You may not find this terribly rewarding unless you're included here, so this is a good time for casual and random browsers to turn back before they get too caught up in the sweep and majesty of the proceedings and can't let go.
Melvin the Doge's first visit to the USA, continued -- and back home in Europe
This is a small collection of poignant photos of fairly cute cats, extracted from other webpages on this site.
Melvin the Doge helping out with changing a light bulb, early July 2017
Melvin the Doge, in good company
Melvin's meant to be an indoor cat, but it's painful to see his mournful looks spending hours staring out the windows.
Melvin's first day out on his own
-- Oh, grass, cool. Oh, insects!
He's escaped twice, a flash out the door before anyone could react, and occupied five to seven people chasing him all over the property, some with nets, some endangering themselves with flying tackles, unsuccessfully. Now we'll see how he does on his own.
We will see Melvin when he wants to be seen. But not otherwise.
Over the summer, he's passed most of his tests -- never came when called, but so far has always come when he's ready, and only once wandered off the Point.
His hiding techniques are not yet finely honed, but seeing him bears no relation to catching him.
Some cats terrorize the birds, but so far Melvin the Doge cares only about insects -- about which he is obsessively diligent.
Ready to pounce
Exploring the dock . . .
. . . and under the dock.
-- How do you work one of these things, anyway?
Melvin's spotted the hydrobikes
-- How do you work one of these things, anyway?
Melvin's curiosity satisfied, he's getting ready to jump down off this very slippery, hard plastic pontoon . . .
. . . with unforeseen results.
-- Stay calm, it's only water.
Melvin on the loose
Melvin the Doge stalking his prey by the lake, 10 September 2017
Go for it.
Lying in wait
Will fish be next on his programme?
A few more from the summer
Three more from the pontoon boat on the lake in Wisconsin, 14 August 2017
All three taken by Oriane Piskula
Photo by Becca Williams, 12 September 2017
Back home in Switzerland, September 2017
So near, and yet so far
Melvin the Doge making himself at home in Ollon, mid-November 2017
No drawers left unexplored
No birds unmonitored
Asleep on his perch
.
A feline obsession with keyboards
No cupboards left unexplored
Hiding unsuccessfully
An unsuccessful jailbreak
Melvin is an 'indoor cat' who doesn't always want to be, but so far the plastic chicken wire has frustrated his best efforts. (Wait till he grows up a bit more.)
Birds, insects, passing 'outdoor cats' from the neighborhood -- vigilance.
Pleading to be tickled, 10 December 2017
Back in Settimo Vittone in a right snowstorm, 12 December 2017
Melvin's free to sunbathe on the terrace of the Palazzo Mengozzi (in zero degree weather), Montegiardino, San Marino, 19 December 2017
Less and less fun on the terrace of the Palazzo Mengozzi, Montegiardino, San Marino, 20 December 2017
The obvious solution
Figuring out how mirrors work, in Longiano, 20 December
An uncooperative Melvin the Doge in Longiano, 22 December 2017
At the start of the new year -- Keeping the keyboard safe in Ollon, 14 January 2018
Dwight Peck's personal website
Feedback
and suggestions are welcome if positive, resented if negative, 
.
All rights reserved, all wrongs avenged. Posted 11 September 2017, updated 4 July 2019, corrections 17 April 2024.