Reigning cats and dogs
Life is approaching a new normality here at the Manor.
I say a new normality as I don’t expect things ever to be quite the same as they were.
While they aren’t exactly curled up together, Penny and Cat seem to be accepting this new normality. There are no longer standoffs. There has been little evidence of claws or blood. Cat is no longer hiding under the table. The door between the front and the back of the house is now left open and both animals are free to roam.
I had forgotten what life with a cat is like. We used to have a couple of moggies way back when but have just had dogs for the last twenty odd years. I had forgotten how noisy and quiet they can be. Noisy in the sense that Cat occasionally hollers at the world for no apparent reason, and quiet in the sense that he can appear without warning on my shoulder of the back of my chair, thereby scaring the shite out of me.
Cat has a fascination with the Great Outdoors. We haven’t let him out just yet as Herself is afraid [probably with some justification] that he won’t return. He does have the freedom of the house however, and I discovered this morning that that extends to the foundations under the extension. I had to extract him somewhat forcibly by threading him between the central heating piping in the bathroom where the pipes disappear into the gloom beneath.
There is a peculiar relationship between Cat and Penny. Each wants to be friends with the other but each wants to be top dog [or cat]. Penny seems to be winning at the moment as she has chased Cat a couple of times [in fun, but I’m not sure Cat is aware of that] but I have yet to see Cat chasing Dog. Generally Cat just wanders around the room jumping from shelf to table to counter-top to window ledge [I had forgotten how three dimensional cats are] while Penny looks on with mild curiosity. The floor seems to be Penny’s domain while Cat rules everywhere else.
The swelling on my left arm has gone down and my fight index finger is beginning to regain a semblance of normality [though it still looks like my big toe]. The scratches in general are healing nicely. I mightn’t bother with a Tetanus injection.
And so life returns to a vague semblance of normality.
Wide awake Penny
From long experience I would make Cat an indoor cat even if it means a litter box with all the lovely cleaning out episodes it includes. Outdoor cats often disappear, get run over by cars and such, come home all torn up and/or with all sorts of diseases and fleas, just to name a few things.
Indoor cats usually stay healthy, clean, disease and insect free, and only get run over by the dog and the occasional human who didn’t see them when they sneaked behind their legs. They also don’t attract angry neighbors who watched your cat kill all the birds at their bird feeder. Or from your own?
Just a suggestion from personal experience.
Bugger. I thought those litter/cage cleaning days were over with the departure of the guinea pigs. I confess to being a little concerned fro the local avian population, as my garden is a great favourite for nesting.
On the other hand, I do like to sit with the doors to the garden open, or even to open the window occasionally. Maybe I’ll just tie him to a long rope?
That’s where window screens and screen doors (storm doors) come in handy. Common thing in homes over here but I don’t know about over your way.
Would you please stop referring to it as Cat. It has a name. It’s something like Maloney or McGigglesworth or some such. Use it’s name please.
He is a cat, and therefore Cat is a fairly appropriate name. His given name is Malone which I find a little strange [the daughter’s cat is called Trouble which is far more appropriate]. Herself keeps trying to call him, which, being a cat, he totally ignores. As the previous owner was French, Herself even tries calling him Malone in a French accent which is somewhat surreal. He ignores that too.
Ours was called “Cooking Fat” – or something like that!
Heh! Subtle but good. I was thinking of Schrödinger? The little fucker is never where he’s supposed to be and keeps appearing out of nowhere.
Grandad,
A cat you say? I’m sure you’ve seen these as they’ve been scattered round the Web for years but it may be a good idea to revisit and print them and present them to your good lady for future reference as the need arises. One for medicating and two washing the guy.
http://foggy-mirror.blogspot.co.uk/2007/04/and-then-there-was-cat-medication.html
http://www.funny.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Funny.woa/wa/funny?fn=C3TPW
https://motleynews.net/2013/06/30/how-to-wash-a-cat/
Thank you for your kind suggestions. I do remember reading the first of those but the other two are new. They sound like they are realistic enough from my recent experiences. I think Cat will have to forgo any pills, but there should be no problem with washing him. That’s what washing machines are for, surely? As the inside is made of stainless steel, it should be safe enough. A wash, spin and tumble dry cycle should do the trick nicely.
My tip for medicating Cats; Crush the tablet or pour the sachet into a saucer of a warm milk-honey-and a lot of whiskey. Using your index finger rub the gums with the ‘toddy’ before pouring the rest down the throat…
…and if all goes ok then try it on the cat.
Yes. That could work. Though I think I’d do the tasting before I add the tablet.