FEED spoiler party!

I was in the proofing pool and Seanan was in chat when I got to the part about Lois. I spent the next several minutes alternately swearing at her (mostly out loud rather than in chat) and babbling inconsolably (mostly in chat). I had to cry on a dog, though... none of my cats would stand for it.

I'm enjoying re-reading it now that it's "a real book" (it's all shiny and new just because it's ink on paper instead of a Word file) and I know _exactly_ where Feed will make me cry and I still can't put it down.

Oh, you can't cry on my cat either, but he will tolerate being held closely after you get done bawling. :)

It's terribly odd, because he's a lynx point Siamese (Siamese mix w/Siamese fur but tabby points) and it's the big black one who won't sit still for that. The big black one is also the talky one. IDEK.

Oh, Lois. And after everything she survived, to be killed by a stupid, mean, cruel "human"--well, genetic human. I share her person's confusion at how anyone could do anything so mean to a little bitty cat. I had better stop thinking about it or I will start crying again.

The scariest thing in this book was not the zombies or the virus that made them. I mean, Kellis-Amberlee is scary in that you could imagine it happening to you or to people/pets you love and that's terrifying, but it doesn't hold a candle to the knowledge that there are evil people in the real world who would actually do the very human, very evil things that Tate and his asshole patrol do, if they had the power to do them. Killing Lois was one of those things, and...I've always had cats who were rescued either by me or someone else, I have strong feelings about all cats deserving a good life, but especially cats who've had more to survive!

Last night someone asked me who would be a worse president, Sarah Palin or Tate, and I told them after a moment's thought that while Tate reminds me of some of the people who support Palin, Sarah Palin is not known for her reluctance to give up power when she is done with it, and Tate, I think, would not have stopped at winning the Presidency itself--he would have found a way to make himself President-For-Life.

All of my cats (currently three, after losing two to old age last year) are rescues. The big mooshy boy is the most likely to let himself be hugged tightly or cried on, and Izzy (this icon) would totally get all up in my face and try to cheer me up if I was crying, but nothing beats the big dumb English Setter for hugging and snuggling. (Well, horses are most excellent for hugging, but I don't currently _have_ a horse.)

I spent a ridiculous amount of time, when first reading Feed, looking at 65-lb Thunder (the Setter) and 35-lb Drummer (the Toller) and thinking about how I could keep Drummy on the thin side to keep him safely below the amplification threshold, but poor Thunder... my poor spotted goofy boy... my clumsy, kinda-brainless boy... would I even spot the early signs if he was amplifying??

My cats do try to cheer me up. But yeah, dogs are also awesome for this. Alas, I live in a San Francisco apartment and am gone most of the day, so I can't has dog; the ones who'd tolerate the lack of space wouldn't tolerate the lack of my presence, and vice versa.

And no, you might not spot early amplification in a big, not too bright dog. Setters are not known for super high intelligence, just looks and personality--as you know. Alas.

Of course the other problem is that any animal can get active virus and die of it, even if it doesn't amplify. I would notice if my meezer baby got sick, because he's a rather bright cat, but he nips when he's feeling lovey or neglected; would he nip if he got sick, and would I realise what the problem was before I amplified myself and ate him and the other cat? Things I don't want to think about.

So I have two meezers! Good to know :) Seriously, my big black beast is the talkiest thing ever, especially if he's irritated. G-d forbid there should be poo in the litter box for more than a half second.