Cat Wars

Our cats have recently developed a middle-of-the-night routine which has become most annoying.

Ray (our timid cat who is very verbal when feeling harassed) has been jumping onto the night table right beside my bed and howling/crying/tattling on Jet (our cat who loves to chase and pester Ray when he is bored) in the wee hours of the morning for at least four nights in a row.

This has happened before but not with such regularity. I would shoo Ray off the night table and they would run off and complete their little game elsewhere. That stopped being fun for them, so they learned it was more entertaining to bother me so I would get out of bed, Jet would run out of the room and I would close the door behind him. Ray would settle into a restful state and we would have a peaceful rest for the remainder of the night.

Jet only fell for that ploy a few times before he realized if he hid under my bed, I couldn't shoo him out of the room. So I escorted Ray out instead.

This worked only a time or two before the new game became one or the other of the cats scratching on my bedroom door to get in or out.

We played this middle of the night game every night this week. Each night came with a new learning curve and I believe they delighted in rousing me out of my bed to tend to their arguments or need to enter or leave my bedroom. So I closed the door and locked both of them out. That didn't work either.

They learned all they needed to know to keep this game going. What they didn't realize is that I was developing a learning curve of my own.

Last night, I brought a water spray bottle to bed with me so I would be ready when the inevitable middle of the night cat spat occurred. And it did.

Mrrow!! Hiss! Mmmmroooww!!!! 

I didn't say a word. I simply reached for the water spray bottle, aimed and hit my target. Our timid Ray didn't know what hit him. He has not been on the receiving end of the disciplinary water spray tactic. We are not certain if he is a more perfect cat than Jet or if he is simply smart enough to set Jet up to be on the receiving end of our frustration when the cat tactical team requires human intervention.

I made my bed this morning and left the water spray bottle in an easy to reach location for tonight. We'll see what twists and turns occur as they learn I am armed and ready to do battle with their little schemes. Who will outwit whom?

These little cat and mouse human games keep life interesting. But enough is enough already. I'm armed and dangerous. I can almost visualize the wheels in Jet's brain turning. He is not one to give up easily. He'll find some new and more annoying ploy. He always does ...