Seven weeks after the move we have settled in pretty well. It is obvious to me that the cats are happier when they have more space to thunder around. Even Frank plays like a kitten several times a day, and he comes and demands that I chase him.

This happens every evening when I come home from work. First, he wants his dinner, then we have to play a game of chase. Never mind *my* dinner. If I slump down in front of the TV, exhausted from work, he comes to get me, climbs all over me and headbutts my face, purring his little furry head off, then he runs into the bedroom with an inviting little chirrup. Then I chase him around the flat. He is like a different cat, so lively and playful. He races up and down the big old cat tree several times a day, which he never did in the old flat.

Nikki loves the balcony. She demands to be let out by standing at the glass door to the balcony on her hind legs and scratching frantically at the door with her front paws. It's still pretty cold here in Helsinki, so I don't want to leave the door open too long, but then Nikki usually just makes a round of the balcony, then she comes inside. Once, the door had ben open for a while and I closed it without making a head count, because I assumed Nikki had done her usual quick round. A moment later I heard frantic scratching at the door again, and went to let Nikki out, but saw her on the *outside* scratching frantically at the door to be let in! Oops! After that incident, I always do a headcount before I shut the door.

All in all, I'm very pleased that I got the cats a larger apartment.

Copyright © Marina Kurten
March 2, 2003