Tag: animals

Read More

The Cats of University Heights: Cosmo

Meet the one-hundred twelfth kitty—out 642 profiled, including this one—seen on Alabama between boundaries Adams and Lincoln. Cosmo is the eighty-fifth feline found behind door or window.

The Featured Image comes from Samsung Galaxy s25 Ultra. Vitals: f/3.4, ISO 125, 1/100 sec, 230mm; 6:28 p.m. EDT. Cosmo is companion to Comet, whom we shared yesterday.

Read More

The Cats of University Heights: Comet, Too

We reach into the more recent backlog for two in a row. First up: Comet, and, yes, that is his real name. He is the one-hundred eleventh kitty—out 641 profiled, including this one—seen on Alabama between boundaries Adams and Lincoln. Why so many? Population density. The street has more multi-unit dwellings than single-family homes.

The Featured Image comes from Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Vitals: f/3.4, ISO 32, 1/120 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 3:53 p.m. PDT, Oct. 9, 2025. Composed as shot.

Read More

The Cats of University Heights: Scotty

I don’t doubt that this kitty’s owners call it something other than my choice of nickname. How could I resist for the series‘ first Scottish Fold, and what a looker it is, too.

The Featured Image comes from Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, today. Vitals: f/2.9, ISO 25, 1/294 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 12:39 p.m. PDT. Scotty is the eighty-fourth feline found behind door or window out of 640 profiles, including this one.

Read More

The Cats of University Heights: Darling

Stop a moment and reminisce with me. This series started a decade ago and arrives at its 639th profile, including this one. This kitty is from the more recent backlog (yes, others wait in yet a longer queue). I used Nikon Zf and NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens to capture the Featured Image on April 8, 2025.

My guess on location: The cottages at Meade and Louisiana. Vitals: f/6.3, ISO 400, 1/500 sec, 200mm; 12:21 p.m. PDT. This is a close-crop that removes sunlit areas, which also explains composition choice. Drumroll. Nickname: Darling, for no particular reason.

Read More

The Cats of University Heights: Fab

I really should bang out all the felines languishing in the backlog. I expect to not recall some of the oldest beasties and where they were photographed. But I am at a loss about some of the more recent kitties, like this one from Aug. 26, 2025. The Featured Image comes from Nikon Zf and NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens, and there is no companion captures from Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, which would have provided location information.

Vitals: f/8, ISO 250, 1/250 sec, 84mm; 10:04 a.m. PDT. Composed as captured. For plaid fabric collar, which might be GPS, this tabby earns nickname Fab.

Read More

Always Annette

I am not much of a poet, although you can count on me for song lyrics. Difference: One is more structured, set to melody, and tells a story—and I have a knack for the latter. That said, my beloved sister Annette passed away unexpectedly 10 years ago today, and I wanted to give something to her three children—who also lost their father—and to my two other sisters.

So, sitting in the back of our car, I pulled out Galaxy Tab 11 Ultra, opened Google Keep, and wrote them a poem over the next hour or so. The verse is written to be emotive for a select audience. However, thinking about Mother’s Day tomorrow, the poem could be used for any other mum.

Read More

The Cats of University Heights: Oren

We reach a little ways into the backlog to Aug. 11, 2025 for an unusual putty-tat. Look at those ears, which inspired the nickname, Oren, translated from the Dutch. Oren is the eighty-third cat found behind door or window, since the series‘ start 10 years ago.

I used Nikon Zf and NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens to capture the Featured Image, which is close-cropped. f/8, ISO 560, 1/400 sec, 400mm; 3:01 p.m. PDT.

Read More

Charming Cali

Among my goals for 2026 is to post every day—a task so far successfully achieved. But today has been unusually frenetic, and I am short on time. So, I share something unintended, recognizing there are too many cats.

Crazy thing, I am being honest, cats aren’t my obsession—or even close to it. I started shooting portraits of felines in October 2016 as an exercise to improve my photographic skills and as a process part of restoring my eyesight, following cataracts surgery and ongoing treatment for Macular Edema (that 10 years later is no longer necessary). Because so many people are cat crazy, I continued pursuing them.

Read More

Whew, Does Infection Stink

We had to take Neko to the veterinarian, today, for his first visit since 2013. He is a generally, and surprisingly, healthy cat. We adopted him from the San Diego shelter in March 2012. The professionals there estimated his age at two years. But days later, based on Neko’s teeth, the vet believed four years, which makes him likely somewhere between 16 and 18 years old.

Because of his advanced age, we were reluctant to take him for treatment. We correctly worried that all the change and stress would take a lot out of him, and it has; that could end an old cat. He was his normal old self beforehand: Alert, active, and demonstrating normal appetite. Tonight, he is listless and sullen.

Read More

The Cats of University Heights: Jangle

Real name unknown, this fine feline earns nickname Jangle for the string of bells hanging nearby. He (or she) is the eighty-second cat found behind door or window. Location: Louisiana Street between Meade and Monroe.

I used Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra to make the Featured Image. Vitals: f/2.4, ISO 64, 1/120 sec, 69mm (film equivalent); 4:47 p.m. PDT, 4″47 p.m. PDT.

Read More

The Cats of University Heights: Kitty Puppy

You needn’t ask. Kitty Puppy is this fine feline’s real name, although I am uncertain about whether or not to hyphenate. The 16-year-old is housemate to Stormy, who is a relative newcomer to his residence. I have seen them greet one another, nose to nose, outdoors.

Seen where? Meet the series‘ one-hundred tenth Alabama Street cat—that’s out of 635 profiles, including this one. Some streets pack in more apartments and condominiums. Along Alabama, many single-structure homeowners add so-called Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). I suspect that increased population density explains the cat concentration.

Read More

The Cats of University Heights: Warrior

Along Monroe, on March 22, 2026, I saw in the distance a shorthair presumed to be Ash. But upon looking at the Featured Image, at home, on Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra, I could see my mistake. Fur color pattern is different, and this wounded warrior is missing an eye. From another photo, the cat appears to have something of a hump on its upper back that could be from an injury.

Nevertheless, the beastie was spry as it and a chunky black beastie chased one another down the street and into an alley. They were playful rather than combative or territorial. I hadn’t seen either before the day before yesterday, so they are presumably newcomers to the neighborhood and come from the same household.