Monday, August 11, 2014

Tommy woke up around 6:00 howling and running around the bedroom.  Since I wasn't ready to get up, I let her enjoy the time and she finally settled down on the bed. When I woke up at 7:00 she wasn't facing me and wouldn't even acknowledge me. I knew that she was in a bad mood and there was trouble ahead.

I tried calming her down and she did allow me to pet her and rub her chest/neck area that she really loves to have done.  Again I thought everything was okay and we got up and started the morning routine.  After finishing, Tommy laid on the floor and it seemed like she wanted to have round two of her chest & neck rubdown. It started okay, but then she bit my other hand that was near her face and it wasn't a little nip, but an open mouth bite.

I did the usual “Ouch, No!” and left the room. I don’t know if it’s really working, if there’s a better way to get her to stop biting, or if she’s just a biter and I have to live a very cautious life with her. It’s really frustrating and at times I think that she doesn’t like me very much. She used to sit by me and occasionally on my lap, but now she prefers to sit by herself.

If I leave her alone, she does usually vocalize that she wants to be included wherever I am, but that may just mean that she feels that she’s missing out on something. Today when that happened, I opened the study door and she came in and checked things out and left, so I guess she just doesn’t want to miss anything.

When I returned to the living room she again walked near me and laid down like she wanted to be petted. This time when I brought my hand near her, she tried to swat it away. I left her alone and sat on the sofa. She went and sat by the balcony screen door with her back to me. We seem to be out of synch lately and I don’t know how to bring out the cat that first came through the door.

We spent the rest of the morning in a very tenuous manner. When she wanted attention, I would pet her and speak in a very soft tone, but within a few minutes she would again move her head in a way that indicated that she was getting ready to bite. I’d seen it enough times to know it and was prepared. Sure enough, each time she raised her head, her mouth would open and she moved in to bite. Each time I would leave the situation and try again later.

Around lunch time I was sitting on the balcony trying to stay out of Tommy’s way when she came up to the screen and howled. As I opened the screen she came out to explore. I kept myself between her and the outer ends.  She just wanted to look at and touch the furniture, so we were safe. After a few minutes we went back in and I could breathe again.

After that Tommy went to sit on her usual chair next to the sofa, but I could tell by where she was putting her paws that I needed to be in close proximity. I decided to try something. I picked her up and out her on the sofa on the opposite end of me.  She decided to stay and curled up. She also let me pet her, so I gave her a treat.  She fell asleep, but was awakened later by the garbage truck that seemed to take forever and was very noisy. We went to explore and after the truck left, she came back to the sofa and she got a second treat. Later when I made lunch and returned to the sofa, she was nowhere to be found.  Suddenly her head peeked out from behind a towel on a chair. I laughed and then the miracle occurred. She got off the dining room chair and came back to the sofa where she again curled up and fell asleep.

I don’t know why she was in such a bad mood this morning, but I’m glad it’s gone… Maybe I spoke/typed too soon. My aunt called this afternoon and while I was on the phone, Tommy came over and let me know how upset she was that I was talking on the phone. When I finished with the phone call I tried to pet her and calm her down, but we were right back to the not wanting to be touched.  When I went to the sofa she went to the balcony screen and kept her back to me.

She moved to the sunny window for a short snooze and when she woke up she came back up to the sofa to continue her nap.  Maybe she’s got multiple personalities and the “dark ones’ have been dominant lately. I’m just going to enjoy her when she’s in a good mood and try to be patient and tolerant when she’s move do the dark side!