Rufus’s Tower

I know I promised no more cat posts, but I feel like the timing of this little video below was designed to turn me into a blubbering puddle of a mess.

First, some background, via the Los Angeles Times:

In the beginning of the video, Australian commercial and music video director Billy Browne explains that he and his cat Rufus were just emerging from a rough patch in their relationship.

Rufus had an ear infection that required Browne to put drops in his ears. Rufus hated the drops and had started running away from Browne when he got home from work. In the video Browne confesses that Rufus had been hiding from him for two weeks.

After the ear-drop nightmare had come to an end, Browne wanted to give the cat something special as a way to make up for the torture he had bestowed upon him. That something was a cardboard tower of a kitty’s dreams.

And my reaction to the lovely little video:

Way More Cheerful Than Yesterday’s Post

Our rather Rubenesque (no need to get a dictionary: it’s a nice way of saying chubby) cat Petunia has quite a few nicknames. Including, Princess Petunia Potpie, Toonces, iToonie (or ay Toonie if we’re feeling Spanish) and, as you may be able to surmise from the picture below, DJ Speckle Cat.

DJ Speckle Cat in Da House. Surveying the scene, laying down the beats.

DJ in da house

Because, as you can see, she’s a calico, which is all speckle-y. And because she likes to sit on couches and chairs with her chest leaning against the arm of the couch or chair and her paws on top, as if she were sitting at a turntable about to spin some jams. Or help the clubgoers fall in love again (thanks Usher). Or whatever the kids are calling it these days.

Anyway, that’s one of her nicknames. And then today, my fellow cat-parent-for-life XFE sent me the link to this fabulous item today:

Oh hell yeah. It’s a scratching box. For a cat. A DJ cat. Obviously it was designed for DJ Stripey Cat, but I think our MixMaster iToonies could also rock it.

AND IT SPINS.

Day = instantly brightened.