Orange Cat (aka Blank Stare): This fellow's been watching me very strangely since the assignment started. Just staaaring at me. Almost as if he's the one reading me, rather than the other way around. Just when I started to write, he swatted the air. I think he was going for my quill, but he's still doing it and well, his aim is really off. That, or he's trying to tell me something. According to page 98 of my Divination Textbook, such an action means that good news is coming my way. Perhaps the reason he was staring so hard was because he was trying to discern what news it would be? Whether it would be good or bad? Maybe he was trying to tell if I could do this type of reading, and he decided that yes, I can. Maybe that is the good news. After all, here is one reading.

(Note to self: ask Professor Morgan what the sign for bad news is. That seems like one I should get to know and keep an eye out for.)

Marble Cat (aka Indecisive): This one just couldn't seem to make it's mind up in regards to how it wanted to lie down. It half-sat before getting up and turning about, only to half-sit again and then got up again, turned in the opposite direction and half-sat. It repeated this three times before picking what looks to be a rather uncomfortable position at the window sill. According to page 98 of my Divination Textbook, such an action means that I am likely to gain a new friend soon. But the book is unspecific as to whether the turns must all be in the same direction, or if they can be in opposite directions. Perhaps with the back-and-forth of the three times, it means that the friend I am going to gain may not appear as a friend in the beginning? Or maybe that it'll take time and effort and won't be an easy friendship to make?

Seems to tie into Mr. Blank Stare's future predictions that something good will happen. New friends are always good things.

(Note to self: clarify if turns must be all in one direction, or can be in multiple directions)

Black Cat/Kitten (aka Shadow Ball): This one is barely recognizable as a cat. It has mastered the art of becoming 'ball-like', so much so that there is not a hair nor claw that is out of line of its roundness. According to page 97 of my Divination Textbook, this means that things are good and collected now, but I should be aware of the future for something coming? Given Mr. Shadow Ball is sleeping right below Mr. Indecisive, could this mean that the 'something coming' is that new friend that might actually be a very difficult friend? Something coming, after all, does sound rather ominous. More like a warning than an encouragement. Or Mr. Shadow Ball was predicting my calm writing to be interrupted by the sudden presentation of birthday cupcakes! And perhaps this was the good news too! Sweets are always good news!

(Note to self: Is it possible that one cat can be predicting multiple things at the same time with the same gesture? Talk about complicated......)

White Kitten with Black Chin (aka Reverse Oreo): This one has the weirdest affinity for sleeping ever. Its back is on a stable pile of books, but its shoulders and head extend past said pile of books and succumb to gravity. Thus, Mr. Reverse Oreo's head is resting on the desk, and his legs are stretched out so far forwards and backwards that none of them are resting properly anywhere. It does not look like a comfortable sleeping position, and it is hardly a comfortable reading. According to Page 97 of my Divination textbook, a cat lying stretched out means that sunny days are ahead, while a cat lying with its forehead against the floor (or in this case desk) means that stormy weather is head. Like it's sleeping position, this reading seems to be a contradiction. Perhaps Mr. Oreo isn't comfortable with predicting the future and would like to present multiple options, or the two most likely scenarios. Or, like his coloring, he likes to give both the black and white versions of things. Or, possibly, sunny days and stormy weather aren't referring to the same thing. Sometimes weather can be used as an illustration for moods, events or thoughts. Perhaps this cat is saying that sunny days (as in actual days) are ahead, but there is a personal, emotional or situational storm brewing, such as the trouble in gaining a new friend. Or perhaps, it means that the days ahead are going to be happy and bright emotionally and event based, but the weather is going to be foul. I'm going to go with the second one, as Professor Morgan's readings earlier stated a storm, and so far the other predictions have been good (happy) ones.

(Note to self: How many futures can one cat predict at once? Can these predictions contradict one another?)

Conclusion: Reading cats is hard. Harder than the textbook relates it to be. There are many different variables to keep an eye out for, and it seems several different combinations too. Some which may (or may not) be contradictory. I have surmised that one must be very skilled at this art in order to soundly predict the future from it. According to my not-so-perfected-readings, good things are coming but not without some cloudy weather. This may be the form in a friend who will take some time and effort to actually become friends with. It could also mean that the good times were the delicious cupcakes (thank you Professor Morgan) and the stormy weather will simply be that troublesome friend. Regardless, it'll be interesting to see what the future holds.