So yesterday was the BIG DAY, but since I was working from 9 in the morning to 10 at night (which is also my schedule today), I wasn't able to pick up a copy of ATDW. But luckily, ITunes came through for me last night, and the bonus was that I got an additional song which, if you ask me, should have been included on the CD, since it’s by far my favorite of everything on that album. And I'm not just saying that because Clay had a hand in it -- it really is that good, in my opinion.

Anyway, I noticed a strange thing last night. As the album began to play on my computer speakers, my nearly 5-month-old kitten Nyx came running into the room, jumped up onto the desk and from there leaped to the top of my monitor. At that point, she promptly collapsed on her side and began purring loudly, eyes closed, looking for all the world as though she were entranced by Clay's voice.

Now, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "Jude, I think you're reaching here." And ordinarily, I would say you're right. But as soon as the album ended, she got down and pranced out of the room, presumably to go perform one of her many urgent kitten duties, like shredding my curtains, harassing the Bettas in their fishbowls, or knocking another seventeen things off my kitchen counter.

So the only reasonable conclusion I can come to is this: Cats Love Clay. Oh yes, I know he doesn't love them back, but you know, that's okay. Because the fact is, cats seem to adore people who dislike them, and will even seek out those people while pointedly ignoring the cat-lovers desperately begging for their attention. This is what cats do, because they're cats, and that's pretty much the explanation for all their activities.

Nyx, for example, is one of those cats who very much dislikes being alone. She's also not very bright, so often she'll leave a room I'm in and then less than two minutes later, begin crying desperately, "MEW?? MEWW?? MEEEEYOUUUUUUUUU???" because she’s discovered she’s alone. It’s only when I call to her, rolling my eyes, "Nyxy, I'm in here!" that she comes flying back into the room, rubbing up against my legs, as if to say, "OMG!! WHERE did you go?? Don't EVER leave me alone like that again!!" However, if I then pick her up, she’ll start squirming and kicking and generally struggling furiously to get away (presumably to attend to more of those afore-mentioned kitten duties). Why does she seem so thrilled to see me, yet when I try to hold her, act as though I'm the equivalent of a kitty axe murderer? Who knows? It's just part of the mystery of cat behavior, is all I can figure out.

See, you never get that with dogs -- dogs will pretty much do anything and put up with anything in order to score some attention. It’s just the way they are. A dog will let you lie next to him with your head on his back, or listen intently as you sing badly to him, or even let you read your latest Cluppy Diary to him without complaining. A cat might do that...or then again, she might not. It all depends on her mood...which all depends on...

Well, who knows?

But at this point, I’m thinking maybe I should use Clay to soothe Nyx’s savage breast. Maybe she’ll let me hold her if I play Clay’s music for her. It couldn’t hurt, right? Just don’t tell Clay his biggest fan is a cat.