Only Kitty Time

So our first cat was an only kitty for about a year when I first got him back in 1997. He was five weeks old, and chewed on every craft project I was trying to make ("Oh, that yarn is for me to play with, right?" "No, that's going to be a stocking, and I'm pretty sure they won't want kitty spit as part of the pattern"). He also didn't know how to work his claws very well, and my thighs had scratches covering them by the time he was six months old. So I got him declawed and the first time he tried to climb up the back of my recliner he was sorely disappointed in the lack of traction! I shouldn't have laughed, but I did.

Anyway, cut to 13 years later, and three kitties (minus one, RIP Annie) later, and he is just the old guy in the bunch. He is still wondering when this new human pet is going to leave and he'll get his mommy back. I haven't broken the bad news to him that LittleM is staying. But every night at 5:30pm when his automatic feeder magically produces dinner, I chase the two little kitties down to the basement where their dinner is waiting. Then LittleM and I got through the bedtime routine (climb the stairs, shake the naked booty, bath time, story time, then bed) and then.....

It's ONLY KITTY TIME! I go downstairs to just BigN and it's like he's the only kitty in the house again. How he loves Only Kitty Time. I still have to fake being on the phone (unless I'm actually on the phone) to get him to jump in my lap so I can pet him. For whatever reason it has to be his idea if he's going to get in my lap. Tonight I held the TV remote to my ear and talked for about 30 seconds before he jumped up. At least he has standards, though! Then I pet him, rub his ears, get him purring and he ends up falling asleep on my lap until I so much as move a micrometer with any muscle in my body. Then he jumps down ("I did not authorize the movement, how dare you!") and make himself comfortable on the love seat. And I only get one chance a night to have him grace my lap with his wonderfulness. After that he's just not that into me.

But I get to snuggle with my first feline baby for a few precious moments every day, and while it doesn't compare to snuggling with my LittleM, it does leave a warm kitty footprint on my heart.