I admit, I was rather suprised the first time Karma (my wonderful cat) licked my hand.  I was expecting softness, like a puppy's tongue, but instead got coarse sandpaper!  Who woulda thought?  Then again, when Ringo ate his breakfast out of my hand this morning, his tongue was soft and velvety.  So much to learn.

 

I also had several misconceptions of cats, as my whole life I'd been allergic to them, and so had never gotten close, or even touched one in all of my 50 years.  My only prior close encounter was when I once popped by my friend Normand's place on a whim.  I went up to the door with Rocky, my dog-at-the-time, knocked on the door.  Out ran the fiercest creature I'd ever seen, who flung itself at Rocky (several times it's size), and tried to tear the poor dog to shreds.  We recoiled in sheer shock, horror and surprise, Rocky and I. 

 

It turns out, Norm's cat had recently had kittens, and this mother cat was doing what all (good) mothers do - protecting her babies from a perceived threat.  Wow!  It left an indelible impression for many years.  Rocky and I truly thought most cats were rather vicious, and we steered way clear of them.  What did we know?

 

 

This morning I heard Karma making some kind of strange sounds.  Not a plaintive "meow", as in wanting food, affection, or to go outside.  Just little mewing sounds.  But continually, and muffled, as if fom afar.

 

Now my house here in the woods is rather teeny, and I sleep upstairs in a loft-type of thing...it's...different (which is an understatement), but again - it works for me.  I look at my clock, and it's just after 3 a.m.  Which is kind of par for me, as my body is ready for Spring, and so I wake up and spring outta bed at like 3:45 lately.  I know - it is rather odd, but it's one of those things I just 'go with'.  It's amazing what a person can get done before the sun gets up.  ;)

 

So I decide to get up, and start my new day, and came downstairs to find Karma at the window, on his hind legs with half his long body and head under, and on the outer side of the blinds, and he's 'talking' with Ringo who is outside, and who has found his way back again (I suspect he never actually goes too far at this rate).  They're having this whole conversation back-and-forth.  In cat language.  Which really makes me wonder (once again) about cats, and just what, in fact, they truly are capable of.

 

So between this morning's cat encounter, and my musings the other day about Karma impersonating Edgar Cayce to get a one-up on Teddy Bear, I set off online to see what other unusual cat behaviours I could find - to try to glean some type of an insight into their true capablilities ~ and tactical intelligence.

 

Maybe it's because it's really, really early and I'm a little punch-happy, but one way or another, I think I watched (and re-watched) this short video clip at least a dozen times.  So far.  Funny!!