CAT TALES – Little Flirt – The Gadsden County Times

I have mentioned before how different my 2 cats are. Beebe, I adopted as a baby, and he has grown into something I can only describe as a cat sumo wrestler. Despite his corpulent appearance, he is a lover, not a fighter. When he sees the neighbor cats in our yard, he rushes to get indoors away from them. I’d call him a coward, but he will fight them through the window, which is quite disturbing to our household.

When outsiders come to our home, it doesn’t take him long to size them up and quickly decide they have a very nice lap, which he will leap onto, sometimes startling them into gasps of surprise-sometimes of dismay. (everyone is not a cat lover.) He sleeps with me, taking up most of the space. I am uncomfortable but he purrs or snores happily. He is very angry when I try to evict him.

He loves my lap also, but protests if I try to get up. He especially loves my patient’s lap, which is chair bound for long periods. That is just up Beebe’s alley. After a while, however, the man begins to complain of lack of circulation in his legs due to Beebe’s weight and I must remove him- (the cat, not the man).

If there is no lap available, Beebe cuddles up on my feet. If my feet aren’t available, he will find my shoes or socks as a substitute. He needs to have a connection with humans.

Momau, on the other hand, was a feral cat. She adapted pretty quickly to indoor living, enjoying TV, air-conditioning, and overflowing bowls of treats. After a long time, she allowed me to pet her but only for a few moments before running away.

When guests come, Momau disappears. After a while her little face appears peeking out from under the flounce on the couch or chair. She looks adorable and those guests, who are trying to ward off big Beebe, do everything in their power to make friends with Momau.

“She let me touch her for a second,” they sometimes tell me proudly. One relative was actually enthralled because she got to pet her for a few moments.

I blamed all this on her background and accepted it as a natural reaction to not being treated nicely by humans in the past. I resigned myself to the fact that she was never going to be a cuddler. That is, I resigned myself to that until yesterday. Yesterday I walked into the living room and there was Momau cuddled up and fast asleep on my patient’s lap. Whenever he got up, she’d wait by his chair and hop back up and curl up on his lap. Three times she hopped on his lap.

At first, I was delighted. She had worked through whatever hang-ups she had. When I tried to coax her onto my lap, however, she would have nothing to do with me. I was hurt. I fed her and her kittens in the wild for a year. I took her in. I buy her the best food and treats,and provide her with the softest places to sleep. I talk to her sweetly day in and day out. I help her down from the roof every day. I am hurt even though fat Beebe is more than willing to sprawl out on my lap purring and sending wafts of his beautiful long hair into the air, making me cough and sputter, while Momau peeks out at me from under the ottoman.

‘What is the matter with me?’ I wonder. Then I remember growing up. My grandmother had these words for me.

‘Always play hard to get.’

I bet that’s what Momau is doing. She gets a huge amount of attention by making humans work to be her friend. Bumbling Beebe tries so hard for attention only to sometimes be viewed as a nuisance. Beebe is desperate for attention and Momau is playing hard to get. Momau is a big flirt.

All this eventually works out. Real cat lovers are drawn to Beebe, who showers them with affection. Lesser cat lovers are intrigued by coquettish Momau. I realize this makes for a tranquil home. The guests are happy. The cats are happy. My patient is happy.

There’s just one person who is unhappy-me. Why won’t Momau sit on MY lap? I guess Ijust give her too much attention. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

CAT TALES – Little Flirt

The Gadsden County Times – Legals – 4/04

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CAT TALES – Little Flirt

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The Gadsden County Times – Legals – 4/04

Students Working Against Tobacco gives Florida youth the tools they need to help reduce the tobacco industry’s influence and advocate for change

Students Working Against Tobacco gives Florida youth the tools they need to help reduce the tobacco industry’s influence and advocate for change

Recommended

Giving back in Gadsden – Meals and food kits given out during Chattahoochee food pantry

Mistletoe Market in Quincy kicks off the Christmas spirit

Popular News

Newsletter

Category

Site Links

About Us

Welcome Back!

Create New Account!

Retrieve your password

Are you sure want to unlock this post?

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