Of Cats and Men

Today I learned that even that gentlest of souls have a little bully inside of them. I thought my cat, Morpheus, was the most gentle of all cats, but today he proved me wrong. Recently there has been a stray black cat wandering around my neighborhood. She doesn't bother anyone and just goes about her business, occasionally finding someone to play with. This afternoon I was in my family room and as I looked outside I saw the stray cat. Morpheus, the timid cat I though of him to be, as expected hid inside and watched the stray cat roam around his personal territory. I went outside to play with the cat and eventually Morpheus gathered the courage to come join us. At first, Morpheus and the stray tentatively sized each other up, neither one really making any move. Then suddenly, Morpheus pounded his paw onto the stray's head. I was appalled! Yes, the backyard is his territory, but I never expected him to make such a move without provocation. How could he do such a thing? Then I realized that no cat, or human, can be entirely good. Every soul, both gentle and fierce, has a mean side.