By Kay Luckett
My name is Shadow, and I have just turned fourteen. My age, when compared to my human, is not as old, but remember, I have already lived many of my nine lives. Apparently my fourteen makes me 72 in human years.
I call my human Mom since she continuously tells me, “I am your mama” while she tickles my chin. We blink eyes and kiss noses, too. We have a daily routine which includes everything I like and is according to my whim. Let me explain.
Less than two years ago, my mom brought me home from a rescue, and I played my very first trick on her. Well, it wasn’t really a trick because I was scared and needed to scope out my new home. I needed to take in sounds and smells and stay safe to check out the vibes. I hid in the very back corner of the house in the utility closet. Wanna guess why she couldn’t see me? Because I am a beautiful, black, long-haired domestic gal. Hard to spot me in the dark.
Now that I am settled, feeling safe and comfortable, I basically control the routine around here. You know what I mean. My day starts at about 2 a.m. when I begin to howl. And I mean howl. Mom thinks it’s a trick to get her outta bed.
It works because up she rises and goes out to feed me my first meal of the day. She has it ready for me, so all she has to do is take it out of the pantry, plop it down in front of me, and then climb back into bed. I eat and sit in the front-room window for a while. Then back to bed, where I climb onto mom’s lap while we snooze.
My next meal is about 5 a.m. when I get some concoction of warm wet food. My personal favorites come and go. Therefore, what I like to eat or don’t like to eat seems to be a big mystery around here.
Most days I either eat my breakfast, walk by and look, sniff it, or just walk away. Mom thinks this is a trick. Then she puts out another, then later another, and on and on, each time a different dish. All day I get what she calls The Buffet.
The Buffet consists always of fresh filtered cool water, not enough dry food, and various dishes of moist and warmed ste ws, soups, and shredded chicken or meats. My most favorites are beef and turkey baby foods, salmon, and sardines.
My favorite is a special tuna water that’s made by blending tuna and water that freezes into tuna-ice cubes for the summer. Sometimes I like to munch on bonito flakes which is a thin, dried fish from Japan.
My moods come and go, and the show Mom puts on trying to serve me just the right dish is fairly entertaining. If I am starving, I settle for whatever is out, but please don’t tell her because if I hold out, she finally relents. Then I either get dry kibbles or a favorite treat. Shhh… that is our little secret.
Before I get off the bed for breakfast, I like to stretch out while I get groomed. Sometimes a hair or two gets pulled, and that makes me move onto my side until it feels good again.
Mom seems to really like my tail, and that gets extra combing because she says it gets dirty. If things get rough for a second or two, I give that one nip or scratch that gets us back on track and into a smooth petting and brushing rhythm.
I like to peek at my world as I sit safely in the windowsills. I have many open windows around my house in which to do this. I sniff at the fresh air, drool over the birdies, and take in all the neighborhood action.
I also love my cat tunnel and my boxes, my scratch pads in the various corners and niches of each room. Scratching is very important to me so in the beginning months, I let Mom know by scratching all the legs of the coffee table and bedroom chair. Now, finally, I have scratchers in the corner of each room and a good supply of cat nip on each one.
Afternoon nap and meditation time is another favorite, because they are accompanied by soft music, or some soft talking accompanied by bells and gongs and other music. Whatever calms Mom down and sets her in a comfy place is great for me because I am called a lap-cat, a snuggle baby, the cuddly one.
Another of my absolute favorites is play-time, and the best time to play games is early, early in the morning or late at night at bedtime. Mom is usually not very frisky at either time, but it is so much fun to chase the feathers around the room, duck into my tunnel, and try to catch tiny balls with bells.
I love to hide while Mom shakes the feathers to lure me out into the room where I run in circles. Whatever makes my tail shake is what I love. It gets us both ready for naps, more cuddles, and especially for our sleepy time.
By the way, I have my own side of the bed, complete with a special cat blanket and tiny toys such as my little lamb, my fish, my bird and even some feathers that lie still while I snooze. Mom says I do not snore, but that I am a very sound sleeper. Sometimes she says that I won’t wake up to sleep on her lap. It’s because I am just so comfy where I am. I don’t want to be jumping up and around the bed like she does. How I do love to relax.
Mom cannot figure out why I howl so much. Nor can I, yet it seems to work in getting me everything I want both night and day. I howl for hunger, affection, treats, tickles, petting and grooming. On many occasions, I get all of that in a row. Basically, I love to be loved, and Mom cuddles and pets me when I politely howl or meow. Then she gives me whatever I want. Is that called on demand?
Again, don’t tell this secret, because my proud and aloof manner keeps the goodies coming all day and night. I just keep up the tricks. Is this called trick or treating? Whatever it is, I will never tell you or anyone because it is the true secret to being a spoiled, happy cat.
Meow.
