Well, yesterday was supposed to be a fairly quiet day. It started out that way, with bright sunshine and warm weather. So, I let Schrodinger outside to get some sun. I also opened the screen on the front door to let some of that same fresh air into the house.

Later, I sat relaxing on the couch, minding my own business with the laptop, (Probably reading this newsgroup.), when I heard this very loud "RRrrrr".

"Okay," I think to myself, "Sounds like a cat fight." Now Schrodinger is no slouch when it comes to being a cat defending his territory. I mean, he has to protect me, right? (Forget the fact that he runs and hides from dogs. Even the neighbor's puppy scares him!) Anyway, Schrodinger is twelve pounds of all black Hunter. I've felt those claws too. I'm glad I'm not a mouse on the receiving end of those things!

So I rush to the door, expecting to see bits of fur all over. Well, I was half right.

What I see is two cats who look up at me like two boys who've been fighting in the alley when Dad suddenly appears. Not too far off the mark actually. The lady across the street, who is owned by the other cat, is calling her home. Meanwhile, I respond, to the cats, with a "What do you think you are doing?"

Schrodinger looks at me, looks at the other cat, looks at me. He knows he can't continue the fight with me looking on, but is NOT going to let that intruder get away either.

By the way, about this time I notice that the other cat is white, and it's only clumps of white fur that are spread out all over the place. Schrodinger is untouched so far by this. (My, what a bully he's turned into!)

Meanwhile, the other cat, obviously, doesn't even bother to glance at her slave calling her. She's intent on keeping both eyes firmly on Schrodinger. Remember, there is a reason I call him my quantum mechanical cat. She doesn't want to be caught by surprise by a sudden state change either.

I decide it's time to break this up, and so pick up an old tennis ball that was laying around by the door. (No, I didn't leave it there. The neighborhood kids did that for me.) I throw it in the direction of the cats. I wasn't trying to hit them, and couldn't even if I wanted to. (Bad shot.) It was enough though to get them to start backing away from each other.

Then I walk out to meet these two. Did I tell you I was in my bare feet? Hey, I was relaxing in the house, remember? So I'm not going very fast. Both decided this was the perfect time to split, and took off in opposite directions. I was going to bring Schrodinger in, but he was gone. Remember, I live in the middle of Lincoln National Forest, so if my cat decides he's not going to be found, he won't be!

The other cat went back across the street, but not quite towards home either. I suppose her slave was thinking the same thing I was.

Now I've got these clumps of fur in my yard, and a neighbor who thinks my cat is one to be watched for. Well, Schrodinger does stay in the house most of the time. But he has also learned to deal with skunks, raccoon, and deer. Mainly, avoid them, like dogs and small children and strangers.

Of course, when Schrodinger finally did decide to come back into the house, all he wanted was his food bowl filled. Yes, master.......

Copyright © Brian Armstrong
May 1, 2000