I have once again changed the name of my Tumblr book blog, this time from To A Mouse: An Animal Lit Blog, to Witty Kitty’s Book Blog 🙂 I decided to name it after a former beloved cat, whom I used to call witty kitty because she was so blasted clever.
A Russian Blue mix, whom I adopted from the ASPCA, true to that breed there wasn’t a door she couldn’t figure out how to open (unless I locked it, and an actual key was needed). She’d stretch herself up, stand on hind legs, place paws on the knob, and push with her body weight until the door gave. She also figured out how to turn on fans if she was hot, and how to climb a door frame, if for some reason she needed to access the ceiling 🙂
She also liked to help me entertain company. My friend and I would sit on the futon, sipping wine, and she’d jump up and position herself between us, looking at each of us as we spoke, and then meowing in turn. Once, a friend motioned to her and asked if she needed anything. I said, “Oh no, she’s just participating in the conversation.” My friend’s eyebrows shot up her forehead and I said, “No, really.” She did it a few more times, and my friend joked, “Okay, would she like a glass of wine too?” I answered sincerely, “Probably, but she’s not getting any.” “Okay, I was kidding,” whispered my friend. No one really got my little witty kitty. She thought she was human. And she was.
I was working long hours and didn’t want her to be lonely so I bought a floor mirror, positioned her in front of the mirror and said, “Look, it’s a little friend!” Another former cat of mine had bought it. But not witty kitty. Her eyes grew large and she looked at her own reflection, then up at mine. When she made eye contact with me, she gave me this little glare as if to say, “Hmmmm, you’re standing behind me, and you’re in that mirror. Gee, I wonder who that cat might be?” Little miss irony. Scientists insist that most animals can’t recognize themselves in a mirror, but some of us know better.
Anyway, I feel like blogging about books featuring animals partly in the persona of one, and my dear little witty kitty, who passed away from congestive heart failure years ago now, just seems like a good choice. I hope you enjoy 🙂
The original witty kitty:
Cute image at top from istockphoto, by the way, artist: qwearr.
This is great. I really enjoyed this.