Music And A Happy Place

A couple of days ago we moved the last two of our three cats down to our beach home. I'm still recovering from it! Our first mistake was not doing our normal routine that morning and the cats instantly picked up on it. They know by now what it means when suitcases are loaded in the car. Cadence immediately runs and hides. Ed usually does too, but this time for some reason he didn't.

We loaded everything in the car and then it was time to get the cats last, but where was Cadence? I looked in my closet because that was where he was last week when I was looking all over the place for Phantom, who had run and hid because he probably thought he was about to go to the vet again. He doesn't really like that.

This time, no Cadence. That would be too easy. After looking in all his normal hiding places I finally found him up under the guest bed, tucked away tight up inside the box springs.

I couldn't reach him through the hole in the cover. I reached down and pushed on the bulge that was him at the bottom of the bed. He moved further away. I couldn't get him to scoot to the hole and grab him at the same time. It was a two man job. I called the Murph for back up.

Ed came to check it out. He was really creeped out by me on the floor half under the bed with the camera in my hand.

After all, that was his hole that he chewed in the box spring covers many years ago. His hiding spot too! The box spring cover that was on the Boy's bed was cut away many years ago for exactly this reason. Once Cadence is up in there it is almost impossible to get him out.

The Murph came and pushed on the Cadence lump and guided him to the hole where I was ready to make a grab for him.

Finally he got close enough and I grabbed him.

I had him for about a minute before he managed to get away. I had him by the back leg but had to let go because I realized he would just as soon lose the leg than let me keep him. I was screaming, he was meowing, it was chaos.

I finally cornered him downstairs and managed to cram him in the cat carrier.

 Ed was easy to get in his carrier, (sorry, no pictures, we were tired and an hour later leaving than planned), but not a very good traveler considering he hadn't been in a car in 10 years. He started meowing and continued for about 2 hours. It started out a low meow, but by the time we got on the interstate it was a loud, angry, fangy face meow.

I couldn't get a picture because I was driving. Take my word for it, it wasn't good!

I didn't hear a word out of Cadence. He zoned out the minute the carrier door was closed.

Jazz music playing on the radio didn't work for Ed like it works for Phantom. I finally figured out halfway through the trip that Ed likes rap music or music with a little more beat. He loved Flo Rida and was pretty fond of ABBA too.

It's always good to know the music choices of the cats because it makes traveling so much easier!

Phantom loves jazz favorites by John Coltrane, Lester Young, Ben Webster and others. He likes mellow, moody jazz. He also loves the sax and the trumpet! Phantom is a romantic at heart.  Here's one of his many favorites.

Ed loves rap and music with some beat. He loves the drums! He likes rhythm! He freaking LOVED this song. The fangy faced meowing ceased immediately!



And Cadence is so traumatize that he hears nothing while in the car. He goes straight to his happy place!

They are both doing great in their new home, especially Ed. He's 13 years old so we decided this is his official retirement home. The Murph says it's his Boca and all he needs are some black socks and some Bermuda shorts and he's all set.

The trip over to pick Phantom up from the Boy's apartment the next day was another "adventure". I'm pretty sure that Phantom was ready to get the heck out of there! He planted himself by the front door and looked at me meowing. No problems getting him in the car this time!

The only problem was I didn't have a carrier to put him in and suddenly while we were getting on the interstate, I heard the back window going down. I looked back and there he was propped up looking out the window with his paw on the window lowering button.

I managed to get the window back up before he made a leap for it onto the interstate.

And then I had lots of wine when I got home. LOTS of wine!!

The scenery helped too!