There is no more intrepid explorer than a kitten. —Jules Champfleury
Kittens don’t think about the consequences. They just want an adventure and they do find it without trying very hard. They explore and learn all sorts of things. They are more observant than many humans I’ve known in my life.
If a cat did not put a firm paw down now and then, how could his human remain possessed? —Winifred Carriere
I love how humans think they can give cats rules to follow when in reality, it’s the other way around. The cats are laying down the rules and enforcing them in ways that most humans aren’t aware of. Cats can be adorable and purr. Two ways in which they enforce their possession of humans.
I used to be an indoor and outdoor cat. I came and went as I pleased. That was until after I had lived with my girl for some time. At first, she wouldn’t let me out at all. Eventually, she let me out when she left to go to school. When she came home, so did I. Although, she once saw me on her way home and I was running in the opposite direction. As soon as I realized it was her calling me, I ran back to the porch where the door to where our first home was. She came around to the porch after locking up her tricycle and we went inside where little Spot was waiting. We were all happily reunited after a day apart.
At least that was how it was once. But this new place was where we came after a long plane trip trapped in a cage in the cargo hold. I had no idea where we were. I didn’t realize the climate was different. The ground was certainly different here than where I was born and raised. I soon found out quite by accident…
I managed to get outside once at this place. Someone had left the front door open and I took the chance. I walked outside on the porch. Then I walked off and past the sidewalk. I stopped when I had reached the grass. The ground was much too soft. Where was I? I hollered for help. I couldn’t help it. I was so confused and scared.
My girl came up behind me and talked to me. I was too upset to notice what was different with the tone of her voice. Then she scooped me up from behind and carried me back inside the house. Trust me, it didn’t take long for me to calm down after that. I don’t appreciate someone catching me and picking me up, but I was freaked out and once again my girl saved me. She carried me back inside to safety.
I didn’t go outside after that. It was too strange and scary for me. Besides, I could hear dogs out there. I have never liked dogs. Also my girl was inside with me. She was looking out for me. Better than anyone else ever could. I had no reason to go out after that.
I was used to hard dirt. Not soft grass. I didn’t know how to react or what to do. Besides, my foreclaws were gone now. How would I defend myself against another cat? I didn’t know. I did know there were plenty of strange cats out there. One even came up to the house and tried to talk to my girl. Spot and I weren’t having it. We told the newcomer he wasn’t welcome to my girl and his mama.
We were the two cats here and we weren’t allowing another to come in. My girl didn’t say or do anything. I know she heard the cat. Perhaps she had remembered the other cat that had come to her? That much have been it. That one was a full fledged tom cat. He was a lean mean hunting machine. He had lived in the desert, where I’m from.
But Spot and I wouldn’t allow him into our home either. My girl tried to help him, but to this day, she can’t say what had happened to that cat. I know she must have cared. She even tried to call after he was placed into a shelter. But she never found out anything.
So, she probably was afraid to do anything wondering if the first cat who had tried to join us had been killed in the shelter. I think she also didn’t want to upset Spot or me. We were her priority. A new cat was another added responsibility that she couldn’t afford to have. Seeing it from her point of view makes me very grateful that she never got rid of us and did what she could to keep us together.
I knew my hunting days were over. But my girl would feed me well. That much I knew I could rely on. What would I have done without her? I have no idea. I think I would have died early without her care and love. Sadly, my claws and teeth aren’t the best. I have lost most of my teeth over my life. I don’t know why it happened to me. My claws tend to be brittle too. But as I have written before, my girl takes such good care of me, I don’t have to worry about going hungry.
I know how much she loves me too. She shows me by giving me wet food whenever I ask for it. She even told me she’d keep even if I ever lose all my teeth. She is so sweet and kind. I’m glad she’s a part of my life even though she is a whirlwind.
Tragedy had struck again. To this wonderful second family of mine. I was terribly upset, but I was able to adapt with them. I was able to look after Spot and my girl. I don’t know what happened or why. My girl couldn’t talk about it. Whatever it was, it was hard on her. Perhaps harder on her than on Spot or me.
So, we had to move out of our first home we had shared together. We went to live in someone’s backyard in a tent. My girl slept in the tent at night. Spot and I would sleep with her as well. I don’t think my girl found the situation ideal, but there wasn’t much else she could do at the time.
Things seemed bad for her. Spot and I were safe. We knew where our home was even if it meant we were outside. I had lived outside from my birth, so it wasn’t anything new to me. I just had to give him a few lessons. My girl still had food for us, but being me, I hunted and caught a couple of birds.
The first one was tasty. I left the head and a wing as a gift for my girl. I left it at her feet. She saw it when she woke up the next morning. And what did she do when she realized what the gift was? She screamed. She is a vegetarian. There was no thanks for that gift. *Sigh.* Yes, my beloved girl is a vegetarian.
I guess I should have known. I guess I may have overlooked that fact because she did tend to eat animal products. But she is a vegetarian. I know anymore she tries to eat mainly plants because they make her feel better. But that’s another story.
At least Spot and I didn’t need a litter box at our camp. We could bury our waste outside where the humans wouldn’t know. It was one less thing for my girl to worry about. Sometimes I would stay out all day and then I’d hear my girl calling for me. I could tell she missed me. So, of course I went to her when she called.
But then something odd happened while we were camping. A bird came to dive bomb me! It was an angry bird. It was loud and vocal about who I had eaten. I was in trouble and didn’t know what to do. So, I called for my girl. She came to my rescue.
She explained to me why the bird was upset. Surprisingly, my girl wasn’t upset with me. She understood why I had eaten the birds. I guess I never realized that a bird would be upset about my hunting. I never knew my prey could love as I could. Now I know better. I’m glad my girl saved me. She didn’t have to do much. She just flung her arms around while the bird was flying. Then it would fly up in a tree, but it was still complaining.
My girl could hear how upset the bird was as I could. I never expected anyone to complain about me being a hunter. I just don’t understand it. I’m a cat. I hunt for food. To eat. To survive. Spot even tried to catch a bird, but he got clawed and didn’t try again.
I didn’t try to hunt any more birds either. It just wasn’t safe. What would I do if my girl wasn’t around to protect me from any angry birds? I didn’t know. Getting pecked isn’t fun at all. But we didn’t camp out forever. I had no idea how soon it would be before we would have another apartment again.
The three of us moved again into a temporary house. Our stuff was hidden for safety. So, we waited. We spent that night not in the tent, but in a bathroom. All three of us. Spot and I were fine sleeping on the floor. My girl seemed to be okay. I don’t know how big she rates as a human. But she had to curl around to fit on the floor. Spot and I cuddled up to her without any trouble.
The next day, my girl left for quite a while. Spot and I were alone with strange humans around. There was a mama cat who had some kittens to look after too. I don’t know what my girl was doing. Perhaps she was making arrangements for our new home. She didn’t tell me.
Well, the mama cat and I got into a fight. It wasn’t pretty. I didn’t care she was a girl. We had a territorial dispute. I thought since my girl slept there last night that it was our place and this mama cat was encroaching on our turf. So, the other humans separated the mama cat and me. Spot was still with me and not causing any trouble.
One of the humans came to take a shower in the bathroom and had no idea he was there. He ended up soaking wet, but never complained. He didn’t learn that from me. I knew to stay out of the bathroom when someone wanted to take a shower. It’s just common sense for a cat. But he had been bottle fed and half raised by a human…
When my girl found out that I had a fight with the mama cat, she scolded me and told me I should have let her win. Something about the mama cat was just defending her kittens. Where did I go wrong? My girl wasn’t mean about it, but I was shocked she was telling me these things.
Fortunately, for us we weren’t staying there again for another night. So, the kittens weren’t separated from their mama for very long.
And to think I got chewed out for fighting a mama cat? What was my girl thinking? She isn’t my mother.
Sir Socks Le Chat 