Are cats smart or wicked? As the custodian/butler of several of them over the years, I believe that they are neither; they are just shamelessly being themselves. We are cats, and you must take us as we are. But yes, we can be a little neurotic and entitled.
When I woke up this morning, the sky was grey and overcast, and this persistent dull weather did not particularly help my mood. We are in mid-April for crying out loud and the sun ought to be on duty every single day! This is what we are paying taxes for…
But I tried to put on a brave face, got up, and proceeded downstairs. When you cohabit with a cat, you must be willing to tolerate some of its fancies, but you expect the animal to show some common sense. For instance, if you are driving on a country road and come across a cow napping on the roadway, you assume that the beast will get up and let you go. However, a cat is not like a cow and seldom behaves like a cow.
It has been known for a long time that “Cats can work out mathematically the exact place to sit that will cause the most inconvenience”.
When I went down the stairs, Lola was indeed lounging on one of the steps and showed no intention of moving. So, I tried to negotiate my way through without disturbing her, and I inadvertently stepped on her tail (an action that she protested loudly) and I unfortunately twisted my left ankle.
I am now partially incapacitated and can barely move, even with the help of a cane. A very painful and distressing situation. Lola might hire a lawyer and sue me for negligence, but fairly, ladies and gentlemen, is it entirely my fault? Should I have stopped and patiently waited for her to move, or was I legally entitled to proceed?
So, here is what I want. First, some sincere apologies. I know that a stepped-on tail can be painful, but so is a twisted ankle. And I don’t believe that a stepped-on tail is as distressing and as disabling as my injury. So yes, I want sincere apologies and a semblance of contrition… But I also realize that both things will probably be difficult to obtain.
Reflecting upon this incident, I think that cats are usually happier than humans.
“One reason cats are happier than people is that they have no newspapers.” Gwendolyn Brooks and they wisely shun television. Being oblivious to bad news keeps them more serene and relaxed than informed news junkies.
The lesson to be learned from this story is that to live a happy life, one should try to emulate a cat’s lifestyle. This includes finding a way to obtain free shelter and food, getting enough sleep, engaging in moderate physical activity such as yoga, and most importantly, enticing a preferably naive and devoted butler to work for you.
Alain