Upstairs Downstairs: Cat Commentary

We’re happy that Downton Abby  has begun its new season on PBS. Reminds me of the earlier Upstairs Downstairs PBS series which also dealt with life among the upper crust, upstairs, and the servants downstairs.

Now that the cats are house cats rather than Shackteau cats (I miss them as I write in the Shackteau) we can identify more clearly with these programs. The cats, particularly Pawline and Patchtricia are primarily upstairs cats. They enjoy their beds, chairs, scratching posts and dine while looking out the patio doors at the snow covered bluffs landscape of our backyard. Their meals are prepared downstairs by the human servants and then brought upstairs and served to them. There is a definite class system in play here.

Lamont, on the other hand, seems to have and equal opportunity, classless mindset, at least when it comes to socializing. He is upstairs, downstairs, on furniture, under furniture, sliding on rugs, climbing the high reaches of anywhere in the house, toppler of Christmas trees and mixes in an occasional lapsit and catcher of human feet.

Class foot capture

Last night we had a forcible lapsit as I plunked him on my lap and clipped his paw nails. He was not very enthusiastic about this and squirmed mightily but the deed was done. In payback when we went to bed (the time of day when we’re allowed upstairs) Lamont snuggled in with me for most of the night (without occasionally sinking his claws in my posterior this time). I’m not sure if he was cold, being affectionate, or pleading his case that such nail nipping behavior not be repeated again. I think he has stopped jumping off the headboard onto Mewreen’s head to get down now, and just jumps on us especially if we sleep too long in the morning.

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“You know, the household living is not at all bad,” remarked Patch sticking her nose out from under the bed in the upstairs patio room where she like to spend a good deal of private time.

“I agree,” replied Paw perched in the orange chair (now with a cat bed on it) that she has claimed as her particular domain. “This is a most pleasant room. It has a fine rug on which to lay as bask in the sun as it streams in through the patio doors. There is food and water at our beckoning. And, the litter boxes are not far away and the human servants have upgraded the litter.

Actually Patch has taken Paw's place here

“But sisters,” exclaimed Lamont, “you lie around here all day and miss the most fun parts of the house which are downstairs. Mewreen has a computer in her office as Meugh had one in his office in the Shackteau, that I can walk in front of and behind and generally distract her. There is even a closet there they thought they had shut, but I pried my way in; not much of interest. There are counters to jump on along with many many others things. It is filled with places to play and most of our toys are downstairs.”

“We know that Lamont,” replied Patch. “And, we, well particularly myself venture downstairs on occasion. In fact, we both do in the evening and at night when the humans are asleep and won’t bother us. We are just more private and shall I say more discerning than you. We like to keep the old protocols of class distinction in the mingling of species. We’re cats for heaven’s sake not dogs who drool all over their masters. We are cats, aristocratic cats who properly understand the human role in life is to serve us.”

Servant Doreen feeding the cats

“Indeed,” continued Paw. “It just does not appear seemly that you spend so much time with the unpaid help. We must keep up appearances and proper cat propriety.”

“You are just old fashioned cats,” retorted Lamont. “While it is true that the human ones are our servants, that does not mean we cannot treat them in a friendly manner. In fact, I think we get much better service from them because of my outgoing and class bridging behavior. They adore me and my fetching ways.”

“Yeah, and pretty soon they will teach you to fetch as their progeny have taught their cat Swirl to fetch,” said, Patch. “But I overstate myself; cousin Swirl actually likes chasing around the ponytail ties. It is good exercise and keeps his hunting reflexes sharp. It is good that he has trained his human servants Meg and Bob to toss them for him.”

“I we do care for and love our human servants just as much as you do Lamont,” continued Paw. “It is just that we are more reserved and respect cat human propriety.”

And with that they groomed themselves, each other and then took naps.