The Hidey Hole

Callie relaxing on the bed.

Although you wouldn't know it from her current behavior around the house, Callie has been an anxious cat from the very beginning.  She would greet us by rolling on her back for a tummy rub, and if another stray competed for food, she would express dominance by hissing, "My food, stay away!"  In fact, we felt sorry for the other stray (who is most likely the one to get her pregnant later), and would hold her back so that he could share some of  the food.

However, as we approached Callie to take her up on that tummy rub, she would skitter off and peek at us from behind the dumpster in front of the apartment building.   We got to know her as we lured her out with some food and eventually she would allow us to pet her.  In time, she started to peek into the apartment building and one day followed us down the hall to our apartment, going back to the front door when we'd walk her out.


One day we heard a curious sound, and sure enough, Callie was there meowing.  Our neighbors would let her in out of the cold and snow from time to time, and she'd come by our apartment to see if we were home.  We allowed her a visit every so often, and I put food on the back patio (back then I was doing better at reinforcing boundaries).  In time she came to our back door, getting more comfortable with each stay.  As the days grew colder, we decided that it would be okay to set up a shallow cardboard box with a liner and some litter in it.

The first weekend the kids (from my husband's previous marriage) came to visit, Callie would run off to hide under a chair near the kitchen.  If our bedroom door was open, she'd make it all the way to the far corner of the closet, and in time that became her "hidey hole".  With her due date approaching, we decided it was time to block off the hidey hole so that it wouldn't be impossible to get the kittens should she need any help with the delivery.

Once Callie discovered that her hidey hole was gone, she had plenty to say about the matter.  She's been to the closet several times, looking over her shoulder and meowing in protest.  "I don't care for this new situation," she'll meow, "This just won't do!"  I've reassured her that this is for the best and that we need to be able to get to her if she needs help.  The old hole is now filled with a few small boxes and a birthing box in the front.  Fortunately for us, she hasn't decided to rip the boxes apart that are now in place of her safe place.  At least we're keeping our fingers crossed that she won't.