Larenti has some of the weirdest sleeping habits I’ve seen in a cat.  Sure, he sleeps on his back from time to time, but so do Kako and Vazra.  Lots of cats do that, which makes it anything but unusual.

I’m talking about positions that don’t even look comfortable, let alone restful, positions that seem accidental rather than intentional.  You might remember seeing one such pose last November while he was still living outside.

I thought at the time that he looked as though he was taking a bath and fell asleep before he finished.  Now I know that really happens.  Like this:

And this:

I’ve seen him do that regularly all about the house.  It starts innocently enough with normal feline hygienics, but somewhere in the middle of the process he grows tired and simply goes to sleep.  Without lying down or changing position.

I can’t claim this Buddha Belly demonstration resulted from the same mid-bath unconsciousness, yet I do know he wound up propped against the bed rolled forward such that he had to hold himself up with his front paws—while he slept!

All I know is that this cat is a true weirdo.  He certainly came to live in the right house…

I mentioned once after Larenti‘s rescue that I needed “to have him shaved to get rid of some knots.”  Truth be told, even the vet recommended a full shave as the dozens of knots along his back were near the skin and impossible to brush out.

I knew these remnants of his medium hair and time outside without proper care needed remedy for him to be comfortable.  One had only to see him stretch to understand how they pulled at him, hurt him, and interfered with his normal activities.

The solution?  It’s called a lion cut.  You’ve undoubtedly seen it before: when a cat is shaved all but for the head, the paws, and the tail.  Thus would be Larenti’s fate.

Thankfully, the best groomers in town are about 30 minutes away, give or take traffic, and they can be trusted never to use muzzles, restraints, or other inhumane means on any cat they groom.  So off we went on a Saturday morning, and by that afternoon Larenti returned home a new man.  Or at least a naked yet more comfortable man.

Here’s the proof.

You can see where the knots pulled hair away from the skin.  Like racing stripes on a car, Larenti’s hairless streaks mean something more than bravado; they mean pain as every bit of fur pulled out from the roots to leave a bald spot, one growing and stretching from stem to stern.

But afterward?  Well, that’s a different story.

Remember that very same position under different circumstances?

Since the deed was done I’ve seen him be far more comfortable, far more playful and relaxed.  Something in his movement, from stretching to sleeping, appears normal to a degree he could not attain before.

Regular brushing/combing will help inhibit this in the future.  For now, however, he’s never enjoyed a back rub like this before!

[that’s Kako in the background of the second photo]

I’ve begun work on Larenti’s page (it’s blank at the moment), making the site changes necessary to move his posts, photos, and videos into the various “The Kids” categories, making the content edits in response to a definitive finding on his gender, adding him to the “The Kids” section in the sidebar and the The Kids page, and all the other site modifications necessary for his recent addition to our home.

Meanwhile, I’m also doing laundry, washing dishes, vacuuming, dusting, taking out the garbage, spending time with all of The Kids, trying to fix a major registry problem on one of my computers, finding something for lunch, researching a replacement video card for the main home server, and a litany of other tasks.

Since I’ve been running like a fool and have yet to stop and rest, let me offer you these photos of the autumnal kitty.  Taken last Tuesday as the sun set on yet another unseasonably warm day, he and I enjoyed letting the rays blanket us from low on the southwestern horizon while a southerly zephyr caressed us.  The very next day our arctic friend moved into town, after which Larenti moved into the cat carrier.  The rest is history.

Anyway, I rather like the way these images turned out and felt them a marvelous way to mark Larenti’s last day outside on his own.