Sunday, March 15, 2009

Holes

Rocky's not so bad these days but he used to be all about the holes. It must have been that whenever I left the house, he'd think to himself, "That prick left me alone again. I can't believe it. This time I'm really going to show him," and then he'd get to work chewing out one perfect little hole in the blanket or sheet he was sleeping on. It was never like he tore anything to shreds. No, that would be too much work for Rocky. It would be just one hole, maybe two, and that would be enough to calm his nerves.

When I got back home, I'd find a little circular cut out lying on the floor and then I'd go searching for the newly minted hole.

He'd work through a blanket over the course of a couple of weeks or a month until it was more holes than not and then I'd have to throw it away and bring out a new one.



Luckily, I splurged on Rocky's blankets at Valu Village so each cost me maybe five bucks (that Bambi one may have cost seven) but unfortunately, Rocky went through a phase where it wasn't just blankets.

Here's a cushion that was hand made a few years ago.

Rocky must've thought it needed some updating because he pulled out a little hole in one corner to register his disapproval. Not big enough to throw the cushion out. Just big enough so that when company comes over and sees it, they're like, "Shit, you've got major mouse problems here. We'll come back when you've that sorted. See ya."

He also did it to this one ...

and this one ...

The most ambitious Rocky's ever gotten with his hole making ventures was on the sofa.

This was quite atypical for Rocky because he would have had to stand to create this hole and he's way happier lying down on the job.

Of course, being the self centered human I am, I think all this hole making is directed at me but it may not necessarily be so. Rocky may actually be exhibiting passive aggressive tendencies towards Stella. Our house is quite cold at night and the dogs moan and groan if they're not warm so I made some pajamas for them. Here's Stella modeling hers with some nice detailing work from Rocky.

Rocky's pajamas, on the other hand, appear unair-conditioned.

Rocky's hole making has greatly decreased in the last few months. I'm not sure why that is. Maybe he's come to realize that even though the humans sometimes leave the house without him, they always come back at some point. Or, maybe it's because he's ten years old now and he's just decided that it's time to retire so he can spend less time hole making and more time farting - which is not as visible as hole making but possibly just as bad.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wonder, looking at the pictures, if perhaps Rocky is actually making art. The balance, the dynamics, the sheer brilliance of the blanket-hole compositions would earn at least a modicum of praise from the Emily Carr faculty. The single corner holes on the pillows are a definite statement, and you cannot argue that the sofa arm is a deliberate choice that took some effort to carry out. Perhaps we should stop being so anthropocentric, and accept that other species have art, too.

Or, maybe Rocky was just neurotic and bored, and without thumbs, lacked any alternative to placate his oral fixation.....

foxpen said...

Ah, the habits of the furbags we live with.
Doesn't beat my cat's habit at all, though. He likes to pee all over my boyfriend's jacket.
Just the sleeve.
Never anywhere else.
Just the sleeve so that when the poor guy goes to raise his arm for whatever reason, all anybody can smell is cat pee.

And never a single drop on the carpet.

We put the coat on a hanger now, but that doesn't stop eeevil orange devil ninjacat. They'll be fresh pee.
Just on the sleeve.

Barb said...

I've had cats that would chew little round holes in blankets (or sweaters! Learned to NOT leave the nice new expensive sweater just folded up on the bed) but never a dog. My dogs do sometimes chew holes in things but they're Dane-sized holes for the most part.

spotted dog farm said...

I'm so impressed with Rocky's talent and with your wonderful documentation of his work. If you decide to have an opening, I'd be particularly interested in the Holey Bambi piece.

Fred said...

jere, yes I'm fond of that one too but I'm not sure Rocky's ready to relinquish it yet (he's a bit of a hoarder that way). I like the way the Rocky holes juxtapose with the roundness of the flowers and Bambi's nose. I'm pretty sure that's what he was going for.