Friday, July 11, 2008

I need some help.

Or maybe just some better soundproofing headphones...

Dunquin cannot stand the rental place, and every morning she throws herself down in front of the door and cries to be released from this unbearable prison. I let her out, and she promptly crosses the street to our REAL house, climbs up into the attic (I've left a ladder up because I am an ENABLER), and sleeps contentedly all day, sometimes crossing back over for lunch. (I don't leave food or water there for her, at least.)

This was a fine routine, except yesterday the demo crew came back to do the interior of the house. And between her deafness and their efficiency, it just seemed dangerous and risky to let her prowl around over there, so I kept her inside. And after FIVE SOLID HOURS of her crying, my nerves were raw and I couldn't take it anymore.

I shut her in a closet.

Before you get all indignant on my cat's behalf, can I just say she LOVED it in there? After five minutes I opened the door and peeked in and she was sitting in a basket full of blankets. She looked up at me, but made no move to leave, and most importantly, didn't cry. So I shut the door. After ten minutes, I opened it again and she was sound asleep. I left the door cracked, and tiptoed back to my desk. When I went to work a few hours later, she was still sleeping very soundly.

Although the results make it seem like a wonderful solution to incessant crying, I can almost promise I won't do that with my children.