Lion and Magic Boy

No! I haven’t forgotten you. How could I, since you’re my favorite?

Oh! I have to report that Baby Island is a genius and I am now drinking coffee that decidedly does not taste like ass. Whatever that tastes like. Let’s not discuss it. Mike, I will hit you up next on your offer/suggestion.

After a brilliant springish day yesterday followed by another cloudier but still look! I’m not wearing a coat! day today, it’s obviously raining cats and dogs right now. Mostly cats.

Which is obviously a segue into today’s topic: baby cat.

After Nacho’s untimely demise only a few short weeks ago, his brother Shadow’s transformation from fuck-you-I-don’t-need-nobody, to a lap! can I sit on your lap? huh? now? huh? has been amazing. Where he used to largely ignore us, now he follows us from room to room, often bounding across the room like a big ungainly cat-dog. badumbadumbadumbadum.

And he loves to play. Often at 3 am! (Hey! People! Wake up, look what I brought you! Legos! Oh, and a ponytail thingie! And an acorn cap! C’mon, what’s wrong with you? Let’s play!) But the string-on-a-stick is his favorite. He was kind of awkward at first but now he jumps a good three feet high, twisting to miss hitting his head on the edge of the coffee table I lured him just slightly too close to just so I can watch him avoid it. Fun! And he’ll get the toy out of Eric’s toy basket, too, dragging it out and then looking at us pointedly.

But the oddest thing is Baby Cat.

It always used to set my teeth on edge watching people carry cats around like babies, helplessly on their backs in someone’s arms, their paws in the air. Surely no self-respecting cat would allow such treatment!

That’s where I was wrong.

Matthew started it. But when I saw him carrying Shadow around like that I was sure Shad would be growling (often he growls just to growl, weirdly).

“No, he likes it. Look!” Matthew said while walking Shadow around the house. Indeed, Shad looked up and around him, interested in everything, his tail flipping happily. Baby Cat.

“Dude, this is awesome. Stellar. You people’ve been holding out on me! Why didn’t you tell me everything looks different upside down! Hey! Do that thing again where it’s all shiny!” and then Matthew would take him into the bathroom where Shad would look all around him, in a whole new world. “Fuckin-A, dudes, this is intense!” and he’d relax into Matthew’s arms, enjoying the show.

That is so weird. I’m not sure Shadow is fully 100% cat, actually. Must be some dog in there. He fetches, too, but only the tire off a toy vehicle and not on command.  We’re working on it.