Saturday, September 6, 2014: Nine Weeks and Counting

We woke up twice during the night, but were able to sleep in until 7:30. After the usual morning routine, Tommy moves into nap mode and I move into work mode.  After I started the laundry, Tommy came out, sat by her bed, and complained. I could tell that it was pretty fuzzy again, so I took it out and vacuumed it out.

It seemed that she preferred the turn in over, dump the fuzz on the floor and vacuum the floor method. She didn’t nap in the bed that rest of the day. She spent much of the day napping under the table by the bedroom window.

A few times she came into the living room and seemed to want my attention. She would allow me to pet her for a minute and then would pull away. Once she tried to bite me, but I pulled away quickly and clapped my hands together. She doesn’t like loud noises, so she understood the message. She didn’t try that again.

I tried to engage her in play, but just like the petting, she appeared interested for about a minute and would then leave. She seemed a bit out of sorts and I wasn’t sure if she was still feeling after effects from her overindulgence of cat grass yesterday. 

During the evening she napped on the bed which is not a usual location for her. She wasn’t happy when I ironed the shorts as that was another favorite napping spot.  I was still getting over my cold, so I was pretty tired by the end of the day.

While Tommy didn’t follow me into the bedroom, she did let me pick her up and take her there without and resistance or fuss.  I congratulated her on making in through nine weeks with me and wished her pleasant dreams. With all the napping she’d done during the day, I knew that she would be up and “busy” during the night. I just hoped that she wouldn’t wake me up and expect me to play part way through the night.

Friday, September 5, 2014: Happy “This Might Be Your” Birthday

During the night I awoke to a hot and humid room.  I shut the door and windows and turned on the air conditioning. This of course awakened Tommy and it took a while for us to settle back down on her bag and my bedspread respectively.

When I woke up in the morning, Tommy was still asleep. I tried to move quietly, but she woke up and greeted me with a yawn and walked over toward me. After her usual morning routine petting she headed for the study.  I wasn’t sure what she wanted in there, so I followed. Sure enough, she was heading for the peace lily for a quick leaf snack. I told her “No,” and when she didn’t stop, I picked her up and we headed back into the living room.  It seemed that she has gotten used to me picking her up and now “tolerates” this action. She seemed calm in my arms until we reached the chair where she bounded down.

She tried once more to have a leaf snack, but finally gave up and decided that it was play time.  As I was remaking the bed, she watched and played with her scratching post.  This was a reminder that she hadn’t received a treat lately.  Since it was her birthday, I made sure that she got her morning treats. We had a fun play session, and then she continued on her own while I did some chores. After play time, she went into the bedroom to eat and then ended up on the ottoman for her morning nap.

When Tommy awoke, she beckoned me, and when I didn’t rush to her side, she went looking for me. I was busy on the computer and she let me know that it was time for late morning play.  We played with her cat nip bar and Cat Dancer, two recent gifts from my friend Mary Kay and her cats Bootsie and Zoe. I can usually get a good 10-15 minutes from the Cat Dancer with, of course, water breaks as needed. I find it amusing that it the middle of a rousing play time, Tommy will just stop in “mid-play” and head to her water bowl for a drink and then resume right where she was.

Tommy came running when I jiggled the snack bag, so it was easy to get her in the bedroom. I left to get birthday presents and groceries and when I returned Tommy got her gifts which I also hoped would alleviate some of our issues.

Tommy finally gets to eat a plant!

I got Tommy a small pot of grass, but at first when I put in down in front of her she just smelled it and looked at me. I’m sure that she thought, “Oh here comes another test, I’ll show him that I’m interested but won’t chew it.”  After a while temptation got the better of her and she warily started chewing, but looked up to see my reaction.  When she saw that I wasn’t trying to stop her, she feasted for a few minutes on her new treat.  I moved it onto the cocktail table, but she wouldn’t jump up (as she usually would). I picked her up and put her on the table. She then started back in and enjoyed a few more blades of grass.

Present two was a small tube of wound corrugated cardboard that she could scratch or chew. She’s been ripping apart the shopping bags, so I figured why not give her some tough paper. As I watched her chew and start to destroy the roll, it looked like most, if not all, of the bits that came off the tube ended up on the floor. After she had played with the tube for a while she came searching for me in the kitchen where I was putting away the groceries. She wanted to continue play time, but I could tell that she wanted me to be involved. I knew that it was time for present three.

Tommy's new chew toy

At times when Tommy is on her back she wants me to scratch/pet her neck and chest, but at other times she likes to play and nip at my hands. I can usually tell which mood she’s in, so I usually just try to get her to play in some other way when she’s in the play/scratch/bit mood. I hope that present number three will help me play with her without killing my hands.

The aftermath

Present three was a glove that had plastic rod extensions in the fingers and small mice attached with strings to the ends of the fingers.  When she got on her back after playing with the tube, I knew we were still in play mode, so I put on the glove.  She had a great time interacting with the mice and biting the glove.  We’re just going to have to make sure that we’re on the same wavelength when she’s on her back, so I don’t send her mixed signals.

When we finished playing, Tommy went to relax by the windows and I went to do some work. So far it looked like she was having a good “This could be your” birthday. I gave her a couple “hairball control” treats to see if she would eat them and she did.

A little later I was beckoned back out to the living room. When I got there Tommy let out her “yolp” which almost sounds like human speech. I knew that this was her cry for help, so I followed her into the bedroom.  I watched her stomach pulsate and I was ready for what was about to happen. She vomited two small amounts of green material.  When she had eaten the grass I thought that she had overdone it a little and sure enough, some of it was coming back.

I cleaned up the mess and reassured her that all was okay. I think that our play was a little rougher or more stimulating so that also may have been a factor. A little while later she drank and ate some of her food, so I knew that although I’d keep a close eye on her, she was doing okay. She spent a calmer, quieter afternoon after that episode. She rested either on her chair, or near her toy basket which seemed to be a new favorite spot.

Tommy (after partying too hard)

Early in the evening my sister called while Tommy was napping on her chair. When Jane mentioned that the temperature had gone down I opened up the balcony door and there was Tommy sitting on the ottoman right behind me waiting to sit and enjoy the breeze. While she was sitting there, the dragon tree on the opposite wall decided to tip over. While Tommy wasn’t in any danger she did seem irritated. Perhaps she was upset that she hadn’t be able to enjoy a nibble on the leaves when it was finally within her reach. I righted the plant and readjusted the soil so it would be stable again…Sorry Tommy!

At ten o’clock Tommy was ready to play. I tried using her new toys, but she wasn’t interested. I brought out the fleece teaser and she was amused for a few minutes. I couldn’t figure out what she wanted, so I asked her.  She walked into the study and I followed her. She sat in front of the closet and let me know that what she wanted was in the closet. I had forgotten that I had put the Cat’s Meow in there yesterday, but she hadn’t forgotten. I brought it out, took it to the living room, and turned it on. She started playing with it right away. When I left her alone to play, she came into the study to fetch me. I sat down next to her by the Cat’s Meow and she walked away. When I sat on the sofa she went back to playing with it. It seemed I was to be nearby, but not too close, just in case something went wrong.

She heard a noise in the study and needed to investigate.  The breeze was going through the blinds and an interesting noise. She even stood on her hind legs to check it out. Once she tired of the noise, she left the room, but “reminded” me that I was expected to follow her out.

When it was time for bed, I prepared everything and then went to find my little princess. She was sitting by her toy basket in the living room. I could tell that she really didn’t want to go to the bedroom, but just wanted to sit in the living room. That was not the game plan, so I picked her up and put her on the bed. When I went to close the bedroom door, she remained on the bed awaiting her late night snack. After her snack I said good night, turned off the lights and went to bed.

Thursday, September 4, 2014: The Storm and the Cold

After Tommy came to bed I fell back asleep and wasn’t awakened until around 4:30 when I heard Tommy’s call to come up on the bed.  I don’t always hear it, so I’m not sure if she always “asks’” or sometimes just jumps up on the bed.  This time there was a reason. The thunderstorm had arrived and since Tommy doesn’t like lightning and thunder she needed assurance and protection.

Up she came and after trying the window side of the bed, she moved to the other side which put me between her and the window. I spent some time calming and reassuring and we (first Tommy and then me) finally both fell asleep. When I work up at 7:45 I could tell that my little girl hadn’t moved and was still sleeping peacefully.

I tried to quietly get up, but nothing gets passed Tommy. I got up to handle bathroom needs and when I returned, Tommy was nowhere to be found. I opened the bedroom door and Tommy came zooming out from under the bed. There was no way I was going into the living room without her.  She checked out the living room and then sat by my chair waiting for me to finish my chores.

When I was done, she did her usual morning foot rubbing. I still don’t understand how she can stand to rub her face against my feet, but it just shows that she must really love me. She in return received her usual morning petting/rubbing. The rest of the morning was spent napping while I worked in the study or playing when Tommy awoke and summoned me. At times she needed to enter the study and remind me that she needed attention. Once when I was trying to finish a month’s transcription, she jumped up on the desk and planted herself right in front of me.  She let me finish what I was doing while I gave her some attention. When she saw that I was finished, she quickly jumped down and left the room.  Perhaps she was afraid that I would give her too much attention, or put her to work.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Tommy spent time near me or by herself. When she wanted to play, she let me know and when I needed to check her water & food levels, she also let me know.  She seemed to be much more affectionate today. I think she was being sympathetic since she could tell that I was still battling my cold. I’m sure that she didn’t quite understand the what-seemed-like constant hand washing.

We again had a nice breeze coming in from the balcony, but I didn’t want to try the sofa sleeper again. I brought out the quilted bedspread, folded it into a manageable size and put it on the floor.  Tommy, the inspector, had to come over and check out what I’d done.  I also put her cat afghan (catghan?) on top, but she preferred her Hallmark bag.

I made a major mistake when I tried moving the Hallmark bag closer while she was reclining on it.  It appeared that she thought I didn’t want her sitting on it, so she sat by the screen door and let me know how wrong I was.  This was followed by a period of tentativeness where she seemed like she wasn’t sure what she could do.  Of course, after a short time, she remembered her place in the condo and did whatever she felt like doing (as always!)

Tommy also received her first birthday card.  Tommy’s card was from Bootsie and Zoe, my friend Mary Kay’s cats. Because Tommy was a “found cat, “her actual birthday was unknown.  The shelter picked May 1^st, but the vaccination report from the vet estimated her age as 9 months, so I decided that we would celebrate her birthday on September 5^th which would also be our two month anniversary.

Tommy ended the night whining about something. I tried petting, playing, bringing her some of her toys, but nothing was working. I decided to bring out the tried and true toy, the Cat’s Meow. Perhaps since it was late at night, she enjoyed just sitting next to it and watching the little red tail circle around. When the mood struck her, she would stop it with her paw and chew on it. She still didn’t understand that it shuts down if it can’t move.  Whenever that happened I would be “told” that something was wrong and I needed to fix it.

Once she tired of playing with or watching the Cat’s Meow, I put it away and turned off the lights.  Tommy was curled up on her bag and I wasn’t sure if she would venture onto the bedspread during the night. Although we might not be sharing the covers, at least she wanted to remain close by me.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014: The Sleeper Sofa (part 2)

After Tommy’s first experience exploring the inner workings of the sofa sleeper, I knew we weren’t finished. I realized after round one that I hadn’t put the sofa cushions in the space between the head of the bed and the sofa, so I put them in. Of course I put them in wrong which lead to round two. After picking up and putting Tommy on the bed and readjusting the cushions I thought we might be done.

Tommy found a new way to get in but couldn’t get to the back.  By this time it was 3:30 and I really wasn’t in the mood to keep up with Tommy’s exploring. We sat down on the bed, I gave her a treat and told her that if she didn’t want us to end up in the warmer bedroom without the views, toys, etc. she better let me get some sleep.

We surprisingly didn’t have another incident and when I woke up to the TV going on at 6:00 (because I tried to set it without putting on my glasses) there was Tommy at the foot of the bed, awake and looking out the window. That spot was a much better vantage point for her to see more of the lake front.

By the time I was ready to leave, Tommy was ready for her morning nap. She was already in the bedroom, so I made sure that all the necessary items (TV on, window shut, food, water, etc.) were handled. I headed out for UWM and wondered what kind of reception I’d get when I returned.

When I returned Tommy must have still been sleeping because she wasn’t waiting by the bedroom door.  She spent a considerable amount of time showing me some affection (licking, rubbing, purring, etc.). It was good to be home. Tommy also expected some affection and even came up on the sofa where I was sitting. Of course, I overdid it and was finally told to stop with a little nip on the hand.

The rest of the afternoon was spent lounging and enjoying the breeze.  Occasionally I’d head into the study to work. Whenever I was gone too long, I knew that Tommy would come in and let me know that it was time to stop.  Usually she just went back on her chair, but later in the afternoon I thought that maybe she might want to play.

I got out her favorite interactive (as in interacting with me) toy, the fleece teaser and ran into the bedroom. When I got there I realized that Tommy hadn’t followed me.  I went back out into the living room and she decided to play in the living room and study.  After she tired of playing with the fleece, which wasn’t more than 10 minutes, I tried the laser pointer which didn’t even make it five minutes. She kept looking at me like I should know what she wanted. I got out the Cat’s Meow and all was well.

Tommy seemed to think that she could just sit and watch Cat’s Meow rather than actually play with it. Because I didn’t want to be constantly buying batteries, I would turn it off. That action was met with some complaining, so I thought I’d wait until I noticed that she had left the room.  When I turned it off, Tommy would come racing in complaining. I had forgotten how good her hearing is.

After I tried unsuccessfully several time to get her to play, she finally decided to nap on the dining room table.  I didn’t know how long that would last. Her next stop is on the floor by the table. I’m not sure why she chose to move, but after a while I realize that I need to go to bed. I leave Tommy in the living room with the lights on knowing that sooner or later she will wake me and remind me to turn off the lights. This of course means that she will expect a treat for reminding me, and that is the incentive for her to come into the bedroom for the night.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014: Lesson Learned and the Sleeper Sofa

Never again do I bring the Cat’s Meow into the bedroom.  When it was on, it was annoying and Tommy wouldn’t play with it very long. When it was off, Tommy would wake me up and sit on it to get me to turn it back on. At 6:00 I finally gave up and turned it on.  The congestion from my cold was breaking up, but I was still very tired. The day was going to be a difficult one if Tommy wanted lots of attention.

Since we had spent quite a bit of the night awake, we spent quite a bit of the morning napping/sleeping. When I went into the study, Tommy followed and walked up to where the philodendron once was potted. I had cut it all back the previous day because it had lost enough of its leaves to need a replant.  Tommy stared up at the empty pot and let out a quiet cry. I’m sure she wondered what happened to all those vines.

Since I wasn’t feeling well, both of us spent some time napping.  I had to get ready for my UWM class tomorrow, so I brought out my knapsack. Tommy was happy to help by putting her head in the bag and “checking” to see that everything was there. 

Unfortunately my pencils needed sharpening so I headed to the study to sharpen them.  The minute the pencil sharpener started, Tommy came running in to see what the new noise was.  She hopped up on the desk and had to examine the entire process.  It appeared that she didn’t get to completely inspect because when I stopped, she cried for more.  This time she was able to see the spinning sharpener and all was okay.

Because I was sick we also didn’t do much playing (or ironing or cleaning…).  There was a wonderful breeze coming through the balcony screen door and I knew that we wouldn’t get that breeze through the bedroom window.  I decided to open the sofa sleeper and crash there.

Tommy didn’t know what to make of this new bed.  She, of course had to examine it from all angles.  At one point she was able to squeeze between the front of the sofa and the bottom of the bed frame. I think she thought that she had found a special hiding place. She couldn’t figure out how to exit the interior and there was a quiet cry for help. 

She was barely able to jump up the back of the sofa when I pulled the front of the bed up and I could just see her claws digging into the fabric. I’m not sure if this will be her last foray into the depths of the sofa, but we’ll find out later. She settled in on her chair next to the sofa and I set all the television alarms for sleeping and waking. It will be interesting to see how this night goes.

Monday, September 1, 2014: She Wants Plants, But It's Not Happening

I woke up or was awakened a few times overnight.  Usually it was Tommy letting me know that I needed to prepare for her jumping up on the bed. I guess she’s thought that it was necessary as I must not notice her when I’m asleep and perhaps my feet get in her way!

We spent a quiet morning. Tommy played with and chewed her “Tommy” bag. I’m going to have to look for a more indestructible model. The rest of the morning and into the afternoon, Tommy amused herself or enjoyed laying in the sun.

Tommy had been nearby most of the day except for occasional litter box and nourishment breaks. The wind really kicked up around 2:30 and the blinds were positioned incorrectly and making quite a bit of noise. I found Tommy in bedroom near the blinds and knew that they must be bothering her, so I adjusted both the length and slant. When I couldn’t find her, I figured that since the problem was solved there was no near for her to supervise.

When I couldn’t find her anywhere in the condo, I knew where she was, hiding under the bed. I sprawled out on the floor along the bed and Reassured Tommy that all was okay and she could come out of hiding.  She inched her way out and came to me. I knew that we were making some progress, but I also knew I needed to distract her.

It was time for Cat’s Meow! I brought it out and again Tommy enjoyed playing with it for about 20 minutes. Of course, I needed to be close by for whenever she stops it and it won’t restart. She likes to put her forepaws underneath and catch the bar, a great plan except when she doesn’t see the bar coming.

Once she wearied of that toy, she moved to the study for what she hoped was an afternoon snack of peace lily. It’s positioned up high enough so it’s a stretch for her and I’m always on the lookout so she doesn’t get to eat the plant. After handling the plant issue, I got a call from an old friend. Since Tommy has learned to be patient while I’m on the phone, she decided to take a nap in a sunny corner knowing full well that I would pay attention to her after the phone call.

After the call, Tommy decided to try for the plants in the living room. She hadn’t bothered the plants for quite some time, so I was a bit surprised. She finally gave up when she figured out that I wasn’t going to let her get at them.  Tommy settled into a play, eat, and nap cycle for the rest of the night. Since I was battling a cold, I wasn’t much good in the play area and she amused herself.

When it was time for me to go to bed, I knew that Tommy wasn’t ready, so I took the Cat’s Meow into the bedroom and she quickly followed. I let her play as long as she wanted because I was done in and needed to sleep.

Sunday, August 31, 2014: A Nice Quiet Day of Play With a New Toy and Rest

I woke up around 3:30 A.M. and found Tommy sleeping near my knees something she hadn’t done in a while.  Our next wake up didn’t occur until almost 7:30. When I checked Tommy’s eyelid I could barely see what was probably a scab. Her wound was healing quickly.

I handled the morning chores and Tommy seemed to be in a good mood. I left to get some batteries and the Sunday paper. When I returned we put together the Cat’s Meow. After some initial cautious viewing, Tommy really liked the toy and spent about 45 minutes playing.

While Tommy was playing, just to be on the safe side, I sent a text to my sister asking her to call me when she woke up. I received a call almost immediately.  Jane asked some questions about the wound and said that I should continue monitoring it, but it appeared to be a small scrape and it should heal by itself. After hanging up I could see that Tommy was done playing with her new toy for now, so I turned it off and put it away.

Before I would let her play with her “Tommy bag,” I checked and noticed that the handle “stubs” were now protruding, so I made the inside of the bag a little safer.  Tommy still enjoyed the bag for a while and then was ready for her late morning siesta. I checked her eyelid again and could barely see her injury.  I didn’t realize how quickly a young cat’s small wound could heal.

While Tommy napped, I worked on my blogs, but after a while she came to announce play time. I followed her out in to the living room and we started with her favorite toy, the fleece teaser.  Occasionally she took the teaser and dragged the end with her to her water bowl to get a drink. She always seemed perplexed that I was following her. I’m not sure that she understood that I was attached to the other end. When we ran into the bedroom I tried to make the bed while she worked on a pillow treat, but she got the treat out well before I finished making the bed.

When we ran into the study I noticed that my copy of Son of a Witch looked strange. I discovered that Tommy is a book lover, except she likes chewing on and/or tearing the book covers! I tried to get her to play with other toys (especially the “self-play” toys since I hadn’t had the luxury of a nap, but she wasn’t going there). After we played “swat my hand with your paw” Tommy decided that it was time for her afternoon nap, so I went to work on clearing the DVR.

In the evening, Tommy again got to play with her new toy, but grew tired of it after about 40 minutes which is much longer than I expected her to play with it. At this rate we will be going through a lot of C batteries. While I talked to my sisters on the phone and did the dishes, Tommy was very patient sitting and watching either me or TV.

At the end of the night we played one last time. Tommy really put a lot of energy in chasing the laser pointer.  When we were both exhausted (or at least I was) we headed for bed, me on the bed and her under it, but I know that sooner or later, she’ll be on the bed with me.