Fawn recently had a chance to go away for a few days with her granddaughter and asked me to cat sit again. “Well, okay,” I told her reluctantly. I say reluctantly because just a few minutes earlier Paddy Paws (the hissy fitter) had come to me and rose up on my leg and allowed me to pet her. Not five minutes later I walked by her and she hissed and slapped at me. I clapped my hands and yelled at her and she took off like the wind. I looked over at Fawn and she was cracking up. I am so, so glad that she thinks this is funny.
So anyway I loaded my car and showed up at Fawn’s just in time to feed the munchkins. I know this because they all came out (except the hissy fitter) to greet me. Now in cat speak that means food. I fed the little darlings and then found myself some supper and was surprised that Tuxedo Cat, commonly known as Half Pint, didn’t join me as she is the only real people food lover in the bunch.Later that night I settled down in front of the TV and not one little body came in to keep me company. Not even one. However, Cat Cat did come to the door a couple of times to check if I was still there.
I noticed that whenever I fed them Cat Cat ate slower than everyone else and Poor Baby would push her away and finish her food. So by the second night I was ready. I fed all the cats and stood by Cat Cat’s bowl while she ate and whenever Poor Baby would come near I would step between her and the food bowl. It only took about three tries until she got the idea that she was not going to get anything out of that bowl.
All the cats are fed on the back porch except Paddy Paws who eats later, Cat Cat who eats in the kitchen and Muffin who you have to chase down and put her bowl down whenever she decides that is the right spot to have her dinner on that night, even if it happens to be on the bed. Yes, she gets served breakfast and dinner in bed sometimes, well actually, more often than not.
I noticed on the second day that none of the cats who used to be my best friends and followed me around the last time would only come out this time at feeding time. But Cat Cat became my shadow and followed me to my bedroom, the kitchen, the den, the porch and wherever else I happened to be going. And for the life of me, I don’t know why, unless it’s because I protected his food dish but on my last morning there when I took Muffin’s breakfast to the bed Cat Cat was sitting there looking expectant and so I gave him his breakfast in bed too.
My last night there I was awakened by a horrendous crash. I sat straight up in bed with my heart pounding and listened for a long time but didn’t hear anything else so I dozed off again. Well the next morning when I went into Fawn’s bathroom to fill their water dishes three cats ran out past me. “Hummm!” I think and then I looked and there was the cutest little fairy in the bathtub along with all the little round soaps that fell out of her. Oh Ho I think perhaps I have found the noise of the night. And from the way the soaps were spread around I’m sure that they had a grand time playing with them on the slick bathtub surface.
When I told Fawn about Cat Cat following me around she asked “So when are you taking him home?” Well as handsome as he is and as much as I enjoy him I can tell you that I changed the subject really quick! The answer is no, I still do not want a cat. It so happens that I know a place where there are some very nice kitties that I can go and pet when I feel the need but then I can go home and leave them there so I actually really, really don’t need one of my own.
Wishing you Joy and Laughter Everyday!
