September 18

One of the highlights of Pretty Boy's summers is getting to sit in the window looking at the outside. With autumn quickly approaching, and with already-cool nights, the chances to sit and enjoy an open window are becoming fewer and farther between.

This morning, it was actually cooler inside the house than out, so I opened up the front window to warm things up a smidgen. As I was getting ready to leave for work, I caught sight of Pretty Boy. The curtains gave the scene a slightly dreamy feel, so I aimed, framed, and shot the image as quietly as I could, in order to not disturb the mood.

261/365 -

August 29

Here, in one photograph, is the entire extent of my day.

Note Pretty Boy, who has been trying -- and for the most part succeeding -- to monopolize my attention today. That's our sofa he's lying on, and where I spent a substantial part of the day watching television and DVDs. Which brings me to the DVD selection on display, which is a veritable shortlist of the movies any gay man with a sense of humor should own.

This sounds sadder than it is, really. It was a rainy day outside, and to be honest, it was kind of nice to spend it lying on the couch, cuddling with a kitty cat, and watching movies.

241/365 -

August 15

It's not possible to tell whether this is a happy kitty or an abused one when looking at this photo.

For the record, it's a happy kitty.

Pretty Boy is a very affectionate cat, and he likes to lay next to me when I'm lying down. Today, with the temperature in the living room around 85 degrees -- I still haven't put the air conditioner into the window yet -- having a cat lying next to you is a little like having a fuzzy hot water bottle against your side. Fortunately, today he decided to content himself with rubbing himself all over my feet.

What can I say? He's weird, but he's mine.

227/365 -

July 05

This is one unhappy kitty cat.

When my landladies go away for a weekend, I usually volunteer to take care of their critters -- Jasper the dog, Tico and Ulti the cats, and the fishes (thus far unnamed). Tico is accustomed to having his time outside every day, but when I'm in charge he has to stay indoors. It's not me being a bastard by keeping the cat in; it's more that I worry that he'll go out one day and get injured, or hit by a car, or perhaps worst of all, simply not come back. I'm not ready to be the person responsible for caring for the pet who mysteriously disappears -- particularly when I write the owner a check once a month for rent!

I caught Tico gazing balefully at me from the front window today, either longing to go outside or trying to make me feel guilty by hamming it up. Either way, I think it makes for a POTD that really tells a story.

186/365 -

May 22

For most of the six or so years that Pogo (my dog) and Pretty Boy (my cat) have lived together, they've pretty much ignored each other. Occasionally, the cat would hit the dog, and the dog would snarl at the cat, but once done, they went right back to the status quo: pretending the other animal just doesn't exist.

Boyfriend and I have caught them not ignoring each other more and more lately, as Pogo becomes more infirm. Today was the best; I got out of the shower to find them not only sharing our perpetually-unmade bed, but touching each other.

Once Pretty Boy realized I'd seen him, he took off for another room in the house. Pogo, going blind and nearly deaf, simply slept on.

142/365 -

February 06

There comes a scene in almost any movie with a wrongly-convicted person where they're led to their prison cell, protesting their innocence all the way, even as the door shuts with a mighty final clang.

Pretty Boy must have felt something like that when he got put in the box today to go for his annual physical exam at the vet. He certainly turned on the vocals, yowling on the way to the box, yowling as he was put into the box, yowling from inside the box all the way to the vet, at the vet, and all the way back home. After we got home and he was released, he gave me some dirty looks and a few yowls and mews for effect. Pretty Boy does not like the box; he was one pissed pussycat.

Good news from the vet, too. Pretty Boy is fit, has no obvious ailments, and even has excellent teeth. He's a perfectly healthy 13-year old kitty cat, and (according to Dr. Segal) a charming one at that.

P.S. I was going to title this shot "Pussy Behind Bars," but thought better of it.

37/365 -