...Er, um, Hello!

My name is Augustus. I have parents. Sometimes life can be difficult. I possess the great skill of being able to charm the socks off of anyone who chances to spot me, a rare occurrence indeed. [The spotting, that is; not the charming!]
However, for you, Dear Reader, I am prepared to divulge my deepest thoughts and perspective of the world, mostly because if I don't tell somebody what is going on around here, I am going to pop!
But be warned, proceed with caution: Living with Mummy and Dad can be rather harrowing at times...

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Retribution On A Name


I am so embarrassed!
Mummy just posted one of my baby pictures, and as if that wasn’t humiliating enough, she hath revealed to the entire world my baby nickname! (If you have not seen the picture, bless you - I will not mention the sordid nickname here; if you have, then you already know it so there is no point repeating it, if you understand my meaning. I repeat, there is no point repeating it…).
In full retribution for this dastardly act on the part of one Mummy, I am hereby revealing her baby nickname (hee, hee, hee...):
“CHARMIN”
What is that, you ask? I will tell you!
The story is that back in The Day, about the time Dad was alighting from The Ark with his good friend Noah, Mummy was born, and her mother and father [yes, she has parents, too. I ALMOST feel sorry for her…] decided she was “squeezably soft”, an indirect reference to a Television Commercial (whatever that is) in which some bounder named Whiffle, Sniffle, Piffle, whatever, went about the place flailing his arms and shouting “Please don’t squeeze the Charmin!”. So somehow Mummy became associated with this charmin stuff, and it stuck. Of course, no one calls her that anymore but still…

Now you know Mummy’s sordid past.
And all because I was sort of chubby when I was a kitten, with short legs and lots of fluff and stuff. AND I would lay across Mummy’s shoulder with my chubby little legs sticking straight out. AND I was frightfully cute, according to Mummy and Dad (I have never frightened anyone that I am aware of, honest!).
And Mummy had the unmitigated gall to tell the world my secret!

Thankfully I have outgrown all that fluff and cuteness. Pah!

Friday, April 6, 2012

Lend Me A Hand!


I am a cat.
I like noggin rubbings!
I am all for anyone at any time ceasing their current activities in favor of scratching my ears. At no time do I discriminate regarding whose hand it is that massages my forehead or what task they purport to be at, whether chores, work or leisure.
Take last night, for an instance –
I conveniently stole, er, borrowed Nobbie’s spot on the bed next to Mummy in hopes that said Mummy would be congenial and take the hint. So far from being forthcoming with the good ol’ Noggin Rubbing, she instead appeared to be trying to sleep! How very un-thoughtful.
However, just as I was growing discouraged after tickling Mummy with my whiskers elicited no response, Dad’s hand flopped across Mummy’s tummy conveniently in line with my head.
Well, I am never one to let opportunity pass me by!
I deftly slid my head up under Dad’s hand and proceeded to chirrup softly by way of saying thanks for thinking of me. He very kindly responded with a couple of scratches, then nothing.
All was quiet.
I stuck my head under his hand once more to remind Dad he was slacking in his duty. He graciously picked up where he left off then stopped again. I looked quickly around to see what the devil was going on but his hand had disappeared! Turning this way and that, I diligently searched the bed but to no avail – that hand was gone!
So I began to dig. I scrabbled and clawed and plucked my way beneath the covers (something anyone who knows me asserts I never do). That hand had to be somewhere, and I was determined to find it. Poking my nose along in the fluffy darkness, I found The Hand, lounging there as if it hadn’t a care in the world.
This nonsense could not be tolerated – I wanted a noggin rubbing, and I wanted it now! Er, then!
I stuck my noggin back up under his hand and demanded (much more noisily this time) a full and complete ear scratching, replete with a nice massage between the eyes. For some odd reason, Dad and Mummy (who was allegedly asleep all this while, blast her) began laughing at me. Never mind that! Dad had responsibilities, and I aimed to help him see them through.
He did his duty, and I finally fell asleep knowing order was kept in the house once again.
But tomorrow is another day, and without doubt I will likely have to demand a noggin rubbing before it is over.
Still, there it is.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

This Nuisance Must Now Cease!

Kittens – everywhere!
Clambering all over the deck with their big eyes, big ears, big feet and tummies that rival mine, eating us out of tuna and crunchies.…
Mummy actually brought them in the house today under the auspices of teaching them to use the litter box.
I raised a paw:
“Er…Whose litter box?”
“Well, yours, I thought”, said the Mumster.

Rats! That’s all I need – munchkins in the litter.
And I had everything sorted just right in each box - been working on it for several minutes.
 But it doesn’t stop there; no, not by a long shot.
These urchins had the unmitigated nerve to attack the crunchy bowls, devouring foodstuffs as if they had not eaten for days (judging by those stomachs, I would say minutes).
Then one of those bounders ran straight to me, stuck its little pink nose in my face and snuffled! I properly hissed at him, just to show him who the big chief is around here.

Speaking of Mummy, I am going to have to do a lot of complaining to Dad when he gets home about her encouragement of these activities. He’ll put a stop to it, I am sure!
Kittens flinging litter carelessly about like animals…tchah!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Augustus, The Apparition

I pride myself on the fact that many people do not believe I exist simply because they have never seen me when they come to visit. They think I am a figment of Mummy’s and Dad’s imagination.
I derive much pleasure from listening to The Parents describe my quirks, charms and, well…no, not the indiscretions. That isn’t much fun. But everything else is hilarious!
You see, I have radar that lets me know when strangers are within 50 miles of the house, and I ‘head for the hills’, as they say, until my radar blows the all-clear. Most times people ask where I am (because Mummy and Dad can’t help talking about me), and the answer is always the same….

Like the other night when Grandma came over, and Dad was talking about how I had gained a pound, (per Vet’s very off-caliber scales), leaving me at a pretty substantial figure.
 “My, he must be huge!” Grandma said.
DAD: “Oh, yes, Augustus is a big boy. “
Grandma: “Can I see him? Where is he?”
DAD: “Under the bathtub.”
Grandma: “Oh, I see.”

Hmmm.  Not very convincing, is it, Grandma?
Mummy quickly added several things to vilify Dad and offer further proof that I am real, such as pointing out the whacking great dust kittens in the corner and mentioning the 56 (count them!) cans of fish they have to purchase every week along with 32 pounds of Cat Chow crunchies and 32 pounds of Tidy Cat litter (not all for me, thanks very much, Mummy).  Dad pointed out the three litter pans (again, not all for me), as added inducement to believe I am not of fairy tale stuff (though I am handsome!).

Nevertheless, as she was leaving, Grandma let fall a loose comment about having grand-cats she has ‘never laid eyes on, except in pictures which anyone can produce from a dozen sources’.
As soon as the door closed I slid out of my lair and glided into the living room, ready for a relaxing evening. Dad demanded an explanation of how I can know when someone has departed seeing as I was under the bathtub on the other side of the house.
I shrugged my fluffy shoulders, hopped onto the sofa and said, “Oh, just a knack.”

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Mummy’s Spice Island


Hee, hee, hee, hohoho…
Mummy is so funny!
She got the bright idea that she could keep cats off the top of the refrigerator by sprinkling a niffy concoction of cinnamon and chili powder on top! Ha, ha, ha…that hasn’t stopped me – no, sir!
And the best part?
She will never know I have been up there. I mean to say, what kind of evidence points…to…

Um...does anyone notice that trail of grainy stuff behind me? I say…where is it coming from? I think it is following me - there are whacking great footprints in my wake!
Is it a Phantom?

And why is Mummy looking at me in that gloating fashion?
Was it something I said? 

Monday, April 2, 2012

Doing Laundry


Mummy was working away on the laundry this morning, and as I recently gained some appreciation for the task via the armoire drawer, I thought it might be nice to help her out.
You know, ease the burden and whatnot.
So I observed for a bit, just to get the hang of it (it is never good to just jump into the middle of something without some inkling of what you are doing).
It seemed pretty easy: Mummy gathered a huge pile of Dad’s underwear, socks and other niffy stuff then began the trek from bedroom to laundry room. I walked along to keep her company, occasionally darting in front of her, though I readily discovered that was a dangerous maneuver because she doesn’t look where she is going - she tripped over me I don’t know how many times!  
She then deposited the clothes on the floor in front of the Washing Machine (and a few on top of me, again not looking) and began moving them around in different piles. This looked like fun!
I skipped around with her, dashing first under the clothes as she sorted, then jumping on top of a pile (to help tamp it down, of course – those clothes weren’t going anywhere if I could help it!).
 Next, we moved to the Washing Machine – Mummy pulled on its nose to wake it up, and I jumped on the edge [whoooa, nearly fell in!]. It began spewing water inside - oops, I think Mummy messed it up and now the Washing Machine has a leak!
However, she took her time, pouring in some liquid stuff called Detergent and being very cool about the whole leak thing; she then quickly tossed in the soiled goods and closed the lid. I could hear the water still running but I guess she thought those clothes would hold it off. 
Oh, well – if she isn’t worried that water will flood the house, neither am I. 
Next step – the Dryer!

I leaped from the Washing Machine to the Dryer, landing neatly in the laundry basket piled high with [did I mention very soft?] bath towels, got peremptorily removed from said basket and discourteously placed on the floor. She opened the dryer door and…uh oh, break for the ‘phone……
With Mummy busy talking, I determined not to waste time just sitting around. We must have efficiency, else Dad’s socks will continue to niff! The warm aroma of lavender was gently wafting from the open Dryer, so I knew there must be freshly cleaned linens in there.  Assuming [logically] that Mummy would be occupied for a while, I edged a bit closer to the dryer then stood up and peered into the opening.
Yep – fresh sheets and pillowcases!
This is where I knew I could really help. Naturally assuming the next phase of the Laundering Process, as we professionals call it, was to pull those sheets out, I immediately jumped in, landing softly on the aromatic pile. Turning around in order to see how to go about this business of removing them from their den, I began sinking into the softness, each step drawing me deeper into the folds.  Hmm…very cozy.  Mummy could be a while; perhaps I will just rest here for a bit…..Zzzzzzz….

I am surrounded by clouds of billowy softness,
great folds of sheets and things gathered around me,
lifting me into the soft air,
I am falling deeper into the luxurious...
floor?    


It was awfully cold after being ousted from the delicious warmth of the dryer (very opprobriously, I might add). I explained that it was my strict sense of work ethic that compelled me to help with the sheets while she loitered about with telephone calls but Mummy said I shouldn’t have been in the dryer and that I was a wastrel, just looking for a place to snooze. I was then informed my help was no longer required and unjustifiably tossed out of the laundry area.

Dusting myself off, I walked away in a marked manner, my only consolation knowing that Dad will be none too pleased when he finds out she used his underwear to fix a leak!

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Urchin Alert!


It was such a pleasant morning...
Dad and Mummy both home - breakfast at the usual hour, sun shining brightly through the kitchen window. 
I thought I would sit there for a while, catching some rays and enjoying the peace and quiet, 
so I jumped onto the sill - no Tippy in sight - and I got myself situated just right with a view to the deck when I noticed it, or rather, THEM. 
It is too awful to describe, too gut-wrenching to repeat but I must tell: there were in fact gobs of those little fuzzy things ALL OVER THE DECK again! 
You know, the little critters I recently caught Mummy playing with?
 Well, they are everywhere, prancing about like they own the place.

I've been thinking about this - this is MY home, MY deck, MY Mummy - where do these urchins get off invading the place like this? Curiously, they are bigger than before - they are fuzzier and much fatter which means they are getting food from somewhere...Hmmm.

I tried to get Mummy's attention so she could call the exterminator or something but she didn't seem to notice. Something isn't right!
I think there is a conspiracy, and I am going to get to the bottom of this!
Right after I finish my nap...Zzzzzz...