It seems the staff has a new pet. Or something. I’m not sure if it’s alive; it smells more like a new plastic mousy than anything else, but it moves around by itself. Mostly in my direction!
I’ve tentatively assigned the new arrival to the same order as the roaring-monster tail-sucker thing (vacuus horribilis) that lives in the closet and comes out only with proper supervision by one of the staff, as it seems to have a similar appetite for rug fringes, dangling plant fronds and network cables.
By the way, it is this propensity that leads to the “tail-sucking” part of the name rather than direct evidence. However, I feel it safe to assume that anything with such appetites would be quite happy to munch on a cat’s greatest glory! The noted taste for network cables, often (if inexplicably) referred to by “cat” numbers is another clue the the danger.
I think I’ll provisionally dub the critter “vacuus mobilis minor”, or smaller free-moving tail-sucker, although the staff seem to call it a “Roomba”. I’m not sure what language that’s in. They’re still debating a name, with “Rosie” or “Robbi” seeming to be the top choices.
Now the roaring-monster tail-sucker thing can be annoying, especially if I’m napping or have just finished spreading catnip over most of the floor. But at least one of the staff is there holding onto it, and seems able to restrain the beast.
But this new Roomba thing rolls about the floor sniffing for prey while the staff look on like idiots – or adoring new parents, although I’m quite sure neither of them gave birth to it. And they don’t even seem to be prepared to bravely hurl their bodies between it and any endangered felines!
The one sign of felinity I see in the creature is a fondness for playing with cat toys, although with only one paw it doesn’t do a very good job of catching them. Most of them just skitter away.
But I’m not without hope. Apparently at least one feline has mastered this menace, and demonstrated in this video.
But I don’t think I’m likely to try that any time soon. Might let That Stripey Cat try and see if she emerges unshredded. ‘Hey, Stripey! See that thing? Try riding it! Don’t just sit there – Carpet Diem!’
Ta now. Time for my nap.
From the Paw of Her Grace 