The Cats and the Carpet Cleaning

Today the carpet cleaners came. I've been planning for this for some time. Of course, I prepared the house (vacuumed well, moved the breakable items to non-carpeted areas, hung the drapes up off the floor), but the most planning involved what to do with the cats. Their usual refuge, under my bed, was obviously not an option this time. So, before I started moving furniture, I implemented my plot to lock the kitties in the basement.

After putting their beds down there and turning on the space heater, I cleverly (I thought) prepared Bear's dish with his food and water and enticed him to follow me down the stairs. What he didn't know was that I fixed the cat door so that it wouldn't let him back up the stairs. Then I gave Tigger her food. When she walked up to the bowl, I grabbed her and it, and took them both to the basement. At which point, Bear ran back out. After an extended period chasing Bear around the house, I finally managed to wrangle him back into the basement. And then the uproar began. They cried, they howled, they scratched at the door, they banged their little heads against the unyielding cat flap.

Once the carpet cleaners arrived, no more was heard from the basement. Although I have to admit that the steam machine and water pump was so loud that I wouldn't have heard them anyway, even if they had invited all of the cats in the neighborhood in for a catnip party. At one point, I went down the outside steps to the basement and peered through the window. Of Bear I saw no sign, but the reflection from a pair of eyes from the bottom opening of the cat tower revealed Tigger's hidey hole. Once the cleaners left I went downstairs and found two traumatized cats glaring at me from their respective hiding places. Bear reappeared upstairs about a half an hour later. But Tigger required a couple of hours and several cajoling visits (with treats) to make her reappearance.

They seem pretty much back to normal now. I think they've forgiven me. Although Tigger expressed her displeasure by hissing at me when I fed her tonight. I guess I can't really blame her. I wonder what she'll make of the movers when they show up to take all her furniture. But I have no doubt that she'll make her thoughts known.