Anna Grace loves the cats.  The feeling is not mutual.  Spike is the only one that will let her get near him.  I can’t decide if this is because he doesn’t care or he’s just too lazy to move.  Could be either. 

Spike is old.  Spike is feisty.  And I have seen Spike at his worst.  I was his victim during a particularly nasty vet visit.  He had to bite somebody I just wished he hadn’t bit me three times.  So, I know his potential. He has, however, never bit anybody when he hasn’t been at the vet. 

Because of his age, and because I know he will bite if really pushed, I try to keep him and Anna Grace apart.  She will have none of it. 

AG insists on petting him.  Open hand petting is fine with Spike but he tends to scream when she squeezes his fur. 

AG also insists on hugging Spike.  Hugging is AG’s new skill and she’s quite good at it.  She likes to give you a tight squeeze around the neck and hold on for a bit.  As a mom, I like it. Spike?  Not so much. 

So, AG gets in trouble for messing with Spike but she doesn’t care.  She’s gonna do it anyway.  I spend a large portion of my day being a referee between them.  Spike for his part, is not exactly guilt free.  He likes to walk in the room where she is, flick her with his tail and then scream bloody murder if she touches him. 

Well, today I had the camera in my hand when she went after Spike so I had to take a picture before I told her to quit.  (Ya know…. for the blog).

She doesn’t care.  She’s going to hug and pet that cat no matter what I say.  She’s decided that it is worth the price of any punishment that should come her way. 

It reminds me of the old Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck cartoon with the Abominable Snowman.  Mistaking Daffy for a rabbit the Abominable Snowman says something to the effect of  "I will hug him and squeeze him and pet him… etc etc etc".