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For the longest time, I was feeling kind of proud. Smug, even.

My cat Poppy was so supremely smart that she never touched my son's baby toys. Ever. It's amazing, really.

Take a look at a good cat toy (excluding the obvious catnip and Cat Dancers). Typically small. Soft. Biteable. With maybe some feathers or faux hair on it for added flair.

Then take a look at a good baby toy (excluding the obvious cars, drivable toys and bouncers). Typically small. Soft. Biteable. With maybe some feathers or faux hair on it for added flair.
You see the problem.

But as I said Poppy has never touched his toys. My son can be chewing on something that quite honestly I have to wrestle away from him to make sure it isn't a cat toy and my cat will amble by quite disinterested. At night, baby is asleep leaving a veritable treasure trove of toys but cat leaves them alone. She has one basket of cat toys that she draws from instead and from this she never strays.

Last weekend, my son who is now a full-fledged crawler discovered her basket of goodies and by God, it was like Christmas morning! He pulled toy after toy out of this basket with a look of miraculous wonder on his face. Where have these toys been all my life? he seemed to say.

And with that, the precious line separating cat toys and baby toys was crossed. I've moved the basket and am hoping he has forgotten those toys ever existed (not likely).

On a good note, Poppy remains blissfully unaware that his toys could be any good. And at least for that, I'm grateful.

So I've been waiting for melons to be perfectly in season before trying them on my cat.

My husband brought home a beautiful cantelope yesterday and I cut a piece for Poppy. What did she do? Absolutely nothing. She looked at me like I put a brick in her dish - something that completely didn't belong. It wasn't kibble shaped. Why was she doing this? I could see it in her eyes.

I tried again. I took the piece of cantelope and put it up to her mouth. She didn't open. She tolerated the gesture -- barely -- but then started to look a little peeved so I stopped.

And so that is the verdict. Melons are a no-go. Too bad. I've heard that some cats love it and unfortunately my cat isn't one of them (and what a great party trick that would've made.)

As an aside, I should also mention that I offered my 9-month-old son a piece of cantelope for the first time today and again was brutally rebuffed. He chewed it a little and then made a really sour face. He tried to spit it out. It was unsuccessful. Perhaps my cat and son know something about cantelope that is just beyond me.

I guess it's just as well. More for me!

I've always been a little superstitious. I'll walk around that ladder on the street. I don't break mirrors. I'll throw salt over my shoulder if, God forbid, I drop some. But where cats are concerned, I'm a black cat lover through and through.

My kitty Poppy is beautifully sleek and smooth and she matches everything. She's is the LBD  (Little Black Dress for the uninitiated) of the feline world. If she were a human, I'm sure she would be a modern day Audrey Hepburn.

But going back to the topic of superstition: I have to say that since we picked up our little girly from the Sacramento SPCA a few years ago, life has been good. She crosses my path on a daily basis and I count on it.

In England, white cats are the ones that bring you bad luck and.black cats are considered lucky.  I'm apt to agree.

Knock on wood.