The dichotomy of cats

[xiphias]

The following observations are both true.

First, our cats are incredibly graceful. Watching how Nick runs and attacks his toys, how he angles and pounces -- he has the same kind of beauty that Willie Mays had when fielding. He also has the kind of fluffy adorableness, but he has a pure athletic beauty as well -- it's gorgeous watching him jump off of the bed, over three horizontal feet of obstacles in order to precisely grab a toy that we toss, right out of the air.

Nora has a precision and grace to her movements that is equally beautiful, but in a more restrained way -- more like a ballerina. Nick has the explosive power and control of, say, Gene Kelly (and he loves watching Gene Kelly movies); Nora has an athletic side, too, but her beauty is more like Audrey Hepburn's.

They also pose in order to deliberately show off their beauty, and they have immense grace and dignity.

That's the first observation.

The second observation, which is equally true, is that, yesterday, Nora was being scritched by Lis, and she stretched and rolled over so ecstatically that she rolled off the daybed and into the trash can, and that Nick got his head stuck in the tissue box. Four times in a row.

Comments

[lifecollage.livejournal.com]

And this? This is the feline estate, in a nutshell.

[jehanna.livejournal.com]

*snerk*

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

:-)

[paninogirl.livejournal.com]

I love your kitty posts so much!

[bill_sheehan.livejournal.com]

Now that's a great observation. And after getting his head caught in the tissue box, did he look at you as if to say, "I meant to do that"?

[rosefox]

Sam once fell off the loft bed because Josh was petting her and she rolled over the wrong way. Fortunately she wasn't injured. Stupid cat.

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

ab-so-lootle true

[elgoose.livejournal.com]

You're lucky they can't read.

[submarine-bells.livejournal.com]

In our house, we have a little catchphrase that we utter if we see one of the cats doing something like rolling off the arm of a chair, or attempting to jump up onto the kitchen table and missing. It goes "grace and elegance, thy name is Cat." (or alternately, depending on our mood, "so much for 'feline grace'".

That it happens frequently enough to have multiple catchphrases associated with it is noteworthy. :-)

[baka-kit.livejournal.com]

Hobbes has fallen off the bed while chasing her tail. She's also bitten her tail hard enough to cause herself pain. (The latter is especially impressive when you consider that she's only got one tooth left.)

[fitfool.livejournal.com]

heh...and this is why cats make fascinating housemates :)

[dancing-kiralee.livejournal.com]

When informed of Nick's encounter with the tissue box, Theo hid his head in shame.

Kiralee