Meow

“Every man is born with a particular bent, which will discover itself in spite of all opposition.” —Allan Ramsay, 1751

This is our cranky cat, Loki.

We have two cats and one dog, and like many urban pet owners, we struggle to keep our animals active enough for them to be happy and feel a sense of purpose. Kerstin likes to say that pets need jobs to give them a sense of belonging. Loki is often cranky because we don’t allow him into the kitchen at night when we are sleeping. Closed doors do not a happy cat make. He has been lashing out at the dog, growling in dark corners for no reason and taking swipes at our other cat. So, last night we left the kitchen door open as a kind of experiment. This morning, we found a dead shrew left tidily by the door and some blood stains on the kitchen floor. Today, Loki is as happy and content as I’ve seen him in months. Shrew slayer.

It made me think about Allan Ramsay’s quote from nearly 200 years ago. We need to be who we are, and nothing can stop it from happening. Subduing the self is like keeping the lid on a pressure cooker. I’m looking to open some doors of my own.