Cats

So I might have mentioned that we have three cats and a dog. The dog, Maggie, belongs to Matt and fortunately sleeps on the floor. She resents me, having been the love of Matt’s life before I came along.

The first cat belongs to me. She is very very fat and doesn’t have any claws. She sleeps by my head under the covers spread out the long way so that I am squished and uncomfortable all night, trying to accommodate her, Matt and sometimes the baby.

Then E has a cat named Frances–a beautiful black and white long haired kitty who was called Hitler before we got her. We didn’t know why she was called Hitler. We thought it was because of her markings–she looks a little like him and there’s a certain quality in her eyes that has caused Matt to remark, at least once a day, ‘Francis thinks about Murder all the time’. And she’s beginning to be pushy. Matt brings me tea in the morning, about 6 am, and he has to bring a large pitcher of milk and a saucer because Frances has to immediately have milk poured out or she will knock the pitcher over. This makes me unhappy because by rights my cat should have her milk first, being older and fatter. But without claws she is unable to secure her rights.

Then we have my mother’s cat, Banderleigh (her spelling), all black, silky long hair. I gave him to my mother for her birthday, in hopes that he would go to Nairobi and live a happy and interesting life. However, terrorism and air travel being what it is, he lives with us and waits day and night for his beloved to return. In the meantime he is our only lap cat and is desperately jealous of the baby. If you hold the baby, you have also hold Bander, preferably next to your face, under your chin.

Why do I bring this all up?
Because last night ALL THREE CATS SLEPT ON MY BED. I have slowly let Bander join us as long as he doesn’t disturb my cat. So last night, he came and slept on my back. I managed to look up, in a moment of wakefulness and saw black. But when I managed to really get a good look, I saw Frances glaring at me from my feet. So that’s three, three cats. One mushed into my pillow, one on my back and another on my feet. My only thought is that it is very cold. Or maybe they are lying in wait for my destruction. I don’t know. I didn’t sleep very well. And every part of me hurts now, from having slept so strangely.