Chapter 9 - Tooth and Nail

When the full moon is about to make its appearance, some people can actually feel the change. Even though most of the time, it is difficult to tell by sight when the actual full moon is because on either side of the full moon are phases that look almost full, but are not by definition full. Not only does this phase change affect people but animals as well. Jack’s cat, Snickerdoodle, was one such animal. Snickerdoodle went completely insane during these times. He would start by flicking his upright tail and crouching low to the floor. Then he might look wildly around the room with large dilated cat-eyes as if he were following a bird flitting about the room. As a grand finale, Snickerdoodle would run around the apartment using any flat surface as his point of acceleration. He would launch horizontally from his crouching position on the floor and head toward the living room sofa. Here he would quickly change direction by making a right turn off of the side of the sofa and digging his nails into the upholstery for added traction. At this point in the action, it was always best to get the hell out of the cat’s way just in case he decided that your leg would make a convenient launch surface.
These outbursts would usually last only a few seconds. But the speed and accuracy of each wild looking maneuver would astonish even the most devoted dog-lover. Snickerdoodle’s outbursts also served to warn Jack that the full moon was out in full effect.