Bob's Corner
From our weekly issue dated April 8, 2009
Cats don’t necessarily rule our household, but they make a great and hairy attempt. I can tell about the latter because of the furry remnants that they leave behind on our bed and furniture.
We still have Jellirabbit, Bubba Big Foot and Flint Eastwood in the house. They are, in order, a Jellicle (black-and-white), a Siamese (typical markings and beautiful blue eyes), and a Bombay (all black with yellow eyes). Interesting trio these felines, who seem to get along. Mostly.
However, Jelli has usurped Bubba as alpha cat. Flinty doesn’t care who’s in charge, as long as he’s pretty much left alone. And when the two other guys fight in their catty ways, Flinty cries. That’s right, he yowls and comes to us for comfort. He is a pacifist kitty.
As for the two contenders for the throne, let’s just say that they agree to disagree. Unfortunately, Jelli continually stalks Bubba, which causes no end of difficulties around the rancho. Periodically we’ll hear hissing, running feet … I mean paws … and the chase is on. We have tried some herbal remedies, and they work. Mostly.
But our tuxedo cat is truly intimidating. Just his staring will cause the Siamese to leap off the bed via his four six-toed paws, or wherever he’s trying to take a stand. Actually, they’ve both reverted to kitty ambushes. One will hide just outside a door, and when the other guy leaves the room, the bushwacker will pounce. This is followed immediately by a frantic chase, hissing and batting at each other as though they’re going to disembowel one another.
Our two outside fur snakes continue to be Maui, who is Bubba’s mom, and Deckster, who is a gray-and-white fluffy guy with a pleasant face and personality to match. Maui is mellowing in her “old age,” as Jan rescued her in mid-2002 during the Biscuit Fire. We don’t know how old she was then, but she was pregnant. Despite mellowing she still can be a bit of a terror if she doesn’t like something.
Oh yeah, there also are two or three other kitties who come around for handouts. Don’t know their names, but we enjoy being friends. Mostly.
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