Shadow

I realized the other day that we probably should have named Hedge "Shadow." Not that "Hedge" isn't a good name for the little guy, but, in reality, he was living under a fern when he first appeared in our yard. Of course, "Fern" is a terrible name for a cat. Carnivores should not be named after plants. "Shadow," though, would have been a perfect, if trite, name for him. Not so much because he's a black cat with the ability to disappear at will, but more because of the way he mirrors whatever Quint is doing. When I saw them the other day, they were both asleep on the bed in almost exactly the same position, parallel to each other and lined up equidistant from the sides of the mattress. I quietly exited the room and grabbed my camera from the office so that I could capture the moment. They both awoke at the snap of the shutter and in a wonderfully synchronized movement looked up to see what I was doing.

Hedge eats when Quint eats, naps when Quint naps, and always is ready to play, even when Quint would rather not. However, Hedge isn't always the shadow, sometimes he the invisible presence waiting to pounce as Quint walks by. Hedge is also more inclined to play with the multitude of cat toys available to him, whereas Quint's interest in all the dead toys waned once he got Hedge to play with.

But then, Quint has always preferred to play with his housemates rather than with a toy. Quint is more of a social critter and always very curious about what is going on around him. So curious and playful that he makes it quite difficult for Carol to get anything done around the house. He particularly likes to help her wrap gifts and write in the cards. He enjoys making his mark on each envelope by perforating one or more of the corners with his teeth. Quint also seems to enjoy watching movies with us, or at least being in the room while the movie is playing. He doesn't really watch. What he does is lie down on the couch next to Carol and take a nap while we watch.

Hedge, in shadow mode, will sometimes join the movie audience briefly, but when he discovers that Quint is napping and not ready to play, he usually finds something else to do on his own. Quint continues to be a good influence on the little black cat and so Hedge is finding himself more and more inclined to be in the company of his humans. So much so, that, of late, I am able to scoop him up and trim his claws regularly. Hedge's claws grow into needle sharp little hooks that he has trouble controlling. If I don't keep them trimmed, the poor guy gets hooked on the blankets and towels that we have put on all of the furniture to keep the cat hair deposits at a minimum. A cat's natural reaction to getting a claw hooked in something is to pull back against it, which drives the claw further into whatever it is he's grabbed. I'm sure this works very well on mice and birds when you are trying to catch and eat them, but having a blanket attached to your foot makes it difficult to move around easily, so I try to keep his claws trimmed to a manageable length.

We're thoroughly enjoying the interaction of the two animals, and since I'm not at home as much I used to be, I'm glad they have each other as playmates. It's also rather rewarding to see Hedge's continuing evolution from recluse to contributing group member. It's a lot more fun having him around when we get to interact with him, too.

Adjustments

After my long stretch of unemployment, I have finally returned to the ranks of the employed, or the over-employed in this case. Carol and I and the cats are still trying to figure out how to deal with my swing-shift schedule. We might have been able to get a workable routine established had it not been for the understaffing problem that exists at my new jobsite. In the last few weeks, I've gone from bored at home to 52 hours my first week, 56 hours my second week and another 56 hours this week. Not that I'm not happy to have an income, but it would have been a bit better to ease into the world of employment instead of being swept into 6 and 7 day weeks and 12 hours days all at once.

All my well-established routines are no longer possible. Brushing Quint's teeth now sometimes happens at 12:30 a.m. or even 4:30 a.m. He doesn't seem to mind. If he's around after lunch, sometimes that's when the brushing happens. Most mornings I still arise between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. and Hedge still looks for me at that hour, though he's less interested in chasing the laser pointer light and more interested in being scritched behind the ears for as long as I'm willing to spend doing so. If I'm up too late and rise early to see Carol before she leaves for work, I'll try to take a bit of a nap in the afternoon. Often, one or the other of the cats will join me. One day last week, when I went to lay down, Hedge was already on the bed. Instead of his usual "hop down and go somewhere else" behavior, he stayed where he was and then snuggled up against my leg while I rested. He's still a bit skittish and we never know how he will react when we approach him. His reaction seems to be running about 60/40 in favor of moving away, but that's a vast improvement from how he was when he first arrived. He's made tremendous progress. Hedge is also getting bigger. I suppose all that food he's been eating is finally starting to do him some good. I haven't weighed him lately, but he is noticeably heavier, and it looks like he's added some length to his body as well. He may well turn out to be around the same size as Quint.

I miss my routine sometimes, but I'm sure we'll adjust to our new situation. We're all trying very hard to make it work. I've taken to driving to Carol's office a couple of times a week and walking with her over her lunch hour just so that we can spend some time together. I'm glad that Quint and Hedge have become such good friends and can keep each other company while Carol and I are away at work. We'll all just have to make the most of the time we do get to spend together. It helps that we're all willing to do that.

Forward Progress Continues

In our last episode, we discussed how much fun it is to own cats. Watching Quint and Hedge play continues to be vastly amusing and nearly always causes me to laugh out loud whenever I see them at play. Actually, I don't even have to see them to enjoy their romping about the house, I can hear the galloping and jumping and the occasional crash or thud as they careen off the walls, run sideways across the living room furniture, and slide down the hallway using the throw rug as a vehicle. Periodically throughout the day, I make the rounds of the house and straighten up the pillows, flatten out the rugs, and re-hang the curtain rods to make ready for the next game of "chase" or "hide and pounce" or whatever else the two of them create to keep themselves amused. That it is amusing to Carol and I as well makes it all the more rewarding to them.

Since we last met, Quint has been to the veterinary hospital where he was transformed from a Tom cat to a house cat. I sometimes wonder if neutering a male cat causes him to retain more of his kitten-like behaviors, instead of becoming a more serious and territorial animal. I suspect that there may be something to my theory, but someone else will have to do the research to verify it. I'm content to reap the benefits of perpetual kitten-hood, especially since I'm the kid who never grew up.

Quint and I and Carol thoroughly enjoyed the holidays. Hedge enjoyed the parts where there were no visitors in the house and disappeared into parts unknown when there were, most of the time. He did make rare and brief appearances so that our friends now believe that we really do have two cats and not just one real cat and one imaginary one. Stephanie came over a couple of weeks ago and actually got to see Hedge for several minutes before his shyness got the better of him. He is making great, if slow, progress, though, to the point where often he will sit still and let us pet him for a few minutes. Recently in the evenings after I finish brushing Quint's teeth and fur, I am able to go over to where Hedge is curled up in his cat bed and brush his little face and back. It's quite rewarding to have made this much progress with him.

Quint continues to thrive and jump and play, and has achieved a healthy balance of time spent with both his human and cat companions. Hedge, at about 9 months old, is still quite a small cat, about 4 1/2 pounds or so. Quint weighs about 10 1/2 pounds, so he has a bit of a weight advantage during the wrestling matches which the two engage in. Still, Hedge holds his own and the chances are dead even as to whether you see Quint chasing Hedge or Hedge chasing Quint. I suspect that Quint holds back a bit to make the games more even. He's just that kind of cat. He continues to be a kind, gentle mentor for Hedge. It is a constant joy to have them in our lives and we are immeasurably richer for the experience.

The Family that Plays Together

I never realized how funny cats can be until Quint came along. His antics made us laugh from the day he arrived and he still makes me laugh every day. Now that Hedge has joined the family, the fun has just multiplied. Not only does Hedge follow Quint around and imitate almost everything he does, but the not-so-little-anymore black cat has his own set of tricks to add to the show.

We have a cream-colored throw rug in the living room which Hedge has adopted as his toy storage area. Any small item, from feathers to little plastic animals is likely to be carried from wherever in the house he finds it and left on that rug. Today, you can find there several feathers, eight assorted toy mice, a toy squirrel with a chewed-off tail, a toy opossum, and a toy bird that chirps when moved. Neither Carol, I, nor Quint put any of those things on that rug. Those are Hedge's toys. I just can't help but laugh when I look at that ever-growing collection on the rug.

And then there's the little cat bed which is a hand-me-down from a friend of ours. It was just the right size for Quint when he was a kitten, and though he's really too big for it now, he still manages to squeeze into it and make it look comfortable. Hedge, the copy cat, decided that he should be able to sleep there whenever Quint wasn't looking. Then, finding out he could get away with that, Hedge found a way to curl up in that little bed alongside Quint. Now that was funny!

Lately, Hedge has taken to hanging around in the dining room in the evening after dinner when I brush Quint's teeth. He's only curious right now, but it's just a matter of time before he jumps up and insists that he get his teeth brushed, too.

Having Fun, Wish You Were Here!

If Quint could write this, he'd be telling you about what a good time he's having these days. It's obvious from his behavior that he is thoroughly enjoying his life and it appears that he is achieving a new balance of activity that embraces all his companions.

When he wakes up in the morning, his first mission is to check all the windows he can reach to see what is going on outside. Next he hops up on our bed and wakes up Carol. Some mornings, Hedge helps him with this. Once Carol is up and seeing to his breakfast, he and Hedge romp around a bit. Both cats then gobble down a few bites of breakfast and resume their morning routine, which alternates between jumping up into the windows to look outside and chasing each other around the house with brief wrestling matches interspersed. Carol will often play with Quint in the kitchen while she's putting her lunch together, tossing a toy mouse back and forth for him to chase. I usually wake up about this time, grab a cup of coffee, turn on my computer, set the coffee cup on my desk and take the laser pointer out into the living room to play with Hedge while the computer boots up.

Quint is a bit bored with chasing the red light from the laser pointer, but Hedge loves it and will come into my office to find me in the morning so that we can play. When Quint sees how much fun Hedge and I are having playing laser-pointer chase, he'll occasionally get involved briefly and then retire to a vantage point to watch the game. I think he hopes I'll wear out the kitten so that he can get a little peace and quiet for his morning nap, but Hedge is tireless and when he loses interest in our chase game, he goes back to hunting Quint and pouncing on him unexpectedly.

As distracting as the constant pouncing and playing with Hedge is, Quint is finding time to play with his people, too. He's re-discovered his little purple toy mouse and has resumed batting it around the kitchen. To the delight of Carol and I, he's taken up a bit of jumping again, as well. I see it as an expanded horizon on Quint's part. He's becoming more well rounded, able to balance his life more thoroughly and manage his time more effectively. It's a joy to watch him playing with Hedge and jumping for the toy that Carol throws for him. I find myself laughing with him and at him. He makes me happy. Now that I think of it, that may well be what he does best.

Quint has his own Pet

Though Hedge is making steady progress at becoming more of a social animal and less of a recluse, Quint has other ideas about Hedge's role in our household. I think Quint believes Hedge to be his kitten. Carol and I don't really have a problem with that concept, since we are thoroughly enjoying watching the two cats play with each other. The home furnishings are taking a bit of a beating though.

Quint wears himself out each day keeping track of and playing with Hedge, and Hedge keeps the game going as long as possible. Poor Quint has gotten a bit jumpy lately and is always looking over his shoulder, as he never knows when Hedge will sneak up behind him and pounce on his back. The games they play keep them both very busy as they dash around the house scrunching up the throw rugs and sliding into the walls. Hedge still has a tendency to seek refuge behind the couch or under the bed, but he doesn't stay hidden for long and Quint almost always knows where Hedge is hiding. When he doesn't, Quint will roam through the house making a little warbling sound that says, "Come out, come out, wherever you are. It's time to play."

Quint has only one really loud sound that he makes when he is disturbed about something going on outside. The other sounds he makes are soft chirps and warbles. Hedge, who is mostly very quiet and stealthy, is beginning to develop his own vocabulary of mews and an occasional Quint-like warble. We equipped Quint's collar with a little bell so we can always tell where he is, but Hedge's collar is unadorned and he is very light-footed which makes him rather undetectable most of the time. Hedge also seems to be able to teleport himself around the house, or at least it appears that he does since he will suddenly appear on the couch which moments ago was quite empty.

The latest development for Hedge is his finding the courage to take naps on our bed during the day, often within a few inches of Quint. That is quite a step for the little recluse and Carol and I are very pleased with his progress. Last night, as I was going to bed after Carol had already retired, I saw both cats sleeping on our bed with her. Hedge was curled up on her legs, just above her feet and Quint was asleep at the foot of my side of the bed. Adorable!! Also, lately Hedge forgets to run and hide when Carol or I walk by him, and if he does run, he doesn't go very far. I think he's figuring out that we're the good guys.

Wishes

As trite a saying as it is, you really do need to be careful what you wish for or you just might get it. Take Hedge, for instance, the formerly homeless cat. He wished for a safe, warm place to live where meals appear regularly. He got us. Stephanie, our neighbor and cat fosterer, wished for a good home for little Hedge. She got me. And then there is Carol.

From the moment we adopted Quint, the quintessential cat himself, Carol thought we should also adopt a little female kitten as a companion for him. I was resistant to the idea, since Quint seemed quite content being an only cat. We had our evenings together playing in the kitchen, the three of us together. And during the day, Quint had lots of toys to play with and lots of windows with comfortable ledges where he could sun himself and watch the world go by. It seemed to me that life was going along quite smoothly and that everyone had what they needed, even if Carol didn't have everything she wished for.

But you know how wishes are, they float around looking for a way to come true. Carol's wish was out there manipulating events, changing the course of history, causing things to happen. When we adopted Quint, Hedge hadn't even been born. Because of that one little wish, Hedge came into this world. Somehow he survived his first six months of life and made his way into our back yard. He found Stephanie to help him on his way, but ultimately he ended up in my living room on that fateful Saturday, the fulfillment of a wish made over a year before. No, he wasn't a little female kitten, but with a little salesmanship on my part, Carol tentative agreed to give it a chance. Hedge and Quint bonded immediately, and though Carol sometimes gets discouraged when Hedge runs and hides from his people, she realizes that it's going to take some time for this relationship to evolve. She's mostly okay with that.

Hedge has been with us now almost a month, I guess. Hedge and Quint play together from dawn until noon, at which time they both take a nap until around 4:30 p.m. They chase each other around until dinner time and then there is a brief lull in the activity to take care of after dinner grooming and cat napping needs. Then there is more play until bedtime. Hedge still isn't much of a people cat, though he's getting better about that each day, but he's a wonderful companion for Quint. Quint is proving to be a very good mentor for Hedge, teaching him how to be a cat and showing him that there are at least two people in the world who can be trusted. I feel very certain that before too long, Hedge will be hopping up on my lap insisting that he too needs his teeth and fur brushed, and he'll be hopping up on Carol's lap for some petting and admiration.

As for me, I just want everyone to be happy. And here I am surrounded by people whose wishes are coming true. It's kind of perfect. The only thing that could make it any better is if I could figure out some way to get paid for writing about my cat. Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might . . . .