Our friends invited us to a casual party. The hosts were people we had never met before. When they opened the door to let us in, a gorgeous cat scooted in ahead of me. I am really fond of cats, and I have two cats myself.
After we were inside, I leaned down and encouraged the cat to come to me. Our hosts seated us. We all made uneasy conversation for about an hour because when the cat wasn't hovering around me, it was climbing over the chairs, couches and tables. Finally, I mentioned to them that their cat seemed to be exceptionally friendly with visitors. Their cat? They thought it was ours! They thought that we brought it with us and were inconsiderate enough to let it climb all over everything.
Well, that cat's exit was much faster than its entrance and we had a subject of conversation that put us all at ease right away.
Adapted from a first person story by E.M., taken from The Detroit News circa 1980
Think about pets and how people in this country act toward their pets. Think about pets in your country too. Compare how people and pets in this country and people and pets in your native country are the same or different. Could this story have happened in your native country?