In the morning Merlin has a little ritual of running in the bedroom and getting in our faces, purring and happy and very obnoxious.

This is a particular problem on days where both hubby and I are not getting up at the same time - one gets up while the other sleeps blissfully. But Merlin doesn’t care. The person up, while doing their morning routine, has to constantly act as goalie every time they enter or leave the bedroom, blocking the cat from running in and waking up the other person.

Merlin does not like this. He is very insistent about performing his morning duties. He sits just outside the door, pawing at it, meowing. I must get in to greet my humans!

This morning I woke up anyways, so I told Den to just let him in. He hurredly runs into the room, jumps on the bed, crawls on top of me and headbutts my face. This lasts for all of twenty seconds or so, before he feels his duties has been completed and wanders off. He is now wrestling Zoe for the championship belt.

:: ::

The two cats have been doing very well lately. Jojo is still coming out of his shell even more, braving the Big Bad Dog to spend more time with me. If I’m not locked in the bedroom I am pretty much guaranteed to have a cat or two laying on or near me. Early early this morning I was on the couch in the living room watching TV and I had both cats curled up against my legs. It was such a cozy feeling.

Merlin is still looking rather fat. I don’t know what to do about that, since I give them food only two times a day. They obviously think it is not enough, because when they get hungry - especially when I sleep in - they trash the kitchen. One morning last week I found the trash bin tipped over and everything pulled out. Most days I find a cupboard door pulled open - the same cupboard where we stash the cat treats - and all those treats pulled down. If they’re especially ticked off at me they’ll rip open the bag of dog treats and knock them onto the floor. It’s become a daily habit now to have to clean up the kitchen in the morning.

I mean I don’t want them to feel starved (and thus peeved with me), especially since Jo is a good weight and I need to make sure he gets to eat enough. Just Merlin is a super-vac, sucking down food. I just hope he doesn’t put on any more weight.

At least Merlin’s fur is looking gorgeous. Jo has super-soft bunny fur, has since we got him. But Merlin’s was very coarse. Now after being on the new food for a couple of months his fur is shiny and nice and soft. Still not as soft as Jo’s, but pretty darn soft of it’s own accord.

Uh-oh, Merlin just climbed back on my chest. Unfortunately he started attacking the strings to my hoodie that I’m wearing and clawed me in the chin. Ouch. He was removed from my chest.

:: ::

Zoe and Zeeke on the other hand… both are being pains in mommy’s behind.

Zoe is still dealing with potty training issues. She’s nearly 2 years old! There’s NO reason she shouldn’t be able to hold her pee. And in certain situations she can just fine. But it’s like she doesn’t apply that rule to the living room. The last week I have found several pee spots on my new area carpet, and one day she topped off a really bad day for me by peeing a huge puddle in the middle of the living room floor while Den was watching her. I get so frustrated when she backslides like this, because it’s never just once. The most frustrating thing is that when she does this she doesn’t signal anyone. I can be sitting right there at my computer and she’ll just go and pee. Granted she usually signals me easy enough, but sometimes she just… doesn’t. It’s especially a problem if she has access to the living room when I’m not out there - like if I’m in the bedroom and the dogs have free access to the rest of the house. In that situation I am pretty much guaranteed to find a puddle when I go in there. So of course the rule is now that Zoe MUST be confined to the room I’m in. She won’t pee in the bedroom when she’s in there with me. Even if I’m asleep and taking a while to wake up, even if hubby is late doing his morning routine taking the dogs out. She whines and bounces and “talks” to me, but she won’t pee in here. So she is capable of holding it. She won’t pee in her crate, either, no matter how long she’s been in it. So why isn’t she getting it with the living room?? What is it about that room that says, “Sure, go ahead - pee!” The floor is hardwood, we thoroughly clean it with special pet cleaner every time there’s an accident. And the carpet we’ve only had for a month or two! Aie. Just frustrating.

And Zeeke, well, he’s his usual self. Yesterday Den had to work, and then he had this dinner out with the boys. He didn’t get home until 10pm. Well Zeeke apparently didn’t like that. He spent the entire day barking - at me, at dogs he heard, at Zoe, at nothing at all. Just barking. He was driving me bananas. I finally removed all garbage and dishes and edible objects from Den’s office and put him in there by himself. I figured maybe he’d calm down. Ha! Unfortunately Zeeke acted like a crazy dog. Much frantic barking, banging on the door, even trying to turn the doorknob. (Thank god he’s never figured that one out.) So then I couldn’t let him out until he calmed down and stopped having his little temper tantrum. It took about half an hour of listening to it before there was silence. Finally. When I opened the door to let him out he was laying on the futon (his bed in there). At least he does finally give in and settle down. I remember a time when he would bark for 3 hours without giving up.

Plus two days ago he got snippy with hubby. Den had bought him a nice big bone from the pet store when we were in there, and Zeeke sure was happy to get it. But when Den walked too close to him five minutes later Zeeke started growling and protecting his bone. Den tried taking it away and got snapped it. (I told him to be careful. Zeeke never used to do that to him, and he doesn’t have as much experience with dealing with that “side” of Zeeke.) That was a very bad thing to do. Bone got taken away, Zeeke got put in his crate, and hubby fumed for a while. So, no more bones for Zeeke, period. Lovely. We really do need to see a behaviorist, but Den didn’t “like” the responses I got from the ones I contacted. I really need his buy-in on this for it to work.

So, here’s to hoping for a bark-free, pee-free kind of day.

Today I got an email from Zoe’s sister’s adoptive parents! They sent along a little movie of Schatsie, and hopefully will be sending some photos my way too. The two dogs look very different - Schatsie has a white body with some dark spots, with a dark head - but the head and build is very similar. She said Schatsie too is around 30lbs, and has a big fluffy tail. Schatsie, unlike Zoe, doesn’t have any fear issues… they said she’s very friendly, no behavioral problems at all. Which only reinforces my opinion that the pups were NOT abused, Zoe’s just hardwired this way. Oh well, I love her just the way she is. Anyways, it’s just really neat to see how Zoe’s sister is doing. Sometimes I would think about her.

Oh by the way - I did a group weigh-in on our new digital scale the other day.
Zoe: 31.8 lbs
Jo: 11.2 lbs
Merlin: 11.8 lbs

Yeesh, no wonder Merlin has been feeling heavy lately!

This morning Den got up to get ready for work (yes, he’s working this weekend) and of course soon after he opens the bedroom door I get a purring cat in my face. I was barely awake, just put my hand out to pet him as I got headbutted and purred loudly at. I love my morning cat cuddles.

But for a moment there, in my half-awake state, I for some reason thought it was Jo. No, no, I told myself. It’s got to be Merlin purring that loud - and besides, he’s the one who comes running in the bedroom every morning for cuddles.

And then I realized I had a cat purring in my face - and a cat climbing on my back. It was both of them! I guess both had come running in the door when Den went out, and both were now pacing around my head purring. That was a lot of kitty love! I was in heaven. I love both my little men very much… I’m just so happy to have them both!

The two crazies (Merlin and Zoe) are playing rougher and rougher. They are both enjoying themselves, but Merl’s claws got stuck in her fur a few times - which means he’s using them to cling. She doesn’t seem to mind though so I’m not interfering. They are just having a blast, bouncing all over the bed, body-slamming each other into the soft mattress. Unfortunately just now Zoe half sat on Merlin, to which Merlin started biting her tail - a little too hard, apparently, as Zoe leapt to her feet with a “YIPE!” In response Merlin got up and walked off, I guess ready to end the game… but Zoe jumped at him to start it again. I guess she wasn’t hurt too badly. (I was half afraid that she’d suddenly be terrified of the cat for a little while, if she got hurt. But she’s a tough cookie, I guess!)

Today we had a big cleaning job ahead of us, and we weren’t looking forward to spending time breaking down and tearing apart all the huge boxes left over from Christmas. So I said, “Get Zeeke to do it.” So he did! He needed our encouragement to keep going at it and really tearing them up, but the look in his eyes when we told him it was okay to rip the cardboard to shreds was sheer excitement and disbelief. He just couldn’t believe that we said it was OKAY to do it. Destruction! Sanctioned destruction! What could be better??

Meanwhile, Zoe is having an absolute ball playing with Merlin every day. She just loves the attention, and loves to wrestle. I did note that she was doing several of the same moves that Zeeke does on her - such as squashing and head-biting. Merlin doesn’t seem to mind. Someone looking at the photos remarked that Merlin had his claws sheathed in all of them. They’re both pretty gentle with each other… they play hard, but they are definitely just playing.

I constantly remark to Den about how laid-back Merlin is. He’ll sleep anywhere, anytime, usually with all four paws in the air. He doesn’t care of Zeeke is practically trampling him… doesn’t really care much about anything. He’s a very happy-go-lucky cat. If you rough Jo up a bit or hold him longer than he’d prefer he tends to get grumpy and will bite you to let you know his displeasure. Merlin though? You can annoy the heck out of him and he just does an imitation of a rag doll. He’s a very energetic cat, though - always running around, playing with Jo or Zoe, sometimes even Zeeke. He definitely has his daily crazies. Jo appears a lot more sedate than Merlin… even though previously we thought Jo was a crazy one! Either he’s mellowed (because Merlin is tiring him out!) or just the contrast makes it obvious. Jo isn’t a kitten anymore.

Merlin’s getting fat, though. I haven’t gotten any pictures of just how chubby he’s been getting. I just can’t believe how much he eats - he’s always in the food dishes, and always telling me when they’re empty. I finally had to strictly ration the cats to a cup of dry in the morning, a half cup of dry in the evening, and an evening meal of 1 can of canned food. Right now I’m feeding the Wellness canned, it has excellent ingredients, and Dave’s brand dry food. The cats love it! I threatened them that if they continue to eat it like such pigs that I’ll have to switch to a brand they don’t like as much! But anyways, Merlin weighs at least as much as Jo does at this point. And he’s a bit chubbier in the midsection. So my goal is to get him slimmed down a little bit - no fat pets in this house.

I LOVE all my pets. I just adore them all. Despite anything else that goes on in my life, sometimes I think it was all meant to happen this way, because I was meant to get all these animals, these specific, particular animals. Merlin coming into our lives was such a circumstantial thing, we weren’t looking for another cat and Den certainly didn’t WANT another cat. But he came anyways, and we just love him. We’re amazed and thrilled with how well he gets along with all the others here. He’s changed Jo for the better - Jo is no longer quite so afraid to venture out of the kitchen, to sleep on the couch or play in the hallways. I put a little fleece blanket on my desk, and Jo frequently comes over to nap beside me while I work on the computer.

They are all just so special to me.

Interesting tidbit of information: Zoe gets snappy and possessive about her food with Zeeke, but not with the cats. And, obviously, not with us. The last few days Merlin has been very much in her face, sticking his head in her food bowl (in her crate!), and just now licking peanut butter out of the kong she is chewing. I watched carefully, and she either just continues eating around him or sits back and watches him. Weird. I wonder why she gets so snarky with Zeeke but not with anyone else?

Zoe was SO hyper last night when we got home late after a new year’s party. We just wanted to go to sleep, but she was spazzing hyper - and Merlin was her unwilling victim. She pinned him to the bed on his back and was growling, mock-biting (bitey face), licking him, pushing him with her paws, etc. She was very loud, and very physical - sometimes laying on him. He kicked her a little, bit her neck and just generally wrestled with her. It was so funny! Finally though I called Zoe off, since Merlin couldn’t get up even if he wanted to, lol. But they’ve been playing more and more often. It’s great!

The pets are settling down a lot now. Merlin has decided he likes it here just fine and will sleep anywhere in the house, typically in the middle of the floor. Zeeke will harass him - bark, paw, bite playfully, nudge. Merlin barely raises his head and just ignores him until Zeeke goes away. It’s kind of funny. Merlin just doesn’t get upset by him, he doesn’t care.

Jo is still much more nervous about Zeeke and doesn’t like walking freely around when Zeeke is loose in the house. However, he is coming out. I put a fleece blanket on my desk so every time I’m at my computer Jo is napping beside me. Right now I’m in bed with my laptop, Zeeke is napping in his crate with the door open, and both Zoe and Jojo are asleep on the bed beside me.

It’s just a very relaxed atmosphere. Everyone is getting along so well and I just feel like my furry family is complete.

Eeee! Zoe and Merlin are playing together! They’re not wrestling, they’re just playing tag… and he’s ripping my nice comforter… but they’re playing! I’m so happy!

Zoe sure is feeling left out, even though she is absolutely still my bestest little girl. Merlin keeps curling up on my chest as I lay in bed with my laptop, purring and nuzzling me. Zoe gets upset by it, and she runs over, squirms up to me, and snuggles up close to get a bit of attention too.

She has also taken to sniffing the two cats thoroughly, sometimes licking them too. They don’t really appreciate it, especially when she snorts in their face (which is frequently), but they basically squint their eyes and put up with it until she’s done. Just now she pinned Merlin on the bed with one paw and sniffed his mouth. I guess he smelled like cat food.

The other day she was trying so hard to get either cat to play with her - she wanted to play so badly! But they wanted none of it. She was pawing at them, barking at them…. and unfortunately she pawed a little too hard, because she knocked them off the bed several times. Just, thunk, over the edge they went. I can’t feel too badly for them, though, since she wouldn’t harass them so much if they’d just give her a little bit of attention. They act as if she isn’t even there. I feel bad for her.

There are random times where I see Jo, and I say hi to him and reach out to pet him, then Merlin walks in and I greet him… and I think, Holy! I have two cats! It’s a great feeling. I love watching them together. They really are best buddies now. They like to follow each other around the house, even when they’re not playing. I love having the two of them, they’re my little buddies - annoying at times, but still my buddies.

They are getting a little chubby though. Ever since Merlin came home they’ve both been eating so much food! I only put out one 5.5oz can of canned food a day, which they eat in entirety, but I leave out dry food all the time and they’re going through that like never before. I want to put out more food - because they’re always yowling for more - but I can tell they’re getting a little chubby and I don’t want to make it worse. I might have to cut back a little, and I don’t want to do that!

I got a water fountain from work, since Merlin is still obsessed with water. I set it up today, he was immediately enthralled. Jo was interested, but Merlin was… obsessed. He sat there for a long time pawing at the water pouring out of the top. Then he started biting it - the fountain, not the water. Twice now he’s pried the top off of it and pulled out the filter, and I say oh well. I got it more for him to play in than as a drinking source, and who really needs filtered water anyways? It’s the waterfall action that he’s interested in. So let him play in it. Better that than the sink when I’m using it!