At the Click, Say "CAT" -- by KittyCat

After supper one night last week, I got up on Dad’s chair to get my ears and chin scratched. “Oh, good,” Mom said, “Keep him occupied while I set up the computer.”

Dad kinda frowned trying to connect thoughts of scratching my ears and Mom turning the computer on.

“I’ll need your help in a few minutes,” she said. “I’ve already tried to hold KittyCat up for the camera to catch both of us, and he wiggles out of the picture just before it snaps. I need you to hold him for me—first while I comb his jabot—he’s been obstinate about being groomed—and then to pose him close to me for our picture.”

“Comb his what?” 

“His jabot...” She pointed to my neck and chest, “see how his fur’s not smooth and even here? He’ll look scruffy in the photo.” 

Dad kinda frowned again. He’s not interested in fashion or hair styles, and I’m not either. He said he was going to bed in a bit cuz he had to get up real early, so he’d listen to his football game while he fell asleep.

“Well, in that case, I think I can take his picture, and then use one of these programs to fix it.”

By this time I had walked across the back of the couch and sat behind Mom. I saw her type this in a search box: photo enhancement.

As she clicked around different places, I finally figured out what “photo enhancement” means. I’m thinking, she can just check around for cats, then. If I’m not good enough, she can find another model.

But a second later, I remembered the pumpkin patch photo shoot, and how I outsmarted her. I slid down from the couch to the floor, and rubbed Mom’s leg with a generous show of playful affection. Let the fun begin. By the time I got tired of mucking up Mom’s picture plans, we’d see who looked scruffy.

Four hours and a half bag of bribery treats later, Mom still didn’t have the picture she wanted. I rested on the back of a chair in the living room. “Finally…and this will be so sweet,” she said as she set up the computer camera in front of me. Cat-quick I sat up and moved over just before it clicked. For a senior, Mom wasn't so slow herself.

Want a big toothy smile when you aim the camera at folks? Forget “smile, and say cheese.”  “CAT” works fine.