Cat-Toe Shoes + The Importance Of Compromise In A Cat-Human Slave Relationship

Momma Told Me: Compromise is key to any healthy relationship.


There comes a point in every cat-human slave relationship that you find yourself simply falling into a slump.  Wake up, feed cat. Scoop litter box. Pet cat. Slowly back away as cat makes it known they're done with you. Open window for cat. Pick up cat toys. Feed cat dinner. Scoop cat box. Attempt to pet cat again. Ignore rude feline slang and remind yourself they still love you. Go to bed. Wake up to cat on face. Do it all again.

It's no-one's fault, really. Light any long-term relationship it's bound to have it's ups and downs. But, unless your cat's making $1000's of dollars selling cereal on Instagram (yes, that's a thing) you might want to remind yourself who exactly wears the pants. Literally. Unless your cat is some sort of special pants wearing cat, in which case you're simply out of luck.

For a while, last year, Truffles and I had settled into an Eb and flow that was teetering on the edge of complacency. Our relationship was dull. I wanted nice, pretty, things, and all she wanted to do was lay around in the (dirty) sliding window track all day. She couldn't even be bothered to pull back the blinds before she smushed herself against the glass and drifted off for her afternoon naps. Neither of us seemed unhappy, but neither of us seemed particularly happy either.

So I decided to make some changes.

No long would I settle for our relationship consisting of little more than a routine. For example, if she wasn't going to get up off the floor and go buy her own groceries then she was at the very least going to help with the shopping decisions. There was some grumbling about 'angles' making her look fat, and data usage, but I at last got her to agree to Face Time on the phone during my visit to PetSmart. It turns out, much like the importance of good toilet paper to humans, cats have a lot to say about the litter they use.

Truffles wanted a lower dust formula litter, while I wanted extreme clumping action that would make my human-slave duties much more tolerable each day. We'd been using Fresh Step cat litter for years, but never paid much attention to the new varieties and innovations with the brand. I guess you can just chalk it up too our slump. So, together, we decided to make the switch to a new lower dust Fresh Step with the Power of Febreze formula litter. Our compromise skills, however,were later put to the true test when I rolled past the PetSmart aisle with the toy mice. Turns out Truffles got some new toys, and I got a new pair of shoes.

Of course a plain pair of flats didn't quite make Truffles' fashion approval- they needed a but more pizazz. So I grabbed some painter's tape, a drop cloth, and acrylic paints and sat down to jazz up my new kicks a little.

My relationship efforts must have been paying off because Truffles immediately joined me, as soon as the box the shoes had arrived in was vacant.

I was excited my cat was taking interest in my hobbies, and immediately began explaining my project to her, but her eyes only offered a glazed expression. Baby steps, I told myself.

I took my painter's tape and blocked off an even section of the toe of each flat and gave it a good layer of black paint. I then carefully peeled back the tape and added two swooshes of 'ears'.

Either the scent of wet acrylic on leather was perking her up, or she'd hit the nip a little earlier in the day but Truffles then looked at me and meowed something I took to mean "Paint me like one of your French cats" and I felt myself immediately inspired. Since I also happen to like asymmetrical designed, I decided to paint one toe as Truffles, the tuxedo cat, and the other a mysterious black kitty.

This project was incredibly simple, and didn't really require any special materials or skills- I've since worn my snazzy new flats about town several times to many compliments. This look sure beats that 'gold toe' trend everyone was buzzing about last Spring! Of course a brand new Fresh Step litter variety wasn't quite equal to my new 'designer' kicks- so Truffles demanded we compromise a little more. A new piece of furniture was in order.

Since I knew how much Truffles longed to lounge in the warm grass on a sunny SoCal day, but so very much feared the sound of a car backfiring, or the bark of a stray dog, or the shadow of a fleeing mouse (she's kind of an agoraphobe, really) I decided to bring the outdoors in. For about $8 at the local hardware store I invested in a sturdy concrete mixing pan that just so happened to be the perfect size for a section of sod.

As it turns out you can walk into most major, and even private, hardware and nursery stores and order a section of fresh sod (grass) to pick up the same day. The smallest size, shown here, cost us $2.59, and is actually doubled onto itself in the tray. You can order your sod with or without the thick dirt base- we prefer with dirt because it just has that great spongy, Earthy, feel. Sod for this purpose is generally intended to be tossed at the end of it's life, rather than watered/maintained, and will stay green and plush for 5-7 days depending on your climate.

***Update: We have had sod beds last up to 10 days before they were starting to brown and dry. We do something like this about once a month as a treat whenever we pass by the sod farm but you can get set up on a delivery or pickup schedule for weekly/bi weekly sod if it's something you desire to do regularly. You can also install a 'living' sod bed much like an indoor plant and keep the grass thriving for months on end.

Now, let me tell you- I could have just had a Lay-Z-Boy recliner dropped off, that's how magical this lounger was for our relationship. What a difference a change of local can do for one's mindset! It was as though Truffles checked into the spa each afternoon and was the kitten I fell in love with all over again each night. After hours of recharging in the afternoon sun my cat would return to me a whole new feline, purring and begging for attention with nudges and cuddles.

We may not be completely out of our rut- After all, I'll always be the human slave, and she'll always be the cat, but things are running just a bit more amicably these days. Let's just say I'm still scooping the litter box, but at least she remembers to put Fresh Step Extreme with the Power of Febreze on the shopping list! Now, tell me, if you may Kitty-Toe Flats what type of cat would you feature on the front? Not a cat person? Tell me about your pet's favorite place to sleep in the house!

What Daughter Says: Happy cat, happy human-slave.