Putting the bite on

We all enjoy a good bite -- I think it's in our nature. When I was first given free reign after being adopted from the shelter, I walked the perimeter of the rooms finding my comfort zone. Along the wall, I found the power cord for the phone and promptly chewed through it. Mom and Dad were both amazed that I didn't kill myself then and there. My fixation with electrical wires has continued, and I'm still here and Dad's gotten good at splicing wires and using electrical tape.

Mom and Dad have learned to identify our trademark bites. While we all tend to go for cords (telephone cords, power cords, chargers...), Huggy Bear seems to like to chew corners. Lately, he's been fixated on the wooden blinds, which makes Mom very unhappy. Maggie will chew the corners of cardboard boxes and the round handles of nice paper bags. Josie, honestly, doesn't do much chewing -- maybe the occasional twist-tie. She's the "Golden Child," it seems, and apparently she does no wrong. I like to chew plastic bags. I can't get enough of that feeling when your tooth punctures the plastic ... it's the best.

I think the bite is a meaningful thing, a symbol of affection and committment, your way of putting your mark on something and saying, "this is mine." Sure, it's destructive, but we choose what to bite for a reason, and it's got to be more than just because it looks yummy. That's my theory, at least.