Winds of change

Today is another of those blustery days straight out of Winnie the Pooh - the wind is blowing branches and autumn's fallen leaves all about, and the air is crackling with dry energy. The weather seems to inspire Fig, who has had "whack attacks" the past two mornings, in which he bounds through the house from stem to stern like a demented rabbit. After his intense activity he finds a warm, comfortable spot to sleep, and within seconds he is lost to his dreams.

I have been keeping him inside the last few nights due to the cold nighttime temperatures, so I was surprised to see him eager to nap inside the house today, rather than in his favored crate on the front porch. Perhaps he senses that our days in this house are limited, and he wants to make the most of it. Cats can be incredibly sensitive to change, and as I've been packing boxes in anticipation of a move to a new house, he's been investigating each box carefully.

Fig is one of the few cats I've known who is possessive about his "stuff." Yes, cats can be territorial, but that usually applies to a favorite spot on the rug, the backyard, or the neighborhood, not to a scratching pad or a cat toy. Yet I have observed Fig to be noticeably relieved - that's the only word for it - after a move to a new house when he sees his stuff - scratching pad, favorite toys, bed, etc. - being carried inside the new place. After it is placed, he always runs over to use it, checking it out to make sure it was returned to him in good condition. I've joked that because he spent so many weekends before I adopted him on display at the local pet store adoption fair he had time to peruse and become a connoisseur of cat merchandise, but he definitely has a sense of what is his "stuff."

I hope that he will take to the new place with as much equanimity as he has exhibited in my last few moves. I had thought that my current house would be his last address, and I had even thought about burying him in the backyard, but happily he has lived long enough to make at least one more move. Now to designing his new space to keep us both happy!