Saturday, June 09, 2007

Cat in the sink















Sometimes I think I have a
Dr Dolittle-esque rapport with my animals. The Grey Mare communicates through body language and subtle nuances; my two cats are more vocal. I chat away to them all and am convinced they understand every word I say.

It would be fair to say that the cats understand me better than I sometimes understand them. Their obsession with the bathroom sink is a key area of confusion. Even if I have just filled their water dish, they will turn their back on it in preference for water straight out of the tap. They are such connoisseurs of what they drink, I reckon they’d be feline versions of Jilly Goolden if they could work the corkscrew.

However, their interest in the sink goes beyond drinking out of the tap. Wombat, my black and white man cat, is especially keen. If no water is forthcoming, he will settle into the sink and curl up in utter bliss. He has the choice of armchairs, a sofa and my bed as snooze spots (all of which he does utilise), but time and time again, he returns to the sink.

I think being contrary is a key component of being a cat.



23 comments:

Gill said...

cats always seem to have a 'favourite' spot and will sit there for weeks but then they suddenly go off it and won't go back there- they behave in a similar way with their 'favourite' cat food too.

Omega Mum said...

Have you tried him with a spa bath?

dulwichmum said...

I just love cats. One of my darling kitties destroyed the roof of my husbands car with his long tallons! He has been sent to live with Grandma. I am disgusted!

Yorkshire Pudding said...

I am not a bat man or a super man but a cat man. In my life there have been three important cats and I have loved, really loved them all. For the full twenty years of my childhood there was always Oscar then for the first sixteen years of my married life there was always Blizzard and now for the last eight years there has been Boris. He was waiting for us tonight when we came back up the hill from the pub. He rolled over on his back and invited me to massage his belly. All cats are different if you only take the time to observe. Actually I envy the cat. No bills to pay. No clock to watch. And no moral panic if engaged in serial impregnation. Miaow!

Mopsa said...

Mine loves to drink the sudsy remnants immediately I step from the shower....do you think that suggests hero worship on his behalf? I take it as such.

Anonymous said...

Cat's are lovely creatures, so intelligent. That's a great picture by the way! Crystal x

Brom said...

I've heard about the "Cat in the Hat" but this story really sinks to different levels.

Nunhead Mum of One said...

I'm really a dog person and I think the cat I had as a child knew that. She'd sit and play for hours with everyone but me.....she used to sit on the stairs and attack my ankles as I passed her. I loved her though and was a slave to her needs - many was the time that my fourteen year old self would take winkles out of their shells for my beloved Cindy. Was she grateful? Was she hell - such a diva!

rilly super said...

cats of my aquaintance always seem to have preferred to drink from a muddy puddle or weedy pond rather than tap water. perhaps this is some kind of regression to the serengetti. I think those fake curled up cats you can buy are much easier to manage

Natural Blonde said...

I do love the expression on his face...as if he's just humouring you! And he's the one in the sink!

nunheadmumofone, I had a cat, a big old ginger tom, who could actually corner me in a room!

It was definitely a love/hate relationship though..when I went off to university he moved to the house next door, not coming back until I came back from my post-uni travels when he turfed up the evening before I was due back!

Zig said...

it's a basin!

Me said...

Never have I seen a cat who wanted to be in a sink. That defeats the purpose of being one!

Anonymous said...

Is that your cat eminem ? So cute !!!

Does remind me somewhat that when very young indeed I had to go and stay with my 'Aunty Betty' when my mum had to go into hospital - she bathed me in the kitchen sink !!

Anonymous said...

dulwich mum - i am shocked that your hubby thinks more of his bloody car than of the cat !! I think he should be the one sent to live with his mother in law - preferably after his bobbles have been spayed !! Grrr !

Anonymous said...

quick folks - rilly super is slipping behind into the silver medal position- we can do better than that can't we ??

yp - that post has given me an alarming vision of a yorkshire man in a cat suit with a whip in his hand..

Come back Halle Berry, we forgive u..

Anonymous said...

Actually, dulwich mum, having re-read your post, I am not convinced that it is the kittie who has been sent to Grandma's house..still I am sure you let him back at the weekend for some 'Friskies'..

Karen said...

I have a photo of my last cat (RIP) sat in the sink. He too spurned the water bowl and preferred the tap. He was a bit dense though and would often get wet!

I have a photgraph very similar to yours M&M and is actually a very similar cat!

Nothing could make me get rid of a cat - it would just be tough if it had damaged the car.

I miss having a cat soooooo much but was really chuffed when I managed to give one a fuss the other day. It was sat on the college wall with just its head stuck out from between foliage. It loved the stroke and I could have quite happily but it in my bag but I can't do it coz I know how sad I was when mine got catnapped!

Arthur Clewley said...

You are not alone M&M, as well as the comments here there is a whole website called catsinsinks.com

Anonymous said...

Puss looks like he is 'dressed for dinner'. By the way, what do you call a cat that has too many toes ?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6741167.stm

Omega Mum said...

They have that knack of looking totally superior no matter what the occasion or level of embarrassment. I could really use that.

Pig in the Kitchen said...

is the sink dry? I thought they hated water.
Pigx

Anonymous said...

Thankyou all for your interest in my sink obsession. I am glad to hear I am not alone in this. I just need to convince the mother that this is the case. I think I shall ask her to upload my photo onto the website dedicated to this wonderful feline sport.

Miaw Ciao

dulwichmum said...

Oh Anonymous,

You know you could just be right! I think chopping off his love equipment could be a little dramatic, but he can certainly swap places with Krug and go to live with Grandma.

DM