Cats are Mysterious Creatures

Cats are truly unique creatures. I have observed that in a household of cats there seems to be a well understood pecking order. One cat is always in charge. He/She is the “boss of all cats”. The other cats never provoke a fight with that cat unless they are really, really upset and angry about something. Usually the other cats fear this cat. Occasionally, an up and coming “boss cat” will try his chops out on the current boss cat just to see how much headway that he can make off of him. Without fail, he is always promptly put in his place just to slink off and resume his underling status in a quiet and embarrassed kind of way. Even so, the day will come again when that cat will test his fortitude once more with the boss cat.

Another interesting factor about this “boss cat” observation of mine is that you cannot second guess who will be a boss cat. They may not be the biggest cat. They can be a female or male. It is more of a personality thing. These cats are ambitious.

Blaine was my first boss cat. After he passed, Max became the boss cat. Max would periodically test himself against Blaine. I remember one day watching little kitten Max stare down Blaine. Blaine did not flinch. I knew Max would lose this round of the “feline head of the house contest”. Blaine was a big, lumbering, good natured, sweet guy but he was the boss and he was not about to take any guff off a little Johnny-come-lately. After about 5 minutes of this intense stare contest, Blaine grew tired of this nonsense and suddenly slapped Max across the room. Max rolled and tumbled about two feet, turned around and gave Blaine a frightened look and did not try that strategy anymore for about two months until he got the nerve to try out his muscles again.

I have known from the time I adopted Oliver that he was the up and coming “boss cat” of our family. Even though he is so sweet and cuddly, he wants to be boss because he is ambitious. He would try his chops on Max from time to time and it would stun me to see such a sweet, little kitten try to take the title away from someone who was obviously so ensconced in his authority. You would think that Nigel would be the boss because he is like a bull in a china closet, running willy-nilly and doing whatever his hard little head wants to do. But with Nigel it is all about him. He has no desire to rule. He has too much to do, places to go and people to see.

Well, since Max is gone now, Oliver has completely assumed the title. There was no coronation full of pomp and circumstance. The transition happened seamlessly in a quiet, humble way. Slowly, Oliver began taking over the places that strictly belonged to Max. Oliver now sleeps where Max used to sleep. From time to time, Oliver slaps Nigel just to remind him that he is the new boss. Claude has been comforting me because he is a comforter. He knows I miss Max and he misses Max too. Oliver is on the “boss” throne. The king is dead; long live the king.