A pithy comic strip about life, love, lust and puthy cats.

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

The Long Hello

By Jimmy Johnson

August 14, 2000


We haven’t had a cat cartoon in a few weeks. I have one cat, Scoot, who has crossed the front-door threshold thousands of times. Yet, every time, she approaches it as if it were a ditch of venomous snakes. She assesses it carefully from a respectful distance, as if to gauge how far she will have to spring to clear the snake pit before the vipers see her and can strike. Then, with enthusiastic verbal encouragement from whomever is holding the door, she’ll make her move, clearing the threshold by a good two feet. I think she’s very far-sighted. Or maybe all those catnip-infused treats have fried her brain.


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120 responses to “The Long Hello”

  1. Steve From Royal Oak, MI Avatar

    I think the reason that you have so many Ludwig cartoons is that cats are so entertaining. They are clever, stubborn indifferent, OCD and affection, all in the matter of a few minutes!

    1. ABW Avatar
      ABW

      Sometimes clever, often dumber than a doorknob. We still recall with great affection the cat we had almost twenty years ago, who would startle every time he walked down the hall and found an unexpected bathroom to his side as he approached our old familiar bedroom.

      1. Blinky the Wonder Wombat Avatar
        Blinky the Wonder Wombat

        Only real cat interaction I ever had was our house cat from college. We found it as a stray and swear it was brain damaged. We’d open the door for it, it would walk halfway through and then stop, seemingly trying to remember what it was doing.

        1. Steve From Royal Oak, MI Avatar

          My Grandma had a cat that was smart. Once he did something like that and my Grandma ended up going outside to bring him in. When she went inside, she smelled natural gas. So the “stupid” cat potentially saved her life.

  2. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Jimmy, you commented on a reason they kept Ludwig around in this older strip I found. And I think you hit on one of the best reasons. https://www.gocomics.com/arloandjanis/2003/09/24?fbclid=IwAR09jlhkLGQQOy1mxQigrHd2zNLgOjxsHA87W3mG34C5Tgx5bc-tqFij6t0

  3. Matthew Bond Avatar
    Matthew Bond

    “whoever”

  4. Ginger in Auburn Avatar
    Ginger in Auburn

    Yes, I read that cats, indicative to all of them, are farsighted. Among other things that’s the reason they approach their food bowl like it was a pit of vipers, tentatively reach out a paw, touch – jerk back! – touch – jerk back! – then presume it is the same food in the same bowl they’ve been eating out of for all of their 12 years. I will never call a cat smart.

    1. TruckerRon Avatar

      Perhaps that farsightedness is part of the reason they jump so when surprised by a cucumber placed behind them… they think it might be a snake or other long, skinny predator?

  5.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Farsighted being necessary to see their prey at a greater distance, maybe? Making them better hunters and jumpers.

  6.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Now I know why it so hard to teach a cat to read.

    1. Rick in Shermantown, Ohio Avatar
      Rick in Shermantown, Ohio

      Where’s the like button? This blog really needs a like button.

      1. Blinky the Wonder Wombat Avatar
        Blinky the Wonder Wombat

        Hear, hear! (And the Post of the Day Award goes to Anony!)

  7. Dave Avatar
    Dave

    On another note, I’m liking the Tues/Thurs posts!

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  9. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    Reading the random Arlo and Janis cartoons brought up the Puss N Boots long arc from 1995 (?) Where Ludwig talks and is smarter than all the humans, plotting and planning, walking upright on his back feet in cool boots.

    Mark or anyone who can link it here, please do. I can’t or I would.

    1. Mark in TTown Avatar
      Mark in TTown

      Hi Jackie. It starts with this one, and anyone wanting to follow it, just keep clicking on the right arrow below the strip. https://www.gocomics.com/arloandjanis/1998/10/12

      1. Galliglo from Ohio Avatar
        Galliglo from Ohio

        That arc was a lot of fun!

  10.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    I put it in, Jackie, but it hasn’t appeared yet.

  11. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    The page I’d bookmarked has vanished. But there is the handy search box that lets you look for things in the blog site. https://arloandjanis.com/index1110-0413.htm

  12. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    Cat = Four legged furry feline that wants to be on the other side of a door.
    May I add- in their own time.
    .
    Going out is usually quick unless they just decide to make a right angle turn to sit on the table and look out.
    .
    Coming in is another kettle of fish – run up the stairs then stand and look, or scratch the post, or do a one eighty
    go 15 feet, flop over and expect to get carried, 3 cats 3 different programs. Or sometimes 1 program 3 variations.
    .
    Saw a cartoon – skeleton holding the door cat looking in. 🙂

  13. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    October 12, 1998 Puss N Boots

  14. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    Little Garfield comes in and out almost daily.. Big Garfield occasionally. Skipper stares out door constantly. Runs outside rarely.

  15. S Irene Avatar
    S Irene

    That’s a young Luddie!

  16. John II Avatar
    John II

    Cat joke:
    How to get a cat out of a tree?
    Place a table near the base of the tree, put a cup or vase on table and wait.

    1. TruckerRon Avatar

      How to get a cat out of a tree faster?
      Place a table near the base of the tree, put a valuable cup or vase on table and wait.

      1. Mark in TTown Avatar
        Mark in TTown

        Forget the cup or vase, put an empty box on the table. Cats can’t stand an empty box and will rush to fill it.

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