All About Anything: Mochi The Pee Monster

I have 2 cats, Bao and Mochi. Mochi's my favorite (I'm sorry Bao). She's an American Shorthair with brown tabby coloring. There's a dark brown spot on her side, like a little target. Her belly is a lighter creme. It sags. When she walks, her tummy swings back and forth. Apparently, it's called a primordial pouch. This loose layer of skin protects her bones and organs from predators (1).

Although she's almost 4 years old, she still acts like a kitten. Actually, she's more like a puppy. For one, she gets into trouble. She refuses to scratch her scratching posts and cat trees. Instead, she prefers the couches, chair cushions, curtains, floor mats, and carpets. Of course, they barely trim her claws. If I painted them, she'd look like she was wearing long acrylics. They're sharp and loud. I always hear her walking toward me.

Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack.

I don't know if there's a nice way to say this but she's not a very clean kitty. Cats usually wash themselves for a total of 1 hour every day (2). Cats usually wash everywhere. Mochi does not. The little ring of pink on her bottom isn't...pink. She also sullies her water bowl. Bao's bowl. Every bowl. She dips for paw in the water and then quickly pulls it back and shakes it, flinging water everywhere and leaving chunks of litter and dirt in the bowl. That's not all. She is a Pee Monster. The Pee Monster. Every night and sometimes during the day, she goes to the bathroom on our couch. Fortunately, its cover is washable. Maybe I should get her diapers.

We're not sure why she pees. No bladder control? Doubtful. She pees in the same exact spot. Mochi knows what she's doing. Guilty. We assume it's because she feels threatened by Bao. The first night at her new home, Bao broke through the cloth barrier separating her from Mochi. They were trapped together in a locked room. That night, Bao established her role: the Queen. I feel bad. Mochi doesn't deserve to feel this way. During feeding time, I put Mochi's bowl of tuna down for her first. But usually, she waits for me to put Bao's down. She wants to let the Queen eat first. Lately, I've been encouraging her to eat first. I snatch her up from hiding and plop her down next to her food before feeding Bao. She needs to stand up for herself and hold her ground. But I think it's working too well...

Recently, Mochi discovered a new hobby. It's called the Smack and Walk Away. Out of nowhere, she walks up to Bao, smacks her head with her paw, then walks away. Now, the roles are reversed. Mochi bullies Bao. That wasn't my plan.

Despite everything, I love Mochi. Always will. She's adorable. She chirps at the birds. She gallops like a little horse up and down the stairs. When I see her, I kneel and lower my head for a head-butt. We also play hide-and-seek. I run around the corner, call out her name, and wait for her. When she finds me, she talks to me and greets me with another head-butt.

Scroll down to see a few of my favorite Mochi Memories!