Cat in a box
Cats are nothing like dogs.
Call a dog’s name, and more often than not, that dog will come running. Dogs can be trained to sit, lie down, roll over, and generally respond to human commands.
Dogs aim to please.
Dogs understand that in exchange for a rent-free existence, they are willing to offer a little obedience.
Seems reasonable.
Cats are jerks. They are selfish, freeloaders who only do what they want, when they want. They have no respect for authority and little desire to please anyone but themselves.
Don’t get me wrong. I love my cats dearly. More than you might imagine. I would just like for them to occasionally respond to my commands, especially considering they eat well and not paying a damn thing.
Last week, I discovered a means of manipulating one of my cat’s position in our home. While Tobi still won’t respond to his name or any other verbal cue, it turns out that he likes this box so much that when I move the box, he follows the box.
It’s not as satisfying as calling out his name and having him respond, but it’s something. Slightly passive-aggressive, perhaps, and not entirely reliable, but given the level of disdain that Tobi has for any of my needs, it’s a slight manipulation that I was enjoying a great deal.
Until he started clawing the box, leaving cardboard shavings everywhere and forcing me to throw it away.
Maybe he detected my slight manipulation and took action.
It would not surprise me if this were true.
