Under the rug...

You can't see me!!

Think I can trip her?

Is she watching?

Just when she thought I'd grown out of that "phase"...

Hah! Did I dupe the human or what? Since the last time I shredded all the toilet paper, she's had it out of my reach. Then, a couple of weeks ago, she decided to bring it back down where I could reach it. It was hard to resist, but I ignored it all this time, until she was sure that I would leave it alone.

And then, today - Hah! This is for the DOG!!

Now...who rules this house again?

Yes, that would be ME. Let's not forget it, this time, OK?

Bailey

I'll just keep an eye on things from up here...

As the great Dr. Seuss once said (hey, cats can love books too!):

" Young cat, if you keep your eyes open enough, oh, the stuff you would learn! The most wonderful stuff!"

I like to keep an eye on my human (and sometimes nap) from the highest point in the whole house - the top of the kitchen cupboards.

The best part? Not only does my human sometimes forget I'm up there watching her, but she couldn't reach me to get me down if she wanted to!!

Bailey

I'm so glad my human is home!!!

Now, cats, before you start thinking I've gone all soft, let me explain something.

I know all about giving humans the cold shoulder when they return home from an absence. Believe me, I'm a strong advocate of taking such ripe opportunities to remind your humans of their subordinate place in the universe.

But there is a delicate balance that must be maintained between indifference for the sake of universal hierarchy and laying on the guilt for preservation of personal luxury.

Normally, after an absence, I would be like most cats and make my human beg for my attention. Usually this results in the greatest number of treats - proportional the degree of guilt they feel for having left you alone.

But this time, after an extended absence during which I know she was in the company of a dog, I believe it was one of the few times where it was appropriate to greet her with warm and open paws immediately upon her return. Guilt can be bestowed on the human in many ways, and I feel that this is a much better way to discourage my human from such future absences. It's one thing to make the humans merely feel guilty...it's an art to make them feel like you actually missed their presence (when all you really missed was access to treats on demand).

Trust me, I've been laying it on thick. Greeting my human at the door. Seeking out her constant company. Polite wake-up calls in the mornings....actually sharing my space on the bed.

It's working. She's sucking up big time.

But she better not get used to this. I might have to go shred a roll of toilet paper just to bring her back down to earth. What do you think?

Bailey

Do I look impressed?

Still painful to think about, much less look at...but here is a photo that pretty much sums up my feelings about my night at the Dog's House...taken in the midst of a standoff. This is me in the bathroom sink - the dog is in front of the door, blocking my escape.

Bailey