How the Cat Saved the Cottage

Posted on March 3, 2024 by Pamela Knudsen

Living with my cat in a 101-year-old cottage by the sea is like something from a fairy tale. Sometimes I miss my spacious condo in the canyon that I shared with many of my feline family members, but for the past almost six years, this tiny vintage abode has been, and still is, enchanting.

But some days, the wear and tear of its parts can dispel the magic. Thank goodness for Samantha Jo’s enchanting power of discernment.

Samantha typically spends her evenings sitting on the large bedroom window sill spying on the neighbors or playing our games of “tickle-tickle you’re a pickle” and “tag-you’re-it” after which she dozes off in my plush executive office chair.

A few weeks ago, Samantha spent several evenings going back and forth between the the toilet enclave of the bathroom, which faces the water heater closet, and the kitchen cupboards located opposite the water heater closet. Samantha would sit and stare at the door of the water heater closet then after a spell she’d go into the kitchen and paw at the baseboard underneath the cupboards.

Her back is to the cupboards under which the water leaked.

I thought she was chasing bugs—that is until a week after this behavior a slight musty odor started wafting from the toilet area, and about the same time I noticed the paint on a wall beam close to the baseboard by the water heater closet was bubbled. I touched it to feel dampness. Oh no… what was leaking? I opened the closet door but nothing seemed amiss, yet the musty smell was stronger and the water heater was making dripping sounds. During this investigation, Samantha was crouched by the kitchen cupboard baseboard again. I knelt down beside her and felt the hardwood floor underneath the cupboard. The narrow space where the floor met the baseboard was damp the length of the cupboard. I suspected a water heater leak.

Plumber’s Assistant

The plumber came out the next day to replace the old water heater that developed a leak. I didn’t see origin of the leak the day before, but by the time Randy the plumber arrived, the leak had become obvious as it percolated from a pipe at the top of the water heater. Randy said that if the leak went on much longer, the water damage would have been really bad and the situation would have been dangerous. If only I’d taken heed to Samantha’s obsessions with the water heater closet door and kitchen cupboard sooner.

Note to self: when a cat changes their routine, something’s up.

Within a couple days of the water heater replacement, I managed to dry out the waterlogged areas with a space heater and mini-sized dehumidifiers, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Enchantment ensues once again. Samantha is back to spying on the neighbors and chasing me around, whacking my ankles—a feline version of tag-you’re-it!

What About Bob…cat?

Posted on August 24, 2019 by Pamela Knudsen

Although I’ve been preoccupied with Lexington while being the best palliative care provider I can be, Bobcat, my other love-bug still gets plenty of attention from me, especially because he knows how to get my attention.

He always seems to be where I want to be…

I was about to catch-up on local news, but I guess Bobcat will have to apprise me of the goings-on in town.

Cats are known for their curiosity, but I’m amazed at Bobcat’s curious behavior. How the base of my coffee table or a rock on the walkway can serve as comfortable pillows is beyond my comprehension.

His entrance and exit strategies are so complex. He’d rather go boldly down the rocky garden retaining wall than use the porch steps. He prefers to depart through the windows and only wants to use the front door when it’s shut despite the open French doors in the bedroom.

He laughs at my birthday cards, thinks he’s a boudoir model, and has become Lexington’s personal bodyguard.

The Universe is conspiring with Bobcat. The other day I got a reminder about him on the way to work.

That’s my boy!

Love ya, man!

Cat Lady in the Cottage – New Beginnings

Posted on September 3, 2018 by Pamela Knudsen

“Our house is a very, very, very fine house / With two cats in the yard…”

Lyrics from “Our House” by Graham Nash

The dark hardwood floor could barely be seen under all the boxes, which besides cluttering the floor space, scaled the French doors that opened to the back of the cottage. “Where was everything going to fit?” said an anxious voice inside my head as I surveyed the dollhouse of a house I was moving into. And I still had two last loads to fetch—Lexington and Bobcat. I hoped they would fit in here, in this new world away from the comforts of their spacious condo in the canyon. How would they fair living in a space less than half its size?

By the time I returned with the cats, the movers had unloaded everything from the moving trucks and were organizing the boxes into a tidy maze. Don, the owner of the moving company helped me unload my precious cat cargo from the car. He put the carriers in what little space was left in the living room, I graciously thanked him for his hard work and he was on his way. That was it. After a grueling eleven hours of moving, the kitties and I were in our new home—a tiny Laguna Beach cottage built in 1922, complete with a porch, a yard, a picket fence and peek-a-boo ocean view.

I opened the doors of the carriers containing the cats, cooing to calm them, “Kitties, my sweeties, welcome to your new home!” They both cautiously stepped out onto the area rug that was once in my former dining room, now in my new living room. Lexington casually sniffed boxes and investigated all three rooms—bedroom, living/dining room and bathroom, then reclined on the hardwood floor by the kitchen. He nonchalantly looked up at me. “Sooo…what do ya think Lex?” “It’s cool, Mom. I like it,” said the look on his face. Meanwhile, a leery Bobcat hid under the sofa. “Hey, Bobbycat, come on, it’s okay, “ I coaxed. He slowly crept out from under the slipcover and jumped up onto the piano in front of the windows to get a look outside. Satisfied with the sight of his new yard adorned with king palms and patches of grass, he settled in on the perch of his cat tree.

Life’s plans don’t always pan out the way we want them to. After living in apartments for all my life until I reached midlife, I finally bought my first home. The townhouse style condo was mine, all mine and I loved it. It was my forever home; yet after eleven years and unexpected financial hardship, I came to the hard conclusion that the only way to gain financial stability was to sell. The sale went fast and I got above asking price. My wonderful realtor, Cherie Phan, also negotiated the rental of this charming little house for me.

Surrendering to a tough realization that I initially fought with all my might turned out to be the very best course of action for me. It’s hard to let go of things that we become so attached to—the walls that harbored so many sweet and sorrowful events, moments and memories. The countless tears I shed as I downsized and packed-up have finally dried as I settle into this vintage abode in which I will experience newfound happiness and peace, and in which I will make new memories.

Photo courtesy of Wendy Fox

And how are the cats doing, you ask?

New places to perch

New places to lounge

That is the biggest scratching post ever!

Sports activities in the yard

Gardener Lexington

Stay tuned…

Moving tips: I used a Feliway (a feline calming solution) diffuser in the condo days before moving and one in the new home on moving day. I also sprayed the cat carriers with Feliway and sprayed the new home with Convivial House Cat (anti-stress solution) by Cat Faeries. I kept this routine going for a couple of weeks for a harmonious and seamless adjustment. (Note that the kitties are only permitted outside during the day under my supervision, and are disciplined at staying in the yard.)