Freya: Part Two: The Bathroom Cuddle

 

No, I don't have pictures of myself on the can with Freya. Sorry. Probably a good thing.

You know how cats and sometimes other pets have this thing about joining you in the bathroom? Freya is no exception. I'd read a few books about cats before we adopted Freya, so it wasn't a surprise when she pressed her way past the door.

I would pet her, praised her for visiting, pick her up and kiss her. All good. 

One day, I was showering and I felt like I was being watched. I rinsed the shampoo out of my face, and opened my eyes to find Freya watching me from the far corner, just outside the shower curtain. She looked curious, and a little dumbfounded, like. "It's raining inside, Mom. Why are you standing naked in it?"

She did it everyday. I mentioned it to my husband and he said, "Yeah, she does it to me too. Scared the crap out of me when she meowed. I thought I was alone."

One day, Freya came into the bathroom out of sorts. She seemed agitated, she was pacing. I was wearing a specific red shirt. The significance of it, is that it has a gathered neckline. The all important neckline is square. The sides sides go straight down, but the bottom goes across and is stitched into a ruffle. This is an important detail. 

As I said, she seemed agitated, meowing and pacing. She jumped into the bathtub. 

"What is it, Baby Girl?" I asked. She sat, in the tub, directly across from me, tail swishing. I barely had time to register her intent before she leapt, straight from the tub, into my arms. She IMMEDIATELY  started sucking on the gathered ruffles. Slurpslurpslurpslurpslurp! She relaxed in my arms and kept sucking on the shirt. Then she 'made biscuits'. on my arm. Ow. She favors that shirt above all others, but any shirt will do these days. 

But I let her. I am a devoted cat slave. "Awww, is that what you need, Freya?" Must have been. It's our thing now. I don't use my own bathroom unless I am prepared to spend at least ten minutes sitting on the toilet for no other reason than to kiss and hug my cat.

As with new pets, your friends want to meet them. I remember two friends in particular, by the way they held her. When Megan picked her up, she scooped Freya into her arms, cradling her like a baby. Freya was amused. She peered around with her pupils wide, like she was seeing things differently while Megan cooed, "How ya doin'? How ya doin'?" over and over. 

Collen did the same. She scooped Freya up aggressively and kissed her. Freya kissed her back. Then she lay back her head and enjoyed the upside down view, purring contently.


Freya won't be held any other way now. When I pick her up, she will shift and adjust herself and stomp over my boobs until I am cradling her like that. This is essential for the Bathroom Cuddle. 

Twelve years after we first had our significant bathroom Cuddle, this is how it works.: Don't worry, there won't be any TMI moments.

I go to the bathroom and Freya follows me shortly after. I sit on the toilet, and she steps in front of me with her back turned to me. This is my cue to scratch her right above her tail. She LOVES that, and it's a recent addition only a year or two old. When she steps away a little, it's my job to pick her up, and together we position her properly. If you look closely at my clothes, some of them have tiny holes where she gained ouchy purchase. Then she sucks on my shirt, and makes biscuits on my face and neck. 

Yes, it hurts. If you see me with red marks on my neck, that's Freya, not hickeys. Sometimes I give her my hand so she can gouge the Heck out of that instead. Sometimes she falls asleep, with her face pressed into my armpit. She never sleeps very long, and when she wakes up, her eyes are small and baggy and she smacks her lips. It gives me a happy burst that makes me giggle. 

I do it because it brings her such comfort. I do it because I'm painfully aware that she isn't here forever, and I want her to be the happiest, most spoiled cat alive. I want to remember the Bathroom Cuddles long after she's gone and I never deny her. I want her to know that I loved her above anyone else and would give her anything in my power. She's my first pet and my perfect girl.