2009-06-07, 02:38 Earth time.

I did an experiment involving Rasui not too long ago, last night, around 20:00. I gathered two saucers, to small plastic cups, and some considerably smelly soft cat chow. I then put Rasui in the garage, where he wouldn’t see what I was going to do next. I spread some of the chow on the inside walls of one cup, and set it down bottom up on a saucer. I then put the chow onto the other saucer and placed the other plastic cup over it. The cup without the chow was significantly smellier with the chow on the inside walls, having more access to the outside air.

I set the dishes on the tile floor of our kitchen and let Rasui back in. He immediately went for the cup smeared with chow, but I held him back and commanded him to stay, which he did. I then pointed to the cup with the food on the saucer. He didn’t hesitate and went to said cup.

It looks like dogs aren’t the only ones that can follow human gestures. Even though cats may seem to be a bit more self-centered than dogs, they’re not. Or, at least Rasui isn’t. Everywhere I go (excluding the tops of walls and such), Rasui follows me, and it’s been like that ever since he was a kitten. When I use the computer, he rests nearby, often lounging on the scanner. Or behind the computer. He likes nooks and spaces. He also follows me if I go through my routine in the early morning, and not past noon; I use the bathroom, he waits outside, I flush and open the door for him to come in, I put on my contact lenses, he jumps on the bathroom counter, watching me. Then he and I both leave the bathroom at the same time, and he trots down the stairs past me, but looking back at me ever so often. Not to mention we sleep together, and when it’s not too hot we even spoon.

It was on June 9, 2008 that I adopted him from a pet shop in the Simi Valley Town Center (locals just call it “the mall.”). He was about two to three months old, said the young lady. She couldn’t name the breed. I guessed he was mostly American shorthair. The only thing that disqualified him was his kinked tail. Even now I wonder if that’s the reason he was given away… It turns out that more people have been dropping off their pets at the shop, since they don’t usually have that many puppies and kittens. All of the animals were very social, except, of course, the ones that were taking an afternoon nap.

When we were driving home, he was very scared. And very small, and scrawny, not like the pudgy-looking kittens seen in calendars and LOL cat pictures. All the pets in the shop, too, seemed healthy and not overweight. I kept him in my shirt. When I was about to enter the house through the front door, the garage closed. That spooked him thoroughly; he jumped up in my arms and scratched my right one, which bled slightly. But I wasn’t angry at all.

After some exploring and playing, I brought him up to my room since he couldn’t exactly climb stairs. He lied down on my carpet, and I lied across from him, petting him. Cats, they like it (being rubbed) under their jaw on either the left or right side. If cats had ears where humans had their ears, that special spot would be directly under them. All of a sudden, Rasui got up an flopped down like a ragdoll next to my belly. Maybe it was because my ears we close to the flooring, but by the sound of that thud I jumped to the conclusion then and there that his drop must’ve been painful. But my worries flew from me. He purred, and I could feel his little body heaving as he took his breaths. He fell asleep, and I wouldn’t dare move. Eventually, I fell asleep, too.

I don’t remember what happened after that. Maybe we had dinner? But we’ve been very close, ever since. I can’t imagine life without him…