Tuesday, June 15, 2004

Round One -- Cat. Round Two -- Me. Round Three?

So, you might be wondering, what happened after I let Jasmine in the bedroom at night this weekend?

First, a quick review.  This was not actually the first time I let Jasmine in while I slept.  When the painter was painting the bedroom, Jas and I were locked in the guest bedroom/bathroom combination.  And she was wonderful.  Let me sleep (two nights!) and didn't cause any trouble. 

Fast forward to Friday.  She'd been digging in her heels about being locked out lately, so I thought I'd try letting her in on Friday night.  Mistake.  She played.  She pounced.  She thought the whole night was a big game of "Jump On Whatever Is Moving Under The Covers."  Which is fine, unless it's YOU.  I finally locked her out around 5:00 a.m. because I needed some sleep and she didn't seem to care much for my company if I wasn't going to play anyway.

Locked her out as usual on Sunday and Monday.

Locked her out last night.

2:00 a.m. Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow. 

I ignore her.  I hush her.  I yell the phrase I used to yell when she was a kitten ("Whiny kitties get no loving!")  Nothing works.  Eventually, she meows herself out.

3:00 a.m.  Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow.

Replay of 2:00 a.m.

5:00 a.m.  Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow.

I figure she wants in.  I open the bedroom door.  (I go to the kitchen to switch to bottled water, first.)  I let her in the bedroom.  For the next 20 minutes, she keeps me awake -- pouncing, meowing, running in and out of the room.  Clearly she wasn't meowing for the joy of my presence.  I lock her out and try to go back to sleep.

5:45 a.m.  Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow.

"What?!"

I get out of bed and go to her.  Food bowl's got food.  Water bowl's got water.  Litter box's got litter.  I try hugging her and she wants none of it.  We have now run out of things I can do. 

Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow.

"Show me."  I command.

She leads me into the bathroom.  I follow.

She jumps on the counter.  She looks in the mirror, where she sees the "other cat."  She stands up and starts swatting at it.

Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow.

I pick her up, and hold her so she's facing me.  I put her little furry face close to mine and say, with all the human-to-feline communication ability I can muster, "It's you, ya moron!"

I put her down, go back to the bedroom, and close the door.  I try to sleep while she continues to alert me to the danger of her own reflection.

Think happy thoughts for me for tonight.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Problem: Kittycat is up all night - won't let me sleep. Solution: get another cat for cat 1 to play with and occupy her. Worked very well for me.

Anonymous said...

So funny.  Ok, most of it wasn't funny, but the looking in the mirror was.  And maybe the last comment was right and this is what she is trying to tell you.  Mom I need someone to play with, some one that isn't in the mirror!  lol  My Dallas started attacking me (and not in a playful way) when I first got her, I was starting to be afraid of her it got so bad.  But then I brought Ashley home (little kitten) and Dallas was fine.  Who knew?

Kathy

Anonymous said...

I love hearing cat stories. I used to have 3 of them myself and it kills me that I can't have cats here. I miss them so much. Never been much on dogs.
Missy

Anonymous said...

So Jas is a slow learner?  Best get her a buddy to wrestle with -- cats are hardwired for living in a social matrix.  A matrix of one is the beginning of insanity.  Poor little kitty.

Anonymous said...

giggling.  (not at your lack of sleep, of course) but instead, how incredibly adorable she is!  (yeah, tell that to the sleep deprived mother)  smiling

here is a thought:  have you considered closing her out of the bathroom so she can avoid the mirror?  or is her litterbox in there?  if so, maybe throw a towel over the mirror?  

I'm not sure if she would like to share her mommy's attention with another kitty.  and i don't know if you want two daughters, might be a little challenging, from one single mom to another.