That Stinkin’ Hairball…The Search for a New Venue.

That Darn Cat was a cutesy Disney flick from the 1960s that featured a cat that always got into “mischief.”  It would knock things over and create laughs, but in the end saved the day.  Well, that darn cat would be a delight compared to that stinkin’ hairball that we now possess.

We lost our cat of fourteen years last April to old age.  In fact Austyn, our youngest doesn’t remember life without the cat….he’s fifteen.  That was a tough event for him to witness since “Lizzie” died right in front of our eyes.  (We also lost our dog the very next morning….had to have her put to sleep….so that was a rough stretch.)  Our house was petless for the first time in many years. 

That status lasted through the summer, but fall came and so did the opportunity to aquire a new cat.  A woman that places them into homes provided the current edition.  Since I call all cats “Hairball” my oldest son Justin nicknamed her “Hairball 2.0.”  She was about four months old when we took her in and after hiding and not being at all visible for over a full day, she began to warm up to us and now runs the place.  We, her staff work to make sure she lives the ultimate pampered existence.  Food must be served as soon as we awaken.  If not, we will experience a relentless four-pawed squeaky-voiced alarm clock.  Sprinting all over the house when bored is a favorite activity.  If it moves, it’s attacked.  If we’re eating it, she wants some.  The litter box must be kept pristine at all times….and with the right kind of litter….which reminds me….

While we were still in the process of figuring out the perfect litter formula for our little prima donna, she apparently didn’t like the current conditions of the litter box.  Thus ensued the search for a new venue.  It has to be a place where the guilty party can bury the evidence….making our search one that involves the nose more than the eyes.  Believe me, it didn’t take a bloodhound to hunt this one down.  I entered our bedroom and quickly noticed an odiferous presence.  Did she get stuck in here with the door closed?  Is she miffed at us and marking turf?  I looked under the bed, in the corners and finally noticed a couple of “nuggets” on the bed.  I called Shileen in and we looked at a blanket that looked like it had been snagged multiple times by the cat.  But why?  Then Shileen pulled the blanket and sheet back to reveal…..let’s just say it was closer in size to two scoops than one at the ice cream shop.  Immediately the smell was equivalent to a punch in the face.  I didn’t know if I should be disgusted, ticked off to high heaven or just stare in disbelief.  Shileen gathered up everything and headed to the laundry.  Fortunately the mattress cover minimized the impact and everything was fully restored.  The impact on our noses would require a longer recovery.

It looks like we finally have the routine down for Hairball 2.0.  There are still a few tweaks and minor adjustments, but it appears we are, for the most part, operating in a satisfactory manner for her royal sovereign majesty.  But I still sniff around the bed before I get in at night.

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