Billie & Banjo
For the longest time, I never gave thought to the idea that animals have personality. Distinct personality at that. My two girls, Billie (L), and Banjo (R), have been teaching me different. And, oh, what a wonderful lesson it has been.
Banjo is an “inside cat,” spending her time inside where she can access the food bowls (she’s a big cat, like her grandpa, Boris). She calls out to me quite often, to remind me that her bowl is empty, and begging for something to munch on. I usually (read always) cave in and give her something.
Billie is mostly an “outside cat,” spending her days wandering around close by her home base. She visits the neighbors’ cats, occasionally catches a small snake to torture or partially eat.
Billie sleeps on the bed with me nearly every night; Banjo, rarely, spending her nights by a window, breathing the fresh air, sleeping, or standing watch on the neighborhood.
Both have “lap time;” Banjo in the morning, Billie in the evening. Banjo gets nervous if I don’t put my legs in a specific position (left ankle over right knee), not knowing how to act. She plunks down and begins “kneading,” and soon tucks her head into my belly, as if meditating.
Both love their snack bits, and, if Billie doesn’t eat them fast enough, Banjo will try to steal the rest, pushing Billie aside to get to them. I feed them either raw chicken or raw fish, in the morning, then dry food for dinner. Both wolf down their serving with zest, and are, for the most part (excepting fleas), healthy and active.
We’ve been a family for 11 years (Billie’s age), but Banjo still hisses at Billie for being too close and violating “her space.” In turn, Billie sometimes jumps Banjo unexpectedly, making Banjo either move away, hissing or causing a brief boxing match.
Many more individual characteristics come into play, of course, but these go to prove the fact that cats definitely have distinct personalities.
