Fight Night

Cats are pretty noisy, especially when they get ticked off at each other. Now I've gotten two or three letters from the condo management company about Jasper. It is against the bylaws for animals to roam outside, though no one ever seemed to mind before we hired these guys. But now Jasper's being blamed for what other, less well-behaved animals are up to. Our cat is, to paraphrase my cousin Drew talking about his old dog Oye', better behaved than most children. The little guy's so timid and quiet it's almost frustrating sometimes--just ask Katie when he avoids her tummy-with-child by a mile or two. Anyway, one of the letters mentioned how Jasper has tried on repeated occasions to invade neighbors' units. Untrue that. That's our neighbor Warren's cat, Kittith (quite a name, huh?). That little animal barges right in your door if you're not careful. Somehow this got pinned on poor little ibbly.

So tonight we heard some frantic squeals outside. I was pretty sure the cat was in--I don't turn off the door light until he is--but we checked. He came blearily down the stairs when Katie whistled for him. So what was out there? I went out to see. Kittith, having spilled a bottle of beer from the neighbors' table--and some other mystery cat, another tuxedo no less, speeding away around the balcony. No big deal, I don't mind, except that I'm probably going to get another nasty letter, and maybe a fine, if this nonsense keeps up. Just because Jasper's popular, and a lot of the other owners know him.

Neighbors' kids can be problems enough, I suppose, and we'll have our share of dealing with things like that in years to come. But these cats are just plain ridiculous.