The Cat's Coming to Dinner

Over the years, our evening meal has become a very special part of the day for my husband Marty and me. It's the quiet time we look forward to that affords us the opportunity to sit down and relax, enjoy our dinner and chat about things that are of interest to us. It's the time we set aside for just the two of us to wind down after a busy afternoon to share a meal. And hopefully to avoid any feline interruptions, I always make sure that the cats are fed before we get ready to eat.

But lately, it has gotten to the point where I seriously have to consider setting a place at the table just to accommodate Hush Puppy, our lilac point Oriental Shorthair. Recently he has been exhibiting some rather bizarre behavior. While his brother Hubble curls up on the couch for an after dinner nap, even though Hush Puppy has recently shoveled down a meal of high quality canned cat food, it appears that he has decided that a taste of human food as a second course is greatly appealing.

At precisely the moment Marty and I start eating, Hush Puppy jumps up onto the table, sits down on a corner and stares at us with his big blue eyes. He never really begs, he just sends out vibrations that would make even the most resolute soul feel guilty. And while he is not overtly intrusive, we have observed that every once in awhile he licks his lips, which I am positive he does to enhance his dramatic presentation.

It was then that Marty reminded me about one of the cats he read about in “The Tiger in the House” by Carl Van Vechten, in which, the Pope had a place set on his dining table for his beloved kitty with whom he shared his dinner every night. I had to wonder if Hush Puppy had been reading over his shoulder.

But especially after I saw the video uploaded to YouTube by Simon’s cat entitled, “Simon’s Cat Dining Table Episode” the other day, I’m not going to take any more chances banishing Hush Puppy from our dining table. Because, if by any chance Hush Puppy discovers it, there is no doubt in my mind it would be fodder for some rather nasty blackmail.

Cats really do find some really creative ways to wrap their paws around us to do their bidding, don’t you think? Leave a comment and share your opinion.