The Sticky Mess: A Cat, Fly Tape, and Chaos

Glue Everywhere! Nelly vs. Fly Tape

As a devoted pet owner, you always want the best for your furry companions. But sometimes, despite our best efforts, things can go hilariously—and messily—wrong. Take, for instance, my recent experience with my 20-year-old cat, Nelly, who had an unfortunate run-in with a piece of fly tape. What started as a seemingly minor mishap quickly snowballed into an hours-long ordeal involving glue, olive oil, an emergency bath, and a very, very angry cat.

The Calm Before the Storm

It was a typical Saturday morning, and I was enjoying a cup of coffee, watching Nelly lazily patrol the living room. Nelly, like most cats, is curious by nature, but at 20 years old, she’s more of a casual observer than an active explorer. At least, that’s what I thought. Little did I know that this day would be anything but typical.

In an effort to combat a few persistent flies, I had hung up some fly tape in a discreet corner. Nelly, however, must have decided that corner needed a closer inspection. With her tail held high in her usual dignified manner, she wandered over to the tape, completely unaware of the sticky disaster awaiting her.

The Panic Sets In

As soon as her tail made contact with the fly tape, the chaos began. Nelly, startled by the sudden sensation of something sticking to her fur, took off like a rocket, dragging the tape behind her. In her frantic dash through the house, the tape wrapped around her, sticking to her tail, her legs, and even her back. The more she struggled, the more entangled she became.

And that was when the panic set in—for both of us. I chased after her, trying to catch her and carefully remove the tape, but she was far too quick, darting under furniture and around corners. Meanwhile, I could feel the sticky glue on my own hands and clothes as I desperately tried to grab her. It was as if the tape was multiplying, spreading gluey chaos everywhere.

The Great Olive Oil Experiment

After what felt like an eternity, I finally managed to corner Nelly in the bedroom and gently pried the tape off her fur. But the worst was far from over. Nelly was now covered in sticky glue, and so was I. My first instinct was to clean my hands, so I reached for the cooking spray—a trick I remembered from an old DIY project—and used it to break down the adhesive. It worked like a charm, followed by a good scrub with dish soap. But what about Nelly?

In a moment of inspiration—or perhaps desperation—I grabbed a bottle of olive oil from the kitchen and began to gently massage it into her fur, hoping it would help loosen the glue. Nelly, exhausted from her earlier escapades, was not particularly thrilled but allowed me to apply the oil. I let it soak in, thinking I was giving the glue a chance to break down, but Nelly had other plans. With a swift flick of her oily tail, she darted under the bed, leaving me to sit there and wonder how on earth I was going to get her out.

The Soapy Situation

After a good 20 minutes of coaxing and pleading, Nelly finally emerged, still covered in oil and glue, but looking slightly more manageable. It was time for the next step: the dreaded bath. Now, I should mention that in all of Nelly’s 20 years, she had never once had a bath. Like many cats, she prided herself on her self-cleaning abilities and was not about to let me mess with that. But desperate times called for desperate measures.

Armed with dish soap—because why stop at just olive oil?—I started lathering her up. I quickly realized I had used far too much soap, and Nelly was soon lost in a sea of suds. The bubbles were everywhere, and so was Nelly’s displeasure. At this point, I had no choice but to enlist help. My wife stepped in, holding Nelly over the sink while I aimed the sprayer at her soapy fur. Nelly’s patience was wearing thin, but we persevered, determined to wash away the last remnants of glue.

The Aftermath: A Lesson in Patience and Preparedness

After what felt like an eternity, Nelly was finally glue-free, rinsed off, and wrapped in a towel. I could tell she was exhausted and more than a little angry. As I sat down to catch my breath, I thought the ordeal was finally over. That is until Nelly made her way to our bed and, in one final act of defiance, peed right in the middle of it. The message was clear: she was not amused.

It took hours to clean up the mess—washing Nelly, scrubbing the floor, and stripping the bed. The whole experience was exhausting, frustrating, and, in retrospect, utterly hilarious. But as with all things pet-related, it was also a reminder of the unpredictable nature of animals and the importance of patience and preparedness.

What I Learned from the Experience

If there’s one takeaway from this sticky saga, it’s that even the best-laid plans can go awry when pets are involved. Nelly’s encounter with the fly tape was a reminder that accidents happen, and sometimes, all you can do is roll with the punches (or the glue, in this case). I also learned the importance of keeping your cool, even when your cat is running wildly through the house with fly tape stuck to her fur.

In the end, Nelly forgave me—after a few extra treats and some well-deserved cuddles—and life returned to normal. But I’ll certainly think twice before hanging fly tape anywhere near her favorite hangout spots in the future. And if I ever need to give her another bath (though I sincerely hope I won’t), I’ll be sure to use much, much less dish soap.