Too often I read that cats are somehow nocturnal creatures, choosing to be most active at night, especially if hunting is involved. I’ve noticed, however, that all my cats are crepuscular in their behavior, being most active in the twilight periods of evening and morning. These two photos were taken during the late afternoon/early evening before we all went off to sleep. They love to sit in my gaming chair and contemplate their world in my house, especially in the early evening. If something of interest becomes interesting enough, then there follows the quick leap onto the floor and a rapid chase of the target, meaning one of their clowdermates.

The chair is also a favorite sleeping spot, which can result in one of the clowder challenging the current occupant all through the early evening, leading to a lot of rotation between the cats. By the time of lights out, the challenges have come to an end and there’s just one cat curled up and sleeping, usually Zoë. Seeing Nicholas in the chair is a bit of a surprise, but something I would expect as he’ll be four come later this year. All of my cats are full adults or senior cats. How time always flies. The youngest four cats (Joan, Danï, Zoë, and Nicholas) are all COVID lockdown adoptions. Just as that period from 2020 to 2022 has faded in our memories, so have the memories of three of the four as little kittens. Joan came in as a young adult, the mom of Danï and Zoë.

I mentioned that cats being crepuscular and only speaking to their evening activities. For the early morning I’m serenaded by Luke who stands in the main hallway (the part of the house with the best acoustics for what he does) and bellows out like a little foghorn. He’ll also stand on his hind legs and bang on the closed bedroom door. I know he stands because when I get sick I sleep out in the TV room on a lounger. When I got up very early one morning to hit the bathroom I just happened to catch Luke in the door banging act. If I’m physically available, the other cats will walk across me and pick a spot to settle down on top of me, to nap a little more. Then they’ll get up and move to another spot on me. They’ll keep this up until I decide I’ve had enough, and then get up and feed them. That’s how the day gets started around here. It’s been decades since I slept past 6 am.

I’ve been gravitating to using the Pen F for the majority of my photos, usually with a small prime mounted on the front. This post is no different. The top photo was taken with the Olympus 45mm, the bottom with the original PanLeica 25mm. Everybody keeps encouraging me to get an equivalent Fuji camera (the X100 or the XE-4). The problem there is either it’s unavailable or outrageously priced. And it’s not just the body, for the XE-4 it also requires the purchase of at least one lens for the body. And then I hear the very occasional recommendation to get a Leica. Financially that’s even more drastic. I’m quite happy with all I have, and I’m so thankful I purchased them when I did, when I could afford them.