Raining Cats & Dogs

December 1, 2016

I think I damaged my cat. I’m starting to think that cats are not meant to be dried with a hair drier. Speaking of my zoo, it is truly raining cats and dogs over here – I am glad we don’t have to leave the house much these days… I was feeling sorry for our poor flock, so I opened the window and two wet fur balls jumped in, making my floor and carpets a total mess. You can imagine what it did to my OCD, ha ha. I quickly threw some bath towel on Sven, but he was not impressed. So I figured, hey, why not giving my cats some pampering and pleasant warm air… After all, that’s what “pet spa” does, right? So I grabbed Sven, who was looking more like a rat than a cat, as his fur was completely soaked and stuck to his skin. I was holding him with one hand, while switching the hairdryer with the other… I’ve never seen a cat jumping up to the ceiling in a split second. I probably should have stopped right there but I figured I would show him it’s nice and fun. Boy was I wrong! He was so mad at me. Refused to eat his favorite

food and come to me to pet him… I mean it is serious, folks! Seeing another storm coming, I let the cats in again but Sven was begging to go out. He would rather sit in the rain and hail than potentially face another hairdryer episode. Totally broken trust. I hope he’ll eventually forgive me, though cats never forget. 

Again, I see a lot of similarities between cats and autistic kiddos, especially my Booboo Bear. It’s hard to gain trust with him, but once you do, he’s your best friend. But try to promise something and then forget you made a promise… Hope is crushed, trust is broken. He’d rather sit outside in the rain than be in the same room as the “traitor.” Even when I get him his favorite snacks and (guilty!) chocolate, he is not interested. Punishment! Eventually he’d come to look at the bribery items and nonchalantly take one small bite, to quickly run with the entire “taboo food”. Yes, he forgives but he never forgets. 

I wish I could hear his thoughts… Our biggest priority, once we get to the States, will be teaching him new ways of communication. PECS are very limited, and he keeps losing the pictures. I want him to write full sentences. I want him to learn to type, if possible. Sign language is very good but again limited, as not many people other than family and therapists understand it. I was testing “PECS”-like apps alas Booboo is not willing to use them. Maybe some therapists there can convince him to start using it. They are great because you can keep adding sentences, individual pictures etc. Worth a shot!