Tabby's "Disturbing" New Behavior

by Courtney Mroch | More from this Blogger

15 May 2007 12:35 PM

Ugh! This cat is crazy. (And driving me crazy!)

Don't get me wrong. I love her. Just last week I was wondering what if I hadn't stopped to pick her up? How empty my life would be.

But this week I'm pondering how peaceful my slumber would be, as lately it's been anything but.

Wake Up! It's 5 A.M.

She might be on the small side as far as cat's go, but she's got a mighty roar --and she's not afraid to use it.

If she's awake and walking around, she's usually running her mouth. I used to think Kitty, a.k.a. Mr. Meow, had a big mouth. (Hence the name "Mr. Meow.") I'm thinking Tabby should be renamed to Mrs. Meow, because she "talks" (screams, whines, cusses, scolds, and in general tells us what's on her mind) every chance she gets.

Lately she likes to use the loudest voice she can muster at five in the morning. She falls asleep on the bed with us, but gets up sometime in the wee hours maybe to sneak downstairs and pester Mr. Meow. (I have no idea when she leaves or what she really does while she's gone. I just know when she comes back.)

She stomps in the room, "MeOW, MeOW, MeOW," and then jumps up on the bed and comes to holler directly in our ears. I always think petting her will quiet and appease her. For a minute or two it sometimes does. But then it's clear she thinks we should be up.

Off to the window she runs, batting at the blinds and the attached cord and in general making entirely too much commotion for that hour.

A True Stinker

This morning I was plum exhausted. I just couldn't roll over and ignore her five a.m. wake up call and accompanying blind-bashing symphony. I thought maybe if I got up and opened the blinds, she'd be content perching in the window and watching whatever happens on the back lawn at that hour.

HA!

Do you know what that little stinker did? She pulled a stealth attack. First, she waited. Then, quietly (I'm truly stunned she understand this concept; and frightened she knows how to employ it in the manner I'm about to describe), she jumped down, went to the other window, and "Bang! Smack! Crack!" attacked the blinds there.

Both Wayne and I about jumped out of our skins. (The first window is not near our bed; the second window is right beside it.) The booger left us thinking raising the blinds had helped, but had waited until we'd semi-drifted back off to pull her prank. (I'm convinced it really was a plan, too.)

In Her Defense

Most mornings, Wayne and Murphy rise around five or shortly thereafter. (5:30 a.m. is sleeping in for them.) However, Wayne's schedule has been hectic lately and instead of getting up to run, he's been trying to get some extra rest.

I think Tabby's used to the old routine and having her "guys" up and paying attention to her and doesn't quite know why they're still sleeping. However, she's very much aware of how to make it so none of us stay that way!

Learn more about Courtney Mroch

Courtney Mroch is a wife, a proud pet parent, and a writer. She's been with her husband, high school sweetheart Wayne Pryor, over 20 years, married 11 of those. She's "mom" to Mr. Meow, a.k.

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mcmama (51978) 15 May 2007 02:58 PM

Cats are very good at making sure that no one sleeps when they don't want you to. Either the blinds, or the furtive scratching and jumping and doing what they know they should not do, with a look to see if you are looking - and then they will not stop unless you get up.

This is fun when the cat weighs 20 lbs or so

Courtney Mroch (9169) 16 May 2007 02:50 PM

20 lbs? Oh no! That'd be too much having a 20 lb "bomb" drop on your head in the wee hours! Too funny. Thanks for the laugh.