Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Thinking about quitting my job and becoming a bouncer

I broke up two fights last night. I was at my dining room table, which is in an area that connects my kitchen and living room. I was checking some things online when all of a sudden, I heard these terrible screams. I realized it was a cat fight. Noodle was outside. I ran to my window that looks out onto my porch, and sure enough, Shitbag (since you now know his real nickname, I might as well use it) had managed to jump onto the landing to the next floor even though I'd moved my table and chairs in hopes of preventing it. There he was, hissing and screaming at this Siamese stray cat that had made a visit or two by that landing before. I yelled at him to run away, and he did. I went outside my apartment and grabbed Noodle from the landing.

I normally leave my bedroom door cracked so he can come in my room if he wants but still be able to get to his litterbox, food and toys in the living room and kitchen. Last night, as usual, he was being a punk and clawing at things on my bedside table, so I closed the door so I could sleep without him bugging me. At 4:30 a.m., I awakened to screaming. It took just a second for me to be sure it was coming from inside my apartment. I jumped out of bed and was wondering how this other cat had managed to get into my living room. Yes, the window was open, but it was only just enough so air can get in but Shitbag can't claw his way out. I was hoping this other cat hadn't been in my apartment long enough to claw up my couch or spray everywhere.

I opened my bedroom door, and there was Noodle, perched rigidly at the window, screaming at whatever was outside on my balcony. I peered through the window, and there was the same stupid Siamese cat that Noodle had fought with hours before. I glared at him and said sternly, "You get off my porch now." Amazingly enough, he paused only for a second, as if translating my demand into kitty language, then leapt from my balcony onto the landing. Whatching him jump made me decide that cats are very aware of the fact that they have nine lives. Or this cat was very intimidated by my anger.

So now, I'm stuck. There are two stray cats that run around my area. Am I supposed to rig something to cover the space from my balcony to the landing so they can't jump onto my porch and so Shitbag can't be a shitbag and jump up there himself? Am I supposed to call my apartment office to let them know about the problem?

At this point, I think Noodle has lost his privilege of going outside, since he insists on jumping up to that landing, which always leads to trouble -- either through him running away, cat fights or through leaving scratches on me when I pick him up because he's so scared and stiffened because he doesn't know what to do now that he's up there.

Is leaving my window open any more than slightly cracked now completely out of the question, since Noodle can escape and since other cats have figured out how to get on my balcony?

This cat is totally not worth all these problems ...

1 comment:

my life is brilliant said...

I'm sorry to disappoint you, Jef. Noodle's not even a girl cat, although we thought he was at one time. Sorry! lol