The Adventures of Bob the Cat
�ve never had a cat named Bob. I�ve shared my life with Zeke, Clem, Lucy,
Arthur, Soxy, Tabitha, Tipecanoe and Tyler, Too. But no Bob. I�d like to have one,
though. Bob seems like the perfect name for a cat. Bob is the perfect name - period. Bob
the dog. Bob the iguana. My dad�s name is Bob.
What would Bob the cat be like? He would have personality, lots of personality. Why? Because, well, all my cats have personality. I�ve known many cats who were just decoration. None of mine just lounged around looking lovely and purebred, wanting admiration but seeming aloof from it. This is largely because none of my cats were purebred nor particularly admirable. But, boy, did they have personality!
Tyler, Too, son of Phred, brother to Phredlet and Blackie, was chock full of personality. This is not to be confused with intelligence. Tyler was loyal and friendly and funny, but not too bright.
For one thing, he could never remember where his food dish was. I always put it in the same spot on the kitchen floor. But twice a day for three years, Tyler, Too watched as I poured cat food and fresh water into his dishes and placed them in their usual place. And still he watched me hungrily.
�Eat, Tyler,� I�d say. He�d smile and wait. �The food is in your bowl, Tyler,� I�d add helpfully. He�d smile. Then I�d pick him up and put him next to his dish. He�d turn to me again, half-smiling. I�d push his head gently down into the dish; then he�d eat. Like I said, not too bright.
I don�t know why I bothered giving Tyler fresh water in a bowl. I knew it was the proper pet owner thing to do. I also knew that in the three years we lived together, that cat never drank from a bowl. He drank what I drank, and from the same vessel. He liked coffee, tea, milk, and grapefruit juice; but only from my mug, glass, or cup.
I tried pouring some of whatever I was drinking into his bowl a few times, but he wasn�t interested. If the cup was good enough for me � Like I said, he was loyal.
A friend gave me a picture of a cat drinking from a coffee mug when the owner isn�t looking. My friend knows Tyler. I love it!
Tyler drank water only if it was running from the tap. When I brushed my teeth, the sound of running water was his cue to come barreling out of the bedroom, leaping past me onto the closed toilet, jumping straight up and turning around in mid-air to land almost gracefully on the edge of the sink to have his morning drink. Somehow, I avoided spitting toothpaste onto his head, usually.
One morning, I forgot to close the toilet lid. I started brushing my teeth. Tyler ran into the bathroom, leaped � and splashed. He came straight up four feet in the air, turned around and left the room without touching the floor. It was amazing.
He didn�t speak to me for days. And he didn�t join me at the sink either. I don�t know what he did when he was thirsty. Maybe he drank from my mug when I wasn�t looking.
