Sunday, February 26, 2006
We have a new kit-kat, and...
...as MCS commented, Mom probably needed something to get her going again. Mr. Man (name still undergoing revisions, although he is always called "Mr.") has certainly done this, just since yesterday afternoon when I brought him home. He's a tiny eight week old kitten, terribly lively and innocently brave, and he and Mom have bonded like nothing else. He spends a lot of time playing and napping on Mom's lap when she's up, much to her delight. He enjoys going to bed with her, yet another delightful development for Mom.
Mom insists on referring to him as, "she", a hold over, I guess from when many kids, including me and my sisters, thought of cats as the "she's" and dogs as the "he's".
She didn't turn off her light until 0200 this morning, after retiring some time after 0100; I think, she was playing with and soothing Mr. Man. When I called her around 1300 (could have been a little earlier, I can't remember), when Mr. Man headed into her room Mom was enlivened, although she remained in her room for another half hour or so and it was almost impossible to get her into the bathroom.
The Little Girl is experiencing some trauma. It is now up to me to soothe her, which is fine with me. Mr. Man makes no distinction, yet, between whether or not I'm paying a lot of attention to him and is happy with his new, promising palsy-walsy relationship with Mom.
When I first brought him home Mom was dubious and remained so for some hours. I talked about this with MCS. We both figure that it's probably because, even though I'm now the one who does everything and having another cat who is, presently, an attention intense kitten increases my "load", not hers, as far as she's concerned she's the household madam, thus it all falls on her. I'm pleased she continues to feel this way. She remains firmly invested in her "pow-wah". She doesn't feel as though her life is not her own. This is a sign that I'm doing my job well.
I know Mom would have preferred a dog and I have no doubt but what a dog would have become devoted to her but I still haven't come to terms with the amount of unrelenting work and figuring a dog would involve, especially when we have to travel. So, for the time being, a new, young cat is doing the job and doing it beyond my expectations.
Mom insists on referring to him as, "she", a hold over, I guess from when many kids, including me and my sisters, thought of cats as the "she's" and dogs as the "he's".
She didn't turn off her light until 0200 this morning, after retiring some time after 0100; I think, she was playing with and soothing Mr. Man. When I called her around 1300 (could have been a little earlier, I can't remember), when Mr. Man headed into her room Mom was enlivened, although she remained in her room for another half hour or so and it was almost impossible to get her into the bathroom.
The Little Girl is experiencing some trauma. It is now up to me to soothe her, which is fine with me. Mr. Man makes no distinction, yet, between whether or not I'm paying a lot of attention to him and is happy with his new, promising palsy-walsy relationship with Mom.
When I first brought him home Mom was dubious and remained so for some hours. I talked about this with MCS. We both figure that it's probably because, even though I'm now the one who does everything and having another cat who is, presently, an attention intense kitten increases my "load", not hers, as far as she's concerned she's the household madam, thus it all falls on her. I'm pleased she continues to feel this way. She remains firmly invested in her "pow-wah". She doesn't feel as though her life is not her own. This is a sign that I'm doing my job well.
I know Mom would have preferred a dog and I have no doubt but what a dog would have become devoted to her but I still haven't come to terms with the amount of unrelenting work and figuring a dog would involve, especially when we have to travel. So, for the time being, a new, young cat is doing the job and doing it beyond my expectations.
