There's no such thing as...

...a quick cup of tea, in this house!

Although we only have two cats (Thatsit and Oimo, who is still doing fine, btw), several others are fed regularly, and a hedgehog..

So, a little while ago, when I thought I'd go and make myself a quick cup of tea, there was no way it was going to happen..

First, Oimo wanted to go out.. Then, Pushy was at the kitchen door, hoping to get it, and I heard the hedgehog clonking one of the outdoor food bowls against the cement.. I gave Pushy some food, but didn't let him in.. He started eating the food just outside the kitchen door, next to the hedgehog who was having dry food.. Ginga heard us, and approached carefully, still bumping into a watering can - the poor thing is totally blind at night.. I was talking to him, so that he could use my voice for navigation.. I let Ginga step in, and gave him food..

As Ginga was in the kitchen, I couldn't close the kitchen door - Ginga is a semi-feral, and he'd freak out if I closed the door while he's visiting.. Pushy used this, and sneaked in after finishing his food.. Hedgehog moved on to finish the little bit of wet food Pushy had left in the bowl..

Ringo appeared, and tried to rush in to the kitchen.. I stopped him and promised to give him some food after Ginga and hedgie were done with theirs.. Ringo kept trying to come in, so I had to keep steering him out, at the same time trying not to freak out Ginga or the hedgie.. Jeez..

Finally, the hedgie left, so I kept talking to Ginga while I put some food out for Ringo.. Then, I noticed Oimo waiting at the front door, hoping to get in - I'd left the actual door wide open, so I could see him through the sliding door..

I let Oimo in, and he was looking at the situation in the kitchen (and at the kitchen door), with a "WTF?!?" expression.. I told him it'd be OK soon.. He then went to the water bowl, and waited for me to make him his warm water.. (I don't remember if I blogged about this, but D recently discovered that Oimo can drink normally if we heat up the water to body temperature - his teeth or gums must be sensitive to the cool / room temperature water, because he was sort of eating it, rather than drinking it.. When it's warm, he has no trouble at all! It's quick and easy; I just boil the kettle, and add about 1/4 boiling water, to the water bowl.. I mix it with my finger, and when it's my body temperature, it's almost as if I can't feel it as it's not cooler or warmer than my finger..)

Sooo, once Oimo was finally drinking his warm water, Ginga was done eating, but wanted some cuddles.. Eventually, I had to steer him out as I needed to close the door and come back to the attic.. (And yes, I did actually make that cup of tea as well - sometimes I forget..)