I am 14 today so it is my turn to write the post. I share my birthday with Chris’ Mum, although she is no longer with us, and Wendy on Gipsy!
I bet you are wondering how old I am in human years. Well I have done some research. The first 2 years of a cat’s life count as 25 human years. After that it’s 4 human years for every feline year. So I am 73! Gee that’s depressing!
We have had a strange year, but it is getting better. I am spending my birthday at The Keppels! A good thing about being here is that it’s nice and warm, we take early morning beach walks again, something that had not happened for ages, and I can take long catnaps in the sunshine in the afternoon. I need my beauty sleep after all this walking, you see.
We have lived on a boat for more than three years. I enjoy this life which is just as well because I don’t think my humans are intending to go back to land life in a hurry. Sometimes they think I might be bored, but I am not. I like nothing better than sniffing the sea air from the deck of our boat, or surveying our surroundings from the top of the boom. Anui is my home, I can move around as I see fit, there is no nasty dog chasing me, I get treats, lots of cuddles, blows on the tommy from my Dad. I can play chasies and hide and seek. I especially like to hide in the engine lockers, although I get into trouble for going in there! And dinghy rides to the beach are fun too!
So life is pretty good, really! Anyway, for the occasion of my birthday, I have instructed my Mum and Dad to collate 14 recent photos of me. Let me know which is your favourite!
On the beach at Great Keppel! 
Deck patrol 
Singing! 
We are in QLD! 
I can see fishies! 
On an outing ashore 
Got to clean between the toes! 
Smells good, can I have some? 
Showing my good side 
Oh that feels good! 
Got to get further up to see what’s going on! 
I am not swimming back to the dinghy! 
I can smell something! 
Sv-Anui 
Happy birthday Bengie!!
Happy birthday, Bengie! You look like a young cat to me. 🥰😻🥰
Thank you John, I feel pretty good!
Happy birthday Bengie, I hope you get some birthday treats 🎉🐠
Hello Maree! Tuna and little mackerel treats are on the menu! Tail cuddles to you. 🐱 💕
Happy birthday Bengie. Hope you got some nice treats from your humans and have a purrfect day.
Love from Ella Bleu
Hello cousin Ella! Been for a beach walk and dinghy trip already before the treats… more to come I hope. 🐈 💋
Happy Birthday Bengie!!
You should have tuna treats today. And celebrate with many sniffs of Catnip, sunbathing and dreaming about your younger years and your many adventures. Love Rusty and Bindi your K9 friends!!
Thank you you woofers… not sure about you two chasing me but I forgive you! Thanks for the catnip!
Oh Bengie, you regal feline. Mieow and happy birthday to you. Please thank your mummy for posting those lovely photos. Cheers, Mary.
Meow to you Mary – Thank you for saying hello! Big bisous and tail cuddles 🐈 🐱 😘
Happy pussycat birthday Benji. I knew I had an infinity with you – I was 73 this month too. ‘Leo’s’ are the best signs in the zodiac. I love Benji singing at the piano. Stay safe.
Thank you Caroline! Leo’s are the best!
Have a great day of adventures on your birthday Bengie. I hope lots of treats are the order of the day. 🦐 your favourite, 🐟
Thank you Susie, cuddles and treats already… more to come! 💋 🐈
Happy Birthday, Bengie! ❤️
Thanks HJ! I promise I haven’t chased birds for ages! 🐈 🦅
A huge happy birthday Bengie ! Shh . . . I’m a wee bit older than you and it honestly does not hurt and can actually be rather fun ! Methinks you have a lovely home and are lucky with your humans and, as you say, there are no wretched dogs around most of the time. I like all your photos but ’cause I love music and food and cooking, you singing at the piano and watching Daddy make yummy things at the stove . . . well, I guess I’ll go back and look at those again . . .
Meow Eha 😻. I’m glad you like the one of me singing at the piano! It’s my favourite! Mind you the one of me riding in the dinghy back to Anui is pretty good too! Thanks for saying hello.
Happy Birthday Bengie. Are you an Ocicat? You are good looking cat, that’s for sure with a great life!
Hi Craig -?I am a Bengal… Bengie the Bengal… get it? My humans were not very inventive when they named me as a kitten. But thanks for the compliment anyway. Tail cuddles for you!
Hi Benji, hope you had a really great day ! By the way, of the pictures I like you at the keyboard, & also the last one as you return to Anui, your home.
Meow Doug! You got my two favourites!
Happy Birthday Bengie! Love the tummy rub photo..sending as many virtual burthday hugs that we can over the electrons and look forward to giving you a belated real one as soon as we can. 😻 Trish
Meow Trish, are you coming soon? Looking forward to a tummy rub from you!
Hi Bengie, Relatively speaking we are not that far away; we are at Pancake Creek so two days sail if the mouse scurries in a straight line – but… we are going to explore a little west of here and have a look around Gladstone before heading further north. I do very much look forward to giving you a tummy rub! xxx
Congratulations Bengie, you write just as well as your mommy!
Hi Elgar & Claire… A purr and tail cuddle for you two.
Be careful with your whiskers when blowing out your candles!
Oh no candles on the tuna treats… don’t want to risk it!
Happy Birthday Bengie and I love the “I am in Qld” photo, and all the others of course. I (Ella Bleu) hope you had some yummy mackerel for your birthday and wish I was there to share it and the life on the water and walks on the beach with you. Take care of Wade & Chris & perhaps we may catch up again once Phil & Lindy finally have our boat on the water and set off on some great adventures.
Hi Ella Bleu, wouldn’t that be amazing to meet up again! By the way those mackerel treats are extra good. I’m getting the last one today! Better send my humans shopping!
Happy birthday Bengie. I remember that beach on the first photo at Great Keppel from my visit last year. Beautiful spot.
Hello Phil, lots of nice beaches here. We are all thinking of you!
Happy birthday bengi! He is beautiful!
Thanks Aletta… Bengie is a girl! She is a fun little companion.
Sorry, she is beautiful 🐱🐱
Wow–an entire Bengie posting. Happy Birthday. It is really an impossible task to choose a favorite photo because they are all so good and so different. If forced to pick one, it might be “Got to get further up to see what’s going on,” though I am also really drawn to the one where Bengie is singing at the piano.
She is quite good fun isn’t she and a good looking cat. Thanks Mike.
“Good-looking” is an understatement–she is stunning. I think it is really cool that you are able to have a pet while living about your catamaran. I am sure she was some comfort too when you were forced to limit contact with other humans earlier this year.
Yes animals have a way of sensing when things are not right and come and comfort you.
Many happy returns of the day Bengie 😀
Thank you Murray 🐈 ⛵️