Breaking Cat News by Georgia Dunn for June 20, 2024

He’s a warrior for peace. Or Piece(s) of valuable trash. LOL And he is……..BIG! And has such a big heart! How could Sophie not fall for him?

That means he’s also aware of alternate uses for everything he finds. A magnifying glass can be used to start a fire when the sun is shining.

He describes all the wonderful trash he comes across to Queen Mag. That’s a lot of trash talkin’…

I’m confused by the eyepiece. Does he always wear that, or is it what an appraiser would use, or… ?

Well, there was that big hammer you were just carrying . . .

He identifies the most valuable trash, and Sophie adds value to trash. No wonder he fell for her. That and she’s very worth falling for.

The magnifying glass being featured makes me think that somehow, someway it will play an important role in Sophie’s rescue.

Appraiser, warrior… hero. C’mon, Gutter. You’re all three if you want.

“We can be heroes…”

- David Bowie

Pucky looks very impressed in panel four. I hadn’t thought about the fact he didn’t actually come face to face with the raccoons before.

Gutter looks twice the size of Puck.

He’s a booty judge. I wonder if he is related to the Secretary of Transportation?

I need him for my Etsy Shop.

That thing is a WMD if you ask ants.

Gutter’s a triple threat. Nice!

This is going to be an epic storyline, so exciting !

I can picture him on, The Trash Antiques Roadshow!

Not tells me yours name is Rapidly Rummaging Rabid Rubbish Recycler Raccoon. RRRRRR!

Oh, Gutter! A warrior’s heart beats in many who don’t know it’s there until the time comes to use it. I have a feeling you’ll find that you’re ever bit the warrior Pucky thinks you are.

BoCH!

Plus he can fry ants when he’s bored.

Meanwhile, Back on the Nile (Classic Edition, Please enjoy another encore presentation of Nile Stories)

Beatrixia: So how is the scroll transcribing going, Elvis?

Elvis-Anum: Alright. I just finished with Jane Pawsten’s Pride and Pizza Dough. Here’s the story:

Pride and Pizza Dough

By A LadyIn a town in Southern England lived a wealthy restaurant owner with five daughters. As was usual in that day, he was anxious to see they each married well so they would be comfortable for life. The oldest was Tabitha, a beautiful and headstrong cat who knew her own mind. Then came Sophie, a talented and somewhat shy artist. Goldie was the third child. She was strong and dependable. The fourth was Beatrix, a lively and feisty kitty with an independent nature. And finally there was Ora Zella, a tortie with a strong and wayward nature.

Chef Tommy: My daughters, as you know I want to see you all settled in life. It is time to find suitable husbands who will take care of you.

Tabitha: But Father, we are set. The restaurant is doing well, and we all know how to run it.

Chef Tommy: True. But according to Society, it is imperative that young women cats have suitable husbands.

Sophie: I would like to be married someday, but it would have to be someone I really love.

Goldie: I would like to marry when the time is right. But I refuse to bow to Society’s dictates..

Beatrix: I would like to go to University and complete my education. Then see about marrying.

Ora Zella: I’ll do what I please.

Chef Tommy: We’ll see what the future holds. There are some new cats here for the Season. Perhaps you will find love and contentment there.

Tabitha: We shall see.

Gutter is just a big guy with a kind heart. I just fell in love with him a little more …

“You’re a raccoon” is what Puck comes up with? Maybe a more experienced reporter, like Elvis or Tom Brokat, should be handling this celebrity interview.

Someone remind me, what does Gutter have as armour, a cheese grater or a washboard (you can see it better on 2024/04/02 comic) I know another raccoon has a hubcap, another a chicken hut bucket

Gee, I wonder who else values trash and likes to do things with it. Then again, we should focus on finding Sophie first.

The good trash, left in my backyard recently by raccoons, includes a Phillips head screwdriver, a squeeze thing for strengthening your grip, and one pink Barbie ski.

Since the focus is on the big male Gutter it’s timely that our had a visit last night from our big male raccoon, Plushie Bear, with another big male who I think is his brother since he looks exactly like Plushie except without Plushie’s distinctive dense, short coat.

Male raccoons can weigh up to 60 pounds and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was close to this top end. He’s the size of a large dog in the body. He has a distinctly male face, with fat cheeks and a heavy neck. Older male raccoons develop rolls of muscle over their eyebrows, like heavyweight boxers, which push their eyes down and make them look smaller. Many males also have scarred faces, but Plushie is more of a lover than a fighter and his face has the same thick, plush fur as the rest of him. He’s very shy and once let me give him a marshmallow, which is the thing that raccoons love best of all possible foods.

Being a male raccoon is tough and lonely. Males sometimes eat the babies of other males, which makes females not want them around. I watched several mommas come up to Plushie and his brother just to snerg at them and bite them on the nose. Plushie endured this peacefully as a sign of goodwill. Although young males will band together during their first year, it’s unusual to see two giant males together. Since I don’t recognize the other male but he seems to recognize me, I feel like this is Plushie’s littermate that he used to hang around with as a teenager, now grown up and probably off seeking his own territory, just passing through for a get-together. Out together for a beer at the local raccoon pub.

My boy Raven is pretty sure that the raccoons in our backyard are warriors, and is quick to tell them that he is too. Much yowling! (He’ll never be allowed outside to prove it, of course.)

I suspect Gutter’s magnifying glass is going to be his weapon of choice in Sophie’s rescue. “Whole body’s a weapon.” Sort of.

Just his size would scaremost humans!!

Ooh… Shiny. Is that a crystal ball? Or…

You’re good boys, Gutter and Puck. I sense the possibility of a real friendship being forged here.

OT: Broken H00min News, part umpty-umpty-ump

Well then get off of your raggedy raccoon rump and FIND SOPHIE!! She’s a real Gem of a cat.

Gutter makes me think of my mother’s initial impression of Albert’s Man: “Well… he certainly is big.” It’s true. He’s a big guy — with heroic impulses and a fine eye for salvaging treasure from dumpsters.

“Trash Appraiser Panda”. No doubt he’ll source the most amazing objects for a certain artistic cat’s future art installations.

Sort of OT ramble and Spoiler alert if you haven’t read the Mole War arc yet: Oh, I am so loving this arc now. I was so distressed at the start, just like when the Mole War started. I couldn’t just not read it…I’m a BCN addict now. I would have to go reread some light-hearted past strips to ease the anxiety. But then: seeing the mutual respect and trust between Mouse and Magnet (I hadn’t cared so much for the raccoons before, especially Magnet who sermed so haughty, now I love them), Goldie and her claws-first style of interviewing, the precious Mona the mole mole, the gentle and peace-loving opossums, Beatrix and Magazine’s budding friendship, rambunctious raccoon kits, baby raccoon in Burt’s coffee, Magazine’s and Thimblefist’s acts of bravery, Puck’s journalism choice, Lupin’s gumball defense…just so many surprising and heartwarming and amusing moments, and making all the characters even more loveable than before (well, except for Wicket…still think he’s a jerk). Georgia is such an incredible storyteller, and I love this BCN world she has created. Every panel is such a beautiful work of art, with her mastery of body language and facial expressions and detail, and I can’t wait to see how Georgia develops this story! I know it will be delightful! Sorry for the long post, but I love this strip so much…I just had to vent about it today. Happy June solstice everyone!

I’m loving all the varied aspects of this story and all the support for Sophie and each other

Happy Litha to all Orbsters, and for those of you where the heat is overwhelming, good cooling to you. We need all our Orbsters!!

Pucky fang!!!!

Happy Midsummer Day everyone.

Also, somewhat on topic? A quote from a book I only got ’cause Amazon was practically giving it away and the title got my attention:

If I have any motto, in my later years, it is “Never regret the cheese.” Je ne regrette Brie-en.

— Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran

Gutter may not be a warrior, but he’s sure as heck modest.

The porch dwelling feral cat ‘Luchadora’ has a kibble loving young raccoon visitor that we call ‘Gift Shop’ who stops by occasionally. Gift Shop sits and eats, one piece of kibble at a time, alternating hands, and throwing the kibble the last inch into its mouth.

Our experience is that raccoons and cats usually have a detente, at least among adults. (To an adult raccoon, kittens are food.) This assumes that there is plenty of available food for both. YMMV.

This is the raccoon lore I love.

our first siting of Gutter is Oct 18, 2019 doing his job with Junk & Queen Mag. this is Goldie’s introduction – THe Case of the Missing People which starts on Oct 2nd

Pucky looks shocked, perhaps concerned with this piece of news.

OT – Another celebrity death

Trash into treasures. Raccoon refuse arbitrage sounds like the kind of reality show I’d like.

Reading when we first met Gutter and Junk, on October 22, 2019, Tommy and the Robber Mice meet Homestyle and Thimblefist. Oddly, not in keeping with their apparent upbringing seen last Sunday, Thimblefist and Homestyle react quite negatively to the fact that Tommy (in disguise as a Raccoon) and the Robber Mice want to find the Raccoons, with Thimblefist even saying: “The Raccons are the Worst!” This seems to not be in character, especially given what comes later during the Mole Wars. Thoughts?

is one of the birds already back? 3rd image, holder on his right/our left?

Well, my window fans are now set on exhaust instead of intake and the a/c is off because somebody startled Louie or one of his relatives visiting the neighborhood. This is not the weather for this type of thing!

when your detective brings their own magnifying glass

I love Gutter’s proud smile in panel 3. Nice to see him pleased.