There, I said it. I know it's a bit cliche, but cats are weird. I live with two cats right now, and they're okay. One did wake my up once by softly scratching my lip. And later that same day the other on ate my toast, but I don't hold it against them too much. I don't want to sully anyone's opinion of cats, but here is the life story of my nephew-cat (my oldest sister's cat), and you can decide for yourself if cats are on the list of top 10 weirdest things God invented.
Some time, let's say five years, ago, my sister Stephany (AKA Skull. No explanation necessary?) set about getting a cat. After an internet search she found just what she was looking for at a Humane Society in Longview, WA, one of the southern-most cities in Washington, and about a three hour drive from where she was living. The cat's name was Buster, and on the day Skull met him, she fell in love with him. The whole drive home she cried and talked to him, talked to him and cried. When she got him home, she immediately started doting on him, and started the process of changing his name. We started by calling him Bustercooper, and slowly dropped the Buster until he was just Cooper.
That little kitty was the apple of my sister's eye. She bought him the finest food and kitty litter, and walked him daily. That's right, she'd slip him in a halter and leash, and he'd slink beside her for the whole world to see! This is how it was for quite some time, but then things happened... life happened. My sister found herself busy with work and her beloved human nieces and nephew. Slowly but surely, something in Cooper snapped! Skull became a bit of a prisoner in her own house. It started by Cooper not being able to sleep in my sister's bedroom. Because, naturally, he would attack her in the middle of the night. Then, after the bedroom banishment, Cooper would lie in wait for Stephany to open her door, and when she did he would attack, aiming for the face.
After a year or so of living in constant fear, Stephany began transitioning Cooper to an "indoor/outdoor cat". That is to say she would let him out each day, with a feeling of indifference as to whether or not he came back. But he usually did come back. Sure, she would get reports from neighbors that Cooper was attacking children, but better them than her! So that's how it was for a while. Each morning Stephany would pry Cooper from her neck, and throw him outside, being sure to leave him some fresh water. Then, after work, she would shake some cat treats and he'd come running. The fresh air, and random attacks on children did wonders and cut the amount of eyes Skull had to sleep with open, in HALF (to one). But one day, Coop didn't come home. After a few days, Skull's laisez faire attitude gave way to fear. What if he had been killed on a nearby busy street? This fear was alleviated when she got a phone call. A phone call from a woman, informing her that she had been taking care of Cooper for the past several days, and if Skull wanted, she would take care of him permanently. Now, on principle alone, Stephany was NOT going to let this happen. So she met with this woman, who lives down the road a bit from my sister. Nice enough gal, of about 70. Her house is decorated with teddy bears and angel figurines. So, anyway, after some consideration, Skull decided that it might be best if Cooper spent his days with Gail (the elderly gal), and came home at night. Fewer attacks on Skull AND the neighborhood children. So that's Cooper's life to date. When he gets out in the morning he goes over to Gail's, or maybe the retirement home, lounges until Stephany picks him up each evening. I guess having Cooper is really a blessing for Stephany. I mean, if she didn't have Cooper she probably would never have to creep around a 70 year old woman's house, peering through each window, with 9-1 typed into her phone, just ready to dial the next 1 at the sight of an unresponsive/dead Gail. I can safely say she would probably NEVER worry about the well-being of her aging cat-care-taker, if it weren't for Coop. And we are all thankful that THAT is not the world in which we live.
possibly my favorite post so far.
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