2013 in Review by a Cat with No Name

At the end of 2012, Kitty came into our “house of creative naming” as a timid little barn cat whose family had all been killed by coyotes.  At first, she hid under everything and full days went by when we wouldn’t see her.  That all changed when she realized that the humans around her were just vassals in need of a lord, and she has ruled contentedly ever since.  So, for a look back, I thought it would be nice to get her perspective on 2013.

Approach the throne.  image

I understand you would like me to tell you about my year.  As you wish.

First of all, those two dog-things got into my food bowl twice – a punishable offense.  When I say, “Off with their heads!” I do not mean send them outside.  The two-legged folk are very weak on that point.

This place is nice overall.  I have six humans who fight each other to make a throne for me.  When I choose the lucky place, the winner taunts the others smugly.  They have yet to figure out that I chose by blanket, not by human.

They feed me adequately.  But I have decreed that my food shall be whole kibbles at all times and have turned my nose up at it several times when only crumbs were left.  I have high places to rule from, although there are still two places in the house I cannot reach.  I consider that high treason and expect ramps built in the coming year.  My chief complaint, however, is about the big one – the only man-person.  He wakes me up far too early in the morning by sitting down with the green thing with bright lights.  He calls it his “laptop”, a very name I deem offensive because if I chose to sit on his lap, I  expect it to be available.  I wonder if his woman knows that he can’t keep his hands off that thing.  For hours, he pecks and kneads at it like me fixing a blanket.

I’ve even heard him talking to it, the crazy sot.  Other than that, he only talks about his book and blog anymore, which I don’t understand because I have ordered that I should be the only topic of conversation in the house.  Nevertheless, he raves about any new country, like Mongolia or Kazakhstan, that reads his blog.  And on the rare occasion of a book sale or review, he shows excitement that should be reserved for my Halloween Kitty back stretches.  If this doesn’t stop, I will have to declare martial law here and dispose of the green laptop like the pink collar they tried to put on me.   Haha, yes doggies, I can see colors.

His first book focuses on a chase for a….  a dog –  YES, a dog!  Why a beast as silly as a dog would be the focus of any book is beyond me.  I understand from his morning ranting that the sequel centers around Virgil Creech’s desire to own a cat named Killer.  Good premise, I might read it.  I like the name, but someone should warn the lad that you can never own a cat.  Just like Aslan, we aren’t tame lions.

image

Oh, and one more thing.  It’s called feng shui, humans!  Stop cleaning the litter box every time I’m being artistic.

Happy New Year, humans.  I hope 2014 is just purrfect for you and most importantly, your felines.

Engagement & Dog Latin

Big excitement around here. My nephew asked his girlfriend to marry him.  And she said yes!  As Michael Bond said about Paddington, he never does things by halves.  Thanks to the good folks at North Point Community Church, his proposal will be hard to beat.  If you have a few minutes, check this out, it is spectacular.

His fiancée is a very sweet, beautiful young lady who also happens to be a Latin scholar.  The concept of studying a dead language intrigues me, so I am spending some time learning phrases in Dog Latin.  If you’re not familiar with the term, you’re not alone.  But after pulling some out, I figured out why they call it Dog Latin.  Here are some expressions you can learn to annoy any Latin scholar around you:

semper ubi sub ubi  (always where under where)

utinam barbari spatium proprium tuum invadant  (may barbarians invade your personal space)

potential vobiscum  (may the force be with you)

mendax mendax tuum baccare flagare  (liar, liar, pants on fire)

I think the reason they call it Dog Latin is that when you reel off some of it, the phrases aren’t structured correctly, but contain enough Latin to pique a scholar’s interest.  So they tilt their heads like my lab, Winston when I’m holding out a treat.

photo

I find it unfortunate that Lacey never experienced the “joy” of a little brother.  Since I was such a good one and my pal, Virgil Creech is a whiz at it too, we’ve decided to step in and harass her in little ways.  So while I’m studying more of these type of useless phrases simply to annoy her, I’ll offer Scott & Lacey a big congratulations and leave you with one last piece of advice:

Vir purdens non contraventum mingit  (a wise man doesn’t urinate against the wind)