Day 2 of Cat Ownership
I’m tired. I feel like Dooce. Okay, that’s not true. If there’s a scale of maternal misery, she’s at, like, 100 and I’m at 7. But my level of sympathy for her is going way up. I spent the whole night lying awake listening to Amy meow pitifully in the bathroom. I knew she’d go to sleep eventually but it just broke my heart to hear her. Then I started envisioning all the things that could happen in there. “Snookums, our toilet seat isn’t very heavy. She could push it up with her head and fall in and drown! Oh, and I left the bottle of hand soap on the sink. She could accidentally push it and then lick the soap and get poisoned!” He’d just grunt, turn over, and start snoring again. Eventually she quieted down and I feel into an uneasy sleep. This morning we gingerly opened the bathroom door to see her peeking out at us from her new cat bed. And lo and behold, she’d done a poo and a wee in her litterbox! Good girl, Amy!
I’m going to get her a scratching post tonight. So far she’s tried scratching her little claws on the couch, the bathroom rug, my jeans, and the dining room chairs. Only the first two are acceptable. Now the only decision is whether my cat-mommy guilt will allow me to purchase the cheap one-tier post or whether I’ll shell out $100 for the ultra mega three-tier-and-a-tunnel playground. We’ll see.
I swear this isn’t going to become a total CatBlog. It’s just the novelty of the thing. You may have to sit through a few more pictures though… 🙂
Claire
March 8, 2004 — 12:08 pm
Hmm, all these posts about cats and knitting, you crazy bag lady! Nah, your cat is soooo cute. I want one.
Kris
March 8, 2004 — 1:36 pm
I totally *am* becoming that lady. I was at the pet store today at lunch getting a scratching post and some more toys and I found myself looking at the big hideous keychains with pictures of cats on them going, “Hmmm…” But I’m not there yet. 🙂
aim
March 8, 2004 — 3:50 pm
i’d be interested to find out what percentage of WG readers prefer dogs as pets, cats as pets, birds (ehhhhhh!) as pets, etc.
because i find the thought of my namesake’s sharp claws, harsh tongue and wonky tail (hmm…comparisons to me are endless!) quite repulsive! i mean, fuzzy baby animals are cute and all, but i hate cats. you’re soooo a cat person, though, i never realized it. i just hope it works out better than the fish did! 🙂
Kris
March 8, 2004 — 4:05 pm
Good question. I’ve set it up as a poll, so you can vote now. (No rigging the vote on this one, DAD.)
See, when you describe her that way, she does sound like a little monster! But really she’s a furry little sweetie. I’m much more repulsed by drooling dogs with bad breath. (Although I was completely entranced by a Shar-Pei puppy in the pet store today. This chubby soccer mom behind me was like, “I’m getting her. I’ve been here ten days in a row looking at her and I WANT HER.” Darn dog was $600!)
rdh
March 9, 2004 — 12:43 am
What?? Me rig a scientific poll on pet ownership, besides dogs are leading so I didnt have to. Neener, neener, neener.
psorr
March 9, 2004 — 3:21 am
Nothing to stress about right away, but I’d start trimming her toenails while she’s young. Doing it about once a month reduces a lot of snags and tears from razor-sharp claws. I’ve found that normal ‘human’ clippers work pretty well.
Kris
March 9, 2004 — 7:19 am
Yeah, that’s what I want to do, psorr. I’m just worried I’ll hurt her!
aim
March 9, 2004 — 1:47 pm
clip the damn thing, or i’m never coming to visit. why their claws have to be so friggin’ sharp, i don’t know. i’m not for de-clawing ’em though, so you better think of something quick!
and not all dogs drool or have bad breath…in fact, some breeds don’t even shed! sharpei’s are pretty damn cute, but a little dominant – probably not a good breed to have around AMY.
btw, i had strange dreams last night about being at a house inhabited by you and rodd (in a far off land…) and he was making stir fry in these two WOKS, side by side, like he was doing some sort of experiment…and friggin’ AMY was up on the counter watching. it was very weird.
(p.s. hey dad, you and i both know what the ideal pet is anyway.)
Kris
March 9, 2004 — 3:58 pm
Please. Dogs have claws too! Amy’s got tiny little claws. Dad’s big old dog nearly knocked me over and tore my jeans off the last time I was at his house!
Hmmm. He cooks stir fry experiments, but only in one wok. And we don’t let her on the counter.
amy
March 9, 2004 — 5:38 pm
I second (or is it third) the nail clipping thing. start it while she is cound and you’ll be OK. Just watch out for the little pink vein on the bottom of each nail and don’t clip it! otherwise, it donen’t hurt them at all! promise.
Kris
March 9, 2004 — 5:53 pm
Hmm. Maybe I’ll have you come over and demonstrate just so I don’t mess it up…