It's been a while since there has been a cat in the house. I'm guessing maybe 8 or 9 years. I had forgotten about the impact made by an animal that arrives as a terrified kitten, but within a few weeks demands to be treated like a king. The entire dynamic of the house has changed with the arrival of an animal that just doesn't care whether you live or die, but expects servitude in return. It's nice to be liked now and again, but it's not something you want to get used to or depend on.
My bet is he will not live long, but then again he might. There are just too many hot and loose electrical wires hanging from Diego to make him long for this world. Too many potentially bad conclusions based on decisions he may or may not make. Too many alternative endings. We won't let him go outside and we may never let him go outside. So far, we're glad to say we've contained the damage to a minimum (depending on how you define the word minimum). He broke an artisan Mexican display plate in the kitchen at night, which set off the house alarm, and he destroyed a small porcelain statue that belonged to my parents. That last disaster caused us to finally try to cat-proof the house. No way to be sure.
But I have to say I'm pleased to have him with us and I have been charmed more than once. He's the real deal cat. I like the guy and wish him well. Deb and I will do our best to help.
He and Atticus are slowlllllllyyyyyy trying to work things out. Atticus refers to him as "The God Damn Cat." Diego refers to him as "That Stupid Fricking Dog." Oddly, Atticus appears to be in control of the politics in spite of the razor-sharp nature of Diego's Claws. I believe Diego would like to make peace, but peace is hard-won, and at the moment there is an understanding (sort of) related to boundaries, but Atticus is clearly the one who will not cross an unknown line. Time will tell. Progress has been made, and the ceasefire is holding, however tenuous the circumstances.
I had forgotten how cats fluidly present, pose, primp, prance, and pirouette. He doesn't jump so much as he simply appears out of nowhere air and then suddenly strikes a pose. I've taken to watching him move about and then trying to anticipate where he will end up, so I'm there before he appears, and I've got a camera. That's the only way to catch some of this stuff because it only lasts for a moment before he moves on to another magazine cover.
I've attached a small portfolio of moments where he stops long enough to actually call it a moment. In between these fractions of a second, he simply can't be trusted to keep himself or the dog or us safe. All I can do is try to anticipate where he will be and be there before he shows up.
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