November 14th, 2023

When you have been petless, especially if it's been for a good long while, there are accommodations you must make in your home when you, once again, have pets.   Suddenly you realize that you must make space, not just for them - and as small as they are they seem to take up a great deal of space - but also for their stuff:  beds, toys, water and food dishes and litter box.

In our family we are very good at the idea of "everybody shove over" to make room so that part wasn't hard, not really.  It was just a matter of rethinking the space, seeing it differently.    Some things we have moved multiple times because our first idea wasn't the right idea.  Like the kitty beds.  Initially we put them in the kitchen/living/dining space because during the day, that center of the house is probably the area nearest us.  My "office" as it were, is the kitchen but, in the way of all "open concept" homes  the kitchen over looks both eating and living areas.  Tim spends most of his days in his office but he comes into the main area fairly frequently.

Side note here:  The idea of an open concept home is supposedly a new idea.  Our house was built in 1962 so perhaps it's not such a new idea after all.  Makes me giggle a little bit

ANYWAY,  these two sillycats didn't seem to like their brand new comfy kitty beds.  In fact,  the only time any of the cats ever did was one day when when  Tim and I were relaxing and chatting in the living room with two friends who were over one afternoon.  To our great surprised, Brysco got into one of the beds as if he did it every day, curled up and immediately fell asleep.  First Time Ever.  The message was clear.  They want to be near us when we are relaxing...not racing around cleaning or cooking or working!  Gotcha.  The beds have been moved to the family room where they are used on the regular now.  They snooze in their beds when  Tim and I are relaxing in the evening, reading, watching TV, chatting, playing games.   Much like the new cats,  Tim and I are teachable.  Sometimes we guide the kitties, sometimes they guide us.

Other accommodations, very small things, were, for example,  learning that we must ALWAYS put the lid down on the toilet seat becoz these two kitties are fascinated by water. Water of any kind.  Lids Down!  Got it.

Some of our tabletop decor has been put away too.  I used to have this adorable little golden carousel that sat on the coffee table.  It moved by air currents and with the ceiling fans always going it spent it's days gently spinning, catching the light as it turned and I was charmed by it.  Kitties were charmed by it too and for a few days, every morning, I would wake up and have to put all of the horses back on the carousel becoz they had been knocked off.  No big deal. Like I said, it's little things.    The carousel is now in the display cabinet, safe and sound. Small accommodations.

Mostly. 

​Another was was not so small.

This is our pantry which is in desperate need of a reorganization so please ignore the mess!   

It has doors.  But back in BC  (Before Cats) I generally didn't bother to close the doors because I was in and out of it all day long.  Leaving the door open was just more efficient.  

However!  The thing about kitties is that they are naturally very curious.  About everything!  And the pantry is something they desperately want to explore.  And if they happen to stumble across some kitty snacks along they way, all the better.  And that is not a good idea.  So I began to close the pantry doors.​

The doors have little magnets at the top that were supposed to hold them closed.  And I suppose if kitties weren't attempting to open it, it might actually work too.  Those magnets were no match for Brysco and Wyatt! Clever little kitties.  

​So we had to come up with another thought on keeping those doors closed and while it was very low tech, it worked.

Ahh, the old rubber band over the doorknobs trick, as Maxwell Smart might have said.  It worked great.  Kind of a Pain in the Arse to be undoing and redoing all day long over and over but after awhile, you get used to it.  Except the rubber band doesn't get used to it and in the short time that these kittyboys have lived with us (3 weeks now!) we have had to replace broken rubber bands as locks three different times.  Sigh.  It was clear that either we would have to invest heavily in rubber bands OR find another way of securing the door.

Tim spent awhile exploring options.  Part of the issue is me.  It has to be a lock that even with my stupid arthritis clumsy hands, I can easily work it BUT it cannot be so easy that the cats can figure it out. Believe me, yes that is an issue these guys are super smarties.

After a little trial and error, Tim found a solution!  A lock that I can work, holds the doors closed and, thus far, the cats cannot operate:

  The bottom holes?  Like I said, a little trial and error was involved.  The important thing is that this lock or fastener or whatever we shall call it, works!  YAYAYAYAYAYAY!  

It's funny. We've had pets before, all sorts of pets.  So while we knew that there would be accommodations, and a lot of them we knew about ahead of time,  this one we did not expect.  As time passes, I'm sure there will be others.  And I also know that we will find solutions because that's what we do.

Meanwhile the new mystery today is that Brysco has somehow managed to lose his collar!  Obviously it is somewhere - SOMEWHERE - in this house.  The question is where.  I've already looked everywhere I can think of.  Now I suppose I need to look everywhere I cannot think of.

I promise you that the next post will NOT be about the cats.  I swear it!

​Hope your weekend was grand!