BED AND ’BOARD

Hakuna would rather sleep upon a cardboard scratching pad than in her soft fleecy bed. Go figure.

Most people don’t think of there being much Behavioral Commonality between little (human) children and cats, but let’s stop and think about it for a moment.

Sleep a lot during the day? Check.

Exhibit symptoms of extreme self-centeredness? Check.

One could argue that a cat actually has the edge over a small child. The cat, at least, will crap in a box.

But there are other similarities.

For just one example, imagine that you go to “We ‘B’ Toys” or some other merchandiser, where you purchase a largish, costly toy for your up-and-coming Rug-Rat. You take the thing home, suitably wrapped. The kid excitedly tears away the wrapping, opens the box, and fiddle-farts around with the new toy for a few minutes in a desultory fashion. Ten minutes later, you find the kid animatedly playing “Time Machine” or “Millennium Falcon” in the discarded box.

In like wise does Hakuna behave.

She Who Must Be Obeyed, if left to her own devices, would fill our house to bursting with miscellaneous Cat Gew-Gaws. Only my constant remonstrations keep her from buying new beds, litter boxes, cat toys, and other Feline Miscellany every time she steps outside the house. It’s not that I don’t love our cat - I do - but I know that she will have no truck with any of this stuff. It is a complete waste of money.

Above, for example, is a photograph taken early this morning. Hakuna, given the choice between a soft, comfy Cat-Bed and a flat box of corrugated cardboard (the purpose of which is to give her something besides our new carpet upon which to sharpen her claws), chooses to sleep on the cardboard.

Whether she is just nuts or is acting like a Miniature Human is a subject for speculation. But right now, I’ve gotta go attend to the Missus. She’s got that “I’m gonna go buy some more Cat Toys” gleam in her eye again...