Sunsilk was at the youngest age of all our adoptions. She came to us at 2 months old from the pound. I still remember the first time we saw her she had a cold and was sleepy so she seemed cute and lazy.

WRONG.

This kitten drove us CRAZY. She got into everything, got her claws into everything and got stuck in everything else.

Our worst fear was one day she would get stuck behind the washer or dryer. (Ridiculous I know, but Marmalade got stuck under the REFRIGERATOR once…)

…This makes it seem like we don’t keep tabs on our pets, but I swear we do!

Anyways, the first Christmas holidays we had Sunsilk we put up our tree as usual. We used a fake tree because of the pets, pine-infused water is toxic to cats and dogs.

One evening I was looking for Sunsilk. I checked in any possible place she might be and I could not find her! I started freaking out and yelling for my dad. We ran outside, checked the patio, came back inside, checked the closets, even opened all the drawers and cabinets JUST IN CASE. And yes, we did check the fridge.

We were traumatized. Sunsilk was a VERY SMALL cat. She was so tiny she fit in the toes of our shoes, which we did overturn JUST IN CASE. I checked under my trundle bed (one of her favorite rest spots was the open space when the bed was pulled out). In fact, once I was trying to push it in and could not figure out why it wasn’t closing properly…when I opened it to see if something had gotten caught…it was Sunsilk!

Anyways…

My father and I were at our wit’s end…what were we going to do?? When all of a sudden we heard the Christmas tree rustling.

The Christmas tree? An inanimate object moving? What?

We checked every wrung of the tree and saw our darling curled up on the branches.

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Indian pets are intelligent right? 

Wrong.

I keep an old towel on my bed for Saachi and Affie to sleep on. It always stinks so I keep it on the floor when not in use.

Saachi came over and started “woof”-ing at me, ‘Let me up, let me up!’. 

“Ok, you guys are allowed up if you bring me the towel.” (My spine is still wonky and I had no intention of getting out of bed).

Affie brought her pillow.

“No, the TOWEL”.

Saachi brought me her toy.

“Towel!”

Affie brought me another toy.

“TOWEL!”

…

They brought me everything AROUND the towel, but somehow managed to leave the towel in the exact same spot.

You can see some of the other lovely things they brought me!

http://news.discovery.com/animals/pets/cats-adopt-human-habits-130116.htm

I  keep a litter box downstairs, in my bathroom, because sometimes Sunsilk is too lazy to go upstairs and will pee on the rug. Yeah, I know, she is a total brat but what can I do when she acts out?

She started following me into the bathroom and using the litter box at the same time as I did.

I thought this was one of Sunsilk’s strange quirks, however, according to the above link, this is relatively normal. My speculation is it has something to with herd mentality and safety in numbers.

With that said, I have never ever seen or even heard of the following!

About a month ago, Affie followed Sunsilk and me into the bathroom. Sunsilk was urinating in the litter box (thankfully!) and Affie tried to crawl in with her.

Words cannot even explain what Affie did. I do not think she was trying to push her out, I think she wanted to be close to Sunsilk. Sunsilk was not too pleased. Since she was peeing she really could not do much but she definitely gave Affie the “WTF are you doing?!”

This was probably the strangest thing I have ever seen my pets do. I mean, of all the things, a dog crawling in with a cat into the litter box. I just do not know. I…I mean…what?

I knew they were close but I never thought they were THAT close!

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

For centuries, cats have been used to curb the rodent population in the home.

Marmalade seems to have skipped that gene.

One holiday, I guinea-pig sat for a friend. I fed them lettuce twice a day while Marmalade watched from the corner. Her pupils dilated and her tail shook back and forth. Every time she took a step forward to investigate she ran back to her corner.

After minutes, she finally came right up to the cage. The guinea pig looked over at her, squeaked and moved towards her. Marmalade jumped and ran out of the room! And this was after two or three days!

Marmalade may be the alpha-female of my pack but she has a soft heart 🙂

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

They all know the usual commands: sit, stay, come, go away. 

But I taught each one a special trick. 

Marmalade “says please” if she wants me to feed her. (So it is more of a yowl but it is a very specific meow)

Sunsilk “kisses” on command. This is a sweet little touch-nose!

Affie “wipes her paws” on the rug before entering the house. This is an on-command full body shake which she only does on a rug or towel! When she is feeling lazy she’ll shake water all over the hardwood, which I so lovingly clean up. 

Saachi “knocks” on the door. This in retrospect was a bad idea. Every front door to every house we have ever taken her to has some very permanent scratch marks! …Whoops 🙂 

They are all extremely different and they all have their special little ways! 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

My dogs were well-trained. Heck, my cats were just as well-trained.

I am a veterinary technician and I know how to handle animals.

Even before she heard the word “sit”, I trained Saachi not to jump up on people.

I trained Affie and Saachi not to beg. They lay peacefully under the table.

They sat in the side room, patiently, until their food was prepared and placed on the floor.

All I had to do was point a finger and they knew to leave the room.

One look and they jumped off the bed….

And then…

I went to college.

Let me preface this by saying my family is Bengali. Bengalis spoil their children and if they do not have children, they spoil their pets.

I came home for my first fall holiday…

I was eating a boiled egg when all of a sudden, Affie crawled up my leg, into my lap and stuck her big fat nose in my mouth.

I pushed her off the chair and stared at my dad. What had happened in the short months I had been away??

The next day we took Saachi to the vets. I put her in the back seat of the car. I went to sit in the front passenger seat.

Saachi had other ideas.

She rushed out from the back of the car and tried to push me off the seat!

My dad was chuckling because we were actually wrestling. But let me tell you, if a mastiff does not want you to sit somewhere, chances are, you’re not going to sit there.

However, there was no way I was going to let this dog push me out of the front and make me sit in the back. So, we compromised. She sat on my lap all the way to the vets.

Five years after this occurrence, I have never quite been able to get these dogs as well trained as before. But, they still are my perfect little angels.

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Imagine nap time at the zoo…

I am sleeping on my side of the bed. Sunsilk and Marmalade are on the other side, one at my head and the other at my feet. Saachi is asleep on the floor beneath them.

Affie feels left out.

She jumps up between the cats and tries to lay down. Sunsilk will have no such thing.

::SMACK::

Poor Affie flies and lands on Marmalade, who is asleep. Marmalade, startled out of her skin, leaps in the air, hits the wall and lands on Saachi.

Saachi wakes up and throws Marmalade off then chases her out of the room.

Affie watches curiously from the safety of the pillow, curls up, and goes to sleep.

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.