Stitch tames Old Bub

Stitch stretched out on my bed shows the end result of him taming me.  I started with the rule that my door stays closed, keep him out because he will jump all over my bed with cat-box feet.  

His interest in my room peaked when I left the window open without a screen, made his escape! Jumped six feet to the ground, free at last. He doesn't seem particularly adventurous when he does get out on his own, but we have lots of eagles around here and a cat who might not be wary of a threat from overhead is at risk. 

Two things for the old man to remember.  Close the window, close the door.  How about putting the screens on your windows, let him have some fresh air while keeping him in and you don't have to remember anything.  I like windows open without screens and we don't have that many bugs around here touch wood, now I'll probably get hornets. The screens went up.

One thing for Stitch to remember, keep an eye on the old man when he heads for the forbidden door, come running and zip in, hide under the bed, twitching tail and part of his backside still visible - I keep lots of stuff under my bed, not so much room for the cat. 

If Symba is around he will want in too. I take most of my meals here so there is good picking on the floor for a little dog.  I also count out gosh only knows how many pills and caps every day filled with chemicals a dog shouldn't eat.  Fat fingers and uncertain eyesight not safe for the dog. 

Soon as I settle in for one of the short naps I take every day Stitch makes his move. Up to the window sill, stepping lightly on the bed next to my head but he hasn't put a paw in my face lately. 

Then he is turning one way and the other to get comfortable. Decided to tie the curtains back to make it easier for him, and the collection of prisms out of old binoculars I keep on that sill had to go. Sun makes a cluster of rainbows that march up the wall and over the ceiling at this time of year.  Stitch isn't into that sort of thing, knocked them on the floor under the bed. Had to go on my belly to get them back, Stitch thinks he is rainbow enough for me.  Maybe so.

Still keeping the room shut most of the time when I'm out, so the other day I'm in the kitchen and feel Stitch doing the cat rub on my legs. Nothing unusual except the closest he ever came to that before is walking by and giving a bump with the middle of his body.  Fifteen-pound cat bumps hard.  

No bumps this time, the softer touch of him rubbing his face on my legs, Hellow Friend.  Once he has my attention he goes over to the short hallway outside my room, rolls over on his back in playful but don't touch me yet pose, looks at me, and gives a quiet meow. He doesn't say much. I'm chuckling to myself, he took me from forbidden entry to asking to get in and me letting him just because he has been clever about getting his way.

Some people around here wish I had a little bit of his personality, his way of doing things instead of taking my cue from dog. I yap and bark and jump up and down trying to get my way. Puts people off and I know it but changing one's behavior is hard.

So now if both of them are at my door when I'm coming into my room, I'll let Stitch jet in and tell Symba to get in his bed over by MJ's office. He asked to get up on the bed when I'm resting the first couple of times, now he comes running and jumps up, settles in on my legs if I'm laying down with the door open.  

I love the little dog, but am I ever going to trust the teeth that put a scar across the back of my right forefinger knuckle lick me under the ear the way Tito used to do as his way of finding out how I'm feeling?  I think not.

Stitch is more predictable.  Smaller teeth, unclipped claws but he told me not to tickle his belly when he rolled over with a light touch of claw and teeth. Hate to think what might happen you tried to give Symba a tummy rub.  Hope the walk-in clinic is open.

Having established a relationship, Stitch takes the next step behind my back.  I'm working at my stand-up desk and look over my shoulder to see him stretched out on the bed. Forbidden not so long ago, he got there without ever directly asking.  Rolled over and let me tickle his tummy, kept the claws out of sight for a half minute until he decided to scamper off to another part of the house.