Tails From Rainbow Bridge: Welcoming AJ

Mommy’s brother has a cat.  I guess that makes us cousins.  I never talked about it much.  When you grew up in my neck of land being related to a cat isn’t something talked about in pleasant company.

The cat is named AJ.  The truth is I never cared for AJ.  And he never cared for me.  When his parents went to my house, he would be left alone.  When my parents went to his house, I would be left alone.  Neither one of us liked being left alone.

My mom was afraid if she brought me to meet AJ I would bark obnoxiously and chase the cat until he squeezed himself into a high spot where he could not be unsqueezed.  That does sound like something I would do.  Also, in my lone meeting with a cat, I got bipped on the nose by a sharp paw and wasn’t allowed to retaliate.  Some cat, somewhere, had it coming.

Thursday I found out that AJ got sick and was coming to the Bridge.  I felt bad for him and for his parents, who are both very nice, even if they are occasional parent nappers.

Before AJ arrived, I went to Cotton, whose job is to greet new cats when they cross over the river.  I asked her to make sure that AJ had a wonderful celebration and was made to feel welcome.  “You know, it’s not his fault he’s a cat,” I told Cotton.

“You know I’m a cat!” Cotton said, slightly offended.

Cats!  Always with the attitude.

I watched from my hiding spot as AJ arrived to great fanfare.  Cotton was a good egg, for a cat.  They brought out the champagne (yum) and the caviar (blech).  I saw Cotton whisper in AJ’s ear.  AJ looked right at me and ran towards me.  Cotton!  Bad egg!  Bad egg!

I could have run away, but it is the sworn duty of a Yorkie never to run from a cat.  I stood up to finally face off against my fellow parent stealer.  I arose tall, but a gust of wind caught my wings, and I lifted off the ground and fell backward.  Humiliation!

AJ was standing over me.  I was at the mercy of my sworn enemy!  Then he licked me!  What kind of torment was this?

To my surprise, he took me by the paw and asked me to join him.  He brought me over to the table and gave me a big glass of champagne.  He introduced me as a member of his family and insisted I be treated as such.  I was the guest of honor at a kitty party.

And it was wonderful.  I laughed.  We sang.  We danced.  By the time we were done, I was exhausted.  Before I left, AJ made me promise I would visit him soon, and I promised I would.

I guess AJ proved to me that kitties aren’t so bad after all.

Or he’s planning something.

With cats you never can tell.