Case in point this morning when Ava came slinking around the couch at our feet with a bushy tail, and slipped behind the toy-box. I waited for her to come out and she didn't. I looked to the hall from whence she'd come expecting to see Kato in the midst of one of their games - no Kato. A few minutes later, Ava was sitting up on the TV cabinet, staring intently toward the hall, and generally acting a bit spooked. I went over to her and put my head close to hers to try and see what she was seeing...again, I expected Kato, but there was nothing. And the next thought was the 'I dunno...mystery in Cat-land' thought, partly because I needed to go and get ready to leave on errands.
So off I went to the bedroom, down the hall, to the opposite side as the lounge room. And that's when my puny human ears heard it. Cat yowling. I climbed up to our window, and there below me was the neighbourhood arch-enemy, Ginger, sitting on our fence! 'Oh, sorry Ava, NOW I understand!'
Almost. Both Husband-man and I went downstairs to our netted-in courtyard. Ginger couldn't get in - and neither could Kato get past the net to get at Ginger on the fence! The source of that cat-yowling was KATO. And he was VERY upset. Even when we had encouraged Ginger to go on his way, Kato kept staring up at that spot on the fence uttering the most fearsome and outraged noises. It took a couple minutes for him to calm down and come inside. And a few more before he could leave the glass door and come upstairs with us.
I'm sure poor Ava couldn't quite work out what was happening...and maybe if Kato was mad with her. She gingerly came half-way down the stairs to meet Kato, with her tail bushy and slightly kinked. Once they had kissed noses, she scampered up the stairs and happily whisked away on her business.
So, I will try and remember - there is ALWAYS a reason. And with a little effort, we can often find out what!