Adventures In Catsitting

We are catsitting for Scott's mom's two cats, Oreo and Dybbik.

Oreo's name is easy to understand...she's white with some black patches (and a completely black tail that seems to belong to a different cat altogether!).

Dybbik's name requires a knowledge of Yiddish. My mother-in-law told us it means "Little Devil" and I guess she earned it honestly as a kitten!

Right now Mom is in the process of moving from Florida back into the arms of her loving family here in Illinois. There was a bit of an unanticipated snafu with her well-laid plans and, well, the cats ended up here before their new home was ready for occupancy. With no babies in need of a nap room currently at my daycare, we have an unoccupied room. The timing couldn't have been better for us to be able to offer accommodations to our feline "sisters."

Since introducing kitties to each other is often a traumatic experience, we decided it was best for all concerned if we kept our visitors a safe - and peaceful - distance from the "home team." The funny thing is, in our house with four cats in residence, two more in the bedroom doesn't seem to make a difference! In fact, ours didn't even take notice of their visiting "aunties" for at least a week!

Sure, they were a bit curious when we would go in the guest room for a visit and shut the door behind us, but it wasn't the cats inside that attracted them but the fact that we were in a room with the door shut! Anyone who knows cats is familiar with their disapproval of a closed door...

This strategy of segregation worked for the most part, too... A couple nights ago, however, I went in to bid Oreo and Dybbik "Goodnight," as usual. What I didn't know is that while I was leaving, our Desi snuck past me as I shut the door. I thought it was weird that she'd been outside the door when I entered and there was no sign of her a couple minutes later when I left, but I dismissed it as "freaky Desi behavior" with which I'm intimately familiar. Surely she wouldn't run into the room with strange cats, and if she did, surely she would soon discover the flaw in her plan and let her plight be known...

When I didn't hear any commotion from the guest room, (hissing, growling, crashing, something that would lead me to believe I was experiencing the outbreak of WWIII...) I assumed Desi had simply found an out-of-the-way spot to settle for the night. At 2:14 A.M. I awoke to a relentless bumping sound emanating from the room below us. Of course I had a strong suspicion as to its origin. Yep...Desi, our "bad idea girl" had spent four hours meeting and greeting her aunties and had apparently worn out her welcome. Desi seemed more disturbed by the encounter than our guests.

Other than Desi's unintentional visit, our guests have enjoyed a peaceful stay at Hôtel des Chats. While the first couple days of their visit they hid under the futon, the girls seem very comfortable a week into their stay. Oreo particularly enjoys sprawling out on top of the diaper changing table while Dybbik prefers sitting on the futon. They get very excited every morning when maid service comes in to clean their facilities and room service delivers their food and beverages. They are generous tippers, too! Scott and I visit with them as often as possible to make sure they don't get lonely and remain accustomed to human interaction... Oh, who am I kidding?! We visit often because they are sweet and affectionate cats we are happy to know!

My heart goes out to Oreo and Dybbik. They have endured so many changes recently, like the loss of their sister cat, Pumpkin, the loss of their familiar surroundings and the loss - albeit temporary - of their mommy's companionship. Fortunately they will be reunited with Mommy Sharon in their new home in a couple weeks. They are brave troopers, definitely putting forth their best effort to make the best of the situation. It warms my heart when they accept my company and show their appreciation with purrs, head bumps, licks and other affectionate signs of kitty love. I feel good that I am doing something to ease their angst.

Perhaps this situation is most difficult for Mommy Sharon. She is back in Florida all alone wrapping up the last minute details of her move...sans cats! How lonely she must feel without her girls! I can't imagine life without my kitties! They are as much a part of our home as the air we breathe!

She tells us it helps to know the cats are safe and happy, but I wish there were something more I could do to ease Sharon's angst...

"I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?"
Death thought about it.
"Cats," he said eventually. "Cats are nice."

Terry Pratchett, Sourcery