Hello, Kitty

In a mere six months, I have witnessed the disintegration of my family. I'm left to wonder whatever happened to my "We're not cat people" family. You see, my parents and sister have suddenly become spellbound by a certain stray cat, a situation akin to the complete manipulation of Tsarina Alexandra while she was under the influence of Rasputin.

A lively, black & white cat first made her appearance on the patio a couple weeks after our dearly beloved puppy, Maggie, reached the "great sheep herd in the sky" in October. This particular feline was impossible to overlook because she demands your full attention. When I would visit my parents, I would find her stretched out on the hood of my car, refusing to budge. She would crouch on the ledge of our kitchen window and peer in at us while we were eating dinner. Thus began the downward spiral.

It was not long before my mom would sit on the back porch for extended periods of time with the cat in her lap. The next time I visited, the cat was receiving daily rations of Friskies. By Christmas, she had her very own snuggly little bed. Rabies vaccination came next. Although my dad remained staunchly opposed to the domestication of the cat for months, he too fell prey to the cat's wiles. A few weeks later the cat became a permanent resident of my parent's home. Last week she was declawed. At this rate, I fully expect the cat to have been named executor of my parents' will by my next visit.

She is adorably mischievous. She loves to perch on top of the tall freezer and look down on her human pawns. She'll stick her paws under our bedroom doors and shake them loudly until we pacify her need for socialization. I won't lie: the cat has charmed me as well.