Bad Day

Stomped around for most of it snapping at people.

My Great Kitten Clean-up was thwarted by a nasty tummy ache this morning. I still pottered around and did stuff, very slowly, and got some some crap cleared away, but definitely nothing energetic. Neither the bleach nor the mop made an appearance.

The kittens nearly drove me truly, honestly, mad. Genki is in the genkan, in isolation as her ringworm is healing more slowly. Meanwhile Cinnamon and Vanilla are still in the living room, but spending more time than before in the cage, partly because I feel so guilty letting them run free while Genki cries and mewls out in the hall. Consequently, they have become much more reluctant to go in the cage, or to stay there when put in. They were quite happy to do so before, because they knew they'd be let out pretty much as soon as they miaowed once and put on a cute face. Extra points for all looking at me at the same time with ears pricked up and all moving their heads in unison to follow me and I moved from  place to place. SO cute.

But now, their only goal is to GET OUT.

And get out they did. Over and over and over.

At one point between about 10 and 11, I was trying to get them back into the cage, anticipating a more general clean-up in and around the specifics, meaning leaving the door open for me to come and go, meaning everyone had to be back in her cage. I would put Genki in her cage, and come back into the living room to see either Vanilla or Cinnamon wandering about the room. Back they would go, and I would wait just a few seconds to see which corner or bar they were fitting through, shove them back, and tape down the net, more firmly tie the second cage to the first, or add a peg or something... just in time to see Genki streak past, having escaped herself. By the time I caught her, I could hear V or C starting to mewl and climb and struggle and squeeze, and by the time I chucked G back in her cage, one of them would be out again, and it would start all over, and honestly this happened about ten times in a row, with only a few seconds spare to try to close the gap where they had escaped. I had masking tape between the buttons of the net, pegs holding corners, extra caging on the sides tied with wool, and even a cushion taped to the side of one cage. In the end I got so mad, I put the naughty pair in the travel cat box. When the claws started to show through the sides of that, I threw a sweater over it, and they FINALLY gave up and went to sleep (I had blocked Genki's favorite escape route with a cushion in the meantime).

By now I felt so behind, and like I was running in one spot! I went shopping for cat food and things for dinner, and bought some netting to add to the cages. I really wanted - and needed - a nap, but got so busy again, cleaning the cage and clearing out the computer corner and cutting the net and cooking tea and taking Erica to karate and then well here we are, with kittens still escaping all over the place.

I just added the nets. Vanilla is half out. Yay! Success! She could not get further than her head. Genki is crying LOUDLY - while means she is stuck. Escape is usually silent. Vanilla just tried - and failed - another corner. I still anticipate a long night, waking up to chase kittens...