Rituals

November 7, 2010

I think all pets come to enjoy rituals.  Something they can count on happening when they see you.  Roo and Squad Car love our morning ritual.  Here is what happens.

I usually get to the gallery around 8:30 am every day.  By the time I get to the front door, both of them are there waiting for me to open the door.  They can see me pull up from the front window. Roo goes into a rubbing frenzy and her tail starts quivering like a plunked guitar string.  Squad Car kneads the rug like there is no tomorrow and then flops over to have her belly rubbed.  After a brief petting and scritching, we all head to the back of the gallery where the food is stored.  Of course there is lots of squealing and meowing along the way.


When we get back to feeding pen, I turn the night lights off and get out their cans of kitty chow.  Now, here is a funny ritual they both love.  Roo runs back up to front of the gallery and I chase after her.  She stops, leans up against the wall (usually in the same place) and that tail starts quivering again.  She lets me pick her up and I nuzzle the top of her head with beard.  Roo closes her eyes and squeals a couple of times.  I put her down and she heads for the back of the gallery.  When I get there, Squad Car is on my chair waiting to be picked up.  the second I touch her, she goes completely limp like a wet dish towel.  I pick her up and she puts her head up to be nuzzled just like I nuzzled Roo.  Then, her purr motor goes into overdrive. After a minute or so, I put her down, go into the bathroom where their food is stored.  They both have little metal dishes and I rattle the dishes together and say " Come and get it before I throw it to the hogs".  When I come out of the bathroom with their dishes full of yummy cat goodies, Squad Car is on my chair waiting and Roo is on my painting table waiting.  I put the dishes in front of them and the slurping and smacking begins with great gusto.


This happens every morning without fail.  After they finish off the chow, Roo goes to the front window and begins cleaning and Squad Car jumps up into her hammock (more about the hammocks later) in the back window and starts her morning cleaning. Their morning ritual has been completed and they are happy cats.