The Return of Tuffy

Tuffy I

Remember Tuffy? The original floppy cat!

Tuffy has it pretty good. Chipmunks, birds, lots of sunbeams…never enough food. I don’t think he could ever get enough food. He is a crazy cat though: he won’t eat ham. Won’t eat roast beef, won’t bully you for your deli meats, sandwiches, potatoes, or cereal. This is very un-cat like behavior, as shown by Migi, who not only believes that every scrap of ham in the house belongs to her, but that she’s entitled to a percentage of each of our meals, while we’re eating. “Protection money”. If she doesn’t get it, your books are no longer under her “protection”. It may be extortion, but we’re used to it. So when Tuffy sniffed the ham in my hand, then looked up and asked me “why?”, I was floored. I’ve never met a cat who’s sole purpose is to get you to fill his bowl with something clearly designated as “cat fud”.

He also shows all the signs Migi gives that she’s going to bite you, or kick you, or attack you, then looks up into your eyes, and….flops on the floor for you to rub his tummy. His tail twitches, and his eyes get big and round, and then he leans his head back for you to scritch his chin. He has never attacked me, as much as it might look like he’s going to. He is the floppiest, biggest, Totoro-tailed sleepy cat I’ve ever met. After two weeks with him, I actually miss our demanding, spoiled, biting, yowling, cursing, princess of a cat.

“I have trained you well…”

♥ Momo