The bully, the juvenile delinquent and the hulk
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Newcomer Phantom throws his considerable weight around but is he just teaching manners?
AS THE household continues to adjust to our latest resident, other changes are making these adjustments more difficult.
Newcomer Phantom, an elderly, eight-kilo American shorthair cat who’s just joined us, is gradually showing us his personality.
Up to now, he's had no problem dealing with the other cats. When one threatens him, he simply waits quietly for the other cat to calm down and walk away.
My tiny poodle pup Wan-Wan is another matter. Phantom doesn’t do dogs. Wan tries to play with him, running over and butting him gently on his side. The old man hisses and occasionally even tries to bat her with a paw.
She still doesn’t understand Phantom's feelings, and since the cat’s more than twice the size of the three-kilo pup, I have to be careful that he won’t accidentally injure her.
The biggest problem, though, comes from Manohra, the flying kitten.
The other cats have been tolerant of this youngest of the herd, allowing her to do behave in ways they'd never accept from each other. Three-legged Varee, her stepmother, has been trying to teach her how to behave, but the kid won’t listen.
Manohra goes where she wants, attacks whom she wants. As she grows larger, her attacks have become increasingly aggressive. She’s even assaulted Yoyo, the most aggressive of the boys. Yoyo usually harasses the weak and elderly. He’s not used to dealing with a cat who’ll fight back.
What happens when a bully meets a juvenile delinquent? A whole lot of bad language and claw-waving.
Then, Manohra decides to take on Phantom. When I open the screen door to his bedroom in the morning, she rushes in, planning to evict him.
She walks stiff-legged over to him, threatening him with low moans. He stands up, towering over her. She frowns and doesn’t move, although he’s quite close, staring into her eyes.
Manohra decides to try again another day. She tries a dignified march out of the room, but Phantom steps towards her. Suddenly, she knows she’s in trouble.
She turns to run away, a big mistake. Phantom recognises his prey and begins chasing her.
Manohra is fast, but Phantom is too. I know because I can hear the light pitter-patter of her flight down the stairs, followed by Phantom’s heavier thump-thump-thump.
I’m not worried. Manohra can jump on top of any cabinet, and Phantom cannot, because of his arthritis.
When I come down stairs, Phantom is relaxing on the floor, and Manohra is on top of the fridge.
Phantom, who has lost interest in Manohra, now turns to Yoyo, who’s in his cage waiting for breakfast. The old man moves his nose close to the little bully, who stares back belligerently.
Now I’m beginning to wonder about Phantom's eyesight. I look into his eyes, but I can’t see any sign of cloudiness, which usually indicates cataracts.
When soi cat Thep drops by for breakfast, Phantom spends a lot of time smelling his butt. Dogs sniff each other’s rear end as a form of greeting, but not cats, who consider this action rude. Thep, clearly unhappy about Phantom’s attention, nevertheless does nothing.
One day, when Phantom patrols the house, he sniffs the locations where Thep has been spraying. The next day, when Thep drops by for breakfast, Phantom allows him to eat, and then, when Thep jumps to the floor, Phantom walks over, gives him the Stare, and chases the unfortunate cat out the door.
I can only hope that Phantom is getting the herd in line, teaching Manohra, Thep and Yoyo the proper way to behave.
Or maybe he’s a bully too, just like Yoyo.
