Feeding the kitten monster
Who's job is it anyways?
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I mentioned in another article that we have a new kitten (although at this point he isn't exactly new anymore). Well I went downstairs to have lunch and what do I find? The kitten is on the kitchen counter, one of the places he's not supposed to be (although if you listen to my parents the only place he is supposed to be is in his litter box...). So I grab him and toss him across the room, he should know better then that. And considering he looked to be running off the counter when I showed up it seems he does know he shouldn't be there.
I'm getting out my foodstuff and notice a plate of cucumbers on the counter. Perhaps he was eating them? I didn't know kittens liked cucumbers, do they taste that much better then his food? Unless... he doesn't have food. A quick check in the computer (kitten) room and I find that he indeed does not have any food. Which would explain why he was on the counter. Doesn't mean he should have been there, but explains it. For a minute I was thinking I wouldn't give him food, make whoevers job it was feed him. But that would be punishing the kitten for something he had no control over, not very good. So he has a great big bowl of food now (and started eating as soon as it was there too).
Now the question becomes, whose job is it to feed the kitten and what shall I do about it? I'm reasonable certain it's not my job (mainly because if it was someone would have told me, and since this is only the second time I've fed him if it was my job he should have died from starvation by now). And I seem to recall it being Noah's job last time it wasn't done (and if not then what I'm about to say would apply to whoever's job it is).
Since the kitten relies on us for survival, when we mess up we should be punished in some appropriate way. And since it's not like the dog, and it's bowl is supposed to have food all the time so it can graze whenever it wants (which will likely lead to a fat cat later, but that's a different story), it shouldn't be that hard to check it every day and fill it as needed. And when you don't, no dinner for you. Seems fitting, if you can't feed the animals then you don't get to eat yourself.
Mind you, that isn't what is going to happen, not around this house. Here's what will happen instead: Parent 'Noah, your supposed to feed the kitten'. Noah playing with toys, oblivious to world. Parent 'You forgot again today, don't let it happen again'. Noah stops playing with toys and goes to play on computer, continuing to be oblivious to the world.
Oh well, such is life or some such nonsense. At least the kitten won't be starving to death today... (and if I can stop being lazy long enough to scare up a graphic editing program I might even be able to post picture of said kitten...)
I'm getting out my foodstuff and notice a plate of cucumbers on the counter. Perhaps he was eating them? I didn't know kittens liked cucumbers, do they taste that much better then his food? Unless... he doesn't have food. A quick check in the computer (kitten) room and I find that he indeed does not have any food. Which would explain why he was on the counter. Doesn't mean he should have been there, but explains it. For a minute I was thinking I wouldn't give him food, make whoevers job it was feed him. But that would be punishing the kitten for something he had no control over, not very good. So he has a great big bowl of food now (and started eating as soon as it was there too).
Now the question becomes, whose job is it to feed the kitten and what shall I do about it? I'm reasonable certain it's not my job (mainly because if it was someone would have told me, and since this is only the second time I've fed him if it was my job he should have died from starvation by now). And I seem to recall it being Noah's job last time it wasn't done (and if not then what I'm about to say would apply to whoever's job it is).
Since the kitten relies on us for survival, when we mess up we should be punished in some appropriate way. And since it's not like the dog, and it's bowl is supposed to have food all the time so it can graze whenever it wants (which will likely lead to a fat cat later, but that's a different story), it shouldn't be that hard to check it every day and fill it as needed. And when you don't, no dinner for you. Seems fitting, if you can't feed the animals then you don't get to eat yourself.
Mind you, that isn't what is going to happen, not around this house. Here's what will happen instead: Parent 'Noah, your supposed to feed the kitten'. Noah playing with toys, oblivious to world. Parent 'You forgot again today, don't let it happen again'. Noah stops playing with toys and goes to play on computer, continuing to be oblivious to the world.
Oh well, such is life or some such nonsense. At least the kitten won't be starving to death today... (and if I can stop being lazy long enough to scare up a graphic editing program I might even be able to post picture of said kitten...)
