When your house is burning down, you should brush your teeth
January 10, 2013 9:22 AM   Subscribe

 
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posted by RonButNotStupid at 9:30 AM on January 10, 2013 [5 favorites]


Awh.
posted by dejah420 at 9:43 AM on January 10, 2013


I know there's a lot of (justified most times) haterade for Matthew Inman around here but this really did tug at my heartstrings.
posted by Kitteh at 9:46 AM on January 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


Aww. Poor kitties. Good Domino.
posted by rmd1023 at 9:49 AM on January 10, 2013 [2 favorites]


Yeah, this is really great and man, if the Oatmeal was always this, there'd be nothing to complain about it.
posted by mathowie at 9:50 AM on January 10, 2013 [15 favorites]


Just goes to show it's often the misfits and outcasts - those left out in the cold because they drool too much - that survive.
posted by tommyD at 9:51 AM on January 10, 2013 [6 favorites]


There were parts of this one, like his uncle behind the wheel, and his family huddled in the Jeep, where the art seemed to go beyond what The Oatmeal has done in the past. I don't follow the comic regularly, so maybe the style in those panels isn't anything new to regular readers, but it was new to me. I really like it when you can see the art in a webcomic get better over time.
posted by compartment at 9:52 AM on January 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


This is good. He told this story at his book signing - it was a little more glib being told from a podium, but his characterization of Domino was hilarious nevertheless.
posted by phong3d at 9:55 AM on January 10, 2013


A great story. Although I'm trying to wrap my mind around 17 cats with one litter box. I have three cats and three litter boxes and I still have to scoop every day to avoid "accidents".
posted by brundlefly at 9:56 AM on January 10, 2013 [6 favorites]


Best of Oatmeal.
posted by whimsicalnymph at 10:03 AM on January 10, 2013 [3 favorites]


What a great story, thanks for sharing it.
posted by ohyouknow at 10:18 AM on January 10, 2013


17 cats, 1 litter-box, I think making a kid clean up after that is child-abuse! Not to mention cat-abuse! The uncle probably went off in search of a hotel or motel room with a shower. He probably wanted all new clothes. I was on a cross country trip with just one cat. I had to sit by the cat-box. In all fairness, The cat box was right behind Mom.
Those cattle hauling trucks would whizz by and stink things up in the car. The kitty would fearfully dig into whoever was holding her. We kept her on a leash to avoid having her escape.
Cats can be very sweet, lovely pets, but they are simply horrible traveling companions. That was ONE cat. I hate to think how a road-trip with 17 would have gone.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 10:18 AM on January 10, 2013


Oh man. Yes. Bravo Oatmeal. So excellent! Now, I must go pet my cats (only two. I can't imagine three, let alone 17).
posted by but no cigar at 10:18 AM on January 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


17 cats with one litter box.

Unless I'm misreading, those 17 cats were all outdoor cats, which means the litter box wasn't the only option, just occasionally the most convenient one. They all made extensive use of the larger litterbox outside, I'm sure.

Still, cleaning it out every day must have been quite a thing.
posted by fatbird at 10:25 AM on January 10, 2013 [2 favorites]


Ah, true, fatbird. That would make a huge difference.
posted by brundlefly at 10:28 AM on January 10, 2013


Needs warning: do not read while babby is napping.

Perhaps because Domino reminds me of my mom's (literally) retarded Pekingese, Lily, or perhaps just because I like the idea of a sovereign cat nation, but in any case I laughed so hard that my struggle to remain inaudible nearly caused my eyeballs to implode.
posted by sonika at 10:28 AM on January 10, 2013


Did Domino ever get to meet Simple Dog?
posted by whuppy at 10:29 AM on January 10, 2013 [12 favorites]


Fatbird: Other way around. They were indoor cats who didn't know about the outdoors until confronted with it.
posted by sonika at 10:29 AM on January 10, 2013


Actually, it's not really clear. He says they were "city" cats, not indoor cats, before they moved.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 10:36 AM on January 10, 2013


Unless I'm misreading, those 17 cats were all outdoor cats

Hmm, if that's true, I can only imagine the house fire was set as a last-ditch, desperate attempt by the local bird population to stave off total annihilation.
posted by adamdschneider at 10:41 AM on January 10, 2013 [2 favorites]


I'm glad The Oatmeal took some of his criticism to heart and decided to do more personal, less patronizing comics. I hope he makes more.
posted by hellojed at 10:57 AM on January 10, 2013 [2 favorites]


Heartbreaking, but I didn't tear up until that last frame of poor broken (but happy) Domino.

I work with a feral cat rescue/foster/management group (spayings/neuterings, domesticating and adopting out fixed indoor kittens, etc) and our mascot is this little special needs cat named Blinky. Blinky is a tabby who was rescued from some little boys who thought it would be funny to literally treat him like a baseball. He is paralyzed and has some brain damage and has since he was a kitten. He is, none-the-less, one of the happiest cats I've ever met. He has no idea anything is wrong with him because this has been his whole life. He's just happy to love his human mommy, get scratches from everyone and sniff stuff.

Domino, as he is portrayed here, reminds me a lot of Blinky. Like I said, that last silly image just killed me.
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:41 AM on January 10, 2013 [6 favorites]


Blinky is a tabby who was rescued from some little boys who thought it would be funny to literally treat him like a baseball.

I really dislike humans.
posted by elizardbits at 12:19 PM on January 10, 2013 [8 favorites]


I really dislike humans.

Tell me about it.

People can say what they will about Inman, but he loves his kitties and that's a check in the plus column for me.
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:29 PM on January 10, 2013 [6 favorites]


I love what Inman does with cats, even the Bobcats. But this -- wow. Thanks for posting it.

He has no idea anything is wrong with him

Exactly! I have a special needs cat too, who's happy as a clam, despite his diabetes/calicivirus/arthritis/nerve damage. He's a poster child for why drooly messes are often the most lovable (and loyal) messes.

P.S. I also have MetaFilter to thank for his name.
posted by flyingsquirrel at 1:25 PM on January 10, 2013 [4 favorites]


I laughed out loud several times (scared the cat off my lap) and got a little teary at the end. Since I don't follow the Oatmeal, I wouldn't have seen it without this post. Thanks, PhoBWanKenobi!
posted by Lexica at 9:05 PM on January 10, 2013 [1 favorite]


He was always a sweet cat, but he was always kind of broken.

Oh, man, we have one of those. His name is Ernie. He was a rescue from a hoarding situation, so matted with feces that the shelter had to shave his entire body (hence the sweater).

He tries so hard, but every so often he gets too excited and poops--just a little bit--somewhere inappropriate. Also, he wakes us up at 4 AM several times a week by trying to nurse on our ears or obsessively licking our hair. Ernie fucking rules.

This is the best thing I've ever seen from The Oatmeal.
posted by dersins at 11:28 PM on January 10, 2013 [8 favorites]


God! Ernie is so cute!
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 12:12 AM on January 11, 2013


Oh, holy cats, Ernie is, as Katjusa Roquette pointed out, so cute.
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:23 AM on January 11, 2013


Ernie has such a hang-cat expression. Awwwww.
posted by rmd1023 at 6:16 AM on January 11, 2013


My beloved 21-year-old childhood cat passed away January 1st. I don't know why I read this; it was lovely, but also heartbreaking and now I am a total mess.
posted by ilana at 11:53 AM on January 11, 2013


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