And with that great soft white belly of his, I couldn't resist giving them.
Sometimes I'd surprise him, he'd be sleeping and roll over to let off some heat, and I'd gently start to rub his belly. Sometimes he'd make kneading motions into the air with his paws, sometimes he'd wrap his arms around mine, always accompanied by that wonderful purr.
Sometimes, though, he'd use his belly to his advantage. The first time Templeton came to live with me was when I was still in school in Virginia but my wife had already moved out to Oregon. Templeton stayed with me for a few months and kept me company while I finished up my dissertation.
I'd be working at my desk and out of the corner of my eye, I'd see him walking in my direction. He'd suddenly stop and flop down on his back, exposing his white belly to the world. He'd watch me and wait for his belly rub. If I didn't get up, he'd hop up, move a few feet closer, and then flop down again and wait for his belly rub.
I never tested how many times he was willing to get up and move closer, even if I managed to resist the first siren's call he'd usually draw me in by the second or third time.
This comes from just before Christmas 2005, just before that awful night when Templeton swallowed a sewing needle. The wooden grate he's sleeping on has a warm air vent just below it, so it became a favorite location of the cats our first winter here in Portland. Scout discovered the wonders of the grate first, but Templeton quickly learned from her experience.
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Tidy
Scout is a tidy sleeper. Templeton is a sprawler, body stretched or curled, legs all akimbo. Not Scout. This is one of her favorite places to sleep, some of the others including her "mystery spots" in the unseen parts of the basement, my wife's side of the bed, or where she sleeps every night: curled up on my chest.
Incidentally, I think this was the first picture I took after purchasing the Canon 20D SLR. |
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Perspective
The cats resting in their favorite places, Templeton in his Amazon box and Scout by the heater vent.
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The Yawn
I purchased the Canon 20D two days before leaving for Japan. I didn't want to find myself in Tokyo without some familiarity with the camera, so that evening I turned my attention to the models at hand, before making a quick trip in the rain to Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge the following morning. Fortunately, my models never grew bored posing for me, as you can tell from Scout's focused attention.
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Peace, Love, & Understanding
My wife picked up a new scratching mat which had some catnip in it. I was deeply touched by how readily the two cats were willing to share the new find.
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Nirvana
While both cats enjoy sleeping, Templeton takes it to another level. I hope someday to reach the level of nirvana that he seems to enjoy whenever he's sleeping near (or on) someone he loves.
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Glad To See You Too
Templeton reacts to being awakened from his sleep by the click-clack of a camera shutter. Cats look like such vicious creatures when they yawn -- while it may look like he's about to attack the paparazzi, it was really just a brief yawn before returning to dreamland.
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Struggling Catnip
Scout sniffs the trellis where the clematis will eventually grow. The catnip in front of her is one of her favorite spots in the yard. It has grown pretty well in the past when Templeton was the only one eating it. But now that Scout has developed a passion for it as well, it never grew much above the height its at now.
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