It’s the winter solstice and, as ever, I tend to spend this time of year reflecting on the past twelve months. 2024 hasn’t really been the best, what with ill health, bereavement and suchlike, but at least next year has to be better, non?

Louis Catorze sadly lost a couple of his (younger) comrades this year: Lucky, one of the Northern tuxedo cat gang, and Samba, the sparring partner of Catorze’s departed cousin, King Ghidorah.

Have a look here if you’d like to read about the time we met Lucky and his siblings, all dressed for the black tie gala. And look here for one of the many times that Samba and King Ghidorah tired of alfresco scrapping and continued in my sister’s house. (You know when people want to ramp it up a notch and they say, “I think we ought to step outside”? Well, they stepped INSIDE.)

Lucky relaxes in a sunbeam.
Lost something, Samba? Maybe try looking in, I dunno … YOUR OWN HOUSE?

We send lots of love to Lucky’s and Samba’s humans.

At the risk of sounding repetitive – I’m aware that I say something like this every winter solstice – it’s nothing short of miraculous that Catorze, despite old age creeping up behind him and placing an icy hand firmly on his shoulder, is continuing to thrive. 

(Cat Daddy: “It’s not miraculous. It’s all the bloody expensive food we give him.”) 

And not only do our own ears and eyes tell us that he’s doing well, but we have quantitative evidence to confirm this, too: his steroid injection requirement is reducing, with only seven needed this year versus eight last year and ten in 2022. 

We are so fortunate to still have Catorze with us, and we can’t wait to see what he will unleash upon world next year, when he turns fifteen. And, despite being the most ungrateful and arrogant little sod ever to exist, we are pretty sure that he likes living with us, too. 

Happy winter solstice to you all. Thank you for another year of supporting Catorze.

Yule cat.

For more Catorzian capers, please visit http://louiscatorze.com

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29 responses to “Le retour de la lumière ”

  1. mcmcneil1 avatar
    mcmcneil1

    We have older cats too…the youngest is 11…then in October my cousin died at 56 and I inherited his tortie only 4 and a half. Since I will soon be 79, it becomes a question of who will outlive who ? At least, as Oliver Herford reminds us : :We are nearer to Spring than we were in September.”

    Happy New Year to Catorze, you and CD.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar

      Happy solstice to you! How lovely of you to take on your cousin’s cat after he passed. 🐈

      Like

  2. M - avatar

    ❤ Joyeux Noël from our maison to yours!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar

      Joyeux Noël à vous tous! 🌟

      Like

  3. Audrey Driscoll avatar

    Happy Yule to you and Le Roi!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar

      Happy Yule to you, too! Here’s to the returning light!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Lou Carreras avatar

    It’s been so crazy this year that we have yet to decorate the tree, much to the dismay of Sabrina and Marcus. What coud be more fun than pulling decorations off the tree? In any case best wished from Massachusetts, and wishes for a Merry Christmas – despite misbehaving cats!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar

      Merry Christmas to you, too! Don’t worry, I’m sure they will make up for lost time when the tree is finally up!

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Sarah avatar
    Sarah

    Happy Winter Solstice and lots of love to you and Louis!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar

      Thank you, and happy solstice to you, too! 🌞

      Like

  6. mmechapeau avatar
    mmechapeau

    Happy winter solstice to you too, thank you for all your stories and long live King Louis 😺.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar

      Thank you, and Happy Solstice!

      Like

  7. livinglandwales avatar

    Where would we be without our furry overlords/ladies….even though there are times when we question it all.

    Blessings for a calm Solstice and hope your health continues to improve. JKx

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar

      Thank you! Happy solstice to you all! 🌟

      Like

  8. alicephilippa avatar
    alicephilippa

    He continues to surprise us.

    Just as Madame heart murmur continues to surprise me. She’ll be 14 this coming July and the Bag of Arse will be 12. Both are fat (1kg over weight) and happy.

    Happy solstice, the year turns and it will soon be spring.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar

      Fat and happy! Aww! Happy solstice to you!

      Like

  9. Kate Crimmins avatar

    Have a great holiday!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar

      Thank you! You, too. Sending lots of love to the furry overlord/ladies.

      Liked by 1 person

  10. cat9984 avatar

    Happy Solstice to the Sun King. Long may he reign

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar

      Happy solstice to you, too!

      Liked by 1 person

  11. RasmaSandra avatar

    Happy Solstice to you! I wish Louis a long and happy life ahead. I was just thinking with the personality he has once the clock strikes 12 on New Year’s Eve he should scream in 2025. I think my cats are planning this also. Early this morning around 5 AM brother Freddie and sister Tish had a major spat. All that growling and spitting and what not I told them they won’t live to see the New Year. Now here I sit at my PC bleary eyed and they are snoring away.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar

      Of course they are! 🤣🤣🤣 Having ruined your sleep, their work is done. Happy solstice to you!

      Liked by 1 person

  12. Dr. CaSo avatar

    I adopted Miss Penny when she was 16 and she lived to be 19 🙂 I hope Louis Catorze lives even longer than that! Happy Solstice to you all, too!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar

      Joyeux Solstice! Aww, although he annoys the merde out of me, I would love him to live as long as that! 19 would be incredible but even 16 is a good age.

      Like

  13. sevencatsandcounting avatar

    Happy solstice to you and the magnificent Sun King.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar

      Happy solstice to you and your gang, too! 🌟

      Liked by 1 person

  14. bereavedandbeingasingleparent avatar

    we have an older boy, heaviest cat at our vets. Just the same old nutter cat with even worse aim at the cat litter tray.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. iamthesunking avatar

      The heaviest cat at the vet’s! What a title to hold! How much does the fine gentleman weigh, if it’s not too rude to ask? Catorze weighed 3.03kg when he went for his last steroid shot but I think he’s chubbed up since. Hope you and Hawklad had a lovely Christmas.

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