Domino, Part 3: The Lion in Cat’s Clothing

One attribute that demarks true human-style intellect, is an ability to play. Now, I’m not talking about normal play such as chasing, tackling, rolling around, and swatting. These activities are common across the animal kingdom, especially among animal “children.”

There is a “next-step” in play activity, which involves active planning, plotting, and execution. The advanced nature of this kind of play requires that the individual thinks far ahead, and sees a perceived reward at the end of the process. Clearly, this falls outside the norm for non-human mammals. Unless, of course, you are something entirely different, even though you look like a cat.

Domino was always ready to accept a playful challenge, and he was a worthy adversary in roughhouse play. One of the most exciting activities was a game of “Blow and Die”. This game took several minutes to complete a single round, because it looked like slow motion to an observer.

To play, all you had to do was wave your hand in the air, and make blowing sounds near Domino. When he heard this, he would stand up, put his ears down, and slowly begin walking toward you. As he got closer, it was then time for you to walk backwards, slowly, matching each step of his with one of your own.

His stance was low, like a lion stalking prey, and he would make a low growling sound, which matched his menacing appearance. You knew the round was almost complete when your back had reached a wall, or other obstruction. Then Domino could see that you were hopelessly trapped, he would quicken his pace until he was about two feet in front of you.

It was at this moment that you began to doubt the wisdom of this game, because he would start wagging his back end, getting ready for the kill. Suddenly, and without warning, he would leap up in the air toward your neck. If he were a lion, this would be the last thing you would see before the Pearly Gates.

Fortunately, I could catch Domino before he got a death grip on my throat. He would wrap his arms around mine and pretend that he was biting me to death by gnawing gently on my arm.

Now, you may ask how I knew this was a game and not just taunting and teasing of a poor tortured cat. Well, at this point, the game was over, and he knew that he was victorious. He would start to purr loudly, licking my chewed up arm and rubbing me with his face as cats do, and he then would look up into my eyes, his own slightly squinting, as if they were smiling.

If you wanted more… he was ready, and the drama would start all over again.

This was fun for both parties, to be sure, but that was not the end of his lion-like games. No, Domino did not have to wait for an invitation to play. I have to say that I enjoyed this activity a lot more than others in my family, but that didn’t stop Domino from spreading the joy.

One night, my sister Cindy was coming home a little late. My folks were asleep in bed, but she needed something out of their bathroom. She quietly tiptoed through the dark room, trying hard to make no noise at all, when suddenly a pint-sized lion sprang out of the dark closet and grabbed her around the upper leg.

Of course, Cindy came unglued and shrieked at the top of her lungs. This of course gave my folks both a heart attack. They sat straight up in bed, surely thinking that a murder was occurring in their very presence.

Domino didn’t save this game just for Cindy either. He especially liked waiting in the front hall closet until a hapless victim walked by. Then he would leap out, grab the leg and give it a love nip. Off he would run to chuckle (however cats chuckle), and gloat over his victory.

Until next time… that’s it for Domino today. Come back for a little bit more.

Copyright ©2007 by Phil Harris

Comments

[Joply]

Thats a cute story. wish you included a picture on it. i posted a cute superman (superdog) picture at www.go-pets.com for their contest. It is cute too.

[Phil]

Thanks Joply...

Those are by now very some old pictures. Domino has long ago passed on to the land of evergreen catnip and tuna fish delight.

My mother passed on awhile ago, and I know that she had a lot of these snapshots. I'll have to check with my sisters and see if they have some I could scan.

Thanks for reading!

[Chris]

Sounds like fun!!!