2010.07.11 Milo is so upset with me

I am Milo's mom and here is my story from last evening:

I was getting some things ready for a shower last night and threw some bedroom shoes into the bathroom on my way past it. (I do that all the time with no harm done to anything - a habit I am now going to need to break.) But this time, to my great surprise, Milo was laying in the middle of the bathroom floor enjoying a snooze on a rug. I have never seen him do this before as he usually likes a tight spot to curl up in. I HIT HIM WITH THOSE SHOES. I immediately picked him up and hugged him to me saying "I am so sorry" over and over again. He was just shocked and flabbergasted and rightfully so!! I was pretty shocked myself. I hope I did not injure him but he is really wary of me over this - wouldn't even sleep with me last night. I take it he thinks I am more of a "sorry mom" than I am regretful for what I did to him. Today he has been sleeping under the couch or the desk in the PC room. Anything for some safety. So now, folks, I am waiting on Milo hand and foot and trying to let him know I really do care about his well-being. He has me right where he wants me, I think. I surely don't want him to be insecure in his own home so I am willing to keep this up a while. He is really uncertain what to think of me right now.

On a more truly funny note, I wish I had a video of what I was seeing this morning down the hall as I lay in bed. Milo was in the laundry room craning his head out every now and then watching for Gray (the better to surprise him) and Gray was in the bathroom next door craning his head out every now and then trying to determine Milo's whereabouts. HILARIOUS LITTLE BALLET. I finally got up and helped Gray past the Milo obstacle. There is lots of laughter in the small stuff, thanks Goodness.

2010.07.04Milo Steals from Grayson

My (Milo's) brother, Grayson, had taken to hiding in a spot where his tail stuck out from under his hiding place. Mom (Linda) really liked him in that spot as it was easy to know where he was AND easy to reach under and get him if she needed to. She wasn't letting Grayson know she knew about this spot. He used it every day for two weeks, at least. After that time had passed, Milo couldn't stand it anymore. On Friday (7/2), he ate his breakfast and then proceeded to position himself in Grayson's new spot to await Grayson's coming. Poor old Gray, when he went there and saw this intrusion, he looked so very very insulted and absolutely incredulous. He made a cry which brought mom to see what was going on. When Linda saw the situation, she reached under to get Milo by the scruff of his neck and carry him out of the room. But, too late, Gray is now disgusted with this sullied spot. He wouldn't go near it for two days. Then, today, mom noticed Gray was back in his place but turned in such a way his tail no longer sticks out. He is on the lookout for intruders this time. Mom is just glad he is trying to use the spot again. He has to feel he can find no safe haven in his own home so mom intends to change that if she can. Mom believes Milo got the message this time as she was kind of stern about letting him know he had done really bad. Mom wants Milo to have fun, just not at Gray's expense.

2010.02.20 Milo the Nurse

I have had a virus for a week and it has moved from a stomach thing to sinusitis. The sinusitis is causing a croupy harsh cough that comes in uncontrollable spasms. Milo has sat next to me throughout both ordeals. I can't believe he stayed through the coughing but he did. My other cat comes and visits me for a little while every day but when the going gets tough, he leaves. I told Milo he is, after all is said and done, my little sweetie.

2010.02.20 Milo is Falsely Accused

Milo doesn't have the very best reputation for ALWAYS using the litter box. He is also a little conniving when it comes to outsmarting his brother, Grayson. Over the last week, I have noticed that there is a wet spot on the balcony right by the pet door every time I go out to clean litter boxes (which are clean so it isn't that they are nasty for Milo's delicate feet). I can't smell so I assumed it was Milo's using the floor instead of the box. This meant that I went to great effort to clean the area and spray it down with a veterinary strength odor controller and scrubbed it down and then took it all meticulously out to the trash container.

I cleaned litter boxes this afternoon and decided to put a newspaper over this area that is getting wet every day. It was wet again today!!!!! Later, Milo left me to take a break and I went outside a little later to see what the newspaper looked like. Lo and behold, it was WET as could be!!!!!!!!! So I set about grousing about this situation and taking the newspaper out to the trash for fear it smelled to high heaven. Just then, I got hit on the head by a drop of water. Uh-oh, I thought, this isn't the cat doing this. It is a leak in the overhang on the balcony.

I went inside and apologized to Milo and I am greatly relieved the problem lies somewhere besides with Milo's habits. It is way too hard to out-stubborn a cat.