The Feline Incarnation of Barry White

I just couldn't resist posting this picture of Jem; the girls had scattered rose petals all over the floor and he was totally into it. Every time I see this picture I can just hear "Too much Love...just isn't good for ya, baby..." He is an enormous guy, like Barry, and is a big snuggler in bed.

I post this because I have to give Jem the credit for getting me to run regularly in the mornings. I have never been accused of being a morning person, but I guess this is just one of the many things that change with circumstances. Jem's a diabetic, so he needs his insulin and his crunchies at a fairly regular time, and when he feels me crack an eye at 6:30, he is like an alarm clock with no snooze button. He licks my face and gives wet willies accompanied by a rumbling purr that in such close proximity to my eardrums that I am sent sprinting to the bathroom for a Q-tip. This cat knows the precise routine to get me moving.

He has a different routine for Alex entirely. After a few sandpapery licks of the forehead, to which there is little or no response, the cat regards Alex silently for a few moments, then hooks a claw inside one of Alex's nostrils and yanks. HARD. Jem has done this to me a couple of times when I was resistant to his other persuasions. The pain is exquisite. Alex yelps and pulls the covers over his head. Which exposes the feet. Jem then goes for the toes. The big toe is his favorite for chewing. Which also used to be painful, but he had to have quite a few teeth pulled as his circulation isn't great and they were getting in bad shape. (Along with his breath, I might add.) So now his toe-chewing is reduced to toe-gumming, which, although less painful, has a tickle factor almost as eye-opening as the nose-hooking.

It's amazing this cat survives, but the girls adore him. Which is lucky for him, as this cat has some freakin' expensive costs of living, what with the insulin, syringes, prescription food and whatnot. His patience with the girls is finally beginning to pay off in chin scratches and belly rubs. Katie has begun to take issue with Jem's food bowl, which is sadly empty an hour after being filled. I caught her the other day sneaking him a MOUNTAIN of crunchies - got the food tin open by herself, scooped a cup right in. And another. And another. I tried to explain to her about insulin and blood sugar, but being not-quite-two, she just laughed at me and ran away.