The Claws Come Out

Just beneath the surface of that purring little ball of fur in your lap is a wild and vicious beast.
It doesn’t take much to coax the predator out from its hiding place.
A late meal.
An unclean litterbox.
A stepped-on tail.
Their ears fold back, and their eyes go wide.
Do they puff up their fur?
Do they arch their back?
Hissing. Howling. The claws come out.
This is why my phone has an alarm for dinnertime.
And I always clean the litterbox every morning.
The purring little ball of fur in your lap keeps purring happily.
For now.