Today it’s time for some snuggly pictures of my friend Carrie and Gus, Erica’s cat.

You would never guess it, but in Gus’s infancy he was a holy terror. For the first year of his life, every time I visited Erica I lived in fear of his almost demonic aggression. Having grown up with 3 cats, Erica was crushed that her steady cache of cat-training and disciplinary techniques were simply not working on this fiendish kitty.

There were tears, there were scratches. Just look at this picture from his youth–he’s flashing those manic crazy-eyes. They were a staple in his violent, furry little face.

Once, when I scooted Gus off the dining room table (where he knew he wasn’t allowed to be), he ran at me teeth and claws flailing, green eyes burning.

I’d never had a cat rush at me in a no-holds-barred vengeful fury, and I will never forget that moment. Thankfully, he came to a stop a couple inches from my frozen and shocked self, turned around, and ran in the other direction. It was a close call, and I’ll never know what exactly saved me from being eviscerated by an angry kitten.

So then, you may ask, why is it well-advised for Carrie to be snuggling him so closely?

Well, I’ll tell you: when Gus was about a year old, Teds entered the picture.

Freshly brought home from the shelter, he was quickly given a bath and then blow-dried back to fluffiness.

He’s grown up a little since then into a lanky teenage-type cat. A little moody at times, but still a fun-loving piece of striped delight.

Look at that freakishly large pink tongue, heh heh.

When Erica first brought him home, Teddy wasted no time in becoming acquainted with his Uncle Gus, proceeding to stalk him . . .

. . . and attack him with youthful fearlessness.

There he is, calmly chomping on Uncle Gus’s paw, the whippersnapper.

And Uncle Gus changed for the better, tamed by a kitten.

He is now a snuggly creature who loves bacon.

While Carrie was cuddling Gus, all of a sudden something happened to his face. It got squished into the shape of the demon-cat that he may have been.

Whoa! It’s like the poster for a horror movie. Let’s take a closer look:

I took a moment to thank the heavens for Teds, who saved us from the frightening-cat-creature-that-could-have-been.

How did you do it, Teds? How exactly did you bring about this transformation?

Well duh–I tamed the shrew with my own two paws.

Now, can we play with my bear-holding-a-bunny or what?