Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Observations from Benji the teenage cat
Hi. This is Benji and here are my observations on life so far. I am not yet one year old in human years but in cat years I am a teenager and thus, very smart.
Do you think my chopped ear looks good? It makes me feel different and self-conscious. This came from my 1st life when I was trapped from the crazy house where I was born. I like my 2nd life and new home much better. And I love Sue and Bob and Grandma. I also like my big brother Tiger and hope someday he likes me too.
I want to play all the time. Sometimes this gets me in trouble with Sue. Why, I do not know. She used to play mouse on a string with me though she could never keep up with my speed. I am very, very fast. (Much faster than Tiger if I do say so myself.) It turns out many, many things have strings attached to them, both thick and thin. They are everywhere. Computers and cameras. Shoes and purses. Window blinds and necklaces. When I play with these Sue yells NO! and sometimes squirts me with water from the bottle. I don’t understand this at all. She’s the one that taught me to play with things on strings. It seems not even the best humans can always be trusted or completely understood. Maybe Tiger will teach me about these things when he starts talking to me.
Anyway, now that I am a teenager I get to go outside and chase things that move on their own without strings. Sometimes I catch them. I am very, very fast.
I learned I can go in and out whenever I want just by standing at the door. Tiger taught me this.
I always come in at night before it is dark because I am only a teenager. Tiger has outside dark privileges. It’s okay because I don’t like the outside dark.
I also don’t like rain. It reminds me of the squirt bottle. In my life so far there was not much rain. Now there is more and more and more. I don’t know why. I will ask Tiger if he ever decides to listen to me and answer my questions. He still hisses at me when I try to talk to him. If I jump on him to get his attention, he takes a swat at me but he is not a good aim and always misses. Maybe because he is old. Either way, I am always the one who gets in trouble not the Tiger. I think they favor him though they may not admit it.
I still like Tiger even if he is old and doesn’t want to play with me. I hope he will someday. I can’t wait for us to become good friends.
~ Benji
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 
Benji, Effie wanted me to tell you that she is 2 human years old, and doesn’t think too highly of people rules. Her people want her in at night, and they like her to come in during the day, though they do let her back out after some indoor time, just not at night, even though they know she can see just fine in the dark. She thinks toys are okay, but she would rather be out chasing bugs and birds. She wishes she had a cat friend in the house and in Effieland. She thinks you are very fortunate to have Tiger!
Stay cheered!
–Lauren for Effie
Tell Effie her comments are very much appreciated. We cats must stick together particularly as relates to the human species! Also thank her for encouraging me as regards to Tiger! I hope we shall be fast friends very soon! from the Benji 🙂
Benji, the bad news is that I don’t think Tiger will ever really want to play with you.
On the bright side, when I worked for the Police in London, your chopped ear would have been filed under MS, for Marks and Scars. Then it would be sub-filed, under DM, for Distinguishing Marks.
So that means that you are distinguished! (Ollie wants to chase you up a tree, by the way.)
Best wishes, Pete.
I am happy to learn that I am distinguished! I shall wear the new credentials from the London Police with pride! This will surely impress Tiger and make him honored to play with me ~ and please tell Ollie that I am very, very fast and would likely wear him out if pursued … but I do think him a handsome fellow ~ from the (internationally) distinguished, Benji