Lions' Itinerary

Yesterday was the warmest day so far this year. We had 85 degrees and sun. Needless to say, the lions sought out shady spots to keep cool. For some reason, Simba decided to climb up on the roof of our black car. Here he is stretching and yawning...a photo opportunity I couldn't resist.

We are planning for the boys' transition to a new temporary home while I am away visiting relatives. It looks like we'll take them to Seattle on July 4th where they'll stay with Jason or Jessamy's cousin Angie for a while. They are very flexible and mellow. So I'm sure they'll adapt fine once again. Then I will be a "Chubby Lions" blog viewer instead of a blog writer. NEWS FLASH...Simba just dropped a live mouse at my feet...I have to run!!!

Summer Camp

Three mice, two moles, one live bunny (that survived and was released) and other various unrecognizable critter body parts....these are the gifts that Simba and Kink bring home. Many of these catches have appeared in the house, living or dead. I would much rather have a bouquet of flowers. But in the lions' eyes, that's what I'm getting. With sunrise at 4:15 am and sunset at 10 pm, the boys have plenty of daylight to hunt. Rick is pleased that the moles have stopped making hills in our lawn and are moving next door.

I think the boys are enjoying "summer camp" with us. Don't worry, Kate. I know these boys will be thrilled to see you and Kevin upon your return. I used to leave our family cat for several weeks each summer. And she was always excited to see me when I came home. She passed away earlier this year just before her 19th birthday. We were blessed to have her for so long.

Super Models

Now we can say that we are "wildlife photographers" with all this experience catching the lions in action on camera. They are loads of fun to follow and photograph. Maybe "National Geographic" will take notice.

Health Report

The lions are healthy and active. Besides giving them many rubs and hugs, I brush them once or twice a day. They seem to really enjoy it. And they get regular exercise outdoors. I don't believe they have lost or gained weight. Kink is still a chunk to pick up and Simba's belly sways a bit when he walks.

They are being fed Iams dry food along with some Wysong thrown in for shiny coats. As an added treat, I give them a small portion of canned cat food in the evening. I got the idea one night when I opened a can of chili and they almost tripped over themselves trying to get to the kitchen counter. They must have recognized the sound of the top being opened and associated it with cat food.

The boys have three litter boxes setup for their convenience and they always use them...never any accidents. Simba and Kink talk to me throughout the day. They were quiet for the first two weeks of their stay here. But now they do not hesitate to let me know when they want a scratch behind the ears or food in their dishes. They are great house guests. Too bad I can't teach them how to vacuum and clean bathrooms.

Creature Comforts

Kink is always on the lookout for a great nap hideaway. Besides the linen closet, he likes Rick's jeans shelf in the walk-in closet. He was scoping out Rick's underwear drawer the other day as I was putting laundry away. But I don't think Rick would appreciate furry Fruit-of-the-Looms. So I told Kink "no". I'm sure he'll continue his quest for nap nirvana.

Cat Heaven

Our absence from the blog does not mean that the moles have invaded. The lions helped us host a long-time college friend and her daughter for the last few days. We had an enjoyable time visiting with Adrienne and Emily, traveling to the San Juan Islands and just kicking back. Kink and Simba were gracious and friendly as is their natures.

The weather is supposed to be lovely this week so the boys will have plenty of time to savor the warm air and scope out new prey. We have always believed our home with acreage on a quiet cul-de-sac is cat heaven. I think Simba and Kink agree.

The Mole - Deja Vu

Guess what. Kink must have discovered a nest of baby moles because he brought another one into the house this morning. For all I know it could have been the same mole that he brought home yesterday because the long-snouted rodent headed straight for that crack between the fireplace hearth and wood floor. I grabbed the mole by the tail and released him into the wild with the possibility of meeting again.

I have been leaving a door open just wide enough for the boys to come in and out of the house at their convenience during daylight hours. However, I may be rethinking that. I certainly don't want any other unscrupulous critters appearing at my feet while I am trying to enjoy my morning cup of coffee. Kink has proven that his hunting abilities are equal to Simba's. Now I just have to figure out how to tell Kink he doesn't need to convince me of that any more.

The Mole

Apparently Kink is tired of Simba getting all the glory for his hunting prowess. So this morning he set out on his walk outdoors and brought back a baby mole....alive! That might not seem like a big deal except that he carried the wiggling mole between his teeth and brought him to me in the house! I was drinking coffee and working on the computer when Kink proudly dropped the frightened mole in front of me. At first I thought he was a mouse, but upon closer examination, I saw his distinctive long snout.

It took about two seconds for the mole to gather his wits, then he took off running. Kink took chase and cornered him in the bathroom as seen in the picture. I closed the door in order to trap him, but the mole squeezed under the door back into the living room. Of course Kink sniffed him out. The mole had found a hiding place in a crevasse between the wood floor and fireplace hearth. I extracted him by the tail and let him loose outside. (Don't tell my husband that I didn't kill him.) All of the excitement wore Kink out. Now he is snoozing, snoring and most likely dreaming of future hunts.

Summer Plans

The boys have settled into a fairly consistent routine. They are wide-eyed and ready to eat around 6:30 a.m. When their bellies are full, they go outside for a morning walk. Kink takes a quick stroll then returns to the house while Simba surveys the property to make sure all is in order. If he happens to come across an unsuspecting mouse along the way, all the better. The weather has been pleasant but cool. Nothing to write home about. We are hoping for some warmer temperatures by July 4th.

I have made plans to visit family in July. And Rick will follow later so we are making arrangements to transfer the lions back to Jason sometime in the coming weeks. When we return, we expect that the boys will head north back to Ferndale. It is good that they are easy-going and flexible. As I have said before, we enjoy having them. And I know I will miss their sweet personalities while I am away.

Happy Father's Day

The lions would like to wish their dad, Kevin, a Happy Father's Day. We're sure they are looking forward to cuddling and sitting on his lap when he returns. Here they are enjoying a leisurely Father's Day nap. (Rick is napping on another couch downstairs.) I suppose you think that all they do is sleep here based on the frequent nap photos. It just happens to be the time when they offer the cutiest poses for picture taking.

Rubberband Man

One of Simba's extraordinary talents is his ability to twist, stretch and turn his body. He entertained us yesterday during nap time with various positions in his quest to achieve ultimate comfort. As you can see, we may need to get another couch for people to sit on since Simba takes up the entire sofa. Also we're thinking of asking him to lead us in some yoga workouts.

Bachelor Party

It's Girls Night Out in Seattle so Rick and the boys will be on their own tonight. I'm going to spend the evening with Jessamy, her cousins, and aunt. Even though Rick is not around as much as I am, the boys like him quite a bit. If Kink has a choice between laps, he'll choose Rick's without a second thought. I'm sure the boys, including Rick, will enjoy the evening.

The weather is getting nicer as you can see in the picture. The boys are finally getting some sun. Simba is intrigued by the resident squirrel population. He hasn't made a move on them though. I think he knows how fierce they would be in an encounter. Simba and Kink both stick close to the house and don't wander too far. Their outings are mostly in the morning followed by long afternoon naps indoors on the cushy sofa and chair. What a life!

Family Ties

There is no doubt these boys are brothers. Here Kink cleans up those hard-to-reach places for Simba. Not much more I can say. They are a joy to watch.

Cowardly Lion

The boys have not let our "winter in June" weather stop their outdoors activities. However, yesterday they were exploring around the yard when a sudden cloudburst had them running for cover. Simba made it to the house as the rain came pouring down but Kink was nowhere in sight. Simba was concerned and went from window to window looking for his brother. Finally, Kink made a dash for the door where he found a relieved Simba waiting.

Today Kink is not too keen about going outside again while Simba is stalking the neighborhood black squirrel. He even brought home a baby mole from our adjacent grassy field. Kink, on the other hand, growls at the garbage truck when it comes down the lane and then runs to hide. I guess he is the "cowardly lion" but very sweet and loveable. We wouldn't change him.

Lions Venture Outdoors

Today was a milestone day for the boys. After three weeks of being housecats, we gave them the opportunity to go outdoors. When Simba stepped out onto the driveway for the first time, he started to chatter. We could tell he was in his element. It took less than an hour for him to bag his first mouse (see black blob at the bottom of last picture). When Kink saw the trophy mouse, Simba tossed it in the air to show Kink that his hunting skills were still intact.

In preparation for the big day, I applied some flea/tick protection to the back of their necks last night. Needless to say, they were not happy. They gave me the cold shoulder for a while but forgave me eventually.

The first photo of Simba is courtesy of Rick. My husband is the photographic genius in the family as is obvious by this picture. He couldn't resist joining in the fun this morning as Simba and Kink explored the property.

Kink was happy to sniff around a bit but quickly retreated to the house for a quick nap. It was an enjoyable morning watching the boys thoroughly relish their outdoors excursion.

Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z

These lions have certainly mastered the art of power napping. Simba likes to stretch out. He may be dreaming about having his belly rubbed. Sometimes Simba opens one eye to make sure he isn't missing anything. Then he returns to his slumber.

Kink loves to soak in the sun while he snoozes. And his naps tend to be longer than his brother's. We're thinking about getting Kink some Breathe Right nasal strips because his snoring is so loud that it rivals the noise from the neighbors' chainsaw as they are trimming their trees.

The Lion(s) in Winter

I think that's the title of a book/movie from years ago. Anyway, we have had dismal weather so far in June. It feels like winter. The boys don't seem to mind though. They go out on the deck rain or shine. I keep a towel handy so we can wipe them down when they come in. There's a black squirrel they like to watch along with the many birds who delight in antagonizing while perched in the wisteria.

The boys have the run of the house most of the time. Although we have KnK's blessing to let them outside, I think I would worry if they decided to stay outside for a night. If a particularly nice day comes along, I may take them out with me while I do lawn work.

Kings of the Jungle (House)

No. Simba is not waiting for his dinner to be served at the table. I think my husband would have me committed if I pampered the boys that much. Simba enjoys following me around the house since he knows I can administer a good belly rub. Kink likes to cuddle in bed and purr in our ears.

I think we may have secured the deck so the boys can't jump up to the railing. Rick installed some flexible netting on the railing which should deter them. We'll keep you posted.

New challenge

The boys enjoyed a nice day yesterday lounging on the deck. However, this morning, they discovered that they can jump up on the railing and get a better view. I grabbed Kink as he was teetering while trying to balance himself. My concern is that they will either try to jump or may even fall. I am sure this would result in injuries or worse. Rick and I will see if we can rig some sort of barrier on the deck so they can't jump. If this is not effective, we need to come up with an alternative.

Question to KnK......
The boys have been here for over two weeks now. Would you feel comfortable with us letting them go outside during the day? We would make sure they are inside to sleep each night.
There are a couple of cats in the neighborhood and a dog that goes outside sometimes with supervision. We have seen racoons and coyotes infrequently but they are around. We would do our best to keep an eye on the boys but can't stop them from roaming. We are on a deadend lane with no traffic so that's not an issue unless they decided to wander off toward the main road. Just let us know what you prefer. Our goal is to keep Simba and Kink safe but not confined inside on nice days.

Simba the Hunter

Now that Simba has conquered the rug population in our house, he started stalking the refrigerator! Simba discovered that the water pipe behind the refrigerator moves when the icemaker operates....obviously a menace he needs to control. So he lays on the floor close enough to the back of the refrigerator in order to spot any suspicious activity. I don't think he's going to outmatch the refrigerator though. And luckily, he is too large (chubby per Jason) to fit behind the refrigerator so we are not too concerned that he will disconnect anything.

Rick and I were watching an older movie last night called "Secondhand Lion". I don't know if any of you remember the film, but it was a moving story about a emotionally neglected boy who ends up staying with his crazy uncles. They get him an old and tired lion as a pet. And they bought a bunch of "Purina Lion Chow" to feed the poor animal. These lions are doing fine on conventional cat food. I bought them some good "Iams" indoor cat and hairball control food. I'm also mixing in some high quality "Wysong" to make their coats shiny.

Play Time

The lions were full of energy this morning. They wrestled with rugs and each other. Simba ended up in a time out on the deck for a while because he was getting so wound up. I still don't think we'll turn them loose outside without restriction because of the neighborhood cats, local racoons and the coyote family that is spotted periodically even in daylight. The boys have been very entertaining and great house guests. We enjoy having them.