Happy New Year

I have been threatening you for several weeks with an adorable cat video. 

And with Bandit stories. 

Here they are.

First of all, Bandit is the smartest cat I've ever known.  Her sister Sneaky was probably just as smart, but lazier.  It was Sneaky who figured out how to climb a door frame and sit on top of a door.  Then she taught Bandit to do it and her work was done.  Somewhere I have a picture of Bandit sitting on top of a door (and, of course, as soon as I find it you will see it here.)  I'll save the story of how I figured out Bandit was smart for another time (when I don't have an adorable video to get to.)

A little feline behavior:  This particular bit started, we think, shortly after Sneaky passed away.  (I'm not a cat psychologist, but I play one on the Internet.)  With four cats (now) I'm sure it won't surprise you that there are little cat toys all over the house.  (Some of which were actually intended to BE cat toys.  If you have a cat you'll understand that EVERYTHING is a cat toy.)  Some of them are little stuffed "mice."  The kittens (okay, they just turned 9 but they're still "the kittens") play with them sometimes.  Sneaky used to be the only one that really liked to play with them.  Bandit pretty much ignored them.

But now there's one.  It's covered in a sort of leopard print faux fur.  We call it "Bandit's Baby."  Usually late at night, but sometimes during the day, Bandit will carry it around the house "crying."  Unless you look at her.  Then she'll drop it and pretend it never happened.

As you can guess, that last bit has made it difficult to capture.  My wife has been trying for months to catch her on video.  (And for several weeks to share the results with me.)

So here you go, Bandit with her Baby:

Now, I can retire in 781 days, so you cats get off my lawn.