Actually, I don't know if there even was a cat in 'Memento' -- probably not, because the Guy Pearce character would have forgotten to feed it, so it eventually would have run away. But if they're looking to make a sequel -- 'Memento 2: Feline Boogaloo' -- I've got the runaway leader for the starring role living under my roof.
In January, we adopted two black cats, a brother and sister who we named Nokomis and Minnehaha (obviously a nod to our Minnesota roots). Minnie is a pretty sane cat -- laid-back, a bit reserved, but when she decides to cuddle with you, she'll make your lap her home for the night.
Nokomis, on the other hand, has issues. He spent the first week at our house under our bed. You'd think maybe he was scared of little kids, because the friends we got them from have two kids, age 6 and 3. But Nokomis loved Nora from the start and will allow her to pick him up and lug him around from room to room like a duffel bag. He's a little less giving with the lovey-dovey where I'm concerned. Once he emerged from under the bed, Nokomis employed a strategy of staying at least two rooms away from me at all times. Whenever I'd enter a room, I'd hear a little jingle from the bell on his collar (his is green, Minnie's is pink, the only way we can quickly tell them apart) and see a black tail exiting the other side of the room.
He's warmed up to me a bit, but that's where the 'Memento' connection comes in. It's like Nokomis has no short term memory. He'll hop up on my lap, nuzzle his head against my leg or beg me for food, and everything's kosher between us. But the next morning, the first time he sees me, his eyes get huge and he sprints out of the room. The next time I see him, he'll be a bit calmer but he'll look at me like, "Who are you again?" Eventually, he's letting me pet him, I'm scratching his back, he's purring, and we're buddies.
And the next morning, he sprints out of the room and the whole process starts over again.
It might be time for me to get a Polaroid camera. Come to think of it, that could be a black cat in the photo, couldn't it?
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2 comments:
What you see as feline flightiness may just be a form of territoriality. When one has two cats, one cat will always be (somehow) dominant, and it's the dominant one that will show unbridled affection for its humans (a.k.a. "staff") at all times.
The other, while indeed likely appreciative of the work is staff puts into bringing it a life of lazy luxury, simply won't show that appreciation as often, usually out of fear of that affection being seen as a challenge to the other cat's instinctive dominance.
(Test this: When Nokomis is in love mode, is Minnehaha anywhere to be seen? I'm guessing not.)
And dominance doesn't need to be physical, i.e. one kicking the loose fur off the other without warning. Instead, it might be merely mental or hierarchical. Our of our two, five-pound Miss Kitty is actually the dominant one over 20-pound, claw-equipped Mr. Evil. We know this because Kitty is a totally undiscriminating lap whore, while Mr. Evil only likes me, and never when Kitty is nearby.
Cats are fascinating little tuna-sucking freeloaders, aren't they? tws
WOW. I have the same situation with Koko. She runs in fear of me, although she has known me for 10 years and I've only chased or teased her a few times. She is a one-person (woman) cat with Theresa. I've given up on Koko. Long may she live on the pillow Theresa put under our bed where she can be found fearing myself and most anything that moves, including the wind.
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