So far, February has been a good month. My calendar is filled with the star stickers I’ve been giving myself for self-care. I’ve given myself a sticker every time I practiced the piano, or read for pleasure, or worked out at the gym. I’ve gotten stickers for outdoor walks, for working on a writing project, and for skyping with a friend. Of course, the bizarrely mild weather has helped. It doesn’t seem like February. I haven’t had to shovel the driveway or brush off my car. Usually by this time of the winter, I’m sick of the snow and cold, but this year, we’ve had so little that I would welcome a snowstorm.
I’m happier this year, but the cats of the household are still going through the February blues. Even during a warm winter, it’s really too cold outside for them, and so they are crowded into the house all day long, hissing and fighting over territory. I wouldn’t mind the hissing if they’d just learn to keep their bodily fluids to themselves.
The latest cat pee incident happened the other night, just as we were all leaving to go to the gym. My husband went out to warm up the car while I ran upstairs to get my coat, which I had left on the bed. I rushed in, grabbed the coat, and began putting it on while shoving my feet into boots, automatic motions I do without even thinking. Just as I began pulling the coat over my arms, a strong stench hit my nose. Far too late, my mind registered the image of a shimmering liquid puddled into the hood of my coat, warm yellow liquid that splashed into my hair, down my neck, onto my shirt and jeans.
Maybe I need to get the cats some behavior modification charts. And give them stars for using the damned litter box instead of my coat.
I’m happier this year, but the cats of the household are still going through the February blues. Even during a warm winter, it’s really too cold outside for them, and so they are crowded into the house all day long, hissing and fighting over territory. I wouldn’t mind the hissing if they’d just learn to keep their bodily fluids to themselves.
The latest cat pee incident happened the other night, just as we were all leaving to go to the gym. My husband went out to warm up the car while I ran upstairs to get my coat, which I had left on the bed. I rushed in, grabbed the coat, and began putting it on while shoving my feet into boots, automatic motions I do without even thinking. Just as I began pulling the coat over my arms, a strong stench hit my nose. Far too late, my mind registered the image of a shimmering liquid puddled into the hood of my coat, warm yellow liquid that splashed into my hair, down my neck, onto my shirt and jeans.
Maybe I need to get the cats some behavior modification charts. And give them stars for using the damned litter box instead of my coat.
7 comments:
or perhaps little stickers in the shape of deceased mice.
That seems hostile, peeing on the coat. Yikes.
Faugh!! Yuck!!
Maybe catnip rewards? :)
Glad that you are racking up so many star stickers, though. Woohoo!
Eww, kittehs! They need some feline Xanax.
(I love your self-care stars. I'm stealing that.)
Ah, the not-so-passive-aggressive kitty behavior! We had a cat who used to pee on our bed (once while we were in it!). We ended up paying for phone consultations with a cat behaviorist (which helped, but I felt like I was ridiculous getting therapy-by-proxy for my cat).
Let me know if you find a technique that works - I'd love to reclaim my baseboards. My wife and I have tried everything, but the behavior continues. I'm starting to worry that it'll only change after we move.
Or worse, that it doesn't change when we move....
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