Guard Cat

by Julie Cook, Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA

I've always considered Selena our timid cat. She runs and hides whenever anyone other than my husband or myself enters the house. She often runs from us for no apparent reason. She's afraid of the ceiling fans, the television, loud noises, etc. She enjoys playing with Hobbes but he outweighs her by 12 lbs and often he'll trap her and she can't get away so she cries. When we come to her rescue she'll run and hide from him. We keep wishing she'd just haul off and slap him a couple of times so that he'll quit picking on her but she doesn't We've always assumed it was because she was so timid.

Yesterday, I was in the living room reading a book and heard this growl and hiss then merrrowwww coming from the kitchen. I thought Hobbes and Selena were having a serious fight and started to get up and go into the kitchen to throw water on them when Hobbes came running down the hallway. He had his ears cocked forward and an alert expression on his face. He looked at me first to ascertain that the sound wasn't coming from the television and secondly, that I wasn't doing something horrifically painful to Selena.

We both headed into the kitchen to see what was happening. Selena was looking out the sliding glass door in the kitchen. I pulled the curtain aside and found a calico cat facing her from the other side of the window. The calico hissed and Selena growled and they tried to tear into each other with a lot of hissing and merrrowling and growling. It sounded for all the world just like a full blown cat fight. The only problem is that they were flinging themselves against the glass door.

The calico gave in first and ran off when Hobbes tried to join in the fray. I guess she thought two cats were just too much to fight. I praised Selena for her bravery and gave her a slice of deli turkey. Hobbes took up watch at the window. I think he was greatly put out that he was asleep when he could have been defending his territory. And I think I've learned a couple of lessons:

First that Selena would not be happy if we brought a third cat into our home, second that she does consider our house her home and her family and her territory and thirdly, that if Selena really didn't want Hobbes to beat up on her when they are playing, that she is fully capable of becoming a she cat from hell and could very well set him straight

Hobbes and I are very proud of our timid Selena.

Editor's note:

• If you want to comment on this article, why not write direct to Julie Cook?
• She will be pleased to hear from you!

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