06 August 2015

The napping cat

I haven't written about it, but there has been a big change in relations between Callie the female border collie and Bertie the black tom cat. As recently as last summer, the two couldn't be in the same room together. Callie wouldn't have it. Maybe it's age (8½) that is mellowing her out.


Anyway, this summer, something happened to calm things down. We don't know what it was, but we are happy about it. Bertie (age 9½) spends a lot of time up on the front terrace with Walt in the afternoon, and now he often spends the morning napping on the sofa in the living room. Callie ignores him, mostly.


Once in a while, if Bert moves around too much, Callie will still get excited and nip at his back legs. Often though, if Callie sees Bertie in the living room, she will run downstairs and sit like a guard dog in front of the barrier that separates the utility room from the garage, where Bertie has his food and water bowls and his bed.


The dog seems to have trouble understanding that only one cat lives down there, and if he is in the living room, he's not in the garage. I took these photos of Bert taking his nap yesterday morning. When he became aware of the camera, he put a paw over his face to protect his privacy.

18 comments:

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    1. He is an affectionate, mild-mannered cat, at least with us. Too bad the neighbor doesn't like him.

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  2. How odd that Callie should after all this time seem to be accepting Bertie. Let's hope it continues as it will make life so much easier for you.
    Curiously, Lulu ignores Daisy most of the time and occasionally we see them greeting each other or even playing together. But Lulu still goes mad when she sees any other cats and tries to chase them. It's almost as if she doesn't see Daisy as a cat.

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    1. That's what I've been hoping — that Callie would see Bertie as something other than a (strange) cat, and stop bothering him. Maybe it's happening. Bertie is not a cat. Bertie is not a cat. Bertie is not a cat. Callie, are you listening?

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  3. Bertie is showing the same symptoms as Baron...
    it's too hot for a black cat!!
    It is nice that they tollerate each other now...
    Pauline had a cat when I first met her...
    then we adopted my brother's cat 'cos he moved into a no-cat flat...
    the two felines treated each other like two elderly spinsters....
    forced to share the same dining table at a seaside boarding house...
    neither existed for the other...
    it was funny to watch!
    T

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    1. I had thought about that — for a black cat, the sun is really hot these days. If our two animals will tolerate each other, and Bertie already does tolerate Callie, we will be in high cotton.

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  4. yay Bertie! just love his cute toes. :-)
    ps i just saw that you said "high cotton" to LaPre... your southern is showing! terrific!

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  5. Maybe I should have said "sittin' pretty"...

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  6. Being in high cotton is way better than sitting pretty! Lewis and I get a lot of pleasure seeing the different positions our cat sleeps in. It's good the sibling rivalry is getting better chez nous.

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    1. Coming from Morehead City as I do, I might have said
      "as happy as clams."

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  7. I'm as happy as a clam in high cotton LOL about this news!

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    1. A happy clam sittin' pretty in high cotton -- what an image! LOL

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    2. Just asks for a cartoon!!
      Gary Larson would be my choice to draw it....

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  8. thrilled to hear that Callie is more accepting and I can see that Mr B is excited about it too !!

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  9. That's cute, pictures are too cute :-)
    Happy to read that there is an entente and hopefully by this winter, Bertie will be allowed to roam around the rooms.
    Bertie looks like the cat -Julie was her name - that Y used to have when I first met him. Black as Bertie and very possessive of her master :-)
    Now we just have to wait for Callie to start enjoying her ride in the car.

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  10. Naps...especially cat naps...are wonderful!

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  11. That is total relaxation, with her belly and legs up .. nothing like a cat nap. Hmmmm, maybe I should take one now.

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  12. I'm so glad to hear that Callie and Bertie are doing better. I always felt Bertie wanted to be in the house more.

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