I have a dog, too; creating more boundary problems. If there is food on the floor, it is hers. And the living room is hers. Being a Heeler, the cats have learned not to run in her presence; but sometimes...
For many years I have fed the cats on an old three-shelf teacart. Two dishes of dry food are on the top shelf. The second shelf has the tinned food stacked up on the backside with a feeding station in the front of the shelf. There is no room for a cat to get on the shelf so I have a flat-lidded container in front of the cart just below shelf level. In front of that are two large popcorn tins filled with various types of dry cat food. These act as a stepping point onto the next container to eat. And they prevent the dog from getting the food. Shasta's feeding station is behind the bar next to the large water dish.
For some reason or other, Djoser won't step on the containers to climb up to the top; which he considers His feeding station. Instead, he will crouch, wiggle his butt, and sail gracefully over the containers to the top shelf. He likes me to pet him while he eats, and if I don't; he will jump down, and rub my legs, and when I motion him back up there, he will sail up again. This will go on several times with him never getting tired. I am the one who gives in and pet him!
Sheba took an injury in her heel many years ago, so she doesn't jump
well. She uses the container steps to eat on the second shelf. Once in
awhile, she will get up on the top shelf is she is really hungry and
her dish is empty. But she has to be really hungry because she doesn't
like Djoser's slobbers on the food. Amber's slobbers are okay.
For many years, until I switched the cats to Nutro food, Amber had IBD, and got special treatment to find something he could tolerate and like. He is picky (spoiled). So I would feed him his canned on the second shelf where Sheba couldn't steal it from him before he was done. She would then eat his left-overs; after consuming her own. That is one reason she is now diabetic.
Amber loves his water and drinks plenty. And it shoots straight through him! He has a larger bladder than the other two cats. But he doesn't want to drink from the large communal drinking dish unless he is forced to. Maybe he doesn't like dog slobbers. Instead, every time I run water in kitchen or bathroom, he comes thundering through the house to get the drips in the sink. It's kind of hard to fill my coffee pot with his big head and body in the way. And harder to spit toothpaste when he fills the little bathroom sink! Actually he likes the mint flavor.
So I keep a small bowl of water on the edge of the kitchen sink. But it has to be freshened every time I run water. And now I put his food dish there as well; so I can feed Sheba her diabetic food on the second shelf where Amber can't get it away from her. Only room for one at a time. But Amber still remembers all the years of being fed there with special treatment and food. He thinks he should have all the special food in the house as well as the special treatment. After all he is Lord Amber, The Magician!
Sheba no longer has a huge stomach and eats her food in stages. Also, her legs are weak with Neuropathy, so she lies down for awhile. Then I will put her dish up for a little while. When I give it back to her, it is where she is resting. Then Amber comes to sit and stare at her, hoping for leftovers or for me to go away. A time or two, I have let him finish the bits of leavings. I don't know whether he actually likes the food or whether it is the fact that it is special.
After feeding time, Sheba lies down to rest. The boys wash their faces and then become energized. (where is that dad-ratted Energizer Bunny!) In between visiting the litter pans, they thunder back and forth through the house; and the enclosed porch if the door is open. At this time, Shasta lies on the couch and her head swings back and forth with a resigned look on her face at the wild invasion of her territory. The safest place for me is to sit at my computer and listen to the drumming of the hooves of wildebeests!...er...soft pawpads of little kitties! Sometimes Amber gets so energetic on a full stomach, he upchucks. Then he has to fill up again. After that, the cats rest from their labors.
If Sheba is in the chair Amber gets beside her and gradually scootches her over. If she is in a choice spot on the bed Djoser intimidates her to move to another spot. I think he just wants her already-warmed spot. But neither boy messes with her spot on the floor by the dresser and her cardboard scratcher. She now has a foamrubber cushion in her spot. It used to be on my desk chair, so it is squishy and filled with my scent. Choice bedding.
Then I can get busy preparing food for the humans. Depending on what it is, I might have "help" and "supervision". And I always have help eating it. Sheba sits on a low stool and claws my knees for tasty bits and Djoser stands at my side and claws my thigh while reaching for my fork. With some foods I have to lean forward and use my left arm to protect it from predators. A certain amber-colored cat will then get in the space between my back and the back of the chair. Then he will either crawl around the chair arm or over my shoulder. Purring in my ear is acceptable. Drooling on my shoulder isn't. Reaching a paw to snag the food is bad manners. But they always get their tidbits.
Such is dinnertime at the Zoo.
Copyright © Catherine Jo Sadler
April 7, 2003
