Smart Money

My friend Michael - unsentimental, fussy, intolerant and often meticulous to the point of prissy - has been adopted by a cat.

This unlikely pairing happened during the recent storm when a black cat appeared on his doorstep and brazenly slipped through an open door and immediately made himself at home. Michael, only half as hard hearted and unsympathetic as he would have people believe, fed him a corn dog before depositing him back into the snow - but the cat, being a cat, was still there the next morning and complaining loudly about his treatment - so he was let in again. No special menus here! Michael told him firmly and produced a slice of pizza, You eat what I eat. And so, several cat toys and one litter box later, begins the journey.

This budding relationship may or may not succeed. Cats are accustomed to getting their own way, they dislike being shooed away, they assume that nothing is off limits and dismiss obedience as an unworthy ambition. Michael is not a fan of accommodation in any form and has always lived alone, unfettered by obligations to anyone but himself. The introduction of a cat into his household changes the equation and may very well disrupt the balance of power dramatically. In the battle of man vs cat, early in the game as it may be, the smart money's on the cat.