Wednesday, July 30, 2014: An Unsettling Day

The morning starts out well, but Tommy calls out to me and goes to her scratching post in the bedroom.  I can’t figure out what she wants and we do this little dance a few times.  Then I realize that when she uses the scratching post and I notice, she gets a treat. She probably wants a treat but hasn’t realized why she gets one. She knows that it has something to do with the scratching post.

I go to the kitchen to get a seafood treat, but when I get there Tommy tries to bite my ankle, which is something she hasn’t done before.  I have a dilemma, do I give her a treat (that she hadn’t really earned) right after she did something inappropriate? I decide not to give her the treat, but we instead spend more time together. We play for a short amount of time because it doesn’t hold her interest. I try petting her, but every time we get to the neck and chest, I can tell that she’s not in petting mode, but play mode. This means that she may try biting again, so I go back to petting her head and ears.

The rest of the day goes well. I tried to give Tommy some chewable hairball treats, but she doesn’t care for them. When I mash them up with a turkey treat she does eat a couple. I’m not sure if it’s worth the bother. I also put some catnip on her scratching post, but instead of scratching to get it, she just vigorously licks the post.

Later when I’m working on the computer Tommy becomes quite agitated and I get up to investigate. She goes into the bedroom and sits on the scratching post and yells and yells. It appears that my little girl loves catnip and wants me to become her supplier.  I get her to come up on the bed and spend quite a bit of time calming her down. One of the things I enjoy is when I’m petting her chest and neck, sometimes she’ll take one of her fore paws and move it over on top of my arm that’s not doing the petting. It’s like she’s letting me know how connected we are.

I leave to do a couple errands and get in a walk. When I return and open the bedroom door, Tommy isn’t sitting at the door. She’s still on the bed, but does come down and let me know how she feels about me leaving her. I’m glad that she’s starting to get used to not having me around 24-7 (just most of the time).

I leave for a fund raiser event and as I’m saying good-bye, I notice that the end of Tommy’s tail is beating on the bed just like someone tapping a foot. She knows I’m leaving, but since I won’t be gone “too long,” with any luck she’ll be sleeping when I return/sneak back in.

When I return she’s awake and not very happy to see me. Try as I might, there’s no winning her over tonight. I’m not in the best of moods either, so we call a truce and turn off the lights.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014: A Frustrating Morning

The day didn’t start out well. Sometime during the night my hand and Tommy’s face connected. It wasn’t very hard and of course it was an accident, but Tommy didn’t see it that way. No matter how much I apologized and petted her in a soothing contrite voice, she would have none of it. She just yelled and tried to bite every time my hand came near. We slept the rest of the night, but I think both of us were unsettled by the situation.

In the morning nothing was changed. Tommy was still very upset and didn’t want to have anything to do with me. I decided to stay out of her way and proceeded to do some cleaning. While I worked on our bathroom, she would occasionally check on my progress, but still kept her distance.

During the rest of the morning, she would sometimes approach me and appear to want my attention. I petted her and spoke in a very quiet tone. Everything seemed to be progressing well, when suddenly she’d again try to bite me. This continued throughout the morning. At one point when I was dusting in the bedroom, I thought that she was under the bed, so to check I opened the closet door. Tommy didn’t come running and that was the first time that had happened.

After finishing the cleaning in the bathroom and bedroom, I decided to move to the study to work. Tommy came in and just kept yelling at me. I went over to her near the window and just reclined on the floor. She seemed to calm down and again we went through the petting ritual that again ended in a biting attempt.

After lunch I settled on the bed to watch some television and was joined by Tommy. She had a little “episode” which I think was a little hairball. A friend had mentioned petroleum jelly for hairball issues and I tried to get Tommy to lick some off my finger, but she didn’t want to have anything to do with licking my finger. I took out a couple small treats and coated them in petroleum jelly and Tommy licked and then ate the treats.

It seemed like after that episode we were on better terms. Tommy let me pet her and didn’t try to bite me. We settled in for a nap and I made sure my hands weren’t even close to her.  When we woke up Tommy was ready for her usual chest/neck rub and went back to sleep. Finally it appeared we were back to normal.

While Tommy slept I decided to try to catch up with some computer work. I was able to work for about 15-20 minutes before Tommy woke up and found me. I got my usual scolding, but was happy that the routine was back. She seems to be okay when I type, but doesn’t enjoy my transcribing. I’m not sure if it’s the headphones and microphone that bother her or that fact that I’m talking to nobody (which means “not her and nobody else is around).

I head out for a cookout and movie with friends. When I return, we have a little play time and one-on-one time before heading to bed. The day ended much better than how it started.

Monday, July 28, 2014: The Secret of the Lap Nap

Tommy and I got up early (as in before 7:00) and finished our usual routine. As I was sitting on the chair doing the puzzles, Tommy came and sat next to me and again started kneading my lap in preparation for a lap nap, but again today it ended after just a minute.

The science teacher in me thought that I should see what makes her change her mind.  I put on the gym shorts that I wore last time she decided to nap. Sure enough, she came up, kneaded my lap and proceeded to sit and take a nap in my lap. I still wasn’t sure if the gym shorts were the key ingredient needed to get Tommy to sit on my lap and take a nap.

I left the gym shorts in a bundle on the living room floor. She checked out the shorts, but took her next nap on the living room floor not on the shorts. I’ll have to try other materials to find out what the correct combination is. Maybe she’s just fickle and it depends on a number of factors.

I’m leaving for lunch with a friend, but before going I put the gym shorts on the bed to see if she’ll nap on them on the bed.

When I returned I couldn’t tell if Tommy had napped on the shorts. Tommy also wasn’t as vocal upon my return. She just wanted her treat and some attention which of course she received. She’s been brushing against my legs and feet with the side of her head a lot. She also tends to rub her head (specifically around her mouth) on the corners of the tables and the corner of any object (notebook, book, clipboard, etc.). I’m not sure if there’s an issue there or she just prefers rubbing her face against objects.

She spent most of the afternoon lounging in the sunny corners of the house. Once evening was upon us, she moved to the living room floor. Whenever she was awake and moving I tried to engage her, but she didn’t spend much time being active. Hopefully we’ll get in some play time before bed so she’s not up all night.

We played for quite a while tonight. At times we played together and at times Tommy just wanted to run around or chase one of her toy balls. Tommy and I also played “Tommy runs when I move.” Whenever I would get up Tommy go “flying around the living room as if I was in hot pursuit.

After the news we headed for the bedroom and for some strange reason Tommy headed under the bed.  I don’t know if we were continuing the hide/run game or if she was just upset that the evening had ended.  After a short time, she decided it was bedtime and came up top for the night.

Sunday, July 27, 2014: The Harness and the Balcony

Tommy doesn’t wake me up for the first time until around 6:30 and then doesn’t again until after 8:00. Little did I realize that her unusual behavior would continue. Most of the morning she just lounged around and really didn’t interact with me or any of her “amusements.” She did watch me make the bed and for once let me finish and smooth the covers before jumping up to “unsmooth” them.

She did finally come and sit with me and sat on my lap for about a minute before changing her mind.  Later she made me aware that it was time for the late morning/early afternoon petting.  Since she seemed to be in a good mood I thought we’d try the harness again. At first she wouldn’t let me put it over her head, but the second attempt worked and she moved onto her back so I could finish securing the side/back clips. I couldn’t believe how well things were going.

When I added the leash Tommy decided enough was enough and tried to take it off. I tried to calm her down, but finally thought that is I picked her up she might be okay. She didn’t mind wearing the harness when I was holding her, but that wasn’t the reason for the harness. I decided that since she was secured, I might as well try to balcony.

I held her and took her out there but stayed near the wall. We sat down in a chair again the back wall, but I could tell that she was very uncomfortable and would probably bolt if given the opportunity. Rather than take that chance, I took her back into the condo and unfastened the harness. We had tried, but for now I could tell that Tommy was content being a 100% indoor cat.

I went back out on the balcony and closed the screen door. Tommy came near the door and just sat and talked to me. I felt like a prisoner who had a visitor. I opened the screen a little with enough room for Tommy to venture out by me if she chose. She looked like she wanted to come out but wasn’t sure of herself, so I went back in, picked her up, and brought her out to sit in the chair with me.

While I could tell that she was curious, neither of us was really comfortable having her out there without a security system. I bought her back in and I think we both felt better. She still enjoys sitting by the screen door and doesn’t care if I venture out, but for now I think I’ll just enjoy the  balcony but remain close to the entry until (if that ever happens) she feels comfortable wearing the harness and  enjoying the space with me.

After those rather stressful experiences, all Tommy wanted to do was lounge the rest of the day. She took naps just about everywhere. She slept on the bed while I ran out to do a couple errands and barely uttered a complaint when I returned. She also sacked out on her favorite chair and on the living room floor.

She occasionally would join me on my chair, but that was only for a moment and she barely sat on my lap today. I’m sure that since I’m the cause of the stress I shouldn’t be rewarded with a “lap nap.”

Every so often while Tommy was napping she would awaken right before I went by her, give a quick meow, and roll onto her back. This was her signal to me that it was time for another neck/chest/chin rubbing.

It seems that she was signaling this much more often today probably because my little pampered princess felt that she had earned extra TLC from her harness-balcony experience. For whatever reason I would usually oblige.

We had some playtime after watching Big Brother and Tommy and I spent about 15 minutes with the fabric candy on the yarn.  We both enjoyed the time. Later when Tommy wanted some petting I was careful to watch for biting behaviors and none of that happened.  We’re learning that the transition between play time and petting time sometimes can cause some confusion.

With my little girl taking a much needed break, I was able to complete another month of Grandpa’s diary transcriptions. During the transcribing, Tommy decided to join me and at one point snuck behind the aluminum foil and near all the wires. She thought I didn’t see her, but when I said “Tommy, get out of there,” she came flying out from under the desk.  After putting the foil fence back in place I couldn’t find Tommy right away, so I called her name. She called back to me and I found her sitting in a small box next to the desk. I guess she figured that she should head to the penalty box!

After finishing the transcribing, we watched the news and headed for bed. It had been a long day.

Saturday, July 26, 2014: A Day of Surprises

For once we didn't wake up at 3:00 or 4:00 A.M. and actually almost made it to 5:30.  Tommy tried to play bite and I just roll over. I think she got the message because when she came over to the other side, she “seemed” contrite, or at least she wasn't trying to bite. Once we’re up and the day begins Tommy and I get through the routine and she even sits patiently on the desk while I finish the morning posts.

Since she seems to be in a good mood, I decide to try to introduce her to the harness. I don’t have any trouble putting it over her head, but she won’t let me fasten the straps. I figure that a small victory is better than none at all and decide that we can continue to take baby steps with the ultimate goal is to have her be comfortable in the harness and the two of us enjoy the balcony.  I won’t let her out there unless I feel that she’ll be safe.

The rest of the morning, Tommy is agitated probably from the harness experience and I give her a lot of space.  I did “catch” her on the cart in the kitchen, a place where she’s never been and I don’t care if she climbs on it. The minute I come around the corner she bounds down off it.

My next surprise is one I wasn't sure was going to ever happen. I was sitting on a chair doing the morning puzzles when Tommy decided

 to come up onto the chair. She usually sits next to me and nudges me over so she has a better position.  Today she climbed up and began kneading my lap.  She fortunately was pretty careful with her claws in the “sensitive area” of my lap and then curled up in a ball on my lap and fell asleep for about 45 minutes.

She probably would have stayed there longer, but the phone rang and woke her up. I didn't get up to answer the phone; I just figured I’d hear the message and would call the person back on my cell. No message, but Tommy did get up. I thought that this was a good time to get anything I might need should she decide to come back.

I also thought that this was a good time to call my sister and while we were talking Tommy came back up on my lap. I’m glad that she now trusts me enough to become a lap kitty. This should bode well for our future harness work.

Another surprise…I went to take a shower before joining friends on Brady Street and when I went to the closet, there was Tommy sitting on top of lower cubbies. I have no idea how she got up there because even though it’s not very high, there’s not much head room between the top of the cubbies and the shelf of cubbies above them. To jump or climb onto that shelf means Tommy needs to be coordinated enough to jump but duck her head to get on the shelf. No small feat for this young kitty.

When I returned from the Brady Street Festival, Tommy would have nothing to do with me for the rest of the night even after she got her treats attempted neck/chest rub. This continued up until bedtime, but surprisingly she joined me up on the bed to go to sleep. 

Friday, July 25, 2014

We wake up a little early because we have company coming at 9:30. We complete our morning routine and I head out to run to the bakery for something to go with the coffee. When I return Tommy reminds me that I neglected to give her a morning massage and treats for leaving.  With preparations and duties completed we await the arrival of our company.

My friend arrives and as always, Tommy is a superstar. She greets my friend and is attentive throughout the visit. She only needed to be reminded once to stay off the cocktail table on which the bakery and our coffee is placed. She spends a bit of time sniffing my friend’s purse but doesn’t try to investigate inside. (Perhaps that was because all openings were closed!)

When my friend decides to leave I figure that it’s a good time to head out for my haircut.  I’m gone for over an hour, but Tommy is okay when I return. While she seems to be a bit clingier and spends a lot of time sniffing me to understand all the new aromas from the salon, she seems content. While I read The Shepherd Express (finally), she lounges on the sofa and takes a nap.

We spend much of the afternoon lounging around. Neither one of us seems very motivated. I need to go out and help a friend whose planning a bar crawl/great race event and Tommy doesn’t seem to mind.  I’ll only be gone a couple of hours. When I return after the usual treat and petting we watch some television, spend time in the closet during the German Fest fireworks, and head for bed. It seems Tommy wants one more treat as she gets very verbal and when I turn to watch, she uses her scratching post. She knows that praise, petting, and a treat will follow and I of course oblige. I’m not sure if she’s still spooked from the fireworks or me, but she heads under the bed for about ten minutes before joining me on the bed.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

For a change I was the one doing the early morning waking up. I was having a bad dream involving Tommy trying to bite me and I woke up with a start which also woke up Tommy.  I really think I scared her and we spent much time trying to calm down and go back to sleep.

In the morning around 6:00 Tommy decided to get back at me and woke me up with a rather loud complaint that I was still sleeping and it was time to get up. I completed our usual routine chores and then went in the living room where Tommy was waiting. She wanted to play so we started, and at first we had a good time using some of the stuffed toys to help us play together. When she grew tired of playing with any of the toys, she wanted to play a new game called “I’ll Act Like I Want to Be Petted, But I Really Want to Bite You.”  Was she doing this because I had a dream about biting? Because I wouldn’t play her game, she started running around the condo as if being chased by an invisible pursuer. When she finally tired of that she came and sat down.

After enough time when I thought she was calm, I decided to weigh her since I was getting her a harness and leash today and wanted to make sure I didn’t have the same problem that I had with purchasing her carrier. I first tried holding her while I stood on the scale, but no matter how I tried to hold her and speak quietly and calmly, she wasn’t having anything to do with it and the scale always registered “Err.” I also tried putting a small box that she likes to sit in on a small scale and weighing it empty and then with her in it. Again, she’d have nothing to do with it. I decided that she couldn’t have gained that much weight in three weeks and would just use her weight on the vet’s notes.

After that she either followed me around yelling at me or would hide in the bedroom. I decided that this was a good time to complete all my work in peace and let Tommy (and me) calm down a little. Maybe we can quickly turn this day around and both be in a better mood. When I finish my work, I head to the bedroom and it appears all is better.  Now I have to leave to run some errands and meet friends for lunch.  I think I’m about to upset Tommy again.

When I return I get the usual reprimand, but then all is fine as Tommy signals that she’s ready to be pampered with her usual head/neck massage.  The rest of the day is spent playing, petting and lounging.  At one point Tommy joins me on the sofa and begins to make more room for herself.  She first sits between the sofa cushions and me, then progresses to gaining more room by stretching out until she finally has her paws all the way to the end and my feet head for the floor.
We head for bed a little early and I plan on reading the Shepherd Express. Well, there will be no reading tonight as Tommy decides to use the paper as an extra mattress. When she leaves the bed to grab a little late night snack, I move the paper t the end table and when she returns the lights go out and we fall asleep.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Tommy woke up at 3:30 and wanted to play.  Needless to say, I wasn't in the mood. She kept waking me up and around 4:30 I realized that the air conditioning was starting every time she woke me up, Well, she’s going to have to learn to accept that noise because I’m not accepting “too hot to sleep.”

After a couple more hours of sleep, it’s after 7:00, so I finally (according to Tommy) get up and start the day.  We (meaning I) attend to all the morning duties and just as I’m finishing on the computer I’m reminded that I’m taking too long.  We spend a quick couple minutes with the light reflection from my glasses on the wall game and I’m good to finish (if I don’t take too long). Now she’s on the chair leaning against the desk, so I’d better stop now and give her the attention that she deserves.

As I ate my breakfast at the dining room table, Tommy sat on the chair and watched. She put her paws on the table, but never climbed up.  When I finished, she got her usual treat and much praise. After spending time doing the daily puzzles and watching the news, Tommy started yelling and moving toward the bedroom.  At first she stopped by the scratching post and I thought that she wanted another treat, but she jumped on the bed and let me know that the morning quota of neck and head scratching hadn't been reached yet and I was slacking. We took care of that issue and headed out to the living room for a little play time.

Much of the day was spent catching up on paperwork and other chores. I didn't have to worry about paying enough attention to Tommy. Whenever she wanted attention, I heard about it.  If I was on the computer she would come in and verbally remind me. If that didn't work, she’d hop up on the desk and sit between the computer screen and me.  I knew that I was on borrowed time and would quickly finish up what I was doing.

I went for my walk and when I returned gave Tommy her “I’m sorry that I abandoned you” treat.  After that, she just rolled on to her back to let me know that it was time for the neck and head massage. It’s actually one of my favorite things to do. I can see how much Tommy enjoys it and it is a great bonding activity. Tonight I’m supposed to go see a movie at a nearby museum, but I found out that I can get it from the library, so I’m staying in tonight. Tomorrow I have a lunch date with friends, some errands to run, and I’m going to try to do another walk, so it’s best to stay home and spend some time with my girl. We spend the evening watching Big Brother and a few other shows and then head for bed.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014: New Noises

Tommy didn't stir enough to wake me up until 6:40 this morning. Either there were enough other distractions that she didn't need to wake me for her own amusement or she’s learned to be rather stealthy while it’s dark and I’m sleeping in bed.  Either way, I enjoyed the extended time.  Tommy finally decided to rouse me at 6:40 and expected her morning petting.

After completing the morning routines I headed for the bathroom to brush my teeth. When Tommy came to investigate and I asked if it was okay that I brush my teeth, I swear it sounded like she said “No!” I pretended that she agreed with me and let her know that my personal hygiene was important.

We then spent a short amount of time playing, but I could tell that she just wasn't in a playful mood. We headed into the study to begin the daily computer time. I went through some mail and knew that some pieces (financial information and solicitations for additional credit needed to be shredded. I wasn't sure how she’d handle the new sound, but since she was in a safe place, sitting in front of me on the desk, I thought I’d give it a try.

When I put the papers in the shredder, she jumped a little, but was very curious about the noise. Later when I found some other papers that needed shredding I tried again and this time she was just curious. Both times when the noise stopped she leaned her head way under the desk to try to find out what happened to the noise.

Tommy heard several other new noises while we were working on the computer and she made sure to investigate each one. The plastic covers on the ends of the blind cords were tapping against the open window, but she couldn't get to them, so she lost interest in them. When the balcony maintenance crew again moved down using their motorized platform, Tommy let out her usual “ferocious” low growl while remaining secure on the desk in front of me. She couldn't figure out the automatic sprinklers down on the dog run and gave a quizzical mew to let me know that she was puzzled.

 With the warmer weather it seems that Tommy’s energy level is much lower.  She took a relatively long nap this morning after a little play session and I was able to get a lot of paperwork done.  Of course, when nap time was over for her, so was work time for me. We decided to break for lunch.  I had a braunschweiger sandwich and I know the smell is one that entices Tommy. As I ate at the dining room table Tommy climbed up onto her chair and watched. When she tried to get on the table I said “No,” and she backed down.  She of course immediately got a treat. (Sometimes I think ahead!) She stayed on the chair and watched without ever venturing onto the table again. When I finished there’s was a second treat and much praise. Who says cats can’t be trained, or is it she who’s training me?

As the temperature increased and the lake breeze decreased, it was time to close up the condo and turn on the air conditioning. The rest of the afternoon was spent lounging and then it was time to get ready to leave. Tommy was very happy to spend some time in the closet as I got ready and then I was off to my meeting and she could do whatever it is she does when I’m not home.

When I returned from my meeting there was the usual chastisement followed by treats. I don’t know what Tommy did while I was away, but she sure was tired. We headed to bed without any trouble.

Monday, July 21, 2014: A Playful Kitty

Tommy is really catching on to the routine. Although there was still a 4:00 and 6:00 wake up, we then slipped back to sleep until 7:45. After taking care of her needs (food, water, litter box) and my needs (coffee), we watered the plants. I’m still surprised that she doesn’t spend much time even looking at them much less trying to chew on them.

We’re now ready to check the computer and handle the morning posts.  Tommy sits on the floor and talks to me for a while before joining me at the desk to finish posting and printing my daily puzzles. From there we head to the living room to check out the morning shows. When the balcony crew comes passed out balcony, Tommy seems puzzled.  I foolishly decided to pick her up and bring her over.  It’s the first time she’s ever scratched my chest and I quickly (but safely) put me down.

After that I think she decided to play by herself.  She spent a considerable amount of time playing with the ball of yarn from my mother and the small cloth piece of “candy” and foil crinkle ball from my sisters. It was so much fun to watch her amusing herself and just enjoying being a kitty. She flew around the living room pouncing on and capturing the different toys. At one point when I went out to refill my coffee cup, she hid under the barrister’s bookcase and waited for me to sit down and “find her.”

When I returned to the computer, we also spent a few minutes playing with the reflection from my glasses. When I have the desk lamp on and bend down to talk to Tommy my glasses reflect the light onto the wall. While I’m doing much needed neck stretches, Tommy’s chasing after the reflection.  Who knew that we could have so much fun just using a light and my glasses?

Tommy went bounding out only to return a minute later and as she talked there seemed to be some urgency in her voice. I got up from the computer and followed her to the living room to investigate. Halfway across the living room, Tommy laid down in front of me and stretched out in the stance that signals that it was time for her head, neck, and chest rubbing.  I guess she figured that now that my neck was good, it was her turn.  What she doesn’t know (?) is that it’s also one of my favorite things to do. She just lies there and purrs and enjoys it. She only moves to re-position herself to let me know if I haven’t spent enough time rubbing the front of her neck.

We moved to the bedroom for our last hour together before I had to leave for dinner with a friend.  The television was on so there would be some human voices and the workers had already moved down passed the window. When I left, Tommy felt contented and never moved from the bed. I’m sure that I’ll still be reprimanded when I return.

 Sure enough, there was a price to pay when I returned, but I had a strategy that I knew would distract her.  After giving her a treat to apologize for leaving her, I placed some plants on the new plant stands that I bought to keep the plants in better positions to be ignored. Tommy had to investigate the new pieces but ignored the plants that were on top of them.  Score one win (even if it’s temporary) for the human!

While I was putting away some groceries, Tommy did nip my leg to remind me that the evening playtime had not yet occurred.  When I tried to engage her, she chose to use toys that didn't need my assistance. (Score one for the kitty!) She played hard and then “crashed” on her favorite chairs. When it was time for bed, she spent some time investigating the open (screened) window and under the bed before calling it a night and joining me on top of the bed.

Sunday, July 20, 2014: A Whooping Cheerleader and Family Visitors.

Today began with several wake up calls from Tommy at 4:00, 4:45, 6:00, and finally 6:45 when I gave up and started the day. I wasn't sure if she was making up for yesterday’s bad mood or if this was revenge. Either way, she seemed in a good mood and wanted her usual morning petting and rubdown.  All seemed to be going well.

When we finished with the morning tasks I opened the balcony door and was “greeted” by a woman cheerleader who was whooping/encouraging runners and walkers in today’s event.  This is one disadvantage to living along the lakefront. Whenever there’s an event on the lakefront, there’s usually fireworks and a run/walk. Neither Tommy nor I appreciated this woman’s enthusiastic (loud?) cheering or the air horn that also kept sounding. I closed the door to mute the sound as best as it could.

I made French toast and Tommy enjoyed the new smells of the toast and the maple syrup. She sat on a dining room chair while I ate.  She seems to enjoy the smells coming from my food.  Yesterday I had a brat for dinner and she was all over me trying to get it. When she realized that I wasn't going to share, she gave up and just enjoyed the aroma much like she did this morning.

After playing with her dynamite stick she settled into her mid-morning nap. I’m sure that she wanted to be well rested before two of my sisters came down from Oshkosh to meet her. I did warn her that they probably would be bringing treats and presents so she had to be on her best behavior.  It seems that she got the message.

When my sisters arrived Tommy was every bit the gracious princess that I’d hoped she’d be.  She wasn't timid; she met them and was vocal and welcoming. She was attentive, making sure that she spent time with each of my sisters. She was gracious and played with the presents that she received.  She played, sat, purred, “vocalized,” allowed herself to be petted and held, and was just an agreeable little kitty.

The humans left for lunch and Tommy had a well-deserved respite from us. She stayed in the master suite and watched whatever was on television (or slept or looked out the window…who knows what she does when I’m away!)  When we returned she made sure that we all knew that we had abandoned her, something I had shared with my sisters and Tommy gave a good performance. After the chastisement, she reverted to her fun self. When they left, she was again of course gracious and gave the impression that they’d be welcome to return. We all had a wonderful afternoon together.

After my sisters left Tommy decided to take a well-deserved nap in the bedroom, then the living room floor, then on my chest, then her chair, and finally the sofa.   We both had survived the first visit and were ready to just lay back and chill. We watched some television and occasionally made an effort to play, but we were pretty spent and I realized that we still had to get through one more night of Festa fireworks.

Tommy was very weird in the evening. She played for a while and then decided to stop and just sit. After a “breather” she started some rather bizarre running around and acting like something or someone was chasing her. She would be sitting completely still and then would look to her side and take off running. I call this her frenzied time.  I just sit back and try to stay out of her way.

She didn't want to interact with me, but when the fireworks started back we went to the closet.  She again was rather calm but attentive to the noises.  When the fireworks ended, it was time for bed. She first again chose to go under the bed, but after a while decided that it was also her bed time and came up to wish me a good night and settled in next to me.

Saturday, July 19, 2014: Crabby Girl so it’s Housework Time.

This morning Tommy woke up in a bad mood. She didn't wanted to be petted and just wanted to sit in the middle of the living room by herself.  It was a perfect time for me to catch up on some cleaning. With her watchful eye upon me I was able to wash the kitchen floor, dust everything in the living room, and get catch up with other minor tasks.

The only time she left the living room was when I brought out the vacuum cleaner to clean and rotate cushions on the chairs and sofa. She must be getting used to the vacuum because I noticed that she was watching me from the doorway to the master suite. She stayed there even when I moved the vacuum into the study and didn't venture into the living room until I had unplugged the cleaner and stored it in the closet. She surprises me sometimes with how astute she is.

Around 11:00 after I had completed many of my chores, she finally was in a better mood. She “allowed” me to pet her for quite a while and we also spent some time playing with the ribbons. She still doesn’t care for the laser pointer. She might run after it once or twice, but that’s about it. I had better luck with just the light from the flashlight.

Afternoon meant nap time and while she napped I tried to catch up on transcribing my grandfather’s diary entries from 1936 for my other blog. When she woke up I figured she would just come and find me and either lay on the floor or sit up on the desk. Today was not that kind of day. All she wanted to do was yell at me. I stopped working and gave her the attention that she wanted.

After getting the attention, she abandoned me for the bedroom. I thought that now would be a good time to do my fitness walk. When I returned I learned the error of my ways. The rest of the evening was spent either being “reminded” how if Tommy’s not happy nobody’s happy, making Tommy happy by petting her, or trying to have Tommy ignore my movements so I could work on the computer.

Tommy got very vocal when I laughed, yawned, or moved.  My way to get her to stop was simple, if I could pet her under her jaw and down her neck, she’d stop. I’ve found that that’s her Achilles’s heel; she’ll stop doing anything when you rub that area. Of course nothing else gets accomplished, but isn’t that my primary job, to make her happy?

I don’t know what’s going on tonight, but she is definitely irate about something.  She started running around the condo and yelling whenever I came near. I tried calming her down but it only seemed to make matters worse.  When she hissed at me while I was talking in a calm voice, I knew it was time for Tommy to have some “alone time.” Hopefully she’ll calm down before the fireworks start and she and I are confined to the closet together.

I went back into the bedroom right before the fireworks and it appeared that all was well.  Tommy approached me, but I couldn't tell if it was contrite or stalking stance.   I found out in a second when instead of licking my elbow, she tried biting it. I said “Ouch!” and she backed off.  I was actually glad when the fireworks began.

When the first fireworks went off we headed for our safe/happy place, my walk-in closet. Tommy loves exploring in there and also it also has some of her favorite hiding places. We spent the time in there and she stayed pretty calm with my constant talking drowning out the noise and petting reassuring her that she was safe.

When the fireworks ended we went back into the bedroom.  Tommy got a treat for going to the closet and coming back out. As we lay on the bed, the yelling and biting didn't return. It was all just petting and purring. Even though the day was unsettling, it ended well.

Friday, July 18, 2014: A Trip, Some New Toys, and Fireworks

Friday morning was like last week. We did laundry and had play time although play time wasn't very long.  Tommy wasn't interested in the ribbons, feathers, or flashlight. I did get her to play for a while with the string. It never fails to amaze me that she’d rather play with a cheap piece of string than one of the purchased toys.

I also started reintroducing the plants to the living room. The small arrangement fits on top of the ladder shelves and is out of her reach.  I put the dragon tree on an overturned decorative waste basket. She still wanted that plant, but after some adjustment of the pot so the leaves and branches would be farther away, she lost interest in the leaves.  She hasn’t tried to play with or chew on the leaves since, but I am keeping an eye on her to make sure it continues.

I brought out the carrier after lunch because we were taking a little trip. Tommy was getting a “mani-pedi” aka getting her nails clipped. I had tried to do it myself, but after an epic failure, I decided to try Petco.  Tommy went right in the carrier when I used the opening on the top.  The ride over wasn't as bad as our last/first/only other trip in the car.  She had a few anxious moments, but seemed to calm down as long as I kept talking to her.

When we got to Petco it took a few moments to complete the paperwork and then they were ready for Tommy. While she got her nails clipped, I went and bought some treats and toys and paid for them and the nail clipping. By the time I was finished, Tommy was back in her carrier waiting for me to take her home. The people in the grooming center said good-bye to her and told me to bring her back again soon. It seems that she made a good impression on them.

When we got out to the car I gave her a couple treats for her good behavior. I would have said excellent, but I did see her climb up the assistant’s shoulders trying to escape down his back. The trip home was fine. I think she’s getting better at riding in the car the more often it happens.

When we got home she got a couple more treats. (They’re small!) I gave her the dynamite stick and she played with it for quite a while. I’m sure being infused with catnip had something to do with it. We also tried out the laser pointer, but she quickly grew tired and sacked out on her chair.

As I finished the laundry, folding and making the bed, Tommy woke up and we spent a little quality time together.  I’m headed over to a friend’s condo for wine and cheese, so she’ll have a little alone time in the bedroom.

When I returned from the friend’s condo, she came along to meet Tommy. Tommy was a little out of sorts having just spent some alone time.  They played for a while and at one point Tommy tried to bite. It’s never happened before with guests so I’m going to have to remember not to bring people home who want to interact with Tommy.  While she’s friendly and curious I don’t want her to play if it leads to biting.

After my friend left, Tommy was pretty aloof. She sat in a ball with her head up and refused to interact with me until it was time for bed.  Unfortunately time for bed happened right when Festa Italiana’s fireworks were going off.  Tommy and I headed for her favorite spot, my closet and we spent some quality time ignoring the fireworks and then headed for bed once it was relatively quiet again.

Thursday, July 17, 2014: A Huge Win and a Small Loss

Thursday morning began like most days; my first wake-up call by my personal furry alarm occurs around 5:00 A.M. After I greet Tommy with a groggy “Good Morning,” it’s quickly followed by “It’s still dark out so go back to sleep.”  So far, she’s followed that advice and usually gives me a second wake-up call around 7:00. Today I wasn't awakened until 7:45 and it was with a little face-on-face (or nose-to-nose) moment. Tommy got her little rubdown and we proceeded with the morning tasks (food, water, bathroom, litter box, printing the daily puzzles, etc.).

The morning went well and I left around 9:30 to meet a friend for coffee. Tommy stayed on the bed when I said good-bye and didn't rush for the bedroom door as I closed it. She may finally understand that I leave but always return later. I went for coffee and while I was out thought it best to also do some grocery shopping.

When I returned there was the usual vocal reminders that I’d left her and the treat reminder. After I finished with my “I’m back, Tommy” tasks I went into the bathroom to see that another major chunk of the toilet paper roll had been shredded. I knew that her ambivalence to the TP had probably been temporary, but I had enjoyed the period of time when I didn't have to worry about it. Fortunately the toilet and tub are in a separate room from the vanity/litter box. I just need to remember to close that door before I leave and all should be fine.

There was a lot of noise outside the building today. The balcony inspection/repair crew had moved to the next (and last) set of balconies on this side of the building. Below the dog run was getting redone with new drainage, soil and sod. The small cat skid loader kept backing up so that annoying warning alarm kept going off.

During all the noise and disruptions, Tommy surprised me today. I was reclining on the sofa when she decided to join me.  She’s always either hunkered in between the sofa and me or been at my feet.  Today, she decided to lay on my lap and take her nap.  She stayed there for over an hour and felt terrible when I had to awaken her so I could get to (run to?) the bathroom.  She went and had a little snack from her food dish while she waited for me to finish. When I went back to the sofa, she climbed right back up on my lap and resumed her nap for another hour. I’m so glad that she’s bonded with me and after only 12 days wants to lay on my lap to take her nap.

When she (and I) woke up we had a play session for about 15 minutes.  She still loves chasing after the ribbons and the light from the flashlight.  I’m still trying to get her to engage the balls, but she’s still not interested in them.  We also had an unexpected moment of play when we were in the study. She was sitting under the keyboard (the musical type) and was “talking to me.” When I bent over my glasses refracted (?) the light from the desk lamp onto the wall near her. I inadvertently moved my head and there was Tommy trying to catch the light on the wall.

As we watched the tragic news on the television either on the sofa or on the bed together, I realized how soothing it was to have her with me.  Even now as I’m typing this blog and she’s napping on the pillow next to me on the desk, I think about how glad I am that I made the decision to rescue her because she’s also rescued me.

I know that I usually finish my blog the next morning, but I think this is a good way to end today’s entry. I’ll update as needed tomorrow. It’s time for dinner and an evening together.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014: A Day of Disruptions

Although we ended last night on not quite the best terms, during the night Tommy moved closer to her usual spot on the bed and by morning everything seemed better.  She still was a bit skittish and opened her mouth to bite, but she wasn't following through on the action, so I think we’re getting better.

I knew that today was going to be hard because the building is testing the alarm system and will be setting off the fire alarm on every floor and then verifying in each unit that the speaker system is working. What I didn't realize was that today the balcony inspection and repair would also be making a stop on our balcony.

As the platform carrying the crew moves passed our floor Tommy is always curious about them and watches the platform even as it moves to the floors above.  Today, the platform stopped at our balcony and Tommy went into “guard mode” growling from the safe confines of under the dining room table far across the living/dining room area. They decided to move up. (I’m sure the actions of guard kitty told them to move on!)

Later they stopped again and as they got out the vacuum hose and other equipment, Tommy decided to hightail it into the bedroom where the blinds were still drawn.  I closed the balcony door and we hunkered down in the bedroom until work was finished and the platform had left our balcony. When I finally persuaded Tommy that the coast was clear, she came back out although she continued to walk warily around the condo.

We survived the fire alarm system check.  When the alarm started on our floor, Tommy was sitting on the sofa. Within a few seconds there was a knock on the door and Tommy, I guess, decided to either see who it was or follow the directions and “head for the nearest exit.” I had to corral her and put her in the bedroom while I headed to the door so maintenance could verify that the speaker and alarm did work in my unit.

After my unit was checked the other eleven units on the floor also needed to be checked, so the alarm continued which bothered Tommy (and me). I decided that we should just stay in the bedroom until the alarm stopped. After a few minutes it ended and we went back to having a “normal” day.

The remainder of the afternoon was uneventful, but I did want Tommy to get used to my comings and goings. I left to take a much needed walk. I was gone for about 1 ¼ hours and walked almost five miles.  It felt good to get out and walk in the beautiful summer weather.

When I returned Tommy reminded me about leaving her and that she deserved a treat.  She sat on the bed near the drawer that has the bag of treats in it. It seems that she’s realizing that sometimes I need a reminder. The rest of the night we just hung out.  During part of the evening everything seemed to go well until Tommy suddenly became very skittish and appeared to be upset. I have no idea what set her off, but she stayed under the bed for quite a while. Later she came up on the bed and we settled in for the night.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

When we went to bed last night, I fell asleep on top of the covers and left the window open. The temperature went down quite a bit and I awoke and finally went under the covers. A little while later it seems that Tommy was also feeling chilled because suddenly I felt a warm little fur ball against my leg. Throughout the night she spent time under and on top of the covers and up near the top of the bed on just the fitted sheet near my head.

The day began well.  Tommy got her morning “rub down” and then we settled into the routine of making coffee and completing the puzzles. I’m now able to keep the study door open as it isn't much of a novelty anymore and Tommy usually only goes in there when I go in to work on the computer.

She still tends to follow me around first thing in the morning, but isn't yelling at me all the time.  It’s actually pretty nice to have her at my side in the morning. When I went to shower she headed into her usual spot to wait. She sits in the bin of sweater vests, but I put it on a bottom cubby so it would be easy for her to access it. As always when I turned off the shower and stepped out to towel off, there was Tommy “reminding” me to hurry up and finish.

The rest of the morning was pretty uneventful. I needed to leave around 9:30 to go to a neighbors for coffee and conversation and I wasn't sure how Tommy would handle being alone in the morning.  I was gone until almost one o’clock. I’m not sure how cats handle time spans. Do they know the difference between one hour and three hours?

When I returned she was waiting at the bedroom door. When I opened the door she came out and only yelled for a moment or two. I went in and added food and water to her dishes. She then jumped up and the bed and just looked at me.  What had I forgotten?  I hadn't given her a treat for being a good girl while I was gone.  Once that was handled all was well and we caught up with some television and computer time.

Little did she know that I would be leaving again at 5:15. When she woke from her afternoon nap I made sure that we had some play time. Although I tried to engage her in play, she really wasn't interested.  She didn’t even want to run after the light from the flashlight. When I left at 5:15, she was sitting on the bed and seemed content.

When I returned about 9:30 I found that her mood had changed. She spent more time than usual yelling at me and tried to bite me twice when I petted her. She was in her usual position for petting her chest and neck and didn’t give me any hostile verbal cues, so I thought I read her mood correctly.  As always when the biting attempt occurred, I said “Ouch,” and left the room.

As I sat alone in the bedroom watching the news, I sensed that she was taking much longer than usual to “atone for her sins.”  Both times I spied her sitting under a dining room chair. It took quite a while for her to finally enter the bedroom the first time.  The second time, I was ready for bed and needed to close the bedroom door, but if I closed it with her in the dining room, she wouldn't have access to food or her litter box. I decided to bring her into the bedroom.
During that time I also found a slightly shredded roll of toilet paper in the bathroom. Tommy had not shown any interest in the toilet paper roll, so I thought that it would be safe to put the next roll up on the toilet since the other roll was nearly depleted. She did shred part of it. After I cleaned up I was glad that I had purchased a Cottonelle storage container on eBay like the one in the guest bathroom. It arrives on Thursday, so it was an opportune purchase.

She wasn't pleased to be in the bedroom and we finally both fell asleep. I was at least happy that she didn't go under the bed. She stayed on top of the bed, but started the evening far away from me.  I think that as the night progresses she will end up in her usual position next to me.

Monday, July 14, 2014

We had a very good morning and accomplished many things. I was able to clean and scrub the litter box and the bathrooms. I also was able to bake bread.  Tommy was very helpful by watching and not ‘helping.”

We had a problem under the desk again. It seems that the aluminum foil fence is now lower in one spot and Tommy found that she could climb over it without making any noise. I added an extra layer of height and the problem is again solved.

Tommy still enjoys sitting up on the desk while I’m narrating or typing one of the blogs. She usually sits on a small pillow on the desk next to me, or she sits right in front of me on the calendar blotter. It hasn’t been a problem when I’m dictating using speech recognition, but today she decided that Grandpa’s diary makes a perfect pillow. She didn’t understand why it was so hard for me to read the page when her head was in the middle of it.

We’re still having a few issues with her trying to bite me, but we’re both learning. She’s learning that I’m trying to be soothing and loving, and I’m learning that there are times when she doesn’t want to be petted even if she’s in the same position (on her back) as when she wants to be petted.

I’ve also learned to always speak in a very low voice, almost a whisper when she gets skittish. I’m trying to help her calm down. I’m sure that strange sounds scare her and I need to do whatever I can to help her feel safe.  I’ve also been told that lavender has a calming effect, so I’m going to try to use a warmer with a lavender scent when she’s in the bedroom.

She also still has some separation anxiety when I leave and return. I think this will improve as she becomes accustomed to that happening.  I left today to do a much needed one hour walk and she seemed to be better when I returned. I only got a short “hollering” and it stopped when I gave her a treat.  I’ll keep trying to treat her when I return to see if that helps.

As always we end the night with a comforting petting session. She purrs more than she had for several days, so I feel that we continue to be a positive addition to each other’s lives.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Sunday morning went by quickly. I made a couple phone calls and Tommy sat quietly and watched me talking into a piece of plastic.  She still can’t quite figure out what’s going on when I talk to either the phone or dictate on the computer.

We did have one bad experience this morning. During the fireworks on Saturday night, Tommy really dug her nails into my legs.  I knew that nail trimming was in order. Since I had never clipped a cat’s nails, I decided to watch some video clips on You Tube. There were so many different versions I was at a loss as to which one to use.  I decided on one by a veterinarian, but we weren't very successful and there was a little bit of blood. I called one of my sisters and I think I’ll be following her advice for a while. “Take her to Petco and have them do it for $10.”

Of course, I was almost as upset as Tommy was by the incident. I continued to pet and reassure her for most of the morning. It wasn't until she started licking my hand as we sat on the sofa that I knew that she thought I wasn't malicious, only inept.

Tommy gets very upset when I take too long in the shower. I really don’t take very long, but she just doesn’t seem to like the shower. I left the closet open and she went and sat in her favorite place, my sweater vest bin.  For once she didn't come into the bathroom and yell at me to hurry up. A second triumph was that she left the closet and came to the living room without me having to fetch her out of the closet.

I was meeting friends and going to a church festival, so Tommy was alone for about six hours.  When I returned I as always was reminded that Tommy doesn’t like to be left alone.  She was very indifferent to me the rest of the night. As I was talking to one of my sisters on the phone, I realized that my friend’s dogs had been “all over” my legs rubbing and licking.  I think she wasn't happy about smelling dog on me.  She again went under the bed and hid for a while, but came back up to sleep.  We’ll see what tomorrow holds.

Saturday, July 12, 2014 – A Day of Successes

Today was a day of successes. After waking up and following the usual routine of making coffee, checking and replenishing food & water, and cleaning out to the litter box, which by the way is an Omega Paw Roll and Clean that I absolutely love, I decided to try once again to engage Tommy in some play activities. Today she decided that she like attacking and running after the ribbons on the wand. We played with it for about 10 minutes until she lost interest, but at least she participated. Later she actually rolled and captured one of her balls several times on her own. Slowly, but surely she’s coming out of her shell and playing. Later in the day she suddenly had a burst of energy and was running around the condo. I’m not sure if she’s finally feeling better after her operation on Monday and all the anesthesia and drugs have worked their way through and out of her system.

I also try to reward her with treats, but as I’m trying to keep her mind working, I've been putting them in her “spring” toy where she has to use her paws to get the treat close to the outside so she can get her mouth close enough to it.  Later she might figure out how to get her face inside the spring to get the treat, but either way she’s figuring it out.

I also put them on the top of her scratching posts hoping that she’ll start using the post.  I've been trying to teach her to use the post, but I haven’t had much success. I need to add some catnip to make it more attractive.  I did hear a noise while I was working on the computer this morning. Tommy had tried to pull down the scratching strip that hangs on a closet door.  I put it on the floor for her and she went after it with a vengeance, scratching and biting it. I know that there’s catnip in it, but I can also see that she likes to scratch on the floor, so I may be changing out the post for a floor scratching station.

The issue of being under the desk has also been solved and I can’t believe I didn't think of this sooner. I put an aluminum foil “fence” in front of the areas where there are cords and other “forbidden” items. After a little investigating on her part, Tommy decided that if she was going to go under the desk, it would just be to sit by my feet and I’m okay with her doing that. When I’m on the computer now she’s either at my feet, sitting with me on the chair, sitting on her own chair nearby, sitting on the desk, or playing with the scratching strip.

I hadn't done laundry since Tommy arrived and I knew that it was time for her to be introduced to the machines.  While she was curious about what I was doing when I was loading and unloading a load of laundry, once I left the area she followed behind me. At this point the machines are too noisy for her. The only problem we had was when I wanted to make the bed with clean sheets. She wanted to help by sitting on the bed and didn't enjoy it when I put the flat sheet on the bed on top of her.  She needs to learn that there are times when she can’t be on the bed. She stayed off the bed and just watched me finish. She finally decided it was safe when I put her little afghan from the shelter back on the bed. She’s a smart little kitty!

Most of the evening was spent quietly until the storms started. As they began I could see the stress level increasing on Tommy. She spent the time during the storms either laying on me on the sofa or wedged between the sofa cushions and me.  I’m glad that she feels safe with me. As the storms subsided we headed for bed and I thought about what a great day we’d had.

Friday, July 11, 2014

   I had planned a quiet day with Tommy since she’d experienced a few periods of “alone time” and I wanted to continue to establish a routine and rules.  We still have a couple issues to resolve.  Whenever I’m in the study working on the computer, Tommy likes to investigate under the desk where all the wires are.  After warning her and blocking her path, she still found a way to get under the desk. My productivity has quickly decreasing because I was spending most of the time trying to keep her out of harm’s way.

   Each time she went under the desk, I would remove her, take her out of the room, and close the door as I returned.  I kept increasing the time, but nothing was working.  I finally gave up and stopped trying to work in the study until I could find a solution.

   We did have an unexpected pleasant distraction in the afternoon.  My neighbors from my old building who bought my unit were walking and decided to stop in for a visit.  They didn't know that I had adopted Tommy, so after putting her in the bedroom, I met them in the hall and checked to see if either of them was allergic to cats. Since they weren't, I escorted them into my condo and awaited to see how Tommy would handle new visitors.

   She was a sweetheart and won them over immediately. When we went to sit and visit she sat on their laps or next to them. They petted and talked to her and she was a perfect and polite little hostess.  She alternated between Barbara and Alex giving them equal time without causing a fuss or major distraction.  When she had enough attention, she quietly sat on the sofa next to Alex and let us continue visiting.  Of course, she barely paid any attention to me, knowing full well that I’d still be here after the company left.

  The rest of the day I thought was rather uneventful, but Tommy had a different opinion.  I don’t know what set her off, but she wanted nothing to do with me in the evening.  When it was time for bed, she went under the bed, something she had never done at bedtime before.

   I decided that she needed some alone time, so I left the bedroom and went to the living room, closing the door so I could also have some alone time. When she “signaled” that she wanted my attention, I went back in the bedroom and there she was hiding in the covers waiting for me.  We ended our day on a good note with her back on top of the bed, ready to sleep.
Addendum: I forgot to mention that we had our first fireworks experience.  I wasn't feeling well and fell asleep on the bed. I was awaken by the sounds of fireworks (Bastille Days or South Shore Frolics?). Tommy also heard them and while she didn't make a sound or go and hide, I could tell that she was tense, so I sat with her, softly petted her, and spoke in a low quiet voice. This seemed to help her stay calm, but it also may have been the cause for her to go under the bed later.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

   Today maintenance workers came to do a balcony inspection.  I wanted to be home during it because when the window washer was here a friend’s cat who was staying with me completely freaked out and I hadn’t been home at the time to alleviate her fears.  I didn’t want the same problem to occur with Tommy.

   Well, I didn’t need to worry.  As the motorized platform ascended not only did Tommy watch as the workman rose passed our windows, she stood up against the windows to get a better view as the platform rose out of view.  I definitely have a curious little kitty.

   The rest of the day was relatively quiet.  I’m still having trouble getting her to play.  I did need to leave for a few hours to attend Bastille Days and (partially) participate in Storm the Bastille.  As always when I returned I was scolded for leaving her alone even though I left the television set and lights on for her.  At bedtime all was forgiven and we settled in for the night.

Wednesday July 9, 2014

 Last night (Tuesday) Tommy tried walking slowly and carefully on one of the glass tables in the living room. She wanted to check out a candle holder. While she still hasn't tried the glass sofa table or large cocktail table, she at least feels comfortable enough to experiment.

   Today she had her first experience with me vacuuming. It seems Tommy's already familiar with this machine because when I brought it out of the closet she immediately got on her haunches and hissed.

Vacuuming went well I left the bedroom door open and when I saw that Tommy was near the door I started vacuuming in the living room as far from the bedroom door as I could. When I turned on the machine, Tommy quickly hightailed it in to the bedroom.

   When I finished vacuuming all areas other than the bedroom, I turned off the machine and went to get Tommy. I brought her into the living room and put her on the sofa which is far away from the bedroom door. I moved into the bedroom before turning the machine back on.

   When I finished I rewound the cord and took it to the study closet. A watchful and wary kitty stayed partially hidden next to some shelves until she was sure the coast was clear. After a tongue lashing by Tommy all was forgiven and we sat quietly on the chair waiting for our company.

   I wasn't sure what would happen when new people came over. Would she run and hide, hiss at them, or be curious and accept them?  The front desk phoned when the company arrived, so I put Tommy in the master suite and closed the door. After showing the company around the condo and on the balcony, we returned to the living room and I opened the bedroom door. Tommy came flying out and immediately went to the new people to investigate. I was so proud of her and how she handled herself around my friends. Unfortunately I had to put her back in the master suite while we humans went out for lunch.

   What I expected to be a 1-2 hour lunch ended up lasting for over four hours. My little girl let me know how unhappy she was with me upon my return. After much verbalizing on her part and much groveling and petting on my part, all was forgiven.  What she didn't know was that I had a board meeting and would have to leave in about 20 minutes.  I made sure that all her supplies were adequate and clean and headed out the door.

   After the board meeting I also was attending a classic movie viewing.  I was gone a total of about five hours.  If I thought she was upset after my lunch outing, I had no idea how upset she was when I returned for the evening.  After the howling tirade there was a belly rubbing session.  During the petting session began, Tommy tried to bite me a couple times, each time I responded with a pointed finger and a “No biting!” reproach.  The third time it happened, I went to the bedroom as I told her that I wouldn't tolerate her biting me. I’m sure she didn't understand the words, but she got the message.

   She sat under a dining room chair and didn't enter the bedroom.  After about 5-10 minutes, I sought her out, laid down next to her on the floor, and waited for her to come near.  She came over and immediately rolled onto her back showing me that she was ready to try the neck/chest/belly rubbing again.  This time there was no biting, just much loving tenderness on both our parts. We headed for bed having both learned important lessons. 

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

   It was a rather fitful night; we’re both up almost every hour thanks to the air conditioning, thunderstorm, and my upstairs neighbor who exercises at 5:00 AM on the wood floor above my bed.  I was just starting to sleep through it, but Tommy wasn’t, so we both were awake.

   One surprise was that when we fell back to sleep, Tommy let me sleep until almost 7:00 AM and after her morning “greeting” she fell asleep using my arm as a pillow.  She stayed in that cuddle position for over an hour.  It was one of my favorite moments with her so far.

   Once we were awake we begin our routine.  We went to the kitchen to make coffee and replenish her supplies.  Then it was off to the study to print puzzles, check e-mail, and update Facebook.  Then it was back to the living room to do the puzzles with Tommy at my side.

   We moved back to the study again to begin updating my blogs.  She’s really doing well in that room.  She’s either exploring the safe zones (no plants!) or sitting quietly on a chair or on the floor.  When we had back to the bedroom, a new milestones reached.  I am able to make the bed before Tommy decides to jump on the bed to help.  The rest of the morning is spent in the living room reading, writing, and playing.

   I’m trying to get Tommy to play more so she learns to amuse herself when I’m not around.  Today she would only play with the feather boa on the wand for about 2 minutes, but we played with a string for about 10 minutes.  I tried putting one of the little mouse toys into the loops of string but all she did was take out the mouse and continue playing with a string.  Much later in the day she we discover the mouse and played for few minutes with it.  This was definitely an accomplishment.

   Later in the day we moved back to the study and Tommy is now comfortable enough to sit on the desk.  She usually doesn’t get in the way but just wants the attention which of course she gets.  Speaking of attention, I had to leave today for about 45 minutes to walk to Cathedral Square to register for Storm the Bastille.  When I returned I received quite a scolding.  I wasn’t sure enough we’d moved back to square one as she started following me everywhere.  Within a few hours she was back to letting me move freely around the condo.  I wonder what tomorrow will bring when I had visitors and have to leave several times during the day and evening.

   One final note: I miss being able to go out on the balcony, and don’t like leaving Tommy by the screen looking out at me.  I’m not comfortable just taking her out onto an 11^th floor balcony.  I’m thinking of buying a harness to let her enjoy the balcony while keeping her safe.  Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

Monday, July 7, 2014

   Tommy is not happy when I go into the study to print my weekly calendar and daily puzzles.  She becomes very verbal when I return scolding me for leaving her alone in the living room.  I knew the Tommy was a “talker,” but I never realized how verbal she really was going to be.  Her sounds vary by the circumstances.  She becomes my little guardian and growls whenever there’s a noise in the hall.

   Today I decided it was time to introduce her to the study.  I moved the floor plants up on a TV tray.  Even though the spider plant is a safe plant for her, I’d rather be consistent so the plant now is high up on top of the bookshelves.  I also moved the inflatable bed away from the plants so she wouldn't have a platform to help her reach them.

   She does enjoy the study and doesn’t get in too much trouble.  She enjoys hiding behind the books on the bookshelves.  I also turned on the electronic keyboard, but it appears Tommy is not musically inclined.  After stepping on some of the keys, she moved away from the keyboard and didn't touch it again.

   When I’m working on the computer she’s content to either sit on my lap, share my chair sitting behind me, or sitting on the floor.  Sometimes she likes to sit on the other chair next to the desk and watch me.  I don’t think she completely understands the headset; she’s not sure to whom the heck I’m talking.

   Occasionally she will venture onto the desk.  She usually sits between me and the keyboard but allows me to reach around and type as needed.  Other than the plants, I think she enjoys our time in the study.

   In the few days we've been together we've learned a few things about each other.  Today we both had gas issues.  Mine were rather loud and she wondered from where that noise was coming, but it seems she’s the princess of the SBD!  I also learned that she doesn’t care for the glass tables.  She doesn’t mind being under them and looking through them but doesn’t like to stand on them which will be a good point.

   She’s calmed down quite a bit.  I have found that when she becomes too excited, if I rub her lower neck and chest and speak in a quiet voice, she will calm down.  What I still can’t understand though is how she can sleep with her head up! 

   The best things about today were that she is starting to trust that when I leave the room, I will return.  She doesn’t have to follow me everywhere.  She also licked my hand the first time.  I’m not sure if she was lacking salt, I had a good smell on my hand, or it was a loving gesture.  I’ll assume it was the last one.

Sunday, July 6, 2014

   I’m awakened a couple times during the night. Once when Tommy explores under the bedspread and sheet and gets “caught” in the corner.  A second time she goes behind a pillow, but ends up inside the pillowcase.  The rest of the night I'm able to sleep, but she's in my face when I wake up.

   We begin what I’m hoping is our morning routine.  I check her food and water and replenish as needed.  Then it’s time to check the litter box and I find that she’s used it 2-3 times during the night.  One of my biggest fears is now alleviated.  I also learned that while Tommy is curious, she has no interest in my bathroom habits.  She waits patiently in the bedroom while I use the facilities and/or shower.

   I get an early morning text from one of my sisters asking how the night went.  I call her and explain how well Tony is adjusting to living with me or how well I’m adjusting to living with her.  We spend a very quiet day together although I begin to think that maybe I should rename Tommy, “Shadow.” She follows me everywhere I go and only leaves my side when I had to the bathroom.

   I know that as a stray she may not have had good interactions with humans.  I also know that in the last two months she’s been interacting with some wonderful people at the shelter.  Because she doesn't get along with other cats, I’m not sure how much time she had outside her pen.  Perhaps this is why she clings to me, she’s happy to have someone who loves are and only pays attention to her.

   I've purchased a variety of toys and have tried to introduce a few of them to her.  So far she completely ignores all of them.  I did have 5 minutes of success with the wand that has a feather boa and bell attached to it.  She may not have much experience with play, so that’s something we’ll have to work on together.  I finally try an old standby, some string with several loops tied together on one end.  Finally success, Tommy and I play with a string for about 10 minutes before she stops and appears bored.  I’ll try again tomorrow.

   I need to spend some time on the computer, but it’s hard to get in the study without her.  I let her in once to explore but the plants are too tempting.  I pick her up and take her out.  I’ll have to find a way to make this work.

   Our day is rather uneventful, but I feel we’re making strides together.  Another sister calls later in the day to check in and I ask her a variety of questions. I'm glad that I have a support system to help that just a phone call away. We end the day as it began, in bed tired but happy.

Saturday, July 5, 2014 Tommy enters my life

Three weeks after applying to adopt me, she’s finally coming home.  She’s been spayed, had a rabies shot, and got her license.  She is very vocal throughout the trip home.  She didn’t like beginning carrier and ensure riding in a car increased her stress level.

On arriving home I took her into the outer room of our bathroom.  (The bathroom is really two rooms, and outer room with vanity and an inner room with toilet and top.) When I opened the carrier, the room contained her covered litter box, bed, and dishes of food and water.  We spent some time on day in the room while she explored including jumping up on the counter.  She anchored herself in the bed, but did eat and drink.  Well she explored the litter box, she didn’t use it.

I gave her some alone time before letting are into the bedroom.  Once you start exploring that Ron, I moved her bed and issues into the bedroom as the master suite will be where she will stay when I’m not home.  When I went to giver from a long time in the bedroom, she quickly moved past me into the main living area.  She explored the kitchen, but didn’t jump up on the counter which I’m hoping is a habit she keeps.  She likes chewing on a couple of the plants and spritzing her isn’t working, so I’ll move the plants into a secure room until she’s been here longer.  She has enough to experience without trying to teach preferred behavior today.

Four hours after arriving she uses the litter box and I breathe a sigh of relief.  We continued to bond throughout the night.  She’s very comfortable jumping up on a chair or the sofa if I’m sitting there and it times sits on my lap and at other times just sits next to me.

When it’s time for bed I make sure that she has access to anything she might need overnight; food, water, litter box, bed, toys, and scratching post.  When I get into bed, Tommy jumps up on the bed and settles in for the night.  I drift off to sleep knowing that we’ve had a great first day and our great match for each other.