24 hours with Only The Cat

In early May, the writer saw a cat in a pet shop after a short visit to the post office. Several days later he came back to the shop to claim his love at first sight, a ginger cat. Ed Mat Rasul wrote his Day 1 experience.

It was just yesterday when I took Only from his cattery in Manukau. Yes the name is Only. Like only you but in this case the only cat. I know "Only" wasn't even a name or a noun. But hey, it's Ed, I don't really care about rules. Anyway, halfway home he cried in his crib. When I took him out, he climbed on me thus pulled the thread out of my knit cardigan. What a brilliant idea to calm him at the cost of my beloved cardigan. So I put him back in the crib. Later, he learnt travelling wasn't that bad.

When we got home, he laid low. Like really low. Like Lamborghini kind of low. He sniffed around the house. Everywhere, every corner. To get himself familiar with the newly found 'territory'.

Only The Cat turned up to be a very affectionate cat. He enjoyed company. He will sit next to me then doze off. But one thing he didn't like, waking up seeing no one around. He'd cry like a baby. Then I was like a crazy single mom.

"Only don't cry. Daddy is here."

Then he would run to my voice. Even when I'm in the toilet. He just couldn't leave me alone.

He took his first meal after his nap. He cried again. I thought he was lonely but he was hungry. I brought him to his bowl. He didn't sniff it. But when I took one biscuit and ran it under his nose, he started to nibble it. Then drink. That's good now he knew where the foods were. Wrong! He still didn't know as of this morning. I still have to direct him to the bowl.

Late evening, yesterday, he had his first wee-wee. I was so proud of him but then again I have to direct him there, seeing him scratching, mimicking the sand, I knew sometime wasn't right. And I was right, he needed to wee-wee.

Then about night, I think somewhere in the middle of 'Go Girls', he did his funny scratching again on my bed. I took him to the toilet, and guess what? He ran out as soon as I put him down. Cheeky little bugga.

Minutes later he did the scratching again then I knew this time for real. I locked him in the toilet.

"You can come out once you berak (poo-poo)!".

While I was laughing watching the second season of 'Go Girls', I heard him crying. He cried non stop. Kept calling my name. OK, that's freaky. No he wasn't call my name.

"Ya keep crying."

But it didn't long. I couldn't stand his cry. So I had a look during the commercial break, and voila. He was sitting down poisely with the sad face and guilty-as-charge eyes. He did a massive poo and it was super stink too. I forgot how stingy cat poo could be.

"Good job son."

Perfect. He ate. He played. He slept. He peed and pooed.

Not so perfect. He did the scratching again. But I didn't gave much attention, because I know he already pee and poo. But I was wrong, he marked his territory right on my blanket! S.O.B!

"Why did you do that for? Do you want to sleep in toilet"

Only replied, "That what will happen when you ignore me."

I asked my housemate, "I thought we pee first then poo."

"I don't know" His usual response, everytime!

I felt asleep after that, well no exactly the minutes after the incident. Herm, you know what I mean. I woke up to realise Only slept next to me. I changed my position. I didn't want to squashed him in my sleep. Then after that, I kept waking up checking on him.

One time he cried. I thought he must be hungry so I took him to his bowl. Instead of eating of drinking, he played with my fingers.

"Only, this the weirdest hour to play."

Learning for the territory marking incident, I took him to the toilet. I closed the door and sat on the cold floor waiting for him. He started to sniff the sand, then scratched it, then did the 'big push' with his eyes hardly open. Funny to see but not funny to smell.

"Only this is not good. I shouldn't be here to see you pee or poo every time. You got to learn to do it yourself."

It was a waste of time talking to him. Didn't think it was registered to his head. So I went to bed again and he followed.

I woke up at about 7ish. I felt so tired. And Only seemed to be sleeping soundly. Resting his head on his front foot.

This morning, he had peed, ate, drank, and play. And as I'm writing this, he cried because no one want to play with him and he climbed my foot leaving trails of claws marks since I was wearing shorts.

So in this almost 24 hours I learn that, Only will cry, 1. if he woke up alone, 2. when he wants to play, 3. when he wants to eat or drink, 4 when we ignored (or busy with our things) him. But he won't cry when he wants to pee or poo!