Lucy's hanging in there

She's on my bed right now, nestling by the comforter, which she likes to massage. A while back, I bought some fabric-covered pet stairs in case the cats should ever have trouble hopping up onto the new, higher bed. Actually I bought them for Bootsy, since, at the time, he was the denizen of the bed. He's got arthritis and moves more slowly these days.

Sure enough, Bootsy stopped trying to spring up onto the bed in one swoop. Now he first jumps up onto a chair by the nightstand, then onto the nightstand, then the bed. (He never used the stairs, so I set them aside.) But in case Lucy should need to use the stairs, I put them back tonight. (My guess is that she didn't use them to get up onto the bed tonight, but they're there.)

I'm monitoring Lucy and the situation here closely. Bootsy has acted more sensitive since yesterday. He knows something's not right; I think he's now aware of Lucy's condition. Today he even gave her some kisses while she was sitting here at my feet. (If he'd have swatted her, I'd have swatted him back, but I was touched by his gesture.) The cat carrier is still sitting in the living room, so he's on his best behavior, at least while I'm watching.

They'll be alone here throughout the day tomorrow, however, since I have to go back to work. They mostly sleep anyway. But I have Lucy set up in my closet (where her basket is), with her own food and water supply. I was going to keep the cats separated but decided not to. I think Lucy would hate being locked up in the bedroom all by herself while I'm gone (I shut her in there last night and she wanted to get out), and I'm hoping Bootsy won't pester her. (He didn't this weekend.) And the cat carrier will be sitting out in the open...