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Friday, April 18, 2008

A critter

A critter



We had another visitor yesterday. We were all walking up by the compost when we came upon this critter. I think he had just finished his succulent rotten lunch and was taking a nap in the sun. The PM has only ever seen a raccoon at dusk or night so she was worried it was ill. I think it has been a crazy winter for everything and the forest creatures are a little nuts for Spring too.



I received some wonderful suggestions for my "How Can I Wake Up the PM" question.

I am slowly going through the list and trying each and rating them on ease of execution, effeciency and over all effect. It is very taxing but I am dedicated. The following is a list from my good friend Jake. I don't think he would mind if I shared it with you as there are lots of very good ideas here.

1. licking the eyebrow/eyelid
2. standing on the PM's bladder (or boobs)
3. sticking your nose in her mouth
4. pushing your paw up her nose
5. if all else fails - biting the nose (but that usually gets me yelled at, so use with care).

Wonderful, just wonderful! That list brought a tear to my eye.

I have been real busy with #2. I have been trying to locate the exact position of the bladder to ensure proper technique. My goal is to try and land on said bladder when I leap onto the bed at 4:00 am. It is a very tricky move so I have to do lots of planning. I am also not sure which paw to land with either. I have more control with the front one but I think there is more weight in the rear plus the paw is bigger.

In my next post I will disclose some of my personal favorite moves but I have to warn you, it may be scary for some of you younger felines out there. One of them involves a GHOST!

23 comments:

Dragonheart, Merlin, Devi, and Chloe said...

Wow, we've never seen a creature that looks like that!

I, Dragonheart, wake up our dad every morning by gently tapping him on the face. That seems to work really well, and I haven't had to resort to stronger measures.

A ghost? Sounds scary!

Parker said...

I use all of those techniques - here's an old post on how I get breakfast!
http://perfectlyparker.blogspot.com/2007/03/parkers-guide-to-eating-breakfast-on.html

Anonymous said...

Gandalf preferred and most successful method is to walk up Mom's side and Meow right on her nose. Then he lays down on her shoulder and waits a few seconds to see how effective it was, in case he has to repeat.

Isis said...

Ooh we don't have one of those over here! How do I get a Raccoon for our garden?

My Littel Island said...

Raccoon in your yard wow u lucky in ga wer dont see them wow Y dont u ask HIM the coon to com in and wake them up lolol i know it will work try it

Anonymous said...

Excellent list! Thanks for sharing it so we can all learn more.

That's an odd looking kitty. Sort of tabby looking but with black over its eyes. I've never seen one that looks like that.

Angel Junior, Orion and Sammy said...

I always get close enough to my Meowms face that my whiskers go in her nose. That gets her every time!

Angel Junior, Orion and Sammy said...

Oh, and stay far, far away from that raccoon. We like you in one piece!

Daisy said...

Be careful of that raccoon! He could be a little bit mean.

I usually use the bladder-stand method myself.

Lux said...

What a strange creature! That's a great list ...

Robyn and The (Mostly) Badass Cat said...

Racoons are kinda cute like cats, but they's not neerly as nise. They usedta steel Pepi and Gree's foods when they lived outside.

#2 is my favorite!

Purrrrrrs,
Sanjee

The Cat Realm said...

That list is very very good!!! I have a sure fire proof method that I think is unique: my maid has a doll (child size) that is dressed with a hula grass skirt and she likes to keep it. So I go there and scratch the grass off when I want her to get up. Works EVERY time!!!
We never see the raccoons - only their footprints sometimes! And sometimes they come up to our cat door at night and mark it from the outside!!!
Karl

Rosemary B❤️ said...

A raccoooon wowie how exciting

I usually just stand in the hall way and scream as sound as I can. Someone gets up and feeds me. Works like a charm every morning.

Mickey's Musings said...

Good luck trying all those techniques! If necessary,I'll visit you at the Vet,heeheehee
Thar critter is scary so close to home!
Purrs Mickey

Mark's Mews (Marley, Lori, Loki, and Binq) said...

We foun one a them critters in our yard a few years ago. We both went out ta challenge it (we thought it was a kittie), but it was real mean. We had it all nervous cause there were both of us.

But it was good that The Big Thing noticed it and came out. He was lots bigger than it. He made it get out of our yard!

Mr. Hendrix said...

we see those guys all the time. it isn't so unusual this time of year to see them later in the day, but in a week or so, they should be fattened up and back to a nocternal schedule. Mommy has 14 bird feeders so we get critters all night long (including the stinky ones). careful, i don't know how your racoons are, but most around Ohio are rabid. yuck.

as for those techniques, #2 is my personal favorite. patting the face with your paw repeatedly helps. if you aren't getting a response, open the claws more and more and begin to "poke" not "pat."

Brainball said...

Hi, soul brutha! That sounds like a really cool idea, having a contest to see if people can tell us apart! Sure, you're welcome to my photos. That would be lots of fun! *chuckle*

It always amazes my Mom, how very much we look alike! Two big floofy orange boys. When I see you, it's like looking into a mirror!

Rumbly purrs and floofy headbonks from Brainball.

Cecil the Cougar: said...

WOW a real live racoon? I wonder why he is wearing that mask? Hey Racoon! Take off your mask! I want to see what Racoon faces really look like!

Tiggie FOC said...

Ahem...we had five raccoon right outside our window on our patio bench eating bird seed. For awhile there Hart and I had a standing date with the raccoons each night to snoopervise them going through the trash can, but then somebody said raccoons can get mean in a heart beat so we sorta let those relationships die down real sudden like.

Great techniques. Hart gets on the head board and jumps down straddlng Blondie's face. That's always fun to watch. I prefer the huck-huck-huck-urp on the carpet routine to get her moving.

Karen Jo said...

Those are all really good techniques. I lived with a kitty once who got me up by biting me very gently on the nose every morning. Everything was fine until one morning a lower fang went up my nostril. My reaction scared her so badly that she hid under the bed for an hour.

MaoMao said...

hehe, those are all great ways to wake up beans! One of my favrit ways is to use Momma or Daddy as a launchin pad to jump up to the dressur. Makes 'em go OOF efurry time!

A ghost? Wowie! That sounds innaresting!

Kittyhugs and purrs from MaoMao!

Liss said...

You are too pretty. And I love the shot of the critter. We have a critter who frequents our porch looking for food. Nixon and Fatty watch him closely through the glass door. Herbie, hasn't seen the critter yet, that I know of.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Love,
Liss
http://pursnsnorts.blogspot.com

Christine and FAZ said...

This list is perfect. I am definitely going to try the bladder trick. FAZ

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