Bill grew up with dogs, mostly. He was well into his twenties when he met his wife of over 20 years, Elota, and through her, married into a relationship with Cats. Elota's gray tabby kitten, Max, began Bill's education. Max's demands moved Cats into their rightful Felio-centric position in Bill's pet consciousness.
Bill first became aware that he was actually owned by a Cat when the time that he had normally dedicated to TV was now going to Kitten Max. Bill worked many hours coaching Max, helping him conquer that elusive "moving thing under the bed cover."
Bill was now far gone in Cat Trance. Cat toys must be procured. Cats have precious few waking hours; their time must be used to capacity.
More cats came into the household: Phoebe, Sadie, Vinnie, Mofina, Chloe. As their number grew, Bill's role in attending to their needs grew too. It began with the usual--feeding, freshening the water bowl, taking them to the vet. But these curious critters needed more.
So Bill studied. He graduated to interpreting cat cues: Let me out. Let me in. Feed me. Love me. (Not there--I don't like belly pets! Yesss, head pets!) Amuse me. Make me well. Let me out again. Let me in. Pay attention. See what I brought you!...why are you screaming? Get out of my chair. Fulfill me (even though I don't know what I want). But it's cold, and I like sleeping between you! I really need to go out. Please let me in; it's raining. And of course: Go away; you bore me.
These unexplained rejections spurred Bill to adjust to Cat moods, not take them personally. He bolstered his emotional intelligence in the care and feeding of these wily top-of-the-food-chain predators. Eventually Bill learned black belt cat tending skills, such as how to get up in a sound sleep to let a cat in or out and return to bed without waking up. (There shoulda been a Cat merit badge in the Scouts.) And out of these years of Cat zazen, Cat practice, one day the next step simply appeared. Bill should take his master cat communication skills out into the world. Thus CatManDu was born.
CatManDu does play a a few other roles in life. He has performed as an actor for over thirty years, teaches acting at Zachary Scott Theatre, and does professional voice and film work through the Actors Clearinghouse. Bill has been in several films, including Texas Chainsaw Massacre2. But don't be scared; CatManDu may have played Leatherface2, but he is really as gentle as a kitten.
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