Cat Drama.

"After scolding one's cat one looks into its face and is seized by the ugly suspicion that it understood every word. And has filed it for reference."- Charlotte Gray

So I got home Saturday night totally exhausted. Wiped. Zombied out. My mind was on bed. Zero luck with that one.

"Deal with your cat," said Dearest. "He's been like that for 6 hours."

I had noticed Issi hadn't rushed to greet me or been waiting anxiously watching for the car but he's like that sometimes, curled up & too lazy to perform his catly duties. It was late, close to 1ish, so I hadn't really expected him. I thought he'd be curled up with his favourite thing of the moment~ the heater!

Nope. I stuck my head out the door & there was Issi pressed up against the glass looking completely bewildered. According to Dearest Iss had tried his usual trick of huffing & puffing & growling like a bull mastiff to get rid of the ginger intruder on his territory but Miss Ginger was in love & not prepared to be run off by a bad tempered cad in a grey suit & white bib. Iss then wasn't sure what to do. I said hello to both cats. Miss Ginger, totally domesticated & very affectionate. Iss was upset but not overly so until I picked him up & brought him in with Miss Ginger hot on my heels!

Oh boy! Iss was outraged, especially as the very first thing Miss Ginger did was hop in his litter box, dig a huge hole & make a hefty deposit. Liddy was delighted & scolded Iss with, " See Iss; that's how it's done!"

Now I could very easily be the proverbial cat lady. Cats & I, we're simpatico. Dearest is a dog man. He's fought a losing battle for the canine species for years but as I'm the one who looks after the animals we've had cats & because we've had cats the kids are cat people too. However Dearest has formed really close bonds with our cats & he is always adamant the resident cat not be upset by an intruder. It's not fair. True, but cats, like kids, get over it & generally learn to tolerate each other reasonably well.

Iss was having none of it so out Miss Ginger went. I put down some food for her but agreed with Dearest. She is far too well groomed to be completely homeless. Unless, of course, she is newly dumped. However I had a cat outside who desperately wanted to come in & a cat inside desperate to get out & the howling & wailing & snarling went on until I hung a sheet between them. Out of sight out of mind.

Iss joined us for church this morning, plonking himself in the middle of our circle. He's always been a worshipful cat so I scooped him into my lap & he settled down purring happily & praying, I am quite sure, Miss Ginger would get lost.

Later in the afternoon Iss went outside, as he normally does. He likes to sit & watch the afternoon slide past outside until his stomach insists it's feed time. Today he didn't come in. He was perched in a favourite spot looking spooked but I scooped him up & brought him in. He wasn't having any of it & rushed back outside at the first opportunity. Eventually I went looking for him to bring him in for the night. I couldn't see Iss anywhere but Miss Ginger was perched like an Egyptian goddess guarding the firepit. She is such a pretty puss, very silky & sweet tempered so I went to scratch her ears & rub her cheek & coo silly cat nonsense in her ear. In the midst of our mutual admiration I spotted Iss, hunkered down in the Mondo grass glaring balefully. Oops! So not happy.

I grabbed Iss & rushed for the door, Iss howling & Miss Ginger frantic to get there before us & slide inside. Iss yowled like all the denizens of hell while I put the sheet back up. What a circus. Getting along until I separate them. *sigh* Ditz scolded me but I'm a big softie & I snuck back out with food & milk & a box with a bit of old blanket. Iss was suspicious but I'm not confessing anything to that cat. He can draw his own conclusions when he goes looking for trouble in the morning.