Friending Blackie

Hi. Remember me. I'm Mocha Java and I just turned two. I've been with my human family, Terry and Betsy, for one year. I've learned so much. They use different words than I'd heard before. And I've taught them so much. Let's just look at one difference.

A new kitty came to visit a few weeks ago. He's all black with cute white paws, just like mine. He peeked into the basement door one day. It was early in the morning, but I'd been playing with my mouse for about an hour. I dashed downstairs and saw a new face looking in my door. I hissed and whipped my tail back and forth. I hadn't invited this new guy. He needed to learn some manners. He sat, his tail wrapped around his paws. He didn't move. I lay down, my tail in a straight line behind me. My female human came looking for me. I didn't break the staring contest with Blackie. I also didn't growl or hiss at him. He needed to learn a lesson about coming onto my lower deck. After a very long time, he stood, stretched and walked away. I'd won.


Two weeks later Blackie came back. This time I was on the outside steps down to the lake. He pranced his way through fallen leaves and jumped up on a step a few lower than were I was sitting. He didn't ask if it was all right. So, I puffed up my tail and started walking toward him. He held his ground for a few steps before he bolted back the way he came. I chased him. Then, I crouched in the leaves about fifteen feet away from him. We stayed that way for a long time. 


Eventually, Blackie crept back toward me. I let him get close. I gradually backed up to a large tree and settled down. It took a while, some more growling and tail whipping before I let Blackie lie down on the other side of my tree.

What this is all about is friending a kitty, kitty-style. Both my humans talk about friending people of Facebook, whatever that is. I don't think I have a Facebook. But I do have a friend in Blackie. If he doesn't get too close and if he behaves, he's welcome to visit.

So, I know how to friend kitties. Now, what is all this stuff about the "terrible twos." I need to know so that I behave right, don't I?