Professor Oscar

Well, you know how interested I am in life-work balance!  I’m already quite skilled with the art of resting.  My skill at perching on the back of every couch and on the window ledges throughout the house, on the edges of desk and side table and bookcase – even on the highest spots I can reach in the house.

 

Anyway, wanted to share with you all what I’ve managed to teach her during this semester.  As a student, she has proven to be one of my great accomplishments.  She is rather set in her thinking and ways.  But then I am THE professor and she had no chance really once I turned on my powers of persuasion and demonstrated the effectiveness of my pretty little claws!

Scritching 101+

First I taught her how to scritch my cheeks with both hands, so she was unable to focus on anything else and my ecstasy was delved deeply into for up to ten minutes, which, sadly is the limit of her ability to concentrate on pleasing me in this way. 
 

Then I taught her that when I want to sit in her lap, she must stop everything, including that silly tap tapping on her many keys to focus only on me again.  If she is wearing those short clothes, she must keep a pillow case at hand always to put quickly over her legs. 

 

Finally she must let me take whatever time I deem necessary to test her patience, by turning around and around until I find just the right spot to settle. 

And if I am not entirely satisfied or see movement out the window or hear noises down the dark stairs, I may jump right up and leave her wondering what I am on about.  How I love to watch her surprised face under these conditions!

Like Chocolate

Also, when she is tired and ready to watch TV, she must always remember to keep the pillow case at hand so she can put it on her legs as I hop up onto the back of the couch to startle her and then slowly and gracefully step onto the pillowcase already in place for me! 

There I sit and if she is really fortunate and manages to stroke me just so, I reward her with a hearty session of purring.  You could think purring is like chocolate for her!  So easily manipulated!

Fresh Air Exercise

I’ve taught her to leave many windows open, although she still thwarts me by keeping them open only enough for me to sniff the beautiful, free and fresh air...as I dream of lazing about on that green stuff that covers the yard below.

I’ve taught her to brush me and stop when my paw touches her hand and I get THAT look in my eyes that says, if you move one more millimetre, I will scratch you beyond an inch of your life!

Night Classes, Too!

She has learned to place a very nice soft, flannel sheet on the end of her bed so I can cuddle into it and I think she is happy that it keeps me sometimes in one place). 

Oh and she never gets up from her chair at her desk that I do not claim this prized seat!  It is so cute to watch her try to move me without disturbing my rest.

 

But she has also learned that I love to roam around her as she sleeps and rest in various spots next to her body, such as in the crook of her knees or in her arms – she is such a good cuddler and never misses an opportunity to scritch me - and in such a professional manner, I can only imagine you have left the best of instruction behind!

Diet & Health

I did refuse to eat the food she offered me recently!  Certainly she could not expect me to eat without being fussy!  So I made her go to the local Woolies and exchange some of these silly flavours for my favourite.  Otherwise I would just keep being pernickety and was close to missing the box again.

Hide & Seek!

My greatest training endeavour however, will surprise you, especially you Miglio...she has FINALLY learned to play tag and hide and seek!  She was so slow in realising this was what I intended for her to do and you would have thought it was a difficult as jumping through hoops! 

 

But just this past weekend, I got that gleam in my eye and stomped my paws at her and made her start running around and hiding behind doors.  It has made her so happy to finally GET with the program.  But this special game can only be played when I say so, though she has continued to try to encourage me.  (/me rolls my eyes!).

 

All in all, I am getting her in shape, but sense she is growing a bit sad for some reason. 

For me, I am just wondering when you will come and get me and give me a proper pet!  I know she will eventually get it and I have been more than patient and gracious with her clumsy efforts.  Yet there is no one like you and Miglio!