The birth of a cat lover

A Birth of a Cat Slave

Among ancient poets, Lu You not only wrote the most poems—I’m talking about poets, not Qianlong—but also wrote the most cat poems. From his series of cat odes, we can clearly see how a person is gradually tamed by cats, step by step becoming a cat slave and litter box cleaner…

“To the Cat” Part One

Salt-wrapped hired raccoon slave, often watching the戏 in the corner.

Sometimes drunk on mint, every night占 the quilt.

Mouse穴功 is well arranged, fish餐赏 how could there be none?

Still should give it a name, call it Little Tutu.

(Inner thoughts: Bought a cute kitty, so happy, hope it can catch lots of老鼠, just name it Little Tiger!)

“Getting a Cat from the Nearby Village and Naming It Snow for Play and Poetry”

Like a tiger, it can缘木, like a colt, it won’t伏辕.

Only knowing空鼠穴, unwilling to be鱼餐.

Mint醉 all the time, quilt nightly温.

Old childhood friend from previous life,陪我 in the old mountain village.

(Inner thoughts: I heard that cats are very good at catching老鼠, and they don’t even like to eat鱼!)

“To the Cat” Part Two

Salt-wrapped迎得 Little Raccoon Slave, fully protecting the mountain house with thousands of books.

Feeling ashamed of our poor family, with薄功, sitting on寒毡, eating no鱼.

Holding a mouse with no功, never blame, a bowl of fish饭 comes on time.

Watching you sleep peacefully all day, why do you go and come back in a flurry?

(Inner thoughts: From now on, our family’s藏书 will no longer worry about老鼠啃坏了. Sadly, we’re too poor to properly reward it. So ashamed!)

“Mouse repeatedly defeats my books,偶得 raccoon捕杀无虚日群鼠，空为赋”

Serving without人自炷香, raccoon is willing to陪禅房.

Sleep together during the day, lying on soft beds, sitting at night listening to漏鼓长.

Jia Yong can空鼠穴,功勋何止履胡肠.

Fish饭虽薄, truly无愧, not忙捕蝶 among flowers.

(Inner thoughts: Big kitty is so awesome! All the老鼠 ran away! And big kitty feels so soft, cuddling it on the bed is so comfortable. It doesn’t bother to eat鱼, nor chase butterflies, its工作态度令人感动!)

“To the Pink-Nosed Poem”

连续夕狸奴磔鼠频,怒髯喷血护残囷.

问渠何似朱门李,日饱鱼饭睡锦茵.

(Inner thoughts: Big kitty is still catching老鼠, but it seems a bit懈怠了?)

“Second Feeling”

Raccoon sleeps in the middle, mice横若不闻.

Remaining me on the架上书, disaster has come to this文.

Crows下屋檐,鸣噪不待晨.

Just for food, how could I问行人.

Lazily warm and安,饥饱驯服,

Your计则善矣,我忧难具陈.

(Inner thoughts: I really am so naive, just feed a little妙鲜包, and you reveal your true nature! Hey, hey? Where’s the promised捕老鼠? Why are you now curled up in the quilt refusing to come out! Damn it, my books, my藏书啊啊啊~~)

“Mocking the Lazy Cat”

So much翻盆暴, alas you sleep so soundly!

Just think of鱼饱足, ignoring mice横行.

Want to chase蝉快, first pity climbing trees轻.

Qushan在哪里? This族最知名.

(Inner thoughts: Hey, hey, you’re going too far! Not捕老鼠 is one thing! Constantly闹着吃鱼我也忍了, either sleeping or climbing trees! Coming back and踩翻 the food盆! I have to clean up! I was so naive before! I don’t want to keep such懒惰,奸滑,脾气顽劣的家伙 at all!)

“November 4th, Wind and Rain Storm”

Part One

Wind sweeps across江湖, rain darkens the村, mountains’ sounds become海涛翻.

溪柴火 soft,蛮毡暖, I and raccoon do not出门.

Part Two

Lying孤村, not自哀, still thinking of守国 in轮台.

Night falls, lying listening to风吹雨,铁⻢ and冰河 enter dreams.

(Inner thoughts: Ah… after thinking carefully, I can’t bear to drive away the猫 I’ve raised for so long. Look at the cold天 now, wind and rain, holding my家猫 by the火, it’s quite nice. Old mice and such, not捕也罢. People only praise the latter part of “November 4th, Wind and Rain Storm” for my忧国忧民情怀, but rarely notice the前面, when I wrote “Lying孤村,” I was actually by the火, wrapped in a blanket,撸着喵 in a patriotic expression hahaha… Well, loving country and loving cats, no conflict! Do you know why only two are selected in the Chinese language textbook? Because it totally破坏气氛.)

“Drinking Alone at Night”

Haven’t seen麴⽣ for a long time,惠然⼀起娱乐.

How can I argue about斗⽯, just enough to set out盘盂.

Listening to雨 and僧衲, holding a灯 and warming the地炉.

Don’t think of孤寂, just陪大狸奴. **$SEI **$ARKM **$MOG **