Oh, Scruffy - trick or treat!

What's that noise? I swear I just heard Heather walk upstairs with a clean kitty box. I'd better go check it out.

Yup, there's fresh kitty litter in my freshly scrubbed box. But, here's my favorite part - I beat Scruffers to the inspection of his box. And his box has been scrubbed clean too.

I look around to see if he's coming. Nope. I quickly jump into his box and lie down. I love to rub my scent in all over his box so he can't get away from me! Might as well tinkle a little too so he really knows I was here. He he he!

(Photo: Giuseppe Gattino looking around for a sign of Scruffers.)

But That's MY Spot

Guess who? Yes, that would be Scruffy Gray sitting in my special spot on my favorite loveseat. I came downstairs and there he was, taking over my space. And then I noticed he had scratched on my scratching post and drank water from my water dish. Sheesh!

Don't worry. I already got him back. Yesterday when he was out of his room, I peed in his kitty box. Take that, little guy!

Cranky-Spanky

OK, I've just about had it with the heat - and with Craig and Heather. Yes, I'm cranky-spanky. But dealing with the 100 degree+ temperature outside and Heather chasing me around trying to suffocate me with a wet towel did not make me very happy. Not to mention Scruffy's attitude.

Here's how it started. Last week the temp warmed up and Heather realized she couldn't close her office door or she and Scruffers would suffer in the heat. So slowly but surely, Scruffy has had to deal with an open door. I came in to visit and meet him many times those first few days, but now I really don't care what Scruffy does.

So, yesterday: it was supposed to be hot - maybe even hit 97. It was 87 degrees in Seattle at 8:30 in the morning. The fans were turned on and Craig fretted to no end about my well-being. He researched online how to cool off kitties and he found some website that recommended getting a cold, wet towel and wrapping your kitty in it. OK, I don't know about you but that idea sounds cruel. Every time I get wrapped like a kitty burrito in a towel it's to get medicine shoved down my throat or in my eye. And let's not forget that cats don't like to be wet! Hello! And then there's my claustrophobia. Whoever wrote that was a certified idiot.

But no, Heather and Craig had to try it. I had to put up with it 4 times yesterday. If only I had pulled a Scruffy. He took one look at the towel and hissed and swatted at Craig so he only had to deal with it once. Heather didn't dare get scratched.

Then, on top of it all, Scruffy had to find a cool spot to hang out, and where did he choose? Obviously not anywhere downstairs where it was cooler because he's still scared stiff of the evil ceiling fan. And Heather was not about to turn it off to accommodate him. So he ended up lying down in front of the entry to my kitty box room on the tile. So I couldn't go to the bathroom until Heather figured it out and moved my kitty box.

The absolutely worst part about yesterday? It reached 92 degrees inside the house and didn't drop under 90 until 9 p.m. Miserable! At 10:30 last night it was 84 degrees outside. Finally cool enough for me to run around and chase bugs in the yard, but not fun to be inside. I woke up this morning and it was still 86 degrees in Heather and Craig's room.

Housework - phew!

This morning I had to help Heather make the bed. Boy, was it hard work! Between chasing the sheets and attacking Heather's arm, I was all tuckered out by the time we finished.

I don't know how she does it without napping between chores. Oh yeah - don't forget to clean out my kitty box while you're at it!

Scruffy Pulls a Fast One

Every time we think we've got Scruffy's actions down he surprises us. And this past weekend was no exception. Scruffers had another appointment with the vet and for the first time ever he didn't willingly enter the kitty box. I heard Heather try to entice him and then finally she picked him up and tried to push him in. Then I heard her groan when he ran out past her. (Atta boy, Scruffers!)

Then Craig tried to stuff him in the box with the same exact result. It was all pretty funny to listen to. Especially because Craig and Heather were getting a little stressed about making it to the vet on time. Then I overheard Heather try to push him into the box and Scruffers splayed out every limb to keep from entering it - just like a cartoon character. Somehow they got him there, but it was a new side of Scruffy Gray we had never seen before.

But the best kitty surprise came later. Heather and Craig were so worried about getting Scruffers to the vet on time that they left a bag of tasty tuna treats on the floor. That evening, Heather looked on the floor and found the (now empty) bag of treats. "Hmm," she wondered, "I thought there were more treats in there." Then she inspected the bag and found teeth marks everywhere. Scruffers had ripped open the bag in multiple places and devoured the contents.

Now every time he doesn't respond to us instead of worrying that Scruffers is sick, maybe we should really think "What is that boy up to? What is he plotting now?"

Scruffers - maybe someday we'll be friends and you can show me how to distract Heather and Craig so I can have an entire bag of tuna treats or maybe freshly grilled tuna steaks....

What's on my List Today?

What a gray and nasty day outside. It's raining pretty hard and the birds have all disappeared from my view. There's no one walking by so there's almost no reason to stare out the window. It's a perfect day to stay home and snuggle. Oh, right. I'm not allowed to go anywhere (at least not without that stupid harness and leash on) so I guess every day is a good day to stay home and snuggle.

Heather is doing taxes and grumbling quite loudly (Hello - I'm writing! Keep the grumbling down to a low volume, 'k?). So what's a kitty to do on a gray, blah day like this?

The 'to-do' list! I am doing my part to help Heather with her weekend list. First I helped her sort and put the laundry away. I like to create tunnels under the pile of clean clothes to help the sorting process. And then I jump on top of the pile to keep it in line.

Heather promised I could help her make the bed after lunch. I love making the bed! I like to herd the sheets and bite them when they don't settle into the right spot. And then I hide under the blankets and attack anything that moves. Sometimes it's Heather's hand, but she loves the game too. And I don't bite her hard.

Right now I'm letting Heather know what parts of the house need to be cleaned. Don't worry about this sink - I licked it clean for you! But my kitty box is another story...