Preparing for the New Cat

Take cold chicken and stars soup straight from the can and splash it across the carpet and the foot of the bed and then walk in it in the dark with your socks on.

Set up a mouse trap at the foot of the bed each night so that if you move a toe one inch while you are sleeping, you are sure to get snapped.

Cover all your best suits with cat hair. Dark suits must use white hair, and light suits must use dark hair. Also, float some hair in your first cup of coffee in the morning.

Put everything cat-toy-sized into a water bowl to marinate.

Practice cutting your chicken into teeny tiny bites so that when the cat steals from your plate, he won't take the whole breast.

Tip over a basket of clean laundry, and scatter clothing all over the floor. Leave your underwear on the living room floor, because that's where the cat will drag it anyway (especially when you have company).

Jump out of your chair shortly before the end of your favorite TV program and run to the TV, shouting "No! No! Don't chew on the electric cord!" Miss the end of the program.

Gouge the surface of the dining room table several times with an X-acto knife. It's going to get scratched anyway.

Practice searching every closet and open cabinet door before you shut it.

Knock all small items off your kitchen counter.

Chew the eraser off every pencil in the house.

Take a fork and shred the roll of toilet paper while it's still hanging up. Pull a few sheets off and scatter them around the bathroom.

Take a staple remover and punch two holes in every scrap of paper around the house.

Buy a mixed bag of cat toys and stuff them under the refrigerator. Practice getting up at 2AM and fishing them out with a ruler or broom stick.

Take a warm cuddly blanket out of the dryer and immediately wrap it around yourself. This is the feeling you will get when your new cat falls asleep on your lap.

There now, once you've done all these, you've passed the test, and are ready to take on that little furry critter!