I've posted briefly on this before, but my little baby kitten has been practicing and refining her skills so I think it merits mention again.

Our washer and dryer are down in the basement. It's not a dark, scary basement like some I've seen - it's clean, the lights light it really well, and it feels airy and roomy. The stairs down from the kitchen are nice and sturdy, though open to the sides. Whenever I go down into the basement I get kitty helpers. Ranger is almost always there with me, Sammy frequently visits, and Harri will always come with me if she sees me going downstairs.

What is interesting about having Harri come downstairs with me is her method of descending the stairs. She will move her front paws down a step, then bring her back paws down, then give me a pitiful "meow", then front paws, back paws, "meow". It looks like she's having to work really hard, and her meow is of the sort that seems to be saying "I'm just a little, tiny baby kitten, and these stairs are so awfully big, but I'm coming anyway to be sure you're safe down here." Of course I immediately stop what I'm doing, come over to pet her, and offer my shoulder for her to climb onto instead of continuing down the stairs.

The amusing part of this is that when Harri is chasing Tabitha, or being chased by her, she flies up and down these stairs at warp speed. I swear she must only touch every other or every third step, and can get from the far corner of the basement to the front room upstairs in hardly more than the blink of an eye. But when she's coming downstairs to help her Paw with the laundry, it's time for the "tiny kitten on the huge stairs" act.

Of course when I finished with the laundry we go to the living room where we can do proper kitty cuddles.

Copyright © Dan Mahoney
September 17, 2007