Rascal and Rocco

Written by L. E. Mastilock

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Cat Etiquette: Lessons in table manners I am reminded of

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Cat Etiquette

My cats are very quick to point out exactly what is proper and acceptable in my their house.

When I slip up, I am shown exactly why my behavior and/or actions where not good choices on my part.

They do not lecture or scold me, just kindly demonstrate the effects my actions have caused and I am free to decide if the consequences were positive or negative. They also patiently allow me the freedom to repeat my actions, in case I didn’t fully learn the lesson the first time, or to strive not to have the incident repeated.

Rascal and Rocco- Cat Ettiquette

Three lessons in table manners the cats reminded me of today:

1: Do not leave a big pile of papers on the table after organizing them unless I want a cat to come racing through the house, jump up and slide across the table, through the papers, causing them to fly off said table and flutter about, landing haphazardly all over the floor along with the cat! Well, Rocco didn’t flutter, he thudded to the ground.
Then he jumped back up on the table, right onto what was left of the pile, attempting to run, but finding each paper, one by one, thrown back out behind him from under his feet; so he’s not actually going anywhere, but running in place (seriously- did he materialize out of Cartoon Land?).

Rascal and Rocco- Cat Etiquette: Lessons in Table Manners
Same pose, though this photo was when my son was trying to do some school work a the table (under cat’s butt)

When there were no papers left, he finally sat down, stuck his leg above his head and groomed his, er.., self, as if everything were all fine and dandy and why was I staring at him with my mouth open?

2. Do not leave a water glass on the table (No, obviously I did not learn my lesson from the last incident.) because a second cat can, and will, come along, plop his big fuzzy self down next to it where he thought he had just enough room, only his girth (oh, sorry, fluff) will expand as he slumps down into a comfortable position, causing the glass to topple, pouring water across the table, onto the floor, and spilling right onto those papers that ended up settling directly under that section. And Rascal will (did) look at me as if to say, “why did you put that there? Better clean it up quick”.

Rascal and Rocco- Cat Etiquette: Lessons in Table Manners 
Rocco laying on my son’s book bag on the table

3. Do not leave anything I don’t wish to be covered in cat hair out where it could become a comfy bed, even on the table.  My son just started T-ball. We got his new uniform yesterday, complete with pants, shirt, socks, and hat! I left them out to make sure nothing would be forgotten as we needed to be early to opening day this morning. I set them on the table, then remembering my lessons to avoid cat hair, I draped the pants, socks, and shirts over a dining room chair. The hat I left on the table. I thought the hat would be safe. Silly me.

Rascal and Rocco- Cat Etiquette: Lessons in Table MannersApparently baseball caps are comfortable to curl up on! Though I didn’t actually see either of them on it, I spent an extra ten minutes, I had not made time for, trying to get most of the white cat hair off the new dark blue ball cap before team photos this morning. Rascal and Rocco, on the couch now, just stared at me blankly.

Of course I didn’t stop to take photos of any of this, I was in too much of a hurry to clean up the messes. However, this is not, by far, the first time I have left things on the table that the cats have claimed, apparently I am a slow learner!

 

Rascal and Rocco- Cat Etiquette: Lessons in Table Manners
Rocco on a shoe box I had out to use for shipping something

 

Rascal and Rocco- Cat Etiquette: Lessons in Table Manners
It was in perfect shape when I had set it on the table

 

Rascal and Rocco- Cat Etiquette: Lessons in Table Manners
Because one cat wasn’t damage enough, Rascal came along to finish off my box!

Summary: Do not leave anything on the table if you have cats.

Comments

  7. Cooper says

    Target sells a really great mitt that you can use to clean cat hair off clothes and whatever else. (PS That would be "effects" as a noun…yes, it's confusing…)

    • L. E. Mastilock says

      Thanks for the suggestion! I have a sponge pet hair remover thingy that works pretty well, kind of like a hair magnet. Masking tape is a favorite, too. I fixed the spelling and appreciate the help!

  9. William says

    What? You mean you don't put the stuff there for them? I go on the table and think its fun to bat the things onto the floor. I keep knocking the treat container on the floor hoping it will flop open, but it never does.

    William

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