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Into the sink with you

My kitten woke me after about six hours sleep this morning. It really wasn't enough, so I lay down late morning to catch up. Soon I was awake again, the victim of a pouncing kitten. I covered my face, but it was no use, and I went into the kitchen, bleary-eyed, to make scrambled eggs.

I was clumsier than usual and dropped the egg carton partly opened. Two eggs were cracked and one broke wide open. I was able to salvage the cracked eggs for my meal, but before I could wet a paper towel, the kitten was all over the the egg that had spilled onto the floor. He was very excited.

I then realized he was very messy, too, with egg -- white and yolk -- all over his paw pads and even his belly. So I scooped him up, got some warm water running in the kitchen sink, and gave him a thorough rinse. I suffered not a single bite or scratch, although he did squirm at being held dangling by only one monkey hand; he's more than a handful nowadays.

I wrapped him in a towel and blotted him. He rapidly got to work grooming his wet fur, and seemed perfectly calm and happy. He remained on the towel for a moment after I left him to his own devices but soon trotted over to my desk and hopped in my lap to finish his drying up. I gave him a little rub on the head, and he purred.

I think this goes beyond "no hard feelings." When I took my own bath later, under somewhat less urgent circumstances, he cried piteously the entire time, watching me through the French door. You know, I'm starting to wonder if he just plain wants to play in the water.

July 27, 2002