I'll admit it. I have bad, rotten, spoiled cats. They will steal food off your plate, open cupboards to steal food and get into anything that is left out in their reach (or within climbing reach). I envy the people who have the fortitude to train their cats not to do this. Whenever I have company over, it can get quite tiring to consistently remind them not to set any food down and/or not to put their plate below knee level. However, I love these cats and find their food-stealing traits... occasionally amusing such that their antics get passed on as "let me tell you what my kids do" tidbits. Nancy is especially adept at stealing food from any person, any angle at any time. Last night I was eating pizza and admonishing Patrick from coming over the end table on my left to help himself when Dave said "Watch your right flank!". Looking to my right, I see Miss Nancy on the arm of my chair with a claw-extended paw hovering over my pizza. I believe they worked together on that maneuver, with Nancy probably promising Patrick some stolen pizza for his part in it (although I am very certain that she would have reneged on that promise, given the chance). No amount of swatting (lightly!), yelling or spraying with keep Nancy from her goal of stealing your food, alas, she is usually sent of to "guest bedroom prison" while us humans are eating.

Now I shall get to the point of this post, which was sharing an endearing quality Patrick has when he wants treats. Patrick is, first and foremost, Mommy's baby. He has Mommy wrapped around his little finger and gets anything he wants by being very cute and very loving to his Mommy. Whether I am doling out cat treats or just getting myself a treat, Patrick has learned that the only way he will get a bit without fighting the growling mob of fur-siblings is to sneakily ask for some from Mommy on the side. He will stand up on his hind legs, placing his paws at counter top level, and rub against me while softly "mew-mew-mewing" for a piece. Of course, Mommy will give him some and he eats ever-so-gently out of my hand. He has also learned that this trick will also get him pieces of food that Mommy doesn't give the others, just because he is so close to her hand and because he is so darn cute.

Copyright © Stacey Sharpe
October 12, 1999