Abbi, our cat, and I have kind of a love/hate relationship. We got her seven years ago as a cute, little, noisy kitten. She cried so much when the kids played with her that Bruce and I thought they must be tormenting her to death and we were always telling them to leave her alone. Actually, Abbi was just a complainer. Unfortunately, she never did get attached to the kids—but she adores Bruce. She sleeps on his side of the bed; if he's left his clothes out she sleeps on them; and if he sits down for more than 10 minutes she hops onto his lap for some affection.
Abbi loves Bruce. Here she climbed into his lap while he was on a business phone call.
She sees me, however, as another creature entirely. First of all, we got started on the wrong foot: One night, when she was still little and exploring her new home, Bruce and I heard a crash in the kitchen (or so we thought). I figured she had gotten on the counter and knocked down my cooling
racks; not a big deal, so I didn't even bother to go check it out. But in the morning I discovered that she had actually climbed on the fireplace mantle and knocked off the bride and groom figurine that my brother, Wendell, had given to me as a wedding gift (it was the figure on our wedding cake). Abbi chose the very moment of this terrible discovery to rub up against my legs. I think I grabbed her by the tail, shook her and tossed her aside. Now, I am not normally cruel to animals but I was very distraught! I did eventually forgive her for the broken figurine. (After I had super-glued it together as well as I could, and cried over it for about a week. But maybe it's fitting, now that we have eight kids, for the bride to be a little cracked and the groom to have a hole in his head.)
She sees me, however, as another creature entirely. First of all, we got started on the wrong foot: One night, when she was still little and exploring her new home, Bruce and I heard a crash in the kitchen (or so we thought). I figured she had gotten on the counter and knocked down my cooling
racks; not a big deal, so I didn't even bother to go check it out. But in the morning I discovered that she had actually climbed on the fireplace mantle and knocked off the bride and groom figurine that my brother, Wendell, had given to me as a wedding gift (it was the figure on our wedding cake). Abbi chose the very moment of this terrible discovery to rub up against my legs. I think I grabbed her by the tail, shook her and tossed her aside. Now, I am not normally cruel to animals but I was very distraught! I did eventually forgive her for the broken figurine. (After I had super-glued it together as well as I could, and cried over it for about a week. But maybe it's fitting, now that we have eight kids, for the bride to be a little cracked and the groom to have a hole in his head.)Abbi really is a good cat. She doesn't jump on the table, she only eats cat food, she doesn't 
poop on the floor, she's never bitten or scratched the kids or anyone else. And, truly, I am pretty nice to her. But she's never known what to think of me since those early days. It doesn't help that I am at home more than anyone else, and so I'm always the one tripping over her—which she doesn't take kindly. Once I came in with my arms full of babies, diaper bags and groceries, didn't see the cat, and she got booted across the room. I feel bad when this kind of thing happens (although rather frustrated too), but Abbi just thinks I'm a madwoman. I can see her little kitty brain saying, "What is she going to do next?"
poop on the floor, she's never bitten or scratched the kids or anyone else. And, truly, I am pretty nice to her. But she's never known what to think of me since those early days. It doesn't help that I am at home more than anyone else, and so I'm always the one tripping over her—which she doesn't take kindly. Once I came in with my arms full of babies, diaper bags and groceries, didn't see the cat, and she got booted across the room. I feel bad when this kind of thing happens (although rather frustrated too), but Abbi just thinks I'm a madwoman. I can see her little kitty brain saying, "What is she going to do next?"(after her bath)
What is she going to do next?!
Well, things have been OK between me and Abbi for months now, so I guess she was due for more wanton cruelty from me. She has had a big, black, greasy spot on her shoulder for a couple weeks; and black paws too. (I suspect she'd been hiding out under a car somewhere one cold day.) She 
really looked like she'd need a bath, but I waited and waited, hoping she'd get it cleaned up by herself. Today I finally gave her a bath. Poor kitty! She complained a lot, but she never tried to bite, scratch or even run away. She is such a good cat. I didn't think to take a picture of her before I dried her off—couldn't have anyway, since I didn't have an assistant. But I got a picture of her after she was towelled down. (above)
really looked like she'd need a bath, but I waited and waited, hoping she'd get it cleaned up by herself. Today I finally gave her a bath. Poor kitty! She complained a lot, but she never tried to bite, scratch or even run away. She is such a good cat. I didn't think to take a picture of her before I dried her off—couldn't have anyway, since I didn't have an assistant. But I got a picture of her after she was towelled down. (above)Of course, after the bath she ran straight for a heater vent, 
where she sat down to give herself a proper cat bath. Then she spent most of the afternoon in the sunny window, drying off. Now she's kind of avoiding me. You just never know what I'm going to do!
1 comment:
lol! abbi is very silly. it is too bad that she wasn't actually sitting under the car.
Post a Comment