Hemingway!  I need your help!!

What’s the problem now?  Did you get your big tail stuck in the door?

No.  Good grief!  Why would you even think that?

Never mind.  What’s your problem.

I need to know why everyone is talking about the pole ore fur tax.

WHAT????

It’s on the television and it’s on the computer.  What are the humans talking about?

Well, let’s see if we can figure it out.  A pole is usually a long skinny thing.

I’ve seen poles in fire stations and humans slide down them.  I don’t think that would be fun at all.  I would have my claws out all the way down.

Shhhhh……let me think.  Ore is something humans dig out of the ground.

Can they dig it out of our litter boxes?

Just listen!!!  You know what fur is.  We have it all over our bodies.  Mine is regal black and white and yours is ordinary orange with a hint of black and some white.

Why are you regal and I’m ordinary?

Then a tax is something that humans have to pay.  We both know Mom complains about taxes so it’s not a good thing.

So, have you figured it out???

YES!!!!  If you dig out a long stick from the ground and it has fur on it, then you have to pay a tax.

Well, I’m not going to be doing any digging ‘cuz I don’t want to pay any taxes.

Good idea!

Boys………….it’s Polar Vortex and it’s all the cold weather we have outside.

Oh………….sigh…….here I thought I was finally on the right track.

I thought Hemingway’s answer was better.  Can we both have some treats now?