Is Tulip hungry or just needy?

Yesterday I was trying to speak with a customer service rep. As is her style, Tulip was making a pest of herself by getting into the dishes, batting at the venetian blinds, and dumping stuff off of tables. Those are the same actions a two-year old toddler would make: "Mommy, listen to me!" 

I apologized to the person on the other end of the phone as I ushered the cat into my bedroom and closed the door. 

Finally, PEACE REIGNS (if only for the duration of a brief telephone call)!

~~

Today between 4:30 and 5:00 PM, Tulip began to act up, as if she needed more food. Wanted is more like it. Of course, some kibble remained in her bowl. Thinking to myself, "This'll show her," I made a point of emptying her bowl onto her placemat. Was she even watching me?

Suddenly, Tulip was no longer interested in eating. Instead, she took a nap.

😼

This got me wondering. Is Tulip lazy, not wanting to fight to get at the kibble sitting on the bottom of her slow-feeder bowl?

In about an hour, I'll refill her dish as I heat up leftovers for dinner. Hopefully, Tulip will have eaten some more food by then. Right now, she's making a point of ignoring it and me.

When I judge Tulip's behavior, there are at least three justifications: 

1. She might be hungry, 
2. She may require my attention simply because she is needy, OR
3. She is just being an obstinate two-year-old.

More justifications may exist, but I'm no Cat Whisperer. Your guess is as good as mine.

Latest Nonsense

I haven't had time to document Tulip's escapades.

About to change batteries in one smoke detector, I had four new batteries on the stepladder tray. The stepladder had a temporary home by the TV.  (Apparently, I am a procrastinator). Tulip stood on the TV table and she picked off one battery after another. I left them where they landed.

Next, I was sitting in my office working on my laptop. When I turned around, I was surprised to see a partially eaten roll of paper towels. Did she find the paper towels in the kitchen (assuming I forgot to store the roll in the microwave)? 

Checking my microwave, the roll of paper towels was still in place. I walked back to the office, I looked at the laundry basket full of my cleaning lady's rags, cleaning chemicals...and paper towels. So I added her paper towels to the microwave.

#Tuliptales

#tulipcat

Evidence of My Sloppiness

 This morning...

I moved the paper towels beside the microwave while it was in use. Obviously, I had forgotten to put them back inside the microwave. 

#Tuliptales

#Tulipeatspaper

Tulip's Actions in 3 Rooms

OFFICE ACTION:

I already explained Tulip's forays into the wheeled wagon so she could eat the fabric/ cardboard bin inside of it. That's just an appetizer. I keep finding pieces of cardboard in the living room.

From there, Tulip will dump the waste bin - especially fun if there's appetizing paper inside. 

When she hears my printer whirring, she runs to investigate. I have to be faster than her to collect untasted printouts. 

While I was sitting at my laptop yesterday, Tulip kept climbing on the printer table to figure out the best angle from which to nosh on the documents saved within a dozen file folders. She tried walking behind the printer to see if that was a good route. She tried (unsuccessfully, I might add) to get her body between the printer and the stack of folders at the left. By facing the documents, there were several loose pieces of paper. Much too enticing.

Done: Spoiled Tulip's fun by putting the files inside one of the two drawers beneath the printer. 

Nearly Done: Repurposed the file folder organizer to cover lots of loose papers. I will have to go in-depth to organize the chaos within the plastic bin.

#

KITCHEN ACTION: 

Today, in another attempt to get my attention, Tulip tried exploring the dishes. I inverted the dishwashing tub over the dirty dishes in an attempt to stop that. But I still heard dishes rattle. When I got out of my chair, this is what I found. Dirty or clean, no dishes are safe from Tulip's inspection.

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LIVING ROOM ACTION:

Tulip keeps trying to flip her full food dish from its place atop a living room table onto the floor. My back greatly prefers having her eat at table-height. If her cat food dish gets put in the fridge temporarily (in an attempt to dissuade her actions), it makes no never-mind to her. The second her food bowl is placed on the table, Tulip immediately tries to bounce, move and upend the dish onto the floor. 

Solution (for Tulip): I moved the bowl to the floor.  (Tulip scores another WIN!)

Solution (for me):     Deal with it and move on.

Tulip's water bowl is probably too heavy for her to move the same way as her food dish. Tulip often plays with the water by putting her two front feet in it, She paws the surface like a toddler in a bathtub. Maybe she prefers to have that bowl on the floor as well. 

This time, I win! (At least for now).

#

#tulipdishes

#tulipeats

#tuliptheterror

#tulipthecat

What happens when I let the fence down?

 

Need I say more?

OUR New Toy...and then some!

Last week, my latest 'toy' was delivered: a fancy foldable cart, pictured at the middle of this post. It's in my office for now, because I lack the expertise in folding it.

ANYWAY, the very existence of the cart rekindled Tulip's penchant for eating paper and cardboard. When I turned around from my seat at the desk, I saw chunks of cardboard on the floor and in the cart itself.

All I could think was... when Tulip is too quiet,

 it's time to be worried!

What is in the cloth box? Just some books I plan to donate to Selma Library when they reopen.

~~

You may ask, "What's with this post's title '...and then some'?"

Well, it's been a busy Saturday. My Medical Guardian necklace needed recharging, so I put it on a coffee table. I heard something fall to the floor. (I'm always hearing stuff falling to the floor). Yup, Miss Tulip was up to her regular nonsense. 

Then I put the charger and the necklace on the floor, where it cannot fall. 

Yup, that's where I should have put the items in the first place. 

Will I ever learn?

I thought I'd be writing 3 Tulip chapbooks, but...

...the cost of doing that would be prohibitive. My editor suggested another path which I'll present to my writing group on Thursday. It's an online process that makes a published virtual blog book. I'm not convinced it will gain me more readers.

Although the jury's still out, I may end up just publishing one book, The Trouble with Tulip.