Fluff Face the Fiber Fiend

I have been informed that I have left our readership (such as it is) in terrible suspense regarding our kitties.

Let me reassure you – both kitties are doing just fine. Pippin recently figured out how to get on top of the kitchen cabinets. This was one of Sylvia’s last refuges. After a rocky 24hrs, they’ve sorted things out.

Pippin no longer gets glares when he jumps up there. Instead, my husband and I are the ones getting a look from the cats when we disturb them, like adults trying to enter the tree house. Except its OUR kitchen. Pippin is still mastering the descent from the cabinets. It’s that whole “leap before looking” problem he has… Sylvia uses the oven hood as her path up and down. She carefully examines the counter top before starting her descent. Pippin? Pippin jumps straight from cabinet top to counter top. This morning he upset our pot of tea, resulting in a bunch of mopping up. Thankfully, the tea pot was unharmed.

One of the key differences we’ve noticed in our kitties is the reasons for trouble making. Sylvia may accidentally cause trouble, but once she understands something upsets you, she generally doesn’t do it. With a key exception – if she’s unhappy, she’ll communicate this by doing things that make us unhappy. Bored? Paw at my Navajo rug on the wall. Uncomfortable? Pull plastic out of the recycling. Thus, if Sylvia is making a total pest of herself, I know something is wrong. For example, the first day as Sylvia adjusted to the loss of her private cabinet top space, she got a little tummy upset from the stress, and sought out trouble to distract herself and to communicate her pain to us.

Pippin – Pippin is different. He doesn’t try to hide pain. Let me tell you, you have never seen a cat who can express abject misery as well as he can. He curls himself into an utterly pathetic little ball and gazes with sad sad eyes on the world. So, when he causes trouble, it’s pure mischief. He is our little chaos agent. Now, he doesn’t want to get into BIG trouble, and we never shout about anything short of actual risk of danger. Little trouble, the sort that gets exasperated sighs, a quick hiss from big sister, or being shut out of a room for a bit, little trouble is where it’s at.

Hop in big sister’s cat carrier and swat at her from inside while we get ready for her walk? Great idea! Sure, he gets hissed at every single time but clearly he thinks it’s hilarious.

His current favorite bit of trouble is stealing my yarn. This is excellent fun to his mind because a) he genuinely enjoys wrestling with the yarn, so he’s taking something he wants, and b) I keep making it harder, so the challenge is never ending.

Now, just about any cat is going to find the movement of yarn while knitting or crocheting intriguing. I taught Sylvia to mostly ignore it by simply putting the project away each time she became too interested. Pippin is happy to go after the yarn while it’s moving, but putting it away isn’t enough. If the project bag isn’t fastened shut and/or placed out of reach, he will dig around until he finds the desired skein of yarn. Then he pulls it out and immediately heads to one of his hide-outs to enjoy his ill-gotten goods. Enjoy in this case means wrestling with it by gnawing at the yarn and subjecting it to bunny kicks. These are NOT good for the yarn and potentially really bad for kitten if he managed to swallow any of it.

So, the closest is now a high stakes area. Much of my yarn stash is in bags in it, and not all have a zipper closure. He’ll slip in while we’re getting something out of the closest to grab a skein if he can. So I have to keep an eye on him every time I open the closet door.

When he is sleeping is the only time yarn is remotely safe around this little fiber fiend. If he was a person with a criminal bent, he’d make an excellent pick pocket. He’s been perfecting his method of hopping up on the desk, strolling across, and nabbing the yarn on his way. That he knows he’s doing something he ought not to is made all the clearer by his skill at hiding his intent. Not one movement or look telegraphs his plan.

Pippin will snuggle up, purring and seeking head scratches, only to saunter off with a little ball of yarn in his mouth*. And he is loathe to relinquish his treasure once you catch up to him (he hasn’t figured out that yarn balls attached to projects leave a trail yet). Again, if he were a person, you’d want to check your pockets for your wallet after he gave you a hug of welcome.

It’s a good thing he’s such a sweet snuggly little fellow.

*watch out for earrings and necklaces too. He uses purring and head scratches as cover for trying to grab those as well