To begin with, this was not a mutual fascination at all.
He checked out those little hands clutching at his shiny black fur and leapt out of his baskie in horror.
He fled down the stairs and out onto the stoep – with little people in hot pursuit.
They all did a circle of the garden and shot back up the stairs again.
Into mom’s bedroom and under the bed.
Lucky for him the little people were a tad slower and didn’t see where he’d snuck off to.
Mom knew though.
I smirked.
That superior, haughty feline was not so kingly now. Was he?
Wondered if I should shove my nose under the bed to indicate where he was skulking.
But that wretched mom spoiled my fun.
She shushed the kids and asked them not to chase poor Ralph.
She explained that probably in all his seven years of cat life – he’d never come across little people before and they should give him some time to get used to them.
Then mom had a chat to Ralph as he quivered under their bed.
He was trying valiantly to look outraged but just looked rumpled and distressed instead.
They won’t hurt you Ralphie, she said to him.
And don’t you even consider going off and moving in with somebody else – they are only here for a few days.
Ralph hunkered down further under the bed and looked disdainful.
I thumped my tail on the tiles.
Enough with this scaredy old pussy!
Come on – you can play with me instead.
So we all went downstairs and played ball.
Eventually Ralph’s so-called empty tum led him downstairs to his food bowl.
Sadly, mom was there and she stopped the kids from pouncing on him again.
When he was finished, he wandered outside and rubbed his head against the little boy person who was sitting on the grass next to the daisy bush.
He did it again and again until he’d almost bumped him right under the daisy bush.
Mom explained that meant Ralph wanted to be friends with him.
Hroof hroof – I thought that Ralph was taking advantage of the little person’s size and getting a bit of his own back.
They’ve gone now. It’s very quiet in our house.
Please note… in honour of the world cup rugby – I’ve added a ball to my collection.