The Neighbors’ Cats
The girl that I nanny for has a neighbor with three cats. The funny thing is that I’ve never seen them over at the neighbors’ house. They’re always laying on the step to greet me when I come in, laying behind the house when we go out to jump rope, and laying everywhere…just not at their actual house. Alex insists that it’s because they have a “big mean dog” (whom I also have not seen).
The funny thing about these cats is that I think their life revolves around trying to get inside of this house. Which means that part of my job is to keep them out. If any window, door, or random crevice is left open, you can bet the cats will dart for it and enter any way they can.
A few moments ago I was sitting here and looked up to see two cats casually walking across the living room as if this is their home and they’re just chilling out. I thought something was odd about it, but I couldn’t think of what. Then I remembered that they’re not allowed in here, so I chased them out. Turns out they had gotten in through an old dog door (the lid had been pushed off).
There have been times that I open the front door to go somewhere (seeing no cats in sight), turn to say something to Alex, then realize that they have snuck in under my feet. What do these cats think they’re going to find in this house???? Maybe they have hidden treasure.
Seriously, it’s crazy. Or maybe I am. I’m starting to see them and flinch at moving shadows and stuff. The paranoia of a cat-free house has set in. Now everything looks like a cat…the couch, the Barbie dolls, Cheerios…cats (they look like cats too). I have always liked cats, but now I think I’m going to start having horrible nightmares about them being evil and sinister and sneaky. I underestimated their sneakiness.