I am lucky to have a medical alert necklace. Last week, while Tulip got comfortable sitting on my chest, I was surprised to hear an AI voice say, "Barbara Crowley, this is Medical Guardian. Do you need help?"
I wanted to say "My cat called you," but I gave my usual line. "No; just testing."
The slow feeder I got from Amazon does help Tulip from scarfing down her food. It went from taking her seconds to about two minutes to complete her meals. She has gotten fat so fast that I wonder if she was pregnant when I took her home from the shelter. Tulip is always hungry. Could she be eating for more than herself? Guess I'll find out on Monday when her claws get removed.
Tulip is obsessed with eating my houseplants. I moved the plants from the bar top kitchen table down to the kitchen counter. I was hoping the plants would get enough sunlight to survive. My cat's curiosity would not allow for that.
I've semi-blocked access to the kitchen counter. Between my car's sun shade, two mesh doo-dads and a 20" runner, all that's easily within the cat's reach is the sink. The dish pan is filled with water, but it still hasn't discouraged her from jumping.
That's the most use of the vacuum cleaner this week. My house is no cleaner since I haven't applied it to the floor.
Tulip is training ME, a cat owner of long standing.
Her antics are way beyond Liberty's infamous stunts!*
I have to shut her out of the bedroom because she has to get into everything. She looks at me longingly before I shut the door at night.
Since this wily kitty has lived with me, I've taken everything off the kitchen table. The bar stools were relocated behind the bar. Makes sense, but you can't sit on them. I don't use the kitchen set anyway.
Tulip still has her claws. She destroyed a decorative floor mat in two weeks. She preferred that over her scratching post and cardboard pad. So, I threw the holey mat out this week. In its place under the kitchen sink, I am now using the outdoor welcome mat. Although I still have to clean it (it's on my To Do list).
When I'm eating (shame on me - in the recliner), Tulip gets IN MY FACE, trying to taste people food. And she is persistent.
The kitchen trash has been in various places; none of them safe from Tulip. I had to make space for it under the kitchen sink.
The pretty kitty virtually inhales her food and demands to be fed the second she's scarfed up her food.
Tulip thuds to the ground from some forbidden place. She loves to get into everything. I can no longer leave sealed cat food bags around, because they'll be empty by morning. I resorted to pouring her kibble in a plastic container. That presented a problem an hour ago. I didn't screw on the top correctly, so it rained Kitten Chow all over the kitchen. That got Tulip's attention. She challenged me to see who could claim the reward first. I won after shutting her in the bedroom so I could sweep up the mess. Okay, so I cheated.
I'm expecting an Amazon order next week for a specially designed cat food bowl. Hopefully, it will slow down my hasty eater.
The whole kitchen counter has aluminum foil edges, meant to discourage Tulip's jumping. Except she loves eating tin foil. I had used it on the kitchen table until I found the floor decorated with one previously-inverted bar stool, the garbage can and its contents, amidst a sea of shredded aluminum foil. I even added plastic doo-dads to the counter edge. Some stuff ends up in the sink; the rest falls to the floor. Some notable things - like my leather furniture and the back of my hands - bear Tulip's marks. Apparently. she owns me now.
Anyway, next week I'll have my comeuppance when Tulip gets to have the vet remove herr front claws.
I love her, but she is a handful.
* Wait - you haven't read Liberty's Scrapbook yet? For shame!
