Mad Hatter's Tea Party

Remember the little dormouse at the Mad Hatter's table in the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland?  Whenever someone accidently said cat, he went nuts. 

Well, that's sort of how I am.  I've been allergic to the feline foes since I was a tot.  Something they pick up in their daily travels sets my eyes ablaze, my tear ducts on over drive, and my lung cavities shrinking.  I can neither see nor breathe when I'm in close contact with these beasts.

So I was just a little worried when "Precious" sauntered into our room this weekend at Grandpa's house.  I'm certain my eyes were as big as saucers, and I saw Chi's face flash absolute terror. "Oh no, Mommy's gonna die!"

Somehow I didn't die... though I am still a bit congested.  I suppose that because this was a strictly indoor cat in a house that is meticulously, immaculately kept, she didn't have enough of that allergic quality to do me serious harm.
Precious doesn't like little kids.  It's no surprise, really.  Who would want to have their tail touched, their whiskers inspected, their limbs fondled?  Even a gentle animal-lover like Ya could cause harm in a matter of moments without knowing he was doing so.

And so Precious kept away from Ya, and hissed as she batted her paws at him if he dared come too close.

It turns out that precious really likes KFC.  And so she was at my feet as I ate.  I tossed her a tiny remnant and she was my best friend.  Great - just what the doctor ordered, a feline shadow for the asthmatic!

She has the most awesome blue eyes, so I figured I'd capitalize on her affections with my camera (realizing, of course, that I did not have my inhaler should I suddenly succumb to my allergies).

At some point, Precious begged for an opportunity to sit in the sunshine, so I let her onto the screened porch.

And there she did what I suppose cats do all day.  She purred, she rolled, she groomed.

I guess Precious isn't all that bad as far as cats are concerned... afterall, Mommy is still alive.  And I came away from the weekend with a mere cough and this, my favorite image: