So Much For Graceful Cats...

Damned Silly Beast

I can NOT believe what just happened.

I'm laying on the bed, reading a novel as I am wont to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Betsy Cat is grooming herself at the head of the bed, causing the occasional tuft of grey fur to come wafting across my face on the fan's breeze.

Suddenly, there's this 'Ka-THUMP'! sound behind me, followed by a weird grunting sound. I roll over, and all I can see is Betsy's back feet and tail tip poking out over the edge of the mattress. The rest of her is down between the bed frame and the nightstand, as far as I can tell.

There's no movement, and I'm suddenly scared shitless, so I pop out of bed and get a closer look. She's head-down, wedged in between the mattress, the bed frame and the nightstand. The mattress has a tendency to 'walk' and has left a big gap just the right size for a cat to take a nosedive into.

I grab her back feet and yank her out of there, laying her on the bed. I'm really scared by this time, 'cause she's not moving at all. Fuck, I'm sure she's broken her neck or something. I'm petting on her and calling her name, and she suddenly lurches up and starts meowing.

I'm giving her a quick pat down, feeling for broken bones, but she darts off towards the kitchen. Well, at least she's not dead. She parks herself in front of the food bowl, and gobbles down 1/2 a cup of kibble.

I'm guessing maybe she caught the edge of the lower shelf of the nightstand with her head, and got her bell rung. Maybe the quick downward slide of her poochy belly forced all the air from her lungs when she was head down. Who knows?

I've been watching her for a while now, and she's not twitching or acting like a chihuahua. She's tracking motion and sound OK. There's no bleeding from ears or eyes, nor has she yakked the food up, so unless she starts doing anything like that, I'll hold off on the kitty emergency room visit.

Foolish cat. Guess she was so intent on licking her butt she lost her sense of balance.

Update: It's been a week, and she's still her usual self. She still grooms herself in the same spot, too. I've stuck a cardboard box in the gap. Looks like hell, but ought to prevent anymore kitty nosedives.