Jul 17th, 2026 Friday Hazy
As parents of more than one kid will usually tell you, it is very uncommon to have two kiddos with the same temperament, even if they are twins.
It seems that furry babies are no exception to this rule.
Ever since we brought home Yuuki and Sesame, their distinct personalities started to display. Yuuki is curious about everything, and readily jumps into play sessions no matter what the object in question is – yes, including things that are not meant to be toys (e.g. a pen cap, or an egg on the counter…). While she has grown older and her fervor has mellowed a little bit, that energy characteristic of kittens is still there, often catching us by surprise 😀
Sesame, on the other hand, has been quiet and hesitant. When he was younger, he would chase after his sister (“after” is not accurate here, since most of time he is the better runner) and follow her in her mischievous pursuits, but he hardly initiated any pranks on his own. As he matures into a teenager, he seems so lazy (or laid-back, depending on your perspective) that my husband voices his concern over Sesame’s health every now and then.
“I know he is a sweet boy, but don’t you think he is a bit TOO relaxed?” he asked. At this rate, he reasoned, Sesame would barely move when he becomes a senior.
As it turns out, Sesame can be super excited, if his favorite plaything is involved.
Last weekend, at Yuuki’s request, my husband reached into the bottom of the cabinet in the dining room to retrieve all the “buried” treasures, skillfully pushed into this niche space by both cats. In their mind, that area is a black hole that trinkets disappear into, and they seem unable to connect the dots that their shoveling actions around the space are the direct cause of such vanishing.
Among the unearthed was a tiny blue mouse (let’s call it “mousy”) with rattling sounds when wiggled. Upon its rediscovery, Sesame seemingly turned into a different character. He immediately claimed it as his own, carrying it in his mouth and ran away into the family room. There, he tumbled with it using all four paws, tossed it with his “hands” then hunted it like a prey. Within minutes, the face of the rodent had shown visible damage from all the “love” it received.
Most interestingly, when Yuuki, who, true to her feline nature, believes that anything his brother is interested in must be superior to hers hence must belong to her also, attempted to snatch mousy, Sesame exhibited rarely seen territorial behavior by growling at her, while firmly protecting mousy from her touch.
At this point, we distracted Yuuki with a stringy wand to let Sesame savor his possession at leisure.
Just like Sesame, many people, especially adults, that appear apathetic on a daily basis may still harbor passion in their heart – something that truly speaks to who they are, what they love, and what they care about. With the right trigger, you get to see them in a completely new light. Until then, you have not really known them.
That complexity is fascinating, isn’t it?