Weird Al

Al, our cat, is making adjustments to her life since our little dog Cilla passed away. As long as we've had Al, some twelve years now, she has shared our home with dogs. Al has withstood their influence, disregarded their attempts at intimidation, or just fled the scene when it became uncomfortable. In retrospect Al seemed to take the road of least resistance in her dealing with her brethren.

Now it has been a month since Cilla died. Our household, still feeling the effects of that small dog's disappearance is nonetheless getting on with life. Al is altering her behavior. Al has never been much of a social creature. When Terry and I are in one of our easy chairs Al may come and sit on the arm of the chair, or lie on our lap. Terry seems to draw the most attention. When Cilla was alive both Al and Cilla would end up on Terry's lap when she sat in her recliner. I think Terry enticed them to her lap so I would have to wait on her in the evening rather than disturb "the kids."

Al now will often be found sitting next to me. I may be working on the computer and I get the sense that something is nearby. Looking around Al may be sitting on the floor just a foot or so from my chair. She doesn't want to come up on my lap, if I pet her she just sits taking the stroking in stride. But she wants to be close. If you are outside she will run up to you and walk along with you wherever you are going. At night she always starts out on the bed with us. For the first few weeks since Cilla's passing she would spend the night on the foot of the bed. Now however she has discovered the sofa table in front of the picture window. In the past she would sometimes sit on the table looking at the outdoors. Lately she has taken to spending a lot of time on the table. Terry has put a folded bath mat on the table as a cushion. We've even washed Cilla's little snuggy bed and put that up on the table, but Al seems to ignore that. Now however, Al will get up in the middle of the night and come downstairs and lie on that table facing the picture window. When I go to work in the morning, and no one is home, Al will be on the table in the window. Perhaps she vicariously experiences being outside without having to put up with the cold weather.

Al has gotten weird.