The Attack Cat

7/1/23

Welcome July! I always thought of July as being Midsummer, even though it is not. What it is, is Hot!  Holy moly it is hot. Perfect for crops to grow and the hay to grow for winter feed. This year has been a great hay growing season. I look at it growing up , being made into bales and sigh to myself. No hay orders for me this year…  No one to feed it to.

Back to the reason for the title of this tale. I am owned by a lovely long haired cat. She came to the farm as a stray 3-4 month old kitten and stayed. She was scared and spooked easily when someone came by. Whenever she was in the tack room, she was as sweet as could be. Never did she act nasty or grumpy around anyone, ever.  She was a perfect barn cat. When I left she came with me. No way she was being left behind. I would never do that to any animal.

There we were, apartment dwellers. I was not used to it and neither was Simone. Cleo was all good though. Inside or out, Cleo was cool. I was planning a week long trip to Florida. Cleo would be okay being boarded… I didn’t want to but she would be fine. Simone? Hmmmmm…

The perfect plan came to mind. I would ask my brother in law if he could stop on his way home from work and take care of her. He said he would. Yayyyyy. Before I left I put her food on the dining room table with instructions. All was good.

The trip was a non event and they very kindly picked me up at the airport. On the ride home, I was told that Simone had not been very ummmm, hospitable.  It seemed that when my brother in law had stopped by to first couple of times… he said that he didn’t see her at all. The next day he said that she was laying on the sofa and watching him intently as he cleaned the litter box and gave her some more food and water.  

Then on the 4th day she was laying in the living room, watching him. Now this guy loves animals… so he would talk to her and make pleasant sounds to her. Simone hissed at him. She knew who he was because they had met before.

The 5th day, Simone was in the living room and hissed at him as he cleaned up the litter box and fed her. He said that she fuzzed her coat up, doubling in size, looking huge and fierce. The next, she did did the same with more anger.

As he was telling me about her, I was very surprised! Sweet Simone? Scared of her own shadow, Simone? She’s never been nasty to anyone, ever. 

The last day before I got home, she was ready for a big discussion about him even being there. She paraded around, doubled in size,due to fluffing herself up, hissing at him and growling. My poor brother in law didn’t know what to do. He quickly got things done and then as he turned around to leave, Simone was sitting between him and the door. Growling and hissing at him loudly. He said that he waited for her to move. Finally she did and he left as fast as he could.

Again, I was floored by her behavior.  Why on earth would she be so upset and defensive when she was not like that at all?  

When I got home, I didn’t see her at all. Finally she showed up and was so happy to see me! Of course, Cleo chased her away, hogging all of the attention. Later on, we watched some TV and I headed to bed. Cleo sleeping in her bed on my bed. 

The next morning, everyone was fine… no bad tempered cat at all.

The only thing I can think of is that Simone had been left alone and decided that she was the one in charge of protecting the place. This, the big protective measures… I don’t know if she would have gone any further than being intimidating or not, but I’m glad my now not so willing to feed her brother in law didn’t test her. 

 He said she was like a mountain lion in miniature. 

                                           Haha, not my sweet little Simone!

🩵💜🩵💜