With 4 cats in residence there are always conflicts. When there is you can bet Pixel is right in the thick of it.

Pixel, as you know, is a Cat's Cat. She does not like dogs, catches mice and kills snakes, keeps herself very well groomed and considers herself to be worthy of worship. She has no time for interlopers either. Even after 4 years with Houdini and a year with Kiwi and Gizmo, she still considers them interlopers on HER territory. Miss Pixel has grown fat while trying to keep the others from the tuna, and has even taken to standing (sitting) guard over the kibble to keep the two youngest away from it. Houdini, being a cat who take no crap off anyone while being the biggest schmoozer in the world, pays her no attention and goes right around her to eat. This always results in a growl and a hiss from Pixel before she wanders off to find something else to complain about. When Houdini tours the neighbourhood even rotties go to their kennels. New dogs in the neighbourhood usually require a visit to the vet before they learn who rules. Houdini is King.

Pity the kitty who Pixel next encounters as she will take her displeasure out on the poor innocent Gizmo and Kiwi, usually taking off in pursuit of one or the other with full sound effects. One would think someone was about to get hurt. However Pixel has become rather fat in her age, she is closing in on 6 years old, and the chase will end as soon as the much leaner kitty slips under the caravan or elsewhere that entails too much effort on Her Royal Kittyness's part.

Yesterday we moved the caravan into it's permanent spot. This aroused much interest in the cats, even Houdini came home from his neighbourhood rounds early to supervise. All of the cats watched from a distance except Kiwi, who, as usual, had to be in the middle of it all. There she was, wandering around asking questions and climbing from the back of the ute to the roof of the caravan to under as we changed the tire that blew sounding like cannon shot. Although the sudden noise cause Kiwi to jump, her curiosity was too great for her to give up her loud questioning of everything we did. She really does ask, the sound of her meow is a question, she listens to our answers and seems to understand.

Once the caravan was in place and my friend had left, I installed the small "porch" and opened the door to see if all was still in place. Kiwi and Gizmo were right there, waiting for a chance to check this little house on wheels out, while Pixel lounged on the patio about 10 metres away watching their every move. Gizmo did her best meercat pose as she raised herself up onto her hind paws to get a peek inside, and Kiwi went to place a paw on the door stoop in preparation of going in. Out of nowhere shot Pixel, right between the sisters and in the door of the caravan she went, no hesitation at all. She HAD to be first. Pixel did one quick round of the joint lasting less than a minute and then sauntered back out and back to her place on the patio. The girls waited patiently until she came out and settled and then they went in, taking a good hour to explore and sniff and peer out each and every window.

Pixel had to be first, being the oldest and the most Royal, but the girls seemed to have the most fun.

Copyright © Katherine Juestel
December 2, 2006