Mr. Toby welcomes you to yet another Feline Friday!

It’s been cold here in Kaaawa and elsewhere around the State of Hawaii. Temperatures overnight and into the early mornings fell to the low 60s here in Kaaawa, and dipped into the 50s in some other locations. Okay, not cold by normal standards, but plenty cold for a place that typically doesn’t drop much below 70 degrees (F).

Meda and I are snug under a down comforter on these cold nights, and it usually means at least three, and sometimes five cats on the bed with us. Occasionally, the count jumps to six. Harriet is the only cat who almost never comes down to the bedroom. On our full-size bed, it can get pretty crowded!

The last couple of nights, it has been something like this: Wally insists on sleeping on one of my pillows, right behind my head. She settles in early and usually doesn’t move through the night, except to register her objection if I happen to toss around a bit. Ms. Kili is right up between Meda and I, sort of at neck level. She tries to maintain maximum contact, and breaks into a loud purr at the smallest excuse. Romeo is usually wedged in between us at waist or chest level. Sometimes he stretches out in a fold of the comforter like a 15-pound hot dog, other times curls into a tight ball while leaning up against me on one side.

The foot of the bed is also busy, typically with Duke or Annie at Meda’s feet, and Toby over on my side. These end of the bed cat slots seem to experience higher turnover through the night, and the roster might change several times. Toby is usually there in the early morning, and is often the first cat to launch into a wake-up routine. I can feel him walking up my body to get within reach of my face, and he then proceeds to rub his face on my beard. If I don’t respond, he follows with a little bite of my ear, or even the tip of my nose. Ouch!

As the weather warms up, the body count of naturally heat-seeking felines goes down.

–> See all of today’s Friday Felines!