Cats have that special ability to simultaneously adore and detest their owners. They’re an opportunistic frenemy you keep around because when they’re good, they’re great—until they draw your blood immediately after licking your hand.
But have you ever considered how they feel about their fellow felines?
Look at these two beautiful kittens. Let’s call them Rod (white) and Todd (tabby) for clarity’s sake. Rod and Todd love each other unconditionally. Notice how delicately they bathe each other—how much care they offer. Rod probably can’t imagine a life without Todd; and Todd, Rod.
Everything was magic for Rod and Todd, until it all came crashing down…
Holy f-bomb! What the heck just happened? One minute, they were just two peas in a pod, giving and receiving affectionate kisses. The next, they were duking it out in a full out war.
Let’s rewind and take a look at where things went wrong.
OK, stop there. Zoom. Enhance.
We pinpointed the moment Todd, who was sick of being considered the lesser of the two cats, the unwanted stepchild, saw his chance to overtake Rod, whose white, billowy coat made him a favorite of the family’s. They couldn’t resist brushing that gorgeous fluff.
Todd, confident his surprise attack would outwit, had Rod in his clutches. Todd was sure to win the spot of top cat.
But Todd didn’t count on Rod springing into action; his mane flared and mighty.
Rod expanded his frame light a grizzly, his swats proved superior, and he was able to fight off the threat of Todd. He’ll never fall for that trickery again.
As for Todd, he should know better than to mess with Rod. As Rod always says, “You mess with Rod, you lose some blood.” Rod’s not very good at rhyming. He’s a cat.
H/T catp0rn | Photo via frankieleon/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)