Recently I read about the problems someone was having with their cat systematically clearing every horizontal surface in their house of movable (and sometimes breakable) objects.  I chuckled as my overly visual imagination pictured this cat jumping onto the counter and, like a hockey player shooting pucks at the net during practice, whacking things off into space. At the time I was also amused because Shira did something similar, although it was limited to certain things. 

Carmex, for those unfamiliar with it, is a lip balm that comes in a small jar. I keep Carmex on my nightstand, on the end table in the living room, and in various other locations. (Hey, it’s dry Colorado! I panic when I’m more than a foot away from lip balm.) Ever since she was a kitten, Shira has been determined that the Carmex did NOT belong on tables or nightstands. She’d jump up and bat the jar off the surface, ignoring anything else that might be there. I thought maybe she was intrigued by the jar itself and wanted to play. But no, once the jar had left the nightstand or wherever, it no longer held any attraction.

Over time, a few other objects became targets. The pumice stone on the side of the bathtub obviously does not belong there. It belongs IN the bathtub. Rings placed on the side of the tub while bathing also belong in the tub. Toothbrushes, if left on the counter, belong in the sink. An intentional feline paw would sweep off occasional items collecting on the kitchen island. It was hit or miss with the objects on the end table. Magazines were allowed to stay, cups were allowed to stay, barrettes and hair scrunchies must go.

Unfortunately, it’s getting worse. It is no longer safe to leave anything except the food dish and water bowl on the island. This might be good, as stuff tends to collect (and perhaps to breed) there. I may have thought this was Shira’s way of impressing my husband – who hates the clutter on the counter – except for the latest development.

Last night Shira jumped on the shelf above Ken’s computer. After the first crash I watched in fascination as she proceeded to knock item after item off the shelf until it was clear. Pictures, papers, a penholder, a wooden figurine, a box of tissues… all casualties of Shira’s intentional shelf clearing. This was not a cat who had accidentally knocked things to the floor in her urge to explore new territory. No, Shira wanted the shelf to herself. My husband’s things were in the way of the princess and they had to go.

Coming to my senses, I removed Shira from the shelf, gave her a lecture about leaving mom and dad’s things alone, and replaced everything. Shira stalked off in a huff and didn’t return to the office the rest of the evening.

However, lest I think she had learned her lesson, she later demonstrated to me who runs our house. The Carmex had spent a peaceful night on the nightstand, unmolested by a certain cat. At 5:00 a.m. the alarm went off and as I lay in bed contemplating the start of another day, Shira jumped up on the nightstand and sent the Carmex sailing. So there!

(--> Cat Tails, pg10)

© 2001 lisa s vasa