To reach the unreachable noms

If it weren't so dangerous, we'd love to post video of this...

Billy has figured out that he can't get to the top of the stove via the counters, which are booby trapped with cat detectors.

And he doesn't want to jump directly up. The stove top is a grill, and not so comfortable on the paws.

But the other night during dinner, we saw him doing a chinup on the handle for the oven. Literally hooking his front paws over it and pulling himself up. I couldn't see whether his back paws were helping, but since the front of the oven is smooth glass they couldn't have been helping much.

We were impressed with his athleticism, but quite dismayed. We hope that a dish towel over the handle will close off this approach route.

Update (from Drew): The towel was on the floor when I left for work.  Given how nice a towel rack the oven handle makes, we can only assume Billy experimented once Katherine came upstairs after breakfast.   A shake can has been set on the towel on the handle on the door on the oven.

Photo Weekend - Bunkmates

Penwiper Using a Healthy Slice of Oscar's Pillow

Oscar was napping on his pillow last weekend, and Penwiper decided there was room for two. Oscar didn't explicitly object, but I don't think he endorsed the idea, either.

Video Saturday: Nap Central

With Katherine off to Aikido for the day, my office became nap central for the feline overlords.   I often get three of them, but today I got all four peacefully napping, and here's impromptu video proof:

Note it probably looks better if you kick it up to HD.  Amazing what a camera phone can shoot these days ...

To Leap the Impossible Leap

As noted, the repair of the bathroom was almost done a couple of weeks ago, and after a false start, the glass was installed today (Monday).   Once it had a few hours to set, we let the feline overlords inspect it.

The inspection didn't go well.  

As the previous photos show, there is a pony wall between the tub and the shower.  This now has ~ 3 feet of glass on top of it, similar to before the remodel.  What's not similar is the glass is offset towards the tub to make the shower side a usable shelf.   Katherine specifically approved this, but she didn't copy the cats on the approval.   

Oscar, Penwiper, and Whitey each tried to jump up from the lip of the tub to the pony wall expecting the former narrow but usable landing area, and instead smacked into the glass and fell back down.   Whoops! No one was injuried.

Billy, being the brilliant leader of our crew, didn't try it.  Instead, I later saw him tentatively put his forepaws up on the pony wall to inspect the the glass, rear paws firmly on the tub.   

No one has tried for the shelf since, so apparently the lesson was quickly learned

Cat 54 Where Are You?

On Saturdays when Katherine teaches, I have morning cat valet duties.  This morning, as she is leaving before I get downstairs, she announced ...

"A cat tower is tipped over!" (Oh so that was the bang I had heard.) 

... followed by ...

"There is a a hairball by the couch!"

... and the hits just kept on coming ...

"We have a litterbox miss!"

At this point, I told she was sounding like the theme from Car 54 Where are You?

The fun didn't stop there.

Once I got downstairs, Oscar decided he didn't want to eat on the floor:

Oscar Eating on the Terrace

He hopped up on the counter and expected to be fed there, which is an improvement over his retreating to the front hall stairs to dine.   Life was also made cooler when Penwiper ignored Oscar and vice-versa.

I can tell I took this picture after Billy somehow detected one lonely kibble was trapped under the edge of the toaster oven.  He hopped up to the kitten meal preparation area with the scale -- the green handled Mist Of Doom is where I left it after spraying him.  (Note the SSSCat towers deployed to keep the boys off the food prep areas, namely the island and far counters.  Unfortunately, I had not rearmed them all yet.)

Our downstairs has been restored to order, with Katherine's impromptu punch list handled, the boys fed, the litterbox raked, the laundry room (AKA the litterbox room, top left) swept, and the Litter Locker emptied.

Can I take a nap?

Updated: There were two litterbox misses, I got one Katherine didn't know about.  There was also a second hairball miss on her side of the bedroom that I had no knowledge of.  Fun, fun, fun ..

Chatting over breakfast

Drew: You know, some people are just amazed that we track the boys' food so closely.

Katherine: Some people are just amazed that their cats are fat, too.

Seriously, folks, if your cat is fat, it is your fault. Feed them less. They'll be happier, and they'll live longer with fewer vet visits.

Photo Holiday Special: Does It Match My Fur?

The bathroom repair/remodel is almost done.

Penwiper likes the new "tuxedo" tile we put in.  However, we're not sure he realizes the real purpose of it.

Penwiper on black & white tile checkboard.

Oh.  That's what the tile is for.

The purpose will be more obvious to the feline overlords once we get the stall glass delivered and installed so we can actually use it as a shower.  At that point, I suspect Penwiper will drop his newest hangout from the list, even if he can get the stall door open.

(As always, click on the photos for larger pictures.)