Just as Christmas Eve was mainly about our niece and nephew’s new baby, Christmas Day was about Scout and her three kittens. Actually, it’s about Scout and her only slightly younger than her adult cats. Until next July, Scout is four and Beatrix, Luna, and Willow are three. Beatrix is about the same size as Scout, but Luna and Willow (who were nearly identical when they were kittens) are bigger. When I try to pick up Luna or Willow, they let out a squeak because even they can’t handle their own weight. With one cat, it’s easier to monitor what he or she eats. With four cats in one house, it’s almost impossible to regulate what they eat without separating them. We will not do that, so here we are.
Christmas is a favorite of cats everywhere, not because of presents but because of all the wrapping paper and boxes. We got them presents, but we know the real present is what the presents come in. Walking plush cats held their attention for a few minutes, but only one present captured their attention for the rest of the day and days to come. The actual present was for Patti. It was on her wish list. The main part that related to Patti was its color. It was pink. I had a dilemma trying to wrap it because I couldn’t lift it if it was all together. It was the kind of present that must be built to be appreciated. Just as parents have been building bikes, play sets, and dollhouses, I had to give Patti one part of the gift. The crucial part of the gift was in its construction.
What is this gift that must be constructed for both Patti and the cats? It’s a cat tree, of course. Our old cat tree was breaking apart and looked as if cats had destroyed it because they had. The building of the new tree began after we had finished all the other presents. There’s no rest for a cat dad even on Christmas day. I built the old tree years ago for Slash, Blaze, and Quest, so I completely ignored the instructions. Oh wait, I followed the instructions step by step. As I worked, the cats supervised and helped me test its sturdiness. When I got to the second level, Scout decided that was her level. She climbed into the little pink house and made herself comfortable.
About halfway through building the tree, I took a picture of myself. My face was completely covered in sweat. As it got higher, it got easier. Eventually, it was fully built and planted in place of the old tree. I had to disassemble the old tree and pile it up near other piles of stuff in our living room. We don’t really have a living room. It’s just a place where we put stuff that doesn’t fit anywhere else. Quickly, the cat tree filled up with cats. They were climbing it, playing with the fuzzy balls hanging down, and testing out the new fuzzy beds. The new tree wasn’t as high as the old one, but it had more places to call their own. It was also wider. Part of it was just barely enough to get the door open. This was going to take some time to get used to.
I should mention one present Patti gave me because it’s worth mentioning. They were little Funko characters of Patti, me, Scout, Beatrix, Willow, and Luna. It will go right beside the other Funko characters I have on my wall of toys. I showed it to people at work. They were, of course, super jealous. They wanted their own versions of themselves with their own pets. Speaking of other pets, our former residents in the House of Cat were two of Scout’s boys who are now living in a coworker’s house. My coworker sent me a picture of them from Christmas on their new cat tree. Apparently, it is the season for cat trees.
Thoughts from Life 
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