The Saga of Sadie and Socks: Catnip and Bathtime...
Socks came to us in some pretty bad shape. During his flight, he had gotten sick, and because of this, his fur around his tail had been matted. His paws were also particularly dirty. I was able to cut his claws Friday night, which promptly made me tear up. Typically, you don't need to cut down outside cats' claws, especially for Socks when he was younger. He was always climbing trees and jumping around, so this would naturally shave down the outer claws. Now that he was older, he wasn't doing this as often.
His back claws had grown like talons, which hurt my heart to cut them. I had this urge of anger toward my father. He's the one who could give Socks his eye medication. When I had asked him about clipping his claws, Da-ee said he was afraid he would hurt him. Okay, then take his grumbly butt to the vet and have them do it. Just feeding and taking an animal to a vet does not a good cat parent make.
So, we cut his claws in preparation for Saturday: Bath Day. Fidget had been walking around for two days, looking at Socks, going, "She's going to give you a baaaaaaaaaaaaaath. BAAAAAAAAAAAATH!" Because he likes to antagonize animals and make me irritated.
I had also decided to "train" Socks into scratching the chaise lounges that Kayrin had given us for Sadie. Apparently, only one in three cats respond to catnip (thanks, Fidget!), so I figured it couldn't hurt to see if he would respond to it. Sadie doesn't particularly care for it, but I couldn't remember how Socks reacted. So I sprinkled some on the less beat up lounge, and Socks LOST his damned MIND.
SOCKS: THIS IS AWESOME. Have you felt this chair? I LOVE THIS CHAIR. The carpet is AMAZING. Carpet is so rad.
SADIE: Uh, what's wrong with you?
SOCKS: *throws body on ground and rubs around* CAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRPEEEEEEEEEETTTTTT.
SADIE: I mean, I like the carpet, but why are you-
SOCKS: *hisses and growls* GET AWAY FROM MY CARPET, MAN!
SADIE: Um, I'm on the chair? I LOVE THE CHAIR.
SOCKS: CARPET IS WHERE IT'S AT.
JESS: *laughs at Socks' high*
FIDGET: *trolls through internet*
Later that night, we donned long sleeved shirts and I put a basin in the sink. Socks was decidedly Not Pleased. However, I only washed his tail and made sure to scrub his paws really good. He cried more than hissed, and Fidget was more my assistant and back-up. He crawled up onto my chest, crying, looking so wet and old. But I was able to scrub his tail down, then wrapped him in a fluffy towel. Fidget got some wet food for him, and he ate it all, still looking a bit drowned.
After I changed out of my clothes and started washing them, Socks came out to the living room, licking his paws and trying to put himself back together. Sadie, naturally, looked at him with awe.
SADIE: What they do that to you for?
SOCKS: I don't know, kid. I just don't know.
SADIE: But you got wet food! I LOVE WET FOOD!
SOCKS: *licks paws, then head* Yeah, I got wet food.
SADIE: WET FOOD IS AWESOME! *flounces away*
Socks is decidedly less smelly and more fluffy. I'm not sure if the bath made him fluffy or if he is putting on weight, but his temperament is much better. And our room doesn't smell. He's also not kicking as much litter around upstairs, and I caught him using the downstairs box! I'm still able to give him eye drops and his joint pill in the mornings, so it looks like things will be working out...
... but catnip, man, need to get more catnip.
His back claws had grown like talons, which hurt my heart to cut them. I had this urge of anger toward my father. He's the one who could give Socks his eye medication. When I had asked him about clipping his claws, Da-ee said he was afraid he would hurt him. Okay, then take his grumbly butt to the vet and have them do it. Just feeding and taking an animal to a vet does not a good cat parent make.
So, we cut his claws in preparation for Saturday: Bath Day. Fidget had been walking around for two days, looking at Socks, going, "She's going to give you a baaaaaaaaaaaaaath. BAAAAAAAAAAAATH!" Because he likes to antagonize animals and make me irritated.
I had also decided to "train" Socks into scratching the chaise lounges that Kayrin had given us for Sadie. Apparently, only one in three cats respond to catnip (thanks, Fidget!), so I figured it couldn't hurt to see if he would respond to it. Sadie doesn't particularly care for it, but I couldn't remember how Socks reacted. So I sprinkled some on the less beat up lounge, and Socks LOST his damned MIND.
SOCKS: THIS IS AWESOME. Have you felt this chair? I LOVE THIS CHAIR. The carpet is AMAZING. Carpet is so rad.
SADIE: Uh, what's wrong with you?
SOCKS: *throws body on ground and rubs around* CAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRPEEEEEEEEEETTTTTT.
SADIE: I mean, I like the carpet, but why are you-
SOCKS: *hisses and growls* GET AWAY FROM MY CARPET, MAN!
SADIE: Um, I'm on the chair? I LOVE THE CHAIR.
SOCKS: CARPET IS WHERE IT'S AT.
JESS: *laughs at Socks' high*
FIDGET: *trolls through internet*
Later that night, we donned long sleeved shirts and I put a basin in the sink. Socks was decidedly Not Pleased. However, I only washed his tail and made sure to scrub his paws really good. He cried more than hissed, and Fidget was more my assistant and back-up. He crawled up onto my chest, crying, looking so wet and old. But I was able to scrub his tail down, then wrapped him in a fluffy towel. Fidget got some wet food for him, and he ate it all, still looking a bit drowned.
After I changed out of my clothes and started washing them, Socks came out to the living room, licking his paws and trying to put himself back together. Sadie, naturally, looked at him with awe.
SADIE: What they do that to you for?
SOCKS: I don't know, kid. I just don't know.
SADIE: But you got wet food! I LOVE WET FOOD!
SOCKS: *licks paws, then head* Yeah, I got wet food.
SADIE: WET FOOD IS AWESOME! *flounces away*
Socks is decidedly less smelly and more fluffy. I'm not sure if the bath made him fluffy or if he is putting on weight, but his temperament is much better. And our room doesn't smell. He's also not kicking as much litter around upstairs, and I caught him using the downstairs box! I'm still able to give him eye drops and his joint pill in the mornings, so it looks like things will be working out...
... but catnip, man, need to get more catnip.