The Ultimate Catty Situation

THE MAVIS CHRONICLES

   BY: ANNETTA J. BURCH AND MAVIS

Mavis first drifted into my life about a year and a half ago born into a family of feral cats that I was feeding and taking care of to the best of my ability and as they would allow me.  The original family consisted of two cats that lived across the street until the person who owned them moved out and left them behind.  They were terrified, to say the least.  They became Big Boy and Precious and they were beautiful.  Precious was Mavis’ great grandmother, and it amazes me how much she looks like her.  I don’t know what happened to Precious…she was with me from 2005 until 2011; then one day she never came back…a few years after Big Boy left. I found homes for some, some never came back, and some were killed by cars.  I am sure that I will always feel a deep sadness when I think of those I could not help any more than I did, but at least I tried and did what I possibly could for them. 

I decided without hesitation that I would take Mavis with me when I moved.  It was just right.  I could tell.  Mavis did have kittens once before she was spayed. She had them in a big iron pot on the back porch that had once belonged to our grandmother Rosa.   Mavis is the one you see on top of the screen door to the back porch of my mother’s house on my Facebook page.  That was her “ha, ha, I am away from it all and you can’t get me! I dare you to try!” No way. My sister told me once that Mavis was the best mother cat she had ever seen…she took training those babies seriously – everything they needed to know about being cats.  She took them out in the yard and showed them the best spots to go, I kid you not! One day I was out at the bird feeder and she came up with them following her in a straight line…she was showing them something that they needed to know about birds…not sure what and probably didn’t want to know anyway…I was sure that I saw her actually nodding her head at one of the kittens as if answering a question!  One morning when I went out on the back porch to feed them, I found one of her babies dead near the back door. There were no visible signs of why the kitty had died and they had all seemed healthy.  I have never seen a cat cry until that morning when Mavis sat there and cried for her baby. She had four and I found a home for the remaining 3 all at the same home!  I still pray that they are happy and have a great home. 

I was telling one of my closest, dearest best friends (I have been blessed with 3 best friends!), Mary Lou Dixon, owner/operator of Subway Dixon Rescue Organization, Inc., in Perry about how I felt – she totally understood all of those feelings and always seemed to know the right things to say at just the right times and still does. She listened, then replied, “Just remember, especially when the sad feelings come, that Mavis is a part of all of them, so they are still with you.”

Mavis was about 99% tame when it came close to moving away. The hardest part at that time was getting her to the vet. The move from where Mavis was living when she was born to where we are now was very traumatic for her and to me as well!  I had everything ready here before I went back to Perry to get her. It was a wise decision because she was hysterical through most of the trip in the truck over here. Thank goodness it took only about an hour and a half or neither of us may have survived! Talking to her all the way here helped some but not enough.  The minute I opened the door to her cat carrier she flew under my bed and stayed there mostly for the next 3-4 days. She only came out when I was gone or asleep.

When Mavis finally began venturing out, she explored every inch of this place…every window, every corner, every piece of furniture. One of her favorite past times became sitting in one of the windows. Soon after Mavis began to settle down and realize that we were indeed soul sisters and that this was her new life and new home, we began to have fun and become family. I bought at least 25 toys for her to play with….those balls with bells in them, assorted colors, and the stuffed mini animals complete with catnip of course!  I don’t know who had more fun – Mavis or me watching her play with her toys and her eyes glazing over when she grabbed a catnip toy. She eventually grew tired of them and every now and then I’ll throw one at her and she’ll go crazy for a while then on to something else. I have decided to give most of them to a pet rescue organization. And now, it’s on to the Mavis Chronicles as told by me and her highness, the delicate genius known as Mavis.

Last summer I finally got to the point that I could venture out some from all the moving and getting resettled, learning some of my way around town to get by, getting acquainted with Santa Fe College and classes.  I was invited to join the gang here that goes out to lunch once a month.  I was and still am amazed at how quickly and how much I was made to feel right at home in this new neighborhood. They also celebrate birthdays and have lunch once a month for the birthday girls of that particular month. I love being on the Board of the Home Owners Association, and involved in the Food Drives for this neighborhood.

I went with the Birthday Bunch the other day for lunch at the Conestoga in Alachua.  I think most everyone else had been there at least once but me.  It’s the kind of place you like instantly…they had old photos up on the walls of the place, probably since its beginning, through the years and even one of a woman with the attire of long skirts and blouse sitting halfway up a pole on a platform…I didn’t ask.  But I did think, well that is a different kind of poll watcher for sure. I told Mavis about it when I got home but she didn’t think it was funny…she just said, “bleh.”  The food was wonderful and I almost freaked when I walked into the ice cream/candy shop to pay the cashier and found out that they sell Blue Bell by the cone! Whoa.  When I walked in the door at home, Mavis asked, “Where’s my Stogie Junior?” (Those are smaller versions of the big – I mean BIG – Stogies that are hamburgers there and a favorite…I opted for the potato/chicken casserole which was awesome, but I digress.)  I replied, “I didn’t bring you one; I decided that they are just too big for you – I doubt I could eat one.” Mavis gave me THE LOOK and said, “Uh huh.  Just wait.” Then she went to a corner and sulked. I dragged out all 20 something of her cat toys too this past week since she has been ignoring them for like forever.  She came in from outdoors and said, “whoa, man…I was wondering where those were.” “They were right here in plain sight right where you left them the last time, dufus.” “Well, dufus, I don’t believe that for a minute…you are messing with me now.  You hid them.” I finally convinced her that I did not hide her toys from her, but did admit that they were under the couch.

For the past week she has been my lap kitty for some unknown reason…she goes from totally ignoring me (must be something I did or said, of course) to wanting to sleep in my lap every night for at least an hour…she loves to put one of her paws up on my chin and sleep stretched out like that in my lap and purr.  She purrs when I wake up too…makes it all worth it – what we both have to put up with…last night she looked at me and said, “Will you sing ‘Soft Kitty’ to me while I sleep?”  And I said, “Sure I will, Sheldon Moonpie.”

            “Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur; happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr.”

“Thank you so much,” she said.  “You’re welcome, sweetie. “ With that, she went right to sleep.  What I have here is a cat/child/kitty.

Mavis Chronicles: Oh great...she came running in here a few minutes ago (she knows to do this while I am on the computer!), jumped up on the desk, and took my backscratcher with her! Knocked it right off onto the floor and made it her new toy..."That's not a toy," I yelled...and she replied, "It is now! And it's mine, mine, mine!" And I answered, "In your dreams, Mav Pav..." And she ran with it under the couch so I will have to get on my hands and knees to get it back. Just what I wanted to do at 7:15 in the morning on a rainy Saturday morning! Thank you Miss Mavis! Shamey! Now she is sound asleep on the table beside me as I close...with a big ol smile on her face!

Mavis Chronicles: What an afternoon...she's been outside squalling, sitting in the fern/flower garden while I'm here on the computer in the room with the windows facing where she is...I finally had to stop and let her in....she got up on the table in back of me...started talking to me...I turned around and told her she was "my cutie patootie." She rolled over on her back, stuck her front paws up in the air, looked at me upside down, and said "yes ma'am!" That last about 5 minutes, then she got on my desk and tried to tear some things up so I had to run her off...now she's mad at me and wants her supper...she is loud and won't quit....later from gator nation. And I said…”From now on you are going to be called Mavis the Pavis.” “No way,” she said. “Way,” I declared. Mavis replied, “We’ll see about that.”

I decided to move the futon from the guest bedroom/my office into the living room this week and threw a light gray throw over it that just blends with the futon…she came in later, took one ok, and pounced on it.  “No way,” she yelled!  “This is so cool!” When I say that she yelled, I mean she yelled!  She is without a doubt the loudest cat I think I have ever heard…and she gets louder and louder as tells me under no uncertain terms that she wants to go out, have a snack or a meal, etc., etc., etc.  She has made it her own…I saw her once curled up on “my side” – where I sit when she allows me to if it pleases her. This afternoon I walked by on my way to my office and she was curled up with one of her back legs up to her face and she was holding it with both her front paws and her eyes closed…every now and then she would lick that paw, eyes still closed, and go right back to sleep.  I watched for a few minutes…she never ceases to amaze me – I don’t think that I’ve ever seen a cat do that. She has officially laid claim to the other side of the futon now and let me know that I can sit by the end table and lamp, thank you very much.  She has parked it there until she gets bored with it, I guess.  Today we had the first tropical storm of the season, with rain for the past few days and supposed to be tomorrow too…the storms didn’t waste any time starting up this year with the first of hurricane season.  She has actually been in more the past few days, and I suspect that the rain and the moving of the futon to the living room has had a lot to do with it!  Why she didn’t feel that way about it when it was in the office, I haven’t a clue….maybe the gray throw had something to do with it…a mystery…to add to other mysteries of the behavior and likes, dislikes of cats!

Oh, let me tell you. If I didn’t know better, I would declare that Mavis must have been born out at Buckeye somewhere (and became an expert on paper)! I have never seen a cat love paper as much as Mavis does.  I finally learned the hard way to just go, “Oh Mavis….come see what I have for you…” and just throw paper at her and she goes berserk.  I’ve been seriously thinking about getting rid of my shredder…she does a much better job and doesn’t use any electricity! She’s like a goat. No kidding. I have to put up paper that I want to save, especially with my note system – little pieces of paper all over the place to remind of this and that, etc.  Then I promptly forget some of it anyway.  One day I had to piece a paper back together with scotch tape that she had jumped up on the desk and grabbed before I could get to her…she ran with it!  I was right behind her running and yelling, but she was faster!  And places to hide that I can’t get to! She is relentless in destroying a piece of paper.  Sometimes she eats the paper.  She loves it.  

Mavis has gone into her second childhood…she turned two this year and blew both candles out, I might add.  You believe that, do you? Thanks!  She has rediscovered those toys I bought her as a house warming gift when we first moved here last year (it’s been a year already!! Wow!) –  20 something of them and has them scattered all over the living room…she tickles me playing with them. Like I mentioned a few days ago, she plays with 2 at a time and has a blast. I think this weather has gotten to her too…I know it has me. 

Beach music. This is the time of year that I would rather be on a Florida beach somewhere – anywhere – parked on a lounge chair, taking a nap,   watching the tide go in and out, or reading a book, and listening to the radio. I wonder sometimes how Mavis would react to being on a beach…watch out!  I might wind up saying, “It’s behind me, isn’t it?” Her reaction may cause our lives to never be the same again, or she may love it….I am pondering whether I would want to ever take that chance….nah, don’t think so!  Although, I think she would be a super cool cat with her own little lounger with her name on it, beach towel, sunglasses, and as much paper as she wants. Nah, don’t think so.

Mavis loves the radio.  I listen to the radio a great deal in the summertime…always have…it’s a beach thing to me even when I am not on a beach somewhere.  I love radio…brings back days when you did not go to the beach without a radio. We listen to Delilah on KTK at night and she especially loves her ads that sing her name, Delilah.  The music of the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s is very much a part of our favorite eras…sometimes we sing along to our favorite songs, like “I Ain’t Missing You At All,” (“since you’ve been gone, a-way” – pronounced a way), “I’ll Be Watching You,” “Girls Just Want To Have Fun,” anything by Blondie, “I Love Rock and Roll,” and the list goes on…and on. Mavis is such a hoot to have around.

For a cat that can be so wonderful, fun, my friend, etc. she can be so loud and, well, just plain mean.  I’ve written several times about how loud she is…I can hear her sometimes across the street letting me know that she is coming home for crying out loud. Exactly. She can be in the mood to pray with me in the morning when I first get up – remember when she got on my back once when I knelt to pray and she stayed there until I was finished? Then at times she is determined that I will not until she gets whatever it is she wants.  I always give thanks before I get up in the mornings then her breakfast is served while the coffee is brewing (if she lets me take the time, that is).  We have our game if “here’s Mr. Spoony Woony” and she jumps up and touches it – knowing what is coming next. Then there is “Soft Kitty.” Those characters on Big Bang Theory really started something for me – thank you all very much – with that song…I sing it far more often than I want to now to get her to sleep or to calm down.  Oh the joys.  Gotta go…it’s 6:15 a. m. on Thursday morning and she is getting loud.  Here we go.  She is looking for some paper. Later, ya’ll…and Go Gators!

Mavis Chronicles:  My little precious decided to celebrat the beginning of summer (yeah, celebrat!) this morning with a very looooong siesta on the futon after her breakfast was served.  Her majesty, the delicate princess, had dry Meow Mix, one of her favorite can foods – Friskies Chicken and Tuna in gravy, no less – and….are you all ready for this?!...Treats has just come out (as far as I know it’s new!) with two different kinds that include catnip specials!  She loves treats!  I look forward to Krazy Kat time – she loves it – go figure!  I just walked thru the living room to the kitchen.  She just finished her lunch and was lying on the floor.  When she saw me she raised her head and one paw, waved, and said, “Hi.” It sounded more like “Meaw…” but oh well.  It works. Guess she is ready now for her second siesta of the day…I seriously thought about it but as far as I could get….laundry day it seems.  She could care less.  She loves lying and sitting on the washer and dryer a lot so I really should allow her to at least put detergent in the wash and push the button to start the dryer at least once in a while…make herself useful for more than entertainment and waiting for announcements like “breakfast, lunch, dinner is served.” After all she is very much a part of the family. It is a beautiful sunshiny day here in the neighborhood today, and loving every minute of it.  We are both being a bit lazy today…it’s been a rough week but a very accomplished-a-ton week.  Last week too….I know that she must be exhausted…she sits and watches me for hours.  Or rolls over and speaks to me when I go by her latest resting area. Hope everyone had a great day too.  And a great weekend! Oh, she wanted me to let everyone know how much she appreciates all your comments.  She loves it. Later from Mavis Land.

BEACH MUSIC . This is the time of year that I would rather be on a Florida beach somewhere – anywhere – parked on a lounge chair, taking a nap,   watching the tide go in and out, or reading a book, and listening to the radio. I wonder sometimes how Mavis would react to being on a beach…watch out!  I might wind up saying, “It’s behind me, isn’t it?” Her reaction may cause our lives to never be the same again, or she may love it….I am pondering whether I would want to ever take that chance….nah, at times….don’t think so!  Although, I think she would be a super cool cat with her own little lounger with her name on it, beach towel, sunglasses, and as much paper as she wants or how much I could keep throwing at her, whichever comes first.  One major drawback to that is picking up what is left of the pieces of paper scattered along the beach. Nah, don’t think so.

  

Mavis and I escaped serious injury last night. Seriously.  I was taking a shower and Mavis wanted to be a whiiiinnnner…she whined the entire time I was in the shower.  She wanted her Treats.  “We all want something,” I yelled.  She came back with, “You ol meanie.” “One of my nephews said that to me when he was about 5…didn’t faze me then either,” I replied. “This made for a great beginning to kicking back and relaxing and enjoying the evening later.  As I was coming out, the shower curtain rod decided it was time to fall and fall it did….just barely missed me and I wasn’t so sure that Mavis may have been hit at first….she jumped and screamed, “YEOW!” even louder than her usual stuff…scared me half to death. I wasn’t sure who screamed louder.  I found her under the futon, freaked but not hurt, thank goodness.  If it had hit either of us we could have been seriously injured.  I told her later that the only place that would not have been injured if it had fallen on us would have been our heads. “Ha, ha,ha. You’re so funny…a real riot, you are.” “Well Mavis,” I said, I think it’s best to find something funny here since neither of us got hurt…sure wouldn’t want to see my precious kitty get hurt.”  Mavis jumped up on the futon, crawled into my lap, gave me a kitty-kiss on the arm, and went to sleep.  We both dozed off….we had just survived a very hairy experience.