It’s okay with me that Olive isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. Really.
But I DO wish our newest kitteh would show at least a little sense around cars.
However, if she’s outside and I get in my car to leave, she tends to choose and do one of the following.
- Wander out from her spot under the bushes and flop down just behind the rear wheel of the car (her favorite).
- Scamper from one side of the driveway to the other by going underneath the car. This is while I’m backing down the driveway by slow inches. This actually happened. She’s not even a year old, and I’m not sure how many of her nine lives she has left.
- Stroll out to sit smack in the middle of the driveway (where she watches me gesticulate madly inside the car). She doesn’t appear to be offended when I honk.
- Come skipping up — as I open the car door to holler at her — to leap into the car.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is natural selection being thwarted. In the age of the dinosaurs Olive would simply be paste on the bottom of a slow-moving dino’s foot. Instead, our clan works night and day to keep her alive and on the planet.
The Maker created this helpful sign (he didn’t know “Olive” had an “e” at the end) and taped it up in our garage to remind us all to check thoroughly around the garage and driveway area before putting the key in the ignition. She’s so troublesome about this that we’ve taken to putting her in the house every time before we leave, or else someone stands Olive-guard while the other person backs down the driveway.
I’ve told our next door neighbor about our wretched cat, and I only hope they check before they move their car, or else natural selection may win.
Related posts:
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Lol! This made me laugh so hard when I read it
And it’s all true!
I know, right? And hey, are you the one who took that picture of Olive with her feet in her food and her tail in her water? I found it on my camera and lolled. Good capture.
Just made my day!
So glad to hear it, Darcy! Always thrilled to know there are people reading and enjoying some of these posts. Plus it’s just good to still be connected with you, y’know? What’s it been, ten years now? Twelve? (Wow.)
Yeah, at least eleven at this point. I’m glad to be able to keep up with you and yours.
Sounds to me that while she might be challenging Darwin (but I hope she’s spayed so we limit the challenge) she is actually promoting Pavlov. After all, she has successfully change the behavior of a car much larger than herself and will be moving on to conquer the neighbors’ cars soon. Way to go, Olive!!
No reproducing pets at our house, thank the good doctor. One Olive is quite enough, I think we’ll all agree.
And I was going to say “Don’t encourage her,” but then I remembered that she doesn’t read my blog any more than she listens to me yell when I’m backing out of the driveway. Ha.
Lisa Creech Bledsoe recently posted Olive Cheating Natural Selection
Perfect natural selection. Cats have evolved the traits necessary to be protected by another species. Your cat doesn’t need to be smart, that’s a waste of calories.
Ha! Best comment yet. Indeed, we humans, as a species, have (d)evolved into cat butlers. And we pay for the privilege! /smacks head, shells out for cat food, vaccinations, and kitty toys/
Good lord. We once had the neighbor’s cat jump into my parents’ car as they were getting ready to leave to return to Arkansas – a 2-day trip south of where we live! Fortunately, they only made it as far as the corner before they discovered the furry little stow-away.
Cats aren’t very bright sometimes, are they?
You got her because there’s not enough fun and excitement and drama with three boys and Lance in the house and you in the boxing ring and one utterly obnoxious cat already, right? Whereas I decided to get Laramie (the chihuahua) as a friend for Kokomo (the Lab) by deciding to spend my time in radiation deliberating the question. It still seems sensible to me — the thought process if not the dog — who is the happiest animal I or anyone has ever known.
Mary Jo recently posted Glitter pens are not my forte
{ 1 trackback }