Why Your Cat May Reject A New Bed and Other Stories

One day in the Fall of 1998 I went to the local animal shelter. I arrived early with my assistant Shelly. The shelter was not yet open, so we waited outside, along with a man in a cowboy hat. We kept hearing a very loud mewing, and Shelly went to investigate. There was a tiny box near the front door so Shelly carefully opened it. She got a very soft look on her face, and brought the box to me. Inside was a tiny American Shorthair kitten, gray, black, and silver with a pure white underbelly. Finally the shelter opened. Even though the kitten was exactly what I'd hoped to find, I took a look around at the cats and kittens in the shelter. But, she had stolen my heart. She was about five weeks old. I named her Magic because she had appeared to come out of nowhere in a box.

I have NEVER had such a headstrong, stubborn cat! My god, but she has the stamina of a marathon runner. Once my assistant was making me chicken for dinner, Magic sat on the table meowing her head off. Good heavens! Then when I was actually eating my dinner, she kept jumping up on a stool, then on my chair, and trying to swipe some chicken! Luckily she was small enough that I could pick her up with one hand, and set her on the floor! We repeated it numerous times, like Annie Sullivan trying to get Helen Keller to use utensils when she ate; at the end I was exhausted! Tina and I looked at each other like, oh boy, what did we get into?

I had an old 90 lb computer monitor and Magic would lay on top, fascinated by the swimming fish on my screensaver. She also loved sleeping in my lap as I worked on email or writing. Big mistake! It was fine when she was a young kitten, but as she grew to 12 lb, and did not sleep, but constantly tried to suckle on my shirt, arm and licked me endlessly, I knew I had to try to break her of this. So I thought I'd get her a little friend.

I found a young brown and orange kitty at the Petfood Express pet adoption day. Her name was Marigold. I was in my large power scooter, so the rescue group gave me the plastic carry crate that they had Marigold in, and I put her between my legs on the scooter floor. Poor Marigold, she didn't understand what was happening, as we walked home slowly, talking to her soothingly. Finally we made it back to my apartment, and put the crate down so the cats could smell each other.

Eventually I opened the door and Marigold shot out like a black streak, and somehow jumped up to the top shelf in my closet. The shelter had told me that she'd been at the shelter for four months and that she was very playful, but would need time to adjust. It took about a year of being very patient and gentle with her to help her realize that she had arrived at her forever home.

My girls are as different as night and day. Magic could be said to be the "problem child", and Marigold is my little angel. They have different likes and dislikes when it comes to toys, food, and need of affection from me.

Sometimes, those of us who can't afford the services of an animal communicator scratch our heads and wander around in our heads trying to figure out why our pets behave the way they do. The latest incident baffled me.

Recently, we moved to a new place, I went out and got a beautiful, soft bed for them, I opened it up, and neither wanted anything to do with it. I figured it smelled funny to them, so I put it out on the balcony to air out. I brought it back in after a week, but they still rejected it. We put catnip in it, but nothing doing! Marigold seemed afraid to walk on the very cushy inside. So we thought, oh maybe it's too soft. Magic wanted to get in it, but kept sniffing it. So then I had the idea of putting an old towel over it.

The old towel did the trick, and now both cats use the bed. So, I went and got a second new bed, and put an old towel over it, and Marigold accepted it right away. That bed is on my living room couch. Marigold loves to lay there at night while I watch TV. To this day, Marigold is extremely sweet and loving. She does love to play! However she prefers to play by herself. She has the sweetest sound when she plays in the living room: it's like OH! OH! OH! OOHH! OH OH! It just melts my heart, and gives me so much joy to know she loves her toys so much! I can't even describe the emotion I feel when I hear those sounds.

Magic and Marigold accept each other, and sometimes have fun chasing each other around the house. Magic being Magic pushes the limits of Marigold's patience sometimes and Marigold, on occasion will act defensively and scratch her nose, or take a small mouthful of hair. Mostly she figures it's not worth fighting over who sits where.

I love both of them so much!

Tamar Mag Raine has cerebral palsy as well as various types of degenerative joint diseases. She uses the computer to paint as well as write. Tamar sits on the Oakland Mayor's Commission on Persons with Disabilities. She has been a mentor to many people with disabilities, young and old alike. Her favorite season is Fall,she enjoys running through the leaves in her wheelchair relishing the crunchy sounds. View her art: http://zazzle.com/Tamarmag*