Sunday, May 18, 2008
I’m probably jinxing us by saying this but we’re actually in a pretty good cat place right now. Things have calmed down and we haven’t had any accidents. I’m not counting poop in the tub as an accident, because Ariel clearly does that on purpose, but we can’t fight every battle at once. Time-outs are less frequent and Emmett actually seems to have lightened up with the old chase-and-pounce routine. Tony gets 100% of the credit for all of this, because he has been completely consistent in dealing with their behaviors. He is totally the Cat Whisperer.
The best thing is that we’re not on edge all the time, wondering where the next horrible discovery of pee will be, or when we will hear Linus screaming through the house. Everyone is calmer, which is how we all like it. Right now the sounds of Grand Theft Auto are the loudest things in the house, and that’s awesome.
I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful it is to see the cats settling into a more peaceful existence. Linus and The Smoosh are never going to be best friends, but I can tell that things are improving overall because now they can be in the same room together without trying to draw blood. A little hissing and growling at first, but now Linus can lie on the couch with The Smoosh nearby and she only gives him dirty looks. Ariel is less stressed and Emmett isn’t as much of a bully. We know The Smoosh is happy when she participates in her routine of putting her toys in her food, which she has been doing a lot more as of late.
While they have definitely tried our patience through this (not yet over, I’m sure) time, I still can’t imagine how people get rid of their pets, or worse, abuse them. It’s seriously unfathomable to me. I’m sure we’re not out of the woods yet with their behaviors, but we’re close, and it was worth the effort. These cats are so trusting and so completely dependent on us to care for them and they enrich our lives in so many ways. They entertain, they love unconditionally, they give us something to care for and care about. I know we’ll be better parents one day because of it. When I think about what Tony has done day in and day out with these cats, it seriously makes me want to go all kinds of Dugger and have like eighteen babies with him. Or one. One would be good, too. Until then my heart will skip a beat every time he picks up a litter scoop.
Happy cats. Happy people.