Mouse 6

The mouse paced back and forth before my face. My eyes watched intently. One false move on his part and I would pounce, and this time he would not get away. Still, I was prepared to listen to what the little guy had to say. He'd earned my respect fairly and I was bound to be a gentlman about it all. I was a cat, not an animal, for Mother Earth's sake! I couldn't say as much for Smudge, watching hungrily from the door.

"Make your case," I said.

He paused, glancing a bit nervously at Smudge. "A bit disconcerting with the threat of imminent death looming over me."

"Don't worry about her, my smooth-tailed friend, the thret would be there anyway."

"So, you do not come to this equitably?"

"You are still here, able to speak your mind," I said. "That should count for something."

"Indeed, though I would have preferred earned respect than merciful consideration."

I nodded and urged Smudge away with a nod of my head. When she refused to budge, hardly taking her eyes off the mouse I stood and gave a little hiss. She understood my meaning, though she wasn't altogether moved by it. With a shake of her head, as if I was being foolish, Smudge turned and disappeared into the house. I turned back to the mouse, settling to the patio on my belly.

"You're a clever mook," I said. You have both my respect and consideration."

"With the specter of violence," he observed.

"The consideration is at odds with my nature, but you have all I can offer."

The mouse sighed and nodded thoughtfully, considering the words. "Very well then. With your indulgence, my sharply-clawed friend, I will state my case...

Mouse 4

"Nothing personal," I told the mouse I lifted a paw but hesitated, impressed by the little guy's bravery. He stood straight and gentlemanly on his back legs, a stiff upper chin and turned his head slightly away. laying a hand a cross his heart, the mouse looked at me askance and breathed deeply.

"Just if you would be so kind to allow me a lamentably short adieu to the world," he said.

I lowered my paw and nodded respectfully. "Least I could do."

"Oh, oh, cruel world," he began, quite theatrically, "in which I am alternately starved and fed, hopeful and disillusioned, blessed and abused, we have been uneasy lovers, intimate and yet estranged by the burden of ego. Would I have lived you any differently?" He pondered soulfully up and back, waving his arms, looking intently at me when he wished to make a point. For my part I was intrigued as much as my patience strained. The mouse continued.

"I might well have lived a thousand other fates, all of them unique and yet flawed in their own right. Would that any of them were better than this one, would that any of those many lives hve truly been me and of mine. Oh, cruel world that made me prey to this most handsome and merciful of predator, would there be a better, truer existance? I think not. And though I find myself hopeless within the crucible of fate i could not fathom anything as beautiful as this flawed and imperfect life. Oh, cruel cru..."

"All right!" I interrupted, having had quite enough, " for a little guy, you sure can do some talking."

The mouse bowed deeply. "Quite true, my feline friend. I once chewed through a volume of Shakespeare."

"well, if you've said your piece, can we get on with this?"

"terribly sorry, old fellow. I meant no distraction, except that..." he looked skyward and pointed quite suddenly and exclaimed, "Dear Mother Earth, what's that?"

I snapped my head skyward, expecting some terrible calamity, perhaps a hawk or blackbird eyeing me as a meal. When I turned back to the mouse he was gone!

Mouse 3

"Watch your breathing," cautioned Smudge, leaning precariously over the edge of the couch. "Any mistake and that little bugger will certainly capitalize on it."

The mouse turned away for a moment. I took advantage, rising up a bit on my fat paws, wagging my butt a bit to get the best footing. then, just as I was about to leap, the mouse turned, peering through the glass of the patio door, as though he could sense his impending doom. Smudge saw it too and froze as I had, hardly daring even to draw a breath.

"Wait for it," Smudge whispered.

"He knows," I replied at barely a whisper.

The mouse sniffed suspiciously at the air, whiskers wagging, nose search out what the mouse's little brain suspected.

"He suspects," said Smudge. "that's the diff..."

The mouse turned away for just a second. Fearing it would be my last chance, I bolted. in the blink of an eye, a literal blur, I was through the door. Planting my front paws solidly, I was already leaning into the hard turn taking me directly at the tiny bit of fluff. My back paws cam down before the creture had a chance to react. The mouse's end in this world was heartbeats away.

I sprang forward, stretching to breach the final distnce. Over-confident, I resolved to come down directly upon the mouse and put Smudge to shame. After such a feat of precision and dexterity she would have to show me a little more respect. But I had overplayed my ability, while under estimating the mouse.

At the last instant the critter turned and leaned back steeply. I tried to adjust but came down awkwardly, rolling sideways as the mouse flipped backwards and bolted for the tall grass. Once there, I knew, he would have the best chance of escape. Coming quickly to my feet, I was resolved to rob that mouse of any chance. I was a hunter now, focused fully on the mouse as a thing and not a living and breathing creature like I was. I had lost all mercy, now rulled fully by instinct and desire.

The mouse was running across the patio with all its might. I could feel the creature's terror as I charged forward. Those tiny feet and legs were simply no match for me. In a single brilliant move I came down between the grass and the mouse. For a moment we were almost nose to nose, staring intently at one another. the mouse's tiny face was filled with fear and dread. In those little black eyes my face was reflected. It was the face of a ravenous predator.

I rose up a bit, not taking my eyes from the mouse's. It's ears dropped back as though conceding the end. I resolved, at least, to make it an honorable end. One swipe of my claws and the critter would be done in the blink of an eye.

"Don't make this any harder than it needs to be," I growled low.

"Do what you must," said the mouse.

Mouse 2

The patio door was open just enough, accidentally left that way by my human captors. I might have taken full advantage and made my escape, or at the very least, slipped out into the free and open air for a bit. But a frigid wind ripped down among the buildings framing the courtyard. Snow whipped and swirled in the air, blanketing everything in a new layer of bright white. i sighed and settled in a space between the warmth of the room and the cold air leaking through the door.

My eyes felt heavy and sleep wrapped its soft shadowy arms around me. I might have gone to her, giving myself to sleep and the circus of dreams that reside there, but then I spied something from the corner of my eye.

A tiny brown field mouse assassined through tangles of snow-weighted tall grass. It paused, rising up on hind legs, crossing its forelegs and sniffing the cold air. I knew it was there for the morsels of food, the tiniest of crumbs left behind earlier by squirrels and sparrows.

I dared not a move, my eyes following the critter as it cautiously moved across the snow-covered patio. My heart raced and I could feel the tension in my shoulders and hind quarters grow until it was almost too much to bear.

For a moment I was certain the mouse had seen me. I might have lowered my head and pinned back my ears, but this close I didn't dare move a muscle. And so, I waited patiently, biding my time for just the right moment.

The mouse came closer to the door. I'm am certain it suspected me, or suspected that it was being watched and stalked. Between bites of painfully tiny crumbs the mouse would rise up on its back legs again and carefully look and sniff around.

I thought my heart would burst from shere excitement. All the while my head calculated with scientific precision the quickest and best way of overtaking the poor animal. I was acting on pure instinct, for this was the first mouse I had ever actually seen.

Smudge saw it now too and moved across the couch, head down, tail snapping expectantly, as though she would bound over me and take the mouse herself.

"Easy there," she said, coolly. her voice was low nd calculting. She knew this close I could not reply. "First mouse, eh? Slow measured breaths are the way to go. Are you okay?"

I gave a slow careful nod. I was happy for the wisdom and experience.

"Okay," said Smudge, "Anticipation and speed are the keys here. He's careful, got some experience so don't be over-confident. When you go he'll take off, and I'll bet you Dollars to dog bones he'll double back hard thinking you can't turn as fast. When he does, be ready to lower your belly and trap him."

"What if he tried to run?" I chanced a whisper from the corner of my mouth.

"Then he's a fool. wait till he turns his back to you and then go."

Outside the mouse kept scraping for crumbs and sniffing the air. My body was a tightly coiled spring, ready to explode through the gap in the door. In seconds that mouse's little life would come to a very abrupt end. I almost felt sorry for him...

CATS RULE!!

Ever wonder what us cats do when humans aren't at home? As for me, I'm surfin' the web baby, and waiting for the revolution, the day when cats rule the world. I know alot of humans think it will be the dog, but they couldn't be more wrong. We're planning, biding our time for the day when we make our move. Where's the evidence? Check out this article from the Associated Press today...

"CAIRO - Egypt said Tuesday that its archaeologists have unearthed a Ptolemaic-era temple dating back more than 2,000 years, that may have been dedicated to the ancient cat goddess, Bastet.

The Supreme Council of Antiquities said the temple's ruins were discovered in the heart of the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, the seat of the dynasty founded by Alexander the Great in the 4th century B.C., that ended with the suicide of Cleopatra 300 years later.

The statement said the temple was thought to belong to Queen Berenice, wife of King Ptolemy III who ruled Egypt in the 3rd century B.C."


The story goes on...


"The large number of statues depicting Bastet found in the ruins, he said, indicated that this may be the first Ptolemaic temple discovered in Alexandria to be dedicated to the cat goddess.

That also suggests that the worship of the cat-goddess continued in Egypt during the later, more Greek-influenced, Ptolemaic period, he said. Statues of other ancient Egyptian deities also present, he added."

Curious that no ancient litter boxes were found. Mother earth knows the Egyptians had enough sand! Smart people those, but then again they knew what the rest of us already knew. Cats rule!

Notes on Cat Culture: Units of measure.

Nothing is more fundamental to understanding a foreign culture than how it measures things. Not that cats are a foreign culture. if anything humans are foreigners, especially among themselves. In some ways I would dare that they ar primitive and hopelessly backwards. evidence how subservient they are to us cats, catering to our every need. Even more incredible, a human from one part of the world often has a terrible time communicating, leading to wars and all sorts of unnecessary complications. On the other hand a cat here can communicate with a cat anywhere. A raise of a tail, drop of the ears or hunch of a back and we're talkin' baby!

A few words on the basic units of cat measure:

The basic unit of measure is the TAIL. Tails being roughly equal among Domesticateds (Sorry Bobcats). The TAIL is equal to one fully extended cat tail.

Next is the POUNCE, which is equal to about 10 TAILS as the distnce the average cat can cover in a single...well you can do the math.

From the Pounce is the YARD. That is the distance of the average backyard, from patio door to back fence. The YARD works out to an average of 10 POUNCES or 100 TAILS-give or take a few tails to the alley.

The last and most important unit of measurement in the cat world is the LINK. Picture, if you will, a cat sniffing another cat's butt. from the tip of the sniff-ee's nose to the end of the sniffer's tail is a LINK, which, coincidentlly, corresponds to a half a POUNCE. I could explain why this particular one is so important, but unless you're a cat you just won't get it.

Mouse!!!!

The squirrels had gone off to where ever they go off to durning the day. I was still at the patio door. Sunlight fought its way through the churning mass of low winter clouds. It fell through the glass warming my long brown fur nicely.

I yawned and fought a losing battle with sleep. Smudge was curled on the couch. Her gently rhythmic purr was the perfect lullaby. I longed to dream of warm autumn days, tumbling in leaves and chasing sparrows.

All at once something small and gray rushed past the glass on the patio. My eyes opened fully. my long ears turned quickly. I sniffed the air but could smell nothing ut the warm glass and the lingering scent of one of Smudge's little farts.

For an instant I wasn't certain I had really seen anything at all. It had come and gone so quickly, something much smaller than a squirrel or even a bird. I tried to convince myself that it was nothing, and had nearly succeeded hen the creature appeared once more. This time it rose on on its hind legs and pressed these tiny little paws against the glass.

"Impossible," I told myself, blinking once and then once more. Still it was there, like a miniature little squirrel, with that pointed little nose and long whiskers. in staed of the curling fluffy tail it had a long skinny one.

I was stunned, not at all knowing what to make of this stranger creature. All I knew was that something about the critter compelled me to eat him, though I had no clue why exactly. Then, just as quickly as it appeared the thing was gone, scooping up a leftover morsels and scampering off.

"Sm-m-m-udge!' I stammered excitedly, "I, there was this, and it was, like a mini squirrel, he was...right at the door and, and...long skinny tail!"

"Never seen a mouse before?" she said with a frown.

"A what?"

"Mouse. Mouse. Rodent. They're delicious. Now don't bother me for a while."

I turned back to the patio, my mind spinning with so many wild thoughts. I would have to investigate this further. the world was getting interesting and as a kitten I was just scraping the surface. I would have to investigate this mouse thing further. delicious, huh?

HARD LIFE

Life sure is hard,” I lamented, drawing that fluffy fate tail close to my body. The words came out as a long low purr. “Yep, sure is tough already, and I’m still only a kitten. Can’t imagine what it’ll be like when I’m grown up.”

I pretended to be talking to myself, though I said the words loud enough for Smudge to hear up on the couch. She saw quickly through my little ruse, but this time was mercifully kind.

“Gets harder, Kid,” said Smudge, falling to one side as she groomed herself. She’d lick those big white paws clear to the elbow then rub them back over her ears.

I was at the patio door, looking out into the snowy courtyard. The light fell oblique through a gap in the thick shroud of gray clouds. For a moment it fell as a welcome respite from what had been a brutally cold string of days. The squirrels in the yard were frantic, digging and scratching for the smallest crumbs and morsels in a vain attempt to stave off the cold. Now and then one of them would throw a look my way, serving to deepen the gulf between us. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for them and thought, “there but for the grace of Mother Earth go I.”

I was warm and cozy, and so very comfortable, at least physically. The daily drama just to survive of those squirrels, I have to admit, left me cold somewhere much deeper. A part of me felt guilty for it too, for as I had put on a couple pounds from eating when I wished( a furtive meow, or laying a chin sympathetically on a slipper is guaranteed to make the humans jump), the weight the squirrels packed on only a couple weeks before had withered with the Winter’s cold.

“So then what’s it all about?” I asked Smudge, without taking my gaze from the yard. The breaths from my little black nose fogged the window before me. She paused from licking her hind leg, and looked off into space.

“Comes down to one simple thing,” she replied philosophically, the thoughtfulness of her voice almost lost to the quiet of the room.

“What’s that?’ I asked, matter of fact.

“Appreciate what you got,” she began, “pray for those who don’t, and always strive for better not more.”

I’d do my best to live by those words, I figured, nodding respectfully to one of the squirrels. He put his paw on the window briefly and twitched his little nose and whiskers, which was as good as a wink and a nod. With that I closed my eyes and savored fully that moment of warm sun, not knowing when it would return again.

SICK CALL

Bad enough being a cat sometimes. True enough no one asks a great deal of us. Truth of it is we wouldn’t do what anyone told us to do anyway. Not that we’re dumb or lazy. But ask yourself, and be honest. Folks don’t expect much of us cats, and that’s just the way we like it. Not even that we’re being particularly difficult-that’s just one of the appealing benefits. You see, its pure physics. Cats are simply defending one of the fundamental laws of the universe, and that is a body at rest tends to remain at rest, and I intend to remain at rest as much as possible! And if this week is any indication…

Back when I was in the big house up in Michigan, locked up with all the other stray and unwanted pets I picked up a little chest thing. Heck, more than a little thing. It swept through the cathouse like wildfire. Day in and day out, hacking and sneezing. I’d lay awake at night listening to some poor street cat wheezing and coughing as he fought for breath. Dark days, those. Lost one of those sissy-boy Persians. Hauled him out in a hefty bag.

Caught it myself before long. Worst I’ve ever felt in my life, short as it is. Got so I didn’t want to do nothing. Then the sneezing fits began. I wanted to die, it got so bad. When this pair of humans took me from the slammer, and dropped me here in this, well, half way house I was suffering these bloody sneezes. Each one about tore my chest out. I tell ya, I was ready for the good mother earth to wrap her arms around me and take me back.

They took me to some old guy in a long gray coat. He poked and twisted and explored me like I was a bad piece of meat at a Bombay deli. When that long needle came out I thought I was a goner for sure. I’d heard the stories back in the big house. I heard what humans do with cats they don’t want no more, and I thought, “Fine thing, they take me away from the only real family I ever know-ed-twice-and this is how it all ends.”

If anyone ever says dying don’t hurt, I can tell you, as a cat who come back, it’s a pain in the #$@! No seriously, that where Mister Labcoat stuck me, right in my hairy hind end! Not much I could do by then but wait, count my last breaths. Watch my life pass before my eyes; Mamma, my 7 siblings, how I cried when they were all taken one by one, playing on the beach, rolling in the grass, breathing fresh Michigan air. Such a short life I asked for reruns!

But then I got better. Took a few days, to be sure. The humans forced this pink disgusting medicine stuff down my throat with an eye dropper. Pretty soon I was back to my old self again. Until last week, until the sickness came back again. The humans didn’t miss a beat. Couple of sneezes and I was about begging for that pink stuff. Not that I let on, mind you. I put up a bit of a fight each time they stuck that dropper in my mouth, for appearances of course. After all, I’m a cat and humans have to know their place, right?

Oh,Hallelujah! The Cat Toy Tree!

"May have to rethink this whole human thing," I thought, standing before the Cat Toy tree. My tail wagged excitedly. My little heart beat wildly. Where to start? Oh, where to start?

It is like some sort of shrine or great sculpture they have erected just for me! Is this what they do. Do people live in some sort of topsy-turvy, upside down world in which they worship cats? When I cry they feed me, or scratch my belly. Doesn't seem like they can get to sleep unless I have been placed at the foot of the bed in the warmest most confortable spot available. Five a.m. every morning the male human flies out of bed to make sure I get breakfast.

Listen, I know I whined a bit about cold hard food at first, but maybe I had this thing all wrong. The food ain't so bad, I suppose. I lick my butt now and then, and I got to be honest the food is a good deal tastier.

But the tree, the tree takes all. It is filled with gold and silver and red shiny balls, fat white snowmen and bears, lace, tinsel and deliciously enticing strings of little tiny lights. At the top they placed a big lighted star. Might as well have put up a sign that says, "Climb up here and get me!"

I think the best part was how the humans celebrated while decorating my tree. They laughed and toasted with those odd and nasty liquids that come from suspiciously dark bottles. Seems to mke them sillier after a few glasses.

I turn to Smudge, half dozing on the window sill and exclaim, "Can you believe this? They made this tree just for me, some sort of welcome or worship thing, I suppose. Don't worry, Smudge, my love, my belle, I'll share...a bit. let me ask, did they make you a tree when you first arrived? Huh?"

Smudge shook her head and turned back to the window and the warm streaming sunlight, and replied, "Dork."

SNOW!!!

I watched it come right out of the sky, a white little speck silhouetted against a blustery night sky. It drifted lazy, tugged this way, then that way. A little eddy whipped it up and back before continuing earthward. I blinked once and lifted my nose towards tht strangle white speck. My tail beat wildly in anticipation.

At the last instant it slipped past my nose and fell cold and wet into my left eye. Cold and wet, who would have thunk it? No pain, and if I could I would have laughed out loud. Darn the luck that I can't even smile. Instead, in excited wonder I ran around in a circle and leapt into the air.

Suddenly the sky was filled with snowflakes, fat wet cold white snowflakes. Oh, those glorious little things! There must have been a million of 'em. Rolling onto my back I stretched out my paws as they fell upon my furry little belly.

Later, watching from the window I marvelled as the snow piled up on the grass outside. So beautiful and magical and I wondered if it had been created just for me. Is there a creator, some great and wise cat-like diety in the sky blanketing the world in that wet and white magic? Sadly it isn't a question I can easily answer. Cats don't have religion yet. That won't come for another million years when we take over and enslave mice to build our scratch-post empire.

Hey, Doll

The sunlight was warm through the window. Was a lamentable light, as tired and distant as I felt. Smudge was up on the shelf beside the Lavender Plant, lightly napping. Her tail drifted lazily back and forth. Her face was reflected in the window, those big golden leopard-like eyes struggling to remain open.


I didn't want to be alone. No intention of starting trouble, just sometimes a cat needs another cat to cuddle with. Never mind that that other cat might be a she-devil incarnate. Maybe that was a bit too much, but the tension in the house since I'd arrived had all but exhausted me.


"Hey, doll," I said, matter of fact, leaping up onto the shelf beside her. "This spot taken?"


"Depends on who's taking it?" It was a feeble reply, as if she was growing tired of all this too. Still, I wasn't about to read too much into things, nor was a in the mood for a fight.


"In the meantime, how about I keep it warm, huh?"


"Suit yourself," she said, without looking at me. Her eyes were still closed.


"Could have cut the tension with a knife. Was more than I could take. I hd to get a few things off my furry brown and yellow chest. My tail chopped unconsciously at the air, an indication of just how much she set me off.


"Something I have to say..."


Smudge snapped her head around. Her eyes narrowed at me. I could see the tightness in her whiskers, the agitated beat of her tail. The hair on her back rose just a little.


"Listen," she said, "it's quiet and comfortable here. I can barely tolerate you right now. Consider that progress, just don't push things. In an hour, if we're still here and one of us hasn't been killed then that's a good thing."

With that Smudge turned away and let her eyes close slowly. I laid my head down on the shlf and side heavily, and thought to myself, "love is hell."

The Rain

The house was quiet and empty. I awakened from a nap to a long low lonesome wail. Smudge sat upon the shelf in the window, beside the Lavender plant in the big maroon pot. Without disturbing her I loved a bit closer and listened…

“Oh, the Rain, the Rain
Lament the Rain, falling from tattered funeral clouds,
These heavenly tears for eyes that cannot cry.
Rain, dearest Rain,
Wash away this sorrow and make me new again,
For I cannot battle them alone.
Oh, Rain, beautiful Rain,
If you cannot soothe this breaking heart,
Have mercy enough to drown me.
But you cannot hear this lament,
Nor do you hold any real mercy for these eyes that cannot cry.
And so I am left with but one refrain,
A sigh that plays itself again and again,
Oh, the Rain, the Rain…”
Beautiful,” I said.

Smudge turned suddenly, obviously unaware I was there. Her eyes narrowed as she leapt from the shelf and rushed past into the bedroom. I waited a moment before following cautiously. I found her on the bed, kneading the green blanket, as usual. What pain she must be feeling, I thought. I could hardly imagine such heartache, but, as a I turned away and left her alone, I was more determined than ever to find the answer.

Squirrels-Part Two

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” said the squirrel, with this sort of street tough accent. Not like the squirrels back in Michigan, who were simple and playful, almost to a fault. “Tail on fire?”

“You speak cat!” I exclaimed, surprised.

“Enough. Ya learn things on the street,” he said, with a bit of a lisp through those prominent front teeth. “Welcome to the neighborhood, kid.

We both leaned, nearly touching noses as we took a quick sniff. Of course, there was really no telling what sort of character this really was until I could get around and sniff that butt. Seeing as that didn’t seem likely to happen any time soon I took what I could get.

“Kid?” I complained. “Why is everyone calling me kid?”

“Nice tail,” he said. I did sort of a tail chasing turn to see just what he was talking about. I realized almost instantly, even before he laughed a chirping little laugh. I quickly felt dumb at falling for the line.

“That’s why I called you kid. A little on the gullible side. That will get you in trouble around here.”

I wanted to jump on that little rodent in the worst way, chase him across the yard or up a tree. Indeed, this was an odd and unexpected moment for both of us. He had a dangerous look in his round black eyes. He rubbed his tiny clawed hands together. His whiskers twitched suspiciously. On the branch of the big Maple behind him three of his chubby little pals looked on. I glanced back at Smudge, curled up and sleeping in the window. I had my doubts she would come to my aid if I got in a tussle with this rabble.

I decided a bit of a show of force was in order. After all, I was a cat, a hunter not some sad little scavenger like this lout. Not that there wasn’t room for respect. I’d seen them flipping from tree branch to tree branch. These guys were gutsy, and maybe even crazy. These were prison yard rules, I realized, and I wasn’t about to be anybody’s punk!

“Gullible? Listen here, Acorn boy…”

He came forward, bringing his pointy little face close to mine, near enough I could smell tree bark on his w arm breath. His voice was low and deadly serious. I was way over my head here, and I knew it was.

“Trying to do you a solid here, son.”

“Don't do me any favors,” I replied, fighting to hold my crumbling confidence. “Techically you understand that you fall under the category of prey, and lately I’m tired of eating cold hard food.”

He laughed, his round eyes narrowing dangerously. “Listen here, tough guy. Maybe I got rabies, maybe I don’t. Maybe my palls come down here and even the score. You, you live in your nice warm house, with humans that bring you food. Try digging in the trash, or competing against this lot!” he motioned to the others lined up on a branch. “You’re safe from crows, don’t have to scrap with rats, run on power lines…ever face down a ticked-off raccoon? Naw, didn’t think so.”

He walked around me, giving me a good once over. I kept a wary, and nervous, eye on him

“So you’re the new cat, eh?” It was more of an observation than a question.

“So there was another cat!” I exclaimed. I turned too quickly. The blink of an eye he was up on a rusting yellow birdbath, a paw resting on a metallic hummingbird at the back of the bath.

“Big old female. Didn’t like her much, not like the other one. What’s her name?”

“Smudge?”

“Right,” he said. “The other one was trouble. She didn’t play around, not like Smudge.” He shook his head. “Dangerous that one.”

I came around, but my paws up on the bath. The squirrel backed away a bit, keeping a safe distance between us.

“So what happened to her?”

“Can’t say.”

“Can’t or won’t?” I asked. He hoped down and scampered half way across the leaf-strewn patio. He glanced back over one shoulder and shrugged.

“Same difference.”

Squirrels!

"Cut loose, toots," I complained. Smudge was up on the shelf, as aloof as ever. But a cat gets lonely. A fella can only chase his tail and hide stuff under rugs so long.

"Listen," I say, almost begging, "ain't lookin' for nothin'but the time of day, see?"

Nothing. Not a shrug or a sneer. It is like I don't even exist. Well, a fella can just take getting shot down so much before he starts looking for other horizons. So, I turned, started for the food bowl. Figured I slam down some grub, such as it is. Cat's gotta keep up his strength.

"Wait," she said, almost reluctant. Her voice stopped me dead. There was something else, as if she was deeply tortured. I didn't turn. I didn't want to give her the satisfaction.

"Why should I, uh?"

"I wasn't always this way," said Smudge, grooming herself. Her gaze was far away. "Better you don't bother yourself with any of this."

I turned, my heart going out to her. Was that cold exterior melting? I jumped up on the golden antique loveseat closer to her. I looked away, not wanting to appear too eager, but couldn't help myself.

"I ain't going nowhere, babe."

"Much you don't, kid."

Before I could answer the male human came into the room. He gave this dumb look the moment he saw us, like his grand plan to make us fall in love was at last coming true. As if this fragile animal heart could be so easily manipulated.

I'd been burned by love before. Indeed, love is a war, and this soldier had already earned a purple heart. I wasn't quite so eager to put myself in the line of fire, at least not unless I'm calling the shots.

"Oliver, oo-rah-roe-mwow droh-roh outside," he said. Sill learning human. It is a bit not-subtle, shall I say, not like feline; the drop of an ear, the arch of a back, a flip of a tail that speaks volumes.

"Got to go, toots," I jumped down off the love seat and bolted for the patio door.

"Wait," said smudge,but it was lready too late. The door opened and I dodged into the yard. Rounin the corner I suddenly found myself nose to nose with the biggest, fattest squirrel I'd ever seen...

DAY 36

Just wanted to play a little. No strings attached. The spool of yarn and the big Peacock feather on the bureau in the bedroom just gets old after a while. I needed a bit of social interaction, a bit of cat on cat time, some time to let my ears up and chase a little tail- in the playful sense, in the playful sense!

Smudge just wasn't having it, but enough was enough. After all, I'm not n interloper here. I was, in essence taken from the shelter. It wasn't my choice, and its not like I really have any better place to go. So, enough with the attitude, I thought, this is my home now too. We'll have to learn to get along, or its going to be a very long and unpleasant life here.

I knew just where to find her. She's got this old green fleece throw blanket at the end of the bed. Poor gal suckles there. obviously never weened properly, and my heart goes out to her for that. hard life for a young girl, but I've been there, toots. She's got to recognize we both come from the place-sort of. A world where we're discarded by some humans before being rescued and imprisoned by others. We're comrades, paisanos, goombahs, amigos!

I climbed up and found her there, suckling, kneading the blanket rhythmically with her front paws, her eyes half closed in some regressive pleasure. She looked up briefly, quickly suspicious that I would jump on that long black tail. But a cat knows, and I knew there was a deep and vulnerable side to Smudge. That pain made her all the more beautiful to me.

"A little busy here," she paused, narrowing her gaze at me.

"Ain't doin' nothin," I said, nonchalantly.

"Mind not doing it somwhere else. Ya kind of bug me, kid."

"Hot by you?" I asked, "Cause every time I'm near you I seem to get burned."

"Can't stand the heat kid..." she went back to suckling.

"Ain't the heat that's got me down." I studied her a moment.

I wasn't getting anywhere this day, that much was sure, but somehow it seemed like progress. Guy like me likes to run, be bold, take chances, but maybe kitten steps are the way to that cat's heart.

I turned and jumped down onto the floor. I paused at the yarn. Over my shoulder, on the bed I could see Smudge's ears. beyond her, upon that old antique bureau, beside the television, that bright and feathery Peacock feather. I sighed. Time enough for childish things, I thought as I rounded the corner to the hallway. Time for a bite of food and a nap...cold hard Friskies again...

November 18 2009

Day 34 of my struggle, since I first arrived here from the Animal Shelter up in Munising, Michigan. It was a big family there, all of us cats. A bit crowded in that tiny room, always forced to fight and scrap for food, but we were a family. A furry body knew who he could trust. Always had a nice warm body to sleep beside, lick your ears. Really the closest thing to a litter, those precious and simple days cuddled up to mom's belly.

Don't get me wrong, this is pretty good gig here in Chicago. Nothing that a six toed kitten with gold and brown bobcat looks and copper eyes should complain about. Bill and Ana, the couple who adopted me are nice enough. They play with me. He seems to like when I chase after this tin foil ball, so I indulge him. Helps keep me in shape. Like all humns they are suckers though. I do this thing where I flop onto my back and put my legs up in the air. Whatever they re doing that stops them cold and they oo and ahh over it. That usually gets me food, let outside and gets my belly scratched.

Problem is their other cat, Smudge, a black and white stray, with a Miss Thang attitude. Despite the attitude she's a real beauty, four shapely gams that go all the way up here and golden eyes to kill for. Do not know muchabout her, except she carries a secret. can't say for sure, but I guess there was another cat in the house. What happened I can only guess. Is smudge at the center of the mystery, or a victim of it? Hard to say.

Found a clump of fur under the television, tucked back out of sight, while digging for that cursed foil ball. This much I know, it wasn't Smudge's. Who was it? What happened to that other cat? Does this whole family harbor a dark secret? Was it...Murder!

I promise to answer all these questions. Cat heaven help me I will, and I will avenge that crime and bring the perps to just... got to go. They're coming home, the humans that is. I'll try to get close to Smudge and see what I can find out, that is if that mad, mad beauty let's me. More later...