Santa Missed a Spot: This Stocking Already Has a Kitten in It
Only a head and two pointed ears show above the white fleece cuff, but that's enough to tell the whole story. A calico kitten has climbed into a giant red knit stocking and now peers up from inside it with bright amber eyes, her orange, black and white face tilted slightly as if waiting for applause. Behind her the floor is covered with toys, a wooden spoon and a stuffed rabbit, and the room has the pleasant disorder of a house in full holiday swing.
Cats are drawn to snug, enclosed places. A stocking, a box or a paper bag gives a kitten a sense of security and a good lookout point, and the instinct goes back to wild ancestors that tucked into small spaces to stay safe and warm. If your kitten likes to crawl into holiday items, check them first for small decorations, loose threads or bits of tinsel she could swallow. A stocking left on the floor should be watched, and anything with candy or wrappers belongs out of reach. A cozy cardboard box is always a safe backup.
The kitten seems quite pleased with her new gift wrapping. We'll call her Patches, naturally. She might stay in there for ten minutes or ten seconds, and either way it's a holiday present nobody saw coming. Cats have a gift for turning ordinary household objects into the best part of the holiday.
