Cat On a Cold Tin Roof

So this morning about seven I pad out into the living room and there's one of my cats, Max, sitting outside the window on the air conditioner. I finally caved in and installed it in the window on Saturday when the humidity got to me, and for once I was too lazy to tape up the little piece of clear acrylic that closes the gap between the top of the AC and the top pane. There was a thunderstorm last night, and it must have blown the plastic out, because there's the 9" gap, open, with Max sitting outside it, gazing off up the hillside. I live on the fifth floor.

My heart was in my throat, as I'm sure you can imagine. But for once, reason broke the tape before panic, and said, "If you freak out, idiot, you'll frighten him and he'll fall. Play it cool." So I did. I gently called his name from across the room; he looked at me. I called him inside, and he came to me. I told him he was good, but made no big deal out of it... aside from putting the acrylic back up and duct taping it up properly before I did anything else.

I can't help wondering if Max didn't know he was doing something I wouldn't approve of. Even though I didn't show any anger or fear or act as though he'd done anything extraordinary, when he walked past me, his tail was bottlebrushed... like I'd caught him with his pants down, or something. He knows I don't want him going out in the hall or out on the balcony, so he could probably guess I didn't want him outside the window, poised seventy feet in the air, either. I wonder if I didn't give off some sort of unconscious vibe that I was frightened, and maybe he realized, "Uh oh, is this dangerous? Maybe I better get back inside..." No way of ever knowing. But I'm sure glad it came out as well as it did, as easily as it did. I can't believe I was so stupid. Well, a lesson learned... and boy, did I get off cheaply.