The Cat In the Box

 Unable to sleep. Despite the magnesium I dutifully swallowed and all the other rituals observed I still can't seem to fall asleep. I was on the brink when Charming Eddie decided to roll off his pillow and lie as close as possible to me. I was on my side, and my arm went around the little guy on its own. I was gently scratching his tummy and tugging at his fur, just the way Mr. BoJangles likes and has trained my left hand to do, when I found a chunk of matted fur.

It felt like he had been chewing at it, trying to remove it himself and it was hanging by just a little bit. My fingers went to work, pulling one strand of fur at a time until it was off. I was quite pleased with my efforts, as Eddie is not one to succumb to scissors or the clippers. I was drifting towards dreamland when my fingers discovered another mat.

I carefully slipped out of the bed as my mind was trying to remember where the scissors I last used to cut my own hair with were. I didn't want to turn on a light, lest I startle Eddie out of his sleepy trance. Thinking they might be in the bathroom, I crept towards it. In the hall was a dark lump on the floor. Thinking it was Toni Louise, as she has started choosing the strangest places to sleep. I paused to have a chat with her and tell her how much we all loved her. I try to tell her as often as I can because I know our time is short. Only when I reached down to pet her did I realize I had been having a conversation with a wadded-up rug. She likes to do that to the bathroom rug while she sleeps on the air vent in the floor.

I am now fully awake and, on a mission to relieve Eddie of that mat. I flip on the light and locate the scissors, return to the boudoir with them in my hand. I realize I can't cut away at his fur in the dark, so I turn the light on. That silly dog is smart enough to know that I was attempting something he had forbidden me to do. Too bad I told him as I persevered and cut the mat away. He was not happy and moved to the end of the bed. Whatever, you would think he would know by now who the alpha is in this house and it is not him! 

We had Chinese takeout for supper, and it was pretty awful. No flavor and I ate very little before putting the remainder in the fridge. I like to carefully store leftovers, so they are nicely chilled when I toss them to the cats. I was a tad bit hungry and made a bowl of oatmeal. Not the quick cooking or instant, I like the old-fashioned kind that requires cooking for more than 5 minutes. It is creamier, making me feel a little decadent when I splash some half and half and a spoon of brown sugar on it. Half and half has a longer shelf life than milk. A bit of trivia that you may use at your discretion.

Now I am here as a new day approaches. I note that Kevin and Ginger chose to sleep outside tonight with their own kind. I have been busy trying to sneak up on the kittens to dose them for fleas and ticks. I have 3 left that are not protected. The mama cats are a lost cause. The most I can do is touch their heads when I am feeding them. I doubt I will ever tame them enough to actually hold them. Garfield was no problem, as he loves to have his head and back scratched. The three kittens are not responding to my efforts, either.

Before Ginger started coming inside, I was worried that Kevin needed something to play with. I had bought a few toys for him, and he enjoyed kicking them down the hall like a deranged soccer player. I came upon a sturdy shallow box and drilled holes along each side, then laced some cord through the hole with sandpaper glued to the bottom. I tossed a couple of small balls in for him to try to pull out and file his toenails while playing. 

He removed the toys right away and lay down in the box. He lays in that box every day. He loves the box. He has chewed the edges ragged, leaving bits of cardboard on the floor that is swept up daily. Now Ginger joins him in the box and will chew bits off to add to the mess. I wonder how long the box will remain intact and how sad Kevin will be when I have to toss it. He really loves that box. He sleeps in that box every night when he is indoors. He naps in the box. He grooms Ginger and is groomed by Ginger in the box. He pounces on BoJangles when BoJangles decides to inhabit his box. He is not the cat in the hat; he is the cat in the box. What a funny little creature he has turned out to be. Curious and so loving. Martha, the boy cat was very aloof and only wanted my attention on his terms. Kevin is so pleasant to be around. 

Still not sleepy, but I am going to go lie awake in the bed and call it resting.