Category Archives: Kazon

That’s why they’re called The Twins

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I’m speaking, of course, about Kako and Kazon.  They have been called The Twins since I adopted them the first week of December, 1998.  Here are a few reasons why they’re called that.

Kako resting her head on Kazon when they were kittens (the_twins_02)

That’s Kako with her head resting on Kazon.

Kako on her back trying to engage Kazon in play (the_twins_01)

Here, Kako is trying to engage her brother Kazon in a bit of play, something he promptly obliged her.  By the way, that’s Grendel‘s post-surgery half-shaved ass you see in the lower-left corner of the photo.  Similarly, Loki‘s paws are seen dangling from atop a cardboard box near the upper-right corner.

Kako lying on the box and Kako lying beside the box (the_twins_07)

And to finish, that’s Kazon lying on top of the box with Kako on the floor beside it.

All is not as it seems

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One might assume from the photo below that Kazon is lounging about enjoying a lazy afternoon.  One would be wrong in making that assumption.

Kazon resting in the living room, but is he really resting? (145_4527)

If he’s not resting, what is he doing?

He’s keeping an eye on Wylie who was staying with us for a time while Rick was out of town and there was construction going on at his house.

Kazon keeping an eye on Wylie (145_4526)

Before you panic about my having a large dog at home with The Kids, don’t worry.  Wylie loves cats (actually, he loves all animals).  He would never hurt them.  In fact, all he wants to do is play with them and hang out with them and be friends.  The Kids, on the other hand, are not quite sure what to make of the huge beast.

Kazon just doesn’t trust Wylie, although he’s not terribly frightened by him either.  He keeps the dog at arm’s length with much puffing up, posturing, and even a strategic hiss here and there.  Essentially, Kazon “guards” the dog and keeps an eye on him at all times.

Kako absolutely doesn’t trust Wylie.  She avoids him but doesn’t run and hide.  She’ll even approach and investigate him if he’s still long enough and she feels it’s safe.

Grendel, in his infinitely laid-back approach to life, simply doesn’t care much either way.  He still does his own thing and pretty much just leaves Wylie alone.  It’s more like a “Whatever.  Just don’t step on me.” relationship from Grendel’s perspective.  Of course, Grendel fears nothing, has never met a stranger, and doesn’t get stressed about much of anything.  To him, at least right now, Wylie is nothing more than a curiosity.

Loki sees Wylie as a threat and has to be restrained (i.e., kept at bay and in check).  He hunts Wylie and tries diligently to do harm to the dog.  Wylie, in turn, now realizes he should give Loki a wide berth lest he get bloodied by constant claw attacks (which has happened before).

Wylie spent a few nights here and there were no major altercations.  In fact, I bring Wylie home with me when the opportunity presents itself.  This has done much to get The Kids acclimated to him and he to them.  Sure, there are times when a dog that large poses a threat just through simple play, but monitored activities are the best way to ensure everyone learns the limits of interaction.

Donate what you can

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The J Family.  Really cute cat and kitten and pictures, I agree, but also an important annotation that it is indeed kitten season.  That does not stand as the sole reason for this post considering how many representatives from other animal species find themselves on the daily euthanasia lists at animal care and control facilities around the globe.  Nevertheless, two of my precious children came from a no-kill facility right here in Dallas that needs my help.  I’m a sucker for animals because I know they need protection from us and care for the hardship and anguish we thrust upon them.  How could I possibly ignore such a need?

I couldn’t, can’t, and won’t.

I donate monthly to the Dallas Humane Society.  Considering that’s where I adopted both Kako and Kazon, you can undoubtedly comprehend why I have such a related weak spot.

While I wish I could do more — had more money to give, I know that, as cliché as it sounds, every little bit counts.  If you can’t save a cat or dog or other animal by adopting them from a rescue organization, at least consider monetary donations to help them protect these animals from being on the next euthanasia list.  Remember, it is we humans who are responsible for creating the situation they find themselves in, so I don’t think it’s too much to ask that we do whatever we can to help.

It’s surreal and other mental spillage

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The news began with breaking coverage of a fatal 18-wheeler accident involving a wandering donkey.  They rushed to live helicopter coverage of the ongoing attempt to apprehend the killer equine.  It was like watching cannibals prepare dinner: surreal, bizarre, and completely engaging.  I am embarrassed to say that live coverage shamefully displayed real Texas cowboys failing to rope and stop this terrorist.  With murderous hooves clopping along freely through local fields and back roads, one could actually make out blood dripping from the ravenously mad smile gleaming with too many intimidating teeth.  My eyes blurred at the sight of the thing.  It was horrific to witness the ghastly creature expending little energy evading horseback riders from the Lone Star State.  My cheeks flush with embarrassment, I had to turn away from the grotesque carnage.  Only after several minutes and other news items did they interrupt again to proclaim victory.  The evil beast was apprehended and already en route to detention facilities!  I spilled my drink and lost my crack pipe as I leaped to my feet and applauded through tears of joy.  We again would be safe…

Ants seem intent on treating my patio as free-range territory ripe for plundering.  This presents a quandary: How do I stop them without endangering all the other wildlife?  Raccoons, opossums, armadillos, cats, birds of many feathers, badgers, most other bugs, and basically anything else not specifically an ant.  You know, the good stuff.  Is there some manner of control that is ecologically sound yet unrelenting when it comes to ants?  The shadows in my mind desire to fill their eyes with mass Formicidae murder.  I must clarify that those voices only wish to stop interlopers with an unmistakable impasse.  To wit: the insect version of an electric fence and strategic Keep Out signs.  Just askin’.

Chira and Vazra are both MIA.  I have not seen Chira since May 28.  I have not seen Vazra since May 31.  There are many cats in this area — I have pictures of some of them that I will be posting — and there certainly is reason to believe that feline interference is at play.  But there are certainly a lot of options including foxes, some measure of the previous wildlife list, dogs, people, cars, disease, parasites, and a great many other dangers.  Chira was a bit thinner the last time I saw him.  Vazra’s painful knots were increasing their assault.  Now, I can do nothing about either problem.  I find the situation frustrating and a bit worrisome.  This is precisely why The Kids stay inside except when absolutely necessary (e.g., going to the vet).  There are too many threats and dangerous distractions in that world; they need not be subjected to it.

I have a somewhat cluttered week taking shape.  Rick and Alice are going out of town Wednesday morning on business and will not be back until early next week, so I will be dog- and house-sitting for him.  Presently, there is construction work taking place at his house at least through Friday, so I will also be monitoring that and standing in as the second-shift manager.  You no doubt comprehend what a thrill that prospect represents.

All things considered and being equal, Wylie and I will go to Plano this weekend to visit my godson (which, incidentally, would equate to a visit with xocobra and LD).  Friday night, perhaps, all things…

My quest for experiences has proposed a road trip to Austin — tomorrow! — to see the Congress Avenue Bridge bat colony.  This measure has been taken up by the board and is being given serious consideration.  That means the voices within are discussing it.  I have found this a reasonable approach to decisions where opinions may vary, and these mental inhabitants are amicable to the practice.  If I do journey to our state’s capital, I would leave in the afternoon and, all things, would be back around midnight.  All of this assumes, of course, that the world really isn’t coming to a grinding halt tomorrow.  We shall see about that and the board’s final decision on the idea.

I will likely go out to East Texas the weekend of June 10-11.  This also is being considered by the board.

As I type this, Loki is asleep on the desk with his back legs resting on my arm.  There is something about the way he has thrown himself into position that resembles a lifeless rag doll.  He powernaps.  It is a word created many years ago for the way he survives with significantly less sleep than other cats.  When he sleeps, however, he sleeps deeply.  I once mistook it for death and began crying.  His head dangled over the edge of a piece of cat furniture.  I lifted his head.  He did not move.  I lowered his head before lifting it again.  He still did not move.  I repeatedly raised and lowered his head as the volume increased in my repeating interrogatory of “Loki?”  It took 15 or 20 seconds for him to wake up.  I was in tears and practically screaming by then.  Very slowly, eyes only partially open and already showing disinterest and annoyance, he looked at me.  I learned then the depth of the place to which he goes.  It seems a fun place despite abyssal reaches for he runs, talks, twitches, chases, fights, and otherwise experiences the fullness of life while he is there.  His dreams, from the outside anyway, are vivid and vast.  They all dream, of course, and each in their own way.  Despite the commonality, Loki’s dreams always intrigue me the most due to his very non-feline sleeping habits.  I believe they spring from the trust he has of this environment and its inhabitants; consequently, there is great comfort in watching him sleep.

I need to contact Wayne and schedule a shindig of some kind.  Perhaps he and the wife would like to go to dinner, or just get together and hang like the badasses we are, or run naked through fields of thorny bushes, or whatever it is that might give us pause to visit.  Alright, I admit I have no interest in the thorny bush idea.  That was submitted by the board and not checked for content before publication.  The point stands amended.  We apologize for any confusion.

After posting the video of Kazon, I perused what I have online already and realized it favors Kazon.  This is not indicative of playing favorites or lack of content.  I have several dozen videos yet to review.  They have just worked out the way they have worked out through no intentional design.  Allow me to offer that I have videos on many subjects besides The Kids.  As I get time…  Regarding that video of Kazon taken today, he pulled a double-whammy on me and later used the other kind of asking: the begging, pleading, almost mournful asking that also can not be refused.  It repeatedly declares “Oh Daddy woe is me I’m the poor pitiful Puppy who is starving and hasn’t eaten for a very long time and I’m already too weak to make it back to the food and water bowls and you can’t count that snack earlier because it was a treat and isn’t really a meal and golly since I’m in the kitchen and you’re in the kitchen too do you think you could find something else for us oh thank you very much Daddy do you know how much I love you Daddy ooh was that my stomach growling…”  It is a purely selfish moment as he plays me like a master violinist might play a Stradivarius.

This post has been cathartic in unexpected ways.  You know, like an enema for the synapses.