On the Hunt

 

kitten
Kitten on the hunt (water color on paper; May 2018)

 

Today´s prompt for the May 2018 Art Challenge: Smile Makers! is “Dogs or Cats” which left me with the difficult decision to make which one I was going to paint, since I like them both.

But to be honest, I´m actually more of a cat person and get along just fine with all kinds of cats, be it a stray one or a posh siamese.  We just instantly click!

My neighbor used to have a lovely red cat with tiger stripes named Ossi (short for Oskar), that just loved to sit on our trash bins in the sun. One day I stroked him while he was taking his sunbath, and the poor fellow enjoyed it so much that he slowly lost his grip on the handle and fell off the bin! He looked utterly perplexed and even a bit ashamed of himself and went off to lick his wounded pride.

Next day though he came back and I made sure to lure him off the bin before I stroked him again, so he wouldn’t have to go through the same humiliating experience of loosing control. 😉

What about you? Dogs or Cats? Any fun stories you´d like to share?

 

Published by Sarah

Artist & Illustrator

78 thoughts on “On the Hunt

  1. Love that wonderful painting and the accompanying endearing story Sarah! ❤ I think I have to say dogs although we've not had any pets. But if I do find them elsewhere and their owners allow interaction , I'm thrilled:-)

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    1. Thanks so much, Divya! And I totally get that you´re thrilled when you´re with dogs, wether they are owned by you or others doesn´t really matter, what matters is that love at first sight feeling. 😉 Maybe one day you´ll find your own one and I already know that this dog will be very, very lucky! 😀 xoxo ❤

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  2. What an adorable kitten, Sarah, and your story made me smile, too. I’m more of a dog person, never had a cat. My parents always had dogs when I was young, so I wanted our children to have dogs, as well. We had Lucky Girl, a black lab mix, who went to doggie Heaven in 2011. Then we adopted Copper, chocolate lab mix, in 2012, and he’s a lovable, big baby. We thought of getting a cat for a change after Lucky passed, but my hubby is allergic. 🙂
    In my youth, one story I remember is when we were at our cabin in the winter and our dog, Duffy, went missing. He was a black mutt, all hair and so cute. Well, we finally found him on the roof of the cabin after finding his way up a snowbank. We all got a good laugh at that. Whether cats or dogs, our furry friends give unconditional love that is well worth their care. ❤🐶 (I can’t find a cat emoji)

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    1. Thanks so much, Lauren! And I totally get your love for dogs, the pictures of Copper you share show that he´s adorable! And since your husband is allergic to cats it makes total sense. 🙂
      And what a lovely story you shared with us – I can imagine the surprise and laughter you all had when you finally found Duffy on the roof of all places!!
      And I totally agree about the unconditional love being well worth their care. A friend of mine is so fond of his cats that they actually get to have better food than he does! 😀
      Have a beautiful day and give Copper a lovely rub behind his ears from me! xoxo ❤

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    1. I see. That’s really too bad. Maybe you could do some research via internet and find private breeders (is that the right term?) who would negotiate in your favour? I certainly would do so, allergies are already bad enough it’s so sad if one would have to forgo the joy of having a pet when an alternative is possible. I hope you’ll find a good solution Shari!

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      1. Dog breeders are a whole other topic and many, though not all, have no scruples at all.We’re hoping someone who must give up their dog will let us adopt it for a lesser fee. We’ll provide a loving home,

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  3. What a sweetie of a Watercolour …. that kitty is far too cute! I love cats and dogs but these days I only have a dog. I loved your story … cats are particularly adorable when they try to cover up a mistake! Xxxxxxx I hope the sun is shining as brightly in Berlin as it is here in Boston!

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    1. Thanks so much, Fiona! They really are cute when they want to cover up their mistakes, aren’t they? Wonder if the same is true for dogs?
      Have a fabulous day dear friend and enjoy Boston!! Xxxxxxxx

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      1. Well The Bean got so excited at a recent visit to the vet (she also boards with them here and absolutely LOVES them) that she sprung off my lap and did a failed barrel roll in the air before landing on her back, legs akimbo. She seemed unpeturbed and entirely confident that it was an intentional move so perhaps the answer is yes, they do. xxxxxxxxxx

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      2. Hehehe! What a lovely story, Fiona! I can totally imagine how she did it! And of course it was an entirely intentional move. 😉 Give her a rub behind her ears from me! xxxxxxxxx

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  4. Both, I had cats for years, but the last decade only dogs. Currently just one and she is a naughty sweet diva, so probably will stick to one for a while haha
    Enjoy your day of today and the week with summery temperatures 🙂
    Big hug, XxX

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  5. I loved this painting of the cat! I love all animals, but I admit I am more fond of dogs than I am cats. I think I just relate to them more. As for stories….I have way too many and don’t want to take over your comment section retelling them all!

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    1. Thanks so much, Ann! And it’s so lovely to know that even though you prefer dogs you also have a little love left for cats. And it would be a pleasure to have you taking over my comment section with your stories – that’s what it is for! 😄

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  6. That’s such a precious kitten, Sarah. I can just feel the innocence in that sweet little gaze. As you can tell, I’m definitely a cat person, I have too many of them. I also have dogs. All are rescues, except one dog belongs to my son who is away at college. I will probably have him for the rest of his time. I tend to judge people quite a bit by how they feel about and respond to animals. Respect and love for God’s creatures is my motto. I love your paintings, dear friend. xoxo

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    1. Thanks so much, Lana! One can definitely tell that you’re also a cat person. 😉 😻
      And I’m just the same when it comes to judging people by their behaviour around and towards animals. They deserve every bit of respect as any human being does. People who treat animals in a bad way do so with other people too.
      Have a beautiful day and a wonderful week dear Lana! Xxx 😄❤

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  7. Cute little kitten, Sarah. I also like both cats and dogs. For some reason, we always end up with “orange” pets (like your painting), and I think they get confused that they aren’t all the same species. 🙂 Have a wonderful Sunday!

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    1. Thanks so much, Diane! Haha! That’s awesome that you end up with orange pets all the time.I can imagine how that makes them confused a bit. 😉
      Have a lovely Tuesday! 😊💕

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  8. That’s an adorable story. And I think humans can get that relaxed during a massage also, thus we have dedicated massage tables (so we don’t fall off of bins!). I’ve never lived with a cat, so I’m not sure of myself around them. I love the way they purr. I’m a BIG dog person. My Golden used to wait by my side when I made chocolate chip cookies, ’cause he loved to lick the beaters when I was done. 🙂

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    1. Thanks so much, Pam! It’s definitely a very good thing we’ve invented massage tables!! I always feel like putty then. 😂
      I love golden retrievers, they’re one of few breeds I would actually consider if I ever choose to get myself a dog as a pet – their good humour and big smile is irresistible! 😄

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  9. Who doesn’t love a kitten and yours is adorable. I’m more a dog person if given the choice but as for the last 6 years or so, have no pet any longer and no plans for any. I get my fuzzy loving from the puppies I see out and about.

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    1. Thanks very much, Marlene! Isn’t it great that we can get out fuzzy loving from kittens and puppies from our neighbours? We get to have all the benefits without having to actually take care for them. 😉 Have a beautiful week, my friend!

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  10. Ahh…a lovely painting of the cat and I’m laughing at poor Ossi! 🐈 I’m glad you had a chance to help him recover from his trauma! I’ve had two wonderful cats, full of personality and they had so many adventures and mis-adventures, it woud fill a small book! Happy Sunday, Sarah! 🌻

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    1. Thanks so much, Annika! That’s so true about their personalities and sense for adventures! Cats are truly magnificent in that way – and all the others. 😉 Happy week! 😄

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    1. Thanks so much, Lisa! We definitely can learn a lot from them and not only in that respect. Isn’t it funny how we seem to change our preferences for either one of them from time to time? Have a lovely week! 😊💖

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  11. Sharon is so right; she is a lioness. Great watercolour Sarah; you’ve caught that very kitten-y combination of playful and determined.
    I’m a cat person all the way, despite being slightly allergic to them. I soooo miss our fur babies, and your story about the neighbour’s cat reminded me that ours’ had been known to do something the same thing (just not off the bins) when we stroked them.
    Wishing you a very happy weekend xxxxxxx 😀

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    1. Thanks so much, Su! Sharon really is spot on with her comment about the kitten’s true nature , isn’t she?
      Another neighbour of mine had also a cat and we’re both totally in love with each other! The moment she sees me she kind of hurls herself at me and purrs without end while I croon into her ears what a lovely beauty she is. The owner says it’s quite sight. 😉
      Wish you a perfect new week! xxxxxxx

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  12. Sh – don’t tell her she’s a kitten – she’s a lioness on the prowl! I just love this painting, Sarah – you did a wonderful job capturing the kitten’s true nature.

    I prefer dogs as pets, and am hoping to get one soon, for many reasons, especially that I’m allergic to many cats.

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    1. Thank you so much, Shari! And I love that you’ve discovered this kitten’s true nature!! All cats are lions and tigers no matter their size. 😄
      I’m so sorry that you’re allergic to many cats, I’ve got some allergies myself and know how awful they can be.
      And now I’m totally curious about the dog that’s going to be part of your life soon! Have you already decided on a breed? I love Irish collies, they’re so lively and very active. My aunt had a King Charles Spaniel which was incredibly cute with its irresistible puppy eyes and soft ears. 😊

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      1. I’d love to rescue a dog who needs a loving home, but my grandson has terrible allergies. I want him to enjoy this new family member without sneezing and struggling to breathe. We’ll need to know the breed of the dog we adopt, and that almost never happens with rescues.

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      2. Ah yes, I can see the difficulties with that. Aren’t Labradoodles allergyfriendly dogs? I have to admit to not being sure about it but I think I’ve heard that there are breeds that don’t cause allergies.

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    1. I wouldn’t never do that! 😊 I also like dogs and used to go out with my aunt’s dog on a regular basis which was always great! You can’t do that with a cat. 😉

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      1. Hehe! I can imagine it drew a lot of eyes to them! I once saw someone walking their pet ferrets – they were incredibly well behaved but it looked very odd to me.

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    1. Ooh! I love Maine Coon cats they’re so beautiful! And obviously very clever too. 😉 If they knew how to open the cans they wouldn’t have any need for us silly humans anymore! 😂 So glad you’re also a cat person, Cathi! Have a wonderful weekend! 😄💕🐈

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  13. When I was a teenager, I rescued a kitten from some really bad kids. Every day before school, I’d lock him in the house to make sure he didn’t run off or get hurt. And when I’d come home, he’d be sitting on the front steps, waiting for me. I couldn’t figure out how he was getting outside. I checked the doors and windows, even accused my siblings and my dad of letting him out on purpose. Then one day, I caught him on the roof of the house…he’d been sneaking out through the chimney! I couldn’t choose between cats and dogs, they both have their charms and intelligence. Love your cat painting, Sarah, and your cat story. 🙂

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    1. Thanks so much for your lovely comment and the wonderful story you shared, Oglach! I’m so glad you rescued that kitten – some kids, and adults, can be so cruel to animals it’s shocking. And wow that he climbed up the chimney! Sounds a bit like a reversed Santa Claus! 😁

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  14. Aw…what a cute water color, Sarah. That looks like my little kitten Rudy who I had while in college. No pets since, but I’m probably more of a dog person now…although I do love kittens. Happy Saturday! ❤

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    1. Thanks so much, Jill! All kittens and puppies are just adorable, aren´t they? I could watch them for hours! I don´t have any pets either but luckily my neighbors do. 😉
      I really dream of having my own menagerie like Beatrix Potter some day!
      Happy Saturday, dear friend! 🙂 xoxo ❤

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