Raymond and I do not have a lot in common other than our mutual adoration of the lovely KB. He loves meat, I’m a vegetarian, he loves lying in the sun and I don’t, he enjoys killing small animals and I strive to practice ahimsa (non-harm), and of course, he licks his arse on a daily basis, something I er… don’t….
We do have, however, a deep and profound love of rag rugs. I love rag rugs, only the beautiful ones made from recycled saris and the beautiful ones (I’m not partial to a cotton rag rug personally) are very difficult to find. I love the way they make a room instantly “hippy-fied” the moment you lay them on the floor. You can imagine my joy a couple of months ago when I found a big colourful pile in a shop while I was on a work trip, I opened about 20 of them out and picked the most beautiful one I could find. It looks absolutely stunning in our new home and I love it.
Now Raymond has a deep love for rag rugs too. He loved my previous rag rug to death… literally. Ripped it to shreds, despite my best efforts to protect my beautiful orange rug, in the end it went in the bin because he ripped it apart playing with his mouse.
Rag rugs, it seems are perfect hiding places for mice. Being that he has already pulled about 10 strands loose with his claws in the last two days, I’m going to have to train him not to play in my rug… as funny as it is, I’d rather he didn’t destroy my things…
I think this is going to be a battle of wills…. and I bet I’m going to win!
It’s a gorgeous rug, but my money is on Raymond winning this round!
Sounds very familiar, our cat loves hiding things under our rag rug, including himself, and then finding them again. It’s very entertaining to watch but the rug does suffer.
Yes I think you will win too. Cats are cats, I accept them into my home on that basis.
i suppose there’s no point suggesting a Raymond-only rug? (He’s clever enough, I’m sure, to understand that it’s his.)
Are we placing bets? ‘Cause my money’s on Raymond! I love, Love, LOVE your posts, they brighten my day in rainy England. Thank you <3
Oh … naughty Raymond !!!! Have you cut his nails? That may help.
Heu….. If you find out how to train a cat, let us know, because, I’ve failed on this part!!!!
Ah, yes, cats and rag-rugs, a match made in heaven! I used to have the same thing, I had lots of rag-rugs and different cats thought it their duty to annihilate their chosen rug! In the end I put essential oils in a mister and sprayed the rugs: lavender and tea-tree or lavender and eucalyptus oils worked well and smelt nice! It worked! Love your site I can’t crochet but feel inspired … though I am not sure I will ever be able to do it. We are coming into summer here in the UK. It’s raining here today and I LOVE it, it feels like autumn. I would like it to be autumn all the time!
Hahaha, I can relate. Willem would ‘hide’ stuff under our doormaths all the time. Leafs, coins, dead flies. All ‘presents’ for us of course (how dare we be ungrateful) **rolls eyes** It’s nice to see kitties play though.
Esther.
oh dear….Raymond might well win this one! x
You can always make another rug but one day when Raymond is no more you will be comforted by the memories of the wonderful life you allowed him to have. I have 3 cats each 14 years old!!
Good luck with that, but I wouldn’t place too high a stake on that bet!!
Bimbi x
Isn’t the joy of seeing a happy Raymond worth the cost of the rug?
Now you must remember, as a slave, you have absolutely no say in the matter whatsoever. (dogs have masters, cats have slaves)
Cats rule! LOL
Good luck
That is going to be an epic battle! My gang of cats persist in using the table legs to spin round, not good. I’ve tried everything to stop them……………everything, I think they might be winning but I am outnumbered 3:1!!!!!
Have you seen the YouTube where a cat uses the chair rungs to propel itself all around under the table>
I love how cats can have the best of times on things that we have made and love…..
and of course if we love them its okay, go raymond lol
He is happy and that is the best thing lol.
♥♥
My money is on Raymond!
…so sure?
))
xxxx Alessandra
The little comment about KB made my heart melt a little <3
I dont like your chances, maybe if you could wash your bottom??
Amazing photos, and I say it again, I love Raymond
I have to say I am with the majority here. I believe Raymond has you on this one! Since there were liberties with the old rug and old habits are hard to break Raymond certainly won’t understand why you would not allow those same liberties with a new rug. A water bottle and a little shot of water might help, but in the long run Raymond will probably end up like Bella, a shot of the water bottle gives her reason for a bath. Best of luck!
Not sure if you WILL win. Merlin, also a Siamese, loves my Turkish rug and lies down and kicks he** out of the corner of it with his back legs! One day he will kill it!
Hehe! I bet you are!
Good luck with the training
my money is on Raymond sorry
You can try, but in the end Raymond will win. That’s just life. Cat’s have a stronger will than humans!! Your rug is lovely, but Raymond will turn it into something else. You have to decide which is more important to you: Raymond or the rug. I think I know which one you will choose.
Oh dear. I’m betting on Raymond. I base this on a very similar situation in my own home. But if you accomplish this please tell us other cat owners how!
The solution I wrote about before really did work, I also sprayed it on sofa etc where, one cat used to have a field day ripping it to shreds … and as he walked away he would look at the massacred area and then me as if to say, what sort of home are you providing for me, and nothing to do with me … combined with a very satisfied smug look about him and the way he carried his tail!
Well, dear Alice, I’ve had cats for years and while Raymond isn’t ‘young’, I still think you can train him. When you aren’t home, put the gorgeous rag rug away. When you come home, take it out and watch him. He thinks it’s a scratching post and the photos I’ve looked at tell me he thinks this is so…as well as a fabulous way to play hide and seek with something!!!:-) Animal psychology has to come into play – when he goes to play on it, have an atomiser spray with just water in it. Spray him right at the time and say loudly – Uh! a sharp, hard, sound it is. Conditioning in this gentle way (some say to put lemon juice in there but I find that cruel) very often works and was the way a pet trainer told me to train my cats, Rosie and Simba. Be on his case EVERY TIME HE tries to do anything with the rug. Unfortunately, you can’t let him on it -he can differentiate between being ON it, and playing so it has to be one or the other. The analogy I give is you can’t give a puppy a shoe to chew but expect to teach it not to chew your good leather one. they can’t tell the difference so they have to be given something ELSE to chew on like a toy (not shaped like a shoe hehehe, but an animal toy or a bone). Give it a go…It’s worth it since this rug is gorgeous. LU x
I’ve got a peachy-orange one over the back of my couch and my cat Binx loves playing in it also…must love the feel of it under thier paws
Raymond is saying thanks for my nice big cozy cat toy mama!!
I love Raymond, he’s adorable!
My vote is for letting Raymond have his own version that he can kick the warp and woof out of, as only a cat can do. And Siamese are so muscular and have such sculptured bodies, it’s a pleasure to watch them activate! Do you have a sheepskin rug? Has he done this with such a rug?? My cats like to claw into wool like Raymond uses your rag rug… but a wool skin does not deteriorate as fast and the cats love to sleep on it after their exercise. But as to your rug: try mending it with spider wire fishing line or kevlar thread. Spider wire looks like thread, but has a high-tensile wire incorporated (so if you are fishing rather than bead stringing, your fish won’t break the line and get away). Raymond is unlikely to get trapped by the spider wire, especially with clipped claws.
Wonderful photgraphs! Haha! It’s so funny when cat hunt imaginary mize.
I really enjoy your blogs! I love rag rugs and don’t see them too often, unfortunately. I’ve always wanted to make one and your blog has inspired me to do so!
He sure seems to have a good time on it. Good luck getting him to stop.
Being the proud mama of many cats…….$5 on Raymond LOL! Try getting a little cheap rag rug and putting a little catnip under it. Just an idea
Having been the “owner” of both cats and dogs. My house is now a k-9 only one. Dogs have masters and cats have staff. So my money is on Raymond.
My pack of dogs have all passed away now and I live with a cat now. You are so perfectly descriptively right! I really do feel like staff, well loved, but staff none the less. lol
I love this post… it’s just brighten up my afternoon! I hope you win as the rug is lovely. Hope you settle down soon. Love, Pati x
I think Raymond was trying to protect you from that very dangerous coloured thing that has been lurking around on the floor , I think there is every possibility that he has subdued it and will ultimately triumph . xx
Such a pretty rug! I hope for your sake Raymond can learn to leave his mouse in less precarious places. I have to admit though, I love the collage you made of him playing in the rug
~Lacey
Good luck but if i was to bet my money would be on Raymond lol
give up now, you will never win!
How amusing… My bets are on Raymond winning this battle
) x
oh thats so mean. you’re not allowed to have nice things AND a cat, its a universal truth!!
Raymond seems to have benefited from the move up North. He’s looking very healthy and happy. Good luck with the training!
Hello Alice,
Im wishing you the best of luck!!!!!!!! I’m putting my money on raymond. Carlos my new baby , loves my cotton rug I did every thing but nail it down. So now its his new blanky. Gooooood Luck
Your friend from Texas
Well Alice, like others in this post, my money’s on Raymond. He’s not just a cat but a Siamese and that means smarter, faster and stronger than your average cat. Also, you can always get another rag rug, but will there be another Raymond? I don’t think so. He is one special feline..
Good luck with that! In my experience, cats always win!
Sorry Alice, but I found Raymond’s antics so funny. Glad you told the story it has given me a good laugh. I have the same trouble with my cats, Hamlet and Boz, they have shredded a lot of furniture too – so I know it is a problem. I thought I would try Saiorse’s tip and try the lavender oil – so thank you to Saiorse and good luck to you Alice – the rug looks gorgeous at this moment in time! Viv
Protect the gorgeous rug! Whenever he tries to attack said rug, just pick him up and give him a good cuddle. That will solve the problem AND you will have filled your cat cuddling quota for the day.
Good luck with that….hope you manage to save the rug.
Oh Alice, I was all for you until you said you get win this one over Raymond with the rug. LOL
I think that the good Raymond will win in the end unfortunately. Of course, you should have kept the ratty one for him exclusively and got yourself a new one.
Oh I love Raymond!!! I just want to pick him up and squeeze him! xxx
On the subject of mousing, here is something I wrote a while back. It might interest Raymond.
THE FEROCIOUS FRENCH MOUSE
I think there might a special breed of mice around here.
Our Elvis thinks so as well; she’s one of the feral kittens we caught last year. Her brother is Lucy because we were a bit hasty in naming them.
Elvis brought in a mouse through the catflap. It was a big mouse and a bit of a mouthful so she put it down to get her breath back.
Having caught her breath she advanced on the mouse, ready to do battle.
The mouse jumped up and bit Elvis on the leg, thus causing her to howl with pain.
She gave up on the mouse so Rameses took over. Brave chap but not the sharpest knife in the drawer, he killed it and ate it.
The mouse got its revenge. It made Rameses very sick, all over another cat called Mickey. He’s a bit of a dipstick and a brick or two short of a load.
He’s so much like my Smoo (who is an Oriental). Smoo is kept content with balled up pipecleaners, though, and the occasional fly. He loves chasing flies.
We have 3 cats and our rugs are never as they should be! I would like to let you know that i have given you a Versatile Blogger Award, should you like to accept it please put it on your blog and pass it on, if it’s not your thing then just think of it as a compliment for your beautiful blog.
I love Raymond! Hope you, Raymond and KB are going to be very happy in the new home.
Love from Holland,
You are so not going to win. But it might be fun trying.
I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I nominated your blog for the sunshine award!
http://geoknitology.blogspot.com/2012/06/sunshine.html
:]
You will have to lets us know the outcome of this epic struggle.! I ADORE your blog, it puts some color in my world. I hope you, KB, and Raymond have many years together.
You will have a beautiful carpet with beautiful holes…..#:)
I would like to write you an email.
Could you give me an email address? I live in Mexico and I work in similar things like you, and adore cats.
The energy of your web is beautiful!
Good luck with this one Alice – I know who would win in our house (as I look across at Fred the cat sprawled on the sofa and hubby huddled in the corner he has been allowed to have lol!) I hope you, KB and Raymond will be very happy in your new home ((hugs)) Joanna xx
I just wanted to let you know that I think your blog is great and have nominated you for The Versatile Blogger Award! If you’d like to accept this award then please take it to your blog and pass it on – if this is not your cup of tea then please accept this as a compliment on your blog
Alice..totally unrelated to this post..but saw this pattern and thought of you immediately!..aren’t they cool?! http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/longitudinal
I nominated you for the versatile blogger award
I have nominated your blog for the versatile blogger award. I have been nominated and now I am passing it on to you as I love your blog and feel you deserve an award for your wonderful posts!
You can see your entry on my blog at
http://www.blondiesbearista.com
Thank you,
Lisa
I have nominated you for the versatile blogger award. Your posts are always wonderful. YOu can see your entry on my blog, Nice Piece of Work.
Jill
I vote Raymond as the most “HANDSOME CAT” of the year! We have a kitty who looks very much like Raymond that has adopted our family. We four girls you know he gets loves of attention. We would love to keep him and give him a good home. I am sad to say that he is our neighbor’s kitty and VERY neglected. But…he’s their kitty. So…we love him when he comes to visit. Thank you to Raymond for all the help he has given you. *!*
My puppy does the same thing! Bad Monty!. Loving your blog btw. Glad I discovered it x
Alice and Raymond, we miss you so much your friend from Santiago Chile Mónica, Sophie, Elliot and Florencia.
Dear Alice and Raymond, I love your blog with your charming way with words and yarny goodness. I hope all is well with you and just wanted to say a fond hello from Newfoundland, Canada. Please post again soon!