I realized the other night as I was answering Stella Vader’s persistent and seemingly distressed meows how much I spoil both my animals. It’s actually kind of cute at times, but becomes quite annoying when they are demanding simultaneously, which is starting to be the case.
I have to make special time for Stella because of Charley’s insane jealousy that she has of anything or anyone that pulls my attention away from her. Whether it is a book I’m reading, or if I’m on the computer or phone it’s just simply not her, and therefore there should be no reason for these frivolities. That includes little Stella. So with Stella I started implementing some her and me time, like picking her up and carrying her to the hall closet where I’ve made a little hang out area for her, complete with a patch of the rug she likes to suckle on. Occasional cat nip. I’ll talk with her, sometimes sing silly songs if I’m in rare form, and when she starts purring more and rubbing her head against me I’ll put her down on her luxurious bed of soft blankets and fuzzy things and continue giving her praise and glory.
That used to be just her night time thing, but now it’s slowly turning into a day- time any- time- thing. Now she is insisting I pick her up every time she’s standing outside the closet door and meowing. Won’t stop. I tell her that cats jump. She can jump to her bed. Cats are independent. You’d think she forgot she knew that.
Now she’s doing it when it’s a mid morning nap, late afternoon nap. Shoot, she’ll wake up and start meowing wanting me to pick her up and sing her love ballads in the middle of the night. She’s working me. Or trying to irritate Charley. I’ve seen the triumphant looks she’ll give Charley when she gets her way. She flaunts it. And she knows I’m a sucker. Her cute little meow sends me into the aww.. feel- guilty -she doesn’t- get- that much attention- mode. This sparks Charley’s immediate attention as her ears go up, and her eyes follow all my moves and waits for the opportune time to lunge at Stella. Nobody gets hurt, it just gets annoying at times. I actually have tons of videos of those two going at it because of this situation.
Charley, though, has her own little night time ritual. It’s a big deal. At 10 o clock at night is what I’ve labeled “music time.” It’s when the t.v. will go off, or I’ll put down my book or whatever I’m doing, and turn on things like Dr. Sax Love or Good night, Good night piano music. I’ll say, “It’s music time”, which works like a Pavlov thing. She’ll settle down, do her 3 point turn, plop on the bed and start suckling her blanket. I’ve used it to my benefit at times, trust me. But during the summer it’s more difficult because I can’t fake music time while it’s still light out and there is still 2 hours of light. That’s a whole other outing for her.
Anyway, I’ve got Stella, who is so tiny and so cute, meowing outside the hall door waiting for me to pick her up, and Charley trying to be Ms. Nosy and come to ruin Stella & my little fun. In the meantime I’ve cut my book reading time down, tell myself I’ll get on the computer in the morning, and that I will have to talk on the phone another time. It was then I realized that I’m not the pet, dang it. You guys are.
I’m going to cut myself some slack for my kids are late teens and don’t really think I exist or that they need me for anything. Maybe it’s the empty nest thing and that’s why I allow these little critters to get away with it, and why I take pride in grumbling about them.
Charley, Charley, Charley. The thing is she gets very forlorn if we leave Stella at home or if Stella isn’t immediately available for her. She is the biggest geek I’ve ever met. She absolutely adores Stella. And Stella knows it.
Stella Vader, operator…
CHARLEY WAFFLE 