random thoughts – Day 1,440 – (Sunday) –tough love

The week of feeling tired and less than 100% continued and I stayed home from dance. There were no technique class and performance group sessions for me this morning. Our March performance date has been delayed to September, so there was less urgency for me to push things.

It was a morning of coffee, the puzzle, and Kiki’s gentle meows.

Last night, worried about the eventual need to visit the vet with Kiki and worried I wouldn’t be able to coax her out of the box spring when that time comes, slightly dramatic action was taken. I waited for Kiki to exit the bedroom, and when she did, I sprinted upstairs and closed the door, cutting her off from the box spring fortress.

It felt bold, mean, and necessary. I was afraid she would get too comfortable in the box spring and the longer it goes on, the more difficult it would be to get her out.

When she returned to the top of the stairs expecting to return to the corner of the cozy box spring, there was some meowing at the closed door. When I climbed the stairs, talking in gentle, quiet tones, she sprinted downstairs and huddled in a corner near a cabinet in the dining room. During the afternoon, I was eventually able to get close enough to her to stroke her face, which hadn’t happened since last Saturday. A couple times, she went back upstairs and meowed at the door.

When I went to bed Saturday night, the door was left open with the expectation that Kiki would return to the bedroom, but it seemed she stayed downstairs all night. Maybe she was punishing me for the earlier closed door.

At 5:45 this morning, her plaintive meows carried up the stairs. When I finally arose and closed the bedroom door behind me, she was reclining next to her litter box which held the daily deposit. I told her what a good girl she is. I tell her this a lot.

Banned from the bedroom.

The bedroom door remained shut all day and Kiki hung around in the living room. She stayed behind the couch most of the day, silent as a statue. Later, she came out from the couch and camped out on the steps. 

Several times, she let me get close enough to touch her.  There were no attempts to flee. No signs of aggression or hostility. She closed her eyes and pressed the side of her head into my fingers as I stroked her cheek. She lifted her butt against my hand as I patted her from head to tail. It was exhilarating. For me, anyway. And Kiki didn’t seem to object.

It felt like some horrible feline tough love to blockade her from the bedroom, but it also felt like progress.