But Is It Art?

Posted byAbPosted inADHD, adoption, FASD, Fun, humour, ParentingTags:, , , , , , ,

After years of being on the receiving end of mischief, our cat got back at her 9-year-old nemesis.

“OH MY GOD!” T screamed Friday morning.

It was a PA Day and he stayed home instead of going to daycare, as we were going to a FASD caregiver group meetup at lunch.

“What is it?” I asked as I saw T in our living room.

“Lanaya pooped on my art work!” He shrieked.

Lanaya is our female cat, who was once the centre of the universe until T came along.

T’s hyperactivity, loud boisterous nature and disregulated moments are hard on our poor cat, who has over the years withdrew and spends time under the bed when T is home and awake.

T wants to be friends, but his impulsive nature means he often likes to chase her, because he’s trying to be playful rather than malicious, despite our repeated reminders that she does not like it.

Thanks to his FASD brain, he just can’t help himself sometimes!

So it’s a fraught relationship, but thankfully, T and our other cat, Kyrie, have learned to co-exist and he’s even warmed up to T.

Our very first photo of Lanaya when we picked her up at her foster home 9 years ago. She’s much fatter now!

When T pointed out Lanaya’s handiwork, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Of all the places to lay two turds, she was quite intentionally specific.

“I think she’s sending you a message,” I told him with a chuckle. “It’s karma for all those times you bothered her.”

Instead of getting testy, T laughed along with me.

We laughed for quite a bit that morning about it.

There is absolutely nothing profound about this post, other than poop never gets old in making people laugh together.

For families that need ongoing positive social connections, laughter is so healing.

So yah, when timed well, poop is art in itself.

Thankfully, she pooped on the back side of the artwork. The artwork is pictured at the top of this post.

The rest of the day was less poopy.

The meetup organized by the Surrey Place FASD caregiver’s group was fun!

We joined two families we’ve met on three previous occasions and it was heartwarming to see T have fun with the two older boys, 11 and 16.

This is what childhood is all about.

T is the kid with the red cap.

29 thoughts on “But Is It Art?”

  1. I’m so glad that ended in laughter (and that the picture was upside down at the time of “the incident.”) And maybe T will learn to be a little less boisterous with the cat as a result. Mostly I’m glad he was able to laugh too. 🙂

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  2. You are such a Dad! Moms would have said it’s OK we will clean it up. Men just laugh 🤣 I’m glad he has your sense of humor. I stared at the first picture for the longest time trying to find the poop! Then I scroll down and there it is, now I am laughing.

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    1. That’s too funny that you were looking for the poop in the wrong photo. 😂 And yes, dads and moms have different ways of reacting to things!

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  10. 🤣 I only wish our cats were so polite!!! I’m really glad T was able to see the humour in it and laugh, rather than being miserable! It’s progress, my friend!

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    1. You’re right, Ab, it was funny! I think it definitely helped that Lanaya chose the back of T’s art work to deposit her “gift”, and that T saw the funny side of it. He probably won’t leave his art work on the floor in the future!!

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      1. It’s too funny, Jane. I’m not quite sure how the art work ended up on the floor. Wouldn’t it be something if the cat also had a hand with putting it down there! 😆

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    2. A wonderful metaphor about growth in life itself, Wynne! 😊

      Has summer break started for your family? I seem to recall you start a few weeks before us. We go up until June 28.

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