Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Night of the Leapist

No cat in my household likes food as much as my foster-cat, Parker. I’m sure he tells strangers that I starve him, because that’s how he acts. His weight hovers around a sturdy eight kilograms. Certainly, his frame suggests that he can handle a good amount of poundage, but in fact he could lose a little weight and still be healthy. Even so, he is hardly doing without, when it comes to food. Yet it remains his preoccupation.

Cammie, you may know by now, is on a special food, Z/D. Because it is, apparently, tasty, other cats want it, too. It is expensive, however, so I reserve it for the princess. I put it on a cloth, rather than in a dish - because it is easier for her to eat it that way - and I keep the cloth, with the food on it, handy - for me - to give to her whenever she wants it, or when I think she will eat it. Sometimes, I put the food on the micro-wave oven, sometimes on a cabinet, sometimes on a shelf of a bookcase; close to wherever Cammie is at the time.

Enter the sturdy-boy. Parker doesn’t let distance or height stop him when it comes to food. He saw or smelled the food I had left on a bookshelf. It was only a couple of feet from the end of the bed. Surely such a length is nothing to an active fellow like Parker.

I was in the sitting room when I heard a crash from the bedroom. Running to the scene of the fracas, I thought immediately that a fight had broken out, especially as I watched Parker trot out of the bedroom, followed by Cammie. Then I saw this.


What I suspect happened was that Parker launched himself at the bookshelf with its tempting supply of hard-food kernels. He misjudged the depth of the shelf not covered by books, and thus available for landing. He also misjudged his aim. He hit the shelf next to the food, realised that he had a surface about one tenth of what his body required to stay aloft, and plummeted to the floor amid a scrabble at books. I have this image of Wile E. Coyote hitting a rock-wall next to the target he painted for himself, and slowly subsiding to the ground.


Fortunately, my own Wile E. was not hurt. As soon as I guessed what had occurred, I checked Parker over for injuries. He was unhurt. Cammie had followed him simply because she chases any noise or disturbance in the apartment. For my own part, I learned to keep the princess’s food even farther from the covetous grasp (or covetous attempt-to-grasp) of foster-cats, especially when their appetites can leap greater distances than their legs.

15 comments:

  1. Parker, we think it's grossly unfair to be able to smell such tempting food, yet be unable to reach it. That constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in our books, and were we in your paws, we would report it to the appropriate authorities. (We believe Katie could represent you in a court of law, should it come to that.)

    Nicki and Derry (also hard-done by and starving)

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    1. Parker, I will work for a small portion of the morsels. I will gladly handle your case. Let me know what time you wish our appointment for fact gathering and I will be in my tunnel quickly straight to your home.
      K.I., Cattorney at Law

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    2. That's all I need from this: litigation!

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  2. Parker reminds me of a mixtures of traits between my two boys. Ping is incessentantly curious and Jinx is always looking for morsels! Glad no one was hurt!

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  3. Geez, Parker...your fun was ruined! Never stop trying, big boy!

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  4. dood...thiz iz all dadz fault bee coz.....him shuld knot haz de book case sew far a way frum de end oh de bed.....itza good...57 feetz....yea......

    ☺☺♥♥ glad ya waz knot hurt buddy ♥♥

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  5. Our Sheldon stalks the food bowls here. Heaven help the kitty who gets distracted as the little thief is right in there like a dirty shirt. He'll also jump on counters to get at the food when the mom turns her back for just a second. There would be no leaving it with easy access because he'd find it for sure.

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    1. My Josie was like that when she first came to live with me. Now, she's quite different. So Sheldon probably has only another ten years of such behaviour...

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  6. Well Parker you gave me quite a chuckle. But we are glad that you were not harmed. You are like those adolescents who find amusement in jumping off and climbing buildings. We hope the food was worth the effort.

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    1. The poor fellow didn't even get any in the end...

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  7. Oh poor Parker. I'm glad he wasn't hurt, but I'm sure he'll keep trying to get Cammie's food. After all - If at first you don't succeed...

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  8. Excellent idea, the food on a cloth. Never thought of it but will definitely give it a try.
    Parker is certainly a highly motivated diner. Much better that way than picky.

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    1. Yes, I am pleased that Parker has such a hearty appetite. All my others are very picky.

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  9. Parker made me laugh. I am glad he didn't hurt himself, but it did put me in mind of kittens who have no perception of distance or ability when they try to reach something.

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