Thursday, July 9, 2015: Reflections on the First Year

This week, we hit a milestone; on Sunday it had been one year since Tommy came home with me. I’ve learned and experienced so many things this past year.   Adopting Tommy was definitely one of my best decisions. Having her around has enhanced my life.

Taking in a shelter/stray cat has some benefits. Tommy was already litter box trained and knew how to entertain herself.  She was accustomed to being around people and although still curious, she wasn’t inclined to get into the same kind of trouble that a kitten would.

Given that she was about a year old, there were also some behaviors that were already ingrained in her head.  If she decides to sleep during the day, she tends to find a quiet secure spot. By secure I mean that she tends to be hidden. Some of her favorite spots are in my walk-in closet and include a sweater cubby, on the shelf made by the cubbies where I keep my shorts, and in between the shirts on a lower rack or between my long terry bathrobe and a box. At night she tends to sleep under the table and chairs where there are many escape routes.

I know that she’s concern about her safety, but at the same time, I know that she trusts me.  Whenever there’s a sudden loud noise, she will usually try to find me and stay close by me until I’ve given her some reassuring petting and enough time has lapsed. She also rolls over on the floor at least a couple times a day to get a tummy rubbing.  Finally she makes sure that I always have her scent by rubbing up against me. She’s especially fond of rubbing against my feet and legs.

Tommy doesn’t like to be held or sit on my lap which has been quite hard for me to accept.  Friends tell me that sooner or later she’ll get comfortable enough, so I just have to continue to be patient.  On a positive note, Tommy does allow me to pick her up and hold her for about a minute before her tolerance of my behavior ends.

She doesn’t like her carrier or riding down in the elevator. She’s quite vocal during those times and if there are others in the elevator I tell them she’s just singing along with the tones announcing each new floor.  Once we get in the car, she enjoys the ride.  Her monthly trip to Petco to see Stephanie to get her nails clipped is usually her only reason for traveling.

This summer she’s enjoyed being on the balcony. She usually stays on the carpet which is just under the chairs and table. There’s at least a foot or two between the carpet and the railing. The few times that she’s gotten curious and tried to stick her head out through the railing I’ve calmly told her “No,” and then we go inside.  She’s learning that if she wants to enjoy the balcony, she needs to keep my anxiety level down.

After our visit to the vet last year we changed her diet and also starting brushing her teeth. She loves her wet food and tends to eat the dry food during the night. Occasionally if she’s hungry and I’m gone during the day, she’ll eat the dry food.  She tolerates getting her teeth brushed, but I think that’s mainly because she gets her favorite treat, dried tuna flakes, when we’ve finished that task. Because we’ve followed Dr. Becky’s instructions, this year she reported that Tommy was in excellent health and we just need to continue what we’re doing.  I felt validated because I’d never had a cat before and I’m always concerned that I’m doing what’s best for Tommy.

Our days are filled with play, naps, and food. I’m glad that Tommy allows me to sleep through the night.  She’s awake quite a bit during the day, so I’m sure that at least part of the night she sleeps. I’ve been known to have to get up during the night, and I’ve usually found her sound asleep under the table.

She’s good company and she keeps me on my toes. I always look forward to her wake up visit up on the bed in the morning, although she sometimes starts at 5:00 A.M. which she’s learning is way too early to wake me.  By 7:00 she’s pretty persistent. I don’t know how she knows that 7:00 is the time to make sure I get up, but I appreciate her efforts.

She doesn’t like television. She will usually vacate whatever room I’m in once the T.V. is turned on. She also doesn’t care to listen to music.  She will sometimes remain in the room if I’m playing classical music. She also stays when I put on Barbra Streisand although she’ll leave if I start to sing along. When I’m at the keyboard learning songs for choir she’ll also vacate the room. I’m not sure if she’s critical of my voice at that point or the combination of my plunking away at the keyboard while I’m singing.

She also regulates my time on the computer. If I’m spending too much time in the study, she’ll come in, jump up on the desk and make sure that I notice her. Of course it’s hard not to notice her when she sits right between the computer and me.  It’s also the time when she allows me to be close to her for an extended period. Her purring is one of the sweetest sounds to my ears and it almost always happens when we share time at the desk.

When I come home Tommy may be waiting at the door, or may run over to greet me.  I know that I’m in trouble if she remains sitting on her chair which means I may or may not be granted an audience with “Her Highness.” As I approach, she may allow me to pet her, or she may leave the room to put me in my place.

Even after a year, we’re still learning about each other’s quirks.  I’m sure that it will continue throughout our time together which I hope is for many years. I look forward to writing many yearly updates. As I said at the beginning, Tommy has enriched my life and adopting her was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.   

A Visit to the Vet

Tommy had her annual exam and shots today.  Dr. Becky said that Tommy was great. She'd lost the little bit of weight that she needed to lose and her teeth were great. Dr. Becky said that I was Dad of the Year! I'm so glad that Tommy got a clean bill of health and that it was evident that I'm taking good care of her.  When we got home Tommy got an extra treat and lots of lovin'. She's such a good kitty and I'm so happy that she's mine.

Eleven months and the First Fireworks of the Year.

June 5, 2015: It's been eleven months since I adopted Tommy from the shelter.  I'm so glad that I decided to bring her home. She keeps be busy and most of the time laughing (or at least smiling). She likes hanging out by the balcony screen and we occasionally venture out on the balcony together although she hates her harness. She sometimes walks out on the balcony untethered, but stays near the wall and under the chairs. She did sneak out today as I took a photo of all the sailboats. I didn't notice, but when I closed the screen, there she was sitting by the door waiting to be let back inside. I guess I'll have to do a better job of blocking the opening when I'm taking a picture.

June 6, 2015: The first of the fireworks of summer started at 9:30 P.M. and this year Tommy was not as disturbed by them. At first she stayed close to me, but after some reassuring petting she ventured over near the balcony door to watch them. She did retreat once the finale began with the continuous loud booming.

Ten Months and Counting

On May 5th it had been ten months since Tommy joined me in the condo.  We've settled into a routine, but each day is a new day with surprises and changes. This last week was the first of two weeks where I'm gone quite a bit during the day and I wasn't sure how Tommy would handle all the alone time.  She's used to spending some time alone, but not every day for most of the week. I also had a couple commitments in the evening, so she would be spending considerable time alone.
She usually greeted me at the door when I came home, but still has her independent spirit.  She sleeps when she wants where she wants which means I usually have the bed to myself.  She begins her morning wake up calls around 5:00, but has figured out that no matter how hard she tries, I'll get up when I'm ready.  Because I've needed to leave early a couple days during the week, I've actually gotten up while she's asleep.
 Last weekend two of my sisters and two of nieces stayed overnight.I have one sister who likes to hold her which if you've been following the blog, Tommy doesn't like. Somehow my sister got Tommy to stay in her arms for a few minutes by petting her chin and neck.  Even though this is the sister that "pesters" her the most, Tommy spent much of her time sitting near that sister.
Tommy loves the study and wasn't very happy that my nieces were staying in that room.  One of my nieces is allergic to cats, so I did a thorough job of cleaning vacuuming and preparing the room before her visit. It seemed that the girls didn't shut the door completely and Tommy found that by butting her head and pushing her paws against the door she could get in during the night. Fortunately Tommy didn't chase around and the girls were able to pick her up and move her back out of the room every time it happened. The girls now know how to secure the door.
Tommy spent the weekend recuperating from the visit. She didn't play much just eat and sleep.  By Monday, she was finally ready to spent some quality time with me. We had a nice play session in the morning and later when I was working on the computer, Tommy came and joined me.  We had a very long "pet and purr" session including a time when she turned on her back so I could pet her chest and tummy before she left for her morning nap time.
Although she's still doesn't sit on my lap or sleep on the bed with me, I know that she loves me. She's always showing me how much she trusts me and depends on me. The times when she follows me around, puts her paw on my arm, or just comes to find me, reminds me that I'm her human.
I'm so glad that we've had these last ten months together and look forward to he many months and years we'll have together in the future.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015: An Update and a New Hiding Place

Things have been going well for us. Tommy is now back to sleeping on the bed and doesn’t wake me up until almost 7:00. With any luck this is a pattern that will continue. We still have our morning routine of breakfast and chores followed by a play session.

I’ve moved Tommy’s dishes to her rug in the main room. It’s a bit more open and she seems to be eating more of her food. She has taken to eating some of her wet meals with her paw.  It’s quite the feat to see her swipe her food with her paw and then bring the paw to her mouth to lick off the food. She does tend to occasionally drop some of the food but she’s pretty good about cleaning up her eating area.

I’ve also moved some tables and plants around. Tommy checked everything out when it was moved, but only smells the plants. She hasn’t shown any interest in eating them as long as she has her grass for lunch.

She started playing with her toys again when I’ve been busy working on the computer or watching television and she usually ends up next to me on the sofa while I’m watching T.V. She also still does her run around the condo to burn off some energy.

I’ve added full length drapes in the study. Tommy didn’t climb up the sheets that I temporarily precariously taped to the windows as a trial run. Step two was adding the drapes in the study. The drapes for the main room will arrive in early May, and I’m pretty confident that she will continue her good behavior and not climb on them.

After the news I went to find Tommy for her last play session before bed. I looked everywhere, but couldn’t find her.  During the second circuit through the condo I saw that the drapes were billowed out at one point. Sure enough, there was Tommy when I pulled back the curtains.

We had our play session and then headed for the bedroom. Tommy has gotten so used to the routine that the minute she hears me open the drawer, she jumps up on the bed and looks for her nighttime snack. She doesn’t always stay on the bed, but she takes her place on the bed sometime during the night when I’m asleep and she’s ready to settle down.

Thursday, March 12, 2015: The End of the Daily Blog

Now that we’ve been together over eight months, I find that I am writing about many of the same activities every day.  Because I don’t want to post just for the sake of posting, I have decided to stop writing a daily blog.

I will instead write occasionally when there is some major news, some photos to share or just a periodic update when we reach a milestone.  Until you hear from me again, take care and be well.

Don & Tommy

Wednesday, March 11, 2015: New Toys

Tommy jumped up on the bed a little after 6:30 A.M. to see if I was ready to get out of bed. While I was glad to see her, after a quick acknowledgement of her presence I tried to fall back asleep. She was pretty god about only quietly disturbing me a couple more times before 7:00. For the most part she either left the room, or just sat next to my head waiting for the next time that she thought would be the optimum time to get me to wake up.

At 7:00 I got up and got out her breakfast. I went to the study as always to work on posts and Tommy showed up later to get some attention. She again didn’t want to play, but only wanted petting and attention.  Her purring told me that I had chosen the right areas to pet.

She left for a while but returned to look out the window. Unfortunately I hadn’t opened the blinds yet, but that didn’t stop her. She just stuck her head in between the slats, but also let me know that I was shirking my duties.  I went over to open and rise the blinds. After a cursory glance outside, Tommy left to play in the main room with her box since her job was done.

When I finished I went to join her in the main room and work on the daily puzzles. I came out and found her curled up in her box with one of her toy mice.  I hadn’t been able to figure out why she had made so much noise playing in her box and now it made sense.  After some quick attention and petting I worked on the puzzles while Tommy went and napped in the sun by the balcony door.

I was meeting a friend for lunch, so I went to get ready and when I returned found Tommy sitting in her box waiting for me. I gave Tommy a couple new toys that were dental chews. The first one was a mint chew which she proceeded to sit on to guard.  I didn’t actually see her chewing it, so I’m not sure if it will help her breath.

The other chew had catnip in it and Tommy started licking that one right away.  Again, I didn’t see her chewing on it, so I’m not sure how much it will help. I had put the catnip treats on the table and the counter and Tommy went exploring the scents.  She ended up sitting on the table trying to find the source. Unfortunately for her I had already put away the other treats.

We spent a quiet afternoon and evening. We played a little and Tommy amused herself with her new toys while I read.  I worked on the postings and Tommy again amused herself in the main room while I worked.

When it was time for bed I got out Tommy’s snack. I went and picked her up, and gave her a big hug before I put her down on the bed.  She ate her snack, looked up at the television and then at me in the bed. I think she was surprised to see the T.V. wasn’t on.  Since there was nothing else for her in the bedroom she jumped down and went back to the main room. I turned out the lights and went to sleep.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015: Back on Schedule

It seemed that Tommy had quickly figured out Daylight Savings Time and the warmer weather because right at 7:02 A.M. She was in my face for the morning wake up call. I had hoped that with the warmer weather and time change I might be able to sleep until 7:30, but Tommy had a different idea.

I knew that I’d never fall back to sleep at that time, so I got up. When we were in the kitchen, Tommy seemed to want some attention, so I picked her up and gave her a good morning hug.  She didn’t try to jump down right away, but sat in my arms for a moment and purred.  We were making some advancements.

I put her down and then got out her breakfast.  I decided that since I was up I might as well accomplish something, so I went into the study to work on the blogs. I was coming to the end of my grandfather’s diary project, so I could use all the time I could get to clean up some of the earlier posts fixing the formats and titles.

Tommy came in and wanted some attention. When she didn’t want to play, but still hung around I decided to pick her up. I tried to get her to sit on my lap while I petted her, but she wasn’t having any of that. I let her down and I guess that was all the attention she wanted because she went out to the main room and took a nap on the sofa while I worked.

After I finished working I went out to the sofa where we ate our breakfast. It was my first breakfast but her second.  I’ve really come to enjoy our mutual dining time. Once Tommy was finished she went to the balcony door and looked over at me. I guess that was my cue to open the door so she could explore the sights and scents of the city.

She observed for a while and then I went over and picked her up. At first she wanted to get down, but once she saw the heightened view she stayed for a few moments. She gave out a sudden growl and since I saw that she wasn’t squirming I knew that it wasn’t because I was holding her. I wasn’t sure if it was toward the lone jogger or something else.  About a minute later, she was ready to get down.

We played with the fleece teaser and her little box. When a siren started blaring, she froze. I wondered if this was a learned response from her times on the streets of Chicago. Later I hear some birds chirping and so did Tommy. She ran back over to the balcony door and stared out intently looking for those birds.

We continued to alternate between playing and Tommy going to check out the outside world from the balcony door. Before she went for her afternoon nap, I brushed her teeth and gave her the hairball treats and grass that she earned.

When it was time for her afternoon nap, she moved to the study to enjoy the sun and some solitude. I went the car wash and then came back in time to have Tommy trot to meet me when I returned. 

Tommy went back to the study and I went along to work on postings.  At one point I thought that she was going to hack up a hairball but someone it never arrived. I went to her to see if I could soothe her and she purred while I petted her.  Once she had enough petting, she moved to her perch near the balcony door and I went to get ready for choir.  Before I left I got out the rest of her dinner and gave her a good petting and hug.

When I returned Tommy trotted over to greet me. Once my coat and shoes were removed, Tommy flopped down and expected a good petting and quality attention which she received. Since it was late, I was going right to bed, but at least attempted to play with Tommy. She didn’t want to play she just wanted petting and attention.

As I got ready for bed, Tommy watched from the dining area.  When I was ready to go to bed, I went and got Tommy, picked her up, hugged her good night and put her down on the bed for her snack. As always, once she finished her snack she jumped down and left for the main room. I was pretty sure that I wouldn’t see or hear her again until it was time to wake up in the morning.

Monday, March 9, 2015: A Middle of the Night Wake Up

Sometime between 12:30 and 12:45 I was awakened by the sound of Tommy’s distress yelp from the main room.  Since I knew that it was never a good sign, I rushed out to find her standing in the middle of the room.

When I got near her, she flopped over on her side.  I petted her and tried to soothe her. I felt around her belly to see if there was any tenderness, but I couldn’t detect any problems.  I also looked around for any puke, but found none. When she moved, Tommy kept low to the ground and then would flop over again.  I again would pet and soothe her and we continued this one more time.

Because I wasn’t sure what the problem was, I decided that she’d be safer and I could keep closer tabs on her if she slept in the bedroom.  I picked her up and she just cuddled. This wasn’t like her at all. 

When we got to the bedroom, I put her on the bed. She did a little investigating and then jumped down and sat near the chair in the room.  She seemed to be okay, so I got into bed and turned out the light.

During the night, Tommy occasionally got up and caused quite a ruckus.  She still scratches around a lithograph, so I put it down on the floor. It appeared that the wall was the problem, not the picture because she continued jumping up and scratching the wall.  Rather than let the scratching continue I put some aluminum foil on the table and that problem was solved.

The next time I woke up it was almost 6:00 and Tommy was sleeping on the top of her bungalow. I rolled over to go back to sleep, but Tommy must have figured out that I was awake because that’s when the noise making started. She chewed her foil ball, crunched on some dry food, jumped up near my head to call me to wake up and also went up on the bureau to make noise with all the objects that were up there.

Occasionally she would stop making noise and settle down. Just when I’d think that the noise making was over, she’d start in again. I finally gave up at 7:15. I called to her and she jumped up near my head. When she realized that I was going to get up she jumped down and ran for the door.

After feeding her, I went to work on postings since I was a day behind. Tommy came in to check up on me, but let me continue working while I’d pet her and she walked near my feet.  Once I was done we had some time together. She was sitting on the sofa, so I brought over the rest of her breakfast and my bowl of cereal. We sat and ate our respective breakfast.

It was such a beautiful day that I thought that I’d open the balcony door just a little ad let in some fresh air.  Tommy went and sat by the opening and enjoyed the breeze and scents that came in through the screen. While she was preoccupied, I went and showered and got ready to leave for school. When I was ready, I went to work on some postings while Tommy raced around the condo occasionally stopping over to check up on me and get some attention. As I finished typing, Tommy was resting in front of her box in the study. I hated to have to move her, but it was time to go and since the toxic plants reside in the study, that room would be closed to her while I was gone.

When I returned I found Tommy relaxing in the sun. I thought that she’d want to play, but she just wanted some attention. After some petting and talking I got down her grass so she could have a snack if she wanted one.

The main room was 75°, so I opened the balcony door. Tommy ran to sit by the screen and takes in the sights and smells.  We had a relatively quiet time. We played a little and then Tommy went for a run around the condo before settling down for a rest on her perch by the balcony.

We had dinner and then settled on the sofa. Tommy ate her dinner on the sofa while I ate my salad.  Then as I watched some programs, Tommy took a nap next to me.  I’m glad that she’s decided to sit next to me on the sofa again.

When it was time for me to go to bed. I got myself and the condo ready for the night.  I picked up Tommy and gave her a big hug as I brought her into the bedroom for her snack. As she ate it I got into bed. When she finished, she left for the main room while I turned off the lights and went to sleep knowing that I’d get my usual wakeup call in the morning.

Sunday, March 8, 2015: I Get to Sleep Later

With the time shift and a warmer morning, the heat didn’t come on and I the first one up at 8:30.  Since it would have been 7:30 without the time change, I took that as a way to get some extra sleep.  Tommy was a bit off trying to figure out why I was awake before she came into the bedroom to wake me up.

I got out her breakfast and started the morning chores. Once coffee was made I started doing some much needed cleaning and started the couple loads of laundry that still needed to be done. I stripped down the bed to launder the sheets and being rather optimistic, I decided to change the sheets from flannels to a heavy cotton set. 

I also decided to change Tommy’s fleece blanket for a lighter one.  Once the bed was made I brought Tommy in and put her on the new blanket. She jumped down and went over to her other blanket which was one the chair. She smelled it, looked at me and then left the room.

I put the old blanket back on her part of the bed. I then went out and found Tommy. I brought her back in and put her on the blanket.  She walked around and inspected it before jumping down and going back out to the main room.

She spent most of the morning near the balcony door either on her perch or in front of the door. I wondered how she’ll enough the fresh are with the warmer temperatures and reopening of the balcony door this week.

Once she woke up and was moving around I brushed her teeth. She was very cooperative and I was able to spend a little extra time on her dental hygiene.  She then had her hairball treats and grass.

After she finished her treat, she left for the quiet of the study while I worked on DVD burning and freeing some space on the DVR. I went into the study occasionally to check up on her. At one point she was sleeping in her box near the window.  Although she likes the box to rub against and sometimes hide behind, she hasn’t actually slept in it for quite a while.

Later she moved out of the box so she could move to where there was optimal sunlight. I was watching the Badgers basketball game and realized that at one point I yelled loudly enough at the television to raise the dead.  I went to apologize to Tommy and saw that she was still sound asleep. I guess she’s gotten used to the noise during the games.

With only a few minutes left in the second half and the Badgers with a comfortable lead, I went to check on Tommy. She was just waking up and was sitting in the shade. She got up and moved to where the sunlight was still available.  I went and gave her a couple quick pets, but could see that she still wanted to extend her nap, so I went out to watch the end of the game.

With the game ended, I did a quick run to the drug store for a few supplies. When I returned Tommy inspected my purchases to make sure that she approved.  After she approved the items, we moved into dinner mode.  Tommy had the early part of her dinner while I had my only part.  We had a play session in the study that extended a bit longer than usual. After I finished doing the dishes we had another play session in the living area using a box and the fleece teaser. It was again a slightly longer session than usual and I appreciated the time and effort that Tommy put into it.

Once we were played out and the news was over, Tommy moved to a dining chair and I started closing up the condo. I hadn’t completed any diary transcriptions, but thought that perhaps I would catch up in the morning.  I was glad that I had chosen some quality time with Tommy over computer work.

After closing everything down, I picked up Tommy and took her into the bedroom for her snack.  She seemed to be less squirmy whenever I picked her up at night. Perhaps she knew that she could tolerate my closeness when there was a snack involved.  While she ate her snack I got into bed. With her snack finished, she had no real reason to stick around so she headed back out to the main room for the night.

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Tommy didn’t come in until the heat came on and then she jumped up on the bed to let me know that it was time for breakfast.  I quickly moved through the morning chores before going to the study to work on the postings.  I was going to visit a couple of my siblings so I needed to get some work done.

Tommy stopped in and we had a short play session before I went back to work. Once Tommy saw me put on the headphones, she went and curled up by the window. After a while she realized that I was intent on working, so she went out to the main room and looked out the balcony to see if there was something more interesting outside.

Once I finished posting I got ready to leave. Tommy sat on here perch in the living area as I got ready. I gave her some attention before I left and then headed out.

When I returned several hours later she was resting on her rug.  She got her hairball treats and grass while I put things away. She was very interested in the scents I had brought along since they included a few dogs and a couple cats.  Once she had her fill of the scents, she got ready for dinner.

I put out her food and she ate a little of it. Since it was so close to when she had her treats I wasn’t worried about her lack of enthusiasm. A little while later she finished off her dinner and I got out the little bit that was left so it could warm up.

Tommy loves to spend time in the study. Since there are plants that would be harmful to Tommy I keep the door closed when I’m not at home or at night when I’m asleep. Whenever I return Tommy will usually run up to the door and cry for me to open it.  We also have many play sessions in that room, so I know why it’s her favorite room.

Once she had out her last meal of the day, I was able to close off the study. It was early, but since I had a bad headache I wanted to go to bed early.  I also wanted to go to bed a little early because it was the beginning of daylight savings time and I wasn’t sure how Tommy was going to handle the time shift.

Before going to bed I made sure that the clock by the bed and the thermostat clock were changed.  I went to bed, but left the main room lights on for a while. When I woke up later, I got up and turned off the lights. I shook Tommy’s snack bag, but she didn’t come running. 

After getting out her snack, I went and found her sitting on a dining set chair. I picked her up and was able to give her a few hugs before putting her down on the bed to have her snack.  As always once she was finished, she left the bedroom and went back out to the main room to sleep.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Tommy slept all night in the main room while I slept in the bedroom.  She didn’t come in until almost 6:00 to see if it was time to eat. She jumped on the bed and after petting her she jumped back off the bed when she saw that I wasn’t getting up.

She showed up about 10 minutes later with the same activities occurring.  Her third visit didn’t happen until right before 7:00. She seemed a little more ready to accept my petting, but once the heat came on, she jumped down and waited for me in the main room.

I got up and got out her breakfast.  I then went to the study where Tommy later joined me.  We had a short play session and then I went back to work with Tommy stopping in a couple times just to check up on me.

It was a short morning as I was going to a late morning movie with friends.  Tommy could tell that I was leaving because not only did I shower, but I also had some “outside” shoes out. Once she saw the shoes, she went and sulked on her perch by the balcony. I gave her a quick petting and said that I’d see her later.

When I returned, Tommy took a minute but then came and greeted me.  Because we had not had a good day yesterday, I put off teeth brushing until Friday. After a quick hello I brushed Tommy’s teeth and gave her the treats and grass which always followed.

I began doing the weekly laundry and settled in for a quiet afternoon and evening. While sitting on the sofa, Tommy came and joined me.  She let me know while we were sitting there that I needed to pet her. She did this by tapping my hand with her paw.  It doesn’t happen often, but I really like to get that reminder.

When it was time for bed, I turned everything off and then went and put out Tommy’s snack. As I was opening the bag, Tommy came running into the bedroom and jumped up on the bed.  I guess that she knew the sound of her snack bag.  I got out her snack and gave it to her. I was able to also pet her and wish her a good night before I got into bed and Tommy returned to the main room.  She still wasn’t sleeping on the bed, but at least she wanted my attention.

Thursday, March 5, 2015: Sometimes Getting In Doesn’t Mean Getting Out

I woke up at 5:00 and Tommy stayed on the bed while I handled my personal issues. I went back to bed, but by 6:00, Tommy let me know that she thought it was time to exit the bedroom. I opened the door and let her go explore, play, etc. while I went back to sleep.

I was able to sleep until 7:00 when the heat came on and Tommy came in to get me out of bed. After feeding her I went and took care of the morning printing and posting.  Tommy came in to see me, but left when she saw what I was doing.

When I went to find her later, she couldn’t be found. I finally heard her crying in the bedroom. Somehow she had gotten under the bed and couldn’t get out. Once I moved some items, she came out.  I tried to find out how she was getting in there and blocked what I thought were the openings.

This happened three more times in the morning.  Each time there would be a cry, a box moved, and an escape. Each time I would also try to find another way that she could have gotten in and tried to block it.  I have no idea what’s going on with her today.

She hasn’t bothered with the area under the bed for months, but today she wanted to get under there even though she has plenty of hiding places. I even moved her special little box in the study so that I couldn’t see the opening from the desk.  I’m not sure if she’s reacting to the three days of company we had, but since we’re here alone she shouldn’t need to hide.

The rest of the morning proceeded without incident. We spent some time having a play session and Tommy also brought her “new” little mouse toy out in to the living area and put it by the green glass cat. I wasn’t sure if she was trying to share it, but after the glass cat didn’t move, Tommy started rubbing against it until it fell over. I was sitting close by so I righted the glass cat, but Tommy moved to the study.

Just when I thought that the under the bed issue was over, Tommy again got stuck under the bed.  This time, I put her in a secure area with food, water, litter box, and bed and moved enough boxes and other storage items under the bed that I filled the area.  With any luck this will finally settle the issue and I won’t have to keep rescuing her from her own devices.

Tommy spent some time sitting on my lap while I explained life to her. I know that she doesn’t understand what I’m saying, but I’m doing it for my own good.  Tommy doesn’t usually sit on my lap, so getting her to sit and let me pet her let her know that I wasn’t angry (just very frustrated) and that I loved her.  After a few tense moments I could tell that she calmed down and relaxed.  After I was sure that she was still relaxed, I let her down.

I gave her the hairball treats that she likes and put out the grass. She still seemed a little wary of me and probably was upset that she had lost (I hope) an area which got her into trouble and could potentially hurt her. I wasn’t sure how the rest of the day would go.

Tommy spent most of the time “staying out of my way.”  I felt bad that she was not seeking my attention, but I knew that I had to fix the under the bed problem before I needed to be gone for several hours and have her trapped under the bed.

When it was time for dinner I put out her food and she ate some of it.  I closed off the study where she had spent most of the afternoon.  I retreated to the bedroom since the DVR would not be able to record all the programs. I needed to watch a couple programs in real time.

While I was in the bedroom, Tommy moved to the sofa. I checked in occasionally just to reassure her, but I saw that she still wasn’t eating.  I put the food up on the sofa near her to see if that would help.

The next time that I came in, I saw that the food hadn’t been touched.  I went and sat next to her and petted her. While I was reassuring her, she moved to the bowl of food and started eating. She continued to eat until she had finished all the food.  She then let me know that she also didn’t want me to keep petting her, so I took the bowl and went back to the bedroom.

When it was time for bed, I closed up the condo and picked Tommy up to take her to the bedroom.  She allowed me to pick her up and didn’t fuss at all. When we got to the bedroom I put her down next to her snack which she quickly ate.

Once she was finished, she jumped down and went back to the living room.  I put out a little more of her snack on the plate on the bed just in case she decided to return. I was pretty sure that she’d sleep in the living area and I would be alone on the bed which is the usual setup when Tommy is upset with me.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

I woke up around 6:00 and by 6:20 it was clear that Tommy wanted to be fed.  I saw that she had already eaten all of her dry food in the bedroom, so I decided to get up early and give her some of her canned food.

Surprisingly she didn’t eat much right away, so I was glad that I had only given her part of her morning portion.  I was very far behind on postings, and Tommy “allowed” me to work quite a bit to get caught up. I pulled out a couple of her “new” toys from the bag in the closet as a special treat.

There was a triangular shaped mouse in the bag and Tommy immediately pounced on it. She had a great time throwing it around with her mouth and chasing after it. After a morning of play, Tommy moved to her perch in the living room to rest and watch for any activity outside.

Throughout the afternoon Tommy alternated between the study by the window and her perch in the living area.  I finished catching up on posts and the book for book club that night. We had our dinner and then I went to book club.

When I returned Tommy was sitting on the sofa and didn’t jump down to greet me. I wasn’t sure if it was the fact that I had been gone such a short time or that she was just tried.  I sat down next to her and she smelled my sweater. After a quick whiff, she jumped down. I wasn’t sure of the person next to me had a pet or was wearing a perfume with an unpleasant scent to Tommy.

I went and changed into my pajamas which I think confused Tommy. She saw me and went to the bedroom even though I hadn’t turned off any lights. She came back out and sat near the balcony door while I worked on some reading and watching the couple of the night’s programs that were on the DVR.

When it was time for bed, Tommy beat me into the bedroom and went and sat by the window.  When I got out her snack bag she jumped up on the bed and sat by her little plate which she noticed was still empty.  Once I put the snack in the plate, she finished it up and moved back down to the floor before I could even get into bed. Once in bed, I turned off the lights and said good night to Tommy who would join me later on the bed.

Monday, March 2-Tuesday, March 3, 2015: No Class or Choir

I didn’t have class on Monday because it was an exam day. On Tuesday night choir was cancelled which was lucky for me since I probably wouldn’t have gone since I was still nursing my cold.

Because I was starting to feel better we did get to have some extended play times. I also did leave to go to a movie at the Oriental. The walk and the fresh air seemed to do me some good.

I had fallen behind on my blogs so whenever I had some time, energy, and ambition I was back at the desk.  Tommy was very good about stopping in to check up on me and also to come up and get attention when she needed some.

I also needed to finish reading the book for book club, so again Tommy was very good about just sitting next to me on the sofa or sitting on her perch while I read. She truly seems at lease in the condo. She tends to find the best sun and just relax during the day.

She has had a couple hairball instances recently, but other than that all has been well.  I feel so bad for her when she gets a hairball. The yowl that she makes followed by the regurgitation seems so traumatic for her. I always make sure to comfort her before cleaning up the mess.

Her eating habits have changed slightly.  I used to give her half of her canned food in the morning and the other half at night, but so often she’d eat about half and then want to come back in a hour or two to finish.  The direction state that the food should be refrigerated after opening and shouldn’t be out for more that 2-3 hours.

I’ve got to feeding her a quarter can in the early morning and feeding another quarter either late morning or at lunch.  The last two quarters get divided up between late afternoon and evening. She still eats some of her dry food each day, so I know that she’s getting enough to eat.  There seems to be much less waste this way and I feel that we’re being safer.

Both nights were spent quietly reading, watching television, and playing.  Tuesday night we did have a “chase session.” For the first time in I don’t know who long, Tommy didn’t head to the bedroom when I starting shutting down the condo. 

She started racing around and would stop until I started to move and then off she would go again on a tear through the main room. She finally headed into the bedroom, but before I could pick her up to give her a good night hug and put her on the bed, she would again race around the room.

Unfortunately for her, the bedroom isn’t as big as the main room and soon she was on the bottom of her bungalow and came out slowly enough for me to pick her up.  I gave her a big hug and then put her on the bed for her treat.  While she ate her snack, I got into bed.

Usually once she has finished her snack she jumps off the bed and retreats to the bungalow or by the window until I’m asleep before she joins me on the bed.  Tonight she finished her snack and then just curled up by my feet in her usual spot.  I wasn’t sure if she was just exhausted from the racing around or she just wanted to move to her sleeping position right away. Either way, I was glad to have her on the bed when I turned off the lights.

Sunday, March 1, 2015: Tommy Stays Home Alone

With all the disruptions (although all were good) to our schedule and having company, I needed to leave for the day to go to the Badger basketball game. Even though I still had that lingering cold, I had the ticket and since it was Senior Day and the last home game, I needed to go. 

I made sure that Tommy had plenty of food in the morning and I completed all my chores before leaving. She followed me around and supervised my preparations. Since she naps much of the day and I had left the blinds open I knew that she’d be okay.  I even left the main room open to her.

When I returned, she was sitting on the sofa and came down to greet me.  I’m not sure if she was trying to tell me that she was glad I was back, that she was hungry, or that I shouldn’t leave her for that long a period of time.  No matter what the message, I immediately put down her grass so she could munch on it while I got her dinner ready.

We again had a quiet night and all was well.  I’m still not sure if Tommy understands that I’m sick and therefore that’s the reason I’m not as active, but she seems to be taking it in stride.

Saturday, February 28, 2015: Tommy Meets Some of the Relatives/Children

After all the hassles of the night, we awoke to begin a semi-normal Saturday. I did need to go to a funeral visitation, but since I had a bad cold, I knew that I wouldn’t be gone very long.  We had our usual morning routine and then I left.

When I returned a little over an hour later, Tommy made sure that I remembered to spend some quality time with her. I also spent some time talking to my older sister on the phone and Tommy graciously allowed me that time.

I noticed midafternoon that there was a message on the answering machine from my goddaughter asking if we could get together during the day.  Since I knew that her family was meeting my sister/her grandmother later, I sent a text to her mother explaining my reason for not calling back sooner.

When I got a return text, it was decided that the family would drop off my Girl Scout cookie order and meet Tommy at the same time.  When I got Tommy from the shelter, they let me know that Tommy shouldn’t be in a house with other pets or children.  It would be interesting to see who Tommy handled guests that included some children.

We spent a quiet time during the remainder of the day while I continued to rest and administer to my cold.  Tommy had been so good about letting me rest and understanding that I wouldn’t be petting her or spreading my germs on her as much as I usually did.

In the early evening the family arrived.  They have two cats so I knew that everything would be okay. I went down to greet them and bring them back up to the condo.  When I opened the door, Tommy came trotting over only to stop dead in her tracks when she saw the rest of the entourage that had entered.

She did some preliminary sniffing of their shoes before heading out of the room.  After we all had settled down in the living area, I decided to try to get Tommy to come out and formally meet everyone. I went to the study, picked up Tommy and brought her out.  No sooner had I put her down, but she retreated out of the room. I guess it was too early to expect her to warm up to the visitors.

Later I tried a second time and that time Tommy sat over in the dining area observing for quite a while before moving toward us. She went to the closest chair where my grandniece Allyson, the middle child, was seated.  Ally did such a great job of letting Tommy smell and explore.  Once she was sure that Tommy felt safe, Ally moved down to the floor to sit.

I could tell the Kyra, the youngest of the three children wanted so much for Tommy to come to her and she was patient enough that Tommy soon moved over to where Kyra was sitting on the floor. I was glad to see that Tommy was able to interact with my young relatives.

What Tommy did next pretty well shocked me.  With Ally laying on the floor, Tommy went over by her and gave her a nose kiss.  What a triumph for both of them.  It was time for them to leave and I was glad that we had ended on a good note.

When I returned from accompanying the family to the elevator I couldn’t find Tommy.  After some searching I found her up in the bookcase behind the books in one of her safe places.  I gave her much praise while trying to reassure her that everyone was gone and it was only the two of us. She finally came down on the chair and I picked her up.

I took her around the condo to let her inspect and see that all the company was gone. After giving her some well-deserved treats we spent a quiet night. I retreated to bed early and Tommy stayed out in the main room until I woke up and closed down the condo.  We then headed into the bedroom for a well-earned night’s rest.

Friday, February 27, 2015: A Lazy Day and Tommy Gets Caught

I had noticed that my throat was feeling sore and sure enough, I had a cold.  I spent much of the day in bed or just laying around drinking orange juice or tea by the gallon.  Of course, Tommy wanted to play, but finally gave up and we spend considerable time sleeping next to one another on the sofa. I actually have to put my feet on the cocktail table since half of the sofa “belongs” to Tommy.

I did do some laundry during the day. Tommy and I took another extended nap on the floor in the sun. We tried to have a couple play sessions, but I just wasn’t quite up to it.  I went to bed early and Tommy stayed out in the main room until later when I finally woke up and started turning off all the power.

During the night (I can’t remember if it was Thursday or Friday) I woke up to hear Tommy crying. I couldn’t figure out why the sound was so muffled until I heard her scratching at some boxes.  I knew that she had somehow gotten under the bed and was now trapped.  When I pulled out a box, there she was, laying in the middle.

I thought that once there was an opening that she’d come flying out, but I guess she figured that once I gave her an opening that it would remain like that.  She was so wrong. I tried to get her out, but she wasn’t budging and I knew that if I left under the bed open that she’d revert to retreating there and becoming more timid again.

I had to get her out and with a little coaxing from the broom, she came out.  I found out that she had gotten in through a very small opening between the mattress, the frame and the wall. I used the throw pillows to close off those openings and although she’d tried moving the boxes that line the openings under the bed, she hasn’t managed.

She does have other safe places in every room, so it’s not like if she needs a hiding place she doesn’t have them. After the fire evacuation in the building, I just don’t want her to have a spot where I can’t reach her in an emergency.

Thursday, February 26, 2015: An Early Morning Visitor Upsets Our Sleep.

Neither of us woke up until almost 6:30. I woke first and saw Tommy curled up and asleep by my feet.  Even though I had barely moved other than my eyes, Tommy’s keen sense of her surroundings roused her from her reverie.  I would pay dearly for waking up early.

As I tried to return to sleep, Tommy spent the rest of the time until the heat came on trying to get me to get out of bed.  She even stuck her head through the blinds to check out the balcony.  Once the heat was on, her “nagging” yell began and didn’t stop until I was not only out of bed, but moving toward the bedroom door.

Once she was fed, I was able to complete the morning chores.  When they were finished and I was leaving the bathroom after clearing the litter box, Tommy “led” me to the study for a very short play session.  Sometimes I think she just wants to see if she can get me down on all fours and once that’s accomplished she thinks her task is completed.

I went to the sofa to work on puzzles and have some coffee. Tommy soon followed and moved to her perch up on the scratching post. She was able to keep a close eye on me and all the activity outside while basking in the morning sun.

In the book that I’m reading, the characters were at the opera, so I decided to play that opera while completing some posting and reading.  Tommy feel asleep, but when the contralto came in to sing her aria, Tommy sat up and stared at me.  I figured that this was my cue to can the music.  Once the music was off, Tommy returned to her usual position on the perch surveying the activity outside.

When I moved on the chair to start to get up, Tommy turned to me to see what was happening. I went and got coffee, but returned to pet her on her perch. It was then that I noticed the tracks in the snow on the balcony by the bedroom window.  I guess a bird had been on the balcony when Tommy thrust her head through the blinds early this morning.  It now all made sense.

I went to work on the computer in the study while Tommy moved to the sofa for her morning nap.  When I finished she was still sleeping so I guess we’d handle her teeth brushing when she woke up.  A door slamming woke her up a few minutes later, but after sticking her head up to check, she went right back to her eyes closed curled up position.

When she finally woke up we completed the brushing followed by her hairball treat and grass.  The rest of the day was pretty quiet. Since neither of us had any pressing appointments, we caught up on television and stayed up later than usual to watch all the cliffhangers.

With everything turned off Tommy and I headed to the bedroom.  The only change in our routine lately had been that I was now closing he bedroom door at night.  When Tommy saw me moving toward the bedroom she always made sure that she beat me there.  I’m not sure if she thinks that I’d deliberately exclude her or I’d just forget her if she didn’t beat me to the room.

She’s also gotten used to be picking her up and giving her a big hug good night before putting her on the bed for her snack. She used to try to immediately escape, but now I guess has resigned herself to the fact that since I’m going to hug her anyway, she might as well just endure and get it over.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

I woke up during the night and unfortunately Tommy thought that this was her cue to get her day started.  After a couple hours of frequent reminders, I finally got up at 6:30 and fed her. She had eaten earlier in the day yesterday, so I was sure that she was hungry.

I went back to bed, but at 7:00 when the heat came on, Tommy came in and jumped up on the bed to let me know that I needed to get up.  After some petting and assurance, she left me alone for almost another hour, only stopping in once during that time to check up on me by jumping on the bed near my head and “announcing” that she was waiting.

Once I got up and completed my morning chores, Tommy seemed to settle down. Although we still hadn’t had our morning play session, I’m sure that she was at least glad to see me moving. We had a short play session before settling down on our respective morning spots, her on the perch of her scratching post and me on the sofa.

After Tommy went for a nap on the bed, I went and completed some of my transcribing before getting ready for lunch with friends.  Tommy had moved to the sofa as I got ready. I put out her hairball treat(ment). As I left she was curled up on the sofa ready to begin her late morning to early afternoon nap.

When I returned, she was curled up on the sofa, but came over to greet me.  I had received a package, so she explored not on y the contents but also the packing materials and the box. She was very curious about the Talking Stefon, especially when he talked to her. I decided to leave him out and see what she would do. After the initial novelty wore off, she left Stefon sitting alone on the chair.

I put out her grass so she could have a snack. We then spent a quiet afternoon first playing and then just lying on a sunny portion of the floor.  I was even able to take a nap in that spot.  The sun felt so good; I understand why Tommy likes to find a sunny spot in the condo to relax.

When it was time for dinner we both had our dinner and then settled on the sofa for the night.  About an hour after Tommy’s first serving she had her second serving of dinner and ate quite a bit of it. Putting it out in smaller portions has considerably reduced the amount of waste from the food being left out and unrefrigerated.  I’m very careful about not leaving her dinner out too long although I had to just leave it when I was gone to Chicago for several hours and either she finished it while it was still “safe” or when it was beyond the “safe” time and it didn’t affect her.

I tried to get in one last play session before bed, but Tommy didn’t seem to want to play. Once we went into the bedroom, she did let me hug her before putting her on the bed for her snack which she quickly ate. Once I got into bed, Tommy jumped down and began some late night exercising. 

She jumped up and climbed on the bungalow before jumping back down and tearing around the bed. This was repeated several time with her also spending time on the top of the bungalow swatting at a hanging ball that she’d been ignoring lately.  If I didn’t know her better I would have thought that she was a crazed cat.

While she was running around I decided to read since I knew that sleep wouldn’t happen for either of us while she was running around.  Once she finally settled down and curled up on the top of the bungalow, I said good night and turned off the lights. I now that before morning, she will be curled up at my feet sound asleep.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

I woke up around 6:15 and Tommy was again still asleep on the bed. I got up and went to the bathroom. Tommy woke up and moved to the door. She probably thought that it was time to start the day.

After a quick petting I went back to sleep until right before the heat came on. By that time Tommy was sitting up near my feet and let me know that it was time to get moving.  I got up and gave her a portion of her breakfast which she ate while I worked on the morning chores and postings.

When I came back out I saw that she was finished her meal, so I put out the other morning portion. She was sitting by the balcony door, so I got out the fleece teaser and we had a short play session. I love to watch her get into her stance right before she pounces on the teaser. She wiggles her little butt before she pounces. After the session I worked on continuing the morning activities while Tommy moved to the bungalow to rest. 

When I came back out almost all of her canned food had been eaten and she was sitting on the perch of her scratching post near the balcony door. This gave her a great view of a lot of the surrounding areas outside. I worked on the laptop at the dining table while she surveyed the areas outside.

As I worked she jumped down and came over to say hi before starting her morning jog around the condo. She then jumped up on the scratching post perch before moving to the sofa to curl up for her late morning nap.  Once I finished my work I joined her on the sofa.

Later in the afternoon, Tommy jumped down from the sofa and after checking out the action outside from her perch, she came up to me to let me know that we needed to do something.  I got up and followed her into the study.

I thought that she wanted a play session, but she went and sprawled out in front of the window to enjoy the sun.  When I got close she rolled over on her back which meant that it was time for a neck/chest petting.  Once that was done, she laid down next to me. I took a short nap listening to her purring and occasionally feeling the light touch of her paw on my hand or arm.

I hated to get up since I was enjoying her company and the sun, but I needed to get ready to leave for a cabaret concert in Chicago with friends.  When I left the study, Tommy followed me out and went to eat some grass and enjoy the sun on the rug in the living room.

While I got ready, Tommy sat behind the grass on the floor. I wasn’t sure if she was using it to hide or guarding it. I finally had to put it away, but got out her dinner and put it in the bedroom where she would be staying while I was gone. She followed me into the bedroom when I took in her food. I’m sure that she realized that I was leaving.

When I returned it was a little after midnight. I was really tired, but I could tell the Tommy needed some attention before I went to bed. One thing I noticed was that she had eaten her dinner which I was happy to see.  She hadn’t been eating her dinner if I was gone, so this was a big improvement.

Since the study door was open, Tommy led me into the room where we had a really good and long play session.  Tommy was reluctant to go back into the bedroom, but once she realized that it was time for bed, she scooted in and waited for me at the doorway. I’m sure that she wanted to make sure that I was also going into the bedroom and not leaving her again.

I picked her up and gave her a big hug. She didn’t fuss at all so I got to hold her for quite a while.  I put her on the bed where she found and ate her snack. I got into bed and said good night knowing that morning would arrive way too early for me.

Monday, February 23, 2015: A New Cue that Tommy’s Done Playing.

I woke up around 5:00 and Tommy was still asleep on the bed. I got up and went to the bathroom. Although Tommy woke up, she never moved from the bed. She probably knew that it was too early to start the day.

After a quick ear petting I went back to sleep until around 6:30 when Tommy checked to make sure that I remembered that it was close to breakfast time.  There was one more awakening before the heat came on.

We did the usual morning routine before Tommy was ready for a play session.  We had a good session with the light and the air pillows. Once Tommy was finished and ready to nap, she flipped over on her side and her head ended up on one of the pillows. I wished that she had stayed there long enough to get a picture, but by the time I grabbed my phone, tommy had moved to the bedroom to continue her nap.

After I finished posting and doing the day’s transcription, I went to the sofa to catch up on programs on the DVR. While I was watching, Tommy came out and curled up next to me on the sofa.  It looked like she was also hooked on Downton Abbey and wanted to learn about Spring Green from John McGivern.

I needed to get ready for class, so I went to shower and get dressed. Tommy remained on the sofa while I ran around. She only got down when I put out her hairball treats. Once they were gone, she went back to the sofa where she stayed when I left.

When I returned, she was on the sofa, but jumped down and trotted toward the door. I always love to see her enthusiasm when I return. I got out her grass and also took her food out of the refrigerator so it could lose its chill.

Once I was done we had a short play session before Tommy moved to the top of her bungalow to rest.  Occasionally I would stop in and say hi or she would come out to eat. I completely lost track of time until I noticed that it was well after 11:00.  It was time for bed.

I closed everything down while Tommy watched.  She sat under the chair in the study and stayed there when I turned out the lights.  I wasn’t until I said “Out!” that she moved and I could close the door.  She sometimes does allow me to believe that she’s obeying commands, but I know that she’s just humoring me.

She did the same thing in the main room, staying under the table until I said “Let’s Go!”  She then ran into the bedroom.  I put out her snack, picked her up and gave her a good night hug before putting her on the bed by her snack. She ate most of it while I got into bed. She jumped down from the bed before finishing her snack.  Since she hadn’t finished her dinner, I moved the little plastic lid with the remaining snacks on the floor near her by the bed.  I could tell that she wasn’t ready to settle in, so I turned off the lights and went to sleep knowing that sooner or later she’d probably curl up on the bed near my feet.

Sunday, February 22, 2015: Oscar Night

I was awakened about 4:15 A.M. by the sound of Tommy preparing to throw up.  She hasn’t had many incidents of stomach distress until two cases this week.  It looked like another hair/fur case, so it was quickly cleaned and Tommy was soothed.

We went back to bed and as I was falling back to sleep I could hear Tommy purring as she settled in by my feet. I was happy to hear her contented and happy. I fell back to sleep not to be reawakened by Tommy until around 6:40.

Once the heat came on, Tommy made sure that I got up and got her breakfast ready. I finished my chores and then Tommy and I had a short play session.  I put the sheets in the washing machine half expecting Tommy to move away from the noise and to the bedroom, but she remained in the main room and sat up on top of her scratching post enjoying the sunlight.

We had played with the fleece teaser in the main room and a while later I noticed that Tommy had pulled it near her. This was my cue to play. While she stayed on her back I dangled the fleece above her. She batted it around with her paws before grabbing it followed by chewing and pulling on the end. When she was finished playing she went to the bedroom to have a nap on the bed.

I had to run to the grocery store and Tommy remained in the bedroom napping. When I returned, she came out to greet me. After a short petting session Tommy settled on the sofa. I wanted to catch her before she fell asleep, so I picked her up and brought her over to the dining table. She was very still while I rubbed the dental wipe on her teeth.

When we finished she got her treat and grass was put out. After she ate her lunch, she went back on the sofa to finish her afternoon nap. While she slept I started getting ready for the Oscar viewing/dinner. My friends who had been here on Friday were coming back so I hoped that Tommy would spend a bit more time with us.

When company arrived, Tommy came out to greet them although I still think that she was being very cautious. During the night as we watched the Oscars and ate, Tommy alternated her time among the bedroom study and main room.

A couple times she came over and sat on the ottoman next to the chair I was in. She also spent some time near the other guests. I was glad to see that she was more comfortable with my friends and not hiding in a different room. She probably spent as much time in the room with the humans as she does when I’m the only one home.

Once the company left, Tommy let me know that we needed to have a play session. We spent some time in the study chasing the light and then moved to the main room and bedroom to chase the flashlight and laser lights.

Tommy was nice enough to give me some time to put away the food before we played and put the dishes in the dishwasher and do some general clean up after the pay session.  Once all my work was done, we had one more short play session before a good night hug and snack. Once again when Tommy was done with her snack, she remained on the bed and curled up at my feet to sleep.

Saturday, February 21, 2015

We didn’t wake up until around 6:30 and then Tommy made sure that when the heat came on I rose and took care of her needs. Once the morning tasks were completed and we had our morning play session, I began the laundry which is too noisy for Tommy, so she went to enjoy the quiet of the bedroom.

Occasionally during the morning, Tommy would check up on me either by coming out to the main room or staring at me from the bed whenever I went into the bedroom suite.  She made an appearance when I was talking to my sister on the phone. I’ll bet that she wanted to know to whom I could be talking if not her.

We had a very quiet day. It was quite productive for me since Tommy spent her time either napping or hanging out with me. At one point in the afternoon Tommy jumped up on the desk to remind me of her presence.  She likes to flirt with danger up on the desk by getting very close to the desk lamp which has a very hot bulb.

Tommy once got a bit too close and her nose probably got a bit hot, so she’s usually careful. As she walked passed the light she stopped when her tail was close to the light. She stayed there and before I could get her to move, her tail swished against the light. There was a definite odor of burned hair. Since she still hadn’t moved I assumed that a couple pieces of airborne hair from her tail had come in contact with the bulb.

Since she didn’t flinch or even seem to notice I knew that it wasn’t serious. Still I examined her tail and it appeared to be fine. We’re going to have to be a little more careful and vigilant when Tommy’s tail gets near the light. 

The rest of the day and evening were spent quietly working, napping, eating, and watching television. When it was time for bed Tommy at first remained on a dining chair, but after the last light went out and I headed for the bedroom, she raced passed me.

As usual she let me pick her up to say good night.  When I put her on the bed she ate her snack.  As she finished, I was getting into bed and rather than jumping down and either going to the top of her bungalow or some other area of the bedroom, she curled up at my feet. It seemed that we were both ready for a good night’s sleep.

Friday, February 20, 2015: Another Early Morning

Tommy started waking me up at 5:15 and continued about every half hour until she began in earnest around 6:25. She hadn’t eaten much the previous day and I could tell that she had already eaten most of her dry food in the bedroom. I knew that she was probably hungry so I got up and let her out into the main room which had more dry food for her. I went back to sleep.

When the heat came on, Tommy was back on the bed to wake me up. This time I needed to get up and complete my morning kitty tasks. Once she had some food, she came by me in the study and we had a short play session with the light and air pillows. When she was fed and played out, she retreated to her bungalow in the bedroom for her morning nap.

I hadn’t put out her usual amount of food since she had just eaten much of her dry food. At 9:00 I put out the remaining portion of her morning canned food and let her know that brunch was served. She came out and ate more of her food. With only a little left I was satisfied and discarded the remainder.

Tommy and I went into the study and had a short play session. When she just sat there I knew that I could do some work. As she sat there, the heat came on in the study and Tommy jumped up on the bed case to investigate.  Once she got a good smell, she jumped off the case and scooted out of the room.

She came back into the study and went under the desk. I guess she realized that I hadn’t followed her.  Once she was reassured, she went to her usual sitting spots, under the keyboard and near the window. I’m not sure if she was hoping for sunshine or outside activity.

Later Tommy went to the bedroom and started her nap on the bungalow, but later moved to the bed. I got ready and left to get a haircut.  When I returned Tommy was still napping. In fact she napped until her dinner time which was right before friends were coming over to watch Boyhood.

When my friends arrived, Tommy was very curious but also very shy. Usually she joins in and sits with us, but tonight she hung back and spent most of the time in either the bedroom or the study. She would come out occasionally and sit far away and watch. Once she did come through between the two places where I usually sit, but my friends were now occupying.  She backed away and didn’t come over by me since I was sitting farthest away from her.

Once the company left, Tommy got some attention, but she just wanted to sit in the study. I sat in the living room and watched a program before getting ready for bed.  When it was time for bed, Tommy went in the bedroom once all the rooms were shut down.

I picked her up and gave her a big hug before letting her down on the bed. She ate her treat and then sat on the bed until I was settled under the covers. Maybe this was her way of tucking me in.  She went to the bungalow, but surprisingly soon joined me on the bed ready to go to sleep.

Thursday, February 19, 2015: A New Toy

Last night I turned the heat up and thought that I put the thermostat back to the automatic, but during the night I noticed that the heat came on which usually doesn’t happen. By 6:00 we had both been waking up for a while and Tommy  couldn’t decide if she should go back to sleep up on the bed or somewhere else and whether she should be trying to wake me and get me to get out of bed.  She was so confused that I decided to get up and get out her breakfast.

She ate some of her meal and then went back to sleep up on her bungalow. I stayed up and decided that I could get quite a bit done if I started early, so that what I did.  While Tommy slept I completed transcriptions and postings, puzzles and burning a DVD. Tommy must have come out and eaten some more if her breakfast while I worked.

When the sun was shining throughout the condo, Tommy moved to the living room and sat on the top of her scratching post to oversee outside her “queendom.”  She would occasionally come over and let me know that she was aware of my presence and would let me know when I was needed.

As she headed to the study, she called out to me and turned around to make sure that I was following.  We played a little, but it seemed like Tommy just wanted to sit in the sun, so I went back to clearing the DVR.

When Tommy came out again, I decided that it was time to brush her teeth. Tommy let me brush her teeth although I had a little trouble brushing her back teeth so it took a bit longer. Once we were finished, Tommy ate her hairball treats and a couple blades of grass.

Later I saw her sitting in the sun near the desk. When I went to join her, she turned over onto her back and she got a good rubbing/petting on her chest and neck.  We also spent a little time playing again with the fleece.

After that she sat on her rug in the living area where there was still a small sliver of sun. As I watched the news I realized that Tommy’s dinner should have lost its chill. I wondered if she was hungry, and as I broke up her food in the dish, Tommy came running out.

She started eating her dinner as I worked on the laptop on the dining table. Unfortunately the light wasn’t great, so I turned on the flashlight to see an entry in a diary appendix.  Tommy thought that I was signaling to play and so she abandoned her dinner and jumped on the table.

I told her to finish her dinner and she went and sulked. When I finished the entries I went to put the finished diary in the box in the study closet. Tommy came to help and a double air packing pillow drifted down. I had an idea.

I separated the two air pillows and put them on the floor. I got down so that my glasses refracted light onto the floor in one of the pillows. Tommy started trying to catch the light and as she pushed the pillow away, I made sure that the light continued to move with the air pillow. We had so much fun playing with the light and the pillows. When I needed to stop to eat dinner I put the pillows away so that Tommy wouldn’t accidentally pounce on one and burst it. I wanted to be near if that happened while we were playing so I could reassure her as I know that she’d probably get scared by the noise.

I went and ate my dinner, but Tommy still didn’t touch any more of her meal.  When I placed the dish by her in the study, she did eat a bit more. No matter what I did, it seemed that she was finished with her meal. Since she also hadn’t finished her morning meal I was surprised that she didn’t finish her evening meal.

I left it out while I did the dishes giving her one last chance before I would need to dispose of it since it had been out for a while.  When I finished the dishes she still hadn’t touched any more of it, so I dumped it and washed her dish.

Once the dishes were done, I moved toward the study and Tommy bolted ahead of me. We had another rousing session with the light and the air pillows. We didn’t play as long but Tommy again was quite enthusiastic. She seemed like a kitten again as we played.

Once she grew tired of playing and only wanted to watch the light, I put the air pillows away. I wasn’t about to continue twisting If she wanted me to do that she’d also have to put forth some effort.

I finished another diary appendix while Tommy chilled in the study.  After I finished I went into the study and Tommy came over to me. I could tell that we were both tired and as I closed down the study, Tommy moved toward the door. After closing down the main room, we headed into the bedroom. It was time to sleep.

Tommy let me pick her up and give her a big good night hug without any fussing. When I put her down on the bed, she ate her snack, then jumped down and came over by my side of the bed. When she saw that I was getting in bed, she went up on her bungalow to chill out for a while before she would curl up near my feet on the bed.