There's Nothing Scarier Than a Cat Suddenly Acting Like a Cat

We have two cats ... and then we have Ali. Despite her whiskers, tiny paws, and propensity to meow loudly when she wants something, I'm not entirely sure she qualifies as a "cat." She's more of a ... special flower.

Sure.

Let's go with that.

We're talking about the so-called "cat" who can't remember where her food bowl is. It's been in the exact same place for her entire life, but we had a nightly ritual where she announced she was hungry and I would show her where to find her food. She's nearly completely invisible because she often spends days and weeks on end hiding.

She's also a thief.

I'm sure I've written about it before, but it bears repeating that the so-called "cat" has an Ariel-complex. She finds whozits and whatzits and she hoards them away in a secret place. She steals Alexis' shoes, small toys disappear, and once she took my work ID badge out of my purse and tucked it away somewhere safe. But don't worry, three months after it first disappeared, it magically reappeared in the middle of the dining room floor. I'm sure I left it there and then just didn't notice it for three months. Yep.

That's all odd, sure, but things REALLY got weird after Mila was born. While the other two NORMAL cats shy away from Mila and have decided to dedicate themselves to Alexis (because she didn't carry a tiny screaming human into the house), Ali is suddenly ... a thing. As in, I've actually seen her lately. I think maybe I've seen her every day for a few months now.

IT'S SO WEIRD.

But it's not just that I've seen her--I've seen her in rooms I am absolutely positive she didn't know existed before. I've seen her sleeping in the family room, even. She previously hadn't set foot in there. Seriously.

She also hasn't cried for food. Suddenly she is able to remember where it is.

Ali has been greeting me when I get home. She has been sleeping with me at night. She's downright friendly these days.

IT'S SO WEIRD.

The only explanation is that something about having Mila around has helped her control her anxiety. I don't pretend to understand it. Nor do I pretend to understand why Ali did this.

Yarn. Ali picked up the yarn, carried it through the family room and dining room, hauled it up the stairs, and then left it on the edge of the loft. Either she's plotting to make something lovely for Mila or she's preparing to go Roadrunner on our asses and start dropping things on our heads.

 (The torn paper is tiny teeth marks where she must have picked it up and it tore, so she had to pick it up all over again.)

I think I'd prefer if Ali would try the typical cat reaction to a baby. Avoiding sounds better than whatever this craziness is that is happening.

Comments

[Michelle]

You forgot to write SOON across the bottom of the last picture.