Some unknown thing bit him near the base of his tail, when he was out in our yard. It was impossible to see immediately, because of the location and his beautiful fur coat. But I could tell that he was in pain and needed a visit to the vet.

After treatment at the office, we came home with some new, but temporary, responsibilities. These included three days’ worth of pills that he did not want to take. Coax as we might, he would not change his mind. Feeling a little desperate, I got down on the floor with him. (That’s a no-no with my arthritis.) As I picked him up, I got off balance and must have squeezed a little bit, right where he hurt the most.

Joe, a usually mild-mannered cat, let out a blood-curdling scream and after that, a warning growl from behind the couch where he had fled to safety.

We did get him to take his pill a while later – hidden in a chunk of tuna fish. But he needed some cool-down time first before he was ready.

Joe had not understood what I was doing. He needed some breathing space. He needed me to ‘cut him some slack.’

I wonder…do I do that with people? Do I ‘cut them some slack’ when I do something they didn’t understand or vice versa? It’s a good question. It’s also a good way to avoid something that could end up like a catfight.