The Cat Who Wouldn't Be Ignored
Dad always maintained that he did NOT like cats - even though I found a veterinary receipt among his things showing that he'd paid for a kitten back in the 1940s. Mom, my brother Tommy, and I loved them, though, and Dad resigned himself to living with a cat. ONLY ONE at a time, though! Oh, and our cats were NOT allowed inside. Those varmints belonged outdoors!
We had one cat, though, who refused to accept those rules. THIS cat wasn't going to be relegated to the outdoors - no sir, not when it's warm inside! Once Tiger had established that his domain included the interior of the house, he began to work on The Rules.
First, he adopted Mom. Easy victory there - my mother never met a cat she didn't like. He'd jump in her lap every time she sat down, demanding to be petted. Of course she was happy to oblige him! He even convinced her that the vegetable soup she'd eat as a "snack" was good for him too, and she'd sit in the living room with the cat in her lap, feeding Tiger vegetable soup from a spoon.
One night, she was fixing supper, which was to have included pear salads - pear halves with a mixture of mayonnaise and cream cheese, topped with shredded cheddar and a cherry. The phone rang, and she turned her back to the table to answer it. When she hung up, she found Tiger standing on the table, quietly licking the last of the mayonnaise-cream cheese mixture from her salad! Mama could not stay mad at a cat, though, and quickly forgave Tiger. Good thing he chose her salad, though, instead of Dad's!
Mama had to go into the hospital for some testing, though, and was gone for two weeks. Upon her return, Tiger got confused. Mom usually sat at the end of the sofa with Dad sitting next to her, and Tiger in her lap. The night she returned, though, Dad chose the end of the sofa and Mom sat down next to him. Tiger took one look, realized she was back, and made a running dive - right across Mom and straight into Dad's lap! I'm not sure who was the most surprised - Mom, Dad, or the cat! That was the beginning of Dad's change of heart regarding cats.
Tiger spent most nights, by his choice, outside. Although Tiger, of course, did not have a watch, he was more punctual than most people. He knew that Dad would be up at 5:30 a.m., and would walk through the living room into the kitchen to start coffee. Tiger would be waiting for Dad each morning at 5:30 on the living room windowsill, knowing that Dad would see him and open the door for him. As he sensed that Dad was beginning to like him, he altered his early-morning routine slightly. Dad would open the door, let the cat in, and immediately close and lock the door again. Tiger began jumping onto the piano bench behind Dad until Dad had locked the door, then when Dad turned around, Tiger would leap onto his shoulder. Dad didn't have a choice in the matter - he had to like Tiger!
Years later, Dad tamed a stray cat, one of a litter that had been born under a toolshed in the back yard, calling him Tux (Tux was a black-&-white tuxedo cat). He adopted a cat briefly, but was forced to give up the cat as my sister-in-law is allergic to them. He thoroughly enjoyed visiting me and petting my three cats, who danced on their hind legs for him and rubbed their cheeks against his hands. But I don't think he enjoyed any of those cats as much as Tiger - the cat who would not be ignored!
We had one cat, though, who refused to accept those rules. THIS cat wasn't going to be relegated to the outdoors - no sir, not when it's warm inside! Once Tiger had established that his domain included the interior of the house, he began to work on The Rules.
First, he adopted Mom. Easy victory there - my mother never met a cat she didn't like. He'd jump in her lap every time she sat down, demanding to be petted. Of course she was happy to oblige him! He even convinced her that the vegetable soup she'd eat as a "snack" was good for him too, and she'd sit in the living room with the cat in her lap, feeding Tiger vegetable soup from a spoon.
One night, she was fixing supper, which was to have included pear salads - pear halves with a mixture of mayonnaise and cream cheese, topped with shredded cheddar and a cherry. The phone rang, and she turned her back to the table to answer it. When she hung up, she found Tiger standing on the table, quietly licking the last of the mayonnaise-cream cheese mixture from her salad! Mama could not stay mad at a cat, though, and quickly forgave Tiger. Good thing he chose her salad, though, instead of Dad's!
Mama had to go into the hospital for some testing, though, and was gone for two weeks. Upon her return, Tiger got confused. Mom usually sat at the end of the sofa with Dad sitting next to her, and Tiger in her lap. The night she returned, though, Dad chose the end of the sofa and Mom sat down next to him. Tiger took one look, realized she was back, and made a running dive - right across Mom and straight into Dad's lap! I'm not sure who was the most surprised - Mom, Dad, or the cat! That was the beginning of Dad's change of heart regarding cats.
Tiger spent most nights, by his choice, outside. Although Tiger, of course, did not have a watch, he was more punctual than most people. He knew that Dad would be up at 5:30 a.m., and would walk through the living room into the kitchen to start coffee. Tiger would be waiting for Dad each morning at 5:30 on the living room windowsill, knowing that Dad would see him and open the door for him. As he sensed that Dad was beginning to like him, he altered his early-morning routine slightly. Dad would open the door, let the cat in, and immediately close and lock the door again. Tiger began jumping onto the piano bench behind Dad until Dad had locked the door, then when Dad turned around, Tiger would leap onto his shoulder. Dad didn't have a choice in the matter - he had to like Tiger!
Years later, Dad tamed a stray cat, one of a litter that had been born under a toolshed in the back yard, calling him Tux (Tux was a black-&-white tuxedo cat). He adopted a cat briefly, but was forced to give up the cat as my sister-in-law is allergic to them. He thoroughly enjoyed visiting me and petting my three cats, who danced on their hind legs for him and rubbed their cheeks against his hands. But I don't think he enjoyed any of those cats as much as Tiger - the cat who would not be ignored!
posted by Brenda King | 5:23 PM
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