Freaky Feline Friday (Or, Waking Life with Cats, Part Deux)

So lately, a really weird thing has been happening in our house.  We're not one hundred percent certain, but we think that Otto and Wanda might have switched consciousnesses, à la that classic kids' movie of the 70s, Freaky Friday.  It's really more of a gut feeling than anything with any hard evidence.  Most people might not even notice, since the Meesers can seem an awful lot alike if you don't know them that well.  But it's the little things.

Like for example, the fact that, until recently, Wanda was the only one of the two of them who used to do the creepy, trance-like horizontal tight-wire kneading act.  I say "until recently," because Otto just now started doing it, too.  (Did I telegraph that too much?)  And strangely, Wanda seems to have stopped.  Suddenly.  Just like when she started.  If that's not evidence that they've switched personalities, I don't know what the heck is.

The only difference that we can tell is that Wanda has learned through the years to do her kneading gently, delicately, with a minimum of pain to the recipient and only a little bit of blood and scarring, some of the time.  (That's when we pull out the kitty nail clippers and Wanda gets an involuntary pedicure.)  Otto, however, has started plowing into his kneading episodes with all the gusto of a new convert, and all the force and precision of a runaway freight train.  He doesn't seem to go into a trance as much, but he's definitely focused on what he's doing.  

He started on Sean.  Just the arm at first, just like Wanda.  Sean described it as much more vigorous and quite a bit more painful.  The first few times, I didn't see it, and almost didn't believe him.  

But then, last night, as I was drifting off to sleep after reading my standard three pages of my book before I'm out, I was startled awake by what felt like someone pinching me on my calves, or perhaps something resembling a very energetic crustacean attack.  There was Otto, curled up between my legs and going to town kneading on my left calf.  Sean was right--his kneading does hurt more.  

I've heard of copy cats, but this is ridiculous.  Otto is almost eleven years old.  Way too old to be learning new tricks like this.  Yep, the only logical explanation is that he and Wanda have switched personalities.  

I hope they switch back soon, because otherwise I'm going to start having to wear sweatpants to bed.