Tom, my brother, has three cats. Over the next few weeks I'll come to know them well. I will be house sitting for Tom. Many, many years ago I had three cats too! My only concern, as I prepare for this assignment, is that the cats have the bad habit of walking across the keyboard of Tom's computer. They actually knocked out several of the letters. Tom tried to repair the keyboard with super glue; a repair I do not recommend. The letters "R", "J" and "T" will only work when a lot of force is applied to the exact center of the key. "R" and "T", my god, every sentence I write has "R's" and "T's". If they do the same to me it will take me forever to compose a post. I also worry the I may need to preface every post to my blogs created while I am cat sitting with:
These aren't my thoughts, they're Tom's cats walking on the keyboard.
I have vague memories of what it is like to live with a cat, or cats. I also, unfortunately, remember what it is like to lose one too. Curly, a favorite, died on my lap as I was rushing him to the vet. I always felt that he enjoyed my company. I can still picture the many times he'd wander into the kitchen and drop a frog onto the floor. He'd then proceed to play with it until I lost interest. He'd leave with the still living frog. I never found out the frog's fate.
When I play with my cat, how do I know that she is not passing time with me rather than I with her? Montaigne
Am I still a "cat person"? And what does it mean to be a "cat person"? Garrison Keillor of A Prairie Home Companion has said "Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function." Will I become lazy? Will I be content, when I should be composing a blog post, to nap in a sunbeam? Will they accept me? I haven't thought much about that. There are three of them. Will we get along? Cats can be nasty!
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way. Mark Twain
When I have visited Tom his cats have seemed to accept my presence. However I have noticed that they are demanding. Tom and the cats have their routines. He plays with them. They actually will drag their toys to him; particularly this bird on a stick. He gives them treats. Even the "treats" are accompanied by a ritual. He puts them in a can and rattles the can. The cats come running. He gives the treats out in a particular order, as the dominant cat will steal all the treats unless distracted! What will happen if I deviate from this routine?
If cats looked like frogs we'd realize what nasty, cruel little bastards they are. Terry Pratchett
The theme of one of my other blogs, Epicurean Health, is that our ultimate goal should be to attain a happy, tranquil state of existence; Live a self sufficient life surrounded by friends. These cats are Tom's friends. I will be interested to see if they are mine, too, after we have shared the same space for several weeks! Come back often to Tom's Cats and follow my journey of discovery to find the "cat person" in me.
You may enjoy reading: The devil can turn himself into any bird except for a dove.
You may also enjoy reading: Send great evils to the wicked and great blessings to the righteous.
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