Winter arrived at 775 N Ashtree Way with the first snowfall. Even on brisk days, His Highness Satch takes a daily stroll through his territories cloaked in a heavy fur coat and wearing an electric collar.

We live in fox and coyote country. One hiker found a fox den with 17 cat collars inside about two blocks from Ashtree Way. While Satch finds the electrical collar demeaning, the collar also represents freedom to be outside without becoming fox bait. The household compromise for traipsing in the backyard is His Highness’s acceptance of security measures. When Satch first got the collar, he ran at the electric fence like a bull until he hit the current. He suddenly pulled up on his haunches, started pawing the air and fell over backwards in the grass (very undignified for a king). A quick study, he now recognizes the controlled boundaries but always pushes the limits. One day when the battery went down, he was over the fence into the open fields behind Ashtree Way in a blink of an eye. Fortunately, his mistress watched this maneuver from the window and thwarted the planned escape by running in hot pursuit. Even though Satch spends hours contemplating freedom, the cold air means that he becomes more demanding and less tolerant, when said mistress doesn’t answer his yowls to come in promptly.

The entire Brigade adapts to the cold by spending more hours indoors, even Private Shani who has hair enough for the entire Brigade. The Brigade spends a lot of down time in sunny spots scattered throughout the house and basking by the fire. But the Brigade is an energetic group and too much down times leads to trouble. Several raids have occurred on unmanned trash baskets filled only with Kleenex—tearable, shredable, tasty what could be more inviting on a cold day.
The Brigade has begun engaging in more indoor horse (dog) play. Sergeant Violet, fighting as a lightweight, routinely bests Private Shani, the welterweight at their daily chase and neck biting battles.

These contests begin in the kitchen, rapidly move through the great room, into the front hall and finish in the kitchen with a quick gulp from the water bowls. The cats watch these antics from afar.

This fight just got more interesting

The winner

Happy Looser

Not to be bested, Sergeant Angel has been known to pounce on the unsuspecting Highness. This is always a mistake. His Highness swats and bats Angel’s meager efforts at supremacy back with a couple of quick moves. He finishes each skirmish with a growl and flicks his tail as he walks away to claim his throne.

Angel ready to pounce

Back at the castle the king rests

Prelude: You may remember that the last we saw Satchel; he had promoted himself from Colonel to his Highness by staking out the baby grand piano.

Deposed from the piano with the completion of the wood floors, Satchel is no longer a defrocked ruler. 775 N Ashtree Way has acquired a native Alaskan baby basket covered with ceremonial rabbit fur and Eagle wings. The basket is strategically placed by the gas fireplace.

With the advent of colder weather, the basket and warming fire provide a comfy hiding place for His Highness.  Unnoticed, unless he sticks his head up, Satchel continues to control his surroundings from his new weaved throne.

Meanwhile, Captain Violet and Sergeant Angel have defied the cooling weather by joining their sick mistress on  a heated blanket, serving as stomach warmers.

Hours of unstructured time can be spent curled in  two furry balls without any movement.

When not masquerading as a blanket, Sergeant Angel has established a perch over the mistress’s desk where she pretends to be a porcelain kitty.

Captain Violet remains in charge of the inside barking and whining at any perceived noise (real or imagined).

Not to be outdone, Private Shani has promoted herself to Corporal. Still assigned to outside duty because of her heavy coat, she has taken over the patio chairs.

She suns herself while watching for squirrels and horses to chase.

In the last few months, the Brigade has developed a new hobby, rug surfing. Satch runs at top speed towards the bathroom mats and when he hits them correctly, he rides the tile wave across the floor.  He has become so accomplished at this trick he can move the rugs all over the bathroom (see examples below).

Washrag Brigade–a Tantalizing, Unsolved Who Dun ‘it?

775 N. Ashtree Way hosts a beautiful Jacuzzi tub in the master bath surrounded by a stained glass and blocked glass windows and crowned with a chandelier. In this room designed for tranquility, each day a dastardly crime is committed. The guilty party has yet to be identified. In the morning, the wash cloths are neatly folded on the rim of the tub. By afternoon, the washrags are thrown all around the bathroom.

Capt. Violet is capable of  this misdeed. Two clues, however, suggest another culprit. First, the washrags are disturbed but not destroyed. Second, Sergeant Angel has been captured on video running from the crime scene with  the cleaning crew socks and pummeling them with her paws.

A crime of this nature is beneath Colonel Satch who loathes water.  Private Shani has an alibi, spending her days in the yard. Who do you think is the culprit?

Panty Raid Anyone?

Teenage Queen Bee is the victim of this crime of passion. When doors to bedrooms, bathrooms, or the laundry room are unwittingly left open, panties and volleyball Spanx are found torn up in the living room.

Invariably, only the most expensive Victoria Secret panties appeal to the criminal. For a long period of time, this crime was blamed on Capt. Violet. However, Private Shani has been caught red-handed gleefully running through the house with a bright red thong clenched in her jaws.

The Sorry Tale of the Screamin’ Me-me!

Do not let Col Satch’s disinterested appearance deceive you. He is the crime lord of the domain. He frequently chases a silly dachshund visitor, Oscar Reilly through Ashtree Way with a yowling snarl. The wiener dog’s heart wrenching squeal echoes through the cathedral hallway and the dog’s long, sharp claws make clicking sounds on the hard wood floors scampering to the safety of his owner’s lap.

On these occasions, the Colonel pulls up sharply at the couch switches his tail and marches off victorious.