Such a cold morning for my outdoor furbabies!

[Siwsan]

It's 1 degree, outside. ONE DEGREE!!! All I could think is, hopefully they are all ready and waiting because this food (wet/dry mix) could freeze! I headed out and was greeted by Mittens the Kitten and Scooter. So sweet. Mittens actually let me slide my hand under her belly and every so slightly pick her up and shift her position because she was blocking one of the bowls. That made me smile.

As soon as I got inside, I looked out the living room window to see the whole crowd had arrived and the food was fast disappearing. This weather doesn't seem to bother them, a bit. Where ever they are sheltering must be good. I still suspect it's a ground hog burrow, beneath the bushes in my neighbor's yard.

Their afternoon feed is just kibble so I don't have to worry about that freezing. Besides, as soon as they sense I'm heading towards the food bowls, in the afternoon, they all come running.

[Walleye]

1. My 11-year-old outdoor kitty is coping. Very skittish right now

You are a good soul to take such good care of those babies

[Siwsan]

2. I truly believe taking care of indoor and outdoor felines helped me get through the past 2 years

There was some tragedy - the loss of Tuxie, Spooky Jr, Morgan and Sophie, but the scale definitely tipped more towards joy and laughter. They've all been great companions.

[Walleye]

3. I agree. You always take a certain amount of risk for heartache, but the rewards are well worth it

My indoor kitty is kind of a pain in the ass but he’s such a great companion.We communicate. He knows me so well even when he pesters me it’s good company. And he’s a real good sleeper in bed with me. I’d be in real bad shape without them

[Siwsan]

5. Last night the boys knocked over a Rosemary plant and pulled down the kitchen curtains

Fortunately the plant landed upright. I never heard a thing!

All it takes is a snuggle, purr or 'coo' from the boys, and all is forgiven. I do wonder if they will ever start actually meowing. Madoc does a little, when I'm fixing their food. All I hear from Gryff is a trilling coo.

[Walleye]

6. My previous kitty was black and she liked to trill. Sounded like a kid playing with a toy car, brrm

Indoor kitty, Patches, has found a new game. Knocked my water bottle off the desk. Gotta remember to put the lid on it now

[Siwsan]

8. Madoc likes to wash his paws in the liquid and then fish out the ice cubes to play with them.

I'm switching over to drink bottles with lids.

[Walleye]

9. Cats teach us humility.They know who the boss is

[wnylib]

12. Ember still does the trilling coo almost exclusively

and she is 6 years old. Almost never meows.

But she does do a pitiful howl sometimes when I go out. During the pandemic, she has become so used to me being home that she apparently feels separation anxiety when I leave.

Before the pandemic I used to let her into the hall of my apartment building to follow me to the laundry room. She enjoyed sniffing at other doors and encountering neighbors for petting and admiration. Also, she became friends with a neighbor's shih tzu when they met in the hall. She misses that contact. I keep her inside now because cats can get covid.

[Avis]

4. -30

[Siwsan]

7. MINUS 30???

Where the heck are you?? I'm in mid-Michigan. Our normal highs, this time of year, are in the low 30's. I see no 30's in the 10 day forecast.

I do remember some -25 weather. The last year, or so, before I retired I remember going out and starting my car about mid-day, just to reassure myself it would start when it was time for me to go home. Also remember the afternoon the roads were so bad, it took me over 30 minutes to drive the 2 miles home.

[Avis]

10. -30

warming up to -10 or something. Has been a brutal winter. Just a few miles from where the family froze at the border with that Florida trafficker guy. No one should think they can survive outside in this. Winds have been 50 mph too... but not so much today, coming back tomorrow though. Last summer was very hot and dry an no rain for most of it... but not to worry, no climate change going on. NW MN on the border you'd think with this weather everyone would stay home and covid would die off... but no.

[Avis]

11. -40 wind chill

but has been -55 wind chill .... lots more winter to go, so can't hope for anything better for awhile.