One of the first things I noticed when I returned from Cardinal Cooke rehab was that there was no furry critter in the house watching me and jumping on the kitchen counter when I made a sandwich.
I knew of course that I had given Mia to my niece after my strokes. And of course my niece had fallen in love with her.
Even before the strokes it was getting difficult to take care of her. It turns out that I also had / have spinal stenosis and carrying litter and even bending over to clean her box was painful.
A few things changed tho. For one thing my medicaid came thru and that meant I could have a home attendant four days a week for 4 hours a day.
But I still didn’t think I could get Mia back. It turned out that my niece, was working such long hours, that Mia was often left alone all day. Sometimes she had to travel. for a few days on business
And she loved Mia so much that she thought she might be better off with me – a guy who still can’t, or shouldn’t leave the house on his own.
So on Sunday (today is Tuesday) she was returned to me.
Whether she remembered me or not, she definitely remembered her safe places. Within minutes she had taken the two jumps up into the loft, and gone to her old corner where she could survey her territory.
I just left her alone. Cats unlike dogs are very sensitive to changes in their surroundings. I just took a nap.
I awoke two hours later to Mia, on the bed, nuzzling my face and purring.
She knew where she was from the beginning but needed time to figure it all out. Once the territory was settled she could deal with the human cats.
And a day later she was up to her old shenanigans: ripping up every piece of paper she came across; waking me at 4:30 am, and grooming herself for hours. And filled with endless curiosity.
Top on her list of potential predators was the one-cup Keurig coffee maker which makes a roaring noise when it spits out the coffee. I began feeding her her favorite wet food when I made coffee and now she sits by her dish and waits for her breakfast as the Keurig roars.
Welcome home.
P.S. while I was writing this she somehow, caused me to knock over my morning cup of coffee. I think I was trying to clear something from the desk so she could jump into the closet (see picture) and I must’ve knocked over the coffee cup.
Small price to pay for love and entertainment.
BECK 