Checking In One Year Later... The Kitty Chronicles

I can hardly believe it's been almost a whole year since I began the mad search for the two kitties I didn't know I wanted. Sure, we had a bit of a rough start with The Black Beast Trouble #3 using me for a scratching post and teething toy. She also claimed Mr. Snoots as the sole person she would allow to show love to her. I was a mere toy in her Kingdom of Many Toys.

Upon the advice of others I started my second search for a young female cat or kitten that would fit with us. I had to drive many miles (okay just 30) at night to pick up our new girl. She's a Manx Rumpy and she is such a love. The woman I got her from demanded $100.00 for meeting me halfway, which completely freaked me out so I just gave her the cash, jumped in the SUV and drove off before she tried to rob me. Oh wait. She basically did rob me. Even though I had new kitty in the carrier she was scared all the way back. Once she got inside our house she found her way back to the master bedroom and stayed under the bed for 5 days. We named her Pepper. I know. We're idiots with no imagination.


I finally removed all of my cookbooks from the kitchen windowsill shelf so the girls would have a place to watch birds, flies, anything that moves, really - whatever - while they bask in the morning sun. It has been more than a success in spite of the fact we seem to have cat hair everywhere. Yes, we both brush them nearly every day.

Finally, T-3 brought Pepper out of her shell and she slowly adjusted to the sounds and goings on of our lives. Pepper and Trouble were getting acquainted and life was good. Then something unusual happened. It became very apparent that T-3 was no longer being a brat. The two romped and played together and all the biting and scratching came to a sudden halt. It was also revealed that Pepper was the dominant (or alpha) female and I think Trouble was more surprised than we were. Pepper rules the roost. The reason it's funny is because she's much smaller. Go figure

When the holidays rolled in and out they were in awe of everything so doors had to be closed and locked. Thanksgiving and Christmas brought our kids who always come in like whirlwinds, with dogs in tow. It was immediately decided by *The Girls* that dogs weren't their cup of tea so they both hid under the bed until the holidays were over.

After surviving the holidays things settled down and we all fell into an easy pace and comfortable existence, learning to live with 2 indoor cats for the first time. Believe me, it is a huge adjustment for us since we've always had outside kitties. I honestly have to stop and think before I move to let one of them outside. Then I remember. I've also had to adjust to not yelling at kitties when I hear scratching that sounds like rips in the universe. All of our other cats have always scratched the furniture but these two love their scratching posts.

Pepper likes to play fetch with her many mousies and is better than most dogs because she brings it back to your feet. If you don't notice, she'll let you know. She also loves to play soccer/golf balls in the living room with Trouble. Yes. The ones we use for putting.

Trouble is a master soccer player with golf balls. Nothing has been broken yet but she can really wallop those balls and she picks them up with both front paws to hurl them across the room.  She also caught a mouse in the house that was alive. Good girl. Save mommy.

Then came April. That's when we made the decision to replace the 60 year old brass faucet and stopper in the guest bathroom sink. Anyway, it took the plumber 3 long hours just to get the damned faucet out, while we suffered through the loudest removal ever. Loud. Loud. Loud. Both kitties stayed under the bed almost a whole week. They were clearly traumatized by the incredible amount of noise for an unbelievable amount of time.

As traumatizing as that ordeal was, the guy had to come back the next day for a couple of hours, making new loud noises before charging us an eye popping $900.00. The faucet set itself was only like $150 so the rest was labor which traumatized me. That was two months ago and the girls are still scared and they run when the doorbell rings. They still are slow to warm to strangers so they hide.

List of Scary People Who Come To Our House & Ring Doorbell:

Mail Carrier (who is always talking on her phone)
Housekeeper (who is always talking on her phone every Wednesday)
Wednesday Night Dinner Delivery (usually the same guy)
Lawn Guy (comes early every Thursday)
Friends (sometimes we have friends over for dinner)
2 Grown Children (one with a dog)

I swear the girls were fine before the blasted plumber came.... I've now noticed that The Black Beast is shedding profusely and has signs of dandruff. WTH? Maybe it's just easier to see because she's so black. I'll keep telling myself that. Right.