Morgan is an unusual cat. She came to us highly socialized. Nothing scares her — not the vacuum or the Vet.
She was un-catlike in many ways. She rarely took naps. Normal cat routine is breakfast, grooming, nap. For Morgan it was “go help Kate by sitting on the computer.” Bump the screen so everything goes kaflooey. Put your butt in her face (she especially likes that!). She often chewed anything on the desk (see header with post-its). I have a few tax forms with teeth marks. (That would make an interesting audit. Just a few drooley forms!)
Then it’s off chattering with the chipmunks for the rest of the morning.
Sometimes she demanded to go in the screened porch so she could properly chatter with them. It was a social thing. She called it “high catnip tea.”
It was mid-afternoon before she took any nap at all and even then it was a short one.
However, a day of full activity would take its toll. After dinner (and grooming of course) she would go to sleep around 7 to 8 p.m. and not get up until 6 a.m. If she used the litter box during the night she was quiet about it. There was no running into walls or yammering at the traumatizing ribbon.
It’s changed. Approaching four years she now needs her beauty sleep. She naps after all meals and sometimes long ones. No one keeps me company on the computer. (It’s so lonely!)
She took longer to mature than the rest of them and sometimes (like yesterday when the yelling got so loud I checked to make sure it didn’t involve a live rodent) her activity level is still over the top.
I’m missing my pesky little kitty. They grow up too fast. They all grow up too fast. I remember when Mollie was the “office cat.” That was years ago.
Author’s note: After hitting the schedule button, Morgan flew around the corner and jumped on the desk. She put her butt in my face (so I would know it’s her) and the flicked the screen with her tail opening up a spreadsheet. She tossed half the stuff off of the desk top and then jumped in my lap. I swear she said, “For old time’s sake” before taking a nap.
I’m so glad Morgan didn’t disappoint when she really needed to come through! I heart her very very much.
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She has resisted growing up for a long time. She is still the first one to come running when I ask Hazel if she wants to go into the porch. In fact, she will run over Hazel. She is definitely a crazy cat and she wants me to tell you that she heart you too. Kindred spirits and all that.
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For some reason, I could not open this on my laptop. Norton said it was a dangerous website and was protecting me. But I decided to like it anyway though I couldn’t read it because I think it’s hilarious Norton thinks you are a danger to my computer. 🙂
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Norton is annoyed with me. My last computer came with MacAfee so I didn’t renew. Of course I am secretly mining your info for retirement info on Florida.
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Never underestimate the power of a tail. Obviously Morgan can sense when she’s the star of the post.
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She’s always the star of everything. We have all stopped competing with her because we can’t win.
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Morgan sounds like a wonderful kitty. But I know what you mean. My oldest and first cat is going to be six in a few months, and it seems like just yesterday that we found him as a three-week-old stray kitten!
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Awww! Three weeks is too old to be on his own.
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I agree! We found him in Palm Desert, CA as a stray. He definitely would’ve died in the 100+ degree weather (it was summer in the desert). He was filthy and really scared, had a giant gash on his lip. His first doo-doo in the litter box was a mix of blue and green. Can’t imagine what he had eaten! But he’s safe and sound now. 🙂
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He’s lucky he found you. (You know he thinks he found you, don’t you?)
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I will let him think that.
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I love that Morgan is so relaxed and comfortable that she easily indulges in all that beauty sleep. She really doesn’t have a worry in the world! It’s nice to see that she can still whoop it up and cause a little mischief once in a while. She is a sweetie!
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I am so jealous of her. Yesterday she spent the day on the screened porch chattering to the birds. It was exhausting.
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Cats and children really do grow up too fast. Then we pine for all those cute and annoying things they used to do.
Does Morgan still have her high catnip tea in the morning? I often take a walk in the late afternoon. It’s when the indoor-outdoor cats come out and the indoor cats sit in the window and watch us pass by. Like us, cats are creatures of habit.
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She usually takes a morning nap now. She’s up early, running circles around everyone. Then it’s breakfast, grooming and a short nap before more chaos, especially now with the porch open and the weather nice. She was funny all winter. She’s holler to go into the screened porch, dance around on the cold tile and then holler to come in. She thinks we can turn the outside heat on and off just like inside.
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Cats! Just when you think you’ve got them figured out, they give you another butt swipe. In spite of all that, it’s hard to see them grow up. Maybe it’s time for another kitten, Kate?
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No we’re good. No cats right now. It would upset the equilibrium. As it is there are more cats than people here.
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I know what you mean. Our three cats are just enough. It is important not to upset the routine.
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It took almost a year until the “routine” got settled after Morgan joined. Mostly because Jake wasn’t a fan of hers but she wanted to play with him. You never know when something will turn up on your doorstep but I’m not going out of my way.
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I feel exactly the same, Kate.
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A gal needs her beauty rest…it seems to be working for her. 🙂
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She does. When she’s awake she zooms around so she’s still a skinny cat!
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Even social butterflies like, Morgan, need their rest from time-to-time. However, that last prank at the end of your post, suggest that she’s not thinking of a retirement home anytime in the near future. 😀
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She would wreak havoc in a retirement home.
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Watching both animals and children growing up is so bittersweet. I love that Morgan gave you a butt salute just for old time’s sake. I always envied how well my cats could sleep.
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I know. We could learn a lot from them. Stretching exercises, cap naps and a generally laid back attitude.
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Morgan knew you missed her previous self!
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She thinks I missed her butt in my face. Well, that I didn’t! Fortunately she isn’t a gassy cat (like Hazel). Phew!
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When I look at my chewed on living room pillow or clawed up throw rug, I want a little less kitten. Then I read your post, and I got sad at the idea of the kitten stage going away. I guess I can’t have it both ways!
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I know. I am happy that I can write without interruption and sad that nothing is jumping into my lap demanding attention. Go figure.
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I love Morgan! She cracks me up. I am keeping this short because of the novel I just wrote… 🙂
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I love her too. She’s hard not to love. Because she’s so friendly everyone wants her. (Poor Hazel, the wallflower cat, but she prefers to be out of the limelight. No chance of someone trying to touch her God forbid!)
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I love autumnashbough’s comment. Cats never do anything without a plan.
RC Cat, too is settling into a quieter more stately role…well, not quiet as she prefers to yowl commands from down the hall rather than stomping in to whack submission and action in her direction. She seems to be increasing her vocabulary sounds…perhaps she’s planning to take over the phone calls.
Had to chuckle over Morgan’s help in the office. They do enjoy computer work and helping you clear off your desk….(RC is pointing out a lovely cat tree such as the one pictured would go so well in our office…by the window…the desk should be shoved over a little….no problem climbing over it to get in and out of the doorway)
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If you have a hacksaw you could always “shorten” the desk. It just gets in the way anyhow. Cats are so logical, aren’t they. Today it’s rainy here and Morgan is in the office sitting on the hassock watching the birds. Robins are especially frisky outside the window. No morning nap for her. (I think she reads my blogs.)
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Lily wants to sleep next to me with at least some part of her body on the computer. I envy your mostly cat free computering. 😉
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It’s a novelty after a few years of fixing things that Morgan had done. I was amazed at how adept she was at the computer. She could delete in a second, lose my screen and turn it off.
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Oh Yeah. Lily has taught me more about computers by screwing stuff up then any 4 year college degree could have. 😉
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So, so true!
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Aw, your Morgan sounds exactly like my cat, who turns 4 in a few months. Lately I’ve noticed she’s turned into the stereotypical cat who just wants to sleep all day. She stays up for about an hour after she eats, will play for a few minutes, then passes out all day. Luckily I have a 6 month old kitten that keeps the craziness alive. Is it time for another young kitty to add to your brood? 😀
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No we are good right now. I just keep remembering how she vitalized a calm house. When she came the youngest was 8. She added such a level of energy to all.
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LOL, Morgan, well done! You have to make Kate so irritated she’s grateful instead of nostalgic.
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and she does that really well!
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When Gabby was very young she used to go to my desk, turn on the printer, jam the paper, and throw everything on the desk onto the floor…repeatedly. I even bought a new printer with the power button on the side instead of the top. Didn’t stop her. Took her about 7 years to mature….she is lucky to be alive!
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Only Mollie and Morgan took to the desk. Jake was too old when we moved here and Hazel had other odd habits. Mollie was “sweeter” just smooshing the papers around. Morgan is wild. Everything off and with my touch screen, she does things that take me a half hour to undo. Gotta love her. Seven years? That’s a long time!
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Gabby was a wild thing…wildest I’ve ever known, until I got three kittens, and then she became Mother Superior to them. The line, as a friend of mine said, between Devil and Mother Superior, is thin.
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I went to Catholic school. I remember.
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