MeOW and welcome to a brand new Service Cat Monday. Yes, we know it’s Labor day, but we don’t really celebrate it here. We find it strange that one would celebrate laboring by takin’ the day off. Back when mommy worked, she always worked on Labor day, so, we will too. With the wheelchair breakin’, things have really changed ‘round here. Lots of you had some very good questions ‘bout how things work when the wheelchair’s broken and how we adjust; so today we’ll be meowin’ ‘bout a day in our life without the wheelchair. Let me get the business stuffs outta the way and we’ll get to it. The followin’ post will be written in human English fur reader and translator ease. Our Service Cat Monday posts aren’t intended to be an all inclusive Trainin’ Manual but rather Tips, Tricks and Techniques used/developed by mommy thru her many years of animal trainin’, cats in purrticular. Ifin you have any questions or topics you would like us to cover, purrlease let us know in the comments section or send us an email. When asking behavioral questions, purrlease be as specific as pawssible. And, ifin you’ve missed any of the posts in this series, you can ketch up by clickin’ the links at the end of this post. Always remember, Training is all ‘bout Repetition and Rewards.
So, the questions are: “With the wheelchair broken, how does that affect your day? Is it confusing and how do you help your mommy?” As we’ve said before, generally mommy only needs the wheelchair first thing in the morning. However, she will often use it to take out the trash or check the mail. When she does this, she usually drives it herself and we watch from the door or window. Thankfully, mommy discovered that the wheelchair was broken while taking out the trash. One of the motors is out, so all the chair does is go around and around in circles. So, instead of taking the wheelchair to the bedroom at night, mommy covers the control panel so we don’t attempt to retrieve the chair in the morning. This change in our normal routine is very upsetting and confusing for us. But, mommy is ever patient and understands that we are confused. She gently guides us through our new routine with voice commands, gentle reassurance and lots of extra loving.
The first morning, and every morning after goes something like this: We wake up as normal and start in with our morning massages. We’ve got to help mommy get the blood flowing to her extremities and wake up the muscles and nerves in her arms, legs, hands and feet. Me has lived through several wheelchair breaks, so me takes to the new routine much quicker than Raena who starts bouncing off the walls. Raena’s confusion is manifested in her running through the house to the wheelchair and back and the bathroom and back several times. Me continues to massage mommy while she gently tries to calm Raena and get her back on the bed, to help me roll mommy onto the floor.
Finally, Raena seems to tire herself out and returns to the bed and lays down beside mommy and begins to massage her and purr. Mommy calmly and softly tells Raena and me how proud of us she is and how much she loves us. Me takes me’s head and begins to push mommy’s legs over the side of the bed while mommy tells Raena to push. This is part of our normal routine, although we’re usually pushing mommy into the wheelchair. Still looking confused, Raena starts to help me push mommy closer to the edge of the bed. With one last push, mommy falls to the floor with a thud. Raena quickly jumps down and starts licking mommy’s face. Me jumps down and tries to help mommy roll towards the bathroom. Mommy pulls herself to the bathroom with her barely awake arms and starts pulling herself up to the sink/potty using the shower chair/bench and finally the vanity. Raena jumps up on the shower bench to watch, and me takes me’s place on the vanity.
When mommy finishes in the bathroom, she gently lowers herself to the floor and crawls to the kitchen. Me takes the lead in front of mommy with Raena prancing slowly behind her. Thankfully, mommy’s arms warm up pretty quick so she can pull herself onward. Once we get to the kitchen, mommy pulls herself up and leans on the counters to make her a cup of coffee and our breakfast. On good days, mommy’s legs are tingling at this point and she can furniture walk to put our plates down, get her coffee and get to the sitting chair. On bad days, mommy again lowers herself to the floor and carrying one plate at a time, pulls herself to the living room to place our plates in their spot and her coffee on the side table beside her sitting chair. Either way, we stay at mommy’s side until she’s safely sitting in the sitting chair.
While mommy takes her medicine, enjoys her coffee and lets her body warm up, we eat, and keep a close eye on her. Hopefully, we’ll get a new wheelchair soon. In the meantime, this is our new normal. Well, guess me will wrap this up now. Remember, if you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, leave them in the comments or send us an email. And, don’t forget, if you’ve missed any post in this series, you can ketch up by clicking the links below.
Till the next time………………………………………Be Blest!!!
Luv and Hugs and Kitty Kisses
Deztinee and RaenaBelle
Service Cats U.S. 