My Life

The Cat and his Q-tips

Everyone knows that all women have a fetish about the toilet seat. But, what about the lid?

My dear son has always been very respectful about putting down both the lid and the seat. I on the other hand, never really give it much thought. At least I didn’t used to.

We adopted a cat a little while back that loves Q-tips. Don’t ask me why, I really have no idea! (Note: We found out that he loved them when we came home one day and found them all over the house. The cat was in Q-tip heaven! Ummm...We now keep them in a drawer)

Anyway, In this house if you are thinking about using the bathroom, the first thing you do is look around to see where the cat is. If he is in the living room, you have to run down the hall and get the door closed before the cat can catch up with you. Why? Because he thinks he has to have a new Q-tip every time someone goes near the bathroom. If he gets in the bathroom ahead of you, you have no choice but to give him one or he won’t shut up!

Once the cat has his new Q-tip, you must then keep your hand over your water glass. Otherwise, you will soon have a Q-tip and cat paw in it!

When he finally realizes you’re not going to give up your water glass, he’ll look for another source. Usually, his water bowl but sometimes the dog’s water bowl. He’s not really picky. He plays with it in the water until it's about to disintegrate. Then he walks away and leaves it like he’s board with it.

The dog usually proceeds to remove it from the bowl. For whatever reason, the dog now seems to be enjoying the Q-tip game as well. He sometimes eats the cotton part and leaves the cardboard stick laying around for me to pick up.

I find Q-tips all other this house!

This is where the toilet lid comes in. The cat has apparently tired of playing with Q-tips in little water bowls. He now looks forward to playing with them in the toilet bowl. We know this because, when I went in the bathroom there were muddy little paw prints all over the toilet seat!

Before I could think to close the bathroom door, I made the mistake of screaming “Sassy.” Damn if he didn’t come running for another Q-tip!

Anyway, putting the lid down is a new habit for me. One my son points out, that I’m in dire need of improving on. I get in trouble almost everyday when I come home from work... “Mom, did you forget to put the lid down this morning?”

Or sometime during the evening, if I’m in a hurry to get back to the computer I’ll hear the dreaded “Mom, did you forget...”

Now, you might be wondering why I don’t just stop giving him Q-tips? This is not an option! I assure you, I have tried! He can’t take it, it’s like Q-tip withdrawal or something. He will pounce on you and not stop meowing. (Loudly!) When you try to go to bed, he will stand on your face crying for one. He will sit at your feet begging, claw at your arm, bite your knee, scratch on the drawer we have them hidden in...

The cat is so bad that he will not even eat unless he has a Q-tip in his food bowl. He is totally addicted to them!

And no, we do not dip them in catnip!

Oh no, what if he turns to the bathtub next?