Misty is a slightly different cat in her new house.

She was something of a tough guy in the old place, where there were several nearby cats to be kept in line. Here, it looks like there are only two neighbor cats that visit regularly, and things are tense but not too much. Misty seems to be happy in her own yard, and as far as we can tell, isn’t venturing down into the jungle at all.

Indoors, she’s extra cuddly and affectionate, and has apparently been watching cute kitten videos and trying them out on us.

Misty occasionally feels a compelling need to open up my dresser drawers and take a few things out.

But this was the first, and so far only, time she’s attacked the hall closet… cats are inscrutable.

When I saw this, the phrase “Fibber McGee’s closet” came immediately to mind. I kind of knew it was a bit from an old show in which the closet overflows, but after watching a clip on YouTube I can’t say I remember ever having seen it myself. Just one of those things that worms its way into your consciousness and into the language.

Misty enjoying the sun today.

During recent cleaning these couch pillows got piled on a chair… finally a spot that’s almost soft and comfy enough for Her Highness.

That’s our neighbours’ cat Coco, who we hadn’t seen in quite a while. We think Misty has well and truly put the other local cats in their place. Coco’s house has been getting a big remodel lately, so maybe the roof is the only place she could escape for some peace and quiet.

Clearly the feline switch policy of Birkenhead CAT, which I thought I understood, is more complex than I realized. I will continue to monitor and report.

Yesterday I published a post about a cat sitting outside last Tuesday and Thursday. You can read it here.

The post was meant in a tongue in cheek fashion, but the words used could be seen as disparaging to both the cat (“baleful”) and the homeowners (“slackers”).

Clearly the Birkenhead Central Aesthetics Team read my post and decided changes were needed! Today I walked by the same house only to see that the cat has been replaced by a new one, who presumably scored higher on “cute kitty” in focus group testing.

On the one hand I’m very impressed with CAT’s efficiency. But I hope the other kitty drew a nice next assignment, maybe in a NYC penthouse with lots of gold accents and the occasional classified document to scratch on.

Above, Exhibit A: last Tuesday morning, the front door of an especially pretty bungalow I walk past on the way to the pool. The especially beautiful pussycat was managing to look baleful and resigned to their lot. Sort of how I would describe Melania Trump’s expression.

And below, Exhibit B: Thursday morning. The bird of paradise has opened up a bit, but the well-presented slackers who look after this kitty still haven’t seen fit to let their highness in for breakfast at dawn when they were quite obviously ready for it.

Sigh, life just isn’t fair sometimes.

Misty has been a bit moody the last couple of weeks. After strewing the laundry around, she settled in on a blanket that she recently appropriated.

In this picture, she was hanging around the office (and bike storage room) one day being a pest, something she doesn’t normally do. I gave her my swim towel/poncho and that made everything ok.

Autumn is here, time to refill and turn on the hot tub. Misty is ready.

Misty is surprisingly uninterested in people food, which is a great relief.

But sometimes she will sit like this, and the reproach is clear. No, I don’t want to jump up and lick the butter. But this? Really?

If only she was just a little less plump around the middle we might even feel sorry for her.