Kitty Love

I woke up very early this morning with pain in my knee again. Nothing new there - but I reached over and Princess was in Queenie's place next to my ear. Fluffy was on the other side of my head. Beasley was at my hip near Princess, and Queenie was near my feet there. Bugs was on the other side of my feet.

This was not a first, but pretty close! All five on the bed when I woke up.

The cats have been working really hard to make their personalities come out, lately.

Bugs is no longer just "cute" but cute with a purpose. She has an agenda. She wants to be noticed and cuddled. I changed the sheets on the bed & she had a total fit! She couldn't play with me while I made the bed - by the time I was making the bed she was long gone. She just didn't like me stripping the sheets! She growled & moaned. You could see it on her face. Afterwards, when I cuddled her & put her on the bed, the purrs were much louder than usual.

Queenie is not just Beasley's favorite and a velcro kitty, but a little girl who wants to be loved and appreciated. She is still a little afraid if I move too fast, but she's getting better. She doesn't care for the "pudgy cheek" scratch, but she puts up with it because she gets to lay on my lap as long as she wants to if she lets me give her a little of that.

The biggest change has been Princess. She is "pawing" my arm in the morning when I get on the computer. She is taking over the chair next to the computer (it has the cats' pillows on it) and so she is just below eye level. She is very proactive about cuddles in bed, but now she isn't waiting for bedtime. And when I go into the bedroom in the evenings, she no longer looks at me with that wild-eyed stare. Boy! Three solid years of this & she's finally getting it that I love her and want nothing but the best for her. I go and sit next to her and snuggle on her a little bit. Then, she gives me that "why'd you stop" look, instead of getting up and going into her hidey hole box.

Fluffy is a total snuggle bug. She waits till I put up the footrest on the chair and then jumps up. She wants to lay in a special spot where she can straddle the arm and my knee at the same time. Yes, my sore knee. She seems to understand my pain. Her fur is all matted again, but it's like she just refuses to let me trim them off or brush them out. I might be able to get 3 strokes with the brush, or isolate a mat with my fingers and grab the scissors - then she's off! If I just let her be, she sleeps like she hasn't had any sleep in days. I actually caught her stealing food this morning. She finished her bowl & went over to Beasley's bowl & picked the food up & dropped it on the floor. I stopped her & put his food back in his bowl, but she didn't like that so she left the kitchen. When I walk into the bathroom, she has to meet me at the door & go into submission pose. Head down & turned almost upside down, hiney up & leaning on the doorframe. She's asking for a cuddle, of course! A quick scratch & stroke & she's happy. She doesn't come closer or follow me in, but stays there looking longingly at me like she wants more cuddles. What a card!

Beasley has been pouting a little bit. He wants to play so badly! If I could cull him out long enough and keep his attention long enough, I think he would benefit greatly. He's been hopping up on my lap when I'm on the computer & otherwise ignoring me. He comes for cuddles a little bit, and puts his whiskers forward when he talks to me, but I can tell he's not getting understood. I can see his frustration. I understand, but there isn't anything I can do to help. He needs to ignore the girls long enough to get some quality play time. I guess I'll just keep trying. Meanwhile, he head-butts me when he comes for cuddles, so I know he still believes in me.

Yeah, the holidays & all the time I've been able to spend with the cats has really helped. They are better for it. Maybe Beasley is missing special time with mom, but he's happy the girls are with us, too. He loves them. He and Fluffy have a deal. He sleeps on one side of the chair, she gets the other side. They protect each other against the girls - Bugs and Queenie. If either of the girls come up, they get chased off - with a look, nothing else.

I look forward to more love from all of them. We are looking for a larger abode. My business activities are growing and our space together is more squeezed. I guess it's time to move on a bit. I look forward to a dishwasher, and a washer and dryer. I look forward to being able to walk through a room and not have it do double or triple duty.

Well, Happy New Year! Hope you get all the things you want. I hope you have prosperity and health. And may there be peace on earth - if only for a little while. It's been too long since there was peace.