small), a water fountain would be better. 

I'm also gong to buy a few cooling blankets. I bought a couple a few years ago but they got thrown out. I found that the ones for babies are better quality and cheaper than the pet ones! 

Other than that I don't know what to do to help the cats during the summer. Any ideas?

Just a few photos to finish.

Close up of Mama.

Toast and Alan

Fodo in a box.

Fred....Again

 I really don't know what to do to help Fred.

He is constantly fighting with the other cats. Sometimes he is the aggressor, but most of the time he is being attacked.

This goes back to when he was a kitten. There were 3 males in the first litter, Fred, Steve and Alan. I think Fred was bullied by the other two a lot. As the other litters came along, it just got worse.

We will have a few quiet days followed by days when they constantly fight. It gets to be very tiring, especially if they fight at night. I try to keep them awake in the evening, playing with them and trying to get them to burn off some energy, then eating later at night, so they can settle. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't!

At the moment, I'm letting Fred in my room while I'm in here; it's safe for him. But I can't let him in by himself as he has a habit of peeing everywhere!

Yesterday, he was sitting watching out of my window, got a little video of him.

Sam

 Sam has decided that I'm his human.

Over the past few weeks, Sam has been spending more and more time in my room. 

Most afternoons, he'll be on my bed while I work on my computer, or he'll keep me company when I'm reading or watching TV.

Sam on my bed.

At night, he sleeps on my feet.  At first I felt uncomfortable, but now I'm used to it and miss him if he doesn't come in.

He sleeps there until about 4:30am, when he wakes up for the toilet. He jumps off the bed and waits by the door to be let out of the room. I know that's early, but it helps me as I have to get up at 5am.

I never thought that one of the cats would choose me; I feel very privileged.

Catnip

 My cats have been fighting all afternoon. I tried playing with them, but it tired me out more than them! So I went the catnip route!

I have no idea if this is good for the cats or not. I don't use it very often, maybe once a month, especially when they are fighting a lot.

I'm wondering if the local cats that come around are fixed or not. My cats are, but if the local cats are coming around, that might account for the aggression in my cats. 

Enjoy my cats enjoying the catnip.

They are very quiet now!

Flea Meds

 My cats hate getting the flea meds. 

They run and hide, they scratch and bite. With nine cats, it becomes like an Olympic sport!

Fluffy is the worst. She hides in the smallest places possible. When she's caught, she goes full-on drama queen, yowling and biting! I am always amazed at her strength. She looks so tiny, but she's very strong, must be all the chicken she steals!

Fluffy, looking very sweet.

Toast is another one that hides and races away! He gives up quickly, but then sulks for ages afterwards. David was doing the meds this time. He said that for a couple of days after he put the meds on Toast, Toast wouldn't go near him.

Toast, sulking.

The other cat that really fights is Fred. This time, however, he was sleeping on the sofa. David managed to get him before he knew what was happening. Fred is rather big and strong, so I was glad that we could get him without a fight!

Fred.

We have to do this again in a month.

I know it's good for them, and they need the meds, but I wish it wasn't such a drama!

Cat Day In Japan

 February 22nd is Cat Day in Japan, Neko No Hi, because the date 2/22 can be read as ni-ni-ni, which sounds like nyan-nyan-nyan, the Japanese onomatopoeia for a cat's meow!

This play on words was so popular that the Executive Cat Day Committee decided in 1987 to make February 22nd the official Cat Day.

Cats arrived in Japan during the Nara period (AD 710-784), likely introduced from China. By the Heian period (794 -1185), they were so prized that only the nobility could afford them.

Cats appear in Japanese folklore as benevolent and mischievous creatures.

There are cat shrines and temples dedicated to feline deities or legends. I hope to be able to find some of them to visit.

And of course, Japan has cat islands where there are more cats than people

In my house, every day is cat day! Especially when Hannah is at home!

A few photos of my cats for cat day!

Catnip, Again

 I don't know why, but the cats just wouldn't settle this afternoon. 

Usually, they are active in the morning, racing around, fighting, getting into mischief, then after lunch, they snooze for a while. Today, however, they wouldn't settle at all! Just fighting. It might be the weather, it's nice and warm. When it's too cold, they snuggle up together; when it's too hot, they just sleep wherever they can get comfortable!

So we resorted to the catnip, again!

I know the floor is a mess, I did clean earlier, but....!