Cat Programme

Cat Programme is a Life Idea I conceived years ago.  It's a television show that would chronicle the secret nocturnal adventures of cats, who seem so innocent and sedate by day.  You'd never guess some of the messes they'd get into, right?  I believe that they cause a whole lot more trouble than anyone would ever imagine.

So Cat Programme (British spelling, please) would involve attaching cameras to cats' heads--ideally, on little cat head-sized helmets--thus documenting officially what cats actually do while we're asleep. A critical component of the show would be the reveal, when cat owners would watch the footage and usually be alarmed.

Show host: So, what do you think your cat normally does at night?
Owner: Well, I'd say he probably sleeps, walks around our home slowly, jumps onto the couch...
Host: LET'S GO TO THE VIDEO!
Owner, watching in shock: Oh my goodness!

That's Cat Programme in a nutshell.  Perhaps because of lack of funding and logistics related to keeping a helmet on a cat's head, the idea never got off the ground. But I've always kept the show concept in mind fondly.  Last weekend, I was at home, and my mom showed me a page ripped out of the July 31 Parade magazine that's mixed in with the Sunday circulars.

Dusty is a perfect candidate for Cat Programme:

The copy reads: "Dusty, the so-called Klepto Kitty (shown on the prowl in his San Mateo, Calif. neighborhood), has pilfered more than 600 items in the past few years, including lingerie, swim trunks, and towels."

Mostly, I had to post this picture because for a section of an image rendered practically useless by a flash, Dusty's eyes sure say an awful lot.  Dusty is a cat on a mission. He is not bothered in the least by having his crimes captured on film--and dare I say, he is downright irritated by the interruption. 

We should all live our lives so boldly--but unlike Dusty, of course, try to stay within the parameters of the law.