Tikkabik

We spend an inordinate amount of time obsessing about the cat -- anthropomorphizing his behavior, for the most part. One the aspects of this is the legend of Fishus, Max's patron god.

Max treats the cabinet where we keep his canned food -- dubbed the Cabinet of Wonders -- with an almost religious fervor. He rubs it, he sniffs at it reverently. He comes to it several times a day and yells at it. If he could light bowls of incense in front of it, I'm sure he would.

So we've accommodated Max's lack of ability to speak human language by developing a whole mythology around the Cabinet of Wonders. It's centered on Fishus, who, as far as Max is concerned, is the benevolent god who delivers cans of stinky wet food unto him. Sort of a furry version of Santa Claus. Santa Claws, if you will.

We mere humans may be the vehicles for actually feeding him the cans and bringing them in from the outside world, but it is Fishus who is to thank for this bounty.

Bonnie's even created a little mantra for Max: "Oh mighty Fishus, bring me something delicious!"