So It's Summer... Again! Porca Miseria!

Where is Richard ??? Where have you been?

Ciao raGatti! Tutto bene? Qui fa caldissimo e non mi piace afatto. I have to say that summer is my least favourite season. First of all because here in central Italy it gets very very hot and that is hard on a furry fellow like me. And truth be told, I think it is hard on my human family and their friends... I know we cats sleep a lot, but when it gets hot like this my human friends seem to stay at home more and don't come to visit...

The temperature on my 16th birthday

It wouldn't be so bad, but also at this time, both of my humans, in turn, go back to Canada for a month at a time and a month, especially when it is an oppressively hot month, feels like a very long time. You know me, I like being social. I love when friends come over for a visit... Why just the other day, July 7th to be exact, was my 16th birthday and the people I call "Team Smokey", the friends... well they are not really friends... I consider Uncle Ritchie, Auntie Helen and Auntie Maria to be my family,.. Anyway, these three special humans, who looked after me in the past when both my humans have been away, came over to celebrate my birthday.

Ritchie, Helen and Maria enjoying an Aperitivo. Aperitivo is Italian for Dreamies or Catisfactions... for humans, that is...

It was great, not only because was I surrounded by my favourite people, but also because I had some feline visitors as well... Dennis, who lives with Helen and Ritchie came along, and Binduu, my new neighbour who lives with Sara and Paolo and their son Luca and another female cat name Runa, came along as well.

Dennis rests on the cool stones of Via Latini while Binduu sits on his front porch

Having all these visitors over meant a lot to me, especially because I have been missing Richard, who left for Canada five days before my birthday. It would have been great if Richard had been here to celebrate with us. 

It was a great party. Helen and Ritchie brought me a present... Not the bottle, that was wine for the humans at dinner... No my present was a package of cat treats... 

Me one the cool steps of Gianluca's apartment, my Dreamies and the wine.

I thought that seeing we were celebrating my "Sweet Sixteen" that I would be given 16 cat treats but that was not to be... Just as well. With all this heat and humidity I don't really have a huge appetite. 

Me and my Birthday Bowl of Ham with Dennis waiting patiently for his share.

Even the ham that James bought me for my birthday, usually a big favourite of mine, I ended up sharing with Dennis and Binduu. Both Dennis and Binduu were born here in Italy so I suppose the hot weather doesn't affect their appetite the way it affects mine.

Yes, it was a wonderful party... When my human family came inside the house for dinner I went upstairs and lay down on the cool floor listening to their voices... feeling how lucky I am to have a home and a family when so many of my furry friends struggle to find shelter and enough to eat and drink.

You who know me know that I have always loved water. When I was a kitten in Vancouver I used to jump into the emptying bathtub and play in the water. And I have always drunk a lot of water,,, but these days... and perhaps it is not just because of the heat, but because of my age, I find I am often thirsty. Thankfully my humans not only keep my Martini glass full of water by my food, they also keep my favourite watering can full of fresh water beside the front door.

But the best water, as far as I am concerned, is cool running water, fresh from the tap. I don't know how many times during the day, and sometimes in the middle of the night, that I feel the need for a cool drink. My humans are very patient with me, and one or the other will get up and walk with me to the upstairs sink and turn on the tap for me. As I am getting older, sometimes it is a bit uncomfortable to hold my head in the position necessary to reach the water and sometimes one or the other of my humans will hold their cupped hand under the water to make a small bowl. I love liking the cool water from their fingers. I wonder if my tongue tickles them... 

Sleepy me, just after my last drink before bed

Anyway, it is late. I should take my human to bed. I love it at night because it is cooler... cool enough to snuggle up to my human and give him a kiss, or a couple of kisses... 

Sometimes, even when the light is out, I just lay for a while on his shoulder or his tummy and stare at his furry face and wonder what he's thinking...

I know we are going to survive this heat... We have each other... and this time of separation will be over soon and we will be a family again... As I said, I know I am lucky. I have a house, a family, food and drink when I want, and I have friends... lots of wonderful friends... both here and in Canada... and sometimes those friends come to visit... That makes me really happy... 

So before we drop off to sleep I will leave you with this... Do good... Be good... When you see a cat or dog in need of a pat, or some food or water, do what you can... We cats remember... You will not go unrewarded...

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This post is written in the memory of Scout, a thirteen year-old tabby cat in Vancouver who recently crossed over the Rainbow Bridge... and for Gracie... Scoutie's bereaved human.