Haiku's Request

I have 2 inside cats: Sake, the "Bitch Kitty" with too much hair who came into my life fairly self assured, very loved, and ever after the "Queen of the May."

Haiku was adopted when she was about 9 months old, from a family who did not abuse her, but was unable to put her welfare first... Her early nutrition was lacking, and her early home life was not as nurturing as it could have been, having been adopted by a freshman college student who left her home with a mother who was a Dachsund person (I am a Dachsund person, so I understand.) The transition to allowing and accepting Haiku into Sake's life has been, and continues to be a roller coaster... After about 3-4 weeks in residence, Haiku could be in the house, but she used every smaller kitten hiding place she needed to use, when she and Sake were in the house alone... I knew it, but the freedom to roam, was, I hope worth the times she had to hide... I don't know...

That was in 2002, and many, many experiences have passed that I shall not document here. But two are significant. About 3 years ago, Haiku told me she objected to some treatment she was recieving: she had ear mites, and after several applications of ointment to treat that problem, she told me she did not like it...She submitted, just the same, but never before had objected.... It was like before then, she did not know she could object. I was relieved that she could voice displeasure like that.. She had voiced displeasure when stumbled upon, or otherwise intruded upon, but not like that! Wow!

Well, soon after that, her ears returned to pink, and no longer needed treatment...

Haiku occasionally campaigns for kisses, especially in the morning, when I brush my teeth: she likes the mint flavored toothpaste. She, like, Sake, campaigns for me to awaken early, and feed breakfast... I don't mind the awakening early part, but am concerned that a 6 AM breakfast will result in a mid-morning snack request, a late morning snack request, a noon snack request, when I am home, you get the picture...

On the other hand, Haiku, and Sake help me manage my morning risings: the alarm goes off at 5:30 and I may or may not arise at that time... If I have had a bad night, neither cat awakens me until 7 AM, which, with an abbreviated morning routine, can get me to work by 8:15 AM. (I have a very flexible work schedule... Even on treatment team day, I could arrive at 8:15, and be available for treatment team, without, unfortunately, a review of overnight activities. But acceptable, not stellar.)

Sake likes to go outside... Her options include a pen in the back yard; a harness for the front yard, and the stroller... She lets her choices be known for the former two, but has not yet asked for the latter...

Haiku is fearful of the outside: the pen is scary to her... She may ask or acceed to the harness in the front yard, but even the least noise frightens her to returning to the house...She is tolerant but not happy about the stroller.

This summer has been very hot, and I have upped the daytime thermostat setting from 80 to 82. Bearable, even for me, if I am not doing physical work like house work, just reading, knitting, computering... Okay for the cats, who sometimes want to go into the garage to warm up (or so it would seem.)

When Haiku was introduced to the house, it was in the "office." She still claims that room, although Sake does roost on the desk by the east window, from time to time... When I vacuum, starting in the office, by the time I am done, Haiku has deposited fur clumps in the office...territorial marking. She likes to sleep on the office chair, but is sure to announce her presence, as in the past, not being aware of her presence, I have "sat on her." She frequently sleeps on the floor, using the chair base as a prop for her head... I have variably left the ceiling fan on during the summer...

Most recently, I left the ceiling fan on for about 10 days, then, since I was not using the desk top computer in that room, I did turned it off. That evening, Haiku, uncharacteristically, rubbing my legs, made motions for me to follow her.

We went into the "office." I could not console Haiku, so I picked her up, and she just looked up at the fan... I turned it on, and she continued to look at the fan, and shortly there after, got down. She was consoled.. Wow!!!