John, I really was looking forward to this story. You write in the most elegant way about many things I have been wondering too –and of course I loooovvve Fister’s tail and also his relaxed sigh – a sound you can hear from Tigris as well.
Of course we have wondered often enough how Filou and Tigris see us. I am absolutely sure they are persons and I’m absolutely sure they have intelligence. Most of that intelligence we can only understand if it’s similar to our own.
E.g. some of you may remember Tigris opening the door. This action is always broken up in the same series:
Step one: pulling the handle
Step two: seeing whether the door is open
Step 3 opening
Step 4 going in.
And he repeats part of this series: If step 2 tells him the door is not open, then he goes back to step one –and continues that until he succeeds.
But there are these strange things: somehow I think Filou identifies with us. He has to check all our food and eats things that cannot be very interesting for him like the famous ripe mangos: they are not fat and they are no meat –so why the hell is this cat interested?
Another thing: their jealousy: They watch carefully if the other ones gets the cuddles. And it has happened often that Tigris attacked Filou after Filou got petted …. I tend to translate these action into human speak in which they mean something like “Teacher’s pet!”
It’s all very strange and although I had cats when I were much younger I never knew how much communication there would be between a predator (..that’s where cats come from, isn’t it ) and us.
I am very happy that Tigris and Filou allow us that experience. And I am glad to be here and meet so many people who share that experience which is beyond our rational control.