Hunter's Turn.

Oh Hi. Mom play silly game with me. Mom had ham. Her touch me feets and say "paw". Me look at me feets, and say,"Yes, that me paw, give me ham please."

Mom keep touching feets and saying "Paw". Me not likey. Me say, "Stop touching me feets." Why Mom keep touching me feets ? Me not understand.

Mom touch feets again. Me smack her. Me get Ham. Now me understand.

Me go to fridge, and say, "More Ham please." Mom say, "No more Ham."

Me look at fridge, touch fridge with paw, & say, "Give me Ham please."

This sure is fun game. Me likey. Get alla Ham.

This morning while Mom make coffee, me try game again. Make sure it work again. Me sit in front of fridge & say, "Give me Ham please." Mom say, "I'm not giving you Ham." Oh yes, me forgot. Look at fridge, touch fridge with paw, and say, "Give me Ham please." Mom say, "Damnit Hunter." Me get Ham.

Wonderful game. Me really likey.

Me hear alla peoples out in Hallway. Me go to Apt. door. Look under door. Me say, "Me here, want to come and play ?" Nobody listen to me. Why alla peoples out in Hallway? Me not know. And, why they no want to play ? Me not know.

Me say under door, "Hey, come see Mom give me Ham." Nobody listen to me.

Litter box smelly. Mom go to work place alla time, and forget to clean box.

Me wonder. Will new game work for litter box. Me try. Go to litter box, put paw on box & say, "Clean litter box please." Hey, game work just fine. Wonderful game.

Let me see, what else me want ?

Me go now, say "Bye-Bye.

"Mom, oh Mom, me touch cupboard with dry foods with paw, dry foods please."

"Mom, you hear me ?" "Mom, me want to play game."

Teaching Hunter to shake Hands.

A woman at work brought in a Readers Digest. One article in it was..."101 things you can do now." .........& in that was, "Teaching your Cat to shake Hands."
" OK," I thought, "maybe if you had a normal cat." She thought it would be a snap to teach Hunter to shake hands.....since he was so smart anyway. Well that's true....but Hunter only uses his "Smarts" for his own means. And, I didn't think doing "Tricks" for humans would be up his ally.
It seemed simple enough.....OK, so I'll give it a try.
First you get a "Plastic" spoon (their kidding, right?)......put some canned chicken, or the baby food type chicken on the spoon (Hmmm)..........touch the cat on the paw while saying "Paw".........if the cat moves his paw...reward him with some chicken.......after awhile, when you say, "Paw"....the cat should put his paw in your hand.
I used Ham......because Hunter will do just about anything for Ham. If he could open the fridge........he'd get his own Ham. And, I actually got him to "Roll Over" once for Ham.........the fact that he's never done it since, & probably will never do it again, is beside the point.
I held the Ham in one hand......touched his paw with the other hand.....& said, "Paw" Hunter looked down at his paw....then up at me....then back down at his paw........then up at me........then went for the Ham. "No Hunter," I said, "Paw" & touched his paw again.........he backed up this time.
I forgot....Hunter doesn't like his feet messed with. I tried again.....I touched his paw & said, "Paw" He backed up again.......& gave me a look that said, "Stop touching my feet."
Once more....I touched his paw & said "Paw".........this time Hunter did lift his paw......to smack me on the hand holding the Ham, which I dropped.......& he grabbed. After he enjoyed his Ham snack.........he went to the fridge, looked up at it.......& "meowed". "You're not getting anymore Ham." I told him. With that....Hunter lifted his paw......touched the fridge......& "Meowed".......Gees !
"Hey, who's teaching who this trick ?" I asked him. Hunter once again......looked up at the fridge......touched the fridge.....& "Meowed". (sigh) What could I do...........I gave him more Ham.

Hunter is Here to Stay.

I'd like to say that when I finely brought Hunter home from the Humane Society.......we lived "Happily Ever After." I'd like to....but it didn't happen that way. Hunter had to first go to the Vet to be neutered before he officially became My cat.
I never had a cat before. So, I envisioned me sitting in the recliner with Hunter in my lap happily purring away while I petted him......or brushed him......& how he would sleep in his little cat bed right next to my bed. Yeah, Right.
When I got Hunter from the Vet & got him home.........the very first thing he did after I let him out of the carrier was, jump up on a living room chair & pee on it........he was still groggy from the operation. I picked him up & put him in his litter box.......which he jumped right out of & hid under the bed for the rest of the day. He wouldn't come to me at all.
Hunter wouldn't let me pet him.......or even touch him. After I would give him his food, & he was done eating it.........He'd go right back under the bed.
When he wasn't under the bed.....Hunter spent most of his time at the Apt. door......pawing at it & yowling. When ever I left for work.......it would send him into a yowling frenzy. My friend said to me, "Maybe he's never been alone before." He's so Cat smart. He told me he had gotten a toy cat for his cat......& would put it on the bed when he left for work. But, Hunter didn't want any of the toys I had bought for him.........all he seemed to want was this ratty old toy gray felt mouse that was in the cage with him at the Humane Society........& they sent "Home" with him. He carried the thing everywhere in his mouth.
Nights were the worst.........Hunter would be at the Apt. door yowling & pawing at it....wanting out in the worst way.........with the beat up gray felt mouse always next to him.
Some times he would pick it up in his mouth & wonder around the Apt. like he was lost...or looking for something.
My friend with his cat wisdom said, "Maybe he misses the people he use to live with."........."Cats have long memories."
6 months down the road....the Humane society called me........the lady asked if there were any issues I was having with Hunter ? ..........Issues ? "I have a list." I was thinking........but, I was determent Not to send Hunter back to live in a cage.
So, what I said was......."Nothing we can't work out."
It was Christmas Eve......& I was in a Blue Funk........not just because of Hunter.........but, the man I lived with for 12 years was gone. He loved Christmas time.......we would put up a tree....cook a big dinner......& invite people over. But, he was long gone.......my home was gone.......my things were gone.......my life was gone........& all I had was a cat who wouldn't let me pet him.
Sitting there in the recliner watching the snow fall..........Hunter jumped up into my lap......ratty old gray felt mouse & all. "Hi Buddy." I said & smiled. Hunter purred & nudged my hand with his nose. I laughed & petted his head......."I guess we both miss someone."........."But, it's just you & me now Buddy." I told him. "Meow" Hunter said. It was a calm "Meow".....not the horrible Yowling he had been doing. "Oh here, Santa came to you." I reached into my pocket & took out a new gray felt mouse.........I had my friend drive me to 3 different pet stores till I found one that looked like the beat up old thing he had. Hunter sniffed it........& picked up the old one.........I threw the new one across the floor......Hunter jumped down & ran after it.........then brought it back.......I laughed....& threw it again.......& Hunter brought it back again. (I had a picture in my mind of a small child saying Good-bye to a loved cat friend & putting the gray mouse in his cage for comfort.) And, that's when we started to bond.
We had to adjust to each other.........& it took months to teach Hunter not to race to the Apt. door every time it opened........it took even more months to get him to stop pawing at the door at night & Yowling........Now, when I lay down at night he jumps up on the bed....& when I say "Lay down."......Flop, he lands half on the pillow & half on me.
To the people who had Hunter before me;........he's a Happy, healthy,funny & smart cat. He has found a very good home with someone who loves & cares about him very much. He makes me laugh...he makes me mad.......he makes me crazy !
Thank-You

Oh Hi. Me likey Mom's friend. Her nice. Her come to see me. Mom say her come to see Mom, but me know her come to see me. Her alla time bring me nice things. Mom could not find Greenie Treats, but friend find Greenie Treats. Her bring to me. Nice friend. Mom's friend bring me nice rug. Good to sleep on. Nice friend. Friend bring me new foods bowl. It blue with gray cats alla round. Her say, "Made in USA" Me not know what that means. But, me likey foods bowl.

Friend pet me, and talk to me alla time.

Me likey to get up on dresser and move Mom's things around. Mom say, "Now how did that get here?" Me say, "Me not know Mom." Heehee

No tell Mom this, but me move rug under door. Heehee Funny Mom. Her see rug under door, and her try to push rug round. Heehee Me laught.

Me likey play tricks on Mom, is fun. Me alla time hide mousey under pillow. HA-HA Mom not know where mousey come from. Funny Mom.

Me watch Mom, her sneeze, her get tissue. Oh, Mom need tissue, me get one. Pull tissue out of box, bring to Mom. You think 10 tissue nuff ? Me not think so, get more.

Mom get into shower, me move rug in front of bathtub. Heehee Me sit on rug, Mom say, "Move you silly old cat." Me not old.

Mom get book bout cat. Cat name Homer. Mom read book to me. Me likey. Finely Mom get something bout a cat. Now we need to get movie bout a cat.

Me go now say Bye-Bye.

"Mom, read me more bout Homer cat." "Mom, you hear me ?" "Oh look Mom, rug under door again." "Now how it get there ?"

Hunter cuts a rug.

My friend bought me a small Non-skid rug.......it's about the size of a Welcome mat.......& has 3 little gray kittens on it. She didn't think all that rug surfing Hunter was doing was good for him. Although, Hunter would tell her...."It Fun, & me likey."
I put the rug down in front of the Apt. door.......& that's where Hunter likes to take his afternoon naps. Hunter will even pick it up in his mouth & drag it up & down the small hallway by the door......depending on his mood.
I never thought much about the rug. Only that it's now part of Hunter's Kingdom. And, I keep forgetting just How smart this cat is & how much he wants to make people aware that He's there........till he does something to help me remember.
So, the rug is moved around to different places.......Inside my Apt. & I'm use to seeing it like that. It never bothered me that it was never just neatly even with the door...........after all....it's Hunter's rug.
I came home from work on Thursday & a corner of the rug was sticking out from under my door. I looked down at it & said...."OK, this is new." & tried to kick it back under......it wouldn't move.......Ah....Non-skid. So, once inside the Apt. I grabbed it & pulled it back in.
On Friday.........the rug was back....alittle more of it this time. Hmmmm.
On Saturday........A lot more of the rug was sticking out from under the door. "How is this cat getting this rug under the door ?" I asked myself. I tried kicking it again......wouldn't budge......."How the heck is he doing this ?" Once again.....the rug was inside my Apt. Only after I had to bend over & pick the thing up. Gees!
On Sunday night..........The rug was right in front of my Door......like someone had neatly placed it nicely even with the door......grant it, the picture was upside down, but there it was like a Welcome Mat. There was also a note taped to my door that said......."Shirl, you know you are not suppose to have Welcome Mats out in the hallway." (sigh)....Yeah right.....Duh......Try telling Hunter that.
I picked the rug up.....tucked it under my arm.......& dropped it on the floor inside my Apt. After I put my stuff away........I tried pushing the rug around with my foot.....wouldn't move........I bent down & tried pushing it with my hand.....wouldn't move. I stood there looking at the rug........like I was waiting for it to move on it's own........Hunter was also standing there looking at the rug too......But, he got tired of looking at the rug sooner than I did....& wandered over to his food bowl "Meowing".
The only way I could move the rug was by Picking it up & moving it.......or grabbing a corner & dragging it........& it was even harder for me to get it under the Apt. door........Not imposable....just harder.
I checked Hunter's paws to see if he had grown thumbs........because if he ever does......I'm in big trouble.
It's just all part of the game of.......Let's see just How bad I can confuse Mom.

Hunter's Turn

Oh Hi. Me was sick. Me's better now. But, me have to go see Vet. Not likely ! Not likey at all. They put me in cage. Not likely cage. They do hurty things.

Vet mess with hurty chin. Me scream. Then Mom put nasty cream on chin. Not likey cream ! Fight with Mom. Me say, "No,No cream." Mom not listen. Her puts cream on anyway. Me take off. Mom put more on.

Chin was hurty. Mom touch hurty chin. Me scream. Me bite Mom. Me sorry Mom, but you touch hurty chin.

Chin better now, not hurty so much. Me can eat me foods now. Not feel sleepy alla time.

Me find toy Fly in toy basket. Oh what fun. Me not play with Fly for long time. Mom wind up Fly and put on floor. Fly go. Me catch. HA-HA Fun.

Me and Mom watch movie again. More scary movie. "Mom, you get movie bout cat Please." Me likey movie. Get Greenie Treats. Best part of movie.

Oh No! Mom has tube of cream. Me gots to hide.

Me go now, say, "Bye-Bye"

"No Mom, no cream." "Hurty chin better, no cream." "Mom, stop,stop Mom." "Me warn you, me bite." "You hear me Mom ?"

Hunter was sick.

Normally Hunter is a healthy cat. But, for the last few weeks he's been sleeping a lot. Then, he stoped eating his wet cat food. This was not like Hunter at all.....when I put the food in the bowl...he chows down. But, he would lick up the gravy & eat a few bites....& leave the rest. I'd find his bowl almost full in the morning. Then he started drinking large amounts of water.......I mean 2 or 3 bowls of water a day. That's a lot for him.
"Something is wrong" I kept thinking.....But what ? He was acting very unHunter. When I would try to play "Fetch" with him.......he would just lay there & look at the toy mouse. Then he kept wandering around "Meowing".
I thought maybe his tummy was bothering him again........until I seen him scratching his chin on his cardboard box. So, I picked him up & looked at his chin.......he had a pea sized black scab on his chin......& it smelled infected. Yikes !!!!! I had been washing his chin with Noxzema acne wash......for the feline acne. The acne was clearing up....but the Noxzema must have made him itchy.
When I touched the scab....he just screamed. I never heard a cat scream before.........it scared the mess out of me. I called the Vet.
I had to work all week end.......so, I had to get my cat loving friend to drive me into work on Fri.(the friend who normally drives me to work is afraid of cats & does not want Hunter in her car) So, we could drop Hunter off. And, this is why I love my Vet too. She knows I don't drive.......so, if I bring Hunter's food with me (just enough for the day).....she only charges me for an office visit. So, Hunter went in at 10...with a sandwich baggie of Meow Mix....& was out at 7:30 (she ever waits for me)........OK, the Vet took the scab off to clean around it........gave him some Antibiotics.....& his food.
Then $55.00 later......with a small bottle of drinkable Antibiotics (he's never taken pills before,& I don't want to even go there).......& a tube of Antibiotic cream to rub on his chin........Hunter is home.
I put all his bowls in bleach water.......& mopped real good around & under his place mat on the kitchen floor.
OK, now getting the cream on his chin........He just "Howls" when I put the cream on. "Oh, you big Baby !" I tell him...."This doesn't hurt." But, Hunter wants no part of it. Oh well....to bad....so sad. The cream goes on his chin. He just jumps around like I'm trying to set him on fire....Gees!
Hunter is fine now........except, he's rubbed a lot of the fur off of his chin...& it looks like he tried to shave himself. The Vet said it would grow back.

Hunter's Turn

Oh Hi ! Me was thinking about peoples today. Me not understand why peoples do somea things they do ? To me peoples funny. Like why Mom brush fur on head alla time ? Why Mom take alla fur cloths off and get in shower and get wet ? Why peoples outside get into car things and go away ? Where they go ? When Mom go away, her go to work place. Where is work place ? Me not know.
Some time Mom make me mad ! Me want soft yarn Mom bring home. Mom tell me "No,No." But, me Want yarn ! Nice yarn. Mom go away, me play with yarn. Me have alla fun with yarn. Was pretty when me was done. Me think it was. Mom not think so.
Me not likey be told, "No,No." Me say, "Me show you Mom." That why me take yarn.
Mom take away old litter box. Get new one. Not look or smell the same as old one. Mom say, "You go in new one." Me not think so. Me tell her, "Not likey new litter box." But, her not listen. Me go on rug. But, me have to "go" so me has to use new litter box.
No peoples play with me under Apt. door any more. Make me sad. Me still hear peoples out in hall. Me say, "Here me is, come play." Nobody listen to me. Nobody come play. Me still lay on little rug by Apt. door and listen to peoples in hall. But, play by meself now.
Me not get into cupboards any more. Find new place to take nap. In bottom of closet. Nice place.
Me think it's time to eat now. Mom almost done with laundry. Me go now, say "Bye-Bye."
"Mom, oh Mom, warm up foods in big box thing please." "Mom, you hear me ?"

Hunter is slowing down.

Either that or he's pacing himself. Hunter doesn't just "get into" stuff......he destroys stuff. He's chewed up my flip-flops........clawed up my rugs.....lost some of my Scruggs.........tangled my yarn........& scratched the cupboard door.
I had to put a child-proof lock on the cupboard door where I keep the small trash can. There are very deep scratches on it now......& he can still bang it a Little. He doesn't bother with the other cupboards anymore....just the one with the lock on it. I think he does half of this stuff because he gets mad at me.......for whatever reason in his little Kitty-cat brain.
Some of us at work pooled our money to buy yarn...to make this one woman a Baby Blanket for her Baby Shower. I crochet all the time. I make Chemo Caps & Angel Blankets. Any who......they gave me the yarn (to make the blanket). Hunter decided he not only wanted the plastic bag....but the yarn too. Hunter has been taking his afternoon naps in the bottom of my closet........where I have a big bin full of yarn. I had to get the bin to keep him out of the yarn. Well, instead of putting the yarn inside the bin.......I put it on top of the lid. Yeah, dumb me.....what can I say. Hunter kept pulling the bag down.....& pulling the yarn out......& sleeping on it. The last time he did it......I got so mad.....I bopped him on the head with a roll of the yarn......& yelled at him, "Stay out ! Bad Cat."
Then one afternoon when I came back up to my Apt. from helping serve Lunch......there was yarn strung all over my Apt. & Hunter was sitting in the middle of it...looking very proud of himself......like he was saying, "Look what I did Mom." There was pink,blue,mint green & yellow yarn all over everywhere. Under the bed.......under the living room chairs.......under the TV stand......under the dinning room table & around the chair legs........inside kitchen cupboards......around the toilet.......I mean all over. I just kept thinking......OMG-OMG-OMG ! "How could ONE cat do all this ?" I had to cut most of it up to clean it up.......Then run out to Hobby Lobby to buy more yarn. When Hunter goes on a tear...he doesn't do it half way.
Like I said....I think he does most of this stuff to get back at me. Like the fight we had over the Water bowl. When I first got Hunter......I would put fresh water in his bowl......& he would tip it over. So, everyday it was.....fresh water.....tip over. I yelled at him, "Stop doing that !" I thought I fixed him when I got a Pet Self Water........HA-HA-HA-HA. I came home from work & the thing was laying on it's side...in a small lake in the middle of the kitchen floor. So, we went back to fresh water...tip over.......but Hunter added a twist. He would put his 2 front paws on the edge of the bowl & look at me. When I would say..."Don't do it, don't you do it." Flip.....over the bowl would go. I stopped putting water in the bowl.......till he started "Meowing" for it. Then I started filling it again......& Hunter hasn't tipped it over since. Like everything else......once I stop yelling at him about it.......he stops doing it....like a spoiled child.
Hunter has a new "thing" now. Every time I clean his litter box & put fresh litter in it.......he scoops some out onto the rug the box sits on...& poos in that, instead of the box. As I clean it up I ask him, "Why are you doing this ?" Then after I clean it up...he goes in the box. Gees !
Hunter doesn't bang the cupboards much anymore.......push the silverware into the sink (which was very annoying)......claw up the rugs......or eat flip-flops.
He is slowing down. He's been napping more. Some times I worry about my Baby Boy. But, the Vet says he's fine. He'll be 4 in Dec. So, I guess he's just getting older...growing up. But still there are times I miss finding a half eater flip-flop or a roll of tangled yarn in the recliner.