I have told you about my keyboard, TV stand and Precious. She has developed a real fondness for the stand. Now if she sees me headed for the living room, she runs ahead and I find her waiting on the stand. This morning she took a running leap up onto the stand -- and the treacherous thing rolled clear across the room, carrying one wild-eyed cat who had never expected a ride!

Since my poor left arm still hurts like heck, I have taken to resting it on a full-sized pillow when I watch TV. Precious has now discovered my pillow. Twice now she has draped her little tortoise shell bod across my arm, pinning it to the pillow. She's getting closer and closer!

When Misty (Rainbow Bridge) left us, I wondered who would take her "place." For 19-1/2 years, she had been my sleeping-with-cat. Even when we were not sleeping, she was more or less permanently attached to my chest. Warm weather or cold, she liked to be as close as she could get, her little nose just under my chin.

The girls all seem to like the "places" that they call their own. Baby sleeps beside me, leaning against my knee. Bon Bon likes to be over my head, at the top of the pillow in bed, or stretched out across the back of my recliner. Precious you know about -- where I am, she is! Creampuff sleeps wherever he wants to, like on the bed in the guestroom, if he can get in there; or on my bed, where he is at this writing, entwined in my blue nylon nightgown.

But I miss having one on my lap all evening. I think the die is cast, and my "lap cat" is going to be Gizzi.

It would never occur to him to think he might not be wanted. He leaps onto my lap in joyous abandon, even if it means scattering a handful of cats who got there first! We have a good "pet-in," while he turns, twists and writhes with pleasure, making "soft paws" in the air. When he is finally ready for a nap, he throws himself down and stretches out to his full length -- his little head just under my chin, and his back legs down around my knees!

I still miss Misty, but now I have a beautiful boy to take her place. Well, he can never do that, nor would I want him to do so. Misty has a special place in my heart and always will have, and I know she looks down at Gizzi, happy that this clown with the big paws can make "me" so happy!

Copyright © Renee Darvin
August 7, 2000