Sam Takes a Trip

So Sam has pretty much been a pain in the ass since the day he showed up at my door. He disturbs the peace, tries to be the dominant male, and even makes the other cats do his grooming for him. But every once in a while he has really sweet moments, like when he cuddles up in my lap and goes to sleep. At the very least, he's quiet for a little while.

Living in a tiny apartment with him was a nightmare. There just wasn't enough room. He started doing better once we moved into the house and he had the run of it and the backyard. He did even better during the short time we had a roommate. I guess he figured it just wasn't worth competing with a 6'3" guy for dominance, so I found him sleeping under the bed most of the time. But since Brad moved out, Sam's been reverting to his old ways--with added annoyances. First, he sprayed in the house. Ick! Smelly! Disgusting!! Then he started clawing the furniture. Then he kept me awake at all hours with his loud meowing. He never really wanted anything, he just wanted to know where I was at in the house.

So yesterday we took a little trip. To the vet. For a neutering. Usually I feel guilty leaving one of my pets at the vet's office, but by the time I dropped him off, I was ready to never return. He had me up at 5 am, crying because he was hungry. Well, too bad, you can't eat before surgery. By 5:30 I was ready to dump him on the porch at the vet's and say good luck to them all. He yelled in the car all the way to the vet, he yelled like there was no tomorrow when we got into the office. I managed to speak with the vet's assistant over his cries of protest, scratched him under his chin, said "Bye Samalama" and was out the door without looking back. His cries followed me all the way out the door.

Tommy, Turtle, and I spent a quiet night at home relaxing. But it was almost eerily quiet.

This morning I went and picked him up. See, I'm not a horrible cat dumper after all. I could hear the little devil coming. He was yelling all the way from the back. The guy who handed him to me just gave me a relieved look when I took him. Then he yelled at me all the way home. I just laughed at him, because who's the dominant one now, biotch?!?!

Poor kid, when I let him out of his cage when we got home, he walked funny all the way over to his food bowl. Then he tried to eat without sitting down. He spent the evening needing love, so we cuddled on the couch. This was the best behavior I've ever seen.

Here's the poor baby coming to term with his life change. He looks kinda depressed. All right, I feel a little guilty.