Privileges and Advantages

As he is recovering from his surgery, Presto is treated differently than are the other Tempos. It’s not just about wearing the cone most of the time; I do take that off but only when I can watch him directly. I don’t want him playing with his brothers unless I can keep an eye on him, and what they get up to at night, in the library, when they should be sleeping, could cause damage to the surgical site, even with the cone.

Therefore, the oldest Tempo doesn’t sleep with his siblings anymore. He sleeps on the bed with me and some of the other beasts, both at night, and when I nap. I wondered at first how he would take to this. Though he wanted - and still wants - to sleep on a part of the bed that is reserved for Imogen, there is little trouble from the kitten. I place him on the far side of me, and he eventually - rather quickly, in fact - settles down to rest. I am surprised that he seems to sleep right through the night, without moving much. He, like most of the cats, will rise before I do, and start his day early. Other than that, he barely disturbs me or the others.

This new routine not only allows him to stay safe from possible inadvertent harm during unsupervised play, but gets him ready for the time when he is adopted. That he will - and wants to - sleep with his person is very good; most adopters like that arrangement. It is not only good that he does this, but it is good to know that he does. And it allows him further to synchronize his habits with a human’s.

Presto’s situation has its privileges - and its advantages.