by Sarah Kliban
kids@thd.org
Welcome this time to Cats Corner! When dogs stole the spotlight last spring, cat parents demanded equal space for their progeny. Now it’s time for the felines to shine. Meanwhile, if you’d like to ask a question or want to be interviewed yourself, contact us at kids@thd.org.
MYSHKA, 4
What’s the best treat you’ve ever purloined?
“A freeze-dried chicken neck. Oh, it was glorious! I had to run with it, holding it in my mouth to a safe place, away from my human. I wanted to devour it all at once, but my human found me and—damn!—only let me have a little bit at a time. Such injustice!”
Besides sleeping, what is your favorite pastime?
“Opening doors. Humans don’t seem to understand how doors work, but I’ve mastered it. And car rides—windows down, fur flying. Love to play fetch, but I’m no retriever. I toss the toy to my human, and she brings it back. Keeps her in shape.”
What are you most afraid of?
“Getting stuck. I opened the back door one day, and it closed behind me. Panicked, I squeezed into a narrow space between two buildings and got trapped. Sirens blared. Firemen came. They sprayed me with water, but I made my way deeper back in and became completely stuck. Couldn’t move at all. The next morning, Timothy, my human’s handyman, used a loud chainsaw to cut open the wall of one of the buildings, while my human held my paw, and Timothy pulled me to safety. My hero!”
What is the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever experienced?
“Up at Lake Tahoe, a baby bat flew down the chimney and into the cabin, and I was ready to save the day. But my human had other plans—held me captive and opened all doors so it could fly out, only to invite the whole bat family in. My human forced us to sleep in the bathroom all night. I redeemed myself this year when I caught another baby bat and three baby mice and brought them to her. You’re welcome.”
ROO, 10 approximately
What’s the best treat you’ve ever purloined?
“Why steal when I’ve got the best food in the house? A bowl of Friskies, a spoonful of pureed pumpkin at bedtime, and, sometimes, a squirt of tuna juice. I pretend not to see the Tall One sneaking my pumpkin. Rude!”
Besides sleeping, what is your favorite pastime?
“Jumping onto the highest bookcase or squeezing into an open cupboard and looking down at the peasants. I dominate the hall with my ping-pong soccer skills, running up and down.”
What are you most afraid of?
“The suitcase. It means the Tall Ones are abandoning me! Also, the fire escape. Love watching the crows, but stepping onto those cold bars feels like flirting with disaster. So high. So scary.”
What is the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever experienced?
“That time I miscalculated a leap from my cat tree and landed flat on my face. It happens, okay? Moving on.”
KIKI, 17.5 (originally La-kik which means ‘to lick’ in Hebrew)
What’s the best treat you’ve ever purloined?
“What’s the best treat I haven’t purloined? I’m the most spoiled cat on the Hill. My favorites are pieces of broiled salmon and chicken from my folks’ dinner plates—these are the best. And I lick butter if left on the counter. Whether they’re looking or not, it’s mine!”
Besides sleeping, what is your favorite pastime?
“Bird watching, especially the zippy little hummingbirds. I also enjoy rolling in catnip and chasing my toy mouse. And sipping a little milk when my people are making lattes in the morning. When I jump up on the kitchen counter, they know exactly what I want.”
What are you most afraid of?
“Coyotes, especially when they come into the garden. They think I’m a snack. When they show up, I’m under the bed faster than you can say ‘predator’.”
What is the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever experienced?
“When I escaped out the backdoor and couldn’t get back in and ended up hiding under the stairs so the coyotes wouldn’t get me. My people finally found me at 2 a.m.”
COSMO, 12 (aka Mr. Mo)
What’s the best treat you’ve ever purloined?
“Does an avocado plant count as a treat? Because I ate the one, unbeknownst to me, my mom was trying to grow. They were even madder when I scarfed her birthday sunflowers, a gift from my dad.”
Besides sleeping, what is your favorite pastime?
“I like watching the crows that come to sit on the porch railing. The hummingbirds are even more entertaining. But I can’t get at them because there’s glass between us. I learned that the hard way. I also enjoy chasing string, scratching furniture when mom and dad aren’t watching, and terrorizing houseplants.”
What are you most afraid of?
“The vacuum cleaner. That’s the suck monster. The doorbell is suspicious, too. And don’t even get me started on the coffee grinder.”
What is the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever experienced?
“I snuck out the front door once but got so scared that I cried to come back in. So much for my tough-guy image. I’m big and strong, but I’m no match for the coyotes I heard that night. They do howl louder than I do, if that’s any consolation.”
