(Tripp laying with Kota)

Tripp who suffers a neurological disorder and is currently on CBD oil which quells his obsession to clothing and soft items he fancies has been missing from his normal napping spot (Mike’s lap) for a week now. Lately Mike has been unable to cope with Tripps obsession of him as well. Tripp will jump on Mike’s chest, knead his arms and stomach and even with his claws clipped, he still leaves wounds which isn’t cool. He will also reach out and scratch Mike’s face. He doesn’t do it to harm him, his neurological pathways are so messed up by toxins, he can’t help himself. Mike has been discouraging these “visits” of late.

So, I searched in the house and enclosure, calling, opening cans and Tripp never appeared. I was afraid he had gotten out with the delivery of Mike’s new hospital bed and given him up for lost. With my knee injury- I don’t go upstairs- but I did set dishes of food on the steps and the only cats coming down to eat were the core group minus Tripp. I need to also add here that twice a week now, Mike gets visited by a caring group of nurses who bathe and dress his leg for him. My washcloths of which I had over thirty were also vanishing. I asked the nurses if they inadvertently either tossed them in the trash (because they can get yucky) or perhaps tucked them in a plastic bag and took them with as they left. They assured, me they left them hanging after they rinsed on near the hamper. I was puzzled, where did they go? Was my machine eating them?

Mike was missing Tripp so  much that yesterday despite the doctor’s orders, I climbed up the stairs to the second floor. We have a set of cupboards that go alongside the stairs and years ago, we converted them to cat beds. We cut holes in each door, laid screen inside so the cats couldn’t fall out and topple down the stairs- and cut holes inside each cupboard leading to the next. What can I say, we are cat-driven here at home.

It was in the third cupboard that I found Tripp. He had dragged every washcloth they used on Mike into the cupboard and built a bed for himself! I picked him up checking for injuries or something amiss, and all he did was nibble my ear and purr. He ate the food I presented to him and then went back inside to sleep on his “bed.” I’m thankful I can buy washcloths fairly cheaply at the new dollar store in town! I don’t have the heart to take his carefully crafted “Mike” bed away.