Cat Fights

Dear John,

 

Hunter isn't speaking to me. I need you to come mediate and soothe hurt cat-feelings.

 

It's sibling rivalry. Every night I give out bedtime treats - Jethro gets his milkbone, and Hunter and Abby get cat treats and get to share my glass of milk with me. Last night Abby got there first for treats, then Hunter jumped up and joined us on the bed. I tried to give treats to both of them at the same time. Hunter stalked away, disdainful as only a cat can be, and has paid no attention to me since. To be sure he made his point, this morning he pooped in the litter box and didn't cover it up. They probably smelled it across town.

 

This, too, will pass. He's never gone longer than twenty-four hours without speaking to me. His attempts to snub me are so far from subtle that it's hard not to laugh. I finally told him, "You have a little sister now. Deal with it." He walked away, dripping injured pride from every pore.

 

My poor funny little creatures! Jethro gets jealous and has a needy attack. Hunter gets jealous and doesn't speak to me. Abby, being the youngest, doesn't get jealous. Yet. And here I am, an only child, trying to deal with issues of sibling rivalry and birth order, neither of which I know a single thing about.

 

But we muddle through and, in the end, we all love each other. Jethro never gets angry at Hunter or Abby. And Hunter is fine with Abby today, while he's not speaking to me. It just shows where on the totem pole I live!

 

If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Or you could just come by and laugh at all of this silliness. Or just come by. We miss you.

 

Adore you,

Joan.