Bad Sassy....

Sassy did a naughty thing on the spare bed on the 27th.  Luckily, we've had it covered with waterproof pads so there's no damage, I simply cleaned up the mess and washed the cover while keeping the door closed until the pad was replaced.  Of course, we don't know what started that behavior, she's been good since we got back from vacation the first week of July.  This morning, we found another mess on the bed.  We talked about closing the door, but I'm afraid she'll just find someplace else to go, so we'll leave the door open after we clean and replace the pad.  We don't know if it's because we're getting ready to leave.  She can't be oblivious to the growing pile of stuff in the living room (that's how we start packing a week before we leave - we just add to the pile).  I once had a cat that would see the cat carrier and climb into the cold air duct because he knew the only reason the carrier was out was a vet trip.  Animals are so much smarter than people usually give them credit for.  If Sassy is suffering separation anxiety, perhaps drugs might be a good idea for a couple of weeks before we leave to a couple of weeks after we get back.  I really wouldn't want to go through that process again, she hates those pills.

The sitter knows if she pulls that crap (no pun intended) while we're gone, she gets locked up in the living room.  She'll have a window and a litter box and lots of room to play but she can't get to any furniture except the old chair and I've never seen her in it.  Carl suggested perhaps she's stressed now that Sadie is chasing her.  Roles have been reversed, Sadie now watches Sassy, but we've seen both of them in the front when they start running, so we're not sure who is chasing who.  We're not hearing the screeching from Sadie like we used to but we've also lost that friendliness she had when we first brought her home and she would come running so we could pet her.  She's much more aggressive now.  Sassy has even been known to 'nip' me lately; she never breaks the skin, just lets me know that she does not appreciate the attention.