Alexandra Bogdanovic's Blog: That's life... - Posts Tagged "cats"

It's been a hectic few months to say the least.
When I haven't been traveling the world or taking weekend trips to Virginia, I've been busy marketing one book, doing research for my second, juggling freelance projects, volunteering, and looking for a full time job. Somehow I've also managed to find time for a healthy social life. I've been trying not to spend any time worrying about the country imploding, but I can't help it.
On the other hand, my cat doesn't have a care in the world. As long as he's got food, a clean litter box and a comfortable bed (mine), he's a happy boy.
Eli's day begins as soon as one of us wakes up. He demands his breakfast, uses the facilities and then rejoins me in bed or waits for me to play with him. After his morning workout, he finds a sunny spot and goes back to sleep. He gets up around 1 or 2 p.m., has a snack and comes to make sure I'm getting some work done. By 4 p.m., he starts demanding dinner, which is usually served by 5 p.m. After dinner he rests up before his nightly indoor hunting expeditions.
All in all he's got a great life. He rules the house with a velvet paw; his wish is my command. In other words, he's deeply loved and he's very well taken care of.
You know, I've often told family and friends, in my next life I want to come back as my own cat.
Until next time, "That's life..."

I have a confession to make. I committed an egregious sin this week...
But before we go any further, let me set the record straight. It is not a sin worthy of disclosure to a priest, nor is it anything morally reprehensible.
Come to think of it, Eli is probably the only one who really thinks I've committed a sin at all. But before we go any further, there's something you should know about Eli. He's my cat. And the "sin" I committed was trying to clip his claws.
Now those of you who don't have pets -- or more specifically, those of you who don't have cats -- are probably wondering why that's such a big deal. Just trust me, it is.
For my 8-1/2 year-old buff and white American Domestic Short Hair cat, claw clipping is the single worst thing that can possibly happen. Well, aside from missing a meal, of course.
In fact Eli, who also weighs in at a relatively hefty 14 pounds, hates having his claws clipped so much that his old vet had to sedate him in order to get the job done.
To make a long story short, let's just say that for various reasons Eli hasn't been to the vet for a while. And let's just say that for reasons known only to him, he failed to heed repeated warnings about sharpening his claws on the sofa.
So when he sunk his claws into the sofa on Wednesday night, I'd finally had enough. I picked him up, put him in my lap, and successfully clipped one claw. Eli then had what can only be described as a screaming, yowling, hissy fit. He also used a few of his exceedingly long claws to express his displeasure.
Wounded, I decided the fight wasn't worthwhile, and let him go. Not surprisingly, with tail lashing and hackles raised, he stalked away.
And not surprisingly, I felt horrible about what happened. I tried to give him his space. I tried to apologize. But he rebuffed each attempt with flattened ears and a warning hiss. After several hours, he deigned to eat some treats out of my hand, but rejected further peace offerings.
"Wow, he's really mad," I told my mom. "I guess I'm really in the doghouse."
Until next time, "That's life..."

This week, I'm taking a page out of Eli's book. After all, there's nothing that he loves more than curling up with his favorite person (me) and and some good reading material. Don't believe me? Just look at him! Anyhow, in the interest of lightening things up a bit, with tongue in cheek, I hereby present Eli's all-time favorite books...
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10. The Cat in the Hat
9. Stuart Little
8. James Herriot's Cat Stories
7. Diary of a Cat
6. Dear Tabby: Feline Advice on Love,
Life and the Pursuit of Mice
5. Everything Here is Mine: An
Unhelpful Guide to Cat Behavior
4. All I Need to Know I Learned from
my Cat
3. The New Yorker Book of Cat Cartoons
2. How to Talk to Your Cat
1. The Intelligent Cat

...Oh, Eli also loves classical music. His favorite composer is Johann Strauss and his favorite operetta is "Die Fleder-Meows!" (Cue groan and rimshot...)
Until next time, "That's life..."

The following is written in celebration of National Best Friends Day.
With apologies to my human pals (and believe it or not, I do have some), none of you will get a mention in this blog. It's not that you don't deserve it. You know you do.
But in honor of National Best Friends Day, I decided to dedicated to dedicate this blog to Eli. After all, he's never trash talked me behind my back. He's never spread any rumors or engaged in malicious gossip (that I know of). He's never betrayed me and never doubted my devotion to him.
He's a great listener; he sits quietly as I tell him about my day, or rant about politics or sports.
He's always been a shoulder to cry on, even though I know how much he hates getting wet.
He's not all that demanding, either. All he ever asks for is food, water, and a little affection once in a while.
That's not to say we always get along. We've had our share of disagreements and sometimes I get the worst of it. But Eli doesn't hold a grudge... and I try not to. Even if I do, it doesn't last for long.
In case you haven't figure it out, Eli is my cat. He's also my best friend.
Until next time, "That's life..."