behavior – Site Title

Houston, we’ve got a problem!

Chachi, the cat, hates changes. He’s like his mom in that respect. However, I learned just how steadfastly he holds on to his routines and all that he is used to a couple of days ago.

I love Googling and I came across this article on cats and their feeding utensils. I realized I had been doing it all wrong. They suggested a flat plate for food so that it doesn’t hurt their whiskers. I decided to rectify the situation and pronto! Amazon was on speed dial and the plates were on the way. They arrived the next day.

Little Einstein had his eyes trained on me as I opened the packages. He eyed me suspiciously.

HIM: “What are you up to?!!”

ME: “I promise you’re going to like them.”

HIM: “WHAT?!!”

He came closer and sniffed the package. I took one flat silver-coloured plate out and placed it in front of him.

HIM: “What’s this?!!! If you think I’m going to eat from it, you’ve got another thing coming!”

The battle lines were drawn and I didn’t know it at the time but I was on the losing end!

Evening rolled around and I put his food in the new plates and carried it upstairs. Little Macho followed, his pug-nose showing disdain and a walk that spoke volumes but I wasn’t paying attention. I sat the plates down and with a flourish said, “Wow, brand new plates. They look lovely!”

He turned around and with those big eyes spitting fire, well, it would have if he could, but instead he walked to the plates and proceeded to bury them with his paws. Oops, I was in for a fight but what else is new? So, I went back downstairs and filled the other bowl with water and came back upstairs. Cookie Dough was on the ground thumping his tail.

ME: “You’ll get used to it.”

HIM: “That’s what you think! I’m going on a food and water strike starting NOW!”

The next morning, his food and water were untouched and Little Macho looked grumpy as hell. To make matters worse, he hadn’t done his big or his little stuff! It’s the first time this has happened and I was worried. I was on “Poop and Pee Pee” watch. Nothing was happening and the little thing had a smirk on his face!

Two days later and with no results of either kind, I was more than worried. On Day Three, I gave him his water in the old bowl and the little warrior went to town quenching his thirst. Then he turned to me and looked at the food.

HIM: “What about those? BRING ME BACK MY OLD BOWLS!”

ME: “Buddy, I gave in on the water but you’re stuck with the food plates!”

I got this look of disbelief but he decided to reel it in. He walked to the plate and gingerly took a bite. Then a few more bites and when he had had his fill, he pushed the rest of the food on the floor and trounced out of the room!

A few hours later, I heard him in his toilet. It was like waiting for manna to fall from heaven! When I heard the familiar sounds, I let out a sigh of relief. It was a done deal. I didn’t win the battle but I got a compromise and believe me, you take what you can get where the little guy is concerned and be happy with it.

HIM: “The next time you get one of your bright ideas, check with me first!”

Spoiled? Absolutely.

The Leopard’s Spots

The definition of “a leopard never changes its spots” is this. “It signifies that people cannot fundamentally alter their character, even if they try. It also implies that innate traits, whether good or bad, remain fixed.”

Have you met one or two along the way? Did you choose to tango with them and in so doing lose a part of yourself? You’re not the only one. They’re out there and like the predator that they are, they’ll feed on you if you let them.

They are the liars, the cheaters and the ones who march to a different drumbeat. Not one of integrity, honesty or decency like people with good behavior traits do, rather they’ve learned they can prey on someone and when they’ve had their fill they’ll move on to the next victim with no consequences whatsoever.

“A leopard never changes his spots….he just changes what tree he sleeps in….or who he sleeps with.” Unknown

Are you hanging on to someone who doesn’t deserve your loyalty? Has he shown you his “spots” but you refuse to see them? Are you hoping that in time he’ll change? Or are you praying that you’ll be the one to change him?

STEP BACK!

Those behavior traits are ingrained in them. Perhaps, they can’t change who they are but you can change how you deal with them.

KNOW THIS:

“No matter how much a snake sheds skin. It’s still a snake.” Unknown

And that applies to the leopard as well. They’ll change their tactics, they’ll change their hunting style, they’ll whisper sweet nothings in your ear, they’ll look you in the eye and make you believe that they’re the next best thing to sliced bread. You can do one better. Walk away before it’s too late and you become another prey in their animal kingdom!

“Something I learned about people…..if they do it once, they’ll do it again.” Unknown

AND

“Rain wets the leopard’s skin but does not wash out the spots.” African Proverb

It’s just a matter of time before those spots reappear and the leopard is ready to pounce again!

A LEOPARD DOES NOT CHANGE ITS SPOTS!

Keep your distance and stay safe.

Have an amazing day.

Chachi’s Softer Side

The little macho in the fur coat does have a softer side and he has decided to show me his feminine side.

He has toned down his cat antics and now, it’s all about taking “lovey-dovey” to a new high! I’m loving it but it is also a tad scary. I see a “mini-me” in the making. I used to be fearful and a clap of thunder would make me jump. We had a thunderstorm two days ago and when it rolled in, Mr. Macho was nowhere to be found! He only came out of his hiding place when things quieted down and the coast was clear and then he looked at me as if I had caused all that racket!

Working out is getting to be next to impossible. My “workout cat” not only joins in but weaves in and out between my legs making it impossible to continue and then decides it’s “kisses galore” time! Try resisting those puppy dog eyes! Yes, he’s got that one down pat. If you can’t beat them, join them? Exactly what happens. It is only a matter of time before we are down on the mat in a lovefest exchanging snuggles, kisses and hugs! Not that I’m complaining.

Another thing I’ve noticed is that Little Einstein is not what he makes himself out to be. He’s a scaredy cat in every sense of the word! Our morning routine hinges on going down together. He waits patiently until I’m ready to go down and then he dashes down the stairs but not before. I wanted to see if I was just imagining it so I went down with him this morning and left him in the kitchen and went back upstairs. Unbelievable! Within minutes, he was back upstairs “mommy meowing” until he found me!

To top it all, his fur is accommodating his new-found softer side! Suddenly, he is soft as silk and holding him close is a joy indeed. What happened? I don’t know but his new nickname is “Softie!” It suits him just fine and I’m loving this sweetness and gentleness he is showing. However, I know that this softer side will not last. It is only a matter of time before the little guy who wears the pants in this household will show up with that John Wayne stride and with that grin plastered on his face and believe me, it will be sooner than later!

Have an amazing day.

Love of Another Kind (Archives)

Update:

Nothing much has changed, if anything he has grown on me like a barnacle on a rock! The little bundle of fur is a part of my life and he’s there from the minute I wake up to the time I go to bed. Kisses and hugs are plenty and so are his complaints but he knows and I know that we wouldn’t want to change a thing!

Albert Schweizer said:

“There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.”

He didn’t know at the time just how much truth there is in that one little phrase. My little furry friend walked into my life in the arms of my then boyfriend, in the form of a British short-haired variety and disguised as a birthday gift. Our eyes locked and he meowed his dissatisfaction at being forced to leave everything he knew behind, more specifically the safe haven of his mother’s embrace. He stretched his long neck towards me peering suspiciously at the human before him. I reached out and rubbed one hand over his tiny head and the purring that followed had me hooked from day one.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I see him watching me, his big dark eyes trained in my direction. ”What’s my next move to get her out of bed?” he seems to say. He has tried everything from his reservoir of cat arsenal and it hasn’t worked. Jumping on the bed hasn’t worked. Purring in one ear hasn’t worked. Rubbing his face against mine hasn’t worked and running one paw through my hair hasn’t worked either. ”This human is beyond my comprehension!” he meows and not too softly as he sits waiting and not too patiently!

Nothing new here. Our signals are often crossed but one thing is for sure, we love each other and there are no ifs or buts about it.

He’s been there through the thick and thin of life and everything in between. When I lost my friend the same one who had brought this tiny bundle of joy into my life, he was there to tamper the pain and make it lighter. I remember crying into his fur and holding him close. He took it like a champ even though I had soaked his fur with tears that were running down my face. He was there when I had something to laugh about. He would sit staring out the kitchen window as I moved around explaining what had happened to put that smile on my face and he would look back with that, “I’m happy for you” look or at times he would look at me with that, “I don’t know what you are droning on about but it is alright.” Talking to him has become a daily occurrence and we have an understanding of sorts. He has his world and I have mine but the love we share is of the non-negotiable type. It is there to stay and I can’t see my world without him.

Today as I roll out of bed and head on downstairs to make my first cup of coffee, he takes his spot by the kitchen window staring out at the world before him. At times, he will hear me humming and at times he will hear me whisper his name as I plant a soft kiss on his head and whisper, “I love you.” Everything is right in his world and in mine because his presence in my life is a Godsent and if there is a love never-ending, then this is it.

His name is Chachi and he is my love of a different kind.

“I have felt cats rubbing their faces against mine and touching my cheek with claws carefully sheathed. These things, to me, are expressions of love.” James Herriot

Have an amazing day.

Raising Chachi

When my son left home to further his studies, I became an empty nester. Not for long because a short while later in walks this bundle of fur in the arms of a friend. This well-meaning friend thought I needed company and so it began.

Raising Chachi hasn’t been easy. The little guy in the fur coat knew what he was about and he also knew that the human stood no chance against him. He was right. However, the battle of wills doesn’t go unnoticed by me. He has all the bargaining power and me none. Recently I noticed that I’m running circles around him and he gets everything he wants.

The little Macho dictates and I follow! It’s not his fault because all he has to do is walk in on furred feet, look at me with those huge green eyes and I kowtow to his cuteness! What follows next is a barrage of kisses from me to him. I see the look in his eyes and I know that he knows, he’ll get anything he wants. There is no disciplining him because he marches to a different drumbeat, one that says, “She is putty in my paws!”

Two days ago, I came down with a cold so I decided to spend as much time as possible in bed. Chachi wasn’t having any of it! Healthy or not, it was time to get up at the given time. His alarm clock goes off at 5:30! This morning, he started his usual meow and dance right next to me on the bedside table. I ignored him and burrowed deeper into the warm blanket. It was a no go. After three tries, he started growling softly! So I turned around and said, “You don’t tell me when I should get out of bed!”

He jumped off the table and started meowing as if to say, “Yes I DO!” Instead of telling him where he could go with his demands, I obliged and dragged myself out of bed. He crawled into his cushion by the kitchen window and I went back upstairs with my coffee and breakfast. After half an hour, I crawled under the covers again. All was peaceful and just as I was dozing off, I heard, “Mommy! Mommy!” I swear he has it down pat. His meow sounds like he is saying, “Mommy!” Then I hear the pitter-patter of little feet and he’s back upstairs. Walking to the bed, he lets out a huff and a puff, jumps on the bed barely missing my face and snorts, “Mommy!”

ME: “What is it? Mommy needs to sleep.”

HIM: “No, you don’t! You’re just lazy!”

ME: “Chachi, go play with your toys!”

HIM: “No, mommy! Get up!”

I wanted to wring that cute little neck of his but instead said, let’s cuddle.

HIM: “NO! NO! NO!”

Suddenly he makes this weird sound and jumps over my head, lands on the other side and takes off. He was having the time of his life but I had had enough! I got out of bed and he took off running and I swear it sounded like a giggle! After a few tries, I caught him and staring into his unapologetic eyes I said, “I’m going to send you to cat behavioral training classes!”

HIM: “There’s no such thing!”

He’s right so I lugged him back to bed, covered him up with half the blanket, gave him a few kisses, cuddled up and he settled down.

Let me tell you, I didn’t have this much trouble with my son or maybe I did! I’m a lost cause where the little bugger is concerned but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

He is snoring like a lumberjack, content with his place in life. I, on the other hand, need to learn to work around the spoiled brat and I really need to raise him better. I see him watching me as if to say, “You’re doing a great job mom. No need to worry.”

Yes, from your mouth to God’s ears!

Have an amazing day.

Einstein’s Check Up

Photo by Ermelinda Maglione on Pexels.com

Every year, Chachi, the cat or Einstein as he likes to be called gets a thorough check up. This involves everything and I mean everything.

I don’t look forward to it because Einstein usually has a panic attack and me more so. It takes preparation and lots of it. I trim his nails, give him a good cleaning and his coat gets a thorough brushing the day before the check up. The dining area needs to prepared. I usually lay a blanket on the table and his cat pass is close by.

This year was different. Half an hour before the vet showed up, I put Einstein in his carrier. He immediately put up a fight and let out a heart-wrenching meow. I spoke softly to calm him down but he kept on meowing making a strange sound. He wanted out of his confined space and pronto! When that didn’t work, he went quiet and bided his time till he could show me just how much he hated this procedure.

The vet showed up on time and we brought Einstein to the dining room area. However, the little guy was more than ready. The minute I unzipped the carrier, he took off like a bullet. The only room he could escape to was the fireplace area. He wasted no time doing just that. Taking refuge behind the sofa, he stayed there as quiet as a mouse. The vet decided to step in and somehow managed to grab him and brought him back to the table. It might have gone smoother had we gone to the vet’s office but too late now!

The vet proceeded to check Einstein’s ears, his teeth, his eyes and finally his butt! It was an all clear and then it was time to give him his yearly shot. I thought here we go again! However, Einstein decided to play dead and took it like a champ. The last part was the deworming pill and that was it. I picked Einstein up but I noticed that he had flattened the top of his head and his ears were pointing outwards like a little Yoda. What came next was totally unexpected. Einstein decided to show me just how PISSED off he was! He scratched me on the collarbone as I opened the door to let him out. He was gone in a blinding second as he dashed up the stairs and into the bedroom.

Shaking his head, the vet said cats are unpredictable creatures and they love to scratch and bite. The problem is Einstein never scratches but I guess he decided to show me that he was just going to put up with so much and NO MORE! The rest of the day was calm but Einstein kept his distance eyeing me with suspicion each time our eyes locked. It took a while before he thawed out and by bedtime, he snuggled up to me and spent the rest of the night there saying, “A cat’s life is not easy especially when you’ve got a human loving the hell out of you!”

This year done, next year is another story.

Cat Fact: Once you own a cat, the probability that you bring up cats in conversation increases by 200%.

@mickeyandmort

Ain’t that the truth!

The Little Einstein

Chachi, the cat, is on a mission. He is hell-bent on showing me that he’s not dumb and he has plenty to do than sleeping most of the day and the rest of the time cleaning himself as most cats do.

He says: “That’s for the birds mommy!”

My ex, who is a physicist, once said, “Cats are dumb creatures!” Obviously, he hasn’t met my Chachi yet. This little guy has smarts and sometimes I have to sit up, take notice and grit my teeth in frustration.

It started out with little things. I noticed a cupboard door being left open here and there but didn’t pay too much attention to it thinking I had forgotten to close them. I noticed that the same doors were open again even after I had made sure that they were closed. One day, I walked into the kitchen and lo and behold, the doors were open again so I closed them. A few minutes later, I heard rattling coming from behind the door and Chachi dashes out with a panicked look on his face! He had not only opened it but found his way behind the pots and pans AND probably enjoyed having new territories to explore!

A week later, I noticed one of the bedroom doors upstairs standing wide open. Can a cat open a door? The kitchen cabinet doors were closer to the floor but the bedroom door requires “height” and Chachi, the macho, definitely wasn’t big enough to do that or was he? A friend told me, it must be the work of a poltergeist or something. The “something” turned out to be the little guy with the fur coat. One day I caught him in the room and when he saw me, he dashed out like a kid caught with its hand in the cookie jar.

I think Chachi spends most of his days observing and figuring out how to do things when he’s not tearing his stuffed birds and mice to pieces! Like I said before, the little brat has some passive aggressive traits about him.

Fast forward to this morning. I woke up only to find his stuffed bird on the floor with half its insides beside it. Then I noticed the bedside table drawer had been pulled open but wait there’s more. The little guy with the deceptively cute face had opened the TV cabinet door! How?!! The door was locked and the key was in the lock. How did he manage this feat? God, only knows but when I yelled:

“Chachi, you’ve got stop doing this!”

He looked at me nonchalantly as if to say:

“I don’t know what “human” is going on about BUT if she’ll get me a companion to beat up, things will be just fine in my world. This bird stuff is for the birds and I’ve outgrown them!”

Well, folks, I’ve got my hands full with the little munchkin! I think he wants to beat Einstein at his own game! What will he do next? I don’t know and I don’t want to find out!

Have an amazing day.