He is generally speaking a creature of habit (most of them bad), but this morning, the last time I'm supposed to be feeding him he failed to show.
I trecked across the close went to open the side gate to 'his' house and found it swinging wide on its hinge.
My alarm grew. This was not how I'd left it last night.
Was anyone around?
I couldn't get round the back of the house, they have decking which is too high for my 5'5" height to scale, so I called and peered as far as I could.
Suddenly a drowsy, half-closed eyed Morris appeared. He made no move in my direction and actually looked away when I held up his bowl for him to see.
Whether someone had been round there and had frightened him, or whether perhaps he had been out on the tiles and had had a heavy night and was sleeping it off I don't know. but failure to come for food is not his normal response. I simply left the dish there beside his water bowl and not without misgivings came home.
What is it about cats and their slaves that makes for this sense of anxiety if they step out of routine? Why do they have such fixed and sometimes really weird patterns of behaviour?
The picture at the top is of my parents' cat Polly, whose favourite hobby was burying her nose in my father's slipper. We used to refer to it as her anaesthetic.
Far from taking a sniff and running for her life she appeared to thoroughly enjoy its 'fragrance'.
There's no accounting for taste, and certainly no accounting for cats.
Au contraire David. She was a thoroughly spoilt animal with unusually depraved tastes. Or, as my mother used to say, "she had a deaf nose".
ReplyDeleteI gave up trying to account for cats' behaviour after our first one, Ray. Thank goodness he's at least there ready for when your neighbour gets back.
ReplyDeleteQuite Perpetua. I must tell the tale of the goldfish some time!
ReplyDeleteI like cats (well most of them) however I like dogs (well most of them) more because dogs are needier! they don't carry their independence before them like a shrine! saying that I miss Pooh Cat everyday!
ReplyDeleteHmmm Know what you mean Theanne. I love all cats (even the ones I hate), and like most dogs, not all. The very thing you mention about cats is what I like most.
ReplyDeleteThey are so highly individual and independent, only loving and affectionate on their own terms, and when it suits them.
People can fool dogs, but cats can fool everyone.
He has probably taken to supplementing his income from a live larder!
ReplyDeleteNot this one Freda. Too old and far too lazy. Perhaps if one of his human slaves was prepared to catch and present a bird or nice fat mouse he might, just might, have the energy to eat it, but lift a paw to catch one himself?
ReplyDeleteNo chance!
Anyway, thankfully, his people are now back home, so no longer my problem. Till next time.
The problem with taking care of other people's pets is the fear that something might happen to them. Sounds like you had one of those unpleasant scares. Thankfully all is well!
ReplyDeleteToo true Broad. The problem is I don't volunteer, it is somehow assumed that since I am around most of the time I will be happy to do so. Most of the time I don't mind too much, but in the mornings when I'm in a hurry to get to town and dark winter evenings I'm less enthusiastic.
ReplyDeleteSince however, I virtually owe my survival this last couple of years to my good neighbours, I really can't refuse.
As they say "what goes around comes around".