Wishing I Could Sleep Like a Cat

Here's Maddy and Chaos, about four years ago, they don't cuddle like this anymore.

With two jobs, my sleep opportunities are limited. I have a very strict schedule, and any interruptions, throw everything off. For the past week, one cat has been interrupting my schedule.

Chaos, 10, seems to think that if I’m in my bedroom sleeping, she should be, too. If I don’t let her in, hours of scratching at the door ensue. If I let her in, sometimes she sleeps and everything is fine, but other times she goes psycho, running all over the room and making noise.

If I leave the bedroom and sleep on the couch, Raven, 5, runs all over the downstairs, room to room making a bunch of noise. Maddy, 11, meanwhile, sleeps in her kitty bed, occasionally hissing when Raven gets too close.

These constant interruptions have left me very much sleep deprived and at a loss of what to do. Ignoring Chaos and waiting for her to decide to leave me alone never ends well. And punishing Raven for his wild behavior, upsets me too much. I really need more than 5 hours of sleep, though. So, I guess I’ll have to weigh all my options and decide what is more important, more sleep or happy cats.

Wordless Wednesday: Cats at Their Best

Happy 5th Birthday, Raven the Cat!

Raven, about two months old.

I admit it, I don’t know Raven’s actual birthday. He was the only living cat found along a highway in October 2006. This little black ball of fur was extremely lucky; he was found by a Humane Society worker on her way to work.

Raven was brought in that day, and as luck would have it, I stopped by there to do some volunteer work. I volunteered every week at the Humane Society. I brushed and played with the cats. They brought Raven to me, wrapped in a blanket like a baby, and asked me to bottle feed him.

When they told me he was only about 4 weeks old and had a small chance of survival at the shelter, I couldn’t say no when they asked me to foster him. So, five years ago, I took in a little black cat that I swore was going back to the shelter.

Raven, 5, enjoying his box.

When is peculiar behavior began, I knew he wouldn’t get adopted. He is afraid of most things and not always that friendly. And being black decreased his adoption odds, too. So, I adopted him. I paid the fee, signed the paperwork and named him Raven.

At 5, he is still a handful. He keeps me on toes, always getting into things and attacking his older sisters, Maddy and Chaos. I love this little neurotic ball of black fur and I can’t imagine my life without him. So happy birthday, Raven!

Wordless Wednesday: Cats Relaxing

Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week

Chaos plays with a toy. Once considered, speical needs, this cat is just fine now.

Thanks to Peggy’s Pet Place, I found out about the Petfinder.com Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week, Sept. 17-25 . What a great cause. This week, we should remember all the special pets who are looking for forever homes.Check out the website and a gallery of pets needing homes here.

Seniors, blind, deaf, and FIV positive pets, just to name a few, sit longer in shelters than other animals because they are different. One of my cats, Chaos, 10, would have fit this category. She had Herpes eye infections and was sick when I got her. Another family was supposed to get her, but they backed out when they found out what was wrong with her. The shelter even encouraged me to find another cat, but she was the one I wanted. Chaos got over her illness, and has only recently had flare ups.

Please, if you are looking for a pet, don’t discount the ones with special needs, they need homes, too.

Wordless Wednesday: Cats and a Cellphone

Maddy and Raven

Maddy

Chaos

Getting Creative to Deal With Injured Cat

Maddy, very unhappy in her new T-shirt.

Maddy, 11, is hurt. My beautiful gray cat was most likely attacked by my male cat, Raven, 4. She has a wound near her leg, sort of on her shoulder. And, being it’s a holiday weekend, I couldn’t find a vet.

When I discovered the wound, it was already closed. So, I decided to cover it to stop it from reopening. I altered a onese, but it was too small. Then I bought a 5T sized T-shirt and modified it to fit Maddy.

Maddy’s not happy about the T-shirt and showed me as much by removing it, twice. She pulled it over her head and off one paw. I don’t know how she did this, but she always pulled her collars off, too, so I shouldn’t be too surprised.

Now I have a real dilemma, how do I protect Maddy to allow her to heal? Raven keeps going after that same spot and Maddy won’t keep it covered. I’m afraid a bandage would just get eaten by Raven, so that isn’t an option.

I never thought I would have to deal with bite injuries with my cats. They are all indoors-only and they are all spayed/neutered. Raven is just a bully and Maddy is unwilling to stop him.

I’ll be taking them all to the vet this week, so maybe she will have some ideas. I just hate the thought of Maddy suffering because of Raven.

Absence Makes a Cat’s Love Stronger

One of the few times Chaos, Maddy and Raven are together: when they're eating.

I recently started a second job, which keeps me out of the house for an extra three hours every day. I feel bad leaving the cats for a little longer, but I think the cats like it.

When I get home, I’m showered with love from all three. They all want pets and they all want to be by me. It’s like that most of the time now. Before, they didn’t spend nearly as much time with me. So even though I’m away from the house for longer each day, I actually spend more quality time with the cats.

I don’t really understand this. I was worried that by being gone longer, my bond with the cats would weaken. But, my bond seems stronger than ever. It seems that maybe they appreciate me more since I’m not around as much. At least that’s what I think it is. Cats are hard to figure out, but I think this job will benefit my relationship with my cats. It also shows another plus cats have over dogs; leave a dog for hours and he’ll destroy stuff and hate you, leave a cat for hours and he’ll be your best friend.

Wordless Wednesday: In Bed

Photo by Becky Weninger

Always Being Watched by a Cat

Raven blocking the computer and watching me.

My cat Raven, 4, watches me. He is always watching me. As I type, he is sitting on my speaker, watching me. I’m not the only thing Raven likes to watch.

I’ve noticed, when I play with Raven, he prefers to sit back and watch the wand toys move, only occasionally, attacking it. He gets upset if I put it away, so I know it’s not that he loses interest, he just likes to watch.

Raven also watches things outside. Perhaps leaves blowing in the breeze or cars driving by our house pique his interest. I’ve also notice him sitting in front of me for hours, watching me watch T.V.

I don’t understand why Raven prefers to watch things instead of interact with them. It’s definitely a little weird and somewhat disturbing to visitors who suddenly notice my black cat is in the corner, watching them.