Curiosity Didn't Kill The Cat But It Did Lead To A Kitty Bath

When we moved to Ontario we could not get over the ridiculous price of houses. Because we didn't want a postage stamp yard, and we couldn't afford a new home on a large piece of land (nor am I convinced such a thing exists here), we purchased a older home (built in the late 60's)

Structurally, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the house. However, it had not been decorated since the 70's. It really looked like the set of The 70's Show. It had red shag carpet on the top floor and green carpet on the main floor, and linolium floor in the basement, kitchen and bathrooms. The walls had not been painted for a long time and both previous owners smoked in the home so all the walls were nicotine yellow.

We have been slowly renovating it room by room and I am pleased with the slow but sure progress. This weekend, we stripped the wallpaper in the kitchen, plastered and painted. I also purchased new light fixtures. Once we rip up the linolium floor in the kitchen and entrance way, the main floor will be finished.

Because the paint was dry, when Rick got home tonight I asked him to put up the new ceiling fan I bought for the kitchen. However the fan was really heavy and Rick wasn't sure the electrical box was attached to anything sturdy enough to hold it.

That meant going into the attic to see what it was attached to. I was going to go, got all ready, climed up the ladder and into the attic and stopped. Apparently they had sprayed in insulation sometime in the last 30 years. I couldn't see any beams and I would have had to dig through a foot of that shit just to see where to walk. I got down and asked Rick to do it. While he was putting on long pants and long sleves I heard the cat jump on the ladder.

Fuck! NO...... Get Down! And up he went just like that. When I got up he was walking along the insulation towards the back of the house. Shit I thought, I wonder if that stuff will cut his paws, I know it's not good for his lungs.

I called his name, I called the sound he always comes to, I brought out the treats but he just looked back at me and laughed.

I talked very sternly to him but he gave me that "bitch pulease" look and kept on exploring.

Rick checked the light box and yes, it was mounted to a beam which is good cause now we don't have to try to work up there, but still the friggin cat still wouldn't come near us.

About 30 minutes later and when I am getting really tired of this game, the cat decides the funs over. However, by this time he doesn't "like" the insulation anymore. He has taken to walking around the perimiter where there is no insulation (where the roof overhangs the walls) and meaowing.

Now I talk sternly again, I say "Listen mister, you got yourself in there, you are going to have to get yourself out. You may be able to walk on this but I can't. I am too heavy. Pick up your dainty little feet and walk right over here."

Of course, you all know that cats listen to no one. The crying gets louder, the perimeter walking gets more desparate. I start thinking about the sharp insulation in his little lungs.

Rick builds a walkway for him out of a couple sheets of plywood. He manages to get the cat in his arms, but every time he tries to lower the cat to me, the cat freaks, "cat in a tree syndrome" and suddenly is afraid of heights. Rick now has insulation all over him, the cat is scratching the hell out of him, and he's sweating buckets cause it's freakin hot in the attic.

We finally manage to get him down and I take him straight to the bath to get that shit off him. Surprisingly bathing him doesn't faze him at all and he sits still while I gently splash water on him til he's soaking and then "brush" his fur with my fingers.

I thought the bath might deter future adventures but this doesn't look like a cat that learned it's lesson to me - what do you think?