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Peeping Tom
Having a healthy relationship with curious kittens around can be fun, but also quite embarrassing at times. And I don't mean the type of embarrassment of having the landlord over for coffee, only to find a kit dragging some kinky underwear out of the hamper to proudly show off the catch. No, I am thinking of the more private moments of life. I cannot help but point out again how important it is to have a partner who will not, under any circumstances, be tempted to skin a cat, no matter how reasonable that thought might seem at the time. If you are easily embarrassed, don’t read on. Many times in the past I have wondered how much easier human love life would be if we could dispense with the morals of society and just do as we please. Not that I can see me standing at the corner screaming my head off for the first able guy to come around, but still, all in all, it seems more honest (if louder). It DOES seem a bit unfair that it’s the gal who ends up with all the mess and all the work, but then we run into that one often enough at any rate. At least, their trouble is over after approximately 9 plus 8 weeks (which promptly sends them off to the next street corner as fast as they can skitter out of the window). Personally, if I didn’t have so much fun participating in the raising and training of the kittens before I find new homes for them, I would have stopped my Queen a long time ago. There are hundreds of interludes coming to mind, some funny, some worrysome, or heartbreaking, but above all, so full of live, when looking back at the many litters we have raised. And as always, I do not come out smelling of roses when sharing the stories that cling to the inner eye the most :) Kittens, as a rule, are curious beyond description, and the thing they don’t find fascinating hasn’t been invented yet. There is a lot we can learn from that attitude. I get pleasure from watching and musing how much easier life is when we remember to keep our awe and sense of adventure, every day, all the time, may it be a floating feather (we try not to think where it came from, shall we?) or more serious ‘stuff’. Ever made love and forgot to shut out the cats? The first time I had a romantic night interrupted by a little Tom inquiring about those interesting activities I could not keep from laughing for a long time. There goes romance right out of the window, but you KNOW how kittens are attracted by all things moving, dangling, making funny noises....weeeellll.... I’ll leave the details up to your imagination :) My little Tom had no idea he would be intruding, but he assumed that any physical activity must be fun and he would be welcome to join and play too. After the first shocked shrieks, I dissolved in giggles. Especially since Tomboy wasn’t to be discouraged. When I finally took pity on my man and told kitty off, it was a sad picture to behold. Little kits have such a heartbreaking, dumbfounded expression on their small, round faces when they’re scolded. But of course, one has to draw the line somewhere, right? Despite the potential danger to assorted family jewels, apart from embarrassment, there is something to be said for claw-control, something kittens do NOT possess. It took a few minutes to make him understand we were serious about him not being welcome, and for quite a long time after he got the message, he sadly stood by, hunching his tiny shoulders, watching, with the little rat-tail twitching in excitement. Who knows? Maybe they DO have an idea what's going on, after all.... I am quite aware that most people would suggest to simply closing the bedroom door. Believe me, I have tried that! For about, oh say, an hour or so. After that my nerves were raw, and I was shaking. Have you heard cats howl? I mean, really, really, HOWL? The noises coming from the other side of that locked door are nothing any sane (or not so sane, for that matter) person can manage to ignore and keep one’s marbles. Since neither of my feline companions can possibly understand why the door is locked all of a sudden when they were always allowed access before, they certainly protest the limitation of their rights. Justly assuming they are missing out big time, and we are having, at the very least, a smoked salmon orgy on the other side, they will do anything to gain entry. A single cat can make a hole the size of Mount Vesuv into any average carpet within 10 minutes. Imagine 5 of them. But the howling alone is definately a mood killer if I ever heard one. And never mind having to explain to the neighbors that you were definitely NOT torturing the cats in the middle of the night (that is, if they haven’t called the cops on you in the first place). Maybe, just maybe, the idea of the outsides (without the lamp post and the screaming, mind you) is worth pondering after all….. Green Blessings, and always a full bowl of cream on thy tables |
