Tag Archives: anoying

One Year Without Chris

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We lost Chris exactly a year ago on September 7, 2024. Our home has not been the same without him. He was like a feline patriarch. He was the reason our cats slept together.

We don’t see this anymore. Occasionally, Frankie and Floki might be on the bed together, but rarely close.

When I think of Chris, I think of two different eras. There was the skinny era, where Chris caused trouble wherever he went, and he went everywhere. He was able to get on top of things that seemed impossible for any normal cat. He was also able to open almost any door. He even shocked me one day when he came through our locked bedroom door.

Then there was fat Chris. That was when he slowed down and didn’t do the crazy things he used to do. He napped more during those times, which resulted in more photo opportunities like the one above. He was also jealous of Frankie, which I found humorous. I was never sure if he was jealous that Frankie was paying attention to me or that I was paying attention to Frankie.

Chris was the most affectionate cat ever. Unfortunately, that affection involved kneading, which had to be on bare skin. Even though it was painful at times, I miss it.

I even miss the biting.

Chris was one of a kind and will always be missed.

What to do About Chris

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Last night we closed the cats out of our bedroom so that Chris wouldn’t bother us, but I’m not sure if he bothers us more in the bedroom or outside the bedroom. Shortly after we closed the door, Chris started scratching at the door and crying that desperate cry of his. We tried to ignore him but he just wouldn’t stop. After about five minutes of constant crying and scratching I couldn’t take it anymore and open the door and let him in. I don’t know how he does it but he always wins.

After his initial pesty behavior of scratching my face and biting my nose, I moved him to the side. Surprisingly, he behaved for a while. I was able to fall asleep but by around midnight Chris couldn’t behave any longer and started bothering me again. This time he didn’t bother just me, he had to bother Rose too, who insisted that I put him out.

That worked and we were able to fall asleep, but early this morning he was crying and scratching at the door again. I was concerned about what all the scratching was doing so when I turned on the light and looked at the door, I saw scratch marks along the side of what I believe is the original 120 year old door.

The problem is I do not know what to do about Chris now. I do not want him ruining this door but I also don’t want him ruining my sleep. I thought about putting a metal plate and the door where he is scratching but putting screw holes in the door can be almost as bad as the scratches.

Ideally, I would like to train him to not be so annoying but it is in his nature. You would think that he would eventually realize that when he digs his claws into my face I get upset, but he never seems to make the connection.

What do you think? Does anybody else have this problem?

$400 Chair Just for Cats

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A few weeks ago, my wife ordered a new office chair that had a retractable footrest because her foot started hurting around the time this lock-down started and she wanted to be able to raise it while she was working. Unfortunately, she did not find the chair to be comfortable and gave it to me with the instruction to get rid of my old chair, which I happen to like. Garbage pickup was several days away so I had two chairs in my “office” while I was waiting for trash day. I didn’t find the chair to be as comfortable as my own but I needed to get rid of one of them because I didn’t have much room for both and I couldn’t see getting rid of the new one after she spent so much money on it.

During that time Chris would lay on my lap while I was working and annoy the crap out of me. He constantly claws at my chest like he wants to climb up or pull me down. It is something he started doing several months ago and I can’t get him to stop. If I put him down he just starts biting my legs.

One day I put a pillow on the new chair and put Chris on it and he stayed there. He was right next to me and I was able to pet him while I worked so it was all good. Now when he is annoying, like he is now while I am writing this, I can move him to the chair.

Notice Frankie already put holes in the new chair.

There are times when that doesn’t work. Now, for example, Frankie is on the chair so I can’t put Chris there.

Other times putting him on the chair doesn’t work and he comes right back to bother me some more. When that happens I do the only thing that works and I get up to put a little kibble in their bowls, which I just did so I could finish this sentence.

So it looks like I will have to deal with having two chairs in my way until something changes.

On a sadder note, I just learned that Yoda passed away yesterday. You may remember my recent post about losing Jerry. Yoda and Jerry arrived at the shelter where we adopted Chris in 2006 and never left. They were best friends in 2009 when I volunteered there and met Chris, and they were best friends until the end. I suspect losing Jerry was too much for Yoda so he left to join him at the Rainbow Bridge.

Top Cat Chris

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Chris disturbs Abbey’s nap.

When we first got abbey, we soon pinned a nickname on her, “The Topper”, because she would poop and not bury it. She would just leave it on top for everyone to see…and smell. Chris could also be considered a topper because he is always plopping himself down on top of someone, or something. As I write this he just went from bothering me and plopped himself on Abbey who is graciously licking his ears. (Can you tell I am trying to avoid the lay, lie, laid. lain dilemma?)

Chris napping on Tigger

We feel bad for Chris sometimes because he is like the kid that nobody wants to play with…or nap with. Sometimes we think about getting another hyperactive cat that he can be friends with. That could work or it could be the stupidest idea since New Coke.

Abbey annoyed with Chris.

Chris’s obsession with being on top doesn’t stop with the other cats. As I mentioned before, he is always on my shoulders, especially right after I get out of the shower. He stands on top of the counter waiting for me. This really makes it hard to dry up, brush my teeth, shave, etc.

He also lies on Rose and I while we watch tv. He’s on me for a couple of minutes, then he moves to Rose, then to me, then off to who knows where and soon the cycle starts over again.

Chris on top of Tigger & next to Alex.

Then there’s the cabinets. He jumps on the counters, then the refrigerator, then to the top of the cabinets. Sometimes he jumps across to the cabinets on the other wall. He likes to lie up there and roll around. I always feared he would roll off and fall.

Chris on China Cabinet

He also gets on top the China cabinet. He jumps from Rose’s living room chair to the fireplace mantle and then to the top of the Cabinet. After she decorated the mantle with breakable items and put other decorations on the China cabinet, we assumed he could not get up there so he would quit trying. Wrong! He jumps up there like Ricochet Rabbit without disturbing any of the decorations.

He also gets on top of Rose’s curio cabinet. That is six and a half feet tall and too far from anything to jump from. She also has wooden boxes along the top that he almost never disturbs. It was a mystery how he got up there until I saw him out of the corner of my eye. He stands on the bathroom counter and jumps through the doorway. It’s a long jump and I am worried he will bring the cabinet down on top of him someday. Fortunately he seems to have lost interest lately.
Bad Cat Chris on Curio Cabinet