It is the feline equivalent of the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Yes, there has been a major shift in the geopolitics of the cat world here at MarnCo, the ruthless multinational behind The Big Adventure. We're still reeling.

Two days ago Enid, our little calico cat, realized that she is strong enough to kick the butt of Norma, our imperious tabby cat. I know. I think the tilt of the world's axis might have shifted slightly.

There has been some major butt kicking going on over the last few days as Enid flexes her newly discovered powers. This has not gone unremarked by Zubby, our oldest cat, who heretofore has spent his days totally terrorized by Norma.

As you can well imagine, we're all agog here at these latest heart stopping developments.

It started when Enid pranced up to Norma outside on Sunday and asked her to play. Enid is a big fan of the Let's Run Around Like Maniacs Really Fast For No Apparent Reason game. I have seen her rocket around the yard like a deranged fuzzy pinball for minutes at a time. There does not appear to be any rhyme or reason to it, she just seems to be a kitty who loves to run flat out.

Norma haughtily refused to join in with the sprinting madness and for good measure smacked Enid on the head for her temerity. Enid smacked her back, caught Norma off balance, and dropped her. Enid didn't realize she'd bowled the other cat over, thought this was an invitation to wrassle and with a little trill of joy she put on her best WWF moves.

Norma, of course, interpreted this as the invasion of the Mongol Hordes and began to fight Enid viciously, howling her outrage. Enid pinned her in seconds flat. And the thing was, she didn't try to bite or scratch Norma, she just wanted to wrassle.

The upshot of all of this is that Enid no longer fears Norma at all. She happily horns in on our bed at night, the bed Norma regarded as Her Very Own Personal Holy Land. She is annoying the beejeebus out of Norma by trying to wrassle, cuddle or play with her all the time. Even worse, Enid has taken to pinning Norma's head down and licking her head and ears vigourously while Norma growls kitty curses under her breath.

Mutual grooming is a sign of kitty love.

Norma Does Not Want The Love.

Norma HATES The Love.

Norma Wants The Fear And Respect.

I don't have the heart to tell her they are gone forever.

Zubby is not the sharpest pencil in the box. It has taken him a while to digest the implications of this situation but he's just about there.

Zubby knows he can take Enid. He knows Enid can take Norma because he and I watched the whole thing unfold while we were in the woodshed together. Now he has to make that logical leap, reason out that if he can take Enid and Enid can take Norma then ipso facto Zubby can take Norma.

Very, very shortly we're going to have a regime change here.

Think I might need to find a blue beret.

--Marn

P.S.--What I saw the other morning when I woke up.

Mileage on the Marnometer: 479.36 miles (765.6 kilometers)

Goal for 2003: 500 miles - 804.5 kilometers