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Caturday Pootie Diary: Summer solitude [1]
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Date: 2022-07-23
I spotted him immediately. He was sprawled on the wood floor, looking as comfy as a cat can look. My fists on my hips I glared down at him. “Why aren’t you hanging out with me?” I said, intending it to be a firm statement, but it came out like a whine. I cleared my throat. “I miss you.”
He rolled onto his back and peeked up at me, his eyes below his chin.
“I miss you,” I said again.
He wiggled a little and I sighed, bending down to give him a quick belly rub.
He only nipped me a little, wanting the belly rub more than he wanted to fight it. I straightened and stepped over him, intent on coffee.
Once the wake up brew was procured, I stepped back to him, pondering how to get him where I wanted. Out of the corner of my eye I spied a blue bag sitting on the coffee table. I looked down at him. “I am not above bribery,” I said, snatching the bag and showing it to him.
I shook the treat bag once, then turned back to the stairs. He rolled to his feet and followed me. “Give me some of those,” he insisted, his paws hitting the bottom stair just seconds after my foot lifted off it.
“I will,” I assured him. “Upstairs.”
I set my coffee down on my nightstand and climbed onto the bed, arranging myself so my back was against the headboard. I was barely settled when Freddie climbed onto my lap, staring directly into my face expectantly. I gave the treat bag another shake and grinned. “Bribery: successful!” I announced.
He gave the three treats on my palm a thorough sniff, taking his time deciding on whether or not to eat them. I rolled my eyes. “You like these,” I told him.
He glanced briefly up at me, then his eyes dropped back to the trio of treats. “Just making sure,” he said, carefully licking one. Satisfied, he gobbled it up, followed quickly by the other two. He smelled my now empty palm, looking for more.
“All gone!” I confirmed for him. He licked the powdery treat residue from my skin, his sandpaper tongue tickling me. I grinned down at him, enjoying his attention.
Even if it was a little gross.
I stroked the fur of his back, murmuring assurances to him that he was a good boy and a nice kitty. Petting him had a duel purpose; I got to both make him purr and wipe his saliva off my hand.
Freddie stood, turned, and walked to the edge of the bed.
“Hey!” I said. “Where are you going?!”
Without a word, he jumped off the bed. I could see the tip of his tail as he walked to the door and out.
“Bribery: fail,” I sighed.
Freshly showered and dressed for work, I carried my now empty coffee cup down the stairs. Freddie was back in his spot on the floor, sprawled with his limbs pointing to the four corners. I shook my head and passed him to enter the kitchen. I quickly threw my lunch together and refilled my water bottle with ice and filtered water.
Freddie didn’t follow me around like he usually did.
I poked my head out of the kitchen. “Are you sick?” I demanded.
He lifted his head so we could make eye contact. “I don’t think so,” he said after considering it.
“You don’t hang out with me anymore!” I cried, feeling very dramatic.
He dropped his head back to the floor. “It’s too hot for that,” he said.
“You — “ I thought about what he said. “It’s summer,” I remembered, deflating.
“Hot,” he muttered.
“You do this every summer and I think you’re ill or mad at me. But it’s just hot and you don’t want to be touched.”
“Or looked at,” he added without opening his eyes.
“Or looked at,” I agreed. “You’ll stop ignoring me in the Fall.”
His only response was a gentle snore.
I turned on the family room fan with the hope of keeping the house from getting too hot for him. After that, I checked his water bowl and topped it off with some water from the Britta pitcher. He would be fine until I got home again and he could ignore me some more. “Have a good day, solitary kitty,” I whispered, stepping past him to leave for work. “I love you!”
Happy Caturday, Peeps! I hope you have a strategy to stay cool and comfy this summer. Freddie’s strategy involves ignoring me until it cools off again.
[END]
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