Cat therapy

Many children do not share. I’m not talking about sharing of things, such as toys, but the more important kinds of sharing, such as experience. Child development often includes moments of shared attention, [translation = look at the bird flying] and other pointless social moments. [translation = I like that blue flower] Some children, especially if they are autistic, do not develop this trait when their peers do. [translation = but it might come later, if you’re very lucky] This is not to denigrate the power of "dogs," but there is also a place for felines.

Words flow because it is first thing in the morning. [translation = a full bank of words available, retrieval is free and unfettered] Frenzied cats are electrified all around the house and frenetic children also buzz.

My son hurtles towards me screaming. [translation = happy, excited, willing to communicate]
“He is dunning it!” he splutters amid frantic arm gestures that I am unable to interpret. I am distracted by the flailing arms, “who is dunning what dear? I mean…..who is doing what dear?”

“Him! He is!”
“Who is he?”
“Dere, dere, dere, dah cat, Rascal, it is him. Boy is he ever gonna get it now!” he adds jauntily. I ignore the scripting from trashy cartoons because it is appropriate. [translation = exact repetition of lines from many sources] He grins with the mischevious air of the tattle taler. “Come on, come on, come ON!” he adds dragging me by my ever lengthening arm. [translation = hand leading is usually a skill acquired at a much earlier age. 65 lbs worth of torque, from an 8 year old ensures that I cannot help but grin too, but for different reasons.]

We skid over to the front door where my son demonstrates ‘horror struck’ for me, and points at the overturned plant pot. In case I am in any doubt as to the culprit, he advises me of what has come to pass, “he did it, dat bad ol catty, Rascal the trasher! Rascal the hooligan! Rascal the vandal! He done did it.”

Indeed he did.