Unforeseen Consequence

I mentioned a few days ago that I picked up a ‘treat’ for the cats – a new bed. I actually thought that GC would adopt it, or that I would use it to replace the make-shift bed I made for her on the couch. GC and WC are both getting on in years – they are 17.5. The vet reminded me yesterday that we brought them in as little kittens in August of 2002. They both have thyroid issues and GC has kidney issues as well. We bring them in for their yearly checkup and do as little as needed, the goal being to make them comfortable. They are happy girls – moving about the house easily, covering all 3 floors. *laughing* Almost LITERALLY covering 3 floors with cat hair and kitty litter.

I put the new bed on the floor near the fireplace where it was ignored. I moved it elsewhere on the floor and it was ignored. I picked it up and tossed it on the couch where WC likes to hang out on occasion. As we all know, WC LIVES on the red couch in the sun room. I thought maybe GC would come over to that couch and curl up in the bed. I showed you photos of both BC and WC testing the new bed.

It never occurred to me that WC would forsake her perch in the sun room (where she has height, windows and sun) and move to the living room. But that is what happened. Since I tossed the bed on the couch, WC has ensconced herself there. She can always be found in the bed on the couch. BC doesn’t seem to care. She has a fairly limited attention span (or more energy) and she moves about from place to place during the day. Radiators, the stair landing, the floor in my husband’s office, my lap while I’m working – those are all good places as far as BC is concerned.

GC spends most of her day (when she isn’t eating) either on the flowered couch on her makeshift bed or upstairs on my bed. Even if she is upstairs she is well aware of what is happening down here, as evidenced by her near immediate appearance when my husband begins to make tuna fish sandwiches. WC is hard of hearing these days – he often needs to wave the can near her so she knows what’s happening.

Last night GC finally decided that she would check out this bed-thing. I love GC dearly and think she is actually a very smart cat, but I think she had difficulty grasping the point of the new bed. First she sat there next to it staring at it. Next she lay down half-in and half-out of it. WC often utilizes it the same way, so that wasn’t too surprising. The next time I looked over she was between the bed and the back of the couch. I think my favorite part of that was how she also had her face shmushed up against the couch. 🙂

While GC was occupied with analyzing the bed, WC was simply beside herself. I was sitting in the chair opposite the couch, reading. Often WC will come and sit in my lap when I’m in that chair. Not last night. WC wandered around the floor, meowing, shooting angry glances at GC. WC would jump up to my lap, walk across me, and jump down. She went into the sunroom, got on HER couch, but a few minutes later reappeared in the living room, pacing.

At one point she jumped up on the arm of the couch and looked down at GC and the bed. You could see that WC was trying to determine if there was room enough for her to squish in there as well. Apparently not for WC jumped back to the floor and continued pacing.

Next she headed over to the cat toys. I’m sure she was thinking that if she acted as if playing with the balls was SO MUCH FUN that she could lure GC away from the bed and then WC could take over.

WC is adorable but playing with the toys did NOT lure GC from the bed. When I went upstairs for the night, GC was still in the bed. BC was still in the chair next to my reading chair. WC was still sitting on the living room floor, glaring at GC.

Obviously I need to get another bed. Because, after all, my life IS about what makes my cats happy. 🙂