Training & Behavior

She ignored me. Maud, my cat, the grey one, the one who lived on the sofa back, and the back was her country, and the country had no ambassador, and the ambassador was me, calling, the come here, the here being the lap, and the lap was empty, because the cat was a statute, the still one, the one who heard and didn't move, and the move was reserved, and the reserved was the tin, and the tin was the only thing, and the thing was the opener, and the opener was the click, and the click was the language, and the language was hers, and the hers excluded me, mostly, except for the click, which included the dinner.

I called her name. The name, the one on the vet card, the soft one, the one I used for the lap, and the lap was the hope, and the hope was ignored, because a cat who's named is a cat who's named, not a cat who's coming, and the coming was the click, and the click was the opener, and the opener was the tin, and the tin was the food, and the food was the truth, that her name meant nothing and the click meant everything, and the everything was the sofa-back statue becoming a grey blur to the kitchen, and the kitchen was the tin, and the tin was the deal, and the deal excluded affection, included dinner.

The click trained me. Not her, me, the human who learned the sound was the summon, and the summon was the only one that worked, and the worked was the routine, the opener at six, the click at six, the cat at six, and the six was the clock, and the clock was the cat's, and the cat's was the kitchen, and the kitchen was the tin, and the tin was the click, and the click was the god, and the god was dinner, and the dinner was the only prayer she answered, and the answered was the truth, that a cat loves the sound of her own food more than the sound of her own name, and the name is just a word, and the word is free, and the food is the cost.

I tested it. The click without the tin, the opener on an empty can, the sound alone, and the alone was the cat, arriving, the grey blur, the hopeful one, the one who'd been fooled by the sound, and the fooled was the proof, that it was the click, not the food, that summoned her, and the summons was the sound, and the sound was the training, the one I'd done to her without meaning to, the association, the click-means-food, and the food was the reward, and the reward was the cat, coming, and the coming was the only time, and the time was six, and the six was the opener, and the opener was the god, and the god was mine to click.

She sits by the tin now. The wait, the one that means dinner is near, and the near is the click, and the click is the opener, and the opener is the sound, and the sound is the cat, arriving, and the arriving is the only closeness we have, the food-closeness, the one she tolerates, the one where she's near me because the tin is near me, and the me is the opener, and the opener is the click, and the click is the bond, the strange bond, the one built on a sound and a can, and the can is the love, the only love she shows, the coming for the click, and the click is mine to give, and the give is the six, and the six is the cat, here, finally, for dinner, not for me.

I don't mind it. The click-cat, the food-cat, the one who loves the tin more than the lap, because a cat is allowed her terms, and the terms are the sound, and the sound is the opener, and the opener is the six, and the six is the kitchen, and the kitchen is where she comes, and the comes is the only time she's mine, briefly, for the tin, and the tin is the deal, and the deal is the click, and the click is the language, and the language is hers, and the hers is the cat, whole, on her terms, and the terms are the sound, and the sound is the dinner, and the dinner is the love, and the love is the click, and the click is at six, and the six is the cat, arriving, the grey blur, the only answer she gives, the one I learned to listen for, the click that means she's coming, finally, for the tin, not for me, and that's enough, for a cat.