Besides patience, all I wanted Santa to bring me this year was family unity.
Which he did, but a little earlier than last night.
Regular readers know what I’m talking about. The strife that besieged our house earlier this year when I brought home the little stray who has since become our beloved Tabby Girl.
For a while it was chaos. Poor Mr. Meow had met his match and lost the run of his house. If he dared to venture out, he had to do so cautiously and be prepared to run if Tabby spotted him.
His whole routine and existence was ruined there for a while. He didn’t dare come upstairs. There was no more shower buddy time. No more snuggling with me in bed first thing in the morning. No more plucking on the air vent and serenading me with his maestro melodies.
But with a lot of patience and positive reinforcement, slowly but surely, they made progressed. It also helped when Tabby’s hormones finally stabilized.
After continuing to lavish praise upon them both when they behaved well together, they learned to tolerate each other’s company. Then they learned not only how to be friends, but playmates too.
So Santa, thank you so much for making an exception and bringing Christmas early this year. I can’t express my gratitude enough.
You don’t know what it means to me to wake up as I did this morning with both cats on the bed next to me (Mr. Meow) and on me (Tabby). Having all three animals in the bed was something I never thought I’d see six months ago.
But now it’s a regular occurrence.
And for a while there I never expected Mr. Meow to play with his toys again either. My heart was so heavy with sadness, because I certainly hadn’t meant to disrupt his life like that. He so loved playing with his toys.
But now he’s discovered how much fun him and Tabby can have playing together. To hear them romping in their playroom or chasing each other through the house…what a marvelously happy sound!
It’s the very best Christmas gift I could ever possibly have gotten. Thank you so much for delivering it early and making this one of the happiest Christmases ever! Yes, it most certainly is a Meowy Christmas indeed!
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