Sebbo meets the Obedient Cat
I was having the aforementioned scrambled-egg breakfast on the charming patio of my Berkeley hotel. On the wall beside me sat a large handsome gray cat. After he'd been there a few minutes, disinterestedly watching me dig in, a man in kitchen whites emerged and looked at the cat. "Vamanos!" he said sternly. "Vamanos a la casa!"
The cat looked at him, but didn't move.
"Vamanos a la casa!
With painstakingly slow casualness, the cat got to his feet, leapt down off the wall, and meekly followed him off to another building. Now I've seen it all.
comment by i o n:
Hmm. I think the key word here is "followed". I doubt the cat understands the words. It probably just knows that when the guy yells at it it's best to follow along and see what he wants.
Cats may not be "obedient" per se, but they do understand power dynamics.
comment by Mim:
I have trained Eric's cat to come on command (command is "pshh pshh pshh" combined with snapping my fingers). This may or may not bode well for him. ;>)
comment by Mim:
Er, that would be Eric, not the cat. Or maybe Eric and the cat. Hell, I don't know.