Thursday, January 20, 2022

"Sanctuary! Sanctuary!"

Two weeks ago, Hector received his new box, which he turned into a cave. But it has become more than that for our dark knight. It has become his sanctuary.


Hector will hide in the box - ‘hide’, in this case, is a relative term - and grab at my ankles as I walk past him, a little black paw shooting out from around a cardboard corner. When we play with the string-toy, he will seize the end in his mouth and carry it proudly back to the cave, his home-base. (What he thinks to do with it there is never explained; I don’t think that he knows.) And when he is in trouble, after spilling water or chasing Neville or Renn, and I speak sternly to him for it, he hurries to the cave.


Since Hector doesn’t have a ‘safe zone’ - with the closing of the library for the duration of Auric’s isolation - the cave serves as Hec’s sanctuary. I respect that, and do not pull him from its confines, or go after him there, if we are playing. If he runs to the cave after having done something bad, I will let him know I see him there, but will do nothing else; he will know he’s misbehaved, and that’s enough.


I think it’s important for Hector to have an inviolable spot. The others don’t seem to need one; they’ve been here long enough to know that they can ride out a storm without such a location. Hector, doing something he shouldn’t more often than the oldsters, benefits from his sanctuary. I believe it gives him confidence and a sense of belonging.


I just wish his cave need not be in the centre of the apartment…


16 comments:

  1. Katie's safe place is 3/4ths under our bed. I can see her rump and tail, but she is inviolate in there. I respect it no matter what the need to have her elsewhere.

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  2. We all need a safe place that we can use as a sanctuary, and it seems that Hector has found his.

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  3. Cat interior decorating doesn't match up well with the human version!

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  4. In the middle of your apartment...Haha!! Kitties like things to be the way THEY want them...we had some boxes that were like igloos almost with a cut out in the one side, and Minko would crawl in there, turn around and swat any passer by...cat, pup or peep, LOL! Must be their idea of peekaboo, or jack in the box!

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  5. HeHe! Bless him..!x
    If you get another cat John..what ever you do
    don't call it Achilles..!
    As Hector was a fierce Trojan prince, he was
    slain by Achilles..! :(
    Though Hector did'nt have a box to hide him! :)

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  6. It must be so much fun to watch a young cat play. I remember all that precious did 9 years ago when she was wild. Now as they get older and sedate I miss that joyful playing. And of course the favorite thing they like right whether it's a box or a tent or bed it seems like it's always in the middle of the floor for us to walk around.

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  7. Of course his sanctuary must be in the middle of the floor. It wouldn't be the same tucked out of the way in a corner.

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  8. Ditto the Eastside Cats! But Hector's safe spot is more important than home decor. :-)

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  9. As long as our cats are happy, we will walk around boxes! My living room looks like a playground with all the cat toys and boxes.
    Hec looks sweet in his sanctuary. It's hard to believe by looking at him that he's mischievous! :-)

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  10. Convenient for the cat, not so for the human. As Saku would say, "it's purrfect". :)

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  11. Oh Hector! That is the purrfect spot for your safe cave! We love it!

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  12. dood...thiz iz eazee a lee bee rema deed....tell dad ta bring home bout 45 MOR boxez and build ewe a fort long de wall :) ♥♥

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  13. It's interesting that he is fine with being in the middle of everything, as long as he can have some "me" time.

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