The Kittens-from Handheld to Back Brace

Biceps insisted upon adopting two kittens when our sweet Cowboy passed away last year. If you’ve been reading my blog at all, you will have no doubt seen some of Maxwell and Bianca’s antics, along with photographed evidence. I’ve shared about them getting stuck in the fireplace, to being a prime target for a hungry hawk (that continues to stalk them), to our futile efforts in training them.

I haven’t talked about the kittens in awhile. Time flies when you’re having fun.

How can someone so tiny that was once held in the palm of my hand….

…grow into this? Maxwell literally weighs 14 pounds and it’s all muscle. He is a force to be reckoned with.

And how can this sweet little girl, that once smelled of potpourri and was happiest nuzzled into Bicep’s shoulder/chin area…

…grow so big she hardly fits on her favorite scratching post anymore? Bianca weighs about half of what Maxwell does, but she still wears out my arms and shoulders when she’s in a cuddly mood and wants to be held.

I tell them to quit growing, but they won’t listen to me.

They are busy catching bugs, attacking Q-tips and bear-hugging the backs of our legs.

Even though they are “all grown up”, they will always be my kittens. Yep. Cheesy, I know. But, a fact is a fact.

Summer Kitty Fight Club

I have notice the kittens have an adverse reaction to the heat. We spend three hours outside almost every morning trying to curb their voracious appetite for destruction. While I write, they attack butterflies, stalk crickets, and tick off squirrels.

You’d think they would come in exhausted and ready for some treats and a nap. No luck. They are training for some secretive fight clubs we humans are not privy to.

Max weighs approximately 10 pounds more than Bianca. So his defense is domination.

Bianca’s is one of supposed submission only to suddenly kick her opponent with her back rabbit feet and toss Max onto his butt. (If cats had butts, that is.)

That only dissuades Max momentarily. After a tense minute or two as he sizes up the situation…

…he pounces, bear hugs and rolls the two of them around like a burrito of fur. It’s a pretty exciting way to pass a few minutes until the both are tuckered out and go to their respective corners.

Max has been shunning treats, as of late. Bianca has been cutting back on her food intake. I have a feeling this training is getting pretty serious. And it has an end goal.

I just hope the end goal is not to take over the humans like I’ve always feared. But, if I have to be ruled by someone/something-being ruled over by a cute furry cat isn’t a bad way to go. Don’t you think?

Bianca-Up Close and Personal

Maxwell is the one typically getting the camera’s attention. He’s a bizarre cat that does bizarre things which inspires me to document this bizarre behavior. All the while, pretty, delicate Bianca is sitting quietly in the background, preening herself and praying to the cat-gods that Max won’t attack her.

I decided to do a little impromptu photo shoot using a lens that I normally don’t use (ProMaster Spectrum Teleconverter Lens w/ Magnification of 2x, along with a Nikkor 50MM 1:1.8D).

And Bianca happened to be in the line of fire.

I set the camera to 400 ISO and used natural daylight to play with the lens’ depth of field. I loved how detailed the image could be, along with an intense depth of field.

Her paws are so dang cute.

Bianca’s pink little nose is one of my favorite things about her.

That and the fact that she isn’t stinky, like a certain other kitty.

Stepping back a few feet, I was able to capture her powerful green eyes. Sometimes, when she looks at me, I swear she is reading my mind…

Bianca has some of the longest whiskers I have ever seen on a kitty. When she sheds one of these, I’m tempted to make an ink pen out of it.

Soon, she bored of me and went back to sleep in her favorite position-on her back, with her front and back paws curled into rabbit position and her body wedged in the corner of the couch.

I guess she’s pretty bizarre, too.

Maxwell’s New Friend

A new dog moved into the neighborhood. He is big and black and a little rough around the edges. Let’s just say, you don’t win me over Mr. New Dog when you dig underneath the fence and into my squash plants. You are on a slippery slope, New Dog.

For some reason, New Dog and Max have seemed to come to an agreement that they like each other. After a few hours of hissing, arched backs and fluffy tails, I finally calmed down and let the two be.

They will spend hours, paws outstretched, touching each other through the chain link fence.

New dog has no idea he’s not supposed to be friends with kitty cats.

They pay no mind to the mocking squirrels. They do what’s in their heart. They follow their heart.

And, they love. My mind is singing, “Ebony and Ivory” all the while. It’s a beautiful moment. *Sniff.