Aren Cambre's Blog

After four years of hemming and hawing, we got a new cat on Saturday:

We got her from a Petsmart store in Dallas. Petsmart carries cats from local animal charities like the SPCA. Our cat was part of a litter voluntarily given up by its owner. The SPCA claimed she may have some Maine Coon Cat in her, but we’ll see. I think she is probably just a plain, medium hair mutt cat.

I like her personality. When I have her in my lap, she’ll constantly rub and walk back and forth, up and down, showing a great deal of affection. If any of you knew the little calico cat I had while growing up, the affectionate personality is similar, minus the calico’s nutty skittishness.

Later that day, we went to Target to pick up groceries and kitten food. On the way there, I said “alea iacta est.” This Latin phrase literally translates as “the die is cast,” meaning that you just entered a game you cannot get out of by casting a die (dice is plural of die). This is phrase is attributed to Julius Caesar.

After saying that, I wondered if alea is a feminine noun. We could not remember; our Latin is rusty. The next day, we checked many sites but could not figure it out.

So I called my high school Latin teacher, Mrs. Mary Lacy. After introducing myself, she paused a bit before she recalled me. I wasn’t surprised; it had been 10 years since I last took a Latin class. But she recognized me and asked about my brothers. And yes, alea is a feminine noun.

We haven’t finalized on a name yet. Alea is nice, but it’s really close to Alec, our son’s name. Even though they are pronounced very differently, do we want our son’s and cat’s names to be that close?

Amelia hates her, but that’s normal. Sugar thinks she is a play toy. I am keeping this cat away from that dog for now.

Amelia the Cat and I agreed to try to work out our relationship again. If I scoop out her litter every day or two, she agreed to try not to poop around the house anymore.

Kitty and I are on a trial separation.

For the next few days she will live in a special resort, pictured at right. While she’s at that resort she will either learn that it’s OK to use the litter box, even if it’s not exactly how she wants it, or she will find a new home.

Pooping all over my house is no longer acceptable.

She has a tough choice to make.

Meet Amelia:

Amelia is an 8½ year old Himalayan cat.

Amelia is a very bad kitty.

About three months ago, Amelia no longer wanted to use her litter box. So she has taken to pooping and sometimes peeing everywhere but the litter box: Alec’s bedroom, the mat in front of the box, the rug in front of the garage door, and other random places. (I’m sure I’ve missed some places because Sugar the Bad Dog thinks cat poop is a treat.)

I’ve tried several of the tricks in the book to get her to back into her litter box. I’ve ensured that the litter is usually no more than a week old. I’ve used the fine, scoopable litter. I’ve removed the litter box cover. I’ve watched her diet.

I have only had limited success. She still poops outside the box more than she poops inside the box, but at least she poops within eye shot of the box.

I now don’t know what to do with her. I have never seriously considered getting rid of a pet, but the thought crossed my mind today as my stockinged foot mushed into a pile of gooey poop on the back door mat. (She pooped on that mat so much that I just tossed it. It was just a cut up section of carpet.)

Stupid, idiot cat! I wish you could train or restrain them like dogs.