Cooke’s cats
Everyone has heard of Pavlov’s dogs, I’m sure. Well, we have a
variation called Cooke’s cats.
Jellicoe has to be fed four times a day, at four-hourly
intervals – 8:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, 4:00 p.m. and 8.00 p.m. It is important that
these times are adhered to, so Alexa has been utilised to remind the Provider
of Food, or Food Servant (me!) of those critical moments.
Jellicoe starts campaigning for food roughly ninety minutes
after he’s finished a meal, but understands when I tell him how much longer he
has to wait. However, once the klaxon sounds, he starts yelling at me to get a
wriggle on and provide his sustenance. His brother, Herschel, also demands to
be fed, but he is far less insistent than Jellicoe.
We use Alexa for many reminders in the house, so she is always
issuing orders. Jellicoe and Herschel look alert and interested every time she
speaks, but seem to know when she is not indicating meal times. At least, they
don’t run around assaulting my ears with their yowls. I think that’s one better
than Pavlov’s dogs!
That sounds as though Pavlov’s dogs yowled – I don’t know
whether they did. I doubt it, since dogs don’t generally yowl. Howl, yes,
though our dogs usually only howl in their dreams. I do recall, however, the
late, great Frodo howling for the whole week I was away in New York. Every time
Barry ‘phoned me, I could hear Frodo’s melodious voice in the background, poor
boy.
On another note, Jellicoe is transmogrifying into a Labrador.
He is constantly searching for food, so nothing edible can be left within his
reach, and being a cat, his reach is . . . far-reaching. We now have locks on
the fridge and the freezer.
Preparing food is a circus, as he leaps onto the work surface to steal what’s on offer. If the pickings are particularly appetising, Herschel joins in as well. We end up dancing round the kitchen, from one work surface to another, attempting to avoid reaching paws and claws and teeth.
Our cats are gentle and don’t bite, except for mild ‘love
bites’. Barry is nervous of the teeth, however, and always pulls away, though I
advise him not to. On some mornings, when he wakes, he finds two little teeth marks on his arm.
Love will find a way!
I am looking forward to Christmas so much. I shall be an
expert juggler by the end of it.
Hi Janice - sounds like your animals 'rule the waves' - but quite understandable ... keep juggling along happily - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteIt's quite a game - and the yowls are ear-splitting!
ReplyDelete