Friday, October 7, 2016

A Long Talk With Liza


       Anyone who has a cat knows that cats don’t like change! Right? Well, Liza got a double dose of it this morning. And I paid for it!
I look and feel like I’ve been in a fight with a mountain lion!
After being up all night, we (Liza and I) couldn’t sleep this morning because my granddaughter, Carson, had a pre-scheduled appointment with her grandpa for some car repairs. So – Liza had to deal, not only with not sleeping late beside me – but also, with someone who is usually not here, coming into “her space” before she’d even had breakfast! If cat stares could kill, Carson would be... well, you know.
Liza likes Carson, she just likes her schedule more: sleep, breakfast, sitting with me while I have coffee, catch up on news and pet her. Then a nap. But none of that happened, at least not the way she’s used to it happening. She had to eat while being watchful of Carson walking around, wasn’t able to sit with me and watch news, and got no petting at all! And somewhere along the line, she decided enough was enough!
I was sitting on a bar stool in the kitchen and, without warning, Liza – not the most graceful cat you’ve ever seen – took a leap and landed half-on and half-off my lap. I let out a blood-curdling scream as she dangled there for several seconds with extended claws planted deeply into my legs. She finally let go and took off like a shot, probably scared by the scream. Blood seeped from several long scratches on both legs and we didn’t see Liza again until after Carson left.
I doctored my wounds and Liza finally came out of hiding. Her wide-eyed, innocent look was unbelievable! She acted like nothing had happened, as cats are famous for doing.
“What’s happening?” she seemed to say.
We had a long talk. I explained that she needs to learn to be a little more accepting of people who visit. “We all like our schedules,” I told her, but things can’t always go our way.” Ignoring me, she walked over and stood by the refrigerator – meaning, “Isn’t it time for lunch now?”
After lunch, I told her that I may take her to the local animal shelter if she doesn’t learn to adapt to changes.
By the way she washed her face while I was talking, I don’t think she was very worried. J