Category: Critters

Photo by Joe WilcoxSep 20, 20258:11 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Buster

Another Caturday night and I ain’t got nobody—but a tabby tat from the series‘ enormous backlog. I used Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra to capture the Featured Image on April 28, 2024. That wasn’t the first time I saw the tabby or anytime sense. I merely present the best portrait from the selection. Vitals: f/3.4, ISO 32, 1/250 sec, (synthetic) 230mm (digital and optical zoom); 2:03 p.m. PDT.

The putty-tat, nicknamed Buster for no particular reason, is the one-hundred-thirty-ninth feline found behind door or window among the 612 profiles, including this one.

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 7, 20256:31 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Double Stuff

Meet the one-hundred-thirty-eighth feline found behind door or window, since the series‘ start in October 2016. Have you ever eaten Oreo Double Stuff cookies? If so, you understand the kitty’s nickname.

I used Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra to shoot the Featured Image on July 3, 2025. Yep, we break away from the backlog and will continue to do so occasionally. Next cat will be one long waiting in the queue.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 31, 20259:00 pm

The (Honorary) Cats of University Heights: Stubby

I believe, but have yet to confirm, that this fine feline is the oldest in the current backlog. The Featured Image and companion come from Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra on March 13, 2024. Vitals: f/3.4, ISO 32, 1/640 sec, (synthetic) 230mm (digital and optical zoom); 2:29 p.m. PDT. The other: f/2.4, ISO 50, 1/1000 sec, 70mm (film equivalent); 2:29 p.m.

Among the 610 profiles (including this one) in this series, only 35 are from outside University Heights: AI, Boo, Buddies, Charmer, Chill, Coal, Comber, Cotton, Envy, Esther, Fancy, Floofy, Guapo, Liberty, Lonesome, Jade, Kello, Mona, Moophie, Mousy, Mystic, Ninja, Oliver, Too, Promise, Queenie, Pussyfoot, Rascal, Raven, Sammy, Shakey, Tag and Tig, Tempest, Timber, Tom and Jerry, and Tula.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 23, 20256:43 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Rusty

We leap past the backlog to a shorthair seen today along Georgia Street approaching North Park but well within the neighborhood boundary. The ginger scooted across a lawn onto the sidewalk and under a vehicle. I was able to kneel down and capture the Featured Image, using Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

All week, I toyed with buying Z Fold 7, for which Samsung offers an amazingly generous preorder deal that is absolutely irresistible. The foldable is sleek and appealing. But the Ultra’s bigger battery, reduced-glare screen, and superior cameras are benefits I am reluctant to give up. I could not have captured this single shot with any of the other phone’s cameras. Well, I still have another day to decide (I think).

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 11, 20259:35 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Plump

Unquestionably, this balcony catio is the best that I have seen in the neighborhood—well, so far. I nearly missed the Calico, as my wife and I walked by on May 18, 2025. Location withheld.

The Featured Image comes from Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Vitals: f/3.4, ISO 40, 1/125 sec, (synthetic) 230mm (digital and optical zoom); 10:17 a.m. PDT. For nickname: Plump, which I hope offends no one—least of all the owner. Our Neko is a bit rotund, too, so I understand putty-tats with big appetites.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 6, 20258:57 pm

The Cats of University Height: Spaz

I hope you really like cats. The backlog is enormous, and this is the first addition since March 2025. Yikes! So feline frenzy will overwhelm this website for a little while, starting with Spaz—and that’s a real name!

Spaz and owner lived on Alabama when I took the Featured Image on May 31; they have since gone elsewhere. The longhair is the one-hundred-sixth kitty seen along the street, somewhere between boundaries Adams and Lincoln, since the series start in October 2016; that’s out of 607 profiles, including this one.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 16, 20259:35 pm

Two Pandas and a Cat

I am way behind posting and make an executive decision: To share a few photos from our second trip—today—since rejoining San Diego Zoo as annual local members (first visit pics are forthcoming). My wife and I parked around 50 minutes after opening, and already the place was packed with families; by the accents, many were adult tourists and their kids.

Annie loves the red pandas (see second shot); a male lives in the main zoo and the female in the children’s area. On the way to the male, we passed the Giant Panda enclosure, where one could be seen sleeping. You tell me: Is that Yun Chuan or Xin Bao?

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 11, 20259:45 pm

My Cat Wants to Know: What the Tech?

The things that waste time. April 4, 2025: I pull a SD card from the camera, put it in a reader, and plug into one of the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge USB-C ports. Nothing happens. Windows 11 won’t mount the card. Uh, oh-oh.

Blame always starts with software—or should. I reinstalled the drivers. No change. Rebooted the operating system. No difference. The card’s contacts were clean, so I ruled that out. Somehow, I worried, the storage thang had gone bad. Oh no! I hadn’t backed up the photos recently.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 6, 20259:57 pm

Kooky Koalas

When my wife and I entered San Diego Zoo on April 4, 2025—the first time since summer 2000—a staffer approached and offered to suggest a destination. The Australian recommended the Koalas, which were being fed at that moment. So off went Annie and I, as you can see from the Featured Image and companion.

The eucalyptus addicts were indeed chowing down, but they kept (purposefully?) behind poles or trees, making getting good shots to be difficult. I would have walked out with nothing, if not for Nikon Zf and attached NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 30, 20257:10 pm

Friendly, Not Ferocious

Someone really needs to correct the sign to the left. Instead of beware, it should read be aware—as in look out for the friendly dog, who just happens to appear to be big and dangerous. He (or she) is a teddy bear—or so seems the demeanor anytime I see him (or her).

He (or she) was so perfectly posed and positioned, between the signs, today, I had to stop and pull around Nikon Zf and attached NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens. Vitals for the Featured Image: f/11, ISO 200, 1/160 sec, 59mm; 1:02 p.m. PDT.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 28, 20257:14 pm

The (Honorary) Cats of University Heights: Tempest

We briefly interrupt the backlog to present a valiant orange seen today. Annie spotted the shorthair on a property at Lincoln and Louisiana, which is inches outside the neighborhood’s official boundary. Hence, the honorary designation.

There was a second tabby, this one grey, and they chased one another about. The other disappeared into shrubs, then the space between buildings to the alley behind. The orange followed, moving with the suddenness of a summer storm—that explains choice of nickname Tempest.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 27, 20257:20 pm

Pepto Poses

He is one of the “Cats of University Heights” and beloved in the neighborhood. Pepto often regards me, approaches with a meow, and keeps on moving. He has things to do and no time for attention.

But today, rarely, he asked for some, and I gave generous pets. After we parted, I stopped aways off and watched him chew grass and soak sunlight. He clearly would soon cross the busy street, and I wanted to make sure he could do so safely.