Tuesday, March 7, 2017

The Strange Habits of Cats

My cats have developed some weird habits since I got back from vacation.

To be fair, they are weird anyway so any new habits would probably be considered weird.  They are cats after all, and cats are weird,

I have noticed in the last few months that Willow has become a lot more confident.  She used to be this twitchy spaz who freaked out over everything and deferred to the other animals, going so far as to give Puckett a wide berth.  She still respects Puckett, but she no longer has issues walking past her or walking up to her, and if Puckett stops to sniff her, she doesn't freak out.  She gives Percy the business if he bothers her too.  She used to run away from him.  Now she actually fights back.  She's slapped his face off a few times, and the surprise on his face when this happens is pretty comical.

Like, "How DARE you??"

Willow just shoots off and gets as high up as she can to avoid any possible pummeling.  She might have more confidence, but she's not stupid.

Well, sometimes she is kind of stupid, but that's another story.

When I got home from vacation I noticed that aside from thinking it's okay to whittle my railings down to a toothpick, Willow has also decided that prancing around on the kitchen table whenever she feels like it is also acceptable.  My cats are not allowed on the table, because, well, ew.  I know where those paws have been.  And there is already a perpetual supply of cat hair in my food.  I can keep the amount down by keeping the cats off the table and the counter tops.

The Cowboy lets them do whatever they want, I'm fairly certain, because every time I come back from vacation it takes a couple of days to reprogram them back to "Stay off the furniture!"

This time, it's taking a bit longer.  I've caught Willow several times on the table now, and it's not something she can hide because the table creaks and groans every time she jumps on it.  It's old, it makes noise.  She tries to be sneaky and quiet about it, but she's gained weight and it's not working to her advantage.

She does use the table to get out from under the prancing, oblivious paws of dogs stampeding through the house.  Tess takes a little more care than Surina, but Surina has no respect for anyone or anything so she just bowls over everyone.  She's like a bull in a china shop the way she shoves people aside, stomps on cats, and barrels through the house.

I'm about to toss her into a lion cage.

Willow decided to take matters into her own paws.  She's not a lion, but she puffs herself up to near bobcat size, jumps on the table, and smacks dog noses as they get in her face.  It usually doesn't matter which dog has offended either, she'll just slap the nearest nose.  She went after Surina the other night and slapped her face because Surina got too close.  Puckett just disappears, but Willow will not be pushed around in her own home anymore.

Definitely more confident.

The other thing I noticed about her and the table is that she seems to think it provides her with new playthings.  I keep several jars of Dove chocolates on the table for decorative purposes (and also tummy purposes), and this past week I've noticed several of them around the house in strange places.  Then the other night I caught Willow batting something around.  Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a Dove chocolate.  She's been getting on the table, pawing chocolates out of the jars, and pushing them to the floor where she bats them all over like a jingle balls.

I can't even get mad at her, it's so cute.

I spent money on catnip, jingle balls, fuzzy mice, and God knows what all, and their favorite toys are tin foil balls and Dove chocolates.

Meanwhile Percy has become obsessed with water.  Actually he's just obsessed with the bathroom. He even plays with the sponge I leave on the edge of the bathtub.

Every morning this last week I got in the shower, and halfway through my shampoo I heard a loud scream and a black head popped around the curtain.  It's become a weird ritual.  Percy sits on the toilet mumbling and growling, then shoves his head around the curtain, and as soon as the water hits him he screams, glares at me like it's my fault, and pulls his head out.  Then a second later he does the whole thing again.  The water sprays him in the face, and I guess he doesn't care for that.  Yet, he knows that's going to happen.  The whole point of the shower is the water spray, and he's a smart cat. He knows there's water running in there.  So I'm not exactly sure why he tries to get in the shower and then gets so mad when the water hits him.

He sounds really angry too.  His cry borders on hostile while he glares at me with accusing eyes.

I started laughing every time, and I swear he got even more butthurt.  He wrinkled his nose, glared at me harder, and just yowled.  One morning I just collected a handful of water and tossed it at him.

I'm pretty sure he's going to kill me in my sleep.

It's the funniest thing.  He seems to take it personally that I'm in the shower without him. and he seems to think that I'm allowing the water to hit him on purpose.

Yes, Percy, the bathroom's reason for being all centers around you.  And how dare I allow water to spray you when I get in the shower, because clearly the only reason I shower is for your amusement.

I never said my pets made sense.

Cats are weird.

Puckett has glued herself to my bed since I got home.  She gets off the bed only to eat and use the litter box.  When Surina comes over, I don't even worry about her trying to get on the bed.  There is no way Puckett would ever allow it.  She even gives me the hairy eyeball when I get in bed.  One would think a full-sized bed would be big enough for one small person and a slightly overweight cat, but Puckett positions herself so strategically that she takes up the whole bed and I have to contort myself just to fit.

If I accidentally kick her I'm pretty much taking my life in my hands.  She's going to kill me in my sleep too.

The only one who hasn't developed a weird habit is the dog.  She just sleeps a lot.

Almost like SHE'S the cat.

Maybe that's the weird habit she's developed.  Turning into a cat.



Percy judging me in the bathroom.


Willow annoyed in her box.


Does Puckett need a drink??

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