I just have to share this story; it's so cute.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I was busily preparing dinner (which turned out to be more of a brunch) when Artemis started scratching at his litter box and meowing loudly. I turned to look at him and he gave this look that said "My litter box needs to be cleaned." Now I fill the box about three inches deep with litter because Artemis digs so much before and after relieving himself and that makes it harder to tell when it needs cleaning. So I got out the scoop and sure enough, it was in desperate need of cleaning. Once everything was finished, Artie when in and did his business and ambled back into the living room.

Okay, call me weird (I've been called much worse), but I swear there was almost a psychic link between us because as soon as I looked at him, I knew right away why he was mewing so loudly.

Oh, and the little cat dancer (fishing pole, whatever you call it) toy that I bought Artie last week is now his most favorite favorite toy. He will scratch at the storage drawer under my bed where I keep it when he wants to play (or just give this "I wanna play" look), and will play till he's panting, at which point I stop but he still wants to play and ends up sulking into the kitchen until I say it's okay. Over the weekend I started using one of the attachments as if it were a real mouse. Every time Artie makes a move that makes his tags and bell jingle, I move the "bait" away from him. He'll stalk and stalk and finally pounce with hardly a sound from his "jewelry". If he keeps this up, he could qualify for the U.S. Olympic Mouser Team.

Copyright © Eric Speas
November 30, 1999

Read Eric's story: Definition of a Cat Condo