sorry.

i don't know what to make of this. smudge has begun apologizing for bad behavior.  not for the carpet-shark attacks on my ankles, or the sinking of his fangs into the webby area between my thumb and forefinger, or the pounces onto my head as i sleep -- i guess he doesn't consider those to be misdeeds.

but there are some things he does that, if we chastize him strongly enough, smudge will come over and say he's sorry... 

...like when he jumps onto the sideboard, stands in front of the lcd tv, and starts raking his claws across the screen. we yell at him, and he turns around to look at us for a second, then turns back and starts swiping at it again. so i get up and walk over and point him to the carpet. after that happens, and i go back to the couch, he will follow me, and quietly walk up to me with his head hanging down, and wait until i say he's forgiven and scritch behind his ears.

...and the other day, i was on the exercise bike, and i guess smudge agrees with me that it's not a place i should be, because he usually swipes at me or tries to jump on behind me and bite my shoulders. this time, i had a hand towel next to me and i gave him a little swat to shoo him away. he ran for cover, but then came back and did the same thing - stood in front of me, head hanging, waiting for forgiveness.

i know this is his apology, because he never does it unless he was yelled at for being bad.  he does occasionally come up and ask for affection or scratching (very very occasionally) but it's never with that "hangcat" posture.

has he wised up and learned that the world does not revolve around him, and he needs to consider the consequences of his actions? or has he wised up and learned that if he pretends to say he's sorry, he gets some scritches and then is free to go and misbehave again?

not really much of a question, is it?