Considering I posted just last night, today's post isn't going to be super long.
When I was younger (not much younger, mind you) my friends/sister and I would zip ourselves into our sleeping bags and cozy up like nylon burritos for camping trips or youth group events. At youth group events, we would often make a game out of this cozy situation and wrestle in a game we would call "Slug Wars". Even though there was nothing more reassuring and safe-feeling than being wrapped up in your sleeping bag, "Slug Wars" always ended with someone yelling "OW!! ENOUGH!!!". This was mostly due to the fact that someone had landed on your head or you were being pinned to the floor.
I grew up loving my sleeping bag. It was a small, safe space just for me. I figure that my love for this type of close coziness stems from me being swaddled as an infant.
All infants are tucked into a small space in utero and when they come out, the world is big, cold, and scary. I still think that the world is big, cold, and scary and that there is no where I would rather be than wrapped up in my comforter in my bed. My bed is safe and warm (unless Alex and Marley are in there. When I have company in the bed, I'm in danger of being bit or rolled onto).
Because, like all mammals, cats also come from a small cozy place in utero, I figured that Marley wouldn't mind being a test pilot for my swaddling skills.
I'm pretty sure you are all aware of the basic differences between a baby and a cat:(cat=teeth/fur/claws/squirmy; Baby=soft/slippery/okay to lie down on its back).
Last night, after I finished posting my previous post (and cleaned myself up from my chocolate pig-out), I found a cozy orange towel that would work perfectly for swaddling the cat. I didn't cut Marley's nails yet and I was hoping that he wouldn't take a swipe at my face. Luckily, he didn't.
Alex and I were lying in bed chatting while the cat was perched on Alex's chest receiving some pets and purring when all of a sudden, Alex was the victim of a vicious chomping. I figured that there was no time like the present to mellow Marley out. He sat down on the edge of the bed while I ran to grab the orange towel. I lay the towel down and Marley immediately sat on it. I picked him up and tried to lie him on his back. Funny, cats don't lie down on their backs very well. Marley rolled over and gave me the "I'm going to pounce on you and chew your arm off" look. I reset the towel.
This time Marley lay down on the towel. Before I could get my wits about me, I fiercely wrapped the cat up in any method I could think of, as tightly as possible. I left his head and tail out of the wrap. It worked!
I even had a little flap to cover his ears and head.
Immediately, he mellowed out. There was no fighting, no mauling, no meowing. I was worried that I had wrapped him up too tightly but as it turned out, he was fine.
I held him in my arms for about five minutes and he began to purr. His eyes narrowed and he started to look sleepy. I couldn't believe that this worked. I loosened my grip and he hopped out and walked away. Presto! One docile cat coming right up!
Unfortunately Marley's temperament is such that his mellowness never lasts long. He was up in the night licking plastic and meowing. This morning he puked. I still have yet to find this mystery barf but as we all know, once barf comes out, it seldom moves from one spot to another (unless someone steps in it). I'll find it and clean it up (hopefully before I step in it).
As for my swaddling technique, I'm going to find a teddy bear or something that will lie down on its back without moving to practice. At least I can now say that I have swaddled my cat with some success!
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