Rainy-Day Catnipped Kitties

Uma, Emerson, Bisou and Freyja explore the catnip patch on a rainy afternoon

After months and months of drought, Southern California has finally had its first really big rainstorm of the fall yesterday. It was a doozy! And it was so welcome.

My kitties, all rescue babies, each have a bit of Maine Coon running wild through their veins. And, unlike most other breeds of cats, Maine Coons have a fascination with water. You can often find my babies with their legs dangling over the edge of the pool, which they love to drink out of. And they are a bit obsessed with their water fountain.

And when a rainy day rolls around, they can just feel it all the way to their fluffy little toes. They just cannot wait to get out into the garden to play. They have “double-layered” fur so they don’t really get very wet — just muddy paws, which they track throughout the house.

One of their favorite hang-out spots during a storm is the outdoor dining table. They love to sit on the chairs, where they are a little protected, and watch the happenings in the garden. But, yesterday, when the rain became a bit torrential, Bisou and Freyja found themselves stranded on an “island” of a table, with water a couple of inches deep all around them.

Bisou thought it might be a good idea to investigate the other end of the table situation, but it really was no better.

In fact, the water was still rising.

So back to the chairs he went, huddled up with Freyja, trying to decide how to breach the waters to make it back into the house where he could warm up for a bit in front of the fireplace.

They go back and forth — backyard to fireplace — throughout these rainy days.

Alas, there was nothing to be done but to get their feet pretty wet. Freyja went for it first.

Bisou hesitated for a few moments, then decided to “go for it!”

Bisou is a pretty big cat, about fourteen pounds of muscle and fluff, so he made it past the high waters. Freyja is our little eight-pounder.

Emerson, our alpha, watched on, intrigued by the rising lake on the patio.

Uma thought the view out of the side door was better. After all, the catnip patch is to be found just a few feet out into the garden.

She watched patiently for the rain to subside just a bit. But, in the end, the lure of the catnip patch was just too much to ignore, even if one does get a little wet while partaking.

Soon, Emerson decided it was time to join in with his sister. Yes, he’s a little “stoned” here. Can you tell by those eyes?

And, at the end of a long day of playing, there’s really nothing better than to melt into your little french bed by the fireplace and dream about playing in the rain.

All in all, the kitties thoroughly enjoyed their rainy day, despite Freyja’s feet getting, perhaps, just a little “too” wet. We’re already dreaming about the storm predicted to roll through next week.

Erika Burkhalter is a yogi, neurophilosopher, cat-mom, photographer, and lover of travel and nature, spreading her love and amazement for Mother Earth’s glories, one photo, poem or story at a time. (MS Neuropsychology, MA Yoga Studies).

I hope you’ve enjoyed sharing the day with Emerson, Uma, Bisou and Freyja.

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Photos and story ©Erika Burkhalter. All rights reserved.