Where the Boyzees Are (“kitten” update)

The seasonal change and all the mold spores in the air have me battling my usual sinus ailment, so today you find me lounging around the house (sporting a hairdo inspired by Kramer, of Seinfeld fame), pumping myself full of Echinacea and homemade bone broth, and enjoying the sweet gift of a cat sleeping on my lap. Sounds like a good time to give you a long overdue kitten update.

First of all, I should inform you that they are no longer kittens, by any stretch of the imagination! They are huge, 12 pound lunker cats, who like to think that they are still kittens. If there is anything suspicious in the house, send out these boys, and they will either A) investigate it thoroughly, or B) if it looks even slightly menacing, go racing through the house and up the stairs to their favorite hiding place, with their “Mohawk” ridge-backs fully deployed. These two can be the bravest souls you’ve ever seen, or the biggest scaredy cats known to mankind. They are extremely brave with our dog, who can be very wild and loud at times, but let go of a forceful sneeze, and you’ll see a blur of fur rush past you at lightening speed, heading for cover.

I have had a LOT of cats in my life, but never before have any of them had the gift of spiking the fur down their backs. It is quite an entertaining sight. And that’s just one example of their feline finesse. Casey and Eliot (especially the latter!) let us know when it’s meal time, with extremely loud meows combined with skillful maneuvers aimed at luring us into their “cat cave.” They can snag magnets from our fridge and hide them in places where they won’t be found for months. They display the highest aptitude for lounging (sometimes in the oddest places), and they are adept at playing and galloping through the house like a herd of wild buffalo. I always wonder what my husband must think, when he is working in his downstairs office, and suddenly, it sounds like the house is going to come crashing down around him. The basement, by the way, is mostly off-limits for the boyzees right now, because my husband is tired of finding his archery accessories, pieces of steel wool, rubber bands, and other hobby/work/fix-it items strewn about the house. The cats like nothing better than to search out odd little treasures and then carry them throughout the house in their mouths. We have a strange Easter decoration, from years ago – a tiny troll doll with pink hair, wearing rabbit ears. This is stored in our attic space upstairs, which is one of their favorite haunts. I come across this little Easter troll everywhere. Sometimes, her ears are missing and her hair is a mess. Occasionally, we find just the ears. At this point, I really have no idea of her whereabouts. I’m wondering if I could get a “Missing Troll” notice posted on one of those highway signs. These cats should obviously have been named “Magpie,” and “Cat Burgler!” Another thing they love to do is “help” me write my blog posts. I can always count on one, or both of them, jumping up on the computer desk and walking on (or attempting to lay down on) the keyboard. I’m going to start blaming all of my typing errors on them!

I must sheepishly admit, though, that I was getting concerned that they were not going to be what I had hoped, by way of snugglers and lap cats. Casey went through a faze of running from me, when I tried to pick him up and/or pet him. I found myself once again mourning the loss of my sweet, loveable, super-snuggler Albert, wishing I had found another cat like him. Yeah, we all know that each cat has their own “purrsonality,” but I seriously needed a snuggle cat!! So, I am now thrilled to report that the dynamic has suddenly changed, and cats are now sitting on our laps. We try not to get too upset that Casey (who is supposed to be mine) has chosen Allie’s lap to sit on, and Eliot (who is supposed to be Allie’s) seems to prefer my lap. What’s a cat-lover to do…? Go with the flow is the only option, because cats have a mind of their own, for sure! However, I have had recent success getting Casey to sit with me, if I put my bed pillow on my lap for his comfort…geesh, cat! At least their desire for lounging comfort is aiding me in my plan of training them for lap-sitting.

I’m not sure how to explain the change in their attitudes regarding the snuggle issue (although, one particularly stressful day, I did tearfully beseech St. Francis to have a little chat with the boyzees, so perhaps that was the catalyst). Or, it could be chalked up to my amazing cat-whispering skills. Or, maybe they just needed a long settling-in period to become totally relaxed and comfortable in our household. Or, it could be that they’re just getting old enough now to slow down a bit. It’s probably a combination of things. Whatever the reason, I find myself looking forward to a long, cold winter with cats warming my lap. That makes me one, happy cataholic. Even better, I’m a Catholic cataholic, which makes me a unique, alliterative, joyful weirdo! (And, proud of it!)

While I’m spending the next couple of days fighting off a sinus infection, I sure hope to have some help from the kitties, by way of entertaining antics and comfortable lounging demonstrations, followed by some sweet snuggling and a good dose of some curing purring. Come on boyzees, let’s get started!