New Cat... sort of

Our cat, Pretzel, is one nervous kitty. Despite that she's been with us for over 11 years, few people know that we have a pet — even fewer have actually seen her. And it's not just visitors that she hides from. Ever since Oo was a toddler, Pretzel hides from us too, during the day, only to surface at night once the children are in bed and no longer a threat to her.

Pretzel wasn't always afraid of our kids. Her fear comes from the days when Oo was nearly a toddler. Whether mad or happily excited, little Oo could unleash a high-pitched shriek that could shatter glass. One day, Oo noticed that Pretzel's ears fold down during these shrieks. (I wish my ears could have performed such a stunt!) Oo was fascinated with this control she had over the cat's ears, and she began to abuse her new-found power. Pretzel's eardrums (and nerves!) couldn't handle all the shrieking, and so Pretzel decided to avoid Oo altogether. T never played tricks on Pretzel, so occasionally she would come out when Oo wasn't around, however, she'd always maintain a safe distance.

The kids have always been frustrated with Pretzel. It stinks having a pet that you can't play with and hardly ever see. They've asked MANY times to get a new kitten to play with, but we've explained to them that a playful kitten might be too much for an old cat like Pretzel to handle. And so the kids wait... for Pretzel to die. It's horrible! They often ask us, "Is Pretzel going to die soon?" And while this is a frequent occurrence, it never ceases to stun Adrian and I. Did they just say that?!?

We don't want the kids to view pets as possessions that can be replaced when old and worn out. So my response to their inquiries is always:

1. Pretzel is part of our family, and we love her no matter what;
2. you can't replace a family member when they die;
3. when you become a pet owner, you promise to take very good care of that pet, forever; and
4. Daddy and I think we should take a break from being pet owners after Pretzel dies, so we probably won't be getting a new kitten for a long, long time.

That last point always ends the discussion, that is until Pretzel shuns them the next day, frustration returns, and the death watch begins anew. This summer, however, Oo's frustration went to a whole new level — and she decided to take action. Oo is always thinking, always problem solving — a trait of hers that one could praise or curse, depending on whether or not she's arguing against you.

We were planning a trip to the library, and she decided that she needed to check out books about cats. She wanted to see if she could train Pretzel to like her. We poured over a few books about cats in the juvenile section and settled on one called "How to Speak Cat." When we returned home, she ignored all the story books and first readers we also picked out for her and focused solely on the cat book. When she was done, she told me that we had to go to the pet store to get some new treats for Pretzel.

At the pet store the next day, we studied the selection of cat treats, discussing which flavors Pretzel likes best and squeezing the bags to see which treats were the softest. We left the store with Oo clutching a bag of salmon-flavored Whisker Lickin's and wearing a look of focused determination on her face.

Later that evening...


... a total transformation in Pretzel! She let Oo pet her for the FIRST time, they played together with a piece of string, and Pretzel rubbed against Oo's legs and face. And it wasn't just when Pretzel was being offered a treat! By the next day Oo even taught T how to hold steady long enough until Pretzel would eat a treat out of his hand, and then he was petting Pretzel and playing with her too!

Our cat, who before would never let the kids get within 3 feet of her, is now hanging out with us during the day — between cat naps, of course. She also meows during our dinner because she's fed and rested and wants someone to play with.

Oo is reading over my shoulder as I write this. (She approves of what I've written and says I should hurry up and post it.) I should add before I sign off that Oo just came downstairs from snuggling with our cat.