Not So Subtle Differences

I've realized that having a kitten is kind of like playing that game "What's different in these two pictures?" on a daily basis. This is that game where you look at two pictures of the same room and try to find 8 subtle differences. Having a kitten is the live version of this, except you never get to see the two pictures together at the same time. Here are some of the "subtle" differences I would notice in my apartment after getting up in the morning or getting home from work.

Exhibit A: The mail

This is one of Bailey's favorite games: sorting our mail for us. She likes jumping onto this table and batting at the letters (not magazines because those are too big) until they fall on the ground, where she bats at them more.

Once I had a couple of important letters about taxes up there. Bailey hid them behind the trash can. I guess you can say she put them where they belong.

Exhibit B: Netflix DVDs and video games

I'm not sure how she gets up there, but Bailey has jumped onto one of the shelves that has all our DVDs and video games and dragged down Wii Sports Resort and whatever Netflix movie we have.

This bookshelf is really rickety and I have a slight fear that it will collapse at any moment, but clearly Bailey's super-cat agility (and the fact she probably only weighs 4 lbs) isn't too much for the bookshelf to handle.

Exhibit C: The cabinets

Recently, Bailey learned that she can open all our kitchen cabinets at ground level. She had a blast with this. I did not. Her bag of dry food was in one of the cabinets, and instead of eating from her bowl (which is ALWAYS FULL: write that down, I do not starve my kitten), she would rip little pieces of paper off her bag of dry food while trying to pull it out.

We now have a 12-pack of Coke Zero sitting in front of that door along with a 10-lb weight ball blocking it so she can't open it. I used packing tape and taped the other doors shut. I bought baby-proof locks for the doors a week ago, I just haven't gotten around to installing them because my current solution is just so brilliant.

Exhibit D: The broom

Despite having what I thought must have been a traumatic incidence behind the stove (see previous post), Bailey still goes behind it. How she pushes over the broom is beyond me, but I came home to this today.

I'm hoping she just loses interest in that space because I threw out all the "toys" there. And it's gross. I wanted to give her a bath again tonight knowing she was back there. But I didn't, because I am merciful.

Usually when I find these things, I get a little annoyed and grumble to myself while putting everything back in its place. But then Bailey's all like

And then I'm all like "Ahhh TOO CUTE here have a treat! Have another treat! Have TEN MORE TREATS!"

Which probably just encourages mail sorting, bookshelf jumping, cabinet opening, and stove exploring.

Whatever.