Substance replaced by Cat-stance

2004-08-03 - 9:45 a.m.

In lieu of writing a real entry, I'll now discuss the cats.

Fred is the smarter of the two, but it's difficult to tell sometimes because Ginger is quite cautious and watchful, and I tend to think of the watchful ones as smart, somehow. But while Ginger only ever seems able to learn one way of doing things, whether that way is effective or not, Fred has shown some plasticity in what he learns.

Fred, for example, has made a tool. I have an old shoelace that he likes to play with. He'll play with it by itself, but he much prefers to have someone hold the string up for him while he plays. Fred also likes to chew on my new sandals, but he knows that I'll squirt him with water if he does.

Lately, the little guy has started to pick up the shoelace, carry it over to the sandal, and then he places the shoelace on the back of the sandal so that the shoelace is elevated off the ground by an inch or so. He then starts to attack the shoelace, only "accidently" chewing on the sandal every now and then, when I'm not looking.

Ginger, not be outdone in the "odd but adorable" cat rankings, has a fascination with openings. Once he knows that there's a door, drawer, closet entrance, whatever, he'll stare at it and, eventually, try to open it (by the only method he knows: repeatedly scraping at it until it breaks). I am currently growing a pot plant in my closet, which means that there's a light on in there and I always feel like I'm watching an alien abduction or evil undead movie: the closet door lit from behind, the lonely cat staring at it from atop the bed, silhouetted eerily.

Those are the cats.

In non-cat related news, the great thing about writing is that there's always some sort of a story out there. Inspiration is endless; it's industry that's currently lacking in my life.

I haven't talked with any family members since my birthday. It's time to be a grown up and call some of them.

Cheers,

The Magus

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