It was their second meeting. One grinned, squealed and giggled. The other froze, rigid and wide-eyed with panic. Observers could tell this was a stand off that might not end well. Waiting to see who would move first commenced.
And it was Jonathan, my 19-month old son, who approached poor defenseless Seamus The Cat first. Only it turned out Seamus — cat of Brother and Sis K — wasn’t defenseless after all. He was armed with hissing, fangs and back claws. None of which he used on my child.
No, instead, Dear Seamus inflicted his revenge for Jonathan chasing him on Jonathan’s foam football, ripping several shreds out of it with his back claws and teeth while no one was looking. For the rest of the day he looked pretty smug actually.
Other than that, Seamus simply watched the tiny creature suspiciously from his perch on the back of the couch. We’d gone to Brother and Sis K’s house to celebrate Brother’s birthday. His 45th I think. Oh no. That isn’t it. He’s how old again? Well, who knows. I’m old too so my memory is shot. Anyhoo….we knew full well on the way over that there was a good possibility there would be a show down between Jonathan and the house cat — the illustrious and infamous Seamus.
I believe this was their third meeting. The first time Jonathan wasn’t yet crawling. Seamus, new to the family then, sniffed the car seat and then curled up in for a nap. That plan was foiled when it tipped and he fell out. The second time Jonathan was on the move and Seamus was on the lookout from the back of the couch. He spent most of his time in the master bedroom, hiding away until the crawling creature departed.
This time around it was a plastic lawn mower that chased Seamus into the bedroom — Jonathan following behind with the lawn mower he’d been given by his spoiling mommy the day before. At one point, Jonathan stopped in the bedroom doorway, waved and said “hiiii!” to Seamus who peered out and promptly hissed. But later the two became friends — distant ones with Seamus on one side of the room, eying Jonathan and Jonathan standing on the other side, waving and saying “hiiii, keeeety!”
We won’t mention the milk cap-ring-thingee stealing incident where the toddler snatched the cat’s toy before the cat could pull it within his grasp. That incident has probably set up the next meeting between the two — a meeting that could wreak havoc and split a family apart. Dum. dum. dum.
Yeah, I really did just use dum-dum-dum….I am such a dork.
The toddler asleep after a long day of torturing my brother and sister-in-law’s cat.
You can’t tell me that sweet little angel face picked on the cat! I just don’t believe you. Nope. I think your just trying to get your ratings up at your little angel’s expense!
Cute and Seamus does look a bit smug! My mom has a cat called Marmalade who, I found out whilst staying with her, says hello after 8PM… Yes speaks! He meow sounds exactly like someone saying HEEEELLLLOOOO and I actually answered him the first time. It’s really rather funny because it’s only after 8PM!
PS I love sleeping baby pics!
My mom’s kitty is pretty terrified of small people thanks to my dear children. They have such tempting tails though!!
LOVE the sleepy baby shot. So adorable!!
Cats and kids make for good stories. My kids used to “torture” every cat they came across, but now they’re older and they just “bother” them a little. Can’t blame Jonathan though, since that is one cute kitty. And cats are smart, aren’t they? They seem to know not to hurt small children. Our kids, since they aren’t so small anymore, occasionally get scratched.
I have a feeling Seamus would have dealt okay were it not for the pushy-poppy thing– he was fine when Jonathan was just petting him. He starts talking and walking back and forth between us if we raise our voices to each other (even if we’re just kidding around) so he’s really a no-loud-noises kind of guy. He hates the trash men. If we lived in the city we’d have to put him on medication.
PS He looks kind of annoyed in that picture; I’m not sure why. Sorry about that.
LOL! Ah toddlers are SUPPOSSED to aggravate the animals. It’s what they do. Makes me laugh everytime.
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BTW – I LOVe the song “boondocks”. We used to be in the boondocks before we were discovered by suburbanites and the next thing we knew we had an Applebees on the corner and Target.
Cats are evil!
(Total dog person over here..)
Oy, Sprite is always battling the dogs, either by pinching the beagle who adores her or trying to get close enough for a swipe to the terrier who abhors her.
A little tip for Jonathan, a battle cry before approaching said cat will make the cat run THAT much faster!
Kim;
I don’t think he looks annoyed…hmmmm…if he does it is probably at his “aunt” for shoving a camera in his face.
My poor cat is so starved for attention that he voluntarily puts himself in the baby’s way in a desperate attempt at affection. His drive for attention apparently overrides his loathing of pain when his fur is ripped out and his ears are yanked upon.
There is something creepy between little boys and cats. I’ve watched many a boy get into um, a cat fight. My hubby says cats are from the underworld and are soldiers of satan. He’s so weird!
Yep, I’d say Seamus is looking kinda smug. It won’t be long and they will be great friends. Maybe. Unless Seamus holds a grudge.
Doesn’t Jonathan torture your dogs? Dylan LOVES our “Meow”. We took him to our new house last weekend, and told him “This is your new house! This is where we are going to live!”, and he looked around and said “Meow? Meow? MEOW!!”, as if to tell us “You better be bringing the cat or I’m not moving in.”
Aw, I think that’s sweet that as aggravated as he his, the cat never hurts Jonathan. Good kitty.
Oh how my 2 year old scraps with our cat, Barnaby. He is a ham so he eats it up playing right along!
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I have a 3-year-old. I have two cats. One is too fat and just sits there while The Boy has his way with her. The other, who is more nimble and much more intelligent, hides until the kid is asleep.