Talkless Tuesday: Das Katzenhaus Evidence

Das Katzenhaus: Meditations on a Cherry Blossom

When the cold months dwindled away and the One began to open the blinds in the largest room to let in light, Diego discovered the beauty of the world outside his home.

Different room and season, but I never tire of this picture.

Das Katzenhaus: The Black Fabric Saga

On of Diego's favorite things about his new home was that the soft chairs had black coverings. In particular he loved the chair that could only seat one person.

If you sit in this chair and then go outside...dogs will chase you.

Best of all, the One never disturbed him when in this seat or tried to steal it.

Das Katzenhaus: Bad Touch

The days continued to pass into weeks and months since Diego had been brought to this new home from his old one. Gone was the cage, the other cats, the lack of attention. The One—as there was only one who was always with him—gave him as much or as little attention as he desired. And there was even a sufficient mouse problem to keep him occupied.

A strangely persistent mouse problem.

Das Katzenhaus: Origins

In the beginning there was Andrew.

At least, that's what the people who fed him called him. He was all right with this, although his world was a cage that separated him from others like him.

But none were like him.

People like the ones who fed him would come by often and play with the others, but not with Andrew. He lived in his cage with his food and his bed.

He was comfortable with this.

One day, three people came by like normal. Andrew thought nothing of this since they always played with the others.

This group was different though. One of them pointed at Andrew. The people who fed him opened the cage and picked him up. He was placed in the One's arms and began to sense there was something yet more different about him. Although another played with one of the babies nearby, this One insisted on keeping Andrew.

He was placed in a different cage now and taken away from his home.

To a mysterious new world.

The One and the others let him out of the new cage. Timidly, he stepped forward into this new world. There were no others like him there. There were no cages. The floor was soft and there were wide open spaces. The One and the others watched him intently, but he didn't notice. Instead he crept forward inquisitively, casting his eyes and nose about. One paw after another, he crept away from the cage and around a corner.

There he found a new shelter.

It became clear to him over the next few hours that his name was apparently no longer Andrew. He wasn't certain, but he thought his name might now be, "Please come out."

He stayed in that place for hours until the hands had stopped reaching for him and the light had become darkness. When the sounds had mostly subsided, he crept forth slowly, nosing about and smelling the new smells in the new places.

Two of the others came over, one scooping him up while the other sealed up the place he had just been. They took him to another room and began to pet him and brush him and put him at ease.

The next day he learned a new word. His new name.

Diego.