Princess is TOO Clever

HOW?!  How does she know?  The number of times I have had to last minute cancel an appointment at the vet because Princess has eluded my capture and disappeared into the ceiling joists in the basement (too many to count)…

I *did* succeed this time, but only just.  And only because she capitulated and let me (with sufficient unladylike swearing on her side I might add).  Oh my ears are still burning!  So let me explain.  I get up like any normal day I pet Princess – we have some love time – all good.  I go do some work on the computer – all good – she comes by and pesters as per normal.  I have the cat carrier positioned for use from WEEKS ago.

She goes and lays down on her pillow (yes her pillow) and I go and pet her (including back of neck massage like ready to lift her from the scruff), I take some photos – she is all calm.  I put phone away and I go to pet her again and she shrinks before my hand touches her… and off she goes.  I now have about 10 minutes till I need to leave the house.  I sigh.  I follow her to the bedroom where she is hiding on the far side of the bed.  I lock the kitty door.  She immediately vocalizes her displeasure.  MEEEYOWL!

We discuss back and forth her disgust at me.  I ask her to come to me.  MEEEENO! (spit)

I ask again.  (grrrr) (spit) plaintiff kitten “meewwwwno” (tiny growl).

I can’t go to her because if I leave where I am sitting against the kitty door she will come over and “pop” the lock off as she knows how.  None of my other kitties have ever discovered how to unlock the kitty doors.  So sitting there I drag the quilt and pillows off the bed and pile them against the door all the while telling her that I love her.  She denies what I say with huffing and meowling protests.

I feel that I have sufficiently blocked exit so I stand up.  I say to her that it really is just a short trip and she should stop protesting and come to me.  “HUFF! nneeeeoooo”  I step towards her and she dashes for the door and hunts around the stack evading my hands.  Suddenly there is a dejected relaxation of her intensity.  She kitten cries again and I tell her I love her and manage to get both hands on her.  She doesn’t fight but growls lightly interspersed with kitten mews.  Poor little girl.

Now with a cat that requires two hands to hold onto I must remove the stack in front of the door (which of course opens toward the stack), then open the human door (the handle of which, as you know needs a hand free…) and then carry her – now squirming with realistic hope of escape – to the carrier.

It was just a short trip (filled with YEEEEOWLS) to the vet to make sure all her vaccinations are up to date and she is protected for another year.  We are both uninjured (at least physically).  She was all purrs and tricks and play when we got back.  And after the purrs and reconciliation she went to her wheel and ran off all that contained energy – following her good example I went for a walk.