Breaking Cat News by Georgia Dunn for January 22, 2024

Leave it to OZ to turn the new desk into a toy.

Ora Zella doing her finest Jamaican Bobsled Team impersonation. WHOOSH!

A new drawing board for Georgia? Or has The Woman started drawing cartoons?

OZ isn’t wrong. That’s how all kittens define naps. They don’t remember going into instant comas.

Maybe it will make a great scratching post. Go ahead, try it.

Drafting tables don’t lend themselves to sleeping. I had one for years. Rummage sales are gold mines.

My dad made me one of those when I was in high school. I loved it.

Desk Du Soleil…

The cat reporters are experts at looking at the news from a different angle…

Watch out, Ora Zella. Your slip is showing…

Goldie, if you let go, YOU’LL be in traction…

Burt knows his memes.

OT: No meds for Trouble still :( but he’s a STRONG kitty!

So has the new healthy cat food issue been resolved?

In the words of Jeremy Clarkson, there’s a slope on it

so is the redone (i could swear there was a version of that done around summer or so )cat food story done for now?

New drawing table to makes more cats comics eh.

Breaking Cat Mews : Coming in LIVE from the scene, the most breaking cat mews ever to be telecats. This is the only thing that ain’t a cat bed! Yessireee kitties. The only thing on this planet that ain’t a cat bed! It a big day for kitties for this beeeg discovery.

Slip sliding away…

Reminds me of my first, drawing board…cats did the same thing, but never tried it again!

Wow! Look at that tiny loaf-shaped toboggan go!

I’m not sure OZ understands the meaning of “nap.”

Meanwhile, Back on the Nile

At the Artisan’s Studio

Adobe Style: We still have a bit of space-time fabric left after creating the Mole War Futurity Chart.

Maat-Tilda: Do we have any jewels left?

Sophititi: Yes, do you have any projects in mind?

Tillie: Not really. But maybe we could try making something functional.

Adobe: How about something based on a climbing curtain?

Soph: That might work. Climbing curtains are useful for going up, but we haven’t considered the downside very much.

Tillie: Then why don’t we create a sliding curtain?

Sometime Later

Tillie: I think we have the prototype. Now to test it out.

Adobe: I have just the list to put the slide through its paces. Ora Z, Beatrixia, Lupinium, Iggy, Wally, Iron Glove, and Elvis?

Soph: Why Elvis?

Tillie: Let’s see what a former Dancing Corsair can do!

I still have Dad’s old drafting table in our basement and a box containing his drafting tools. All antiques now that everything is done on the computer.

This is a very appropriate cartoon for me. Someone left a small drawing table in the basement that’s been there since before the holidays. I’ve been debating whether to take it. One of my neighbors said the former owner moved out. I hope it’s not more than I can lift. (First rule of the Royal Procurers).

Have fun with that drafting table, Ora Z! Goldie, let go very carefully and let yourself slide onto the floor.

I see Lupin has a new copy writer.

Panel 5 – All other cats now lined up to take their turns down the course.

Very funny, Burt! He once again comes in with a humorous chyron on panel three.

And the woman is going to work from home now.

Goldie’s a good girl, loves a sun view

Loves cheeses and findin’ clues too

She’s a good girl, is quite fond of Elvis

Loves Pucky and likes Lupin too

And they all take care of Ig and O Zella

There’s a new table where naps are hard

When she’s a good girl, we just want to kiss her

With a new toy there’s joy in her heart

Ora’s free

Free fallin’

Yeah, she’s free

Free fallin’

And “wheeee!” callin’

Free fallin’

Such a squee

- Tom Petty / Jeff Lynne – Free Fallin’

For Goldie, it is a nightmare, for Ora Zella it is a dream

Looks like a drawing desk.

Sort of OT …

I had to go back and check … the “Puck in the trunk” arc was October 2018, which was when I became a regular part of the Orb but was after I got my current prosthesis.

The Girl got to meet The Really Great Uncle (and his two new owners, Ginger and Ozzy) a couple of weeks ago. My brother and I shared a room growing up, so he has gotten more of a look than most under the mask I tend to wear when I’m in pain. The first question he asked me was, “Aren’t you in pain walking like that?” (It is possible that he may have noticed the last time he saw me, but not said anything, since that was during and after The MIL’s final hours.)

The answer is yes … I’ve needed to replace it since my knee replacement in 2021, as the surgery threw off my entire gait alignment. I had been putting it off, mostly because I wanted to lose some weight. (A 5-pound difference can affect the fit of a prosthesis, and I wanted to lose 20.) I’m only halfway to my goal weight, but for my brother to notice, that was the impetus to finally reach out to my foot and ankle doctor. He started the process for me, and tomorrow I go to get casted not only for a new leg, but for a new brace on the left side. Not sure if any of you are interested in hearing about what can be a rather … vexing … process at times, but I’ll keep you posted if you’re interested.

We had desks like that in art class. The tops could be raised and lowered at various angles. When they were at an angled position, you could hear the constant clatter of pencils hitting the floor as students missed the pencil well (probably on purpose) and their pencils rolled down the slope and onto the floor.

So, Lil’ Baby Frodo still can’t climb (except on Shelby, our Australian Shepard). I took some measurements, and it is feasible to make him a couple of elevator lifts in my office. I can limit the torque so they can only carry 4-5 lbs. up at a time, so none of the other cats can use it. I was thinking of using Acrylic/plexiglass Habitrail tubes for the lift tunnels and either a winch and cable set up or a jackscrew below the platform that spins to raise the platform. The Jackscrew might be easier, but it limits the height too much. (I might still use one that brings him to the top of my desk, but the other one, brings him up to the cat hammock on the top window, where his fellowship like to hang out, and he often asks me to put him up there.

If I use a winch and cables, I have to make a full enclosure for the lift so that the cables don’t interfere with the cat compartment. I will need to put bumpers on it, so little claws don’t get trapped or snagged between the cylinder and the platform.

I also think I will put a couple of floor switches on the platform that can be operated by Frodo. I am not sure he will figure it out, so I will also hook up a remote for me. My wife thinks I am crazy for wanting to do this, but it looks like a fun project to me, materials are relatively cheap, and I have got the time. Does anybody see any reason why I shouldn’t make Lil’ baby Frodo a couple of lifts?

You have to love drafting tables. There’s probably still a pronounced ink stain in the shag carpeting in our old apartment, dating from my days as ’zine cartoonist when it unexpectedly unlocked.

Oh, a drafting desk! My dad had one of those.

At least Ora found a good use for it. She’s a real wild card.

Okay so we finally have conformation that the Woman IS an artist. (Since that looks like a drawing table), if not drawing this very strip since the universe might split in half.

Lupin looks distinctly amused by Goldie’s predicament.

OT: Cat Cafe

Does drafting tape work for cats ?

WWWWEEEEE!!!!!

Oooh She got an artists drawing table! I recognize that slant! I got one when I was 22 yrs old and kept it for decades. My cats have all stonily refused to go near it. Too slippy! I had to sell it when we retired, we downsized and it just wouldn’t fit in our new much smaller place.

I know it’s a late post. Our intrepid Shadow is very much on the decline. For those of you who don’t remember, we brought him into our home during Tropical storm Beta. He had a bad sore on the side of his head. We took him to the vet for a physical and neutering and he managed to get out of the clinic, wily guy, and showed up at our house two days later. He was FIV positive. He was also so full of tape worms that one showed up in his eye. Ok, took care of that. Fast forward to now. Eye problems came up with nasal congestion and we tried some homeopathic treatments which seemed to help. But he recently developed swelling in his head and we took him in. We got antibiotics and an appetite stimulant but Dr. Tom said it’s probably cancer. We are keeping him comfortable but it looks like he wants to go. At least the last 3 years of his life was in a warm, loving home. I forgot to say that we don’t know how old he is.

I can’t believe it! I’ve read through all the comments, and nobody has mentioned Goldie’s rear toe beans! (Sorry, Scaeva)

I bought a drafting table years ago and have yet to use it. My cats took it over so it belongs to them now.

So, either a drawing table, or a diamond art stand.