Cat Routines

Gigi (l) Emma (r)

It is bedtime. I am snuggled in with the lights off and the white noise on. The feather comforter is pulled up to my head, a pillow cushions my knees; my pillow is fluffed, crisp, and cold.

Sure enough, as I am settled in, Emma arrives. I know it is her because she is the heavier one. She steps her front paws onto my hip and waits there. I slowly pull my arm from under the covers, stretch it back, and pet her head.

I pet her in a vigorous fashion because of her weight. Gentle petting doesn't seem right and she doesn't complain.

After a while, I withdraw my arm back under the covers and she hesitates a moment or two longer then steps down. I can feel her circling the bottom of the bed around my feet.

Eventually, Emma finds her just perfect space, lies down, probably head on paw but I cannot see this to be sure, I can only feel her purring which in her particular way is more like a rumble.

Emma is ready to seek a night's sleep. Every now and then, as she is drifting off to sleep, she will shout out. I cannot spell the sound she makes, but I believe it is to let me know she is content.

Not too long after, I feel another set of front paws on my hip, only this time a lighter pair, they signal Gigi's arrival. She jumps completely up onto my hip and then slowly walks up my rib cage, crosses my shoulder, and steps gently over my neck and past my head, onto her pillow/nest space to my right.

I welcome her with a whispered, "Hi!" I pet her from head to tail as she stands there enjoying the massage. I do so gently if only because she is slight in weight and vigorous petting doesn't seem right. She seems to agree. Of course, she purrs, which for Gigi is more like a vibration.

Next, she needs to clean my hair a little, with studied licks with her raspy tongue. What makes her choose one section of my head to clean tonight over another I do not know, but she seems to know and that is enough for me.

After a few licks, I stop her by putting my hand in front of her head which causes her to pull back a little, and I gently move my hand in a counter-clockwise fashion which causes her to shift in the same direction.

Once facing 45 degrees away, I run my hand down her body which signals her that it is time to lie down, which she does. I tuck my hand behind her hindquarters as she continues to purr. She wiggles around a bit as she settles in.

Then with a kick of her hind paws, she moves herself into position to lie down completely, with her head nestled into my open hand. The vibration continues until she is asleep.

This happens, almost like clockwork (pun intended) every night and I love the attention and the intimacy of my relationship with my two kitties (now going on eight years old but I still call them "my kitties.")

Good night. Now it is my turn to drift off to sleep.