The Cat, the Rat, and the Cheese

A fable adapted from Aesop, told by Miss Cuddlywumps, with commentary

There once was a man who enjoyed cheese and always kept a supply of it in his cupboard. One day the man went to the cupboard to fetch a small snack and discovered bite marks in his cheese. They were the unmistakable marks of a rat. (Undoubtedly the rat also left markings more often associated with its other end, but let us not dwell upon that.) Thinking hard about how he could protect his precious cheese, the man hit upon a splendid idea: He would keep a cat in his room so the next time the rat showed its whiskers—Pounce! No more rat.

So the man acquired a cat and instructed it to guard the cupboard and catch the rat. The resourceful cat did indeed catch and eat the rat, after which she opened the cupboard and ate the cheese as well.

The man wept over his lost cheese and kicked the cat out of his home, but what did he expect? Of course the cat ate the cheese. Catching a rat is hard work and worthy of a reward, and some cats love cheese. Besides, would you eat a rat without a little something to cleanse your palate?

The moral of the story is, feed your cat high-quality, nutritious food, and always feed her on time. Also, keep your cheese in the refrigerator.