Animals

Kitty Story [en]

One lady living in the same building as me is complaining that Bagha climbs onto her balcony.
I had a very agressive phone call from her a couple of days back, and very unpleasant talk yesterday morning. She doesn’t want to have anything to do with it, she doesn’t want to do anything or suggest anything, she just wants me to keep my cat from coming on her balcony.

She has cats. She knows that I can’t just say “Bagha, bad boy, keep away from this lady’s balcony!”. She knows I came to live here so that my cat could wander around in the green.
Bagha is a curious chap and he’s quite smart at getting at places. I saw him climbing down the balcony yesterday, and I must say it’s quite a feat.
I think she just needs to be at war with somebody.
Bagha came back wet on the back, this morning. I suspect she emptied a jug of water on him.

Anyway. I’m mad at her, and I’ve written a very nice letter to the estate management (or whatever you call “them” in English) asking if the branch of the bush he climbs on can be shortened a bit.

As an aside, even if this is an aspect of swiss life that I loathe (interfering, complaining, aggressive neighbours), it is not one that can be avoided by going on exile to India.
Aleika had similar trouble in India with the same Bagha: “Your cat must not come in the canteen, Madam!”

What a pity some people can’t complain nicely.

End of Orange [en]

My adventure at Orange is over. Although university has started already, I feel on holiday – which is not very surprising, considering what my life was like these last weeks:

sleep – walk the dog – work – walk the dog – work – walk the dog – sleep – walk the dog – work – …

Bagha pooped in Cali’s bed a few days back. Luckily I found it before she did.
He peed on my bathroom rug yesterday – the message was clear: he got his litterbox back.
This morning, somebody had redecorated the living-room floor. I suspect Cali – she was looking rather sheepish as I cleaned up.

I really hope it stops there!

Persistent [en]

Bagha insists on drinking water out of the toilets.

I’ve tried everything, but all he does is tell me that if we use drinking water to flush our toilets, why shouldn’t he drink it?

Disconnected [en]

Two days ago I lost my cellphone: life is possible without one – I have come back from hell to let you know.

Bagha discovered his new garden yesterday evening. The first thing he did was chase a neighbouring cat up a tall tree in a concert of noises I never imagined he could produce.

Apart from that, everything is well. Maybe I’m going to be able to go to judo regularly, unpack all my boxes, go through my 700+ slides of India, buy a computer and some furniture, and stop bumping into people because I try to avoid them by sticking to the “wrong” (understand: Indian) side of the corridor.

New Home [en]

I’m moving… I have moved.

Bagha is exploring the new flat, which is full of boxes, and spends quite a lot of time on the balcony observing neighbouring cats. He grunts, sniffs, swallows and his fur stands slightly on end.
No computer, no music, no cupboards, no table, no shelves. Way to go before it looks like “home”.

Flexible [en]

I’m amazed at how easily Bagha adapted to his temporary home up in the mountains. The first day he was exploring his new territory, and the second day he was making friends with all the camp children.
He did give me a little fright, though, when he stayed out half of the first night. I was really afraid the screaming-and-running children might have scared him off.
Of course, I was wrong – I always worry too much about wandering cats – and Bagha is not the kind of chap to be scared away by a bunch of noisy humans.

Futile but funny [en]

I did the weekly shopping this afternoon (Switzerland is a country that still has closing hours for shops – 6 or 7 pm weekdays, 5 pm saturday, and sunday clo-osed). Back in the kitchen, as I was waiting for my groceries to walk into the fridge on their own, I noticed Bagha looking at me in a queer way.

Damn! I forgot to buy the cat-food.
Got back in the car, went back to the shop, stopped at the doggy-kitty department. While I was hesitating between beef, chicken or tuna flavoured meat mash for the perpetually hungry feline, I noticed a little sign upon one of the tins.
It said “spoon included”. Yep. You know, the little plastic ones they sell with ice-cream cups so you can feast on them right away.
I immediately imagined Bagha opening the cupboard and catching one of his tins (he’s smart enough to do that), peeling the lid off, and using the little plastic spoon to eat his snack…

HA!

Of course, the spoon is meant for the owner, silly – not for the cat. Cat owners don’t want to run the risk of getting smelly meat-mash juice on their fingers when dumping their kitty’s dinner on the plate.

How on earth have we survived until now without those marvellous little plastic spoons?

I remember the days when we needed a tin-opener to feed the cat…

Flat and Car [en]

I got my flat!
Bagha is happy, although he doesn’t know it yet, because in a bit more than two weeks he will be allowed outside again.
My collegues at work saw me leap in the air with joy as I received the news by phone.

I also found a cheap car. Car, flat, cat, job and studies awaiting me in October… what could I ask more?

Web Insanity [en]

I must be going slightly mad… I’ve registered an email address for my cat at meowmail.com.
You can now write to him directly at [email protected] to ask him how he is coping with Switzerland (locked up in a flat, no pure beef for dinners anymore – canned food instead, no playmates, no dog, no baby…).
I think he’s even more impatient than I am to find a flat where he can taste outdoor life again!

Yea. I admit it – mea culpa. People do such useless things on the web, at times…