Oops ... OUCH!

This is our Thomas cat. He is in big fat trouble here at the Jones Junction. Hard to believe (!) when you look at this sweet picture for which he so nicely posed so that I could make a card for Shane's birthday a few days ago. Thomas usually isn't any problem at all, especially during the summer months ~ we hardly see him! He doesn't require much of any of us, other than his cream first thing in the morning and right around dinner time. He doesn't even soil his litterbox since he is outside most of the time!

Having said all of that good stuff about Thomas, he does have his faults. Would you like to hear what happened that has put Thomas K in the dog house? First of all, Tommy doesn't usually attack folk unless his tail has been stepped on ~ or ~ you play a bit too rough with him ~ or ~ he sees an enemy cat; or worse, a dog close by! While I was in the office coincidently proofreading my typing of a paper entitled, "The Feline Basic Type" (for a biologist friend of ours), it seems that our unfortunate Mr. Jones innocently answered the doorbell early this afternoon to find a young gentleman and a very large black dog (oops!) on our front porch inquiring as to our wireless internet access. Thomas K was inside the house and smelled dog (evidently) and leaped upon Mr. Jones's lower leg, leaving very unsightly, as well as painful, claw marks ~ too numerous to count (OUCH!). I was summoned to the front hallway too late to do anybody any good at all, got rid of the fellow on the porch and gave up trying to settle Tommy down (he was making quite an unearthly sound deep in his throat). When the dog was a safe distance away, I opened the door and pitched Tommy out! I wish I could make Sir Thomas understand that despite his regal name, his residency at our home is at best precarious (given his reputation in the neighborhood and his ungentlemanly behavior to many family members), but he doesn't seem to understand people-talk very well. And you should see him when he encounters the little dog next door, Sophie ~ she runs for her very life!

Poor Mr. Jones has applied soap, some awful-smelling antiseptic cream and other disinfectants to his mauled leg with threats that if "that mangy cat" ever behaves in such a manner again ... OUT WITH HIM! Are you listening, Tommy?!

P.S. If you leave kind condolences regarding Mr. Jones's wounds, it might help sooth his rather ruffled demeanor ... I don't think Tommy has any intention of making an elaborate apology.