The Big Diehl

A few months ago my mom brought home two cats from the animal shelter. The first cat was grey, and my mom named that cat “Ashley,” although my Dad and I still call the cat “Grey.” The other cat was up to me to name.

The first day we had the cats I picked up the second cat (not Grey) to put it in a cat carrier so it could go to the vet for its immunizations. When I tried to put the newly arrived and not-yet-trusting cat into the carrier it decided to jump out of my arms - but not until it climbed over my face with its claws. One of the claws dug into my ear. The claw sorta sliced a small piece of my ear off. It hurt really bad and so I put my hand up to my ear to comfort myself and immediately felt a lot of blood all over the side of my face. All because that stupid cat “bit” my ear. (It actually clawed my ear - but I’ve always said it “bit” it).

I immediately gave the cat its new name. I yelled directly to the cat, “You bit my ear off - and I will never forget it you stupid cat! From this day forward your name will be Mike Tyson! End of story.” I didn’t really care that it was a female cat. I gave it a name to represent the cat’s first impression on me.
To this day the cat is registered at the Vet’s office as “Mike Tyson Diehl.”

But you know, I love that cat now. I just took my dog for a walk down the country road I live on, and the cat followed along. Every time I park in the driveway, that cat comes out to greet me at my car door. It is now the most loving cat I’ve ever seen. At the time of my pain, I wanted to give the cat a name that would never allow anyone to forget what it had done. But now the cat is loving and enjoys being held. I feel sorta guilty calling it Mike Tyson still.

A Double Whammy:
1) There’s never a second chance to make a first impression.
2) That cat’s reputation is ruined because of the label I put on it. I’ll let you do the “math” on that one.