Jeckyll and... HIDE!!!

   I was in the kitchen refilling my ice water to soothe my sore throat (pretty sure I've qualified for the Guinness record for trips to pee in a single day; also, times nose blown), when suddenly I heard this absolutely UNHOLY SCREAMING coming from my living room. My first thought: windows are open, and cats are fighting outside. Then another LONG, FRIGHTENING SHRIEK. Second thought: is Kismet being killed by the dogs??!!

   I bolted through the dining room. In the south window was Kismet, all puffed up, hissing and batting her tail wildly. She had made that awful noise! I moved next to her and looked out the window, to see a GIANT black and gray tabby sitting on the fence just beyond the window. As soon as he saw me, he turned, ran along the fence, jumped into the neighbor's yard, hopped over their 4' chain link fence, and kept racing until he was out of sight. Like Family Circus without the dotted line.

   Not that I mind cats in my yard in theory, but in practice it can cause behavioral issues, like spraying territory. And I don't want that in the house!! May have to carefully select which windows to open, to limit accessibility. Anything to prevent having my sweet kitty go from this:

to THIS:

   Who knew such a BEAST was hiding under that adorable countenance? Even the dogs were panicked by the sudden switch. Let's hope we don't see it again.