This morning I woke up with lower back pain, to the point that I could
barely walk. I called in sick.

First thing I did was to soak in a tub of hot water, to relax the back
muscles.

So I'm lying down in the tub, luxuriating in the hot water. Little
Feet is sitting on the edge of the tub, very concerned that I would
submerge myself in water.

He watches for a minute or two, then carefully puts a front paw on my
chest, while he tries to stay on the edge of the tub. Then he reaches
out the other front paw, and places it on my chest. Finally, tail held
up above the water, he gingerly works his back paws over until he is
sitting completely on my chest.

I now have a sweet nurse kitty, braving the very waters of hell to
meatloaf and purr on my chest, while I soak. I have dry hands, so I
pet him and take care to balance him, so that we don't end up dancing
a ballet for tooth and claw.

Finally, the water cools, so I lift Little Feet out, dry off, and fill
a hot water bottle.

I lay on the bed, with the hot water bottle on my back, and Little
Feet immediately climbs up, onto the hot water bottle. I guess he has
the best of both worlds - hot water, sealed in an impermeable
container, and being able to nurse me back to health all at once.

Of course, you're not supposed to apply heat for too long, so I remove
the hot water bottle after half an hour. Little Feet then decides he
can nurse me from a couple of feet away, as he takes up the meatloaf
position from the relocated hot water bottle.

We both take naps, and all is right with the world.

Hugs and Purrs,
Mark