New Year, same old same old

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It is getting close to the New Year.

We humans mark time by calendars and clocks.

I wonder if my critters care that another year has flown by?

Beau is happy as long as he can look out the bedroom window from the highest perch in the 'cat pagoda', which is so heavy it has to be moved on a dolly.He waits for us to retire at night, and then all 5 cats have their spots on the bed with us. Beau has claimed the closest to me along with Moochie lying against my ribs, while Iris tucks against my left knee. Mac splits the middle of the bed between Bob and I. Quarrie lays against Bobs knees or feet.

Iris is happy to lay on the floor during the daytime, as long as she has this pillow to snuggle into. She only has one eye, so I assume it is hard for her to judge distances like the jump from atop the cat pagoda to the floor...better to stay low for a quick scamper under the bed if a dog should enter the room..

I can see a bright red cardinal in the bush in the left window, and the platform feeder is directly in front of the right window, handy for the cats to view.

The cats are all transplants from the Florida Keys. Mac is laying on the counter in the kitchen hoping his bowl will be filled for the ump-teenth time today. I think they all dislike the cold, and even though the temptation of a bird may keep their attention, they don't venture out. They do have a cat door, which we leave open during the day. Nights they are locked in, just too many things about that could hurt them.

The dogs are Virginians. They also prefer to be indoors during this cold weather, although if I am out, then that's where they want to be. Sometimes a little tug-of-stuffed-animal is called for to break up a long night.

Outside, my mini's wait for their next feeding, which is morning and night. I call them 'furry kegs on legs'. They are as fat as barrels, and their coats are very thick.

So, do the animals mark time in any way?

Mine seem to just consider feeding time until the next. Quarrie, our big greycat... waits for Bob every day, and expects to be carried in and placed next to the dry food dispenser, which he is. I call him Bob's dog.

Do they know another year is passing?

Is it important?

Food, shelter, water and affection seems to be their driving force throughout their lives. That is the basic's for their lives.

Somehow I think we have moved too far away from those basic needs, or maybe it is just that in this stage of my life I want to get back to them.

I watch my 86 year old mother display the same traits as a toddler. She wants to do only the things that make her warm and cozy. She loves to eat, but wants the things she likes, and always wants dessert, and wants them when it suits her. She pouts when she doesn't win at cards and gets cranky if the tv program does not suit her.

So is life a full circle? From infancy through old age, is it an arc? Do we regress back to infancy?

It seems so.

What about the animals?

My cats hunt less now, and are happy to lay back and be taken care of...

I wonder...

I keep asking them, but they won't answer..

Smart animals...they won't be out celebrating a new numbered year, just have the dishes full in the morning, and clean out the cat boxes, run the dogs after they eat, and hay the horses.

Another year....

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