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April 14, 2009
Chuck
This little brown-noser has taken up a temporary residence at my home:
Our Latino former-houseboy Carlos asked if we could take care of his precious while he was jetsetting through South America for a couple weeks. Sure, why not -- cats are low-maintenance and don't need to be walked in the rain. Also, they're soft.
He named his cat Mimoso Michilin Alberto. I'm not kidding. In my home, he shall answer to Chuck.
When he dropped Chuck off I was expecting him to bring the cat, along with a litter box, food and a dish bowl.
Instead he brought this Sanford & Son Kitty Motel 6 monstrosity into our home:
It's official: Carlos is the Neighborhood Cat Lady.
I knew something was amiss when a loud crane pulled up to our window with the operator yelling, "Éste es el dormitorio del gato. Abra la ventana, maricón!" Mortified, I opened the window and saw pieces of carpeted drywall dangling high above our building from a large hook.
To avoid any more public humiliation, I grabbed all the pieces, pulled them inside and motioned to the smiling crane operator to leave.
Carlos finally showed up and reassembled the cat house with tape and a screw. If it doesn't look sturdy, it isn't.
Several dogs have stayed with us through the years but I haven't had a cat since I lived with my parents. Oddly, he behaves much more like a dog. He follows me around everywhere, begs for food while we're eating, likes to have his belly rubbed, searches for food scraps in floor crevices, gets excited when someone is at the door and barks meows incessantly.
He doesn't even really purr. I guess cuz he's "straight-acting?"
When cats meow they usually want something -- attention, food, sex. Not this guy.
This morning I heard a meow at the bottom of the stairs. I looked down and saw Chuck sitting there. I said "come here kitty kitty" and motioned for him to come to me. He stood there and meowed again. He didn't move away as if to lead me somewhere he wanted to go. I was like, "What?" He stood there and meowed again. HE WAS TRYING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ME. About what, I have no idea. I asked, "Do you miss Carlos? Are you worried about your taxes? What's on your mind?" Silence for ten seconds, then "meow." AWKWARD!
And just like the dogs we've fostered before, he jumps on the bed when we go to sleep and rests for the night by our feet. Awwww.
Chuck is my new friend. Shut up.
UPDATE: Cute pocketstraight ABC newsman Dan Harris likes cats too. Watch his video. Awwww.
Posted by durban bud at April 14, 2009 11:04 AM
Comments
Well you know what they say .. lay down with dogs and you wake up with fleas.
Lucky Chuck is a cat.
I'm jealous, he's awfully cute :-)
Posted by: matticus at April 14, 2009 6:27 PM
My kitty talks too -- allow me to translate: what Chuck was probably trying to say to you was, "Um, 'scuse me, but it's nap time and the bed is kinda cold...so, yeah, you're gonna have to stop what you're doing and take care of that for me." Or something like that. ;-)
Posted by: stina at April 14, 2009 8:32 PM
The first cat is always the most difficult. When you get to four you know you are a Cat Lord.
Posted by: homer at April 15, 2009 10:11 AM
What a handsome house guest! I am a dog person myself but back when I lived in an apartment a cat once allowed me to feed him and sleep with him for 14 years.
In my experience cat conversations almost always take a similar to tone to conversations with the most passive agressive boss I have even had. They tend to go something like this:
"Far be it from me to tell you what your priorities OUGHT to be BUT a really good cat sitter would _____________!
Hope this helps.
Posted by: Boomer at April 15, 2009 10:49 AM
Sounds a lot like my newly adopted kitty "Precious Princess Phoebe Purrbot".
No I'm not gay-- why do you ask?
Posted by: Cb at April 15, 2009 5:22 PM
WE are NOT cat people at all either, but I SURE did get some laughs listening to how the cat arrived, and took over! I BELIEVE you're going to be alright though...how do I know? YOU rejected that ridiculous cat name he had, and are calling him CHUCK. I'll shutup now.
Posted by: Mark H at April 16, 2009 2:11 PM
You're such a softy, professor TJ.
Posted by: Sorata at April 16, 2009 3:28 PM
So...just who is this Carlos showing up with a screw and pussy?
Posted by: SaltyMissJill at April 16, 2009 6:45 PM
What Chuck is saying to you, is what all cats say. "Why aren't you paying attention to me?" Unless he's saying "bugger off, I'm trying to take a nap".
At any rate, he's a very sweet looking puss and I love the carpet covered kitty mobile home you now have parked in your apartment?
Posted by: Tony at April 17, 2009 12:30 PM
Our three cats (not all at once!) all acted more like dogs - even playing fetch. They were all conversationalists.
Though they have independence, they are very needy animals and want constant attention. Much like boyfriends.
Posted by: Blobby at April 19, 2009 7:28 PM
Ah, Dan Harris. He used to be a reporter in Maine. Met him once. Very short but a very likable personality.
Posted by: 207guy at April 24, 2009 7:00 AM