Kitty Serenade Time

I get the biggest kick out of how our Silkie has developed her bedtime routine. It begins around 7:30/8:00 p.m. each evening. She comes and gives me a very weak, pitiful, tiny meow while gazing up at me. Then I'm supposed to say, "Oh, honey, don't do that - it breaks my heart." Then I reach down (she does this while I catch up on emails at the PC) and begin petting her. She'll roll this way and that so that I get all the appropriate spots.

Then she gets up and goes to the bedroom doorway and I'm supposed to follow her into the living room. I get on the floor and brush her. We get shoulders, forehead (being careful not to brush eyeballs - she has learned not to move at that point), sides, and "beautiful belly" areas. She likes me to sing to her during this "kitty massage" or "feline spa" quality time. She especially loves the Knick Knack Paddy Whack with our special words. I substitute "give the girl a phone" for "give the dog a bone" and often substitute other words as well.

When she's had enough, she turns her back and rolls onto her left side and won't let me do any more. If I try, she scoots away. I somehow manage to get up off the floor after taking all the fur out of the brush. I put out her bedtime food, then I take the treat ball into the living room and turn out the light. She begins to roll the ball to get her treats out. I get my bottle of water (I keep it by the bedside during the night) and turn out the kitchen light while I'm saying good night to her. I then come back into the bedroom and the PC.

At THAT point, she loves, loves, loves it when I play any of the CDs I've loaded onto the computer. Sometimes it's Christmas music (yep, even during Easter season), sometimes a pair of Jackie Gleason instrumentals (beautiful), or even any of the hymns and other spiritual music. But tonight, I've got Patsy Cline on. 

As soon as she hears the music, she comes to the area between the living room and bedroom and lies down. And quickly goes to sleep while lying on her back with all her legs up in the air. I'd take a photo of this supremely peaceful picture but I'd wake her and I don't want to do that. The photo here is one I took one day.

But the funny thing, the thing I really love, is that she has developed this habit of expecting to be put to sleep each night to music. It is so cute.