DEVIL CATS

i have two cats, brother and sister, part siamese. the male, chiaro, is white with a black tail, black warpaint streaking up one eye, and a few black spots the size of a silver dollar on his body. the female, mao, is variegated like a margay with calico colors. though littermates, chiaro outweighs mao by two lb., yet when they wrestle she is fearless, pouncing and chasing him as much as he does her.

they become wildly playful after their evening meal -- careening around the apartment like a couple of tornados. thankfully, since i raised them from kittens, they respond well to a word from me, especially a word containing, shall we say, emphasis. it pains me that they must be indoor cats, but where i live there is too much danger from traffic. besides, studies have shown that indoor cats live much longer, healthier lives than those allowed outdoors. the flip side is, i've had outdoor cats in the past, and their essential felinity seemed to be more fully expressed by being able to laze in the sun, climb trees, and hunt. 'course, they also were exposed to fleas, ticks, skunks, snakes, and predation by raptors and wild canines. being a selfish sort, i've come to prefer that my animal friends be in my life for as long as possible, as healthily as possible. they seem to find ways to sublimate their wild urges, cats being much more creative and intelligent and self-sufficient than mere dogs.

whoa, did he really say that? yup, he did, and didn't blink an eyelash in the telling. cats rule, dogs drool.