meow

Today, two interesting things happened that both had to do with my cats.

1. Usually when I watch TV or practice violin, I let my cats out into the backyard so they can get some nice summer air and roam around (Hugo's always been an outdoorsy cat anyway). Today was a usual day. When Hugo came in and Tommy didn't, I began to get worried. I called Tommy's name, but I expected him not to respond because he's usually very idiotic when it comes to doing that, so I climbed up the stairs (my legs hurt a LOT from exercising) and got the cat food bag out. I ran downstairs into the family room and approached the backyard, shaking the bag. This ALWAYS gets a response from both cats, because they're always always always hungry (don't doubt me. Don't.) However, when Tommy didn't appear, I started freaking out. I ran outside and looked everywhere in the backyard and when I didn't find him, I went back inside and hoped that maybe I just didn't see him  come back inside. No luck. I went back outside and FINALLY found him calmly and comfortably lying under a bunch of huge green leaves belonging to my dad's various plants. Then I grabbed him from under there, placed him violently on the grass and took the leaves out of his fur, ignoring his complaints. Now, I should have been sad and pitied him, but I was just plain mad.

And that got me thinking. If I could freak out about losing something as small as a cat (granted, he's not small at all, as my friends can agree), I can't even imagine what it would feel like losing my child. I was on the verge of tears while looking for him because he was my responsibility; I was the one who let him out into the backyard. It reminded me of the day that my parents thought they lost me, about two years ago.

My dad had driven us to the mall so I could go to Payless Shoesource and get some shoes. It was at around 8 or 8:30 pm, and I was so excited to go that I ran out of the car as soon as my dad parked (I know I know, I was being stupid), and I thought that my parents knew I had left. I mean, where else could I go? When I made it to the store, I looked around for about 5 minutes, and after not seeing my parents enter, I thought they might have gone to a different store. Maybe they went to Walmart. So I went to Walmart and I still didn't find them. Finally I saw my parents, both pale as they ran towards me and I looked at them in confusion. They asked me where the hell I went and why did I leave so fast. They thought that someone took me. My dad, in all his fear and confusion, thought he saw a little girl wearing a blue coat just like the one I had on and she was in someone else's car. They were both crying, which made me cry because I had never seen them so scared in their lives.

I don't remember if they got mad at me, but I can't say I wouldn't be at my kid. That's when I learned that parents don't get angry at their kids because they're controlling freaks that need people to listen to them. They get angry at their kids because they love them so much that they only want the best for them. They want to protect them, for them to be safe. And yeah, this is cliche. Of course it is, because it's true.

2. When cats get scared or protective, their tails puff up and they arch their backs and most of the time, they hiss.

Today, I was reading Twilight on the couch in the living room (I never read there) when I heard a horrible sound. At first I thought it was something coming from outside, maybe a weird lawn mower or maybe a malfunctioning pot, as my dad was cooking dinner. All of a sudden I saw Tommy running toward the fish tank and skidding just behind it, with Hugo behind him. Hugo was in full freaked-out cat mode. Sometimes when Tommy and Hugo fight, Tommy yowls at Hugo because he doesn't want Hugo to bite or lick him (Hugo can be overbearing). Tommy yowled especially loud this time, and that weird noise was coming from Hugo. Hugo started meowing at Tommy and I honestly thought that Hugo wanted to kill Tommy. I know people say that for expression, but I'm not exaggerating. It was that crazy. Hugo's tail stayed puffed-up for 5 minutes (which is a long time for a cat). Then my dad realized that it was the black stray cat outside in the backyard. In the end we hypothesized that Hugo was trying to protect Tommy or yelling at Tommy not to go near the cat.

I don't even remember what kind of sound Hugo made, I just remember it being the scariest thing I've ever heard coming from a small cat like him.

Oh, and this didn't happen today, but I planned my courses for my entire 4 years at McGill yesterday :)