CAT TALES – People Pleaser

I was once told that I was a people pleaser. I was offended. I do want people to like me. I try to be nice and polite and caring, but if they don’t like me, I’m able to move on and say, “I guess I’m just not their cup of tea.”
This is not so with the animals. It is now the first of the month and I had to apply the flea and tick treatment to my pets. The little dog didn’t know the difference. He takes an oral tablet and this time he gobbled it down with his food and didn’t even know he’d had it. Not so-the cats. They ran. They hid. They grabbed onto the furniture. They fought. They finally got their treatment. Now they’re mad at me.
I cannot stand it. When I come anywhere near them, they flee. I try talking to them in a dulcet tone. I tell them that I only do this because I love them. I tell them that without it they would be miserable. They do not stick around to even let me finish a sentence. They walk off, tails straight up, emitting soft menacing growls as they go. They do not look back.
I go to the cupboard searching out their favorite snacks. Not finding anything special enough, I drive to the store. I buy the most expensive tempting  treats I can find. Well, I found some treats, but when I get home, I cannot find the cats.  They are still hiding from me.
I lay the treats down by their cozy beds and call them sweetly, “Here kitty, kitty.” Nothing. The dog comes by and scarfs up the tempting treats. So much for that effort.
I see a tail sticking out from under a hammock. I get out the fishpole with the fake mouse tied on it. They are always begging me to play with them with this. I drag it by the hammock. Nothing. The tail disappears.
I go get their toy box which is overflowing with more toys than my children ever had.  I stuff catnip in all catnip toys. I set up their mouse run. I put a new battery in their flopping fish, which I usually must hide to keep them from tearing into it. I roll the balls, dangle the danglers, run the wheel on the mouse toy, and flop the fish. Nothing.
I remember how I can’t sit at my dressing table without Beebe insisting on being brushed. I go sit at my dressing table, get out hi brush and call him. Nothing.
I have housework to do, columns to write, bills to pay, but I am obsessed with getting my cats back to like me again. I turn on the TV and find a cat channel. There are birds twittering, mice and squirrels running around, and kittens playing. The only viewer is the little dog who jumps and yips at it so much I have to turn it off.
I am running out of ideas. If I was a cat, what would make me happy?  I would like petting, but I can’t get near them.  I am getting frustrated. I am not a cat, and I can’t think of how to please them. I sit in my lounge chair depressed. I am hardly ever lonely, but I feel lonely now. I turn the Tv on to Jeopardy, but I’m not really interested. I take off my shoes, take my new glasses out of my purse, and lay the purse on the floor. I try to concentrate on Jeopardy squinting at the categories through my new glasses.
After a while there is movement. One yellow cat slithers out from under the hassock. One fat black and white cat pries himself out from under the couch. They make a wide circle around my chair. Beebe curls up on my shoes giving me a sleepy approving nod. Momau curls up on my purse, giving me a slight wink.
I am forgiven. All is well. We lounge there happily together.  The little dog wanders in, gives a yap because he has been left out. I pick him up and he snuggles down on my lap. We are one happy family.
That person was wrong. I am not a people pleaser. I am a cat pleaser! One doesn’t have to work hard to please the dog.