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What cats know

Kate’s been gone a while. Years. Today, while tidying the electronic desktop, I stumbled on several images that made me smile. Kate loved investigating a lower kitchen cupboard during late-night wanderings. The open cupboard door next morning always revealed her secret.

This particular morning was the beginning of a gut-the-first-floor house remodel. We’d set up a safe room for her in the upstairs bathroom: her toys, her food, the litter box, a cushion she liked to drowse on.

The construction crew was due to arrive and I wanted Kate (a stranger-averse being of the first order) safely tucked away before they showed up. But Kate, anticipating disruption, had safely tucked herself away. I searched high and low and couldn’t find her.

That morning, she had added a new skill — closing the cupboard door behind her. When, as a last-ditch effort, I checked, there she sat looking at me like “May I help you?” I laughed and grabbed the phone, and she, with great dignity stepped out.

Twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Photo by Susan Palmer

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2 responses to “What cats know”

  1. Avatar
    Anonymous

    When the game was up, Kate held her head high.

    One of the many endearing qualities of cats is their fondness for hidey-holes and cozy boxes. I experienced a similar fondness as a child. I used to hide (from no one or nothing in particular, just in fantasy) among the suitcases stored under the stairs.

    I love that Kate figured out how to close the door behind her. The linen and coat closets are favorites of our two, and they are adept at opening the bifold doors just barely enough.

    Reply
    1. supalmer Avatar
      supalmer

      She brought us great joy and loads of laughter over the years. After the remodel was done, we noted how grateful we were that she was no longer the kitten who would claw her way up a door frame, digging her claws into the trim. And as though she understood what we’d said, she took her 13-year-old self over to the nearest door and clawed her way up about 6 feet then landed neatly and began grooming.

      Reply

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