Let me start by explaining the boldness of this particular cat. The unfortunate reality in a college town is that many students decide they need a kitten (or a puppy) then at graduation or simply at the end of the semester when they go home or sometimes because the animal in question is no longer a "baby" they abandon it. It is NOT all students, regardless - it happens.
One day about 6 or 7 years ago now this little cat showed up in my driveway with this demanding, strident and really unattractive meow. She was a pretty little cat but this grating and awful noise she made - let's just say it was offputting!
Certain that there was some sort of acceptance for cats in the household -- as witnessed by the presence of our Emporer of a cat - Tiberius J Cat -- she insisted on hanging around and continued to make this screeching horrible sound.
For 2 or 3 days she persisted in hanging around and meowing. On Day 3 as I was attempting to remove something from the trunk of my car she jumped into the trunk made eye contact and meowled stridently at me. Well, that is a bold little cat and I told her she was.
Okay - I am a little bit of a soft touch but it dawned on me - this cat is really hungry and I could not let her starve. So - you guessed it - I fed her and therefore she claimed ownership of us and her rightful place. My son named her Livia. Of course he insists on giving all of our cats their middle initial as well so her name is Livia J Cat
When we moved from that house 5 years ago, naturally we brought her with us. Mind you she has NEVER strayed off of the property at that house nor at our present location.
Once fed, she stopped making the ugly sound completely. You have to admire a creature who so insistently seeks what she needs, yeah?
Example 2 of her boldness: When we moved out here (we live in what my sons would definitely call the sticks) I would let her in the house - at first. She insisted on getting up on the dining room table and I was not having that. I know to discipline a cat you don't spank them, you grab them by the scruff of the neck and lower their shoulders to the ground with a hiss as their mothers did. I did this to her on her last day in the house ever. She turned and bit and scratched and hissed at me as if SHE were in charge and I had better kowtow to her. Thus, her last day in the house ever...
Now Livia has a partial hearing loss. She is not completely deaf but there is a definite loss there. My husband tested this "theory" of mine one day when he was in the garage and needed to use his bandsaw. The royal empress Livia (in her mind, anyway) was nearby and he didn't want for a sudden cat attack of panic to occur so before he began working he turned on the saw and watched her. Not a muscle twitch, not a whisker twitch, no response. So happily he sawed away. In order to call her I sometimes have to clap to get her attention so the vibrations will get to her and she will pay heed. If she does not want to come in at night or whenever, she will NOT. If you attempt to pick her up - well let us say I have some suede work gloves I don in order to pick her up when we insist on putting her in the garage for her safety.
The other night she did not want to come in. She was happily ensconced on a porcelain stand we have by our front door which she, apparently, considers her pedestal. It seemed a nice enough evening, she was entirely unafraid of being there and so I let her stay there.
In the night, torrential downpour, thunder, lightning. I woke up in the wee hours and thought - well somebody is going to be happy to come in when I get up!
I am an early riser and when I got up I made some coffee and started my "zoo duties" of feeding and caring for the cats. I went to the front door and she was not there. She frequently will go to the back porch during weather and it was still rumbling and flashing, although it was not pouring down rain at that time. I called her, clapped for her, called again and looked for her a number of times. No response.
All morning I looked for her and called her. About 1 in the afternoon my husband calls me. "Honey, I'm at the triplex and you won't believe this - Livia is here, she was up in the under body of the truck bed."
She had crawled up in there to get out of the weather and had stayed there - through my searches for her before he left for work, through the trip to the Interstate, through the 70 MPH trip on the Interstate, and had even stayed up thre when my husband got to work and parked the truck. He left work on his lunch time to go to the triplex he owns in order to take our recycling there. When he moved the canister full of recycling in the truck bed THAT finally was more than she could bear and she left the truck and hid somewhere.
I drove down town and looked for her for an hour. I had with me a cat recovery kit consisting of 1) a cat carrier, 2) a towel to wrap her in if necessary, 3) a spoon and a can of cat food.
I met with no success and even went to the funeral home where my husband works in order to look there in CASE she had crawled back up in the truck. Nothing.
I went back this morning agains fully equipped with my cat recover kit - and also a little dish to put the cat food in so IF I found her she could eat without cutting her little face OR if I had to resort to opening the can to attract her I could at least not have cat food spilled all over the place on the ride home.
I got to the Triplex and called and called with no response. Putting my "cat thinkin cap on" I determined what I would do if I were a frightened little cat who did not like to travel far from my security base and I was mysteriously transported to a very strange place. Aha!! Over there in the cover of the overgrown greenery on a back porch that is never used! Perfect - no one can see me, I'm off the ground and I can think about my situation as I recover from my fear and DAMN!! I am hungry!!
So I walked over closer to that area, called, tapped the can with the spoon - a sure fire way to get a cat's attention regardless of hearing issues - and I hear a little meow. I persist and sure enough, a little cat face appears, she recognized me and had quite a series of complaints about hunger first and foremost and about how very much she does NOT like to travel and where exactly am I any way mom?
I open the can and profer it to her in the little dish and she happily begins to eat although you can tell she is still a little freaked out by her travels. I go to get the cat carrier and slip the food dish well back in to it. I gently grab her up and attempt to place her in the carrier as well.
Did I mention she hates to get in the cat carrier? She will NOT be put in. I pick her up and pet her and try to calm her. She does indeed calm a bit but still refuses admission to the carrier. Another petting and soothing and I determine if I can just get her part way in I can push her with the closing door and - oh yeah baby! Success. She is in the carrier although not really happy about it. Then when I pick it up the swaying of it starts her fright anew. So I pick it up like a box and put it in the car, cover it with a blanket and get in the front seat and start up the motor. Total quiet and apparent calm reigns in the back seat. For a while. Now for the 15 mile trip back home through town.
We arrive home with relatively little complaints from the back seat and upon her release you can see she still is a little shaken by her adventure but ever so happy to be home at last. Maybe no more road trips for her..
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