Cats!
At some point in our life, each of us is asked, “are you a cat person or a dog person?” There’s usually a pretty clear answer. Some like the demonstrative love and devotion of a dog, while others prefer the independence and stand-offish nature of a cat. For me it has always been a tricky question. I mean c’mon, can’t we like them both?
People who know me now think I’m Team Dog. Our Buster was a hit with everyone and, years after his passing, he still gets mentions from friends and family. Our current dog is Blu, an Aussie we adopted who came with an endless supply of energy and an insatiable desire to greet every single person who comes within 300 feet of the house. Acquaintances and friends alike see these wonderful dogs in my life and they make their assumptions.
What people don’t know, though, is that I’ve always been Team Cat. The soft fur, the feel of the purring against my chest, the goofiness of chasing toys – cats generate giggles and fun every day. And, if I let them, they’ll help me puzzle, too. While the dog curls up at my feet, or in his favorite spot behind my jignificant other’s recliner, the cats, if allowed, are happy to walk across the table, moving pieces to where they think they should go, and laying on others to “warm them up” for when I’m ready for them.
We currently have two cats in the house. Miss Piggy was an outdoor cat we ended up “stealing” (with permission) from our neighbors. She’s fully indoor now and, despite her age, still lives up to her name by eating anything put in front of her. Meanwhile, our Meeko has always been 100% indoor, and has taken on a love of puzzles. Here they are, Miss Piggy contemplating food and Meeko helping me get things finished…
Meeko helping finish a puzzle
Miss Piggy
So yeah, I’m a cat person who always has a dog. It’s complicated. And, speaking of complicated, no matter how much I love my pets, cats and dogs, I still have trouble puzzling fur! Of all the textures I’ve come across in jigsaws, my struggles with fur outweigh the difficulty of any other area. Sky? Bring it on. Trees, flowers, birds, people? Easy peasy. But fur? I shudder just thinking of it. So, being a person who wants to work on weaknesses to make them strengths, I decided to focus on cats this month. Maybe my love for cats can drive me to greater successes with puzzling fur? It’s worth a shot.
To get me started, I grabbed the furriest puzzle in my collection. This is House of Cats, a 2000 piece beauty from Castorland. Cat lovers have a lot to appreciate here, for sure. While my fur frustration started in high gear, the puzzle kept my attention from start to finish and, eventually, I was able to step back and take it in – I conquered the fur.
The other furry puzzle I chose is one I plan to frame as a birthday present for my daughter. It’s called Just Cat Things, and is manufactured by Trefl. I chose it primarily for the fur, but also because it’s a collage, which is typically an easier solve for me. It was a balancing act, where fur made it more difficult, and collage made it less so. But look at this puzzle! I’m sure I would have chosen it no matter how easy or hard it might be. This one is 1500 pieces of cuteness on overload! Anyone who can resist? Must be a dog person.
As much as I have feared furry puzzles, I truly enjoyed these two and I plan to continue doing as much fur as I can. Fortunately, PuzzleWarehouse has a fantastic supply of cat puzzles available, as well as many featuring other furry creatures. In fact there’s a lot of fur coming in my January blog installment - I’m working on them now. Until then…
Happy Puzzling.
Phil (aka Puzzle Buster)
Cute cats and fun blog!
Cats!!
Great blog! You forgot a third option - neither a cat lover nor a dog lover 😳 I'm not a mean person, I swear! I just have allergies and was never around them growing up so I can't really connect with either side. But if I wasn't allergic, I would most likely choose a cat - they aren't needy and clingy. I already have a husband and a 4 year old! 😆
Love reading your insights. Love dogs but I think cats make cuter puzzles.
For 47 years, I was a cyclist who put in many miles; later adding in racing, triathlon & or a casual ride to Tarpon Springs via the Pinellas Trail. Prior to leaving FL, I rescued a grey n' white cat. At some point, in her life, she was given the name, Reiki. In Japanese, rei is lovely ala beautiful of which she most certainly is. Ki stands for energy of which she has boundless amounts of. I'm 79 now, cycling days in the past & gradually returning to the roots of a basic walk. Enter in Reiki who warrants my attention & a treat to boot. Through Puzz Ware........ I've since enjoyed well over 200 js puzzles of 1,000 or more pcs. The always inky-pages of D---L, found in news stands or airports are long gone. JS puzzles work the brain matter. BTW. Great blog
