A Conversation With Junior

I doubt I'm the only one who talks to his pet. On the other hand, I'm reasonably sure I have more complete conversations with my pet than some.

This morning, I'm getting out of the shower and there is a customary "MEOW" at the shower room door as soon as the water is off. This is not a feminine, sweet meow either. It's lower pitched (for a house cat) and enunciated fast, like a BARK.

Translation: "Open the door!"

So I do. Junior is a 15 pound orange and white cat of the American Short hair type. He has a friendly disposition and is very fun.

He noses his way in, as I barely open the door and I close it behind him. He is unconcerned. Every morning he comes in after the water shuts off to see if all is well. I think he's concerned I might smell different, thus be a different person upon my emergence from the 'Rain closet'. Or maybe he's unhappy that the tub's wet. Junior is a 'Tub Digger'. He likes to jump in the (dry) tub and dig with great vigor. Of course, he doesn't accually damage anything, so it's very cute.

Today he wonders around and sniffs everything to make sure all is in order. He gives my beard a few licks because he knows nobody likes wet fur. He then gingerly steps on the toilet seat to check the conditions of the 'Emergency Water Supply'. If it's contaminated, he bitches good naturedly to me about it. He's a good friend like that. If anything is not to his liking, he lets me know but doesn't get really bent over it.

After that, he's jumps back down on the rug as I finish drying off. There on the rug, he spys a pillow feather and it's moving slightly from the rush of air caused by his drop from the toilet seat.

He attacks the feather and starts chewing.

"Junior, you really shouldn't eat that feather." I comment offhandly and without thinking.

He looks up at me and I imagined his voice in my head almost at once.

"If I were a outdoor cat, I'd be eating whole birds!"

"Feathers and all huh?" I wondered.

"You bet!" He replied. "I'm quite the aggresive house predator and I know how you dislike those flying rats for crapping all over your boat!"

What a good cat. :)

I found myself laughing and smiling for the rest of the morning.

-Corwin