Over the last few days, it's become mightily clear that Pickle will not have me as his slave. I've sadly had to hand in my resignation with him, and am now only down to one owner, Suki.

But don't panic. Pickle is still part of the family. But I've been told in no uncertain terms that The Yowlet is his one and only, and I'm merely the food dispensing device.

This all became very obvious over the last few days because Cary has got his winter cough again. This year, it's not croup (touch wood) as his airways are now just big enough *not* to close over, but the cough still sounds like a seal bark, and the coughing is incessant, particularly at night.

When the coughing gets too much, he throws up. Not pleasant for anyone in the family, but you would have thought that the cats would have stayed well clear. Suki did, but not Pickle.

Pickle jumped up right next to Cary (very carefully avoiding the trajectory) and purred for the first time I have ever heard (felt, yes, heard, no). When I tried to touch Cary, he hissed at me, and then 'bopped' me a solid warning. Then I got The Glare - the "back off, this is *my* human*, and you'd better not be hurting him!" look, a look that Shmogg would have been extremely proud of.

So, Pickle isn't my cat, but I think that he's a worthy successor to Shmogg in the house hold; Cary & Pickle being the next generation of Superior Cat & Worthy Slave. Suki, well, she seems to have picked me as her human, and I'll accept my role, even if I have to cede my title as "Slave to B*st*rd C*t" to my heir.

Copyright © Vicky Chapman
April 9, 2008