Thursday, March 1, 2007

Crouching tiger, peeing dragon

I awoke nearly half an hour early this morning to hear the sound of water hitting cloth and sat straight up in bed to witness my little cat--my good cat, Hazel--peeing on my wool deep-pile bedside rug. She squatted, whizzed, stood up, looked at me...and sauntered off. Not moseyed, but sauntered, y'all. I leapt out of bed, snatched the rug off the floor, and rushed to the bathroom to throw it in Guy's tub. Before rinsing it out, I chased Hazel down under the dining room table, scruffed her, and brought her back to the scene of the crime. Sufficiently understanding the magnitude of her transgression, she sprang from my arms across the bathroom like she was auditioning for Fame.

I rinsed the pee from the deep-pile rug and let it dry for a while hanging over the tub. The problem with washing this rug is that it's 30 inches by 60 inches and made of wool. Heavy-ass wool. So wee little me wrestling with this huge wet sheep is an exercise in, well, exercise. There's a reason I only wash these things once a year; I look like Lucy Ricardo mashing grapes in a vat with my feet. It's still hanging over my shower door where it's been drying all day and will have to dry all night as well.

Damn cat. She still managed to forgive me by 7am and nuzzle my leg for a treat.

9 comments:

Lilylou said...

She's mad at you, Pixie, because you went to the spa and she didn't.

Lilylou said...

Actually, I probably should have said she's pissed at you, right?

The Wandering Author said...

Pixie, I understand you're annoyed with Hazel, but when a cat pees in the wrong place, it means one of two things. One: a medical problem. Two: she's trying to tell you something.

First, take her to the vet; better to rule out any possible medical problems. Second, search "Pam Johnson-Bennett" in your local library's catalogue, or get one or more of her books on ILL. She offers a lot of good ideas on figuring out and dealing with behaviour problems in cats.

Although she may have been annoyed by your absence, I don't think that sounds like the problem. If it were, she would have done the deed while you were gone or right after you came back. Did you use a different litter? That can cause problems. Although there are so many possible explanations; since a cat can't talk to explain what's bothering them, they are reduced to such annoying methods of trying to let you know something is seriously amiss in their world.

Anonymous said...

It's time to have the cat for dinner. I am not a cat lover. I am also allergic to them.

Enginerd said...

Hell, I'm mad at you for the same reason, but I'm not going to pee on your carpet.
:)

Seriously, get some of the pet stain spray with ENZYMES. Don't use Febreeze or Woolite. Walmart and Petsmart both have a brand. The Enzyme will neutralize the urea and eliminate the "i think its okay to pee here" smell.

cats. They are so good at expressing displeasure. Mine don't pee - they gorge themselves and then puke - they have the "back up while yaking" technique down too, so its not a pile, its a long line of partially digested kitty kibble.

I'd be careful though, Wanda may start sniffing around your office.

snerk.

(and yes, I love Denver. I'd move there. Got any man toys I could play with?)

Enginerd said...

Hell, I'm mad at you for the same reason, but I'm not going to pee on your carpet.
:)

Seriously, get some of the pet stain spray with ENZYMES. Don't use Febreeze or Woolite. Walmart and Petsmart both have a brand. The Enzyme will neutralize the urea and eliminate the "i think its okay to pee here" smell.

cats. They are so good at expressing displeasure. Mine don't pee - they gorge themselves and then puke - they have the "back up while yaking" technique down too, so its not a pile, its a long line of partially digested kitty kibble.

I'd be careful though, Wanda may start sniffing around your office.

snerk.

(and yes, I love Denver. I'd move there. Got any man toys I could play with?)

Anonymous said...

I realize the cat is trying to express its feelings, however, such an event from said *good* cat is why people like me, who marry into cats, believe that said *good* cat should be hanging from the same shower door as the wet rug, and in true Sarge form, "until *I* get tired." If *I* had peed on the rug, my wife would hang *me* from the same shower door as the wet rug, why not the cat?! Oh, that's right, I'm supposedly smarter than said cat. [rolling eyes; exasperated look]

Anonymous said...

That's a pisser. We have a cat that sometimes pees in the water dish. We have several cats, so this can be a problem if we don't discover it right away. She doesn't do this very often, but when she does we both start wondering "uh oh, what's she mad at us for?"

Mile High Pixie said...

Ms. Kitty and Wandering Author: I'm keeping an eye on her for now. Her post-peeing behavior made it seem like she was being passive-aggressive. However, I am indeed keeping an eye on her to see if this continues. if so, it's off to the vet...

Faded and Sarge: You two should get together and party. I'm sure cat steak will be on the menu.

BaxterWatch: I'm not inviting Wanda over anytime soon--I can't wash both these rugs plus my jute rug in the living room in one day. And yes, I have a vast collection of boyz you can play with out here, all in search of a hot Tech chick who can read....

Tom: i realize I'm weirdly lucky that I awoke to see her do this. It is indeed worse to miss it and let it fester all day, or week. [gag]