The cat is away

One of my co-teachers told me that the cat was away. I smiled. I have often wondered why when the principal is away, there’s this feeling of freedom among the teachers as if we would be free to do anything we like. But even though the principal was away, we would still be teaching, we would still be doing things as if the principal was here. It’s not like we would stop teaching, leave our pupils, and go to SM Taytay etc. Nothing would change because we would still be at our posts. Also, we had an OIC to take charge of the school’s routines. But just the same, I felt it too; the feeling of freedom—there would be no surprise call to go to the office.

Maybe it’s a psychological thing.

Got me thinking about cats. I do not keep a cat in the house because I have allergies.

A friend told me that he kept a cat in the house because the mere presence of a cat, its meows and its smell kept the rodents at bay. Well, maybe there’s truth behind it. But judging from the number of rats in our neighborhood, I think cats are useless against rodents, and cats are, most of the times, worst than rodents.

Cats enter through the windows and sleep on our bed. They leave behind muddied footsteps on the stairs and on the floor. They poop under furniture and in nook and crannies making it difficult for us to search the source of the smell. They steal food. They even break plates and glasses. They have become worse pest than rodents. Rodents are shy, but cats have become bolder and sneakier. A glimpse away from what I’m cooking and the meat or fish are already taken.  And worst of all, cats make run around our tin roof chasing, fighting creating ruckus and then they would make the strangest noise while mating.

My theory is that when cats (scientific name is felix domesticatus, not a relative of Cainta’s Felix Clan who goes by the scientific name of felix politicus notorius) became domesticated, they lost their natural predatory cravings to eat rodents, and, in the process, they started to behave like rodents themselves. Who could blame them? It is easier to sneak and steal cooked, well prepared, and better tasting food than a stinking rodent. It is easier to sneak and steal because they don’t have to spend time and energy chasing mice and rats, all they have to do is be patient and wait for the opportunity.

Hmmm…I’m thinking of having a python for a pet to control the rodents in our house. Nahh…rodenticides will do. As to the cats? I wish the government would grant permits and licenses to siopao makers to allow them to catch stray cats and dogs so that the over population of these animals could be controlled.