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May 15, 2009
Summer has been spoiled and coddled ever since she draped herself over my hip at 11PM on her first night in my house, and promptly went to sleep. Mommy.
She had run like a demon for three hours and I had just let her. She knew where the litter pan was, where the water dish was, and where her food dish was. She hit them in passing.
The people who brought her - had fled after 30 minutes. I fould out later that she had been adopted and returned three times and they were dispairing of ever finding her a home.
She established her self as queen of the house that night. She sleeps on my bed, requires occasional petting, demands food of her choice is promptly delivered to her spot on the floor (on a plate) at 6:30 Am and 6:30 PM. After one year in my house, the vet declared her to be "perfect".
She climbed drapes, screen doors (still does that), pulled down curtains, shredded toilet paper, paper towels, and played hide the tampons, emptying out a box of Tampex which she then, after week, decied to unwrap and display all over the house. They still pop up on occasion from wherever she has hidden them. I raised two boys. I gave up being embarassed long ago. Little white "mice" consisting of compressed cotton with a tail do not phase me.
Summer still talks to me, (part Siamese are voval cats), sleeps next to my hip or at the foot of the bed (where she commandeered a fleece bedjacket - I haven't worn it since).
She walks on the counters, races to leap to the back of my computer chair, occupied or not, and hits the cat tree so hard she rocks it into the wall with a thump. She still lifts my hands off the keyboard when wanting pets, and warms my feet when I am cold. (Cat bellies are warm.) I can use her as a slipper or a dust mop.
Ranger, old and cranky, is no match for her.
Summer likes to be occasionally picked up and hugged. I do this even if she hasn't requested it. Random cat squeezing is a regular part of life.
She dislikes long claws, and makes me pay for a missed visit to the groomers. She cat-walks (laying on her side, claws into each side of the edge of the big carpet pieces, she skates down the edge and around the corner.) This will get my attention.
She no longer is teething so my Ethernet cord is safe - from her. But my iCam and the speakers often go flying. She examines and walks on the printer, no longer teethes on USB devices. She has more or less stopped deleting random emails.
She is - settled. Well, as much as she will settle until old age catches up to her. Trim was 2 when we got her, 1995, and we lost her this year, 2009. That's about 16 years. Ranger arrived somewhere in there --- perhaps 14? He is fat and sits in the garage - his domain - a big 400sq ft room, insulated, its own heater, windows, tile floor. Not a lot in there. His cat tree, a pile of books in boxes to be moved out, and the stray suitcase and ice chest. Litter pan (his) and his water and food dishes (which must be kept filled or he will beat a tom-tom on the garage door). The vet said they are healthier if they do not "diet". He gets fatter in San Diego where he gets to eat Summer's food (oh, that's fun!) and have canned food. He has two kids of cat food. The stuff he SHOULD be eating and the Frisky's he prefers,
Heard of an animal getting into a food bag and eating itself out? That's Ranger.
He will rip open food bags if his dish is empty. Could be dog or cat food - he isn't fussy.
Ranger and Summer, both "red" tabby cats (think orange), play well rarely. They chase each other and glare at each other, and argue about who goes where on the back of whatever sofa I am on. When Summer is chasing him, the old beast can really haul butt. Up a flight of stairs! He will also chase her back.
Into this, I have added something new.
It is a Beagle puppy. 10 weeks old. Grace.
She is, according to the vet, a great pup. I "got a good one". And she is "full of piss and vinegar".
She is smart as a whip. Very clever. Runs me ragged at home in the yard. I no longer worry about treadmill time.
We are up romping early. (6AM) And then another spate (8AM) before I dress and go to work.
Ranger sniffed her and that was that. But now, since I have finally scrubbed the garage --- and the puppy has found it - Ranger hisses. A big poof-ball hissing.
He prefers to be in his tree, paws draped over the edge, watching the pup.
Summer went ridgeback. I haven't seen that before! Her hair was on-end. Her tail a bottle-brush.
The pup wants to play. The cat (Summer is not a small cat) races for high ground.
They have, so far, not attacked each other. Summer is annoyed, as is Ranger, since the litter pans and the cat food must be UP when the puyp is loose. Grace will eat anything. My SAS loafers are, however, off limits.
When Grace is in her pen, Summer demands added attention. If Grace gets disturbed, she runs back to Mommy. Summer still sleeps on my bed (or the sofa if I pass out over there). Grace isn't quite housebroken. She will eventually sleep BY my bed. (taking bets on that are we???)
I am thinking about what color wall-to-wall carpet to get next.
They say I will loose weight with a puppy. I am RUNNING around in the backyard! RUNNING! ME!
Wiggle worm sleeps in her own bedroom, with a tile floor and potty-pads. In a pen she will grow out of in 5-10 minutes. She will be 25 lbs. 14 inches. She likes to be cuddled. I will have a 25 lb lapdog.
Summer better make friends fast!
This is going to be interesting.
Summer won't play so Gracie plays with Summer's cat toys.
Caught - she also likes my SAS loafers
Litte Gracie - who grew inches and 1/2 a pound in 5 days! A baby Beagle!
She likes flapping tags.
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