It’s another Feline Friday, and our cats are ready.

Ready, set, nap, that is.

Here’s Toby in his favorite spot. It’s the top of a cat tree in a spare bedroom, a little over 6 feet tall. It’s next to a window. He likes to sit up there and alternate between sleeping and surveying the outside world.

Just click on Toby’s picture to see the rest of this Friday’s favored felines.

We have eight cats. Often, in tight spaces like the kitchen, it can feel like a lot more more. Sometimes it seems there are cats everywhere, since they have a knack for getting around and into your way, weaving themselves around your legs to slow you down and direct you towards their food.

But somehow this morning I find myself, once again, short of new cat photos. I honestly thought there were more to work with, but the well is dry. It’s a symptom of my mind being elsewhere over this past week. I usually arrange my schedule to stay home with cats and camera one day of the week in order to capture enough pictures to be able to offer a good selection on Friday. This week that just didn’t work out.

So, with profuse apologies, please click on this photo to see this week’s somewhat truncated Feline Friday. I promise to do better next week!

By the way, this photo shows Duke, Ms. Wally, and Mr. Romeo rushing to show me that their dishes definitely lack food and desperately need to be replenished.

Duke is going to the vet to have his teeth cleaned and get another glucose test. He needed to dental work at the beginning of the year, back when he weighed in at just about 20 pounds, but I was concerned about his extra weight being dangerous under anesthesia. Our vet agreed, and that’s when he was put on the diet that dropped him down to 15 pounds. He’s still a big cat, but no longer obese.

Even Mr. Romeo has benefited from a bit of a diet. He’s now down around 18 pounds after losing 1-1/2 pounds over several months.

And so it goes in our little cat world.

Do you recognize this classic pose? It’s a cat patiently waiting for her prey to reappear. Since it’s early, I’ll just say that Ms. Wally’s quest was successful, although she had to stand watch for more than four days.

Seven of our eight cats showed up to pose for the camera this week. Only Ms. Annie failed to connect at the right times. I’ll try to make up for that next week.

In the meantime, click on Ms. Wally’s photo to see the rest of the gang.

As they say, the best camera is the one you’ve got with you. When Wally and Toby took refuge together last night, New Year’s Eve, in front of the stove displaying one of our Christmas presents, my best camera was my iPhone.

Cats do not enjoy fireworks. The first distant pop sends Ms. Kili scurrying under the bed or into a dark place in the back of a closet. Annie disappeared and much later emerged from under a chair in the living room. I found Toby hiding behind our bed. Wally would slink from room to room looking for refuge. Duke squeezed himself into a cozy spot in the bedroom.

Silverman, Romeo, and Harriet were the most at ease through New Year’s Eve.

In any case, here are the last our of cat photos for 2009 and the first for 2010 (the last of the bunch was taken at about 5 a.m. this morning).