Polly, Don't Change

I wiped up a bit of fur off my comforter and immediately Polly acted interested. The title is what we say to her on a regular basis.

 

Do you think pets act cute on purpose? Can you spot the extra toes on her murder mitten?

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Two Furry Friends

One new green pal has potential to provide tasty tomatoes this summer. I am pleased that buds are forming already.

Their fuzzy appearance is cute while a close-up reminds
me of Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors...

This blissful perpetual kitten I filmed likes huffing catnip from a toy Halloween treat bag. It has a jingle ball inside. Twice now I’ve seen Polly momentarily get it stuck on her head.

Have you been following any of the ongoing space exploration? And on an earthly note, do you think Polly stuck her face in so far because the months old ‘nip is losing potency?

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A Very Windy Garden Update

I’m happy to report that my tomato, pumpkin, and cucumber plants are looking good. The Jungle Parrot sweet peppers look a bit feeble but not terrible.

They all need daily time outside to harden off for outdoor transplantation. I set them out three days ago for half an hour. But that’s all I’ve managed.

All my comings and goings left poor
Polly exhausted...

Today’s even more extreme wind gusts (up to 31 mph!) would be detrimental, to say the least. I have my fingers crossed that this pattern changes but the forecast isn’t looking too good. Oh, well. All I can do is try and all the while hope for the best.

She had zero strength to offer sympathy
to my tired, mildly frustrated self.

Do you know we Midwesterners have a saying “April showers bring May flowers”? Why, instead, did March “come in like a lion” and never leave? What happened to the “going out like a lamb” part?

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Polly the Punk

For several minutes Dandelion and Polly peacefully shared a tabletop the other day. Then I turned and found this little hooligan alone.

I like how this closeup makes the harmless
fluff ball look menacing...

Isn’t it nice that Dandelion didn’t let this stop her getting a drink? Do you think she will ever join in our younger twins’ play fights?

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What?!

Polly is a gentle cat, for sure. And she is as goofy as they come, such as never failing to get drinking water drops on her nose. I wanted to photograph the cute phenomenon but this photo fail made me just as happy.

How do you great animal photographers get your subjects to cooperate?

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The Floof of Doom

As mentioned before, our kitties each have multiple silly nicknames. Polly with all her extra toes and fluffy fur still earned some boss ones, or what I like to call Biker names. One of them follows the theme from my title: Floofing Thunder. I literally knew some bikers who went by Lightning and Thunder, some of the sweetest guys you can imagine.

The one used specifically for my title is especially appropriate for this post. I had my Suncatcher unit that simulates sunlight, gifted a few years ago by my husband. She got on the cat tree beside my desk and sat just far enough forward that the bright beam below lit her fur just so.

She believes in catch and release, even
for the most annoying bugs...

Is she adorable even looking somewhat villainous? Are you familiar with products that allegedly lessen depression from Seasonal Affective Disorder?

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A Curious Analysis Has Me Baffled – & – Our Silly Polly

Yesterday morning I took Terra and Polly for their annual vet check-up. Last year the clinic sent me home with Gabapentin for their next visit. It irked me that I was expected to drug my cats.

Worse, the listed expiration date was sometime last summer, so no way did I plan on using it. I told the technician they hadn’t been given this expired (!) medication but that I’d trimmed their front claws the day before. Well, the girls did great other than some hissing and growling.

Apparently they have a reputation, though, as the veterinarian I’d never met before mentioned Terra climbing on top of the wall mounted computer monitor and heading for the built-in high cupboards last time. She didn’t try any stunts yesterday.

He did have to wait until her lengthy low growl subsided in order to hear her heartbeat. lol They each received a CVR booster shot and we came right home.

My husband is equally confused by the vet’s diagnosis of mild obesity and thought perhaps it was to sell me some expensive diet pet food. But the doctor’s sole suggestion involved set feeding times. In agreement, I can’t convince my spouse to stop leaving kibble constantly available. ~sigh~ Meanwhile, neither gained weight over the past year.

Our athletic Terra remains at eleven pounds, her sister at eight. I do agree that Polly’s long coat needs more attention. For that matter, so does Dandelion’s; she will get her check-up sometime in late spring.

Should I be more open to sedating my pets? For experienced cat caretakers, do you think the vet rightly judged them overweight by feel despite lack of any gain?

 

A Funny Flashback

I am not certain whether or not I shared this video of Polly being ridiculously adorable. So here it

Aren’t her mitten-like paws adorable? Am I not incredibly lucky that her numerous malformed toes don’t trouble the girl?

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Life’s Ups and Downs – the Silly & the Serious

Once again, my husband and I shopped where that giant inflatable dragon is sold and a lady told me to watch for it to be discounted (!), perhaps after Halloween or even earlier. I’m guessing they’re not selling because so many folks struggle financially these days, which makes me sad. However, my childhood chum living across the state and I enjoyed a nice conversation, during which she said they have an inflatable dragon and would give it to me as incentive to visit. I should go because, unfortunately, her mother’s health is in steep decline while her father has his own issues.

Heartbreak and chaos are everywhere you look these days, it seems, so we need to seek any positivity. I found some just this afternoon. Dandelion jumped off my napping husband’s lap wanting some canned food. As expected, Polly wandered in and received a tiny plateful. What happened next amazed and delighted me.

Not surprising, my fluffy black cat finished first and strode toward her pale furred elder. Uh, oh, I thought. But they sniffed one another, all but touching noses (!), and Polly just sat down a short distance away. Dandelion did slink away a few inches. However, she resumed eating when I moved her plate over. The site made me very happy. When he woke, my husband heard the news and could hardly believe it.

On another note, the woman I talked to this morning was a store representative soliciting flu vaccinations. Since they’re offering a five dollar digital store credit to every recipient, I urged my husband to go for it. Ten dollars is ten dollars. And next week, a Hill Air maintenance guy will be coming for our autumn HVAC inspection. I’m crossing my fingers that I get another $300 (USD) Kroger grocery gift card for leaving reviews.

As I type, I’m enjoying a gorgeous day under my shade tree. A delivery driver pulled up at the next door neighbor’s house and surprised me by walking over with my latest online Amazon purchase.

I look forward to playing with these...

I ordered this and another holiday light set yesterday. These leaves are a set of four, one of which will go on my outdoor wreath in place of my silk sunflower blossoms. It’s nice they are battery powered except I can’t put them on an electrical outlet timer.

If it looks cute during daytime should I leave them on? And ooh, do you think these oversized leaves would look fun in my haunted dollhouse?

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Polly’s Follies – 11

On Tuesday I decided to cook some rice in our pressure cooker. Terra must have been napping, so Deputy Inspector Polly supervised. lol Thank heaven for sanitizing wet wipes.

Don’t you agree that the moving lights caught her attention? Do you have a supervisor in your kitchen?

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Polly’s Follies – 10

Polly was just begging for a photo shoot today, though she would disagree. I just couldn’t help experimenting with a lamp once she sat in front of our back door window inside a cat food delivery box.

She is more interested in my
lamp than anything else...

Well, this is more of a Snoopy pose...

Oh, come on, Polly...
Now my box over-floweth...

My Sweet Tosie Posie at her finest...

Still not quite the glamour shot
I'd imagined in my head...
yet precious, I think.

Polly’s Follies – 9

In financial news, Polly-nesian Airlines took a beating in the stock market today. Founder and CEO, Polly Esther Dactyl, refused comment despite allegations of going into a Godzilla style rampage on her latest failure.

Fortunately, no employees were reported injured during the prototype jet’s destruction. Her feline defense team also declined our requests for an interview.

Video footage is available for those of you not disturbed by carnage. Now back to you, Felicia, for the latest weather report.

On a serious note, what’s the weather like where you live?

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Polly’s Follies – 8

I occasionally utilize one particular cat tree perch as a standing desk. I kept an eye on Terra lounging by my feet the other day. Then Polly surprised us all, running across the room and launching herself toward me. I hollered and she slipped. One of her many toes left a claw sheath behind while taking my O key along for the ride.

As it happens, I have experience reinserting laptop keys and Miss Polly 'Anna' didn’t break any components. She remains renowned for the destruction while unaware of my less flattering nicknames.

At least she cannot leap like this cat...
Do you see the ball up there?
This kitty reached it.

Can you suggest a better moniker than the lame ‘laptop breaker’? Or should I just resort to Polly Dactyl, following her sister Terra’s more menacing nomenclature?

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Polly’s Follies – 7

This first bit is not at all amusing. I’d thought her through the cord chewing phase. Apparently not, despite the fact she is rarely left unsupervised and gets plenty of playtime.

Her chewing exposed wires!

It took me a while to figure out why my cell phone wasn’t charging. We’re lucky she didn’t electrocute herself and/or burn the house down. My ringing phone has been knocked to the floor numerous times. Perhaps it’s a theme.

On a cute note, I discovered what garnered her excited attention outside our bedroom window. She found a bit of clinging vine waving from the north facing brick wall.

Can you believe citrus doesn’t deter Terra and Polly from jumping on my kitchen counters? Do you have any recommendations?

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Polly’s Follies – 6

My husband has a humorous remark toward our cats anytime we catch one causing damage. “You’re the reason we can’t have nice things.” Doll faced Polly has probably made her mark the most and continues chewing on oddball items.

Funny enough, her damaging my aquarium cabinet is why I propped a storage bin cover over it. The attractive wicker veneer is no match for cat claws.

Brat though she can be, she still gets treats from my husband every afternoon alongside Jezebel and Terra. The tossed tidbits occasionally land on them. Some disappear within Polly’s floof.

Poor thing has no clue know where
her latest treat landed...

Thank goodness she tolerates regular grooming sessions. Some come from me and others are courtesy of her sister, who is luckier in that department.

A gal needs help neatening all that fur...

Should I let her discover a hidden treat on her own now and then? Or do you think Terra would find them first anyway?

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Polly’s Follies – 4

Not long ago I moved a little cabinet Terra knocked down. Wedging the unit between a bench and bedroom window proved an ideal perch and everything seemed stable. Her sister Polly, however, took a different path to destruction.

Those are teeth marks!

I finally put an old comforter over the whole thing. They can still enjoy continuing destruction of my vanity stool upholstery.

Sweet Luna sunk her claws in first.
May she rest in peace.
~sigh~

I did discover a potential cause that makes sad sense. Just as Terra likes to knead my flesh while sucking on the bedclothes, Polly’s penchant for chewing non food items likely resulted from being weaned at too young an age. And she is so cute I can’t get angry.

At least she doesn’t engage in this behavior unless she has a human audience (that I can tell). We hope she grows out of it. Not even our WiFi unit is safe. I had to cover the old unit’s three antennae.

Angel, the vampire with a soul,
continues his saving ways...

I fear Jezebel has a dimmer view of Polly’s behavior. She’s glaring at me, insisting a turn at my computer. But how can she be such a hater? Just look at this face.

 

Did you know a cat could exhibit pica? Should I take Polly to a kitty psychologist? -

Polly’s Follies – 3

Our sweet Polly doesn’t cause quite the destruction disruption as her sister Terra, but don’t let her fluffy cuteness fool you. One day I stood before the bathroom medicine cabinet, drawer open off to the side, and heard a scrabbling sound. There was Polly, hanging onto the drawer by her front toenails.

Here Polly poses with my Krotchy doll...
If you're brave, you can read about the
video game character toy here...

Another time my cell phone atop the nightstand rang. The ringing stopped before I had a chance to answer, whereupon Polly knocked it to the floor. ~sigh~ Below she is about to do the same with our garden produce.

Early on I used empty water bottles to divert her from chewing on electrical cords (!) which has blessedly kept her from being electrocuted. After Polly punctured a full bottle I quite storing cases within easy kitty reach. When she found one of my favorite snacks unguarded, the crackling wrapper must have posed too tempting.

The last of my Kind snack bars...

Would you allow such a ferocious beast into your home?

The next video is her fierce attack on a plastic bottle. I cannot believe how much smaller she was in February!

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Polly's Follies - 2

I’m not sure that numbering the posts relating to our feline masters’ antics are worthwhile. But I’ll see how it goes. Many of dear Polly’s escapades aren’t photogenic. In fact she often acts behind the scenes, if you will.

Here Terra oversees Polly’s inspection.
Who needs a plumber?

Her skill set is less athletic but more technologically oriented than that of her sister. Her strategic step upon our ceiling fan remote control taught us that the light has a dimmer switch. Polly also managed to turn off my portable speaker. One can only guess she didn’t care for my music selection.

Taste tested, Polly Approved...

 

Should Polly be enrolled in a trade school? After all, wouldn’t it be nice if our furry friends could contribute to household finances?

Polly’s Follies Episode 1

It seems likely this will be a semi-regular subject as Polly Esther Dactyl is every bit the silly kitty one could want. Terra’s own feature will be soon forthcoming. She is the ringleader, after all. Here, persistent Polly has followed her sister’s determination on ‘supervising’ kitchen activity. While not as good a jumper she figured out how to use my stepstool.

~rolls eyes~

Thank heaven our GoWise USA has a washable inner pot and we have plenty of antibacterial wipes.

This thing needs a cuteness setting...

 

Who knew this home’s airy, open floor plan would become a detriment? And what is it with my shoes?

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