29 July 2008
Today I stuck packing tape on my cat.
Posted by Denise Kendrick under: cats .
Today I stuck packing tape on my cat. Just to give her something to do.
Working from home and having an indoor cat is more challenging than I expected.
I thought I’d just need to keep her from getting out the door. I didn’t anticipate needing to entertain her 24/7 lest she lay waste to the window screens–which, it’s summer, you know… kind of nice if the windows could stay open and let some air in.
She also expresses her need for stimulation by way of copious meowing, earnest looks and, if it comes down to it, biting my toes.
For a while the cat was obsessed with the basement. She was gone for hours at a time. It was awesome, even though I did get a bit lonely. Then she caught a mouse. I might have screamed a little when she brought it upstairs. Knee-jerk reactions can be so telling.
Post-mouse, she lost all interest in the basement. She’s all “been there, done that”.
So one day I let her outside, I figured she could be a part-time outdoor cat, only going out during the day. We used to have more coyotes hereabouts, but I’ve been seeing a lot of outdoor cats lately so I figured it might be safe again. In the day. She’d come in at night. Hopefully.
That same day a coyote crossed the road in front of my car on my way to the corner store. Made me sick to my stomach. And I’d already been worrying about her getting hit by a car.
I just can’t bear to lose this cat. Not this one. She’s the best cat I’ve ever had.
So the price of my peace of mind is apparently her ever-loving frustration. I feel bad. But I keep her in.
Trouble is, now she’s had a taste of the outside. (Actually a couple of tastes–she’d gotten out by accident twice before.) Now she’s all outdoor-savvy. Nothing indoor can compare. Even the laser pointer toy pales in comparison to the delights that await her just a window-screen away.
So she paces. And meows. And paces a hell of a lot more.
She drives me nuts–all. day. long. I don’t know what to do.
Someone could make a fortune with cloning research if they produced sterile short-lived moths or crickets that I could let loose in the house. What could be better? I would buy them by the dozen.
Because the packing tape idea? So did not work. She was distracted for all of thirty seconds.
Maybe next time I’ll use more.
I could wrap up her tail, make it harder to get off.
Maybe I’ll take a picture.
I feel I must add, despite it all, that she still loves me unconditionally. Even the part of me that sometimes wants to ring her little neck. She sleeps with me every night and purrs on a regular basis.
I give her Bonito Flakes whenever she asks.
I am well and truly blessed. Just going a little bit insane.
2 Comments so far...
RD Solange Says:
29 July 2008 at 1:54 pm.
Oh that cat. *laughs* I think I’ve read about cat runs somewhere. You put this tube like thing out on the lawn which gives them the option to run outside but still safe inside this mesh type stuff.
Denise Says:
29 July 2008 at 6:04 pm.
I have seen those! But unfortunately it really isn’t an option. It would give me peace and quiet but she’d go beserk. Not very good at being contained!
