Every morning (unless he’s hunting and exploring, Zip comes to the door, waiting for me to go out and do the morning chores with him at my side. I was late this morning – Socks was gravely ill – so he seemed annoyed.
Once I got outside, he went into his usual snow dance.
This will come in handy; a good-sized winter storm awaits us tonight.
Zip has replaced the hens as the farm’s most imperious creature. When he gives an order, he expects to be obeyed. When he is bored, he makes trouble to get attention. I now know what the cat people mean when they say people don’t own a cat; a cat owns them.
Another perspective: I agree people don’t own cats. I think of them a partners, just as my dogs have been. I did my job and brought home the food they wanted. They took care of us when we needed nudges. Can you tell me that Zip isn’t doing a perimeter check with you? He probably knows a much about your sugar levels and blood pressure as you do. That stuff needs doing.
My father and his sisters had tales about special animals, mostly dogs and cats. During a busy time of my life, I realized that my dog and three cats were really handling their share of things, right in line with the animals in family stories.
I had three teens and a full time job for income AND I am deaf. I had two long-lived herding dogs (Aussie X) and generally had two or more cats in the house.
The dogs consistently made sure things were quiet all night and the cats kept us on our schedules the rest of the time. Any human who was sad or sick was comforted (needed that with the teens). The house was cleared of any mice that wanted to come in when the weather got cold. People were reminded of bed time and herded in that direction. My neighbors’ porch had a nest of rabbits cleared out every spring. Squirrels were not allowed on our roof but the neighbors had squirrels chewing through the eaves to get in.
Partners, I think.
Good Lord , look at that face in the window ! Resist at your peril! Imperious times ten !