The bad child

For those who don't know (and by now I don't know how you don't) I have two cats. They are brother and sister. I got them 7 (I can't believe 7!) years ago when I was living in Spokane. From the moment Josh re-entered my life, he has loved the cats. Or, attempted to love. He spoils the cats by constantly buying them new toys or new scratch pads (and frequently using the excuse "Well, they don't have this one and they will like it."). He also has spoiled them by feeding them not only wet food, but expanding their taste buds to include turkey, ham, and chicken lunch meat. You can no longer open the fridge without a cat coming into the kitchen to beg for lunch meat.

The girl cat, Vega, has warmed up to Josh in the last few months. They have "special" time where Josh pets her/brushes her (he has discovered new ways/directions in which she likes to be pet, apparently) and she has become a permanent fixture on our bed at night (on his side, of course). Vega and Josh have bonded to the point where she is as much his cat as mine. The brother, Puck, has not responded in this way. Puck has always seen Josh as a source of male competition. Josh has always been nice to Puck and tried to give him attention/show him affection, but Puck wants  nothing to do with Josh. Puck always sleeps on the bed, and he makes sure to stay on my side of the bed away from Josh's reach. He goes out of his way to make sure Josh can't pet him... and frequently swipes at Josh when he does pet him. Over the past few months the "male tension" between Puck and Josh has decreased. I had thought things were getting better.

However... this was a long week for my little boy cat. I worked Monday-Thursday this week and stayed down in Ramstein at Jimmy's house all week (for gas money/time reasons). When I talked to Josh on the phone Monday evening, he told me Puck had gotten upset about something and threw up multiple times. On Tuesday Puck got scared by Josh's workout pants (they are wind pants, the kind that make a swishing noise as you walk) and peed on the floor. On Wednesday Puck refused to leave his kitty tower and wouldn't eat his dinner. It is safe to say my little diva was throwing a fit while I was gone. As soon as I got home Thursday night Puck was full of meows, purrs, and wanted lots of attention. He also ate ravenously as if he had been starved while I was gone.

I felt really guilty about Puck's behavior while I was gone. I felt bad that Josh was having to deal with the cat's messes. I also felt sorry for Puck that he was so upset... and it made me sad. If you don't know by now... my cat's ARE human. Don't question it, it's a fact. My sweet little baby boy cat missed his mommy... and acted out like a child throwing a tantrum. This coming week I work Monday-Friday and am planning to be gone for the whole week. I'm hoping there is not a repeat...

I find it somewhat funny that Puck's name is even more befitting now than it was before. The night I got him he was running around/jumping on my funiture, and I decided to name him "Puck" after one of the imps in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." I especially chose this as an imp by definition is a little devil... and that's what he was acting like... and... it appears that is how he is acting now...