The Litter Boxx » video

Furry Bodies Against My Back

Karen — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 19:14:20 +0000

Sleeping arrangements with three cats can be a challenge, especially when two of the three don’t get along. In my house, Lapsang and Pippin cannot really be described as close friends. Or friends. Or buddies. Or anything. In fact, they really can’t stand each other.

So night-time can be difficult when all three cats want to snuggle. Over the years, we’ve worked out sleeping positions that seem to be generally accepted by all three cats and both humans. Pippin sleeps on my husband’s side of the bed. We call that area “Pippinville.” The two Siamese sleep on my side. We call that “Siamesetown.” A mountain rises between the two towns in the form of an extra blanket and provides a physical security barrier for the feuding felines. Sometimes raids into enemy territory occur. I used to keep a spray bottle of water on hand for these unfortunate occasions, but there were too many civilian casualties so now I rely on lightning quick timing to administer a swat to any furry butt within reach. (Well, except my husband’s.)

This system has been in place for some years now and, on the whole, seems to work for us and the kitties. Now, if I could just get my husband to stop snoring…

Pesty Pippin

Karen — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:14:05 +0000

My cat Pippin is a very sweet and loving cat but sometimes he can be a little bit too pushy with the snuggly stuff. He jumps onto a lap and starts purring and headbutting. We start petting him. He is happy. So far, so good.

But then things start to go horribly wrong. He repeatedly scrapes his cold wet nose across any exposed skin. This is super annoying so we usually dump him back on the ground at that point. But he jumps back up immediately. He puts his paws on our chests and snuggles his head under our chins, giving us a slimy swipe with his nose in the process. We pin him down on our laps until he gives in and stays still. We take our hand away. He starts rolling around on his back, sticking his feet into the air. Then he stands up and starts headbutting all over again.

This funny Simon’s Cat cartoon is a perfect depiction of our cat Pippin in action.

In and Out

Karen — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:05:58 +0000

I work at home in front of the computer all day. This can lead to some strained and stiff muscles and butt ache. Luckily for me, my three cats demand to be let in and out of the house at least five times each. At five times each for three cats, I’m getting up out of my seat and interrupting my work flow 15 times per day.

Each cat has his own way of letting me know he is ready to go in or out: Lapsang meows loudly, Pippin scratches on the door with his paws and makes a tiny little mewing sound, and Tigger just waits patiently by the door, sometimes for hours, until one of the other cats makes enough noise to get a response.

The whole in and out experience is cleverly illustrated in this video that I found on YouTube:

Fortunately, my cats can’t lift garden gnomes and smash them against the glass like this fella can but Pippin has been known to rip up a screen or two. I suppose I should be thankful that the cats are getting me up out of my seat every so often as it keeps my blood flowing. Too bad I have to walk through the kitchen to get to the back door. A snack usually jumps into my mouth as I pass the fridge. Hmm, maybe I need more cats so I can make more trips and burn more calories.