Going Belly Up!

  The Bayou Princess came to us some six years ago and decided that the Bayou was a nice place to stay.  Obviously, she was a throwaway cat since she was infested with fleas and thin as a rail.  She came...she stayed...and I could not be happier.  I adore this cat and the feeling is mutual...during the winter months.  Any other time, she tolerates me.  Since she sleeps on the bed next to me, I tend to believe it is more a warmth thing than a "warm" thing.  She is seeking a warm place to spend the night and I am the only one to allow her on the bed.  She purrs loud and drools...a lot.  The bedding has to be changed daily.  Still, she is a comfort.

  To say the cat actually likes me is probably not fully the truth.  She adores Son and will hop off the bed in a heartbeat if she hears his footsteps in the hall.  I do believe, however, she is comfortable with me and, according to the so-called experts in the field of cat emotions, it must be so.  This afternoon, Ms. Nycto was huddled close to me as I edited some photographs.  She expected an accommodating hand to scratch her ears occasionally but was not wanting my full attention.  Suddenly, she bounced off of the sofa and plopped down on the rug.  It was only a few moments later that she was belly-up.  This cat has a weird habit of sleeping with all four paws in the air.  This afternoon, she was not sleeping but just lounging.  Her tail was swishing side to side.  According to those experts, if a cat is belly-up in your presence, it means she feel comfortable and relaxed.  Obviously, Ms. Nycto did not feel threatened this afternoon as she stayed in this position for almost an hour....until she heard Son coming down the hallway.  Bounce! Up she hopped!   She raced to meet him, meowing all the way.