When it comes to dealing with cats, what's the use?

A young mother with a couple of children can curb her impatience (almost) they write on the walls with red crayons or poke their fingers into a freshly baked cake. But life is different when you are a bit older and the “children” are of the feline family, who see lots of fun awaiting them as they sneak under the shelf that holds up the computer.

Like children of any kind, mine are curious about all those cords, blinking lights and clicking noises. Maybe I should be proud they are so interested in computers. However, their age is still measured in weeks and months, not years. I feel they are much too young to catch up to the fourth and fifth graders who teach and guide their grandparents in the use of their own computers these days.

Please don’t tell me I should block off the area near my computer. I made a fence of cardboard and wire, used scotch tape, delicately pounded tiny nails into wood and brought heavy rocks into the house to bolster open spaces. Please take a breath here. I even used a shingle that whirled off the roof during one of our exciting windstorms.

One of my main worries is that these two “children” will read my emails. Another is that Lilly, the little female, has no idea of how to be a lady. Every day she and brother Charlie wrestle like pros in the ring. Sometimes I am embarrassed when Charlie cries out to Lily, “Stop! You’re hurting me.”

Lilly’s table manners are atrocious. Can you imagine what it would be like to have a female companion beside you at dinner who hovers over her plate and growls at you? Poor Charlie, he must endure such treatment with every meal.

Charlie has his own failings. After romping with Lilly, Charlie will suddenly pretend I am a skyscraper and with his well sharpened claws try to scale the distance to the top in one breath. That’s my breath, of course. What fun! Bye.

Luella Dow is a Cheney-area author. She can be reached at [email protected].