Top Cat

I was sitting here at my desk the other day when my cat quietly appeared next to me and began meowing for my attention. I reached down and gently scratched between her ears, wondering when the look of sheer bliss in her half closed eyes would suddenly change and she would swing her head with cat-like reflexes and bite my hand!? I’m not saying she would do it. I’m just saying she could do it. And in the past she has done it! I don’t know why! Just some wild hair she gets. She’s a cat!

Cats are funny creatures. Once upon a time we owned two dogs and two cats. Copper, Chinook, Sophie, and Patches respectively. Our huskies were gentle giants and allowed our cats to co-mingle with them like any other pack member. As a kitten, our youngest cat, Patches would climb onto the back and head of our biggest dog, but as she grew she developed an attitude and was determined to be top dog. Ahem, I mean cat.

Patches would lie in wait on the back of the sofa for an opportunity to take a swipe at anyone who dared walk within striking distance of her paw, with the exception of our daughter. She perceived Mariah as her mother, since it was she who allowed Patches to sleep on her bed as a kitten when all other pets were banned from that particular piece of furniture. I would give Patches a wide berth if she was perched on the back of the sofa, pretending she was preoccupied with thoughts of tuna. In reality she was sizing up the prey and I was determined not to be caught in her web of deception. My husband was either too engrossed in his thoughts or oblivious to her intent, because he was always passing too closely resulting in a claw to the forearm and a trip to the bathroom for antiseptic.

Patches loved to chase Sophie. Sophie was older than Patches, but Patches outweighed her by 5 pounds. Sophie didn’t find Patches’ game of cat and mouse amusing and would take refuge underneath Copper’s legs. Copper was a beautiful husky. A throwback to his ancestors, with long legs and long snout. He had an intimidating look about him. The older Patches got the more she was instinctually afraid of him, though he never snapped, growled, or even barked. Somehow Sophie knew this and learned to take refuge in his presence. Copper was her home base and there was little Patches could do about it.

When Mariah left for college we worried about Patches. How would she adjust to not having Mariah around. She had no choice but to adapt. She needed to adopt a new protector. Who did she choose? My husband. Her usual target for “batting” practice! I couldn’t believe it! The man who I swore she hated had now become her “go to” favorite. If Kim sat down Patches took it as an invitation to climb on him. Sitting on his lap wasn’t enough. She needed to slowly climb up his chest until she had her head resting on his shoulder. What had happened here?

What had happened is what always happens. Things change. Copper, Chinook, and Sophie have all passed away leaving only paw prints in our hearts. Patches is older now, but like all of us still needs to feel safe, to be comforted, to be loved. She is all those things. She’s a little more mellow than she use to be and sleeps a little more often. But, every once in a while she will take a quick swipe, or let out a warning hiss just to let us know….she is still a cat!