Cat-catastrophes and Treats: Smokey and Ploppy Unleashed!

Meet Smokey, a playful 3-year-old tuxedo Maine Coon, and Ploppy, a wise 9-year-old calico from Santiago, Chile! In this fun Q&A, they share their daily antics, their love for treats, and what it’s like living the good life with their humans. From favorite nap spots to sibling rivalry, you’ll get a peek into their unique personalities and the ups and downs of being feline roommates!

P: Hi, I’m Ploppy, or Plop, or Ponque as my human sometimes calls me! I’m a 9-year-old calico.

S: Hello, I’m Smokey. I’m a 3-year-old tuxedo Maine Coon.

Ploppy and Smokey

1. Do you both have a favorite nap spot?

S: Well, I’ll try to answer this question… My favorite napping spot is on top of one of the many electric guitar amplifiers my male human owns. They have this super cool vibe, and they relax me. Now… Let me see… I think that your favorite napping spot, Plop, is anywhere that’s far away from me! Am I right? He he he…

P: Well, you got that one right! If I want to nap, I don’t want you bothering me… I also like sleeping next to the space heater in winter. It’s so warm and cozy!

2. How do you split treat duties?

P: Well, this one is easy. As Smokey has always been underweight and uninterested in food, humans always shower him with treats. I, on the other hand, often have to hack a hairball and leave it in a very visible place in order to get a treat or two… sigh

S: But, hey… You’re not being fair… Female human gives you yogurt and eggs every morning.

P: But that’s my second and third breakfast, not treats… You know nothing, Smokey Poseidon!

S: Whatever… You get as many treats as I do… Moving on…

Ploppy and Smokey

3. What’s it like being a MC and a Calico living together?

S: Well, I think that our main difference is that I am 6 years younger than Plop, so, clearly, we don’t have the same energy levels.

P: Or patience for busybodies who steal our favorite napping spots!

S: As I was saying, the age difference is the biggest factor. Followed by the fact that I was born and raised in a loving household, while Plop had to live on the streets and fight for her food.

P: It was rough, I will admit that. And I still think that I might wake up one day and find out that all this had been a beautiful dream, and that I am still living on the streets.

S: Oh no… That’s so sad! I promise, this is not a dream. Do you want me to slap you on the head to prove that this is real? Because I can! I’ll gladly do it!

P: Hissss Growl

Ploppy

4. Do your humans spoil you with local treats?

P: Well, our male human really likes seafood, so we get plenty of fish, octopus, and shrimp to try. I like them all. Smokey, not so much. He only likes his cat food and Kit Cat Purr Puré.

S: I also like spinach… One of these days, I’ll be big and strong like Popeye!

P: Sure… Sure… It’s not like cats are obligate carnivores or anything like that…

5. How do you both feel about the local wildlife?

S: Oh, we are strictly indoor cats, so we don’t get to interact with local wildlife. However, we do get a lot of lizards! Plop, you remember the last time we got one in the house… We were so confused! It looked like a little five-point star that just sat there! Lol

P: You mean, YOU didn’t know what to do with it? I caught it, remember?

S: No, you didn’t! We both just sat there looking at it until humans came back and stole it from us!

P: Whatever! They are such killjoys… we could have had so much fun with that lizard!

Smokey

6. Is life in Chile more about lounging or chasing adventures?

P: Well, MY life is mostly about eating and being left alone! I love to wake up around 7 am, then try to snuggle under the bedcovers with my human. After that, I leisurely enjoy my first, second, and third breakfast. Then I nap until I can smell some human food. That is my cue to get on the table and try to steal as much food as possible from my human’s plate. Today, she ate some fish, which I managed to grab off her plate. After that, I have a few beauty naps, and then I get my calming treats and yogurt, and then it’s time for sleep.

Now, Smokey’s routine is slightly different. It’s mostly running around the place like a cat possessed, annoying me and meowing until somebody plays with him!

S: Oh, come ooon! Not everyone is a boring middle-aged cat like you! I just like to express myself in different ways. I start my mornings by singing to my humans, and I tell them how much I love them and how happy I am. Then I play with my toys, and I try to engage you in my playtime too. Every day I wake up thinking: “Today might be the day when Plop plays with me!”

P: That day will never come… Never.

S: Sometimes, you can be so frustrating. That’s why I sometimes slap you on the head, just to see if that might make you act differently. Anyways, I just like to run around, take a massive poo…

P: Yes, we know. You always let us know: “I’m going to poo… I’m going to poo… I’m pooing now! I just pooed!”

S: Yeah! I like to let humans know that they need to scoop the litter… lol… then, I watch some birBs TV, take a nap, play with my toys, run around, take a nap, run around, meow… it’s so exciting!

7. Do your humans make special adjustments to care for you?

S: Well, Santiago, where we live, has an almost Mediterranean climate, but it is a bit drier. So, our humans don’t have to worry about it too much. I mean, due to my very thick and long hair, I do suffer a bit more in hot weather. So, I am not as active as usual. We have an air conditioning unit that helps when it’s really hot.

P: I actually love hot weather, so for me, it’s not an issue. What our humans need to take special care of is the water we drink – the water in Santiago is very hard and full of minerals, which is not very good for our kidneys. So, we can only drink filtered water.

Ploppy

8. What is the biggest expense?

P: Vet bills for sure. Even though I am an extremely healthy cat with no serious health conditions, every vet visit is definitely making a dent in our treats and toys budget. We used to have a brother called Cucho, and he had some serious health issues. I don’t know what was more devastating – watching him get sick or paying the vet bills.

S: But our humans also buy the best food for us. Our female human believes that everything you spend on some good quality cat food, you will save three times more on the vet bills.

P: She also buys us all these toys, doesn’t she?

S: Yes, she does… and then we end up playing with a string…

P: Or the box the toy came in… lol

S: Yeah… but I do love that expensive treats puzzle she got me! It’s fun!

P: She got it FOR ME! You stole it!

S: I also love my teepee… It’s my favorite too!

P: Again, it was mine first!

S: But you never use it.

P: Because every time I get into it, you start pushing it and try to topple it over!

S: Because it’s mine…

P: Hiss Growl

S: You really need to work on your anger control…

9. Have you ever been part of any Chilean cultural celebrations?

S: Uhmmm… Not really… but we get to play with red, white, and blue ribbons humans bring home to decorate the place.

P: Yeah, we’ve never learned to dance cueca or anything like that. It’s Chilean national dance. Apparently, it was supposed to show flirting between a man and a woman, but some say it is also showing how a rooster follows a hen. Now, if it involved REAL chickens, I might get interested. I really do like chicken…

Smokey

10. What’s your favorite way to spend a lazy afternoon?

P: Well, my favorite way to spend a day is being alone with my female human. Which cannot happen now because we have our male human and Smokey. So, my favorite afternoon is to be with my female human, and sometimes, she gets this little brush and brushes my fur! I enjoy that tremendously!

S: You like having your fur brushed? Really??!! I hate it, and she does it EVERY EVENING with me!

P: Lucky you… sigh

S: Maybe we could trade places, and she can brush your hair?

P: Sure, we’re so similar she’ll never even notice… lol

S: Oh, you’re right! But maybe she can brush YOUR hair once she’s finished with mine?

Anyways, my favorite way to spend an afternoon is watching TV snuggled with my male human. Or listening to my male human play the guitar… Well, anything with my male human really…

In the lively yet often tumultuous world of Smokey and Ploppy, we witness the humor and challenges of two distinct personalities sharing a space. Their playful banter often turns into amusing disagreements, showcasing the reality of their relationship as they navigate their differences.

While they may not always see eye to eye, their contrasting quirks bring a unique flavor to their home in Santiago. From competing for the coziest napping spot to their light-hearted teasing over treats, their interactions remind us that even the most mismatched pairs can create moments of joy and laughter. Here’s to the spirited rivalry and the unforgettable memories that arise when two cats share a home!