Metal Meredith

We just had one of those cold spells that lasted a week. There were days when it barely got above freezing. Here in the Mid-Atlantic states, that is cold. During those days, I spent a lot of my time opening and closing the back and front doors on the whim of the cats. Both Liesl and Friedrich, who combined are maybe smarter than a can of nuts, would consistently forget how cold it was outside and ask to go out again and again. Then, four minutes later, one would come back in. She would eat and then walk right back to the door.

Liesl, she likes to meow until the door magically opens. Friedrich paws at the door like he is running on a exercise wheel. Both are equally as bothersome when I am trying to be on the computer, watch TV, do any number of household chores or cook meals. It happens again when they want to be let in. But instead of meowing at the door, Liesl has taken to jumping up to the 4th window pane on the back french doors and hanging there with a pained look on her little kitty face.

I found the Cat Windoor and immediately started to research it. It arrives 6 days later and only took Phil 2 hours to install.

Now, a week later, Friedrich is using the door like a champ. At 5am, I was greeted in bed by a cold and somewhat damp cat. Believe it or not, I was happy in my half awake state. It meant he had finally not only learned to go out the door, but he can get back in! Then, I went downstairs at 730 to be faced with Liesl at the front door, meowing to be let out. She will be a tough nut to crack.

Meanwhile, Henry thinks it is a really cool toy and likes to push it open and say “Bye!” out of it. At least we know he is smarter than the cat.

Friedrich hasn’t been feeling well.

Our typically aloof but lovable, sweet but patronizing, stubborn but cute cat had been in two fights this past month (that we know about). One morning about a month ago, he came limping up to the front door. I ran to the vet, afraid he had been hit by a car, only to find out that he had a ‘sore leg’ from most likely a bite from another cat.

When he started staying in most of the day, which was totally unlike him, sleeping next to me in bed all night and slowly stopping at each step down the stairs, I knew something was wrong, again. Turns out he had a huge abscess created by another bite wound. Ew. It was drained and clipped and he is almost back to normal. All for only $82.50.