Friday Cat Blogging

(l to r) Henry, Emma, and Herbert.

Although Henry may appear to be the aggressor here, the picture does not accurately convey the 12 years of petty, accumulated provocations from his sister, who is almost solely to blame for the swat she is mere nanoseconds from receiving. Herbert, meanwhile — believing that conflicts outside his own bubble of personal space are inconsequential — has momentarily adopted a neutral stance. Little does he realize that in what we like to call “the feline world,” regional disputes often escalate rapidly and unpredictably, drawing in the two canine superpowers, whose combined throw-weight hovers just over the 200-pound threshold. The broader structure of law and order, meanwhile, has completely broken down. The addition of a new, smaller human into the household has distracted and exhausted the usual brokers, whose reputation for honesty and fair-dealing has suffered in direct proportion to their declining ability to dispense treats and affection. The resulting instability has encouraged rogue cats like Emma to pursue risky, adventurist policies designed solely to maximize her own advantage.