Day six: Break time!

Today I'm taking a break from posting about Peak Oil and such, because it's stressing me out a bit. Herewith an interview, in which I am merely the scribe for my dear Chocolate. The questions are from RevDrKate's Maggie.

Hi Chocolate, I am honored to be interviewing my first Cat. I live with several and have great respect for your kind. I think you have the art of napping really down! I saw your picture and you look so much like my friend Spike that I live with (well except that he's like SIX of you!) You are a really pretty Cat. I liked reading your story, too! So, here are my questions for you:

1. I know that Cats are often pretty spiritual beings. How do you express that side of yourself?

There's a sort of sun worship among cats, as you might have noticed, being lucky enough to live among them (so my Momma tells me). The Sun, of course, for us represents God. Other beings use other ways of worshipping Him (or, as we cats prefer to say, Her) and of course many of these ways are good ones, but drowsing in Her warm comforting rays, contemplating the mysteries of the universe, these are for cats the height of worship.

I also find that taking care of my Momma is a spiritual thing in a way. My brothers Taltos and Sampson think I'm insane for this, of course, but they don't like Momma much anyway so I think they just don't get it. But snuggling up to Momma and purring for her when she needs it is a very good thing.

2. What is your favorite part of the day?

It depends on where I live. In the last place I lived it was in the morning, before Momma got out of bed, when I could crawl under the covers and snuggle up next to her. She was very sad there and needed me.

Before that we lived in a big place with lots of windows. The middle of the afternoon was a good time, because the sun came in on the nice comfy part of the couch and Momma sometimes came and took a nap with me. That place had some bad feelings about it, though.

Where I am now the sun comes in the big glass door halfway through the day and makes a lovely sunny spot. Momma doesn't sit there with me (I think she's too big to fit on the cushion, but I wouldn't say that to her) but it's nice and warm.

3. It sounds like you have moved around a bit. What would be your best advice on settling into a new space?

I don't like moving much; it's scary, everything smells different and all the stuff is in new places. But when I move I stay close to my Momma a lot, and explore a little at a time, and sniff everything to make sure it's okay. Momma's good about making sure I have a good napping-spot or two that's one of my favorite beds so at least that smells the same and that helps. Also sleeping under the covers with her because it doesn't matter where I am as long as I'm safe with Momma.

This is the first place that Momma has let me go Outside. I don't go far and sometimes she puts me on a leash. She's always right there with me even if there's no leash. It's big and bright and everything is very weird, but I like it too. As long as I can go back inside when I want to!

4. Since you are letting me interview you, I assume you must be pretty open-minded. How do you feel about relating with critters of other kinds?

I didn't know any dogs before I moved out here. I've met two, now. Sarah is huge and furry and I think she wants to chase me, so I run away and then hiss at her. Inga is big, too, but not as big, and her fur is dark like mine. She's not nearly as scary. I still hiss at her, but if she lays down I'm not so nervous. Once she laid down on the couch and Momma put a blanket over her, and I didn't know she was there and laid down on top of her! When she stood up I was awful startled so I had to hiss at her then, too. But Inga's nice.

Momma had pet rats for a while. I wasn't sure if they were supposed to be food or not but I guess not. I liked watching them but they weren't very friendly -- when I put my paw in the cage one of them bit me! I guess since I was wondering if he was food I can't blame him too much.

I don't like cats other than my brothers, and the brother Momma left behind in Pennsylvania. I miss him! He was my best friend. But other cats try to take away my Momma and she's _my_ momma.

5. How have you found is the best way to get your human to pay attention to you when she thinks she has Better Things to Do?

Pacing back and forth in front of her book is a good method. If she gets mad at me I hunch down a little and purr really loud, and then she puts the book down and hugs me. If she's walking around doing things, I'll climb up on something and squeak at her, and maybe jump up on her shoulder as she walks by. Yesterday I jumped up on her shoulder and she went right outside! I stayed there until she got to the car and then I jumped off. I don't like the car. But she came right back and let me inside, so it was okay.

So there are my questions for you, and now here are those rules my mom says I have to put down too. And I always do what my mom says. Tee-hee. At least when she is looking! I hope you have fun with these and then have some catnip and a nice nap in the sun!

Thank you Maggie! I guess you're pretty okay for a dog. If we ever meet, don't chase me, okay?

Here are the rules:

1. If you are interested in being interviewed, leave a comment saying, 'interview me.'
2. I will respond by posting five questions for you. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with a post with your answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

I will interview people of any species.