Sometimes our house gets to be a noisy place. Sure there’s the routine noises that most cat and dog houses have: Murphy barking at something outside, the stampede to the food bowls at feeding time, the cats mewing like mad right before mealtime, and Tab’s midnight jam sessions on the blinds.
But they also make their own distinctive brand of noises. Ones that when made help me identify the maker by my ears alone.
Thunk!
Murphy has a sturdy, strong, long tail that when he’s happy, watch out! His tail has been known to leave welt marks.
He doesn’t mean to whap anybody with it. Like all dogs, it’s just one of the ways he communicates his feelings. He sends it wagging double-time when he’s excited or happy, and if someone happens to be standing too close…ouch!
Well, he also likes to lay up against the wall, and many times he’ll answer questions such as “Do you want to come check the mail with me?” or “You about ready to go for a walk yet?” with several sturdy tail waggin’ thunks before getting up.
Doing!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Mr. Meow is my little maestro. He can pluck a fine ditty on any air return vent you give him. I often wonder what harmonious melodies he might concoct if he still had his claws. The way he plucks with just his pads is remarkable.
Neither Murphy nor Tabby have exhibited this talent, so when I suddenly hear doing, doing, ding coming from the hall I know exactly who’s responsible.
Whap!
Like her brother Meow, Tabby too uses the power of her paws to create noise…by whapping her wiffie everywhere. She especially loves whapping it all across the wood floor. At night. When the rest of us are trying to get some shut eye.
Put ‘Em All Together…
Last Sunday all three of the above described noises took place simultaneously. I believe for the first time ever. (Normally that’s not the case.)
I was playing with the cats, Murph was laying on the stairs, and next thing I knew Tabby spied her wiffie, bolted after it and started whapping it everywhere. Mr. Meow ran to the corner where the air return vent is, presumably to take cover from Tabby, but then he spied his instrument and his paws started plucking. This caused me to crack up, which Murph enjoyed and joined in with me by thunking his tail.
Wayne, who happened to be home watching TV, shouted from the couch, “What the heck are you guys doing? You’re making an awful lot of racket!”
“Sorry, honey!”
I guess this isn’t the place to be on weekends for a little peace and quiet.