Happily Ever After
Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running
Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.
A Tale of Two Kitties
by admin - 21:13 on 29 May 2010
A great stride forward was taken today on the road to making The Rural Retreat a two-cat household.
Spider, the probationary moggy, has lived the last few days in the spare bedroom that doubles as my office, first with the door kept shut, latterly with a wire mesh barricade that allowed her to look out and Bess to look in.
This has allowed the two knowledge of a second feline without having to share a room, and apart from the occasional hissing match they've rubbed along just fine.
Today, several days ahead of schedule, impatient Matchgirl removed the barricade and allowed unimpeded feline interaction to take its course. It went much better than expected, despite the odd hiss and laser stare from both parties. By the end of the afternoon they'd established their personal space and agreed to ignore each other.
The armistice will need work on both sides and goodwill after the inevitable lapses, such as happened at tea-time when Spider ambled downstairs at the same time that Bess hurried into the kitchen on hearing Matchgirl fill her bowl. The food-crazed feline didn't even notice Spider, a foot away, until a hiss made her jump six inches.
She must have been embarrassed; after her meal she retired outdoors, despite an epic downpour, to perform personal business then lurk underneath Mr Ford. If Romeo has any sense – which, of course, he doesn't – he'll keep well out of her way for a while.
One benefit of Spider no longer being confined to my office is that I can now work there without a cat pacing back and forth across my computer keyboard. The down side is that the explorer is climbing everywhere else, including on to the kitchen work surfaces. Matchgirl has had to be quite abrupt.
I've not yet attempted a portrait of Spider – decent snaps of an all-black cat are a challenge I'll have to work up to.
More photographic skills development took place today when I was among members of Cromarty Camera Club who spent time at the Scotsburn Horse Trials. I learned a lot about action photography, mostly how not to do it, which is why only two snaps survived quality control.
While there we bumped into jovial Phil Downie, a leading light of Dingwall CC and another of the Highlands' plethora of professional photographers, who was toting around a Sigma 150-500mm zoom – a lens so serious that users need a body-building course before purchase to be able to lift it. I wasn't jealous at all. In fact, I was so impressed I've added him to my Links page.
Pine Marten Update: Master Marten's not yet been seen today, but under the extremely inclement circumstances (ie Biblical bank holiday rainfall) he's probably safest at home.
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