Complicated House Plant Energy
I have come to the conclusion that I am a house plant with complicated emotions. When I am feeling down, sunshine and water help me feel much better. The days where the sun is streaming in through my windows always have boosted my mood.
This last week I decided to change out the curtains in my bedroom. I went from semi opaque white curtains, to a set of sheer panels with yellow panels on the outsides. The day after I got them set up, I woke up to extra sunshine in my bedroom. The extra light made me feel brighter from the moment I opened my eyes.
Erza is also a big fan of the new curtains. She has always taken naps on my bed, but now she will firmly place herself in the sun puddles that stream through in the afternoons. My windows face west, so I get quite a bit of afternoon sunshine, and Erza is thrilled with this whole set up. I have also spoiled her a little bit and gotten a cat hammock that suction cups to the window so that she can look outside while she lays in the sun.
The added sunshine to my bedroom has been helping me feel brighter and more ready for the day. I also have the light that comes from the grow light in my bedroom, that has been placed to try and assist my plants. With a little bit of water added, courtesy of my bedside water bottle, I feel a boost in my overall mood by the time I am dressed and getting ready to face the world outside my bedroom door.
I have heard the comparison of wearing a fitness tracker and likening it to being a Tamagotchi. The little animal that you are trying your best to keep alive is you. I also think it would be wonderful if I could have a tracker for my plants. Either way, I feel like the comparison also applies to myself and my house plants. A little bit of water, and a decent amount of sunshine can do wonders.
Feline Smarts
In the past I am sure I have mentioned Erza’s intelligence. She has shown me her ability to think through problems and figure things out since the moment I met her at five months old. Her first display of intellect was through her pole vaulting over the baby gate that was meant to keep the kittens in their room. She wanted to explore, and seized the opportunity.
Her latest escapades are what has me writing today though. This whole situation requires a bit of background knowledge. Maggie, the buff colored cocker spaniel who has claimed my mom, has a tendency to be possessive over her toys and her food bowl. This happens less so with the other dogs, because she has to share some of those toys, but her balls are only for her to play with and she likes it that way. When the cats get to close she will grump and growl at them to make sure they are aware that she is watching them and that she will not tolerate them trying to take what she has claimed as hers.
Erza has found a way to negate this perfect storm kind of situation. I have noticed that when Maggie is hanging out in the living room, which she is one of her most likely nap spaces, Erza will start to communicate with Maggie as soon as she enters the same room. Erza has started to use her voice, and will meow at Maggie, as if to let her know what her intentions are for entering the room. It really looks/feels like Erza is letting Maggie know that she “comes in peace”.
Now Erza has certainly never had a problem with using her voice in the past. She will meow at me almost hourly, to communicate her needs, which usually involve food. Erza has also been known to meow at my family members, like she is just having a chat. The moments that will always make me smile are when she meows good night to my parents. She likes to snuggle with my mom for a bit before bed. So I will go and collect my gremlin, the nickname she has gained for her evening antics, and take her back up to my room so my parents can close their bedroom door and sleep in peace. As I leave their room, Erza will often meow at them to say good night.
What has made me a proud cat mom most in this situation is that Erza thought through the problem and found a solution that plays to her strengths. She uses her voice to make Maggie aware of her intentions. The best part though, is that it actually works. Maggie has stopped grumping at her when Erza meows and communicates. I have seen it happen several times now and I was pretty shocked the first time, but now, every time I see it, I feel like a proud cat mom.
My parents have dubbed Erza the MENSA cat. MENSA is a society of geniuses. When I see these examples of her thinking through a problem and finding a solution that works for her, I certainly agree with the nickname. Now, if only I was as proud when she uses those smarts when she is bored. Let’s just say, I will have to start cat proofing multiple things around the house if she keeps up her antics.
An Extrovert and An Introvert
You might have heard of the idea that the way an introvert makes friends is to be adopted by an extrovert and then become friends with their group of people. I certainly have had moments where I felt like I was along for the ride. As an introvert, I must spend time by myself, or even with a few close people, to recharge my “Extrovert Battery”. Otherwise, I am not very pleasant to be around in a social environment.
Some may not be aware that our furry companions also share these tendencies. My brother’s cat, Gobi, is very shy and it takes some time for him to warm up to company and make his way down the stairs to socialize. I would classify him as an introvert without any hesitation. Erza on the other hand, is an extrovert through and through. She wants to say hello to everyone, give them affection, and then receive some in return.
On Christmas Eve, when my Mom’s side of the family gathered at my home to celebrate, Erza started to make her rounds. She set up camp on a dinning room chair and said hello to everyone as they passed by. Once we started to move the furniture to make the table big enough for the whole family to sit around, Erza took that opportunity to try her best to steal a seat at the dinner table. As people started to find their chair, Erza was shuffled around until she ended up sitting next to me. My cousin, the last one to sit down, pulled out his chair and found Erza staring up at him as if to inform him that that seat was already taken. I couldn’t help but giggle a little at her antics as I picked her up and placed her on the couch to allow room for my cousin to join the rest of the humans at the table.
Due to her very obvious social nature, I have been having moments of laughter. This introvert adopted an extrovert. Since I am her link to the outside world, I will have to try and be more social, just to satisfy her social needs. Maintaining her social calendar is just one more duty to add to the list of things I must do as a Cat Mom.