China is a twelve week old calico Norwegian Forest Cat with long silky fur, gentle disposition, and the compulsion to re-check the level of her food dish CONSTANTLY. No joke, she already weighs about four pounds. She is daddy's baby, as true a love as you have ever seen.

This morning I woke up at 4:00AM and decided to make a latte and read (Waking the Moon by Elizabeth Hand today). While sitting at my desk reading I realised China was in the kitchen making a strange chittering hunting sound. The sound rose to a wail of panic. I decided it was time to see what had her scared and followed the sound.

Poor kitty was cornered in the kitchen by a big.....vicious........mandible clanking.....CARPENTER ANT. It stood in front of her, antennae waving imperiously. China was backed up against the wall. I grabbed a book (The Hand I think) and pushed the ant aside. China scooted past. Not one to give up a fight (she battled the milk ring for three days before the battered plastic ring waved a white flag and admitted defeat... and no shoe will ever defeat her) China pounced again. Ant retaliated, biting her on the nose. Her wail of panic was heartfelt this time poor kitty. The carpenter ant took a chunk out of her nose. Mom stepped in again and flatted the combatative ant.

Was China relieved? Hell no! She had to thrash two pairs of shoes, a musical ferris wheel (Devons) and a pair of innocent socks to repair her dignity and assert her fighting ability.

Copyright © Jacquie Bates
January 30, 2003

Read Jacquie's other stories: New Friend & Shyly's Problem