Sherlock considers Gaza

[video: Cat fighting technology, by Paperinjerate]

I see by the morning paper that the humans are fighting again over a territory. This one is called Gaza.

What is the problem? I, Sherlock, am here to explain it, for if there is one thing I understand, it's territory, the other things being food, sex, and safety in that order. Then comfort, of course, but that's a luxury. How do I know so much? By instinct, which means, I am born knowing what to do, and my brain doesn't get in the way.

That's the trouble with people right there, big brains, and the fact that they use them to create weapons. This is somewhat understandable, since they don't have any claws. If you don't have claws you end up using teeth, which is what is wrong with dogs, one thing wrong, anyway. If you don't have teeth, it's worse - you revert to the brain, and that's where people get in trouble.

We cats don't have these long, extended wars over territory. That's ridiculous in a world where there is plenty of it. To start with, if you're going to make your way in this world as a wandering tom, you learn to evaluate the guy who's living in the territory now. You don't pick fights you're bound to lose. Hamas could take note of this.

Second, if you do fight, it's win or lose, not draw. Someone gets beat up and limps away. Does he hang around the edge, looking for another chance to get beat up? Not unless he's been human in a recent life. He goes off and keeps looking. There are lots of territories in the world. A cat doesn't have space in his brain to hold some Idea about "That's my people's Historical Territory," for history isn't real.

Also, a cat fights alone. He doesn't belong to some group of cats, but to all cats, and also to none.

Nor does a cat think, "That's My Holy Land." All land is holy and all land is his, if he can defend it. But he doesn't need to own everything. You can only range so widely. This is another advantage of not having a brain that creates powered vehicles and satellite spys and stuff. For us cats, it's about how much land you can roam and mark every day.

It's so simple, that's why humans can't get it. I've observed that the bigger your brain, the harder it is to see the simple things. I don't know what to think then about elephants and whales, except they have a lot of body to take care of with that big brain. That's okay. I don't need my theories to make sense. I'm zen.