Shelly, the cat, demanded her pre-breakfast morning snack and Dad obliged by pouring some of her breakfast into her bowl, which he found by feeling the edge of it.
Later this morning, while it was still dark, Shelly woke me up and demanded the remainder of her breakfast. I got the cup from the bench and tipped the remaining breakfast portion (only three of four pieces) into her bowl. She purred and ate them up. I went back to bed.
Only a few minutes later, Shelly was walking all over me and meowing in my ear. I got up (AGAIN!) and went to the kitchen to sort it out. I turned on the light and found that the majority of Shelly's breakfast was on the floor, beside her bowl. Shelly stood beside her bowl with a look of expectation.
"Mee-oow" she demanded.
"Your food is right there." I replied, pointing to the pile of food beside her bowl.
"Meo" she croaked back at me and sat down beside her bowl with that look I give my students when they ask if I'm serious. That look of stubborn patience. That look that says, I mean it and I will just sit here silently and wait for you to come to your senses.
I sighed as I bent down and scooped the food from the floor to her bowl. No sooner had the food had dropped into the bowl, was it set upon by Shelly's jaws. She gulped and purred and purred and gulped as my small handfuls of food fell into the bowl. It was exactly the same food that had been on the floor. Exactly the same.
I'm raising a princess!
