Our Cats Resent the Easter Bunny: Do Yours?

Our two Oriental Shorthair cats never cease to amaze me. Being owned by these two furry felines brings us a new adventure every day. I gotta tell you these kitties can think up the darndest things to not only entertain themselves, but to keep us on our toes. Over the years we have learned to never underestimate the prowess of cats on a mission. One of the things that they are most adept at is to search out and seize the darndest places in which to hide, actually becoming feline chameleons. They manage to locate areas in our house in which their coat colors seem to completely blend in with and, imitating the Cheshire cat they "disappear", in a flash. And like that Cheshire cat, I am positive they wear a huge grin on their faces as they merrily mock us in secret. But it is not only their talent for becoming virtually invisible which is both enchanting but at the same time can be very disconcerting, they certainly hold strong opinions about so many worldly things. But what completely astonishes me is that they never hesitate to share their convictions about issues to which they disagree. Take this morning, for example! As I was getting our breakfast dishes loaded into the dishwasher, Hush Puppy suddenly leapt from the floor onto the kitchen counter. He immediately sat down, his haunches glued to the white marble countertop. His sparkling beautiful blue eyes blazed in excitement as he started pontificating about an issue, which had him quite upset. It was about the Easter Bunny of all things. I have no idea about how he is familiar with the various holidays, unless he routinely gazes at our wall calendar. "Why do humans designate a bunny to represent Easter?", he animatedly inquired. "What is so special about a rabbit?" He became more and more agitated as he continued hurling questions at me. "Why not an Easter Manx Cat?" he continued. "They can hop around equally as gracefully as any old bunny." He pouted! I attempted to explain to him that the Easter Bunny's main function is to distribute Easter eggs and in the "ancient world" the rabbit, was considered to be a symbol of fertility. Since this little furry mammal carries the reputation for its reproductive prowess, with the arrival of spring when Easter is celebrated, it marks the time when the world begins to blossom again. It signifies the end of the barren harsh winter. Easter eggs represent the renewal of life, birth and fertility. But no matter how hard I tried to illuminate him about this, he was not in the least cajoled. "Birds lay eggs", he persisted, "Why not an Easter Robin?" I praised him for understanding the egg symbol, but he was not in the least bit satisfied by my justification for the popular choice of a bunny! He was, in fact downright distraught and unwilling to let the subject drop. He followed me from room to room, his brother, Hubble trailing behind him, adding fuel to the fire at every opportunity. So folks, I give up! Therefore at our house at least this Easter, Hubble, whose plush coat rivals that of any bunny I have ever seen, has chosen to take on the responsibility of becoming the "national spokescat" for Easter. I am rather sure that this courageous compromise will assuage Hush Puppy's emotional melt down. But we will have a safe holiday since there will be no chocolate Easter eggs with which to contend, as these yummy eggs are toxic to cats and highly caloric for humans. Have your cats shared their feelings with you about the Easter Bunny? Leave a comment and share. Happy Easter, nonetheless!