Sunday 28 October 2012

Happy Halloween.


Our deadly hot chilli crop. Apparently Scotch Bonnets aren't called that because of their suitability to the Scottish climate.

It is nearly Halloween and the horror came early to our house. At least for the cat. When our lovely friend ( and vet ) Jaqui came to visit us with her husband a few months ago she took one look at Magnus and said; " Diabetes. " In other words, that beast is too fat and he is endangering his health. We cut down the cat food and waited for the slimline version to appear. Nothing happened. Not a centimetre of cat was reduced. We suspected that Magnus was dining out.  That was confirmed when the lovely boy jumped onto my lap one day before teatime and promptly burped a cat-food burp in my face. Someone is feeding him and we have to ask them to stop. Or alert them to the fact that there is a great big stripey cat coming into their house and stealing their cat food. I have decided that the best way to do this is by hanging a small label on Magnus. The sign will read. "Do not Feed. Vet's orders."

In order to achieve my aim, first of all I had to fasten a collar onto his neck. Trickier than it sounds as all the collars in the shop had bells on them designed to stop the wearer sneaking up on the unsuspecting bird population. It also prevents the worried cat owner from sneaking up on an overweight cat in order to fit the collar in the first place. After much wrangling and a little bloodshed, the collar has been affixed. I haven't added the label yet, I figured it would be kinder to let him get used to the collar first before adding complications. He hates it. I took this photo a day after he succumbed to the collar - in my mind this is Magnus' subconscious showing just how much he hates it. It has been pointed out that the picture bears a frightening resemblance to the adverts for The Omen. That can't be a coincidence.

Terrifying. Just terrifying.

  In other news, I have been learning how to make Dorset Buttons and so far have managed to make a grand total of one. And that was with help. I am ridiculously pleased with with how my one button turned out. Any suggestions for using it? On a tiny mouse jacket? A hat for a large spider?

And a tranquil button to finish.


5 comments:

Louisa said...

Poor Magnus! My last two cats hated collars as well so I never submitted them to the discomfort. Too bad you can't find out who is feeding him so you can ask them to stop directly. It's not like the poor fellow looks like he's starving or anything!

Sopa Azul said...

I love the picture of the cat. The red color of the light looks like blood... Greetings!!

Galadriel said...

I love your Magnus photo, too. I've been following your blog for a while, and I wanted to tell you how much I enjoy it and your photos.

Annie Cholewa said...

Oh my goodness, that photograph, very unsettling! Of course the poor lad is going to like you even less when he's still wearing a collar and his rations have been reduced ;)

There is another possibility re. the extra grub, some folks put cat food out for hedgehogs.

jacqui said...

poor, poor Mags!

just keep reminding him it is my fault - and that slimming down means more years to get even. :)

miss you, dears!!!