Margeaux my love, Margeaux the worst cat ever

Margeaux is still young and kittenish in many ways. I love her so very much. She craves being held and often demands attention. When I'm at my computer she stands on the desk and paddypaws my clavicle or nudges me with her head. She purrs. She'll sit on me and rub against me. She sleeps by my head or belly. I want to be mad when she wakes me up paddypawing my face but she is so cute. I remember when she weighed 4 ounces, near death, and was a good little sport about it (except for the sulfur bath scrubs for ringworm). She sometimes still stands on her hind legs and does "jazz hands". She is hilarious.

She makes noises whenever she approaches and while running around the house. We talk to the cats and I've especially talked to Vegas and now Margeaux. It seems to encourage them to vocalize. Vegas yells her mews - "hey - meeee - I'm here - pay attention!" and she'll go on if I verbally respond. Margeaux's meow is still small, sometimes a silent opening of the mouth but she has a little whiny sound she makes quite often. She also demands attention with her words. Sometimes she'll whimper and cry in her sleep. It makes me want to weep for whatever sadness she is dreaming. She follows me around meowing and I adore her! But she has a dark side... the bully still exists!

She resembles but is legally distinct from Little Sparta in the Mean Kitty Song. If you go watch this catchy little ditty and are curious - when the song is at 38 seconds, 54 seconds and 1 minute 45 seconds there is Margeaux. We even call her "Little Sparta" sometimes. She's a bit of a biter. Always has been - little needle teeth when she was little and now bigger needle teeth! Daisy was sitting on the den sofa with us and Margeaux was running around near us but not close enough to be caught by the dog. She came prowling and bit my Achilles tendon from under the couch and withdrew. Shocking! She didn't break the skin - never does - just uses it for shock value I think.

She stalks the dinner table or any other food we might be eating. Breakfast of bacon and eggs is always a delight with Margeaux swaggering up to us confidently over and over again across the breakfast bar. Sometimes we lock her in the "cat apartment", the den. It doesn't have a cat door. If we do that, she cries loudly for release and doesn't stop until the door is opened. The cat apartment is also used for our escape. If we're going to watch a movie or video in the den, we set up the TV trays and bring in the things that cats don't want like salad or beer. Then we bring in our plates, walking quickly to get in the room and shut the door. Sometimes a cat gets through and then we have to pursue the uninvited guest and slip her out the door. Margeaux and Vegas are the ones who interrupt dinner. Vegas finds that a lap is more comfortable when one is having dinner and Margeaux wants that dinner!

She flirts with disaster with Daisy - taunting her. Daisy will pursue her and mouth her and Margeaux will hiss and whimper - ears back. But she turns belly up to the dog and makes sure she comes near enough to be caught. It worries us but she is the one tormenting Daisy - and Daisy is a DOG so she's dumb in that dog way. We watch them and sometimes pull the dog back so the cat can get away. Sometimes she leaves, but other times she stays. She bites Daisy on the face and paws. It generally creates chaos in the house.

Poor Laura Ingalls doesn't know how to play like other cats and Margeaux takes full advantage of her ignorance. She pursues Laura all over the house, displacing her from her normal spot on the bed and chasing her relentlessly. Laura will hiss and growl and swat at Margeaux who is unphased. Laura is normally content to lounge all day, maybe walk around a little and try to be held. She just doesn't play. Margeaux's goal is to teach Laura the fine art of playing like a cat.

I have to watch where I put things, Margeaux will rip up papers, book corners and wrappers. Yesterday, she tried to bite into the broccoli crowns. That cat doesn't want to eat broccoli! When my mom and dad visited, Dee prepared a charming little basket with mugs, tea and coffee, and a couple large Dove chocolate bars. Before the basket was assembled, Margeaux bit into the wrapper of the candy bar. We mended it the best we could but had to explain why the corner was exposed.

She gets into the dishwasher, far enough back that she's unreachable. Any cabinet opened might invite her in. Closets trap her. Then a a little while later we hear the "trapped cat cry". Indignant, she pops out of the offending incarceration but she hasn't learned yet.

I hope this is a phase and she will grow out of some of her craziness. Dee says Margeaux is the worst cat ever. She also says she really means it! This is something because Dee is a bit of a cat lady and has known many cats, both domestic and feral. I don't know if she really IS the worst cat but she is a nut.